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Category Archives: House & Home

My first substitute husband job!

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Thank heavens for friends! (I could actually say that a lot, but today it’s about Roger coming to look at the sink.) 🙂

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At first he was afraid it was inside the faucet with the hot water lines—which would require a plumber—but then he said “Hey, let me check this quick…”

And bingo! It was the pull-out handle—it was loose and the water was dripping from there. A quick tighten and it’s fixed (and he could find the tool he needed right away thanks to Tom organizing everything before he left!). He also moved the hose to a less-constricted space (away from the dishwasher line) so it’s easier to pull when necessary (and will create less stress on the part).

I never would have thought to check that, but now I know if it happens again!

Phew! I was envisioning $$$ for a plumber and/or $$$ for a new faucet.

And I think it’s pretty good that I didn’t need a fill-in hubby until a month in to the deployment! 🙂

What a morning.

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I’ve been up since 6:30 when Katie started screaming.

The cats have barfed three times.

Katie made a terrific mess out of bananas and granola bars.

I discovered my kitchen sink has been leaking for who knows how long and I haven’t the first clue how to fix it (so am hoping a friend can come over). All the towels stored underneath were soaked.

Owen pooped his pants (the first time since the hospital) and then filled the toilet with about a half roll of TP trying to wipe (zero success, BTW).

And Katie won’t stop screaming when I’m out of her sight.

/cry

Kitchen Calamity

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So you all know I hate our kitchen—it’s just ENTIRELY too small (even if every single counter was completely cleared off, there’s still no good place to put a cutting board or mixing bowls, etc.). So I was getting dinner ready for our little grilling dinner party—starting the water boiling for rice, turning the big pan on for sauteing onions, and chopping onions on a cutting board on the stove. (I had debated cutting them across the sink, but I had already dirtied up the too-small cutting board so figured why change mid-stream?)

So I’m peeling and cutting onions and I see a small wisp of smoke and notice that my cutting board is a little too close to the rice pot, so I move it and continue. A few minutes later, there’s suddenly way more smoke and a putrid toxic smell and HOLY SHIT—I had turned the wrong burner on and my big plastic cutting board was melting. 😯

So in about the span of three seconds, I grabbed the melting board and set in on the sink, turned off the burner, and turned on the fans…just as Ruth was walking in from outside. She was surprised, of course, but there wasn’t much she could do. I opened the sliding door and was fanning the smoke out to hopefully keep the smoke detector from blasting…when it hit me: GET THE BURNING PLASTIC OFF THE BURNER. So I grabbed the always-handy razor blade from the drawer and scraped off the melted plastic which just about immediately halted the toxic smoke (and man was it TOXIC—it was literally burning my nose and throat). The smoke alarm never went off and the kitchen was back to normal in about five minutes.

Thankfully the rest of the dinner went off without a hitch and was super delicious!

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I joked that I cursed myself because just that morning I ordered three new bamboo cutting boards to replace some of my plastic ones that were getting a little janky…

Pool work and fun collide

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It was one of those days when both kids were trying my patience (even though the morning was fun at the playground) so I just decided we were all going to go out in the pool. I was hot and cranky, the kids were cranky, and the pool needed attention because I’ve been neglecting it. (It doesn’t ever need a lot of work, but it does need to be cleaned out now and again.)

Katie’s new (used) size 2T suit (which is none too big). (I can never seem to find both pieces of her suit when I want them and I don’t always want her to go nekkid, so I just bought a $3 suit from the resale shop.)

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So I stepped in the pool and started cleaning out grass and bugs and whatnot when I realized WOW the water level was REALLY low—like below my knees low (it’s usually quite above my knees). By the time all was said and done, I had put about 5″ of water back in! FIVE INCHES! I’m sure some loss was due to evaporation, but I’m sure the majority of loss was from all the kids playing in it, hanging over the edge and letting water pour out, using squirt water toys outside the pool, etc. (We have rules, but honestly they’re somewhat hard to enforce when there are six kids under six running wild—though we do try!)

So while I was “working” (skimming the whatnot out), the kids had fun, too…

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After an hour or so in her floaty, Katie wanted OUT. She did pretty good walking by herself (and only slipped under once—which barely phased her) but I was a nervous wreck so we didn’t do that for too long. It would have been better to let her do that when we first got in and the water was 5″ shallower!

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Mini heart failure

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We were headed to Sam’s Club and I had Owen get in first while I went back to get Katie. Buckled her in and left. On the way there I noticed in my rear view mirror that he was sleeping so at a light I pulled out my camera to get a picture…and noticed he wasn’t buckled in! I had completely forgotten. After a moment of pure panic, I realized we were almost there so by the time I could manage to pull off, I could almost be at Sam’s Club. Lesson learned…always buckle Owen in first OR leave his door open so I stop to check on him.

