Crazy life

Life has been so crazy lately. It seems like all I do is try to keep my head above water. Even now I am multitasking. As many know I opened up an etsy.com store to sell my soap. Just search soapsnstuff on etsy and you should find my store. After searching around etsy for other soaps I feel that mine are woefully inadequate. Maybe my pictures are just uninspired or something. But how can I compete. Plus I am not a good promoter of my own work. I need an agent to market my stuff. Anyone up for the job. Right now the biz is in the hole but after enough years maybe it will break-even. Or maybe I'll just give up before the year is out. I have no one to help me so it just gets way overwhelming.

Kate

Sent from my iPhone

Biking

On the bike

Where are you?

Hi all!  I know I have been rather MIA lately but I have been so busy with life in general.  Not necessarily a good thing.  Let's see if I can do a quick catch up.

I started up an Etsy.com store.   You can find me as SoapsNStuff  on Etsy.com.  I am finally selling my handcrafted soaps!  I know you all have been telling me to do so for years and I finally did.  My cousin also has a store (JavaGirls) and she is the one that really gave me the push I needed.  So I figured I had nothing to lose but everything to gain.

We bought a new CR-V to replace the Civic.  The Civic was a 2003 that had 130,000+ miles and was really starting to struggle.  So we were able to trade it in and buy a new one.  The 2006 CR-V is now mine and it is paid off so we still only have the one payment which is nice.

We still own the condo.  We hope to sell it soon to the renter we currently have.  She is working hard at getting the financing that she needs.  Sooner or later we will sell it, just hope it is on the sooner side.  If you need a great real estate agent in MD I know one!

We leave in a few days for a week in Albany GA with Kelly and family.  I can't wait to go!!!  We are going down for Ryan's baptism.  Brian and I are the godparents!  First time for that too.  Just hope that Josie does well on the flight.

Lets see what else is there.....Work is ok.  Everyone is really on edge with layoffs looming over us.  My department is hopeful that we will be spared this round since there are only 4 of us anyway.  We are actually over worked and under staffed and some of the powers that be have acknowledged that so that is a good sign.

I got and IPhone and really love it!!!  I can do so much with it.  I can check facebook, e-mail, my Etsy store and surf the web.  It really takes a load off me when I can't get to my lap top.  I can get so much done on my lunch break at work as well as when I am riding (as a passenger) in the car.  You would be surprised at how the majority of my apps are "working" apps and not games.  I'm hooked!

Well that's the rundown right now.  Hope to get back her after our vacation to let you all know how things went.  In the meantime don't forget to check out my Etsy store!!

Time to cool off

Spring is in the Air!

Spring is in the air and I can't wait to get gardening. We have been touring the yard lately to see what survived our wicked winter and what didn't. The forsythia is in full bloom but need some pruning to regain their shape. We bought a few more full grown plants to start the hedge row on the other side of the house and we have some cuttings in water hoping for them to root. The clematis has green leaves starting to show and the rose bushes are full of budding leaves. The columbine came back this year as well and so did the dianthus that Amy gave me for my birthday. The daffodils are up but only one bloom so far and lots of buds. The hyacinths are half way up only a few more warm days and they should be in bloom. Now I am not sure if the hydrangea that Sarah gave me for my birthday is going to make it. Sorry Sarah but the snow was bad on that side of the house. We put out those little blaze orange flags out by all the small stuff so no one will step on them or mow them over. The lilacs are looking ok. The small one in the front took some damage but I think it will recover. The herb garden is looking green with lots of plants coming back. The strawberries survived for the most part, may need to buy some more to fill in the gaps. I haven’t seen any signs of the hosta yet so not sure they will come back. The tree out front has some buds on it but hasn’t done anything yet. It is still bendy in the branches so I don’t think it is dead but it too took a hard snow drift. Once the snow had melted some we had to re-stake it since it started to lean pretty bad.


