Super Short
I posted some new pics and check out Jerry's blog. He's added two new entries and both are very much worth reading.That's all for now. I'll write more later.
August 06
Monday Monday...lalalala
So while this weekend wasn't as productive as I would have liked, it was still a good one. On Saturday we went to Jerry's folks house to see them. They had the girls there so it was good to see them too. Elijah is smitten with the youngest. He kept trying to shove his sippy cup in her mouth and touching her face. It was very cute. As they get older they are going to be thick as thieves. We went out and played in the pool. It was REALLY hot! The ground there is even drier than it is here. It felt like walking on hot coals, even in the grass. I know we need rain, but I am scared to wish for it in the middle of hurricane season.Yesterday Elijah and I went to a baby shower for our friend Dana (due in a couple of weeks...our group likes to cut these things close...) while Jerry worked. (FYI, someone asked why he was working so many hours,I think it was Claire...anyway, Jerry is the only programmer at his job and has been working his behind off writing a new program for a rather large client. While he is supposed to be putting all this time in at work, he has other duties working on machines and processing data...so he's been programming like mad at home and working at work.) It's been trying for him, but he still trucking away with us as well.) ANYWAY, we came back from the shower and Elijah went down for his nap. Then we went to Toys R Us and bought....wait for it... a Toddler Bed!!! We are very excited about it and Elijah really likes that he can climb in and out of his own bed. So i put him to sleep in his room (I had my head on his bed...that counts right?) and apparently he woke up once at about 10 and went back to sleep within a couple of minutes and then Jerry brought him to bed with him at 4:30!!! That's great for our little guy! I am not getting my hopes up that this will continue, but it's a step. The bed is a good height. We can cuddle him in it and rub his back without cutting the circulation off in our arms. Also, we are making strides in the potty training. He has gone pee in the pot once and loves to sit on his potty (would probably do it for hours on end...) He can take his pants off and put them on... so we are getting there slowly but surely.
Today I made a play house out of the boxes from the bed. We are hosting playgroup this week, so I think I'll put it outside with some paints and let the kids go crazy. i'm also going to set up the pool and sprinkler.
Tonight I am going out with some friends for dinner, drinks, and a movie. tomorrow Jerry is going to Pass Your Plate to do this months dinners for us. I am also starting to take small business classes at the local community college. They are free and I think they will help with having an online business or any other business venture I might start in the future. My first class (really a seminar) starts on Thursday evening. So this week is fairly busy. I need to mow the back yard before Thursday sometime... maybe Wednesday evening when it isn't too boiling hot...
Okay, the munchkin has only taken a half hour nap and is now grouchy...sigh... no reasoning with a one year old for sure... Maybe we'll start the playhouse painting today...
August 13
The weekend or why my husband ROCKS!!!!
SOOOO, last week sorta sucked. I (and don't ask why it took so long for me to figure this one out) realized that I really need to register as a small business and get insurance and all that. It occurred to me if someone misused the slings (despite my warnings and instructions) that we could get sued and I have no protection. So I started taking small business classes at the local community college and withdrew my slings and doll slings from Carmen's shop (her website by the way will be up later this week!!!!) So I was feeling like crap and pretty down. Not that I was making a whole lot of money, but I was making some and I wanted to continue. But I did realize that all this doesn't have to happen immediately and we should be safe rather than sorry. I also hosted playgroup last week. That was quite fun, but the house was very crowded. I closed off all the rooms except for the main living space and outside. I also made ice pops out of juice and those were a big hit. Our house is just so small and with 19 moms and kids in it, I (not to mention Elijah) was feeling a little overwhelmed. But it was fine. Hopefully the weather will cool down (SOMETIME SOON!!!) and we can go back to meeting at the park.ANYWAY, with all that, I wanted to get out of town. It was so freaking hot last week and I just felt down in the dumps. So Friday I called Jerry to see when he was coming home for lunch and he said he needed to work through, but would be home by about 1:30 for the day and to pack the car because we were going to visit my folks!!! So I packed the car and was ready to leave by the time he got home. Elijah had taken a really early nap (11-12...odd, usually he sleeps from 1-3...but whatever...) and we hit the road by 2:30. While it wasn't a whole lot cooler up there, there was a lot less humidity. So we got there around 8. Elijah went to sleep almost immediately and we hung out with my aunt and uncle and parents. Saturday I went with my mom and aunt to the Sourwood Festival, but it was really hot, so we came home and took a nap. In the afternoon we went to the playground and had a party for my little cousin (she turned 8) and played in the creek and whatnot. Then we left yesterday morning and came home. It was awesome. We haven't done something like that in ages. I was really worried about Elijah, but he was totally fine. The only thing we forgot was the baby monitor, but we just put that baby gate by the door (he slept on a pallet on the floor) and opened windows and doors...but he didn't wake up, so it was fine regardless. We had a stash of toys in the car and he really did great!!!
