I Think Of You Often

There are many days where I think of taking the time to sit down and write a blog post and I don't know why I don't just do it.  Maybe I need something dramatic going on in my life or feeling like I'm on the edge of disaster to get me back to this place.  I cannot even say for sure if that is what has lead me back here today.  Regardless, I'm back...

Not much has changed in my life.  Work is still crazy.  My son is still moody.  I'm still fighting the battle of the bulge and am losing.  My man is still where he has been the last several years.  We remain as always hopeful and pray that this year is our year.  We shall see...soon.  We are set to see the board some time next week and it could be weeks before we find out our fate.  I guess at that time we just have to rely on faith.  I don't know what else we could rely on.

In an attempt to treat myself last Friday I left work early and took myself to see "Magic Mike."  It was a good movie.  Better than I anticipated.  Of course I could have used lots more scenes of Channing Tatum stripping, but who couldn't use that!!

At this very moment my house is dead silent...as my son obliterates other gamers on Call of Duty.  Just another Tuesday night in my world.

Happy Frickin' Monday Y'all

Today was day #1 where all of our staff was in the same area, together.  It wound up being a horrible day.  From start to finish.  It started bad when I realized that the munchkin failed to turn in his homework on Friday.  Blah!!

I was running late, which is my MO lately.  I had to get gas, which like cost $650 to fill up.  Not really, but close enough...  I finally got to work, but had to fight with a parking space.  Why can't people park straight?  Is it that difficult?

I spent the morning printing to a printer that has since disappeared since 4pm Friday afternoon.  Who does that?  Who removes a printer that you've just told us all to sign up and print too?!?  I was so angry, because now I have print-outs floating out there in the black-hole of our network of printers.  Aaarrrgggg...  It just felt like everything I did or touched today went to crap.

I spent the afternoon taking the dep of a Plaintiff who was beyond buzzed!  I think he kept falling asleep in between my questions and his answers.  It took everything for me not to bust out laughing.

The day finished up with my nephew being admitted to the hospital for a bad infection (ears) and dehydration.

...Happy Frickin' Monday Y'all...

This Was Suppose To Start Sooner

So I declared that effective March 1st I was going to really concentrate on getting my shit together.  I restarted tracking my expenses in order to effectively budget my money.  I also need to recommit to being healthier too.  Notice how one of these is 'I've restarted' and the other is 'I need'...  Opps!

The last time I blogged I spoke of the fact that so much of my life was in limbo.  Well, within 24 hours or so 2 of the areas of my life was no longer in the limbo it was at the time I blogged.  The move at work is done for the most part and should be finished as of now.  I've sort of settled my office...just need to get some work done and move a few cabinets, but I have to wait to get to that this coming week, because we all know I'm not moving those cabinets by myself!  Ha!

In other news, I did not get approved high enough for a mortgage to get a house I would be happy with.  I sort of expected this thanks to all of those student loans I'm hauling around on my credit reports.  I could get a house, but not something that is going to make me happy so I've decided to wait.  There was some discussion between my aunt and I about me renting a house, because this place is just too small for the munchkin and I and her moving in here still.  As of yesterday that decision was tabled.  Instead my auntie and I are going to rent a storage unit together so I feel less stuffed into this place and since she is going from a 4 bedroom home to a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment, she will need it too.  And we are going to paint my house to make it feel fresh for me and make it easier to stay here in the coming months as I continue to work on getting my debt further under control (see the tracking of expenses & budgeting discussed earlier!), so I can buy a house in the future...one that I'll be happy with!

We are only early into March and I feel like this is going to be a really good month for me.  So even though I was suppose to be blogging about getting my shit together effective March 1 on March 1 it is better late than never!!

It May Be The Shortest One, But It Always Feels Like The Longest One

The month of February is usually always so gloomy and even though it is the shortest month of the year the usual cold, wet, dreary days seem to make it feel like the longest month of the year!

Today was different though...it was in the high 40's & sunny today!  Shocking I know...

However, my internal clock seems to be set for the dreary, cold, wet days of February, because  this week I've been unable to get out of bed.  Monday the munchkin & I stayed home for the day.  Then Tuesday I shut my alarm off and almost bounced my monthly car insurance withdrawal and again today I overslept again.  Hell, I was in the bed by 9pm last night so I have no clue why I couldn't seem to get my ass out of bed this morning.

I keep hoping some day I will get my shit together, but this month is going to be a serious challenge!  Maybe my girl Legally Fabulous will help motivate me...

A Screeching Halt

All of my cooking, motivation...everything came to a screeching halt last week.