We have some big plans for the yard this year. We started some sunflower seeds inside with Josie that needs to be transplanted. I was thinking about putting them between the pussy willow and the lilac out back. Brian started some pepper seeds that looking good and we have some watermelon seeds that have sprouted that Josie planted. The last frost date for our area is the last of April beginning of May so still not time to put too much outside. We also plan to replace the generic black plastic boarder we have around our gardens with brick in the front and some type of wood accent in the back. We currently have willow panels around the self watering pots off the deck. They panels are too tall for the herb garden so we have to find something that is shorter and will look good with the willow. In the front we want to build up the front flower garden a little with a 2 or 3 brick high retaining wall (that side slopes). Dad has some left over brick from one of their projects that he is willing to give to us to use. So that will help with the cost of the project. Just have to figure out the logistics of building the wall. We also want to use brick for the little bed that surrounds the light post out front. I have tulip bulbs in there that have started to come up. I also hope to get a sandbox for Josie this summer and hope to get more use out of her sprinkler play mat this summer than last. Feel free to drop by to lend a hand digging holes or stacking bricks!

I just can't win

I feel like I just can't win right now.  First Josie was totally miserable because she was constipated again.  So to resolve the situation, since nothing else was working, we gave her the Miralax like the doctor said.  So that solved the problem and she had a breakthrough so to speak.  Now she has multiple soft movements a day.  So much so that now she has a diaper rash!  I just can't win...

Tricycle

Josie on her trike

Kate Grimes via my cell

Sick Days...

I hate being sick.  But then again who doesn't.  We are a sick house right now.  It came home with Josie and she got rid of it a lot faster than the rest of us.  Friday on the drive home Josie puked twice in the car.  That was fun. You all know how she hates to be messy and it was all over her.  I had to pull over into some driveway to get her settled down.  Just my luck the lady that lived there came home at the same time.  She was very nice once I described my predicament.  Luckily it was a Friday and I had Josie's sheet and blanket from the week at daycare.  I tucked those around her to soak up what they could and to keep her warm for the rest of the drive.  Brian met me in the garage with a beach towel and clean clothes for Jo.  He took her in and got her changed while I got out of my work clothes and in to some grubbies so I could work on cleaning the car.  This is not the first time I have had to dismantle the car seat to get it clean.  None of the puke managed to actually hit the car itself.  It all landed on Jo, her car seat or the blanket that was on the floor.  So I washed the car seat cover, hosed down the car seat and straps (still needs a second hosing), removed all the toys and such from the car, vacuumed and Fabreezed the car.  I left the windows down for it to air out as well.  So that was Friday.  Saturday Josie was fine.  She ate, kept everything down, was running around and playing and no fever.  So we went over to my mom's for the afternoon and I got a hair cut.  All was well until the drive home when I started to feel ill.  Poor Brian had made homemade ravioli and meatballs for dinner.  But we never got to eat it.  I got home and by 6 I was in bed with a fever and chills.  By 7 I had already bowed to the porcelain goddess.  That was the end of my good weekend.  I figured I got sick because I had to clean the car.  Brian slept on the couch that night in an effort to stay healthy.  I was done with my bathroom visits by 11:30 Saturday night but was still unable to function well in the morning.  By noon on Sunday Brian was starting to feel sick as well.  So we called up Grandma (my mom) to come and take Josie home with her.  Which she did and I am eternally grateful to her.  Brian and I have basically been asleep off and on since Josie left with my mom.  Today we both called out sick.  I am in the process of rehydrating and eating again.  I am still really tired and a bit dizzy from my lack of food.  Brian is still nauseous but getting better.  I took some time to lysol everything this morning.  I also hope to shower today.  So we are on the mend but not 100% by far.

She said what?

Lately we have been hearing a lot of new words and phrasing coming from Josie that I just have to share a few.


The other day Brian had picked her up from daycare and was taking her with him to the comic book store for his weekly trip when they pull into the parking lot and from the back seat he hears: "Hey wait a minute, I have an idea. Let's get a Mickey book!" Josie normally gets a Mickey comic book when she goes with daddy so I guess this was her way of reminding him of that fact.

Then the other day Josie busts out with an "Oh my goodness!"

Then there is the ever popular "I do it myself!"