So last night and this morning I am catching up on the laundry and grocery shopping. I feel refreshed. But this trip really made me want to move back to the mountains even more. We've been talking about it, but I think I really want to step up the job search and get a move on (no pun intended...)
Okay, I have a grouchy, hungry, babe...so I'm off. I'll post pics later...
August 18
Some background and whatnot
With Megan's comment, I realized I haven't really put down any stats or background. So here it goes:I was born in the piedmont of NC and lived there until I finished 4th grade. That summer my family moved to Warren Wilson College, where my dad accepted a teaching position. We lived on the campus until I finished 7th grade and then moved to Black Mountain. My parents still live there. I finished high school and ended up attending WWC, where the fab-o Tracey convinced me to be her roommate, and we lived happily for two years, after which I became and RA. I completed four years there, but didn't graduate. I met Jerry at WWC and we were very good friends there, but never dated. After I left WWC I worked for the YMCA as an after school counselor and site director. Jerry did his community service there (at WWC students have to complete 100 hours of community service in order to graduate) and eventually was hired on as a counselor. We started dating, but had to be hush hush about it since I was his immediate boss. I quit smoking for a Valentine's Day present to Jerry (he's asthmatic) and on April 7th we got engaged (totally ruined his plan, but that's another story). We rented an apartment at the end of school that year and moved in together (yes, we were living in sin) which we both agree was the best thing we could have done for our relationship. Jerry was still in school and working. I had left the Y and was working as a lead teacher for a preschool. We liked out VERY small apartment, but were asked to move into a REALLY nice house to help with an elderly couple in my church. They had an apartment in the basement of their house. It was on top of a mountain and absolutely beautiful... sigh... SO while we were there both of the people got sick (heart wise) and suddenly their children came out of the woodwork (where they were before, who can say?) and they asked us to leave (they gave us two weeks...moral of the story...ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a lease or written agreement...) SOOOO, we ended up moving in with my folks. Jerry said that it was good because he got to really know my folks. He had quit his job since I was making enough to pay for the super cheap rent in the house. But he was going a bit crazy going to school only part time and hanging around my folks house. So he worked with a couple of landscaping companies, but it was a harsh winter and not a whole lot of work. Meanwhile we were planning away the wedding and I was also now leading the church youth group. (Obviously they didn't care so much that Jerry and I were living together unmarried.) Jerry auditioned for and got a role in Hamlet and took an acting class (which made me really jealous, as that was what I wanted to do, but didn't have time/energy as I was working full time.) Three days before he graduated we moved into an apartment, the day after he graduated we got married. Jerry had gotten a job as a front desk worker at Best Western, but after graduating got a job in a local group home for boys. I quit my job to stay at home...that didn't work so well, so I went through about three other jobs before finding a job as Mentor, which meant I went to school with a little first grader and made sure he stayed on task all day. It was a very rewarding job and I felt like I made a difference in his life (hopefully.) I wanted to go back to school and that's what brought us to the coast. Jerry decided to go back to school as well. So I finished my degree and started working at the library going around to preschools training teachers how to do effective story times. It was an awesome job...I mean I got to read to kids for a living! ANYWAY, after many years of having the stress of no money. Jerry landed his current job, I quit my job and two weeks later found out I was pregnant! The rest is in the previous blogs.
SO I really want to be back in the mountains. The coast is nice, but for vacation. I am a mountain girl at heart and I am aching to get back there...
Now for the whatnot:
Elijah's potty training is going GREAT!!!! We aren't really stressing about it, I mean he's only 19 months, but he has pooped twice this week and peed numerous times. I'm so proud of him. I hope that I'm not jinxing anything by writing this, but I really thought it would be harder. He loves sitting on his potty...to the point that I'm bored silly with it. If he goes in the potty we dump it into the toilet and he LOVES that. IF he doesn't go, he tries so hard to get to the toilet to flush it. He's just growing so fast. Jerry took Elijah to the aquarium for a Daddy and Me program there and I put him in a shirt his grandma got him. It was a little big, but fit... it's a 3T!!!! Holy Monkey Batman!!!! He's really tall and I guess that's not going to stop anytime soon.
Okay, this is like a small book and half of it doesn't even really go... So I'm off.