First the munchkin wound up with strep throat and then late last week I wound up with a little nasty cold.  To say I'm behind the 8-ball now is an understatement.  I was suppose to write a case eval statement today, but that didn't happen.  Instead I took a wonderful 2 hour nap!

Of course I'll "pay" for my weekend all week, but that has not been enough to get me motivated to do anything tonight.  Honestly, I'm just bidding my time to get back in the bed.

How was your weekend?

Cooking Up A Storm

As you well know I am not the domestic type; however, I've had the desire to cook lately so I decided to make some of my favorite winter dishes this week.

So far, I've made a very yummy chili!  I'm not the best chili cooker and would never enter a chili cook-off and I'm very envious of those that can do chili.  I was so hungry for homemade chili though and the munchkin just loves it.  So I ended up putting like 3 recipes for chili together and viola!  Yum, yum, yum!!  I made an entire slow-cooker full and we are down to just a little bit left!  The munchkin always asks for seconds of chili and finally he asked for seconds of my chili!

Tomorrow I'm going to put stuffed green peppers over before I leave for work and then sloppy joes are on the horizon for later in the week!  Since my son will not be into the stuffed green peppers I figure the first night or two he can have the rest of the chili and if push comes to shove I will fix him some hot dogs, which are his favorites!

A few weeks ago I made the best bean soup I've made in a long time!  So I'm not sure what has gotten into me, but I'll ride this for as long as it takes me!

What are you cooking these winter months?

Productivity Stolen By Strep

I had hoped to get lots accomplished last weekend and this weekend as well, but that hasn't happened for various reasons.  This weekend I had this wonderful plan and was very motivated too....this is usually a recipe for success!

There is one thing that can derail my success and that started Thursday night when I returned from seeing my honey...my munchkin complained that his throat hurt.  He had no fever and no spots in his throat.  After a night of sleep I reexamined the munchkin who was still complaining of a sore throat, but everything remained the same so off to school he went.

After school and after work on Friday we opted to skip karate since the munchkin was still complaining of a sore throat and a general complaint of feeling "like crap." (His words, not mine!)  Plus he was looking a little rougher then he was that morning.  On top of all of that, a snow storm was kicking up too.  So off to the grocery store we went, ran a couple of errands, and instead of arriving at home after 9pm as we would have by going to karate, we arrived home at 7pm with an inch of snow already on the ground.

Luckily I had called Friday night and made a doctor's appointment for Saturday afternoon, because Saturday morning when we were suppose to be running additional errands I was feeding motrin to the munchkin for his fever, which developed over night.  So needless to say our weekend has been filled with lots of medicine (thanks to the diagnosis of strep throat), snow, and not much else.

The good thing, so far, is that my throat feels fine so as long as the munchkin can overcome this and I can remain healthy I'll gladly give up my productivity over my weekend!

It Is A Party Weekend!

This weekend was scheduled to be quite the party weekend.  Friday night was Chica's birthday party at a local bar & bowling ally.  I was so honored to be invited and put it in my calendar.  Last night was our 1st Quarter Team Party at the Big Guy (a/k/a the boss)'s house.

I had hoped that this weekend would be so eventful, especially since it is a 3 day holiday weekend.  This always leads me to develop some big plans of all the things I'm going to do and accomplish!  This list usually ends up much longer than time allows to accomplish.

But...Thursday night I could barely keep my eyes open while driving home during the start of a little snow storm from seeing my guy.  I'm sure the fact that I had been up since 3:30am had something to do with that.  Combine that continued tiredness and the fact that the snow storm was still going when the munchkin and I arrived home after Karate Friday night I opted out of attending Chica's Bar Birthday Party.  I felt bad, but by Friday night I'm exhausted y'all!!

Our team party was set to start at 3:00pm Saturday afternoon.  Of course I was an hour and a half late.  Opps!  As usual, I did not want to go, but had a great time once I was there and stayed over 2 hours longer than I had planned.  Yes, every time these plans and events come up I'm all like "I'm not doing this; this is the last one; etc." but in the end I am usually glad I have attended.

It may have been the alcohol I consumed at the party, but while it was still snowing (yes, the same little snow storm that had been going since Thursday night!) I saw a Kroger's and decided to do 98% of my grocery shopping at 10:30pm on my way home from the team party!  I do not know whether it was the hauling of the cases of Diet Coke or vegetables, but by the time I had everything hauled in my lower back was killing me...I blame this on the alcohol too.

After the necessaries were put in the refrigerator, I watched a little TV and then hauled myself to bed early this morning just so I could wake up 5 hours later unable to go back to sleep, which seems to be a pattern here of late, but that is a story for another post!

