sucky blogger

I'm not the best at blogging. Ok, I mostly flat out suck at it. I like reading other blogs, mostly about coupons and saving money, but I never have anything to see in my own. I have a "journal" on a message board that I've pretty much abandoned as well. I've been sucked into the quicksand that is Facebook, and I rarely come up for air. Want an update? Here it is in a list!! Like you're surprised.

• Put our house up for sale a few weeks ago. This involves much less computer time as I clean, organize and pack stuff away.
• Looked at a few houses for rent. Loved one, but didn't get there quick enough. Was swarmed by fleas in another. Didn't love that so much.
• Looking at a house across the street from our house today. That'd be really convenient!
• Planning Joey's 2nd birthday party. I can't believe he's almost 2! Well, actually I can, because the terrible twos are in full effect!
• We're having a Sesame Street party for him at my parents' house on the 20th. I'm gathering up ideas right now and will do most of the shopping in the next week.
• I'm annoyed at people who don't RSVP. I need to have some numbers to work with in the planning process!
• Speaking of RSVPing, I'm super-bummed that I can't make it to my BFF's wedding in San Antonio next month. With our living situation up in the air, I just can't justify the airfare, hotel and car rental. Joel'd kill me. Sorry Suze! I love you!
• My Avon biz is like a freakin' roller coaster. I had next to no orders last campaign, but the one before that was HUGE! I hate the lack of consistency, but it's my own fault for not putting the necessary effort into it.
• Another roller coaster of note is my emotional state. Yes, we all know this is nothing new, but the house stress is driving me insane, and not slowly!
• Today marks 8 months since I quit smoking. 8 months, people!! that's 2/3 of a year! I'm impressed. It hasn't been easy.
• Kids are back in school, and I love it. I like the easiness of just me and Joey at home. Also, it makes running errands less chaotic.
• I need to do some fall clothes shopping, but I also need to spend as little money as possible. Sounds like a fun challenge to me!
• Joey and I are doing a 5K walk for Via next Sunday with some friends from my MOMS Club. Feel free to donate here.
• I've gotten a bit of Christmas shopping done already. I ordered some awesome stuffed animals from my good friend Alison. She does amazing work!
• My front teeth hurt. Not cool.

That's all I got, friends. Things are crazy here, but I don't know any other way, so it works. Have a great Labor day weekend!

Jillian tried to kill me

Jillian Michaels is evil. She's hurt me in places I didn't know existed. There's an armpit muscle. It hurts. Is it a good kind of pain? Maybe, if I wake up skinny again.





I caved and bought the 30 Day Shred DVD. My wonderful UPS man brought it yesterday and I popped it right in. It's hard, and it hurts, but I kinda like it. I'm sick like that. I probably didn't need to go to the gym today. Ouch!





So, I'm walking out of the gym and get a text message from Joel, telling me how awesome I am (see below) and asking me to run next store for beer. I hate doing that for many reasons. I shall list them below.

• I'm sweaty and gross when I leave the gym.


• I feel like people are going to look at my chub and think it's a beer gut.


• My arms were sooo sore today that I wasn't sure I could lift a case of beer. Thanks Jillian.


• This particular beer distributor has some very, ummm, hygienically challenged customers, and not because they were working out. Icky.

Whatever. I sucked it up and bought the beer. I did refuse to buy Pabst or Busch or anything else cheap and yucky. If I was buying, and lifting with my very angry arms, I was buying something good.

Samuel Adams Summer Styles:

• Boston Lager
• Samuel Adams Light
• Summer Ale
• Blackberry Wit
• Hefeweizen
• Pale Ale

Freakin' awesome!

In other news, I loved being a SAHM today. I made muffins (awesomeness #1) first thing this morning. Kim came over to chat for a bit with Darin & Christian. It was nice to sit and have some girl talk, also known as venting about these men. After she left I had an online focus group chat. I earned $10 @ Amazon for that. When that was done, I threw a roast in the crock pot with some quartered red potatoes and baked a loaf of beer bread. (awesomeness #2 & 3)

All of the kids liked dinner tonight! I almost fainted. Now, I'm not a short order cook, so they eat what I make, like it or not. But tonight? The all ate every last bite and 2 of them asked for seconds. Mama did good!

I'm always surprised that I'm a good cook. I didn't really start cooking until I was 25. I never thought it could be fun. Now I know better!