Regarding food her new thing is when she is full or just doesn't want what you gave her is to say "I don't like it." And makes a squished up kind of face.

The other day I snagged a free pen from our local bank and Brian asked me why I needed another one. I told him that I broke the last one. He then asks how I managed that. I was carrying Jo at the time and I looked at her and said "well it wasn't me that broke it." That is when Josie shouts "It was ME!" Brian and I could not contain the laughter.

A few crochet items

Lent Project

Just wanted to take a moment to mention my Lent Project.  I can never figure out what I should "give up" for lent  so this year I decided to do something rather than not doing something.  So my project this year is to make a granny square a day with a few extras on the weekends so that by Easter I hope to have 48 squares completed. Once the squares are completed I will send them on to a member of one of my charity groups to have them put together into an afghan(s) and shipped off to those who need them.  I am using some leftover baby yarn that I have because there are babies out there that need blankets too.   I hope during this season that you take time to think about those around you and those who may need your help and support.

OMG Snow!

Well I am sure you all have heard about the back to back snow storms that hit the east coast.  Well I can tell you that I was in it first hand.  First snow over the weekend left us with 2 feet and the current storm that is beating us now is going to leave the same amount if not more in its wake.  See my Snapfish pictures.  I haven't seen snow like this since I moved from Connecticut the last time.  I counted it out and I have shoveled snow in five different states.  Thankfully today, clearly the worst storm of the two, my company is closed and so is the proving ground where Brian works.  My coworker thinks that our company will still be closed tomorrow.  Which I hope is true because I haven't seen a plow since last night.  My commute home last night was a white knuckle ride.  I had the CR-V and even left early from work and it still took me 3 hours to get home.  I slid in several places which is doubly terrifying when your toddler is in the car with you.  I did think ahead before I left the house in the morning and made sure we both had heavy coats, hats, scarfs, gloves and good shoes.  I also put a heavy blanket in the car in case of emergency.  I tell you I was really thankful for the Garmin because there were times when I could not see very far ahead to make out exits off of 83.  There was only about 1 or 2 inches on the ground when I left the daycare but by the time I got home, 3 hours later, there was 5 on the ground.  According to the weather we were only supposed to get about 2 before 9 p.m..  Guess that didn't work out.  Last forecast I heard today said 24-36 inches when all is said and done.  That does not count the 24 already on the ground from 2 days ago.  So much for global warming.  Luckily the neighbor across the street has a snow blower and helped Brian finish clearing the driveway this morning.  Brian has already shoveled half and then Brad came over to help finish.  With him taking care of the driveway it gave us a chance to work on the front walk and stoop.  It hadn't been touch at all.  We didn't do anything to it after the first storm.  Brian keeps talking about having to go back out and shovel again but with the wind whipping like it is we just can't find the motivation to go out.

Charity

As I have written before, I am in the process of crocheting baby caps for the local hospital. We I have also found a few other crafty causes to. One is Bridge and Beyond (see their Blog Badge to the side). Their mission is to warm the homeless by knitting and crocheting hats, mittens, and scarves for men living under a bridge in Central Ohio. They also make hats, mittens, scarves appropriate for women and children who are cared for in 2 free clinics in that area.  Another group taking crafted donations is Crafting for a Cause they have a Yahoo group which I joined to understand the program better.  The take lots of granny squares and other small items which is a great way to use up left over yarn and to put it to a good use.  Granny squares work up so fast that you can develop quite the collection in no time fast.  Makes people like me who like instant gratification feel like they are getting somewhere.  So I urge you all to put your skill to good use and help others in your each unique ways.

Way to start the year....

Holly Cow its cold! I know most of the country is in the deep freeze right now too but I just got to comment on it. When did 32 degrees start feeling like a heat wave? To start our new year out the CR-V that I drive decided it was too cold out to start on Monday. It made the “rurring” noise and sounded like it wanted to start when I turned the key but no luck. So I have to unbuckle Josie out of her car seat, grab the stuff out of the car and head back inside. Josie thought we were getting another snow day and headed to the couch for some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and made herself comfortable by taking her shoes off and flinging her coat aside. I on the other hand dug out the AAA card and called the emergency roadside assistance number. About 45 minutes and about a dozen calls to friends looking for a ride for Josie to daycare later the AAA guy showed up. He was able to get the car started just be cranking the key several times and told me it needed a “tune up.” So I thanked him and loaded Josie and I back into the car and we headed on our way. Tuesday I took the CR-V over to the Honda place and one expensive bill later the car was working like it should.