Sick Of Feeling So Sick & Tired...

Last night I just couldn't keep my eyes open and I found myself in the bed at 9:00pm. Pathetic really...in the bed at 9pm on a Saturday night. I woke up a little before 6am and just couldn't bring myself to get up, so I slept another 2 hours. It was wonderful, I won't lie.

This afternoon the munchkin went skating and then we did a little more grocery shopping and came home. I finished laundry, but haven't put it away yet. That likely won't happen till tomorrow. I just don't seem to have much energy or desire to get things done lately. I'm not sure what the problem is...am I dehydrated?...have an infection?...just lazy?...stressed?

All I know is that I am not feeling 100%...and that needs to change!

$3.17/Gallon

That is how much I paid for gas tonight and I was beyond giddy! I just hope it sticks around for a while!

The munchkin had another soccer game this afternoon and he played great. They won!! His coach cracks me up, because he gets so riled up! He is just a kid himself...maybe 19...but has a lot of passion for the game, which is great for the boys.

After the game we headed up to Sam's Club and did a little shopping. I'm not sure what all we really purchased, but my bill was over $200. That always blows my mind! How can a cart, not full, reach $200, let alone go over that amount?! Well, we did buy 2 movies and a book too, but seriously?! How much does cereal, fruit by the foot, tons of mac 'n cheese, pizza rolls, soap, and frozen PB&J sandwiches really cost?! Oh well...it is what it is and we just keep paying the bills and moving forward. Some day I will figure out a way to save some money...

We Are Orange Today!

And no, I'm not talking about resembling the cast of Jersey Shore with the exception of Vinnie, of course!

Today was the munchkin's karate test and he passed moving from being a gold belt to being an orange belt. I am so proud of him. It is such hard work and he keeps doing it, week after week. He continues to blossom in martial arts and excel!

Keep up the great work baby! I'm so proud of you! I love you soooo...much! Muah!!!

We Will Call Him Bubba

While I was off studying for the bar at the beginning of the year my office hired a friend of mine from law school who graduated a semester before me and passed the bar last year. I was a little shocked because he did not seem the type of guy who would want to work where I worked. He is a nice guy, but never came off as a hard worker while we were in law school. When the two of us realized that he was going to be working there he was much more excited about the prospect of us working together.

Bubba started mid-March and started off on the wrong foot from day one. Of course for the first 3.5 months he worked there I was still a paralegal there, but now we are equals as attorneys and are even assigned to the same team.

Our office is always under the watchful eyes of our General Counsel and the powers that be in our company, but in the last 2 months we have been under the gun thanks to some bad press, so to speak. I've always been cautious about how I perform in my job, because I know how the politics work there and now that I'm an attorney there with the extra attention the office has received I'm even more aware of what I need to do and have became even more neurotic about my files.

As anyone knows, especially anyone who works in the legal field, defaults are huge and pretty damn scary. So the fact that Bubba has received about 5 in the last 4 months is just mind blowing to me! And the more things he misses or blows makes me even more on edge. So needless to say when I didn't go to lunch with him, other members of our team and others from the office yesterday because I had too much work to do sounded like a smart decision to me, because I had no desire to bring work home to do this weekend.

While I was talking to Bubba before he left for lunch I mentioned that if not for the munchkin I would probably be a workaholic. So needless to say I was shocked when Bubba told me I needed to not be so uptight about work and inquired if I had any hobbies!! Um, dude...maybe you need to get more uptight about work!

Maybe I shouldn't have been offended by his comment and question, but I was! Maybe I'm going about this whole being a new attorney thing wrong, but where we practice it is a small legal community and since I don't plan on being at my office forever I want a strong reputation out there.

And by the way Bubba, I do have a hobby, along with a kid, and a home to run.

Confessions...

Today I must confess a few things...

I confess today that I am not a camper. I've never had a desire to camp or even the small thought of 'Oh, maybe that would be fun. Let's try that.' Like as in NEVER! I don't enjoy being outside at night, sleeping, nor do I enjoy being cramped into a tiny space with no protection other than some flimsy material between me and the outside elements, which in my mind include weather, animals, and other people. But I do love my son, so last night we went camping...

As a part of the munchkin's cubscout pack, we went to our local farm team (baseball folks!) to do a sleepover. First we arrived there early enough so the kids could line up and partake in a little cubscout's parade on the field before the game. Then we were to settle into a whole baseball game. This is always fun with a child diagnosed with ADHD! Especially a 9 year old boy who is there with five other 9 year old boys. At one point I thought if I hear "Hey guys, he has 3 balls!!" one more time I was going to pop off with, "We all get it...he has 3 balls instead of 2, it was only funny the first 3 innings!"

