holy bad blogger batman ..

I think I might have used that one before.. but seriously.. it has been WAAAAAAAAYYy too long..
I promise to post later this week.. once I can finally LAUGH at what I want to blog about..
I want to laugh and yet, I am still annoyed by the whole thing..
Soon.. I promise my faithful followers.. soon..

if I only knew better.. I would be in bed already..
:) Monique

woo hoo

So, we have been working on teaching my older daughter about money.. she now has chores.. her choice mind you.. the 50 cents a day thing wasn't working.. so we developed a list, with her help and she has chores.. the main one is to make her bed and clean up her toys.. it's working.. oh and silverware.. she has to put away the silverware, which if you have ever had to "save" a chore for a child to do.. is more of a chore for you than it is them..

I digress.. either way, the kid makes 7 bucks a week.. 1 dollar for each day.. of that, 3 has to go into the bank and 3 goes into her piggy bank and the extra dollar goes towards helping to pay girl scout dues (6 bucks a month - I pay it, she thinks she does) either way.. it's about teaching her that you work for money and sometimes, working to SAVE money is important to.. so, next week, I think we will finally have 20 dollars to take to the real bank.. it's about saving and teaching her early.. someday, she will thank me.. either way.. all she sees and cares about is what is in her bank.. well, the toys r us catalog came in the sunday paper - as it always does.. and she saw that a much wanted ponyville house ( if you care.. http://www.hasbro.com/mylittlepony)

either way.. this house that we DON"T have (since we have 2 large rubber maid totes FULL of houses and about 38 ponies) she wanted it.. normally being 18.. it was 5. after school, we roll to the store to find out that Toys R us had dupped us.. the house in the flyer WAS NOT the house they had, instead, it was another house, one we did not have, but that she did not want (I fell on the floor when I heard that one.. something she DID NOT WANT?? ) either way, we went through the whole store and decided to wait and check things out at another store.. WOO HOO..

well, I did find something that I wanted for the baby.. who can resist a cute teeny tiny pair of pink mittens for like a buck? not me.. either way.. I pull out this ancient gift card. you know the type.. they give you 10 bucks on a gift card if you spend 75.. well.. I have been carrying this thing around in my wallet for years.. I swear.. I have almost thrown it out several times.. I am expecting hte girl to laugh at me and say ha.. it's expired lady.. but she didn't.. I nearly fell on the floor when she told me that I had 67 dollars and change left.. I made her check it twice.. heck. 3 times.. woo hoo.. it was like christmas.. or lottery ticket..

either way, I was able to pick up a gift card for a new baby and then I found out the winter clearance section was marked down even MORE than advertised.. and since baby girl is growing faster than her clothes can keep up with .. I bought her 3 or 4 new things.. for less the 17.00

seriously.. made my whole day..

If I knew better I would realize that this whole post is nothing but ramblings, but atleast I am blogging..

:) Monique

Don't Disturb This Groove" is a 1987 hit single by the US soul band The System. In April of that year, it hit #1 on the R&B singles charts, and later scored big on the Singles charts, peaking at #4 in July. The song was sampled in Dec 2003 on Victoria Beckham's Top 3 hit "This Groove" and remade by the Backstreet Boys and also covered by Mario.


that bit of information was promised a long long time ago, compliments of Wikipedia.. love that site..

when we were all sick.. guess what.. less than 2 weeks later, we are sick again.. not like last time.. just colds.. baby seems to have it the worse.. when I get to it.. I will post the quartine photo from the front door.. seriously, it was a funny photo..

so, the reason I have not blogged in forever is because I am so embarassed about my ability to get back here and blog more.. I must do something about it.. but I can promise it will happen, when in actuality. I probably won't.. so I won't disappoint myself or you my friends who read this..

I will however, take a few minutes and post a few things I am grateful for.. since it is Sunday..

1. my husband.. he really is great man, who is amazing in more ways than I give him credit for.. but seriously, the man has a warped sense of logical deduction..
2. my kids.. they really make me smile and giggle daily..
3. Pandora radio.. I just found this.. someone can't remember wh0 had it on their website.. loving it..
4. my cleaning jag is starting to show in all parts of my house.. SO loving this.
5. friends.. I have great ones.. the sort that can't wait to take your picture of you sledding down a hill with your kids.. so they can laugh at you.. and later.. with you.. I am blessed.
6. a nice warm day.. it was great weather out there today.. made me hopeful for spring
7. I am reading again.. I am the world's slowest reader, but I am making use of the library and really reading books.. might finish 2 this month..
8. I have plans to scrapbook with friends this month.. I can't wait..
9. I am going out on Wednesday.. hanging out with the mom's club.. I am soooooo excited.
10.. I am making one of my new favorite recipes, chicken lasagna.. super easy and yummy.. don't think my family is as thrilled as me.. but I can't wait...

okay.. off to clean.. the cards will wait one more day..
if I knew better, I would be making cards...

:) Monique

Tagged...

I was just tagged on Facebook tonight.. and while I could be doing this there, it seems strange to share THAT much info with people who may not really care, they just friended me because we went to school together or something..

either way.. I was tagged.. the idea is that I post 25 random things about myself... so.. if you followed me here to the blog, you know enough about me and might even be interested.. so.. here goes.. (plus, this counts as an entry... right?)