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My first actual Tom job!

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Other than changing batteries in kid toys, taking out the garbage and recycling, making sure the pool survives, removing/installing car seats, troubleshooting the network, installing a new video monitor, and dealing with cat litter [whoa, I didn’t plan to list that many things but I just kept thinking of them]…I had my first actual Tom job to deal with today: ant piles. (So really, I should say my first outside Tom job that I only do when he’s gone.)

Three really big piles had sprung up in the front yard and a few tiny ones had popped up in both the side yard and back yard. So I put the poison granules on them and watered it in. This is what one pile looked like after I doused them.

/shudder

A blast from the past + kids = surreal

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I had a good time visiting with a high school friend today—and our kids had A BLAST in the pool and playing hide and seek (he’s 4, she’s almost 7). It’s very surreal to me to remember all the times she and I spent together in middle and high school…and then be sitting there watching our kids play.

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Pool Day

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We had an invite for the beach today, but I just am not ready to take Katie and Owen to the beach. Owen would be fine, but I have no idea if Katie will be a content to sit and play in the sand baby or if she’d be a run up and down the beach baby—and didn’t really have the energy to find out today…so I passed…but invited others over for the pool. One mom came over (the same one who went out to dinner with me on my anniversary) and it was great.

Getting ready for the sun:

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This is what happened when I asked the kids to pose. She did and Owen looks like he’s attacking her! 🙂

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Unfortunately, Katie was a total crankypants—the first time since she’s started this recent teething episode. But she liked the watermelon (and wanted to share, as you will see in the video).

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I finally got out the baby pool we had when Owen was little (Tom just found it before he left):

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And it was HOT. And with the running around with the kids and getting the air compressor out of the shed, yada yada yada, I really wanted to go in the pool. Ruth said “Sure, go ahead!” So I did! I spent about 15 minutes in with the kids—and Ruth even got Katie into a swim diaper and then brought her to the pool with us! Then Ruth even got in up to her knees to cool off. It was really, really great and I appreciated it immensely!

Happy 12th Anniversary!

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Happy 12th anniversary from halfway across the world, baby! It feels like just yesterday but also like we’ve been together our whole lives as I can’t imagine my life before you. I love you and miss you desperately!

Obligatory Flashback Wedding Photo

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And this year—after a respectable 11-year run—we FINALLY ended our accidental-turned-scheduled anniversary tradition of having Chinese for dinner. Damn marine corps not offering anything remotely Chinese in Afghanistan today. Hmph.

However.

We’re possibly starting a new tradition as Tom had steak and shrimp…so I figured instead of me just grabbing Chinese take out, I’d go and get steak and shrimp as well!

However.

I didn’t really want to get it take-out (who wants steak and shrimp to cool off on the 20-minute ride home?) but I honestly didn’t want to go by myself (well, with the kids)…so I sent an open invitation to my moms group…and one mom offered to come out with me (well, plus one of her kids). So…YAY for friends! And new traditions!

That said…WOW. I don’t think I’ll be taking the kids out by myself anytime soon. Or if I do, it will be to a FAST FOOD place or somewhere we can get much faster service.

Those of you with small kids will understand—you do everything QUICKLY. You order quickly (you quite possibly even order the kids meals first), you pay the check quickly, and you’re hopefully out of there before the squirming and whining begins. But unfortunately that was not how tonight played out. I fully blame the waitress, who constantly disappeared for loooong periods at every stage of the meal. Tom and I can usually get in and out in under 40 minutes. Ruth and I were there (at the same place) for just under ONE AND A HALF HOURS. Good god.

Ruth was a godsend, though. At one moment when it was a bit of a circus—everyone was noisy, there was too much crap on the tables and nowhere to put anything, Katie had reached for the knife three times in under a minute and was spilling corn all over the floor, Owen was asking for the third time where his milk was (damn slow waitress!), we were trying to share the onion appetizer…all while trying to place our food order—she volunteered to take the kids (my two and her one) for a brief walk so I could have a breather. And then she noticed Katie needed a diaper change so she did that, too.

/sigh

Of course, Owen didn’t follow along quickly enough and then Ruth was too far away for him to chase after so he stayed with me. Then announced he had to pee…so I had to take him back to the bathroom anyway. But then I left him with Ruth and went back to the table as they took a quick roundabout tour of the restaurant and I got to eat three bites of my salad in peace.

Overall it was a great meal—the steak and shrimp were REALLY good. It may have spoiled my usual order at that restaurant as well (I have ever only ordered one single thing every time we’ve gone there). The only thing that could have made it better? To have been able to calmly and slowly eat the yummy meal in peace and quiet—appreciating the food—instead of just shoving in a random bite here and there between managing two kids. Well, I guess that’s technically more than one thing. 🙂

I am so glad to have made a few new good mom friends who just UNDERSTAND and are willing to lend a hand—or supportive meal—when it’s needed.