Ok, time to go watch the season finale of Grey's Anatomy. Later!

Yes We Can!

President Obama! I love saying it. Anyone that knows me, knows that I've been excited since I first heard rumors begin to swirl about him running for president. And now he is, and I'm excited and optimistic. I've had CNN on since about 7 am. I really should get to bed soon, but I love watching the bits and pieces of the balls they are showing.

Other tidbits from Casa de Craziness & Clutter:

* Joey got his first split lip this evening on the coffee table

* I kept Ethan home from school to watch the inauguration. Way better than anything he could have learned in school.

* I'm thrilled that the Steelers are going to the superbowl!!!!

* Still not smoking. It's been 15 days.

* Between not smoking and that, um, monthly issue, mini Snickers and I are BFF.

* My feet are still cold.

* Joel's hours are way down at work. The bills are getting waay behind. I'm getting waaay freaked out.

* I loved Michelle's dress and coat this morning. It was gorgeous. I'm not as thrilled about tonight's gown. It's just ok.

* My Avon biz is slipping. I'm getting lazy. Poeple, buy something!!
www.youravon.com/ashoup

And that's all I got.

Oh, except to tell you how in love I am with Anderson Cooper. It's ok. Joel knows.

Night all.

messy

Ha, my day was off to an interesting start. But first, I'm still smoke free after 3 whole days! Woohoo!!!

So, I hear Joey laughing in the crib at 9. I go in there and he has no diaper on. Not only is it missing, but there are pieces of it everywhere, including in his hair. Yuck! So as I'm taking all of this in, He stands up and friggin PEES through the slats of the crib! I yelped and jumped back, because he was awfully close to peeing on me. He of course thought this was hysterical. Me? Not so much. So I had to bathe him, change his sheets, move the crib out so I could clean up behind it, clean the floor and wash the bedding.

I knew this would happen one day, which is why I always put him in a sleeper, or something one piece, so he can't get the diaper off. Of course, Joel put him to bed and conveniently forgot that we had previously discussed this.

Anway, I'm doing an experiment for dinner tonight. Joel wanted chicken pot pie, but I don't have all of the ingredients and money's super tight, as usual. So I'm baking a roll of Pillsbury Grands biscuits and topping them with chopped chicken, chicken gravy and a can of mixed veggies. Should be similar enough, I think. We'll see.

Ethan also conned me into baking cookies last night at almost 9pm. I used a bag of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix, and added some Reeses peanut butter chips and some mini Hershey kisses. They were super yummy. In fact I believe there's only a few left after Joel and Ethan took some for their lunches.

TGIF

And I'm back. I'm killing time waiting for Kim to drop off Josh and Darin. Joey and I just went grocery shopping and I'm trying to decide what to make for dinner. I'm leaning towards pasta because it's easy and feeds us all without having to make a lot of extras.

Anyway, rambling again! The reason I came back was to do a goals post. Is goals the right word? I hate the word resolution. Maybe we'll call it my "I'd like to" list.

In 2009, I'd like to:

* lose 20 pounds
* de-clutter and organize my home, one room at a time
* try at least 1 new recipe a week
* use my fancy new crock pot and Kitchen Aid mixer more
* update my blog every day
* get caught up on bills and stay that way
* spend more quality time as a family, not just sitting in the same room

I think that's about it.

new to this

I'm new to this whole blogging thing. My general plan for this is to have a place to just ramble away. Some days I may post recipes, others might be thinly veiled rants against those that have pissed me off. Overall, I just want a place to get everything out of my head.

About me and mine:

I'm Amanda, about to be 30 in a few weeks, SAHM, love to cook and try out new recipes.

Joel, my fiance, 29, truck driver, skateboarder, tattoo artist

Ethan, mine, 10, video game junkie, tech deck collector, big help to me

Josh, his, 7, also into games and tech decks, budding artist

Darin, his, 5, loves to help clean, cook, decorate for the holidays

Joey, ours, 15 months, cutest baby ever, smiles at you beautifully while destroying everything in his path

We also have a dog (Sheena) 2 cats (Tigerlily and Stormy) and 2 ball pythons (Snake and Number Two)

My house is full and it's messy. For the most part I'm ok with the mess. We live here. It's not a model home, but it's ours.

I think that's enough for an introduction. More later. I need to feed Ethan and Joey lunch, then get Joey down for a nap.