After the game some of us moms trekked out to the cars to grab the camping gear. This was super fun for me since the shoulder strap on the bag that my parents' tent was in snapped within 10 feet from my car. Always extra special! Luckily the only dad who trekked out with us put my bag on top of their bag on wheels and hauled it in. Of course me and one other mom were at the end of our group coming back into the stadium and were stopped to be told that we couldn't re-enter until the fireworks display happened. It was irrelevant to them that our children were inside waiting for our return or the fact that the rest of our group had made it in. So instead we stood, out on the street, while the fireworks happened and the non sleep-over folks left before we could reenter.

Once we were allowed to reenter, we made our way back to the group and waited until they cleared the field so we could go in the outfield and set up our tents. And by setting up our tent that meant me waiting for someone to feel sorry for me and come over and do it. It is extra special when you pull something out of a bag and ask, "Is this the tent?" Tents were set up and we were advised there were going to be 700 campers out there in the outfield for the night. Oh boy! What fun!! 698 other people plus me and the munchkin.

The lights were finally shut off at close to 1am and I was exhausted. I couldn't wait to go to sleep! But there were a few things that I hadn't considered or taken into account...

1. It was frickin' hot as hell out there! It had been hot all day and at game time, 7pm, the temp was 88 degrees and muggy. Being down in a stadium cut off a lot of the breeze and after being in the heat and humidity for over 7 hours, it is a bit unbearable because you have sweat your ass off and are just disgusting and sticky!
2. The parents' tent was the size of my kitchen table, which seats only 4 people!
3. Tons of cubscouts and their leaders, parents, and siblings equals a lot of noise...ALL NIGHT LONG!
4. Our wake up call was coming in less than 6 hours!

This leads to confession #2...I am old!!

Sleeping on the ground with only the same flimsy material between your body and the ground provides no protection down there either. And the thought that a sleeping bag will provide some cushion is a cruel joke. Needless to say after a couple hours of light sleeping I started to fear that I may not be able to stand up when our wake up call happened, let alone walk, or lift anything! This realization came at 3am and I had 4 more hours to discover if I would need to phone 911 to get my fat-ass out of the tent and out of that stadium!

At 6:30am I couldn't wait to get this "camping trip" over with. Of course the munchkin didn't sleep well either so we opted to get up, walk up to the restroom, and then come back and start packing up our "camp", which of course required me waiting for someone to help take down the tiny tent too! Then we sent the kids and the other moms upstairs to breakfast while the dads and I took all of our stuff out to our cars. Yes, I play both roles...mom & dad! I hobbled back to the stadium wishing I could just stay out at the car and the munchkin would come out when he was done eating, because I was going to have to walk up 4 flights of stairs with my sore back, sweat drenched clothes, and exhausted butt dragging to go and eat cold scrambled eggs, cold frozen pancakes, cold frozen hashbrowns, sausage links and bacon.

After coming home, laying down for about 2 hours, and taking motrin and while I sit here considering taking some of my pain pills from 2 months ago when I royally screwed up my back I am here to confess...I hate camping! I am damn old and no longer ashamed to admit it!

Guess It Really Is Time To Become A Real Grown Up!

Three weeks ago tomorrow I started my first job as an attorney. Yes, even three weeks later, I'm still lost, confused, and scared to death. There really is a difference between playing attorney with your law school work and really being the one fully responsible for a real person's suit.

Of course my job is not in the area I long to work in, criminal defense, but it is still the defense side and it is a job. As we all know these days that is a big deal! Some day I will make that transition to the criminal area, but for now I'm getting my feet wet in the civil arena.

I guess this means that it is finally time I grow up and become a real adult. I'm not sure I'm ready for this part. You would think being 34 and a mom to a wonderful, although sometimes challenging, 9 year old munchkin that I would have already accomplished this, but I haven't. It feels totally different! Maybe it is also because now that I don't have the excuse of classes and homework I'm having to step up at home again too.

Both the munchkin and I are working through our adjustment period as I take a stronger lead at home (can you say "iron fist baby" because my son thinks that is how I rule!) and I adjust to being a real attorney. Some days are better than others. But we survive them all...together. So as long as I don't make any huge mistakes with the kid or get a default or blow that all famous statue of limitations we will make it as I work on this whole being a real grown up thing!

Of course it all scares the shit out of me every day!

There Is Always A First Time

And today was the first time I've had my car cleaned on the inside since I bought her in 2009. Yes, she is over 2 years old and no one has been attentive enough to her to take a vacuum to her carpeting or anything. So today was the day.

