I can't be the only one. It can't just be me that rarely ever flosses and then a few weeks before the dentist visit goes flossing crazy. It's that time around our house. I am a regular every 6 months dentist visiting kind of girl, but things got out of hand this year. We moved, and the adoption took over and since a dentist report is surprisingly not required for Russian adoption it was put on the back burner, with everything else that wasn't required.
Now I've discovered that there are only two types of dentist. I call them the Boston dentist and the Lincoln dentist. In Boston, everything was wrong with our teeth, we might as well just start pureeing our food and have them all removed. We move to Lincoln and the dentist thinks we are awesome. I agree with him, they look fine, they don't hurt, scrap them down every 6 months, give me a free toothbrush, and call it good.
So Jim calls our insurance company to find a dentist that is covered and in our area. He has his appointment, turns out it's a Boston kind of dentist. Disaster. They don't regularly clean his teeth, he has to have a deep cleaning. How deep can you go? They say he needs to come back in 3 months for another cleaning. 3 months! What? He needs to start using this special mouth wash, he has two cavities, he has gum disease, they don't like his bite. It's all over. Get out the blender and straws.
My appointment is in two weeks. I think I brushed my teeth 5 times today and flossed twice, and started using the mouth wash they gave him. I'm scared. I've got eight more teeth then Jim (all my molars and wisdom teeth)so I've surely got more issues.
Tuesday, April 26
Thursday, April 21
giving up some more
I've always used the dryer, even when it was 90 outside. That just doesn't seem to make sense. Regular air has the ability to dry clothes too. No, I have not just discovered this. As a kid we always hung our stuff on the line, but it seems that no where I lived since has been conducive to a clothes line. Yes I understand clothes can also dry inside, but not as efficiently and who wants clothes hanging around the house.
We still don't have a clothes line and Jim thinks it's weird to have one, but we do have an in closed, yet sunny and airy, porch, and a large drying rack ($20). So I'm giving up the dryer, from now until maybe September. That's almost half a year with no dryer, surly that will cut down the bill.
Speaking of electric bills, I don't know what's normal. Ours is about $30 a month which I have always thought to be low, but maybe it can be lower!
Do you use a dryer, a clothes line, or a combination?
We still don't have a clothes line and Jim thinks it's weird to have one, but we do have an in closed, yet sunny and airy, porch, and a large drying rack ($20). So I'm giving up the dryer, from now until maybe September. That's almost half a year with no dryer, surly that will cut down the bill.
Speaking of electric bills, I don't know what's normal. Ours is about $30 a month which I have always thought to be low, but maybe it can be lower!
Do you use a dryer, a clothes line, or a combination?
minus two
Managed to finish the 40 projects, with the exception of two items.
item 7, babe's room (develop and hang photos)
His room is lovely and cheerful, but I haven't hung any photos yet. There are a few pictures developed and in frames on his dress and a shelf. He also has a bulletin board with some of his art and a couple other photos, but nothing has really made it too the wall. Sometime...
item 29, energy efficient light
Well we have a lot of them, but I didn't change all the lights. I have a hard time picking out the correct ones. Too bright, too soft, too long to get bright enough, is it only me? Anyway, the lights that are used the most; kitchen, living room, our room, and Oliver's all have compact florescent and I have a few left to install in the guest room. A lot, but not all of them made the switch.
Our house still has a number of things that could be done to make it better, but this was a night jump start. In the next couple days I'll take a few photos of some projects.
item 7, babe's room (develop and hang photos)
His room is lovely and cheerful, but I haven't hung any photos yet. There are a few pictures developed and in frames on his dress and a shelf. He also has a bulletin board with some of his art and a couple other photos, but nothing has really made it too the wall. Sometime...
item 29, energy efficient light
Well we have a lot of them, but I didn't change all the lights. I have a hard time picking out the correct ones. Too bright, too soft, too long to get bright enough, is it only me? Anyway, the lights that are used the most; kitchen, living room, our room, and Oliver's all have compact florescent and I have a few left to install in the guest room. A lot, but not all of them made the switch.
Our house still has a number of things that could be done to make it better, but this was a night jump start. In the next couple days I'll take a few photos of some projects.
Monday, April 18
smarty pants
Somewhere along the way I was watching another teacher teach a writing lesson to her kindergarten class. She asked a question, a student answered it, and she said wow that's great you must have put your smarty pants on today, he looks down at his pants and says yeah I did. Like all, good lacking creative ideas of their own, teachers I stole the smarty pants comment. Mostly because I loved when kids would look at their pants thinking "yeah these pants/shorts/skirt are totally helping me be a better writer."