1. I am one of 7 children, I am 6 in the lineup..
2. I met my husband on the internet in 1995.. he was in australia I was here in the US...
3. we were married in 2001 -- soon to be 8 years...
4. I have a 6 year old daughter who is a mini-me and a 7 month old baby girl..
5. I have a degree in elementary education and special education
6. currently home on mommy duty -- I am so blessed that my dh can support us and I am home.. I can never get these moments back..
7. tacos are like a food group to me.. LOVE THEM
8. cold pizza tastes WAY better than hot.. (my daughter agrees with me too)
9. I love scrapbooking -- probably collecting more than actually doing it..
10. I have met some of my bestest friends because of my addiction...
11. I truly believe that I have the world's greatest pediatrician.. he is just a wonderful and brilliant man who cares for my children and makes me feel at ease..
12. my younger sister STILL drives me crazy
13. I love french vanilla anything -- coffee, ice cream, you name it..
14. I can NOT eat an egg unless it is very very very firmly cooked (I boil them for atleast 15 minutes when I them)
15. I can not make french toast
16. I lost both of my parents to Cancer
17. I have written a children's book for one of my children, working on the second one now
18. I am a reforming pen thief.. I love a good pen ..
19. I totally feel the urge to buy school supplies every September, even when I wasn't in school or I had kids who didn't need them..
20. I absolutely LOVE the smell of a fresh box of crayons.. the points on them turn me on too..
21. I love mushy love songs and soft music..
22. my favorite movies are still Man Without a Face & Dead Poet's Society ( I would throw Xanadu in there too, just cuz I watched it again recently.. the baby loved it)
23. I still miss my mom everyday...
24. My godparents are awesome people.. especially my godmother.. she is a huge part in my life and has always been.. I am blessed..
25. My biggest addiction right now is letter stickers.. I am completely obsessed with them..

okay.. 25 things.. harder than I thought...
if you are reading this.. please consider yourself tagged..

if I knew better, I would be cleaning off my desk and switching laundry..
:) Monique

hang a sign up on the door...

There is a song with those lyrics (yes, i will look it up and post about it later), but for right now.. my posting time is limited.. the baby is playing in her gym and miranda is watching cartoons..

how come on a tuesday she is home you ask? same reason my husband is working from home again.. hang up the quarantine sign, we are all sick.. still..

started with dh last week, strep & apparently an ear infection.. thursday, the baby was sick with stomach virus and then strep, by saturday, miranda & I had it, but sunday night, miranda had an ear ache and strep. FUN FUN FUN..

the stomach thing is recycling today..

seriously, remind me when this is going to start getting fun..cuz I ain't there yet..

:) Monique

happy dance..

short & sweet tonight, i have a kitchen to clean..
I scored at JCPenny.. seriously scored.. I stocked up on clothes for both girls for next year,
to the tune of 39 pieces (either jeans, outfits, shirts,etc) for 105.00 .. roughly 2.60 a an article of clothes.. COLOR ME HAPPY..

there is no knowing better tonight..
just a very happy me.

:) Monique

about to cry..

so last week baby girl went for her checkup.. a very healthy baby at 18 lbs and 27 inches.. um.. hello, she is 6 months old.. dr. is very happy with things.. his comment "she is just big, but proportionate" PHEW! she is a great baby, very happy, smiley and social.. also quite the flirt with men... too funny.. she is a great eater, decent sleeper and until recently loved playing along side me, no matter what I was doing..she loves her high chair and sits and plays with plastic spoons or whatever while I make dinner or do dishes.. she will lay on the floor with toys while dh sits on the couch and reads.. and loves to play and giggle too.. like tummy time,but protests rolling over.. she can do, just won't.. little stinker..

anyways.. my issue is this, she is currently in the bucket style car seat, you mommies out there know what I mean.. the type that you buckle them into and move them from house to car safely.. I personally LOVE this set up.. she doesn't need a coat or blankets.. we have a fleece lined nano bag.. basically it's a big ole sleeping bag with wind breaker outside, warm & cozy, and seat belt buckles are all underneath.. no issues with the baby.. plus, with this, she get BOTH of her hands to play... another reason I love this, is the snow & ice, I don't have to fear dropping her in this aweful new england weather.. I was seriously trying to convince my husband that I could make until march when all I would need is a light jacket and a blanket, and most of snow & ice would be gone.. but tonight, I was informed by some parents at gymnastics class that we are going to be giving it up a whole lot sooner.. I wanted to cry when I realized that they were right.. these car seats are only meant to be a appropraite for a baby up to 20 or at best 22 lbs.. if I am lucky, I will make it to the end of the month.... oh man.. I am so bummed out... it's not about losing the convience that this seat gives me, or the the fact that my baby needs a bigger car seat... oh it's just carrying her in the bad weather makes me SOOO nervous..

sigh.. sadly, I know better in this instance and know that the end is near with the pumpkin seat for baby girl.. I am soo soo sad..

:) Monique