Latest Obsession

As I said in my last post, one of my latest obsessions is cloth diapering. I’ve done a TON of research – looked at all the different styles, variations and possibilities. I am super excited about the possibility of using cloth diapers. One of the things I disliked about Ender’s infant phase was running out of diapers and having to run to the store, or traveling and forgetting diapers altogether or finding one stuffed in a corner of the car, jelly oozing out, smelling disgusting. Perhaps a bit of TMI, but you get the idea - I don’t really like disposable diapers! I don’t particularly relish the idea of washing diapers twice a week at a Laundromat, but I hate finding old diapers with the jelly – GROSS!! I think that’s one of the biggest reasons I want to use cloth diapers – plus, they’re super cute!

So, I’ve discussed my findings with ScottE and I am typically not the excitable type, but this is something I got excited about. His biggest hesitation is about the upfront cost. Over the course of an infant’s life, the cost of disposable diapers adds up, but it’s not that much upfront. Essentially, you buy them as you need them; whereas with cloth, you have to buy them all upfront. I have found some programs that help families to get started with cloth diapering while they save up and build their own stash. Another option that I’ve considered is simply going with the cheapest options and making it work without much thought to consequence as to what will work. I basically want to use Gerber pre-folds, snappies and then get g-diaper covers. While they may be more costly than disposable diapers, I feel like they are a much better investment. I don’t feel like I have a lot of support in this idea though… I wish there was some way that I could just do it and prove that I can…

Human Nature?

I’m beginning to wonder if change is really possible. I would surely hope so because I am getting a bit tired of the way life is going right now. I feel I get caught in the same ruts over and over again… I try to find solutions, which work for some time, but then I fall back into old habits and have to start all over again. Why can’t I just make the change and it stick? Why do I have to keep making the same changes over and over again? As usual, my most recent project is trying to maintaining the house and my other responsibilities as the housekeeper. I have a really hard time establishing routines. I think the biggest issue is that I don’t have anyone to be accountable to. I know that keeping a clean house and paying the bills for my boys should be enough to make me get up and walk away from the TV or book or whatever, but for some reason it’s not. I’ve tried rewarding myself with TV time after I get stuff done, but I end up sitting down first and putting my chores off until later. I keep telling myself, “I’ll just do it later…” but then I don’t get those things done!

I’ve also noticed that I build things up in my head. I make it seem like whatever it is that I need to do is going to take me all day – or even more than 5 minutes and so I don’t want to do it right now… and I put it off. When the truth of the matter is, it really wouldn’t take that long if I would just get up and do it. Plus, then I would have more time to do what I want because I wouldn’t be worried about getting the necessary things done! Why can’t I convince myself of this? I know it to be truth! I know that I would only have to work for about an hour and then I could pretty much do whatever I wanted – make some new beauty product, research some new obsession, catch up on blogging, do some writing, watch a movie – whatever! I just should be getting my work done FIRST!!

One of the phrases I’ve had running through my head is to flip my “do it switch” to now – when I think of something to do, say the dishes or putting away the laundry, I should do it right then. No thinking about it, no rationalization of why I should be doing nothing, just do it. Of course this is much easier said than done… I guess I really just need to force myself and as I do so, it will become a habit and then I won’t have to worry about it because I’ll already be doing it! =)

I don’t know if there is anyone else that falls into this rut. The women that I spend time with seem to have everything figured out and are always bustling about doing the things that I should do on a regular basis but don’t, simply because I am lazy and unwilling to do the work that has been asked of me, even though it’s simple. I don’t know if I will ever be as productive as they, but I will definitely try! 

I just need to remember to flip my do it switch and that things never take as long as I think they will. Time to put up some Post-Its!! =) lol

It's been too long...

So... as per my usual modus operandi, I have set some goals and set some goals, and well, set some more goals. Life always has a way of moving on with little changing as far as my habits are concerned. I have, however, been discovering some things about myself and I think these discoveries are going to help me make the changes I've been wanting to for a very long time.

