Remember Me?

I haven't posted in ages. Not sure why. So I guess I better give some updates.

First of all, I'm sure there aren't a lot of people reading this because I changed the name of the blog to make it all a little more private. So if you are...Hi!

What have I been up to? Well...we're remodeling the kitchen. It started with me just repainting the cabinets. Then while I was doing that we ripped out the nasty carpet (carpet in a dining room-GROSS) with the plan of me just painting the subfloor until we can afford hardwood floors. Then we got a line on a granite sale and bought two slabs for the counters. Since we already tore out the flooring and were going to tear off the counters, we decided to move the cabinets around a bit. Instead of a U shaped kitchen we now have an island. So right now my kitchen is a total wreck, everything is out of the island cabinets and off the counters. Tomorrow we rip off the remaining counters and remove the sink. Wednesday we will be getting the new granite and a shiny new 9" deep stainless steel sink. I can't wait! Then I can finish painting the cabinets, put everything away, and start on painting the floor.

What else...well the monkeys are both in school all day now. I've been revelling in the time ALONE. It's nice to have them gone because when they come home I'm excited to see them and be with them. During the day I have been doing too much shopping. I've also been cleaning more. And I rejoined the gym and have been lifting weights with L (who is very strong and kicks my ass every single time) as well as going to Zumba classes. Love, love, love the Zumba classes. My friend S teaches some of them. She is a hoot and even though I suck at shaking my hips in any sort of rhythmic, intentional way, it is fun and I love going. I am getting better if I do say so myself. And I've been getting the yard ready for winter. I've also been volunteering at the school a bit and helping R with marketing. It all keeps me very busy but in a happy way. I love this phase of my life.

I've also been doing a lot of research on ways to help M with his OCD. He has also started having some tics which isn't unusual for people with OCD. Somehow they go hand in hand. Because there aren't really any good medicines for tics, and there really isn't anything that can be done with therapy to help them go away, I've been looking at alternative therapies, especially diet therapy and supplements and herbs. And there is a ton of information out there! So we've been tweaking our diet and taking more supplements and I can see some positive changes already. I think regardless of the effect it has on M, it is good for all of us to eat more whole foods, especially fruits and veggies, and to cut out the artificial crap. M's health issues have definitely made this a priority lately. So there is the silver lining I guess.

Freddy the cat went missing a few days back for just over 24 hours. We were all worried when he stayed out all night, but when the neighbor mentioned the HUGE coyote hanging out across the street, I was sure he was a coyote late night snack. By the time he did come home I had spent the morning bawling and feeling sick. Needless to say we were all soooo happy to see him when he showed up. He won't be going outside again until next Summer. He hates being stuck inside but that is just too damn bad!

I'm getting excited for P's baby girl to arrive! One more month. I seriously adore other people's babies. My new nephew C is soooo cute! I babysat last week and it was actually fun to cuddle, rock, walk and pat him when he was crying. So sweet! Babies are truly amazing and one of the great joys of life. Seriously. They are miraculous.

The boys are doing great. M is in 4th grade and doing well in school. His teacher says she really enjoys him and finds him very interesting. He is getting tall and more pre-teen every day. He barely ever wants to cuddle, which sucks because he has always been a world class cuddler. He seems to have a good group of friends in school that accept him, tics, OCD and all. He also has a few close friends that he spends quite a bit of time with. He is a purple belt in karate and has joined the tournament team. Two nights a week he spend almost 3 hours doing karate, which I think is awesome. I really enjoy watching him do his various events. He is also a Weeblos in the Boy Scouts and is pretty jazzed about it. I think scouts is a great way for boys to find self-esteem through emerging competence. He just thinks it's fun. He's gotten quite brave. I was really proud of him at Lagoon last week because he did every single ride he has been scared to go on. That has to feel good inside. And as always he is reading a ton, soaking up random facts, talking non-stop and cracking me up. He's awesome.