And on that note… I mentioned that I’d probably order steak every time I went out because I wouldn’t be eating it at home because I don’t grill. And Ruth pipes up “I GRILL!” So I’ll provide the protein and the grill, she’ll provide the actual grilling, the kids can play in the pool…YAY!

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Swimming in the Rain

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Owen wanted to go in the pool when we got home from the party…and it sounded good to me, too, since it was still so muggy and I needed to cool off. It had stopped raining but I could see the dark clouds rolling in. The water was actually a bit chilly so Katie and I didn’t stay in too long (I stayed in just long enough to clean out all the grass and bugs) and while we were drying off, it started raining. There was no thunder or lightning so Owen stayed in the pool. He loved it.

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New window seat…and desk.

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Someone is happy that we rearranged the office and she has her window seat back.

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And I guess this is as good a time as any to show pictures of the new desk Tom built… I’ve been meaning to post them but then it got later and later (and you know how I like to have posts on the day they actually happen) until I kinda gave up. But today works.

Though the desk has been a work-in-progress for months (he started with gusto and then took a long break and then finished with gusto!) we finally got it put together on August 1.

Ahhh, so nice and empty. I still REALLY miss the orange. 🙁

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The three-piece L-shaped desk! That white cabinet (aka old printer stand) is now placed at the end of Tom’s section of the desk (which is just out of frame). It now has the scanner sitting on it, unplugged, since we rarely use it (I have a Fujitsu ScanSnapthat I love and use more).

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Tom did a really great job and it’s SOOOO much better than the [two-year] temporary desk we had in there. (We used to have an L-shaped desk in here, but after a few PCS moves, it was a little shaky.)

Busy Day

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Today was a busy day.

I enrolled Owen in pre-k (but won’t know if he’s accepted until next week—long story)—which meant an early trip to town (of course with both kids in tow).

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Then, since we were already out, we stopped at Food Lion to get Owen’s frozen pizzas (we were totally out). And someone fell asleep on the way home:

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Then I made Cocoa Rice Krispie treats…because we were having pool play group at our house. After Katie got out of the pool, she hung out with Connor eating Cheetos:

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I gave both kids baths—which Katie is a nightmare flailing about since she doesn’t like to get water on her head or get rinsed off (I was soaked and the bathroom was pretty wet as well).

Then I made the three usual dinners—making theirs first then making mine as they eat (with Owen asking “Mom, are you going to eat dinner?”).

I’m beat. And it’s only 6:30.

Another pool night

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Somewhat dry…

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We couldn’t find his goggles tonight so he was closing his eyes—and having a fit “because I can’t see anything!” 🙂

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Somewhat more wet…

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As with most of his pool toys, the shark was one we bought that he pretty much wanted nothing to do with. Hug it? No. Sit on it? No. Swim with it? No. But give him a week or so and look what he’s doing…

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Katie loves it when we pull her around…and then Owen was pulling her around and singing Row Row Row Your Boat to her. And see what else she does?! 🙂

What’s in the box?

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If you know me at all, you know we order a lot of stuff from Amazon (and online in general, really—I mean, with two kids, it’s really the convenience factor). And with the quantity we order PLUS my sketchy swiss-cheesed mommy-brain memory, I often have NO idea what’s in each box when it arrives. Tom and I sometimes play a game: Can he open the box before I remember what’s in it? 🙂 (If you’re curious, I think it’s about 60/40 to him.)

Well, in my internet travels, I recently saw a really delicious recipe that I saved to Evernote post haste (Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter S’mores Bars by Cookies & Cups if you’re interested ) but what got me was the beginning text…which sounds just about like our household:

A few weeks ago I opened up my front door to a package.
Now I am no stranger to the package on the front door.
I consider myself a bit of an online shopping expert.

But sometimes when you are such an expert internet shopper you forget about the things you buy…

That is until the box ends up on the front step.

ORRR the husband intercepts said box, which is basically the worst day of my life.

In these cases he generally stands over me while I open the box, all while I over-explain about how it was “on sale”, a “total bargain” or (my favorite) “for the children”.

Anyway, when you open the box it’s like a surprise! What did I order? I can’t even remember!

It’s basically like Christmas.

I mean, you all know how much I LOVE CHRISTMAS… 🙂

But now, all I can think about is those yummy-looking S’more bars. Mmmmmm. I wonder how they’d travel to Afghanistan?!?

Anyone want to paint?

