Yesterday, I got a call from Scot at about 11:15 a.m. and he told me he'd lost his job.
I'm not going to go into details here. The important point is that he was our only source of income. I haven't worked in 8 years which is going to make getting a job problematic. Complicating things is the fact that Scot made about triple what I used to make so my earning potential is small, especially compared to our bills.
We're doing all those things that people do in these situations - Jamie has been pulled from daycare; Liam has been told there will be NOTHING extra besides TKD; I stopped shopping at the expensive grocery store and switched to the cheaper one.
We have one paycheck coming at the end of this week and another in mid-April and then we're out. Scot has applied for unemployment. Our health insurance runs out at the end of April so I'll be applying to get the kids coverage through the state while Scot and I will have to remain uninsured.
Scot is looking for new employment and we're praying with all our might that SOMETHING comes through quickly.
I'm scared out of my mind but trying to ignore the terror and function anyway. This is only sometimes successful as I find myself bursting into tears at the smallest things.
Our lives are suddenly full of uncertainty.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Punxsutawney Needs To Fire Phil
I know it's ridiculous to put any faith in the weather predictions of a rodent of unusual size, and I don't. Not really. But it is hilarious to me just how WRONG Phil has gotten it the last two years. Last year he predicted that we would have an early spring.
We got this.
This year, he predicted that we would have 6 more weeks of winter. Wrong again, Bozo!
You guys, the weather this week has been AMAZING. Sunny, perfect temperatures, no humidity. The kind of weather in which you throw open all the windows of the house and let in delicious smelling air. In fact, the whole winter has been exceedingly mild. We've had two major snowstorms that I can think of and Jamie got to play outside in the snow exactly once. We had some cold days but we seemed to avoid that bitterly cold section of time in February that always makes me want to stab things.
So here it is, the middle of March, and we have weather that wouldn't be out of place in May. Tomorrow's high? 77 degrees. Sunny. Perfect.
July and August are going to be BRUTAL.
We got this.
This year, he predicted that we would have 6 more weeks of winter. Wrong again, Bozo!
You guys, the weather this week has been AMAZING. Sunny, perfect temperatures, no humidity. The kind of weather in which you throw open all the windows of the house and let in delicious smelling air. In fact, the whole winter has been exceedingly mild. We've had two major snowstorms that I can think of and Jamie got to play outside in the snow exactly once. We had some cold days but we seemed to avoid that bitterly cold section of time in February that always makes me want to stab things.
So here it is, the middle of March, and we have weather that wouldn't be out of place in May. Tomorrow's high? 77 degrees. Sunny. Perfect.
July and August are going to be BRUTAL.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
PodCamp Memories
This weekend I attended PodCamp Pittsburgh 6. Despite wanting to go for the two previous PodCamps, I wasn't able to make it until this year so this was my first PodCamp. It turns out that I wasn't alone and about half the attendees were also newbies.
I was so nervous heading into this. Everyone assured me that I should stop stressing out about it because people were going to be welcoming and fun. Still, I felt a little (ok, A LOT) like the new kid trying to sit at the popular table in the lunch room on her first day.
Except it turns out there isn't a popular table. As they say at PodCamp, we're all Rockstars.
The festivities kicked off Friday night with a Meet and Greet. In spite of getting into a minor accident on the way there and a paucity of parking, I arrived only about a half hour after it started. I chatted with people I already knew and met a bunch of new people as well. I felt so much more at ease about showing up to PodCamp the next morning after going to the Meet and Greet. It was fun!
PodCamp itself was informative, interesting, funny, social, and (most of all) FUN. I learned a lot. I met awesome new people. From the perspective of someone who had never been before, I can't say enough things about how great it was. There were sessions I wanted to be in but couldn't (because I was attending other sessions) and I'm looking forward to watching them once the video gets posted. Beyond that, everyone there made it a point to be friendly and helpful to one another. If you have to be in a roomful of strangers, this is the roomful of strangers to be in.
In short, if you've never been to PodCamp and you want to go, DO IT. Don't follow my nervous nelly example and be scared.
Last, I leave you with four words: Vegan Death Metal Chef. You learn about all kinds of things at PodCamp.
I was so nervous heading into this. Everyone assured me that I should stop stressing out about it because people were going to be welcoming and fun. Still, I felt a little (ok, A LOT) like the new kid trying to sit at the popular table in the lunch room on her first day.
Except it turns out there isn't a popular table. As they say at PodCamp, we're all Rockstars.