First, I am an all or nothing person. I either have to do it all or nothing gets done. I've made lists and schedules and plans in my head about so many things that I want to do, things that I even need to do and yet too little gets done during the day. My biggest issue (as it seems to always have been the case) is the TV. I watch WAY TOO MUCH and can't seem to walk away after only an hour. It seems the running theme through my mind is "just one more episode, and then I'll do..." It really needs to stop! I have been working on it... this past Monday was a really good day for me. I stayed away from the TV and actually got some stuff done on the house. It felt great to be productive, even if my back was KILLING me. 

Second, after what seems like a lifetime (well, for Ender it has been), I am finally pregnant again!!! And during our move in December (which is when I found out), we got rid of nearly all of our baby stuff because we were moving from a full house to an apartment. Plus we thought with how long it had been, it just wasn't going to happen. Additionally, a lot of our stuff was stored outside or in a semi-dry basement, in which we had mice... so, we tossed a lot of our baby stuff and a friend was pregnant with a boy so we gave her a lot of our infant clothing... and then I found out that we're expecting...
Now I've got a bit of a weight on me, feeling the need to get stuff going - I think I'm definitely starting to nest! lol I'm due September 4th and it seems that day is approaching very quickly and I don't feel any kind of ready!

Third, in addition to being an all or nothing person, I also have a slightly addictive personality. I latch onto things, ideas, people, TV shows, etc. I become obsessed with those things and they become the center of my universe. My obsessions lately have been the state of Alaska (including TV shows, researching homes for sale, jobs, the things necessary for living there, etc.), cloth diapering, homemade beauty/cleaning products, mason jars, with an occasional meander through Ravelry for a crochet pattern. So, needless to say, these things too often take precedent over the things that I should be doing. So, I've been trying to temper my addictions, wean myself as it were from the things that are clouding my judgement and taking time away from my family. 

Finally, I have discovered that if I don't get the dishes done, first thing in the morning, VERY little gets done during the day. I HAVE TO get up before ScottE leaves for work at 6:35ish and make breakfast, his lunch and send him on his way, then do the dishes - preferably all before Ender wakes up. The last bit doesn't always happen and the past 2 days, none of this has happened, but I know that tomorrow will be a better day!

Too Much and Yet…

Well… it seems like there has been a lot going on of late, and yet nothing at all – all at the same time. It is hard to imagine that my last post was so long ago, especially since there have been so many times when I have started a post, not quite finished it and then it just seems to get lost in the shuffle. I really do need to make a better effort to write more because it's good for me and I know that there are at least a few people that miss my posts ;-)

So anyway… what's been going on you ask?

Well… like I said, a lot and yet nothing at all! I guess I am just at a point in my life where the days just blur together. It doesn't matter how long it's been since my last post, because it seems like nothing has really changed or even really happened. But I am speaking in such none specifics… let me think a little here…

ScottE and his partner have picked up a couple more contracts and the calls seem to be coming in more now. It has been a little tough because there just aren't as many people traveling or in need of roadside services for some reason lately. The calls have been steadily increasing, but it still isn't quite enough to support 2 drivers yet. ScottE has been working on salary and taking calls. We are making ends meet, but only just. We constantly pray that things will pick up and get better, but it's hard to pray for people to get into car accidents or to have car problems! We just ask that there will be people that stand in need of service through the various contracts that the company holds and hope for the best situations on all counts. So far that seems to be sufficient.

My part-time chauffer gig will be coming to an end in September when Brother Davis comes home from Texas. Unfortunately this also means that I have to give up the car that I have been driving for the past 6 months. It will be a sad day when I have will no longer be able to drive the Trailblazer, but we have something lined up that will hopefully be fixed by then.