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I don’t suppose anyone would want to come paint my half bath? We just did it when we moved in two years ago (and when I say WE I mean my mom did it)…but it’s brown. Which, at the time, was fine. But with all the, um, potty training issues in that room…I’d really like a different color. But I suck at painting and have no idea how to pull out the toilet and sink.

Mom, are you up to painting it again when you come down? Pretty pretty please? 🙂

Life goes on…part 2.

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After the hot and sweaty time saying goodbye to Tom and then at the playground…the pool sounded really good. Of course, I didn’t realize my waterproof camera didn’t have the memory card in it until I was already in the pool…so these photos are from after I got out and grabbed my real camera.

Katie LOVES the pool. Owen LOVES the pool. They love playing together. It’s awesome.

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And then watching Sofia the First.

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Pool Play Group

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Our mommy play group schedule is off a little in the summer so basically someone just says “Hey, we’re headed to the beach!” or “Come on over…I’m getting out the water slide!” So today I had the group over for a pool party! We even had a new dad join our group!! (Ironically, it turns out he lives two streets over from us! This was the first group event he came to.)

It’s impossible to get five kids in a pool to stay still for a picture!

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Owen in his new favorite goggles (from Amazon, of course). Get them here: Aqua Sphere Seal Kid Swim Goggle

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And Katie did REALLY well! I was going to put her down for her nap around 11 when people arrived…but she wasn’t really tired so I put her in her cage 🙂 and she was happy enough and did really well until about 12 when she got hungry and then I put her down about 12:30 (and she napped until 4!).

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Finally, an amazing sale transaction.

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Today rocked.

I listed our dining set yesterday. I get an email today about it…with fully formed sentences and no text speak!! I emailed back and got a reply within a half hour. She was able to come look at the table right away, she came when she said she was going to (almost to the minute!), and left a deposit and took some chairs with her. We even stood and chatted for 20 minutes because her husband is deploying soon, too.

Ahhh, that feels good. That’s how this stuff is SUPPOSED to work.

As as a bonus? We sold the table for more than we paid for it—though not by much, after you figure in what we paid for [feet] sliders and seat cushions!! But we weren’t out any money and that’s the best part!

I have my table!

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So, as you may or may not know/remember, we’ve gone through a multitude of dining table sets over the years. (I started the process by wanting a counter-height table…we got one but returned it because it scratched too easily, we ordered a different one and the wrong base came in TWICE…) Our most recent table was from Sam’s Club which we got on clearance for half price because it had a scratch…and I knew at the time it would just be a temporary table until we found THE table.

Well, I found THE table.

I’m always on the lookout at Costco since their prices are really really good…and this month it was in the circular for warehouse only. I was drooling because it seemed perfect—center table legs, butterfly leaf, nine pieces, and leather-cushioned chairs!!—but it didn’t list a price.

So we were headed there today and I hoped it was a great price…AND IT WAS!! PLUS there was a manufacturer’s in-store rebate which made it even better. But they would only hold it until the end of business. And they only had three in stock with none showing as on order. Our friend with the trailer didn’t answer his phone. U-Haul was cheap but we didn’t have our ball/hitch and they didn’t have any. But we bought it anyway thinking we’d figure out something. Luckily our friend got back to us on the way home (plus his daughter could babysit)…but that still meant another 2-hour round trip (man do I hate being an hour away from Costco).

And of course it rained cats and dogs on the way home…but I have my table!!!

Stay tuned for pics.

A dinosaur in town!

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So we had to pick up Tom’s car on the way back from the movie today and I had Owen with me.

While we were stopped at a light:

Owen: Mama! I see a dinosaur!
Me: A dinosaur? Really? Where?
Owen: Over there!
Me: On a sign? Or a wavy tube dinosaur? [We had just seen a wavy tube fox so I thought it was possible.]
Owen: No! Over there!

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And by god, I saw it.

Owen: And there’s a guy riding him!
Me: Yep, I can see that, too!

He’s so observant it scares me.

Regaining household real estate

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The good thing about our second kid? As soon as she’s done with something, we can GET RID OF IT! Because we sure as hell don’t need to worry about saving it for a possible third child! YIPPEE!

So, within the past week, the jumper has been sold and the bottles and bottle rack have been put away (and will be listed for sale soon). We have now regained some much-needed floor space in the living room and counter space in the kitchen!!

Don’t get me wrong—it is a bit sad that we no longer need that stuff…but the declutterer in me is THRILLED.

Oh, and if you couldn’t gather it from the above statements about the bottles going away…Katie is DONE with bottles! She would probably still take them, but after her 12-month appointment (at which time she was still drinking a few bottles a day) I just decided I’d had enough (and really wanted my counter space back!) so I waited until she was good and hungry…and gave her milk in a straw cup. And she did pretty good with it. I kept a single bottle available for a week in case there was mutiny…but it never happened. YAY KATIE!