I’ve written before about how great I think it would be to attend an online university. As the mother of two small children, I have no desire to leave them with anyone else everyday so that I can go to school, but someday I would really like to finish my education.

That’s why I love that there are schools like Western Governors Online University. They make college education a possibility for people who can’t necessarily drop everything and return to school full-time. You can earn your bachelors degree online with a flexible schedule that fits your everyday life!

If you’ve been contemplating going back to school, but don’t know how you would make it work, Western Governors Online University is definitely an option to consider!

Posted: March 31st, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
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Today has not been a good day. It’s been the kind of day that makes you wish for a truckload of anti wrinkle face cream because who knows what all the stress is doing to your skin!

Our day was already looking like it would be pretty stressful, with tons of stuff to get ready for this weekend, a MOMS Club event and hair appointment for me. Usually I at least sit down at the computer and get some work done during the kids’ naptime (because that’s as close to “resting” as I’m going to get), but today I didn’t even do that. I was busy in the kitchen the whole two hours!

So when the kids woke up, I decided I could definitely use a break and we all went outside in the backyard. Ava wanted to pull Kelvin in her wagon and I didn’t even think twice about helping him get in. Blame it on the tiredness, I guess. Looking back, I should have thought better of it. But I didn’t and she ended up accidentally tipping the wagon over. He hit the back of his head on one of our cement stepping stones.

It probably wouldn’t have been that bad if it hadn’t been the EXACT spot he’d hit it on Sunday. The swelling had finally started going down, but it swelled right back up and turned purple when he hit it today. I freaked out, got ice on it and called the doctor’s office. They told me to take him to the ER since there was nothing they’d be able to do in the office.

So off I went to the ER with both kids. Luckily, they got us back immediately and the doctor came in to look at him even before the nurse had a chance to! They said that there didn’t seem to be evidence of a serious injury, but to keep a close eye on him for the next day or two. And we also found out that he has another ear infection, which explains all the fussiness for the last few days. Totally kicking myself for that, too…I should have thought of that and brought him in. Not a good day in the “Mommy” area.

They sent us off with a list of symptoms to watch for and a prescription for amoxicillin. I had canceled my hair appointment while we were on our way to the ER, because obviously Kelvin had to be my first priority. We ended up getting out of the ER at the exact time that I was supposed to be at my appointment, so Chad said I should call and ask if she’d still be able to get me in and she did! So at least after all that stress, I was able to get my eyebrows waxed and my hair cut while Chad fed the kids dinner.

I’m hoping for a much less chaotic day tomorrow! I know it will still be busy, but it would be nice to not have anymore crises! We’ve had enough this week.

Posted: March 18th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 1

Even though we don’t really celebrate St Patrick’s Day, we decided to take the kids to see the parade today. As much as I’d like to say it was so much fun, I’m not sure it was really worth it.

For one thing, it was so cold! I had Kelvin in the Peanut Shell with my coat wrapped around him and his hands were still freezing! Ava seemed to be doing a little better (she tends to be a human furnace), but she was pretty chilled by the time we left, too.

We got there about 30 minutes early to get a really good spot so that the kids could see everything. Then right as the parade started, some people came and pushed themselves through to stand right in front of us! I didn’t say anything, but I so wanted to say, “Um, hello? We’ve been standing here for over half an hour freezing our butts off and you just got here! You get here late, you stand in the back! That’s how it works!” But I bit my tongue and Chad moved to a different area with Ava and I scooted over a little so Kelvin could still see.

None of us were very impressed with floats that were in the parade either. It didn’t help that they were so stingy with the candy! Halfway through the parade, Ava still didn’t have any and a sweet little girl saw that and gave her half of hers (which wasn’t much to begin with). Chad actually made a special stop at Walgreens on our way home to get the kids some candy. He said they didn’t get nearly enough to make it worth how cold they got!

So now I spent an entire post complaining. Fabulous. Hopefully letting off that steam will keep me from needing adult acne treatments. Because Ava’s party planning is going horribly and I’m swamped with deleavening and getting ready for Daniel and Jessica’s visit. Stressed out is putting it mildly! LOL

Posted: March 17th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
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I have a bone to pick with Daylight Savings Time. Seriously, who’s idea was this? Whoever it was, I’m pretty certain they did not have kids!

My kids’ schedules are so messed up right now. On Saturday night, Kelvin slept FIFTEEN hours which was awesome, but really did not help the whole time change adjustment thing. Ever since then, he’s been wanting to sleep in until 10 am, not wanting to nap at the right time, and wanting to go to bed at 11. He’s also been up quite a bit during the night. This is not working for me!

His sleep has been a struggle for us since the very beginning and now, at nearly 18 months, we were finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Enter: Daylight Savings Time! And the light’s gone.

I’m so tired I wish I could install security cameras to watch the kids so I could go take a nap! LOL *sigh*

Posted: March 16th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 1

It’s amazing to me how far technology has brought us over the years. Gone are the days when you had to sit in classrooms for every class just to get an education. Now you can get a college degree even if you need a very flexible schedule by taking classes online (an option I plan to take full advantage of if I ever go back to school to get a nursing degree). And gmat prep courses are no exception. You can take these classes live or on-demand and adapt the course to fit your individual needs. Technology is great, huh?