About a month or so ago, ScottE did a tow for this couple. The car is a '98 Chevy Prizm (which is basically a Toyota Corolla). They came to the conclusion that the car had blown either a valve or something like that. The car was going to need a new engine either way. Being the Good Samaritan that ScottE is, he offered them a deal. We would drive up our Tahoe and sell that to them plus $400. When we went to take possession of the car, we realized that there was some work that needed to be done on the company car trailer and we couldn't take the rollback and leave Papa Liggett stranded with no way to tow a vehicle should a call come in while we were gone. So we decided that it might be possible to limp the car back. We drove our Tahoe out (it was about an hour and a half drive) expecting to be able to drive the Prizm home.

Well, that idea blew up in our faces pretty quickly. We tried to start the car, and got it to turn over once, but then it just puttered out and wouldn't start again. ScottE thought this might happen, but we were really hoping to be able to drive our little 4-cylinder home. Not the case. So we called around and tried to find someone that would be willing to come out and pick us up. Let me remind you that all 3 of us went out there on this little adventure. We stayed there at the house of the people we were getting the car from for a bit, but that soon became uncomfortable for me and ScottE, so we had them drop us off at the Wal-Mart in town. We got all of our stuff out of the Tahoe and put it in a shopping cart (and yet I am still wondering if I should be considered a red neck! ;-) ) Anyway…

We began to realize that we should probably eat something before our ride arrived. We hoofed it over to the Wendy's that was across the parking lot. Carrying all of the stuff from the Tahoe and Ender's car seat was an adventure. Everyone at the Wendy's loved Ender and the workers there had a blast watching him run around between his Daddy and Mommy.

Once our ride did arrive, we got home and the next day, ScottE went out with a car trailer (rented from U-Haul), and now the car is just sitting. We are hoping to get it evaluated and diagnosed to determine what all needs to be done. We got the car for free but it's gonna cost more than a little something to get it on the road again.

Crochet

Crochet was something I learned when I was in junior high. I never really got into it much, partly because I forgot a lot of what I learned and partly because I didn't see much of an application for the skill. Boy was I wrong! I love to crochet! Last Christmas my mom got me this awesome book full of all kinds of stitches. Then last night she directed me to ravelry.com. Beautiful stuff! And now I feel so inspired!

I had made the decision a few days ago that I would make scarves for all of my cousins/sisters back home in California. I am really excited about this project now! I found some really gorgeous patterns that look pretty simple and I should be able to complete everything pretty quickly!

Yay me!! ;-)

I will post pictures as the scarves are completed and mailed. So looking forward to this! ;-)

I just might be a Redneck…

Brad Paisley... One of my most favorite country stars has captured my heart once more. With which song do you ask? He has so many that I love and are dear to my heart, but none so much as his new single "Camouflage." He speaks of the irresistibleness of camo to a redneck girl and I truly cannot resist! The last few times I've had to make a spur of the moment clothes buy for Ender (due to an unexpected and unplanned for blow-out crazy diaper), I will often search for camo pants or shorts. I carry a Camo purse (which doubles as a diaper bag). I made my boy a hat out of camo yarn. I can't resist!!

So does that make me a "redneck girl?" Please tell me Brad... or any one??

A Texas Truck

I have always been proud of the fact that I was born in Texas. I was definitely raised in California, but I loved that I was born in another state. Don't know why, but I remember feeling that way ever since I was told that I had been born in Austin, Texas. The Capitol of the world, don't you know?

I was recently offered a position to help out a family friend - or actually the mother in law of ScottE's boss/business partner. She is elderly and in need of chauffeuring and home clean up assistance. With the relative small amount that I have to do on a regular basis, I have been more than happy to help out. Especially since they bought me a car!! Crazy, I know, but her husband wanted her to have something that she could get in and out of without too much effort, that got decent fuel mileage and would be dependable. He settled on an '08 Trailblazer. Not this Ford girl's first choice, but I'll take it! ;-)

So where does Texas come in? Well, Mr. Davis is currently working in the great state of Texas. He and his wife have an address down there and have registered the Trailblazer in Texas. So I have Texas plates! Isn't that cool?