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rehabilitated_feminist
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Name: rehabilitated_feminist
Gender: Female
Interests: In no particular order - homeschooling, baseball, tennis, Reformed Doctrine, scrapbooking, culinary mysteries, cross-stitch, my family, cooking
Expertise: I'm good with maps
Occupation: Mom
Message: message me
Member Since:
6/15/2006
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| So this is so long, adios, arrivederci, au revoir, auf wiedersehen to Xanga. I have a new blog -- it's pretty simple in its layout and look but I hope to have a bit more info on it in a bit after SoccerLowen helps me out. You'll find it at http://mylifewithmykids.wordpress.com/ . I went with wordpress because it's supposed to be much more elegant in its use of html -- like that really means anything to me.  But I've had enough with Xanga and their ads, especially when they are really offensive. So I went premium for a month ($4), ordered an archive, downloaded it today and now am announcing I'm leaving. Yes, I'm paranoid and that's why I waited. The $4 was worth my time to not clip and paste every post and comment. Now I have them all. I won't be uploading them to my wordpress blog -- that's more than I could ask of SoccerLowen but at least I have them since they serve as a bit of a diary of our lives. | | |
| It's two days after Christmas and already some items are no longer functional because their batteries have been used up. So, my Beloved and I are thinking of a battery allowance. My question to you, my readers, is what is reasonable? Now understand that the kids got lots of non-electronic toys such as legos and snap circuits and Sweet Streets (thank you Hinterlands and Lil Bit) and some got more electronic items than others. I also realize that once we are back on our regular schedule of school and activities, there will be less usage but I'm wondering what is a good start. The two oldest boys each got a remote control car and a digital camera (none of this is from us, btw). These items together require 6 AA batteries. They are all expended.  The DP got a digital camera (again, not from us, just a very generous relative). Her doll that she got instead of a remote control car requires no batteries.  But the camera batteries are used up. Oh, and we just took all the cameras out of their packaging after lunch yesterday. There was a lot of picture taking going on over here. And a lot of deleting because they don't have expanded memory cards, yet. Oh, and some video. Did I mention that their cameras are nicer than ours? Maybe one of them should have the privilege of using our "grown-up" digital camera while we suffer with using theirs. But, I digress. FM#3 got no camera  but a Spiderman costume which requires no batteries but if it did, he could recharge it with his energy alone. He did get a remote control car (4 AA batteries required) and its batteries are used up but mainly because someone else's batteries were used up, so that person thought using FM#3's car was a good idea. A bit unfair but to be honest, I know FM#3 had been using the other car a bit. I just didn't time it all to see if the time was equivalent. How does one keep it all fair? Oh, that's right, life isn't fair. My brother told me that my entire life growing up. I just didn't pay attention.  FM#3 also got a remote control bulldozer which is still functional. The annoying part about that is that the controller also plays music. It's not really music I would choose to play because it is LOUD and there is no volume control. I so wish it's batteries were used up. Sadly, I picked this item out at a toy store for a relative to give to him. I have nobody to blame for my misery but myself which is just so . . . unfair. So what is a fair monthly allotment of batteries (please, forget for a moment that life isn't fair)? | | |
| Before I get to the main post, another quote from FM#2. We had come home Christmas Eve from church services and were busy trying to get baths and such for the kids, after opening presents from Grandmommy -- brand new matching pajamas for Christmas morning. I came out of the bathroom and the lights were dimmed throughout the house and the Christmas tree blazed in all its glory. FM#2 owned up to turning off/dimming the house lights. A little bit later as I was supervising FM#2's bath, he said, "Mommy, don't you think the Christmas tree looks more delightful when the rest of the lights are off?" Yes, I do.  Now to the story of no gifts. Finally, some saneness has raised it's head among my siblings. It has finally been decided that we will not exchange gifts among the siblings. So I didn't have to search and search for something unusual but within my budget for 6 adults who have tons of money and buy themselves whatever they want. I'm not saying they do nothing but shop and acquire but if they want it, they have the means to get it. And not think twice about it. This also means that my Beloved and I did not receive gifts and bring home all sorts of stuff, that while fun, we don't really need. Although, I do enjoy those UGG boots on really cold days. And, we did get a few gifts. Some had already been purchased before this voice of reason raised it's head. I got a cookbook from the Houston Humane Society. Food and animals -- couldn't be better. One sister also gave me a shirt she had already bought and it may become my favorite -- fun design and soft. One brother-in-law had also already bought a copy of one book for every adult male in the family and the sister that is his wife decided I needed a gift -- she wrapped up some paperback novels she had already read. She usually just hands them to me in a sack. I thought it was the funniest thing she's ever done! And then the sister who gave me the shirt had some things in her car that they were getting rid of that she gave to us. A digital camera for one. Yes, they've upgraded and were just going to give it away. So while we have one digital camera that we love, we now also have a throw down one. It may go with us to rocket launches since a cell phone was almost lost at the last one. This sister also gave us a massaging chair cushion they were getting rid of because they've bought a massage chair. If it works well, I may never get out of seat. But all in all, we came home with way less stuff than we normally do. It was such a relief. And one niece even asked for no presents, just donations to benefit children or animals. We gave a donation to a local shelter for children in crisis. What a joy to do something like this for a teenager who already has everything. It was a much nicer Christmas than I was expecting with 3 children and a husband having colds. Dinner was late but the natives were patient with me and what there was of it was scrumptious -- turkey (cooked and sliced on Saturday and then stored in its juice), ham, sweet potatoes, salad, and cheesy, garlic pull apart bread with pecan pie for dessert. It was just our family with my in-laws and my parents. I actually pulled out the crystal and the silver for the adults and it was quite lovely. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and may Grace and Peace reign in your house in the coming New Year. This is my prayer for my house and for you also. | | |
| Nothing much has been happening because I'm not taking the kids to the store anymore. It's so much more peaceful. Who knew? So, anyway, FM#2, always angling for a treat, asked to go to Chick-Fil-A tonight. Then he forgot he asked and asked to change into his pajamas. I think the child is going to have to get a job where he works at home because he just about lives in his pajamas. Otoh, he wants to be President of the United States ever since he saw the HGTV White House Christmas show. But I guess, if you are leader of the free world, you can go to work in your pajamas if you wish. But, I digress. I told him he couldn't get into his pajamas yet. He responded, "Oh, right, we're going to Chick-Fil-A." I told him I hadn't said that. He took that to be a no and walked off into the breakfast room where his siblings were coloring and announced, "I have some grave news . . ." I wouldn't necessarily call that grave news but then I'm not a 7 year old boy. | | |
| This is just to inform you that there will be no shopping horror stories this week because I went grocery shopping without the kids last night. One had the possibility of a tummy bug and so I went childless. It was sort of pleasant. Who knew? So I may take this up as a regular habit. I'm so sad for all of you who enjoy my travails at the grocery store to bring a little laughter into your own lives. NOT. But you know who you are. | | |
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