Z is in 1st. He is doing great. I expected him to be over it rather quickly, but the school work comes easily to him and I think he enjoys the social aspect. By the weekend though he is ready to be home, playing with his vehicles and doing his own thing. He has a group he plays with regularly at recess and a few friends in the neighborhood he plays with as well. The wonderful thing is that M and his friends have finally accepted Z and let him play pretty much all the time. Over all M and Z are doing really well together and we have almost no fighting. A year ago I wouldn't have believed it could happen. As always Z is way into tractor's and all things construction. For Christmas he would like a child-size forklift. Too bad they don't make them! He is always busy building something and quite happy to play alone, outside with his toys for hours. He is playing soccer and is really good at it. He played flag football last Summer and loved it. He is also such a great helper and a total sweetheart.

R is working his butt off and I think doing an amazing job in our economy and real estate market. While is total volume of sales has been lower this year, we have done much better about not going into debt and I'm proud of us for that. When the market recovers, I think he will really take off. He is still diligently working out almost every morning and mountain biking whenever he gets a chance. He looks really great. I can confidently say that he is in the best shape of his life. He is definitely aging very well! He has also really come into his own as a father and I am lucky to have him as my hubby! I think we balance each other very well.

So there is a bunch of stuff on Family V. Of course there is more, but I will save that for another day!

Food Waste

I have seen this feature on several of my favorite blogs lately. I am going to take a picture of my food waste in the hopes that it will help me to waste less. I think the impact of actually seeing it all and then the embarrassment of posting it will lead me to try to get more conscious and creative.

So here is last week's. I figure the first week is bound to be the worst. The olive mix to the left was ancient, and while it didn't smell weird or anything, I decided I didn't see myself ever eating it because I knew how old it was. Next to that is some ancient cream cheese that was waaayy at the back of the fridge. The food in tinfoil is bread pudding I made for my son's Amish party. I ate as much as I could but it started to get really soggy and gross. There is about 2 cups of cream that went bad before I could use it up, cabbage that was turning brown and mushy, the vanilla sauce for the bread pudding that nobody liked. The other bottle of olives was really slimy so that had to go. The green tea was just plain nasty. There is 1/2 a tub of ricotta that was moldy, some pinapple juice I didn't quite finish up, a head of broccoli that was turning brown, shriveled grape tomatoes, shriveled squishy kiwis (3) and 1/2 a beer I didn't finish.

There should be less this week because we went out of town for the weekend, but also because I plan to buy less and use it up before it goes bad. I guess we'll see how it goes!

10 Day No Spending Challenge

A few months ago a couple of blogs I like to read had a No Spending Challenge. I think it was for a month. Since I'm out of money for the month, I'm going to try my own version for the next 10 days.

What We Have
We have A LOT of food on hand. Really more than enough to last for a while. I may need to buy milk. I do have dry milk. Hmmm. I wonder if I could slide it past the boys. I'm going to give it a whirl.
M just had his tonsils out yesterday. The bill won't come for at least 30 days and then I can take 90 days to pay for it all. So nothing should be spent there. I bought his meds yesterday, so they don't count.
Z brought home 2 notes for the Thanksgiving feast on Tuesday. One says to bring a Sweet. The other says to bring a Meat. Not sure which one his teacher really wants, so I'm going with the Meat. I have a ton of pepperoni in the freezer. I'll send that.
Tonight is Bunco. Since I'm not hosting it's free for me.
M can't go out this weekend since he's not supposed to be around people for at least a week. So nothing should be spent.
I paid my car insurance this morning. I had the money saved in an ING sub account. So since it was saved especially for that purpose I'm not counting it.
We don't really have much planned for next week. I need to talk to my mom about Thanksgiving. I'm sure I will need to bring something. I just need to make sure it is something I already have on hand or can make from what we have.
We have 2 FREE coupons for 1 night rentals on RedBox DVDs. Good entertainment for a non-school night.

What I Don't Have
Saturday I have an appointment for some hair removal. I missed the last appointment so I don't really feel I can cancel. Cost $30.
I HAVE to get my oil changed. Soon. Like last month. I think it is usually about $25 at JiffyLube. I have a $10 off coupon. So $15.
I have one prescription that needs to be filled before the end of the month. It's $30 but if I fill it at Smiths I can get a $20 GC.
Z had a birthday party tomorrow. For a girl. I have no gifts stockpiled for girls. I usually spend about $15. If I buy it at Smith's I can use the GC. Cost $0. Love that!