Posted: March 15th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
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I am sooooo crabby today….I think it’s the gloomy weather we’ve had all week. And probably the fact that I’m in waaaay over my head in pretty much every area of my life right now.

Ava’s birthday party is in 10 days and what have I done? Well, let’s see….I ordered and sent the invitations, ordered her presents and….oh wait, that’s it! Argh. I have plenty of ideas, I just need to dig deep and find the motivation to get busy putting them in action. I think I’m at that point where I have so much to do that I just don’t even want to start because it’s too overwhelming. So much for being on top of things.

I have gotten a little bit of a head start on the deleavening, but the problem is that everything I got done didn’t even really have to be done. I’m 110% certain there are no crumbs in the dish cupboard or the cupboard I haven’t opened since last spring. Even though I really wanted to get the cupboards all cleaned and reorganized, I really need to get busy on the stuff that has to be done before the end of the month.

I need to at least make a list of the all the unleavened snacks and desserts I want to make and freeze to have on hand, too. Maybe I can put Daniel and Jessica to work helping me with them while they’re here! Because I sure don’t know when else I’m going to do it!

And I should probably clean the house at some point during the next few days since we’re having tons and tons of company over the next few weeks. I absolutely love having company (I get really lonely down here!), but I hope they won’t mind that the house isn’t spotless. Because I can guarantee you right now, it won’t be. Come to think of it, when has it ever been spotless? Certainly not since we had kids!

OK, I feel a little bit better now that I’ve got it all out. There are more “to-do’s” I could have bored you with, but who am I kidding? I doubt anyone’s even still reading this post at this point! LOL At least I don’t have to do anything like compare term life insurance rates …although that reminds me that I need to mail the kids’ health insurance renewal paperwork.

Oy.

If you hear any muffled screaming over the next few days, that would be me screaming into my pillow!

But before I go, you might want to click over and find out how to get some really cheap diapers (both disposable and cloth).

Posted: March 11th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 1

Today when the kids finished their lunch, I told them it was just about naptime, as usual. I put their dishes in the dishwasher and then went to gather them up and found this:

Apparently, they thought they could both fit in their kitchen cupboard and I’d never find them and we would just skip naptime! I’m thinking they didn’t think this one all the way through! LOL

Another funny thing happened at breakfast yesterday. Ava was trying to convince Chad that Kelvin’s eyes were blue and Chad kept insisting they were brown. After a few minutes, she said, “Fine! I not teach you anymore!” LOL

They are at such a fun age right now, especially Ava. She says the most hilarious things and comes up with really imaginative ideas. I’m really enjoying it! And Kelvin is actually becoming a *little* bit less clingy…not enough for me to want look at new baby announcements, because he definitely still acts like a baby, but I’m seeing progress! Maybe by the time we are ready to have Baby #3, he will be acting like a toddler! One can hope! Even though he’s really clingy, he’s very smart for his age. I have him doing modified versions of a lot of the stuff Ava does for homeschooling and he does awesome!

Alright, now I have to drag myself away from the computer. No more internet until I get my grocery list together…we’re having company this weekend and I still haven’t gone grocery shopping for the week! Yikes!

Posted: March 10th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 2

This last Saturday, we had our annual fun show at church and this was Ava’s first year participating. Kelvin was really fussy and spent the entire show in the Peanut Shell, so I didn’t get any pictures or videos of any of the other acts, but there was a lot of talent there! Lots of singing, music playing and even gymnastics and storytelling!

Here is the video I got of Ava’s performance. Sorry for the quality…between a wiggly baby, having to hold my arms up in the air to see above everyone’s heads and my complete ignorance about anything having to do with electronics, I was lucky to even get this! LOL In the beginning, she wasn’t up there and I had no idea where she was, but then she walked on stage about 30 seconds into it. Gotta make a dramatic entrance, you know!

Posted: March 8th, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
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I am so thankful that it is finally March. March means….

Spring!! (I hope) It for sure means longer daylight hours with Daylight Savings Time in a few short weeks. It has been a rough winter, to say the least. Winters are hard on me. The shorter daylight hours, especially. I struggle with varying degrees of anxiety and winter does nothing to help that. Thus, the rough winter. Add to that, the car accident and having no car for pretty much the entire month of February? Yes, I’m glad this winter is behind us.

Lots of outside playtime! Since it gets so hot here in the summer, we have a very small window of pleasant weather, so we plan to take full advantage of it. I can barely wait to get the kids outside to play and go for walks! No more sitting inside and doing boring stuff like comparing insurance quotes!

Lots of MOMS Club activities! We have lots of fun activities planned this month that I’m really looking forward to. I’m so thankful that I found this group this winter. It got me through some rough times of feeling pretty isolated.

Ava’s birthday! I can barely believe my baby’s going to be 3, but she is and I have lots of birthday prep to keep me busy this month. I can’t wait!

Daniel, Jessica and Madison visiting! I am so excited that they’re going to come down and visit us for the first time. We’re going to have a blast!

The Spring Holy Days Last, but certainly not least….I was mainly going in chronological order (even though Spring doesn’t start till later in the month, it’s supposed to be 58 this Saturday, which is pretty spring-like to me!) Anyway…I love the Spring Holy Days. I’m excited to get the house nice and clean and deleavened, make all kinds of yummy unleavened food, and of course observe those special days.

What are you looking forward to this March?

Posted: March 2nd, 2010 under Random Thoughts.
Comments: 1