The festivities kicked off Friday night with a Meet and Greet. In spite of getting into a minor accident on the way there and a paucity of parking, I arrived only about a half hour after it started. I chatted with people I already knew and met a bunch of new people as well. I felt so much more at ease about showing up to PodCamp the next morning after going to the Meet and Greet. It was fun!
PodCamp itself was informative, interesting, funny, social, and (most of all) FUN. I learned a lot. I met awesome new people. From the perspective of someone who had never been before, I can't say enough things about how great it was. There were sessions I wanted to be in but couldn't (because I was attending other sessions) and I'm looking forward to watching them once the video gets posted. Beyond that, everyone there made it a point to be friendly and helpful to one another. If you have to be in a roomful of strangers, this is the roomful of strangers to be in.
In short, if you've never been to PodCamp and you want to go, DO IT. Don't follow my nervous nelly example and be scared.
Last, I leave you with four words: Vegan Death Metal Chef. You learn about all kinds of things at PodCamp.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Loose Ends
I find myself twiddling my thumbs a bit today.
Today, both of the kids are at school and Scot is at work and I am home alone for 8 hours for the first time since Jamie was born. (I think. It's possible I'm lying about that but my memory isn't what it used to be.) I decided that I was going to enjoy this first day of relative freedom and take it easy a bit. After I got the kids off to school, I did the grocery shopping.
ALONE.
Once I came home and unloaded everything, I sat down and made a list of chores to tackle today. It wasn't very long but it was also a list that I would have had trouble finishing a week ago when the kids were home all day. I didn't think anything of it, I just figured it was a decent list to tackle.
It was done by 1:15.
I didn't rush. I didn't run around like a crazy person cleaning my house. I had a leisurely lunch. I played around on Facebook and Twitter. I even watched ridiculous middle-of-the-day television. (By the way, there is NOTHING on TV in the middle of the day!) Still, I managed to complete that list of tasks two hours before Liam is due home from school.
It seems I am a little out of practice with this thing called "free time." I'm sure I'll get back into the groove with it soon. But for now I'm at loose ends.
Today, both of the kids are at school and Scot is at work and I am home alone for 8 hours for the first time since Jamie was born. (I think. It's possible I'm lying about that but my memory isn't what it used to be.) I decided that I was going to enjoy this first day of relative freedom and take it easy a bit. After I got the kids off to school, I did the grocery shopping.
ALONE.
Once I came home and unloaded everything, I sat down and made a list of chores to tackle today. It wasn't very long but it was also a list that I would have had trouble finishing a week ago when the kids were home all day. I didn't think anything of it, I just figured it was a decent list to tackle.
It was done by 1:15.
I didn't rush. I didn't run around like a crazy person cleaning my house. I had a leisurely lunch. I played around on Facebook and Twitter. I even watched ridiculous middle-of-the-day television. (By the way, there is NOTHING on TV in the middle of the day!) Still, I managed to complete that list of tasks two hours before Liam is due home from school.
It seems I am a little out of practice with this thing called "free time." I'm sure I'll get back into the groove with it soon. But for now I'm at loose ends.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Big Boys
These kids, they just keep growing up.
Liam is currently at his very last day of kindergarten. He has excelled this year and learned so, so much. I'm really proud of him, proud of how hard he's worked, and proud of how much he enjoys learning. Some days I turn around and I can't believe there's this big kid standing in front of me. Who let that happen!? And how can he be so old when I'm still so young?
Clearly, he is a time traveller.
And Jamie? Well, he has suddenly decided that he needs no help climbing into the car and into his car seat and then climbing back out again when we arrive wherever we're going. In fact, he'll screech at you if you don't let him do it himself. Mr. Independent, that one. He carries his own lunch into daycare when he goes and wants to walk in on his own two feet instead of being carried.
I wouldn't be surprised if his next full sentence is "I do it, Mama!"
You're probably thinking that I'm going to wax philosophical about missing my kids as babies. Well, there's no chance of that because I don't miss it. Not one bit. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the baby stage, too, but I'm glad to have left it behind. Babies are great but they sure are confining and I'm tired of being a recluse.
With the kids getting bigger, we suddenly get to do more things with them and enjoy their enjoyment of exploring new things. We're not so tied down by twice-a-day nap schedules and when the baby HAS to eat and needing a suitcase full of stuff just to leave the house for 30 minutes. I'm really looking forward to summer vacation this year and I'm hoping to create some really fantastic memories with my kids.
It's not all sunshine and rainbows, the kids drive me bats, too. But the fact that they're getting older, more independent, less constantly needy of me - that's a wonderful and welcome development. Bring on the big boys!
