Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

Today I pick up my new and crazy contacts. I'm so excited about the possiblity of seeing clearly. If they don't work, do you know how disappointed I'll be. I know they will take some getting use to, but my Doc really has me pumped up about the being able to see like someone with 20/20 vision OR better! I'm thinking Tiger Woods vision!!!!! (you know he has better than 20/20, right).

Em's competition is Saturday and the girls are so excited. I can't wait to see them perform. There is only two in their section, so no matter what, they bring home a trophy to the school, but they really want 1st! This is another reason I wanted the contact before this weekend, so I can see the girls performing, not ours really, but all the rest of the schools in our division.

The turkey (chicken) noodle soup mentioned in the last blog was a huge hit. I actually have a bowl of it today for lunch and it's almost gone! Steve has had it for a couple of meals and Em has ate it a couple of times. It was really, really good!

I'll post later about the contacts... let's hope they work!

I did it again....

For the second weekend in a row, I spent a couple of hours cooking meals to freeze. Yesterday I made lasagna, chicken & rice, chicken pot pie and Taco Soup. The Taco Soup I actually made and put in the crockpot last night, so we'll have 1/2 of it tonight for supper and freeze the other half for another night. I also put in the crock pot Saturday night a turkey breast. So we had it for Sunday lunch. BUT I have a lot left over and I sweetly asked my mom to make me "chicken" noodle soup out of it. I gave her the meat and noodles, so she's going to make it for me and some for her and my dad. I know it'll be yummy if she make it! Even though this cuts out a hunk of time on the weekends, with it being so cold right now, I don't really mind it. AND I love not hearing the "whats for dinner" question. I still have chicken & dressing, 1/2 a pork loin and a container of chicken & dumplings in the freezer from last weekend. We've got enough to live on for 2 weeks!!!

Quick post

Just a quick post to say, please pray for my husband. He's been having some neck/shoulder issues as a result from an accident at work. He didn't report the first accident right away but after it happend the second time, I convienced him he HAD to go to the doctor ... NOW. So, he's seen occupational health three times and they are sending him to a specialist, which happens to be my beloved orthopedic doctor, Dr. Allen Anderson. He operated on my knee 23 years ago when he was young and learning. Now he's a seasoned shoulder/knee specialist. I hope he can help Steve.

Please pray for him and his visit and that we can find either what is wrong or at least how to help him with the pain.

Why does it seem when it rains it pours .......

If you'll remember, DH and I are TERRIBLE at saving money. As soon as we get a little extra, we spend it on things we want (not need!) I tend to buy clothes for me or Em and Steve tends to spend his savings on hunting stuff. He really is better than me, cause he does save. I'm always buying stuff during the week that cuts down on the savings. So my silent vow to myself is to keep a certain amount of money in my savings account here at work (we have several accounts ... my account at the credit union is the main one though - I have an account at Suntrust for Em's school stuff and Steve has account at Regions for his work money and business account) Don't ask, it just works for us. Anyways, I had maintained the "certain" amount for several months and at the end of Dec, that amount had increased tremendously. So, I increased my silent vow ..... something I should have never done. First, contacts ... $230 unbudged or expected expense. That cut into my amount, but its okay, I'll keep it at the first "certain" amount. THEN last week, $338 for gas .. another unbudgeted or expected expense. Now, top that all off with, I have $600 a month I'm paying tuition and another CRAZY $$330 for the NES bill (that's the electic bill for those out of state). So, my first and second vow has been blown to hades to put it nicely. I love that we have the cash for these little unbudget expenses, but I hate that I'm let myself down with the vow I made. I will eventually get the amount back up, but it will take time and I hate that.......

On to more "fun" things! I cooked all day yesterday. I decided that since I hate the question of "what's for dinner" and DH asks just to bug the heck out of me, I'm going to cook some stuff that we can use for supper all week (trying to save money for the savings account). So I went to Walmart yesterday with my handy list and bought stuff for 4 meals. And two of those meals I divided for 2 extra days. So we have in the freezer, Potato Soup, Chicken & Dressing, Chicken & Dumplings, Parmeasen Chicken & Penne, and 1/2 of a Pork Loin. WOW!!!!! I'm excited to just be able to pull stuff out of the freezer in the morning to thaw and have it ready that night to heat.

Gott run and do a little work .... it's snowing here and it's really hard not to stare out the window and hope for inches .... it'll just be a dusting (or so they say!)

Later tater!

DAYS OF OUR LIVES and more .....

