28 days, being alone and a lot of money

Day #28 today and $168 saved. Remember, thats a low number though... I put down $4/pack on the website, but we really pay close to $5. And double that for the husbands quitting. I'm pretty much down to 1 pill a day, too, but not by choice. I just keep forgetting to take the other fricken pill.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. My husband left me. Ok, ok, not really... well, yes he did. He left me at 5am for snow covered snowmobile trails and a bunch of guys who all they do is sit around and talk BS and snowmobiles all day. It sorta rather sucked without him yesterday...

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day - or any commercialized holiday really. Yeah ok, I go overboard on Christmas, but the rest? Bah humbug. A few years back... probably 8 or 9 years ago the husband walked in the door the afternoon of Valentine's Day with a huge vase filled with one dozen roses and a balloon that said "I love you" attached to it. I was in shock! MY husband did this? Talk about falling in love all over again!

In our house we have one checkbook and it stays with me. He hates writing checks and when he became a truck driver I was forced to be responsible for the bills, so it's just kinda turned into me handling it. Which works for us... and hey! no fighting about money! It's great. #1 reason for divorce in America is financial fighting - won't happen here! Anyway, I have the checkbook, but he has one of those handy dandy plastic cards that works as a check, so when he uses it he has to give me the reciept so I can deduct it out of the checkbook. He used the check-card for the roses, so he handed me the reciept. I took one look at it and said; "If you EVER buy me roses on Valentine's Day again, I'm leaving you".

And I mean it. Some guys will say women don't mean it when they say it, but I do. $85.00 for a dozen roses, a vase and a stupid balloon. That should be illegal. $85.00!! If he would have waited a week they would have been $40. It's stupid and as far as I'm concerned - not very original. If most men think women don't mean it... think about this. Women expect it. Valentine's and roses go together. We don't think men can think past what they know... it's an easy-out. Throw money out, bring home roses. Done.

Let me put it this way - I have all 3 notes that my husband has ever written me. I cherish them like I cherish my children. How many of those 12 roses do I have? None. Figure it out.

Anyway. How about a picture of my puppies just to lighten the mood?

Today we are off to the orthodontist and then the dentist. Demon #1 has braces and she doesn't have enough room in her mouth for all the teeth she has, so today the ortho is going to remove her brackets so the dentist can pull 2 of her teeth... then Monday we go back and have 2 more pulled. She's going to be a hurting unit after all this is said and done!

Speaking of money... do we really want to go here when talking about braces? Ugh. And, of course, our dental insurance is good, but it ain't that good! $4600 for braces... that should be illegal too! And I know that Taryn is going to remember that amount until the day she dies because she is always reminded of the cost. Now granted, she might have ended up with braces anyway, but a lot of it is her own fault. She had no idea what the outcome would be, but when she was little and her baby teeth were loosening up, she wouldn't tell us. She didn't want us to pull them out. So by the time we realized they were loose, they were hanging by a thread and the adult tooth had already come in... and not in the right place. She did this time and time again and it drove us nuts. Snaggletooth we called her, because... she was!

So I'm long winded today, ain't I? If you are still reading... whats wrong with you? I'm not that exciting! LOL

Anyway... have a great day and remember to smile at a stranger for no reason. They'll smile back - I promise!

What day is it? Are you curious?

It's Day #26....

..... and thats all I really have to say right now!

Saki Sit

she's growing up, isn't she?

Germs are our friends!

Health officials in Minnesota and North Dakota have identified the first known cases of drug-resistant meningitis.

Minnesota State Epidemiologist Ruth Lynfield is also urging caution in the use of antibiotics, saying that misused antibiotics are the main cause of drug-resistant illnesses.

Link

I had to laugh when I read what the epidemiologist said. Sure, you all know how I can go on about how irritated as crap I am when it comes to antibiotics, but THIS IS WHY! All illnesses are going to become drug-resistant if people keep pumping themselves full of antibiotics and don't just start letting their immune system do what it's supposed to do.
I learned so much when the girls were diagnosed with hypothyroidism. With their immune system being weak because of the messed up thyroid it just seemed to make more sense to build up their immune system instead of babying it. The more I read, the more I realized I was right (and that there are still people out there who are like me!!!).

So people STOP buying the antibacterial soaps and cleaners and whatnot... let the germs in! Germs are what we NEED to stop this stuff... as hypocritical as it sounds.... germs are our friends! Don't let doctors give you antibiotics unless you need them 110%. There are too many doctors out there who will give a person something "just in case". It ain't worth it. I'm glad the doctors we deal with are in this type of thinking - they HATE filling out antibiotic prescriptions. Where do you think I learned that it would do my girls better not to go on antibiotics for minor things or things that they should be able to fight off themselves? (ok, my doc & the pediatric endocrinologist at the St. Paul Children's Hospital)

Did you know that most people should be able to fight off a minor to average infection on their own, without the use of any antibiotics in their system?

Day #21...... still not smoking!