After the munchkin accompanied me to the spa to get my facial and my unibrow/hairy lip & chin waxed off we went over to the car wash and for $10 they cleaned the inside and out! I ended up adding a couple of extra things to my car's own little spa day, so in total it cost me $16, but it was well worth it. I suspect that if I make a couple trips through there again over the next several weeks she may look as good as the day she came home to us.

So I guess there is always a first time for everything...even if it takes me a couple of years to get to it!

Just A Few Things To Toss Out There

Things are crazy at work right now for several reasons. But thanks to some of that craziness I had a very yummy lunch today and hopefully I will have an even better lunch tomorrow with Dani! Of course the location of where I was this afternoon and the same place I will be tomorrow, which yields me these yummy & fun lunches is a pain to get to and from. The expressway I would usually take is closed. So instead of my usual 45 minute commute on the expressway is much closer to an hour and a half on a side street...

The drive wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't raining, again. I've had it with this weather. It has rained so much that even on the days it doesn't rain there are puddles of water every where you go. The munchkin's soccer games and practice keeps getting canceled because the fields are too wet and too dangerous to be on. Why is it mother nature can't get it right? Spread the rain out to areas that need it instead of keeping it in the same place?!? Is it really that hard? Seriously?

Now with a killer headache, a crabby munchkin, and a bit of an upset stomach I'm calling it a night...

Happy Mother's Day!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day today!! I know I sure did! It was beautiful out. We went to mass and then out to lunch. Then I came home, got lots of stuff done while my munchkin did his homework. Then he gave me the gift he made me...a coupon booklet full of hugs! Best present ever!!!

Now we wish you and yours a Happy Mother's Day!!

Not Much Has Changed

Just because I've been sworn in not much has changed in my life. For instance, I had 3 things I wanted to accomplish this weekend and as it comes to a close I must report that I did not get any of it done.

It was quite a whirl-wind of a weekend. After Friday night ended and Saturday came about my weekend became all about the munchkin. First we went to karate and then originally we had soccer practice scheduled; however, the coach had to cancel due to a family illness. Instead we ran errands the majority of the afternoon. This included the grocery store, the pharmacy, the dry cleaners, the bank, the gas station, and even the doctor's office for my allergy shot. Then today it was a trip to the roller rink so the munchkin could burn off some energy!

Now it is time for bed as the munchkin's spring break ends and he returns to school tomorrow and I return to work as a sworn in attorney still working as a paralegal!

I'm hopeful that this week is a very productive week...

It Is Official

Today has been an exciting day!! First I woke up really early this morning to catch some of The Royal Wedding. Did you watch? I thought it was beautiful and romantic and definitely at the level of a storybook fairy tail. I just adore both Duke & Duchess William & Kate! Even though I was up before the crack of dawn I was still a little late to work. Opps. I place the blame on the Royal Family. Ha!

For the first time this week I actually got a little work done today, but 20 minutes before I was scheduled to leave the big boss man came by and told me to leave so I could get ready for my swearing in. He didn't have to tell me twice. I closed up shop, called my boss and told her that her boss' boss told me I could go, and hit the road.

I got home and discovered my son was in a horrible mood and considered canceling my ceremony, but luckily he shaped up by the time we entered the courtroom. And within minutes with only one slip up I was officially sworn into the State Bar!! I was so nervous and very happy that it was finally done! So now it is official...I'm a real attorney! And through it all I was reminded of how great a life I really do have! I'm surrounded by the most loving and wonderful friends and families and am so grateful for each and everyone of them even if they do drive me crazy from time to time.

After the ceremony I definitely had a few drinks and by the time I got back in the car and looked in the mirror I realized that my eye makeup was practically half-way down my face. This is usually a sign that I've had a few drinks. Apparently the alcohol makes my mascara and eyeliner runny!! Now I'm home, exhausted and doing laundry. How quickly everything goes back to normal.

Happy Easter!!

It is rainy & 46 degrees outside this Easter morning.

The eggs left for EB (a/k/a the Easter Bunny) to hide were white due to lack of participation by the munchkin who announced after dinner last night, "I'm tired. Mom, can you color the eggs?" I asked him if he thought it would be okay if EB just hid white eggs. He found that acceptable. I was happy too, because I was equally exhausted.

I had to get up early this morning to make sure EB hadn't skipped our house and get my carrots over to make honey glazed carrots! I figured I probably needed to start laundry too and get the house ready for Easter dinner. So at 7am I had my carrots over, I confirmed EB remembered our house, started laundry and started getting the house ready for our guests.

I hope everyone has a beautiful Easter today!!