Liam is currently at his very last day of kindergarten. He has excelled this year and learned so, so much. I'm really proud of him, proud of how hard he's worked, and proud of how much he enjoys learning. Some days I turn around and I can't believe there's this big kid standing in front of me. Who let that happen!? And how can he be so old when I'm still so young?
Clearly, he is a time traveller.
And Jamie? Well, he has suddenly decided that he needs no help climbing into the car and into his car seat and then climbing back out again when we arrive wherever we're going. In fact, he'll screech at you if you don't let him do it himself. Mr. Independent, that one. He carries his own lunch into daycare when he goes and wants to walk in on his own two feet instead of being carried.
I wouldn't be surprised if his next full sentence is "I do it, Mama!"
You're probably thinking that I'm going to wax philosophical about missing my kids as babies. Well, there's no chance of that because I don't miss it. Not one bit. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the baby stage, too, but I'm glad to have left it behind. Babies are great but they sure are confining and I'm tired of being a recluse.
With the kids getting bigger, we suddenly get to do more things with them and enjoy their enjoyment of exploring new things. We're not so tied down by twice-a-day nap schedules and when the baby HAS to eat and needing a suitcase full of stuff just to leave the house for 30 minutes. I'm really looking forward to summer vacation this year and I'm hoping to create some really fantastic memories with my kids.
It's not all sunshine and rainbows, the kids drive me bats, too. But the fact that they're getting older, more independent, less constantly needy of me - that's a wonderful and welcome development. Bring on the big boys!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Today Was A Good Day
It's no secret that I'm a crappy housekeeper.
I know that the people who live on my street are less than impressed with my skills. They probably wonder how we manage to live the way that we do.
But today was a good day.
I started out with a house in shambles. The kitchen hadn't been touched in days. The family room was not much better. I'd tried to tidy it up over the weekend but Jamie was undoing my work before I even completed it so I gave it up as a bad job. I had laundry that needed to be done and the powder room needed attention.
And in the middle of the night last night Jamie peed all over his new bed. I think he drank his entire bathtub of water because that kid SOAKED his diaper. And then soaked it again by the time he got up - but at least it didn't leak on the second go round. His sheets were wet, his blankets were wet, his pajamas were dripping. So, I had to change him from head to toe and then put him to bed in the crib for the rest of the night because I didn't have any clean linens for that bed (not because I didn't do the laundry but because I only have 3 sets of twin sheets and they're all in use). In order for him to be able to take a nap, I had to get those dirty linens in the wash first thing this morning.
That managed to get the ball rolling and I kept cleaning. It took me two loads of the dishwasher but I got the kitchen cleaned up. Then I got the kids fed and Liam off to the school. Jamie went down for a nap (got those linens done in time!) and I went to work on the family room. By the time Jamie woke up the room was clean, the kids' laundry was started, and the powder room was clean.
I managed to end the day with a house that is in a lot better shape than when I started. For some reason, this always leaves me with far more of a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day than anything else. In the grand scheme of things, it's far better that the kids are dressed, fed, napped appropriately, gone to school, and made it to whatever activities they have. Yet, when all I manage to do with my day are those things, I always feel like an unproductive wretch by day's end. When I do all those things AND get the house in order? I feel awesome.
Trust me, the irony of this situation is not lost on me nor am I ignorant of what a sad little commentary on my life this is.
But there you have it. Today was a good day.
I know that the people who live on my street are less than impressed with my skills. They probably wonder how we manage to live the way that we do.
But today was a good day.
I started out with a house in shambles. The kitchen hadn't been touched in days. The family room was not much better. I'd tried to tidy it up over the weekend but Jamie was undoing my work before I even completed it so I gave it up as a bad job. I had laundry that needed to be done and the powder room needed attention.
And in the middle of the night last night Jamie peed all over his new bed. I think he drank his entire bathtub of water because that kid SOAKED his diaper. And then soaked it again by the time he got up - but at least it didn't leak on the second go round. His sheets were wet, his blankets were wet, his pajamas were dripping. So, I had to change him from head to toe and then put him to bed in the crib for the rest of the night because I didn't have any clean linens for that bed (not because I didn't do the laundry but because I only have 3 sets of twin sheets and they're all in use). In order for him to be able to take a nap, I had to get those dirty linens in the wash first thing this morning.
That managed to get the ball rolling and I kept cleaning. It took me two loads of the dishwasher but I got the kitchen cleaned up. Then I got the kids fed and Liam off to the school. Jamie went down for a nap (got those linens done in time!) and I went to work on the family room. By the time Jamie woke up the room was clean, the kids' laundry was started, and the powder room was clean.