Happy New Year!

We had a pretty low key new year's this time around.  Josie and I spent some time with the Gauldin Family, however Brian was not with us.  Since he is still getting over the worst of his bronchitis we felt that it would be best if he stayed home and away from the pregnant Danielle.  I returned home in time to watch the ball drop with Brian.  Soon after we were all fast asleep.

We spent New Year's Day just going with the flow.  We ran over to A.C. Moore and got some crafty stuff with my 20% off your entire purchase coupon as well as $20 in reward bucks.   Ate lunch at Sonic and then while Josie was napping Brian and I did some hobby stuff.  He is working on a clock kit and I did some repotting of my African Violets.  I lost a lot of plants in the move due to the cold weather and being left in the car for several hours.  So I am working on rebuilding my violet collection.  My mom has a lot of violets that were offshoots of mine so she has been rooting cuttings for me to help me get back what I lost.

Once Josie woke up she was in a much better mood and we went out to dinner at the Olive Garden.  She behaved really well and we all enjoyed our dinner.  After that we hit Target for some stuff and a Starbucks.  Since Josie was so good at dinner she was allowed to have some chocolate for her dessert.

Snow Day

Today we woke up to about a half inch of snow on the ground with more falling.  Brian is the first to get out in the mornings and he normally reports how the roads are.  So I got up and got dressed for work and got Josie up and dressed.  We came downstairs and then the phone rings.  It is Brian reporting on the road conditions.  His report was that the roads really sucked.  And he advised against me driving in it especially with Josie in the car.  So on the last day of the year I used my last sick day so Josie and I could take a snow day.

Here she is eating cereal and watching Imagination Movers.  I am thinking that we might make some Cheerio necklaces later or maybe some bird feeding crafts.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Christmas Day and Weekend

Christmas was great this year, well most of it anyway. Brian and I were both sick and still are sick. I had/have bronchitis and pink eye and on antibiotics for both. Brian had/has an upper respiratory infection. So we spent the whole time coughing, hacking and blowing our noses. I told Mom that we were sick and if they still wanted us to come and she did. So we went and worked hard to keep our germs to ourselves.

On Christmas Eve Josie was keyed up and I don’t think she had any idea why. I feel bad for Josie because when the parents are sick a lot of holiday traditions go out the window. We didn’t get any cookies put out and didn’t read “The Night Before Christmas.” Josie opened her Eve gift early so she could wear her PJ’s and go to bed before it was too late. Brian had already gone to bed so I opened his PJ Eve gift for him. I helped Mom finish wrapping some gifts before heading to bed myself.

Christmas morning Josie didn’t get up until close to 7:30 which was nice for us to get some sleep. I told Mom the night before that I would only be able to hold her off until 8. So at 8 we went upstairs and woke up Grandma and Grandpa. Great Grandma was already up, dressed and eating breakfast. I kept Josie out in the kitchen until everyone was ready before I let her see the tree. I called her in and she came running in and kind of stopped. She didn’t know what to do. She pointed at the presents and looked at me with that look of “can I touch it?” Our tradition is we open stockings first while the Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls are baking. Then we eat our rolls and open the rest of the gifts. Josie has really figured out the opening of presents now. Santa wrapped a few of hers a little too well and she needed some adult help. But for the most part she got it all done by herself. My Dad hands out the gifts under the tree so everyone is opening a gift at relatively the same time. Josie got a pile up. She wanted to play with everything before opening another gift. So we let her do her thing and I would open some (the ones I could tell were clothes) and left the others for when she was ready.