Oliver has been wearing his smarty pants too. On 3/23 I posted this list of words he was saying and some he was signing, check out what he has added.
owl
dada
mama
NO
banana (nana)
bye bye
night night (ni ni)
da (I guess he prefers Russian version of yes)I know he is saying yes because he shakes his head yes and uses it in proper context.
woof (when he sees a dog or when I say dog)
----new stuff below-----
all done (with the words and sign)
yeah (for yes, that /s/ is tricky at the end of words)
water (something like wa wa, with the accompanying sign)
choo choo (said when he is driving his little trains, he is his father's son)
neigh
moo
bubble (buh buh)
Signs
please
milk
more
sorry
thank you
----new stuff-----
water
all done
ball
shoes
Other smarty things...
*I wouldn't call it potty training, but the potty is very much a part of our lives. The other day we were sitting on the kitchen floor enjoying a yogurt drink and Oliver started making that classic face. Oliver, I say, poop goes on the potty do you have to poop and he points upstairs. Okay, we run upstairs and sure enough. I would say about 70% of that business makes it into the potty, and that's a good thing.
*We go to a little kid gym class at a place called MyGym. We go there because I read good experiences from others and I got a great deal from a groupon. Anyway, Oliver is awesome at the gym class. He sits nicely while we stretch and warm up, he dances extremely adorably, and he always tries all the activities that are suggested. Today they got out his favorite activity, maybe even more favorite than swings, the rings. He sees them and it is love at first sight, but other kids are in line. They finish their 30 second turns and run off. The teacher hold Oliver's hands while he hangs, to keep him from falling. She soon discovers that is unnecessary. He hangs from the rings, swings, and pulls his legs up. She even lets him go upside down. It's sweet to see him go blissful.
*I always find him with books in his bed, and I love that. Put him to bed at night, walk in a couple hours later to check on him and he is sleeping on his bible. Go in to get him in the morning and the bible I removed during the night is back next to him or he is busy reading it.
*He has also been much more lovey. Less hitting, cute "muah" sounds followed by a smooch, and very nice goodnight hugs.
Insert self control. End post.
Oliver has been wearing his smarty pants too. On 3/23 I posted this list of words he was saying and some he was signing, check out what he has added.
owl
dada
mama
NO
banana (nana)
bye bye
night night (ni ni)
da (I guess he prefers Russian version of yes)I know he is saying yes because he shakes his head yes and uses it in proper context.
woof (when he sees a dog or when I say dog)
----new stuff below-----
all done (with the words and sign)
yeah (for yes, that /s/ is tricky at the end of words)
water (something like wa wa, with the accompanying sign)
choo choo (said when he is driving his little trains, he is his father's son)
neigh
moo
bubble (buh buh)
Signs
please
milk
more
sorry
thank you
----new stuff-----
water
all done
ball
shoes
Other smarty things...
*I wouldn't call it potty training, but the potty is very much a part of our lives. The other day we were sitting on the kitchen floor enjoying a yogurt drink and Oliver started making that classic face. Oliver, I say, poop goes on the potty do you have to poop and he points upstairs. Okay, we run upstairs and sure enough. I would say about 70% of that business makes it into the potty, and that's a good thing.
*We go to a little kid gym class at a place called MyGym. We go there because I read good experiences from others and I got a great deal from a groupon. Anyway, Oliver is awesome at the gym class. He sits nicely while we stretch and warm up, he dances extremely adorably, and he always tries all the activities that are suggested. Today they got out his favorite activity, maybe even more favorite than swings, the rings. He sees them and it is love at first sight, but other kids are in line. They finish their 30 second turns and run off. The teacher hold Oliver's hands while he hangs, to keep him from falling. She soon discovers that is unnecessary. He hangs from the rings, swings, and pulls his legs up. She even lets him go upside down. It's sweet to see him go blissful.
*I always find him with books in his bed, and I love that. Put him to bed at night, walk in a couple hours later to check on him and he is sleeping on his bible. Go in to get him in the morning and the bible I removed during the night is back next to him or he is busy reading it.
*He has also been much more lovey. Less hitting, cute "muah" sounds followed by a smooch, and very nice goodnight hugs.