Although I have to say that I wish I was. I miss it. How stupid is that? Not enough to make me light one up, even though there is a pack in my purse (the one that was in the truck from the snowmobile show). I haven't had a cigarette since those 2 drags a couple weeks ago... but part of me really misses smoking. That is dumb if you ask me. And I'm the one telling it! LOL

I did find out from a friend of mine that she was on Chantix about a year ago. She said it's great while you are on it, but once you go off it's like you quit all over again. She started smoking again and so did the people she knows that quit on it.. they started back up after the meds were gone. Great. I knew this was too easy.

Anyway.... this is what the Chantix website told me today. I did not know this.

Why do cigarettes contain menthol?

Because many people like the taste — but that's not the only reason.

Menthol has an anesthetic, or numbing, effect. It quiets the nerves in your throat that react to irritation. (Which is why it is used in cough drops.)

Eugenol, a liquid found in clove oil, is also added to cigarettes. It has a numbing effect too. It deadens the mucous membranes to lessen irritation.

Tobacco companies add menthol and eugenol to cigarettes to prevent coughing. This might sound like a good thing, but it’s not. Coughing is your body’s natural reaction to smoke. It also helps clear out your airways.

So if you've started coughing more since you stopped smoking, that's okay. It means that your throat isn’t numb anymore.

Now that your throat and tongue aren't being “numbed” by cigarette additives, have you noticed the changes to your sense of taste and smell? Someone once said that, for a smoker, eating is like watching a color movie in black and white. Isn’t it nice not to dull your senses through a “smoke screen"? Tune in tomorrow, when we’ll revisit our old friends, cravings and withdrawal.

tricky little bastards, aren't they?

New St. Patrick's Day Gifts!

Getting ready for St. Patricks Day over at InsanityWear.com.

I think I've just about exhausted my ideas for that holiday, so I think I'm either moving onto Father's Day/Mother's Day or Independance Day... not sure which one yet.

But hey... give me some ideas if you got 'em!

I Don't Wanna Be Mom NO MORE!!!!

That's right. No more mommyhood for me. I quit. I give up, throw in the towel, whatever you want to call it. I'm selling both of them to the gypsies and I'm joining the circus.

I was so excited yesterday... 2nd day of Demon #1 of being sick. Brought her to the doctor, which mind you, I don't normally do, but with the talk of influenza & strep running the hallways at school I thought I'd be safe. I should have went with my gut. She's just got the crud. Nothing more. Just feels like crap. So I figured that she has to be better by today, right? Well, last night she was. Wooohooo! Yea for Mom! I finally get back to my regular schedule.

This morning I wake up. I do that every morning, it's a strange thing how that happens day after day. I come upstairs and someone is in the bathroom.

"Who's in the bathroom?"

"Me."

The wonderful thing about being a mother is that no matter how many children you have, you know exactly who "me" is.

The "me" in today's story is Demon #1. Nooooooooooooo!!!!!! She NEVER gets up early unless she's sick.

False alarm. Freak thing.... she just had to use the bathroom. She feels fine, she wants to go to school. Yea me!

Then I go to wake up Demon #2. "Mommy, I don't feel good"

Awww crap in a handbasket. There goes my day. Yep, she's home from school. I hate motherhood.

Good news, though. I did manage to get some work done yesterday on SledderWear. A fresh new look. Check it out.

FRIENDS VS Minnesota FRIENDS

FRIENDS VS Minnesota FRIENDS

FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Always bring the food.

FRIENDS: Will say 'hello'.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug.

FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Call your parents Mom and Dad

FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Cry with you.

FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just being together.

FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowd's ass that left you.

FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, 'Anyone home?'

FRIENDS: Are for a while
Minnesota FRIENDS: Are for life.

FRIENDS: Might ignore this.
Minnesota FRIENDS: Will forward this to other Minnesota Friends.

Day #18 and sickly demons

Yep. Day #18. And according to the Chantix Support site I've saved $108. Thats a low number, though because I only put down $4/pack, when they are actually more. And double that because of the husband.

Wow.

Had Demon #1 home today sick. Yesterday she topped out at a 103.5 temp. I think she'll be home tomorrow, too, again. And 10:30 this morning school called. Went and brought Demon #2 home.

I hate sick bugs. Go away bugs! Shoo fly, don't bother me!

Saki vs. Slinky II

Just another short Saki vs. Slinky clip.

Saki vs. Slinky

She has this thing with the slinky. I had to finally hide it from her or Demon #2 would have came home to a wrecked slinky.

Yeah, it's not the most entertaining video out there, but it's still my Saki and it is kinda cute. You can even see Chico's little furry butt!!!

Oh and.... Day #11!!!!

I'm on day #11 with no smoking! I bought a pack Sunday morning because Saturday both the husband & I were craving one in the worst way. It sat in my pocket for a few hours then I thought, "what the hell!" and I opened it. I lit one up, took 2 drags and threw it on the ground. It tasted like shit. Seriously. That was some nasty ass tasting crap that I tried to put in my mouth! Yuck.

The pack is still in the truck with just that one cigarette out of it.

I think I just needed to be reminded that I don't want to do that anymore.