I managed to end the day with a house that is in a lot better shape than when I started. For some reason, this always leaves me with far more of a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day than anything else. In the grand scheme of things, it's far better that the kids are dressed, fed, napped appropriately, gone to school, and made it to whatever activities they have. Yet, when all I manage to do with my day are those things, I always feel like an unproductive wretch by day's end. When I do all those things AND get the house in order? I feel awesome.
Trust me, the irony of this situation is not lost on me nor am I ignorant of what a sad little commentary on my life this is.
But there you have it. Today was a good day.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
I Miss You
Lately I've been missing my friends. Old, new, in between - it doesn't matter. I miss you.
I'm not sure why this has suddenly hit me. It could be because my life seems to be settling back down into some semblance of normality. Now that I'm not desperately trying to hold things together, I can let go of the intense focus on my own life and start to think about other people again. Whatever the reason, I miss you.
Social media is great for connecting people and, quite frankly, I probably would have been locked up in a padded room somewhere years ago if it weren't for the contact with people that social media brings me. My family and my friends are far flung - seeing each other in person is difficult and expensive. But for all the ways that Twitter and Facebook and this blog bring people into my life and keep me connected, I still can't sit down on a random Tuesday with my best friend, a bottle of wine, and a good movie. I miss that.
I know I'm not always the best friend to people - I tend to lose contact when my life explodes and I have to narrow my focus - and I wish I were better about that. I'm thinking about you, though. I'm always hoping you're doing well.
I'm not sure why this has suddenly hit me. It could be because my life seems to be settling back down into some semblance of normality. Now that I'm not desperately trying to hold things together, I can let go of the intense focus on my own life and start to think about other people again. Whatever the reason, I miss you.
Social media is great for connecting people and, quite frankly, I probably would have been locked up in a padded room somewhere years ago if it weren't for the contact with people that social media brings me. My family and my friends are far flung - seeing each other in person is difficult and expensive. But for all the ways that Twitter and Facebook and this blog bring people into my life and keep me connected, I still can't sit down on a random Tuesday with my best friend, a bottle of wine, and a good movie. I miss that.
I know I'm not always the best friend to people - I tend to lose contact when my life explodes and I have to narrow my focus - and I wish I were better about that. I'm thinking about you, though. I'm always hoping you're doing well.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Aliens Stole The Real Me
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a terrible housekeeper. If you walk into my house unannounced on a random Tuesday you're likely to find the remnants of a toy tornado scattered around, dishes rotting in the sink, enough dog hair on the carpets to knit a second beagle, and laundry (both clean and dirty) piling up. That's just inside the house. The yard is even worse. I never seem to be able to manage to climb up on top of the mountain and stay there.
A week and a half ago, on a Monday morning, I got up and had my usual morning with the kids. But, something seemed to have infected me with the need to clean. (And before you jump to conclusions, I am NOT pregnant, nor will I ever be again.) I sat down and made a list of all the things I wanted to do that day. I didn't overwhelm myself with everything I needed to accomplish, just the things that I could reasonably tackle that day. Then I got to work and started crossing items off my list.
Would you believe that I finished the to-do list for that day?
It's true. I did. Even more shocking was the fact that I finished my to-do lists for the next four days running. I kept wondering who replaced the real me with one who cleans. Not only that, I did all this while taking care of the kids. What, what, what?!
I really admire Moms out there that can get it all done - work, take care of the kids, make it to activities, clean the house, cook dinner, etc, etc, etc. I have never been able to strike that balance in the long term and I don't even work outside the home. Who wants to rake leaves when you could be inside watching a movie with the kids? NOT. ME. But the truth of the matter is that I can't do it that way anymore. I have to get our lives, our house, and our yard organized or I'm going to drown as the kids get older and they have more activities to attend.
What's amazing to me is that a single 5 day period of concentrated work each day has led to me to a point where I can now start tackling all the little jobs that have accumulated around the house. Those pesky little tasks that needed to be done but weren't imperative so I always said "Oh, I'll get to that later."
Well, Later has finally arrived. I never thought I'd get here.
These days if you stop by the house unannounced on a random Tuesday you'll probably find clean dishes in the dishwasher and clean pots in the drainboard, clean laundry IN THE DRAWERS, the carpets vacuumed, and the toys in some semblance of order instead of strewn all over the house. I hope I can keep the momentum going. It was awfully nice to wake up to a clean house and the coffee already in the pot this morning.
A week and a half ago, on a Monday morning, I got up and had my usual morning with the kids. But, something seemed to have infected me with the need to clean. (And before you jump to conclusions, I am NOT pregnant, nor will I ever be again.) I sat down and made a list of all the things I wanted to do that day. I didn't overwhelm myself with everything I needed to accomplish, just the things that I could reasonably tackle that day. Then I got to work and started crossing items off my list.