Insert self control. End post.
practice, practice
I love to cook, I really do but some days it's just not meant to be. Like last Friday. Last Friday I decided that I had better start practicing the mini cheesecakes that I need to make for a friend's wedding (hey Amy, hey Zac). Let's just say, wow that didn't go well.
I've never used the new mixer for cheesecake and quickly discovered that the paddle attachment is sub par for this task and I should have chosen the whisk. Then I dropped an entire egg, with shell into the mixer and had to fish it out with my hands. I'm sure every wedding guest would love to know that. Then I forgot to add the cornstarch. To top it all off I over baked them. Even with all their mistakes I would never throw them away, surely someone would love to eat them. I was right, Jim says "You didn't throw the mistakes away, did you?" No never, here they are...enjoy.
I practiced again on Saturday because I said I would make dessert for bible study on Sunday and my 12 messed up cheesecakes were not going to be enough. Not enough in volume and not enough in deliciousness.
It was much better. Whisk, no shells, cornstarch, 10 minutes less baking time, and wonderful.
I've never used the new mixer for cheesecake and quickly discovered that the paddle attachment is sub par for this task and I should have chosen the whisk. Then I dropped an entire egg, with shell into the mixer and had to fish it out with my hands. I'm sure every wedding guest would love to know that. Then I forgot to add the cornstarch. To top it all off I over baked them. Even with all their mistakes I would never throw them away, surely someone would love to eat them. I was right, Jim says "You didn't throw the mistakes away, did you?" No never, here they are...enjoy.
I practiced again on Saturday because I said I would make dessert for bible study on Sunday and my 12 messed up cheesecakes were not going to be enough. Not enough in volume and not enough in deliciousness.
It was much better. Whisk, no shells, cornstarch, 10 minutes less baking time, and wonderful.
Thursday, April 14
thirty three, thirty four, thirty five
In a sudden urge to clean I managed to knock 3 things off the list last night. Oliver was asleep and Jim was called out to work.
Item 10, kitchen cabinets. Took everything out, wiped out the cupboards, put everything back in and in its proper location. Cleaned the outside of the cabinets and drawers. Managed to find a few things that I could get rid of like the beaters to the dead hand mixer I threw away months ago. Also decided that it was time to restock our dishes. A broken bowl here, a dropped plate there = a miss matched set of dishes. With a 2007 20% off your whole purchase coupon to Bed, Bath & Kitchen Oliver and I set off to fix our dish situation. (not last night, we did that this morning)
Item 11, appliances. Scrubbed off all those kid prints from the fridge, dishwasher, and stove. Then cleaned the insides of said appliances. Well not the dishwasher, it's job is to wash it doesn't need me.
Item 12, all the other kitchen stuff. Counters cleaned (but why we are getting new ones soon), pantry organized, sink scrubbed, and floor swept and steam mopped.
Item 10, kitchen cabinets. Took everything out, wiped out the cupboards, put everything back in and in its proper location. Cleaned the outside of the cabinets and drawers. Managed to find a few things that I could get rid of like the beaters to the dead hand mixer I threw away months ago. Also decided that it was time to restock our dishes. A broken bowl here, a dropped plate there = a miss matched set of dishes. With a 2007 20% off your whole purchase coupon to Bed, Bath & Kitchen Oliver and I set off to fix our dish situation. (not last night, we did that this morning)
Item 11, appliances. Scrubbed off all those kid prints from the fridge, dishwasher, and stove. Then cleaned the insides of said appliances. Well not the dishwasher, it's job is to wash it doesn't need me.
Item 12, all the other kitchen stuff. Counters cleaned (but why we are getting new ones soon), pantry organized, sink scrubbed, and floor swept and steam mopped.
Tuesday, April 12
day twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two
40 projects in 40 days is hard! I usually end up doing one thing a day, but save up a bunch before I post about it. Here is what has been getting done...
Item 2, holiday closet. I say holiday closet, but really we only have Christmas decorations. My mother in law was a big big fan of holidays and I think Christmas was at the top of the list. She has a million ornaments and a really nice Christmas village. Jim and I were the lucky recipients of the village, a number of ornaments and a beautifully simple nativity set. Then there are the ornaments we owned before all that, then there is moving a bunch of times, then there was basically skipping Christmas this year. All that equals poor organization of everything. Oliver and I tore it all out and put it all back together, and donated a couple unnecessary items. Is it Christmas yet? We are totally ready.