What I'm Deferring
Our cat needs his vaccinations (again. Note: if you don't come back when they tell you to for the next set, you have to start over) so that I can get him fixed. Cat is growing himself quite a set of cajones. So $26 for the shots, $40 for the neuter. $66 to the Humane Society. This can't be deferred past December.
I owe on a library book. $20. I'm going to have to pay this if I want to check out books. But both my boys have cards we can use. I can reasonably defer this until January.
Christmas!
Paint-I am dying to paint my bedroom. We've been here 3 1/2 years and I still have a drab, flat white bedroom. I have the color picked out. And I'm ready to repaint M room a lighter color. So $30-$60 in paint. This, or course, can be deferred indefinitely. I'm thinking I may just ask my folks for cash for Christmas to redo my bedroom.
New Christmas decor. I really want some new stuff. We've had all the same stuff for about 10 years now. I'm going to wait until after Christmas to get some new ornaments on clearance.

What I'm Giving Up
My good friend is having a Girls Night Away this weekend at a hotel. The cost would be about $100. Just not going to happen.

So honestly, I'm in pretty good shape. I just have to do it! I'm actually excited.

Intentional Living

This is the book I am currently reading. It has really made me rethink a lot of ways I go about my daily life. What could be more simple than understanding yourself better and making some positive changes? I highly recommend it.

Here is a picture of my darling family in Costa Rica in August. Our friends S and R got married on this beach. Isn't it breathtaking?

Vacations often get me thinking about how little we truly need to be content. We took 2 games, some crayons, a couple of matchbox cars and a few DVDs and we were fine for 3 weeks. We lived in a 400 sq ft apartment and never felt cramped. Then we come home to a spacious house that is crammed with junk we think we have to have. It is always a stark contrast and gets me thinking.

Since I've started working I am really lucky to have an office right by a local thrift store that accepts donations. I have been trying to bring a bag of unused or un-needed items to donate everyday. Our closets feel more spacious, the kids room's are starting to feel moderately neat, my kitchen doesn't feel so cramped. And we haven't missed a single thing. My plan is to go through everything before X-mas and just get rid of a good portion of it. Then I can organize the rest.

I am still working on getting my health simplified. Exercise is on hold because I finally had foot surgery to correct the plantar fasciitis that just wouldn't heal. I already feel much better but it will take at least a few more weeks before I can start working up to a decent workout again.

Foodwise I am working on making sensible decisions. I am basically following Bob Greene's Best Life plan. I'm in phase one, day 2, actually. I am focusing on eating a healthy breakfast, not skipping meals, avoiding alcohol, and eventually boosting my activity level. Easy-peasy. I'm also personally working on a simple menu plan that is easy to shop for and prepare, but is mostly fresh, local and organic. The CSA has been awesome. My garden was just a few tomato and pepper plants. The tomatoes died but the peppers have been great. I'm really working on not throwing food away and not spending a fortune as well.

I'm going to try to be diligent about keeping my blog updated. Then I might actually share the address with someone!

CSA

So I signed up for a CSA. The farm is East Farms. http://www.eastfarms.net/about.htm is the link. It was $185 for a half share of approximately 20 weeks of fresh produce. The pick up is about a mile away from my house. I'm thinking I could easily walk there with my jogging stroller and walk home. I'm not sure which day my pick up is. I'm really excited, though it doesn't start until May or June. If you haven't heard about CSAs here is what their website says:

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
CSA is a partnership of mutual commitment between a farm and a community of supporters which provides a direct link between the production and consumption of food. Supporters cover a farm's yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the season's harvest. CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season, and assume the costs, risks and bounty of growing food along with the farmer or grower.Members help pay for seeds, fertilizer, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc. In return, the farm provides, to the best of its ability, a healthy supply of seasonal fresh produce throughout the growing season.Becoming a member creates a responsible relationship between people and the food they eat, the land on which it is grown and those who grow it.This mutually supportive relationship between local farmers, growers and community members helps create an economically stable farm operation in which members are assured the highest quality produce, often at below retail prices. In return, farmers and growers are guaranteed a reliable market for a diverse selection of crops.