If you've ever read my blog, you know I'm a huge Days of Our Lives (DOOL) fan. I've watched the show since I was a little girl staying with my grandparents during the summer months. They ONLY watch channel 4, so I ONLY watched channel 4. I remember Ralph Emery show, DOOL, Another World and eventurally Santa Barabara. Of course, when I was in school I didn't get to watch and then when I started working I missed out on DOOL, but it's so easy to catch up on. Now with the internet, I can read about it everyday and even the day before. I also get to watch it on the Soap Opera network on DirectTV at 10:00. Steve makes fun of me, cause as soon as he gets in the shower to go to work, I'm flipping it over asking him if he wants to watch it with me .... knowing he won't! He just makes so crazy remark about DOOL and bugs me. This is where I'm reading my day before scoop http://www.dayscafe.com/ They give really good day before reviews. The place I use to read stopped producing because of a programming change, so I saught (is that a real word?) another place. I know DOOL days are numbered, there ratings are dropping off like crazy. I just think more people work during the day, so not as many watch anymore. Plus, so many people want "reality" TV - not me! I want something that is all fantasy ... I don't want to think about real people with real problems - I have enough of that myself. I want to get lost in all the great stuff soaps offer you.... sex, drugs, affairs, romance, scandal .. just your basic stuff! John and Marlena are getting written off the show and I think eventually they will bring them back, but just like a football team, I imagine soaps have salary caps and I'm sure there salary is on up there. Well, enough by DOOL ... just know I LOVE IT!





Steve called yesterday to tell me that his hours have been cut. He's down to 32 hours a week and no overtime. We weren't really expecting that. Who would have thought hospitals would have to cut back in this ecomonic downfall, but I guess it effects everyone some how. He's worried about making it without that day. I am worried a little, but then again, really I'm not. That just means all unneccesary and extra spending is cut. We just need to be more careful. The good thing is he's still full-time, still has benefits and I'm still full time with a job. It could be a lot worse!





Gotta run ........ here's a picture for ya!

SILLY GIRL!!!

GROUNDED .........

Okay, grounded could mean a few things. But those who know me know it doesn't mean anything too deep. In our house grounded means ....... everything you love gets taken away. SO, Em is grounded from her phone, iPod, computer (only 10 min at a time when I approve), and has to do homework at the kitchen table instead of her desk in her room. Why do you ask!?!?!? A 69 on her report card in Math. Okay, when I was in school, a 69 was a F. Now its' a D+. One point from a C-. I'm not sure exactly what happended. Her progress report was okay, nothing I remember being terrible, other than science, but she maintained that at a C+. I think a lot of it is non-organization. Really, she is so unorganized. I try to tell her all the time to put her stuff in the right folders, but she doesn't. I'm hoping this is a leason learned. I let her continue cheerleading because it's over at the end of the month. He it had been entirely up to Dad, she's be grounded from that also.

Hmmm, the wonderful world of parenting........

The deer is here!

So, the big deer that Steve killed in 2007 is now living on the wall in his "man cave". It came via UPS Wednesday. It's really big and really pretty. Here's a shot of him with the monster:

I have to admit, I'm proud of my man getting such a big deer. Of course, he went hunting again Nov 2008 and didn't get anything, but a deer like this is almost worth two trips! Notice, I said ALMOST. This year he's not going to IL again. He's leasing land in KY to hunt on. It's less than an hour away, which is great and KY deer are usually pretty big.

I've been back to the eye doctor because I can't see that well, even with brand new contacts. You know, my prescrip changed in Aug so I got new contacts and a new pair of lenses or my glasses. I paid out of pocket about $400. But I've really not been able to see that well and I really notice it in my left eye. So, I called Dr. Choate's office and went in right before Christmas again. I've been working with Dr. Judkins, which I really like and she was preplexed as to why I couldn't see. Well, Wednesday I went back, tried on my contacts and still couldn't see. What is happening she explained is that my toric lenses are rotating too much, causing blurry vision. Dr. Choate came in and I thought the intern was going to make an appearence too to check me out. I'm a challenge they all say. SO, basically my problem is my eyes are cone shaped or nipple shaped. My cornea sticks out too far and causes the lenses not to fit properly. It's a little unusal for someone my age to have this problem this severe, I don't think at this time it's anything to worry about. I'm sure he'll continue to monitor it, beause some extreme cases require cornea transplants! WOW, how scarey is that!!!!! Anyways, there are contacts I can wear, but they are HOLY COW expensive. Let's just say, I wasn't planning on spending $229.55 Wednesday when I went to the doctor. AND that was after a $140.00 credit! They are a "hybrid" contact of a hard center and soft "skirt". So, a combination of hard & soft. It takes like 17 hours to make just one contact .... WOW! But Dr. Choate says I'll be seeing so well, that I won't care how much they cost! You know, it's been YEARS since I've been able to see good. I mean I've never had better than 20/20 vision ........ maybe I can now! That would be a miracle! Here's the link to the new contacts I'll be getting: http://www.synergeyes.com/ and look, they have a $50 rebate ... you know I'm printing that off! :-)