Item 14, main floor bathroom. Towel bar hung, cabinet painted, new knobs on, lovely.
Item 17, transfer seedlings. All the seedlings I started in the house, plus a few herbs purchased from Lowes have made their way outside. Be fruitful and multiply, I said to the basil, I need to make some pesto!
Item 21, living room. There isn't much to our living room. A couch, a chair, a TV stand with a tiny TV, and a coffee table. The coffee table is crate like and is used to hold our games. Well that's what is should be used for, but other items manage to make their way in. It's all organized, I vacuumed the couch, and dusted everything.
Item 23, convince Jim we need blinds. Our house came with blinds, but the moment I saw them I new they would kill me. Cloth blinds = dust haven = wife that can't breathe. I ripped them all out, they weren't even white anymore. It was so yuck. Jim has agreed that our house would benefit from new blinds, so I'll get on that.
Item 27, other yard work. Thanks for your help, I decided that the bush/tree in the front yard needed to go, and somehow convinced Jim of it as well. I started hacking in down and Jim did the rest Monday morning "under the cover of business hours" as he likes to say. (photos coming later) I also trimmed up the rose bushes and other plants around the yard. I was excited to discovery we have a huge lilac bush. Of course I've seen the bush before but didn't realize it was lilacs until this spring when it started to bloom. Yeah I'm allergic but they are so beautiful and fragrant.
Item 37, garage. I organized it a bit more and moved a few things into the basement. It's not necessary to keep a giant airplane kite in the garage. It also isn't necessary to keep gallon upon gallon of paint from the last time the outside of the house was painted.
Item 34, back splash. We picked out a back splash to go with the new counters, but we can not have it installed until after the counters and that's happening at the beginning of May. I'm going to go ahead and cross if off, because I did my part!
Item 40, grace. A little behind, a little distracted with new projects popping up. Next week the family I work for is going on vacation so Oliver and I can conquer all the new ideas in my head.
Item 2, holiday closet. I say holiday closet, but really we only have Christmas decorations. My mother in law was a big big fan of holidays and I think Christmas was at the top of the list. She has a million ornaments and a really nice Christmas village. Jim and I were the lucky recipients of the village, a number of ornaments and a beautifully simple nativity set. Then there are the ornaments we owned before all that, then there is moving a bunch of times, then there was basically skipping Christmas this year. All that equals poor organization of everything. Oliver and I tore it all out and put it all back together, and donated a couple unnecessary items. Is it Christmas yet? We are totally ready.
Item 14, main floor bathroom. Towel bar hung, cabinet painted, new knobs on, lovely.
Item 17, transfer seedlings. All the seedlings I started in the house, plus a few herbs purchased from Lowes have made their way outside. Be fruitful and multiply, I said to the basil, I need to make some pesto!
Item 21, living room. There isn't much to our living room. A couch, a chair, a TV stand with a tiny TV, and a coffee table. The coffee table is crate like and is used to hold our games. Well that's what is should be used for, but other items manage to make their way in. It's all organized, I vacuumed the couch, and dusted everything.
Item 23, convince Jim we need blinds. Our house came with blinds, but the moment I saw them I new they would kill me. Cloth blinds = dust haven = wife that can't breathe. I ripped them all out, they weren't even white anymore. It was so yuck. Jim has agreed that our house would benefit from new blinds, so I'll get on that.
Item 27, other yard work. Thanks for your help, I decided that the bush/tree in the front yard needed to go, and somehow convinced Jim of it as well. I started hacking in down and Jim did the rest Monday morning "under the cover of business hours" as he likes to say. (photos coming later) I also trimmed up the rose bushes and other plants around the yard. I was excited to discovery we have a huge lilac bush. Of course I've seen the bush before but didn't realize it was lilacs until this spring when it started to bloom. Yeah I'm allergic but they are so beautiful and fragrant.
Item 37, garage. I organized it a bit more and moved a few things into the basement. It's not necessary to keep a giant airplane kite in the garage. It also isn't necessary to keep gallon upon gallon of paint from the last time the outside of the house was painted.
Item 34, back splash. We picked out a back splash to go with the new counters, but we can not have it installed until after the counters and that's happening at the beginning of May. I'm going to go ahead and cross if off, because I did my part!
Item 40, grace. A little behind, a little distracted with new projects popping up. Next week the family I work for is going on vacation so Oliver and I can conquer all the new ideas in my head.
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