August 20
The Engagement Story
On April 7th 1999 WWC was holding work day ( a day when classes are canceled and the entire student body works at one of several school betterment projects, ending in a big cookout and party.) I was taking a day off from work and hanging out with Jerry (who was skipping workday.) I feel asleep in his dorm room and he snuck out leaving me a note saying he was going for something to eat. I woke up to the door closing and went running after him. I caught up and he let me come with him. In the car, I was all giddy (not having to have dealt with kids all afternoon and having play rehearsal that evening.) I asked where we were going and Jerry said the mall. This was an odd choice as there wasn't a food court there yet, but I went along... I LOVE THE ASHEVILLE MALL!!! So we are walking around and I wander through the GAP. Finally we get to center court and Jerry looks at me and tells me to sit down and that he'll be back in a minute. I was confused, but whatever. I sat down and started balancing my checkbook (of all things!) A few minutes later, he comes up and in the middle of the mall gets down on one knee and asks, "Will you make me the happiest man ever and marry me?" I was floored!!! Obviously I said yes. It was great. We did go get something to eat. And then met my dad going into choir practice and Jerry told him then. My parents LOVE Jerry, they always have, so they were very happy.Jerry's plan was:
To sneak out of the room and get the ring. Go and ask my dad for my hand in marriage. And then take me up on the parkway. I totally ruined it, but I love that we got engaged in the mall. There is now a trampoline jumpy thing in the spot where we got engaged, but I still love walking by there and remembering my special moment.
So there it is. My engagement story. I love it! I wouldn't change it ever!!!
August 24
What is it with me and appliances?
SO our dryer started making weird (really annoying) noises earlier this summer. No biggie as we have a clothes line and just hang them out and with the freaking drought and all, no worries about the rain. However, we did have a HUGE storm on Tuesday night. Jerry and I both got up at the same time to turn the computer off and unplug the TV, and to comfort the scared baby child. While I was talking to Jerry I heard this odd noise, but didn't think anything about it. The storm didn't last long and we went back to sleep, end of story...NOT! We wake up and I keep hearing this clicking noise. I walk around (obsessed) trying to find this noise. Turns out it's our less than 2 year old fridge. It keeps trying to come on and not being able too. So I call, no we are not under warranty any longer... what do you meant he earliest you can come out is MONDAY???.... I finally find someone to come out on Thursday. In the mean time Jerry goes and gets some ice. I pull out all the stuff in our freezer (remember that we get the Pass You Plate stuff, so we have 1/2 a months worth of dinners in there) to finish thawing so I can spend the afternoon doing what? cooking it all...sigh... So I cook everything, thankfully most of it's cooked on 350, so I can put in several dinners at once. And in reality it takes me about 2 hours. However, I am so over handling food that I just want to go out for dinner and I don't want anything hot, because it's hot outside and now it's hot in our house. So we go to Atlanta Bread Company and get sandwiches (LOVE LOVE LOVE their veggie sandwich ..no onions please...) I still haven't heard from the scheduler person about when someone will come to fix the fridge on Thursday, but I decide I will just call in the morning. I go to sleep thinking everything will be fine...hmmm... so Thursday morning. I call...there is no record that anyone is supposed to show up...WHAT?...yes you may call me back... I get my game face on, ready to pitch a fit... they call back...someone can be there between 2 and 5. GREAT!!! Jerry works through lunch and comes home for the day minutes before the repair guy shows up. He comes in... the storm sent a power surge that burnt out the override switch (or something) apparently a common problem... why they makers can't solve it is beyond me... but at least we don't need a whole compressor. Repair guy makes a call...probably Monday before the part comes in...but while on the phone finds out not Monday but THREE WEEKS...WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He makes another call (apparently to his mentor...) finds out he has a part that will fit but made by Maytag (we have a Frigidaire) but will fix the problem... great bring it on!!! After all that and almost a minor heart attack, the whole thing is fixed for under 150 (the labor costs more than the part...sigh...) but overall, am SOOOO happy to have my fridge back. We did ask him about the dryer, though he didn't look at it because that would have been another 20 bucks. Right now it's not a big deal and we sorta want a new one...though it would be cheaper to fix this one... oh well, we'll see.
So because of all this I missed playgroup, but that's okay, Elijah had a cough and sniffles earlier and I was planning on not going anyway. It turns out that the AC was blowing right on his little face, so we have rearranged his room again. Also, Rachel, Erin, and MR came over for dinner tonight so that was nice. I caught up on all the goings on. My friend Dana had her baby this morning!!! She had a little boy via VBAC without drugs (two tears too man...DANG!) They waited to find out the sex until he was born, so I'm happy to have another boy in out group. It's going to be insane in the next couple of years. There are 10 of us and I think about 7 of us are trying or already pregnant with number 2. I really hope we can start meeting outside again soon...it's so crowded...though then you don't get to talk to the moms as much...sigh...we'll see.
My folks are coming on Monday! I'm excited about that. Jerry and I got a coupon for this really nice restaurant and I think we will splurge and go out there one night and then maybe go see the Bourne Ultimatum one night... we also have some more yard work we want to finish. The weather is supposed to be cooler (like 88 instead of 96) so that should be nicer...
Elijah's new favorite thing to eat is apples...whole. I take a bite and then he chows down. It's pretty funny. I'll add the pics in a minute...
I guess that's it...