Josie’s big hit gift was the play kitchen that Grandma and Grandpa got her. For Brian it was the solar charger he got that can charge/power all his gadgets. For me it was a Pandora Christmas! I got a new Pandora necklace and several beads. Although, I was very fond of the humidifier that I got because I was able to put it straight to use in our room at my mom’s house. It helped us all sleep better with our colds.

The day after Christmas my mom and I baked gingerbread men cookies, banana bread and sugar cookie dough (we didn’t get to make the actual cookies; Mom baked them after I left).

All in all we had a great time and we are feeling better, seems like one of us is sick around the holidays. That is one tradition I can do without. Now the countdown starts toward 2010!

The Christmas Season

Wow I am so behind on blogging. I guess that is a sign of being busy off my butt. Lots going on, being that it is the holiday season and all. At the start of December we got to visit with one set of our bestest friends who we don't get to see very often. Kelly, Jake, Will and Ryan came up to Maryland for a visit. It was great seeing them! I miss them all so much! I was determined to visit with them at Kelly's mom's house despite throwing out my back that morning and the snow falling. Kelly's mom made a great holiday dinner and we all had good time. It is great to have such good friends that even when you don't see each other very often you can pick right back up like you were never apart. I have to say that Will is becoming quite the charmer and Ryan is so sweet. My biggest wish is that one day the Grimes family, the Gualdin family and the Abbe family all live in the same neighborhood and our kids grow up together. Maybe someday....

The annual "Tree Day" with my parents was on the first Sunday of the month. We went to Fritz's Farm and Nursery in Harford County MD. We have been going there for about 30 years now to get our Christmas trees. Josie found the whole experience interesting. She didn't like it when we went in one direction looking for a tree and Grandma and Grandpa went in another direction. Once we all found trees that we liked the ladies went inside to pay while the guys got the trees loaded. Mom and I also bought wreaths and Josie was fascinated with the old dog roaming around. Didn't see any cats this year, must have been hiding out somewhere warm. We have one of those swivel straight tree stands and really love it. We take the inside boot from the stand with us to the tree place and have them cut off any low branches that need to be trimmed for the boot to fit. Then we drive home with the boot attached to the tree and when we get home Brian just brings the tree in and plops it in the stand. We swivel it till it is straight and done. Saves a lot of arguing. The tree has been decorated for a while now and presents are filling up under the tree. We put out the gifts that come in the mail and ones that were sent in other ways. These gifts we normally open on Christmas Eve before we load up and leave for my mom’s house.

And that brings us to today. It is Christmas Eve and the presents are wrapped, the cards are sent and the car is waiting to be loaded. Josie doesn’t quite get the whole Santa thing yet but she knows who he is if you show her a picture and she knows that he brings presents but that is about as far as it goes. I can’t wait to see her face in the morning when she sees all the presents under the tree. This year my Grandmother Davis will be at my mom’s too for the holiday. So it will be nice to have four generations together at Christmas. I will take lots of Christmas day pictures and will post another blog soon.

Merry Christmas to all!

November

I feel like I should post a blog since I haven't done it in a while.  Josie will be 2 years old on Saturday.  I can't believe how the time has flown by.  She is such a little person now.  She loves Mickey and The Wiggles and Thumper.  She has many of the Thumper board books and loves to "read" them and have you read them to her.  Lately she has been a bit of crank but I think that is just the terrible twos setting in.  On Friday she will have a little party at daycare with her friends.  I bought cupcakes to take in and will bring in Wigglely Bay for them to all watch.  Then starting on the 16th she will be in the 2's room.  They tried to transition her over there a few hours at a time but that didn't go so well so we are trying the sink or swim method by just dropping her off at the start of the day and picking her up at the end of the day from the 2's.  We shall see how that goes.  I figure the first week will be hard but she will get used to it.  She knows the kids in that room since they used to be in the 1's room with her. 

Last weekend we had a family party for Josie and Abbie at my parent's house.  It was fun and Jo had a great time with her cousins.  It is so funny to see her and Abbie interact.  They have thier own language that they talk to each other in.  They both don't like to share Grandma with the other one but as long as Grandma has room for both on her lap then things are ok.