Would you believe that I finished the to-do list for that day?
It's true. I did. Even more shocking was the fact that I finished my to-do lists for the next four days running. I kept wondering who replaced the real me with one who cleans. Not only that, I did all this while taking care of the kids. What, what, what?!
I really admire Moms out there that can get it all done - work, take care of the kids, make it to activities, clean the house, cook dinner, etc, etc, etc. I have never been able to strike that balance in the long term and I don't even work outside the home. Who wants to rake leaves when you could be inside watching a movie with the kids? NOT. ME. But the truth of the matter is that I can't do it that way anymore. I have to get our lives, our house, and our yard organized or I'm going to drown as the kids get older and they have more activities to attend.
What's amazing to me is that a single 5 day period of concentrated work each day has led to me to a point where I can now start tackling all the little jobs that have accumulated around the house. Those pesky little tasks that needed to be done but weren't imperative so I always said "Oh, I'll get to that later."
Well, Later has finally arrived. I never thought I'd get here.
These days if you stop by the house unannounced on a random Tuesday you'll probably find clean dishes in the dishwasher and clean pots in the drainboard, clean laundry IN THE DRAWERS, the carpets vacuumed, and the toys in some semblance of order instead of strewn all over the house. I hope I can keep the momentum going. It was awfully nice to wake up to a clean house and the coffee already in the pot this morning.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Anyone Have a Caffeine Patch (x 100)?
*blink blink*
I want to tell you about why I'm so tired and I'm staring at the blank computer screen while my brain attempts to produce words. I could be here awhile...
Ok, well, I'll take a stab at this but forgive my possible incoherency.
Tired does not begin to describe it. Jamie is still working on the same teeth he's been working on for weeks and he is absolutely miserable. We're taking non-stop piercing shrieks of displeasure here. I feel bad for the poor kid 'cause it's not his fault but it's really starting to fray my patience. He's also not sleeping very well because of the pain so we're both overtired. I'm hoping that we can get the go ahead to increase his ibuprofen dose when he has his check-up next week.
His transition to daycare is painful. We will eventually get through it so I know this won't keep up forever but he's having a rough time. New schedule, new people, less sleep, blah blah blah. He ends up pretty fried after two days there and so we spend a couple of days trying to get him back on track afterward. He's adaptable. He'll figure it out. In the meantime, we suffer.
Scot spent most of the week with a debilitating migraine (complete with vertigo) and finally ended up in ER last night. They were able to break it - yay! - and he's sleeping in this morning after not getting home until the wee hours. I hope hope hope that the pain stays away for awhile. But he's been so knocked down by the migraine that he hasn't been able to do much to help with the kids - not that he doesn't want to - and again, I need Vivarin.
Liam is doing pretty well but he's on summer vacation so he's a happy camper. :)
In the end, I know that "this too, shall pass" I'm just really, really tired right now and need some sleep. I'm hoping for a cat nap later today. *fingers crossed*
I want to tell you about why I'm so tired and I'm staring at the blank computer screen while my brain attempts to produce words. I could be here awhile...
Ok, well, I'll take a stab at this but forgive my possible incoherency.
Tired does not begin to describe it. Jamie is still working on the same teeth he's been working on for weeks and he is absolutely miserable. We're taking non-stop piercing shrieks of displeasure here. I feel bad for the poor kid 'cause it's not his fault but it's really starting to fray my patience. He's also not sleeping very well because of the pain so we're both overtired. I'm hoping that we can get the go ahead to increase his ibuprofen dose when he has his check-up next week.
His transition to daycare is painful. We will eventually get through it so I know this won't keep up forever but he's having a rough time. New schedule, new people, less sleep, blah blah blah. He ends up pretty fried after two days there and so we spend a couple of days trying to get him back on track afterward. He's adaptable. He'll figure it out. In the meantime, we suffer.
Scot spent most of the week with a debilitating migraine (complete with vertigo) and finally ended up in ER last night. They were able to break it - yay! - and he's sleeping in this morning after not getting home until the wee hours. I hope hope hope that the pain stays away for awhile. But he's been so knocked down by the migraine that he hasn't been able to do much to help with the kids - not that he doesn't want to - and again, I need Vivarin.
Liam is doing pretty well but he's on summer vacation so he's a happy camper. :)
In the end, I know that "this too, shall pass" I'm just really, really tired right now and need some sleep. I'm hoping for a cat nap later today. *fingers crossed*
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