Headache Central.

I am so tired of this headache.
I have had a dull headache for 5 days now. It was mainly concentrated in the back of my head, neck and shoulders. Then late Monday night I was feeling tingling in my jaw and lips. I called the doctor on Tuesday to see if I can get in, they couldn't fit me in until this morning.
When I left this morning, I got stuck behind a bus (of course they stopped at every road to pick up kids). There was a line a mile long when I walked into the office so of course I wound up being late for the appointment. When I actually got to see her, I told her the problem, she did a few things with my head, neck arms, legs and feet. She is pretty sure it is a tension headache (as several people told me that is what they thought). She said the tingly jaw is more associated with Migraines but I am not sensitive to light or sound so I am still not completely sure what is causing that.
She is having me take 4 Advil 3 times a day. Yup that is 12 Advil a day. So far I have taken 8 and still not helping. She also prescribed two other drugs to take at night, she says when I take them it will make me very sleepy. She initially wanted me to take them this morning but there is no way I could take them and still deal with the Z man.
I can not believe it has been 5 days now and I still feel like crud. I hope that when I take this stuff tonight it knocks out the problem and I can go on with my life. I seem to be getting annoyed with every little thing and not being able to deal with anything. That is not making for a happy household.

Spending Challenge update.

I completely forgot to write about how my 2 weeks of no spending went, thanks Kristin for reminding me.

We did purchase milk twice during that two weeks as well as bread. I ended up buying a box of baking soda because I was an idiot and assumed we had some. I also had to put gas in my truck. One other thing I forgot to factor in was my Sunday papers for the coupons, so yes I spent money on that too.
Kris used a gift card to purchase a part for the toilet he had to fix. He also used a gift card to buy some Advil for me ( I did want to give him a pop upside the head though because we have a two dollar off coupon he could have used). He also had to put gas in his car.

I resisted the temptation of buying some Chocolate when I went to buy some milk. I am telling you that Chocolate was calling to me, I can still hear it. It knew my name and everything and yet I walked by it. I tried to resist looking in its direction because I just knew I wouldn't be able to resist it's charm.

During this time, we cooked all our meals at home, not once did we go out to eat (that in itself was a huge battle). I took little one for walks each day, yes it was cold out but we needed to get out of the house. He rode his big boy bike over to the park and played for a little while, we went to the library, borrowed lots of books from there as well as a few DVDs.

The day after my no spend challenge the little one I was babysitting was beyond annoying and quite frankly she frustrated the heck out of me. Nothing like a child fake crying for over two hours. I finally had enough and called her mother and said come get her (the minute I told her her mother was coming the 'crying' stopped the smile came out, the laughter ensued, the 'pretend' belly ache disappeared). She got what she wanted...

I was so frustrated with her I called Kris and said "Zack and I will be there to pick you up, I need to get out of this house". So we went out for lunch. I wanted to smack myself later on for spending the money on lunch but oh well.

It has been so long since I have been to Target. Oh how I love that store. Oh how I miss it so. I figure if I step foot in there I know I will spend money on things I don't really need so I will avoid it for as long as possible.

I have been thinking about doing it again, maybe for a longer period of time next time so we will see.

I also have to say I have been scouring the Internet for blogs about crafting things because I am so tired of these bare white walls. Yes we do have some pictures of family in frames on the walls but I want more than that. I was decorations of sorts. Decorations that are made on the cheap. So I will be showing you anything that I craft.

Cooking day.

Today was a fairly productive day. I was able to get some meals cooked and ready for the freezer.
I made a batch a chili which we will get 3 meals out of, cooked up some ground turkey to throw in a casserole later on, a pepperoni pizza roll made with homemade dough, a chicken stroganoff and a batch of buffalo chicken for salads.

Now ask me what we are having for dinner tonight and I will have to tell you... I am not sure. LOL!

Zack is bugging the crud out of me right now. I promised him we would try our hand at making some cheese crackers the other day and we never got around to doing it. He sees me doing all this cooking and he has to keep bugging me. Maybe I can get away with promising him that we will do it tomorrow. If we do make it tomorrow then I will plan on making some banana bread tomorrow and maybe a batch of pumpkin bread since that went so darn quickly the last time I made it.

I am hoping that on my really lazy days I can remember to take something out of the freezer and just throw it in the oven. I think it will be easier on me, knowing I have something in there that is just a few minutes away from being a good meal.

Tumbling down

Last week when I went to my favorite store. As I was walking down the main aisle I noticed a couple in front of me, she was pushing a cart with a little one sitting nicely minding his/her own business. The guy was walking somewhat behind and to the right of her. All of a sudden she fell.

The guy who was with her never bothered to help her up! He did ask her if she was OK but he never offered her his hand to help her up. After she told him she was fine, she got up laughing (I am sure she was quite embarrassed) and continued to push the cart. I heard him say "damn we need to sue this place."

What has this world come too? What did the store have to do with her falling? Nothing! She did not trip over anything, she did not slip on a spill, she just went down, like when your legs just give way and they buckle underneath you. I am sure it didn't help that she had on 4 inch heels with a pencil thin spike for a heel.

They turned to go down another aisle, I continued straight on. Maybe 15 minutes later or so I see them again and he is still telling her she needs to sue this place. This guy was really pushing the subject. The woman just kept telling him she was OK and let it go. I just do not understand the mentality of people like him. Why does he feel the store needs to pay money for someone who to took a tumble? I know the economy stinks right now but there are other ways to make money.

Temperature gauge

It is official my three year old thinks I am nuts!

First let me say I have had a bottle of water sitting on the floor board of my truck for so long now that it just seems like it belongs there.

Yesterday when Kris went to get out of my truck he knocked the bottle out of the truck and it rolled along the parking lot and went under someones truck. Not within reaching distance he left it sit there. I figured we would be able to pick it up when we came out.

Sure enough when we were done, the truck was gone and we were able to just walk over and pick it up.

Having said that, when he knocked the bottle out of the truck I pretended to yell at him for knocking my temperature gauge out of my truck. Zack had no clue what we were talking about but of course he had to be in on the conversation. He was upset with Kris for knocking mommies temperature 'thing' out the door.

When we were done and saw that the water bottle was easily accessible now I said something about picking up my temperature gauge now. Zack was all excited about it until he got a little closer. "Mommy that's not a temperature thing, it is a water bottle".
As I bent down to pick it up, I tried to explain to him it was a temperature gauge because when it freezes over I know it is cold out, when it is bubbling I know it is hot out.
Little stinker give me a look as if the say "you have lost it mom".

My mac and cheese

I made a big batch of homemade macaroni and cheese last night, I was able to split it to make three meals out of it. I wrapped up two and popped them into the freezer for future use. The one we had for dinner last night I added some chunks of ham to.

Up until a month ago my darling child would not even let my homemade mac and cheese touch his lips much less let it get passed them. Then one night that all changed. Not only did he eat it but he asked for seconds. I was shocked.

Last night he ate such a large helping I thought for a second he must be feeding the dog under the table... but then I remembered we do not have a dog. I don't know what changed to make him like it but I for one will not complain about it.

Now this part is for my mother....

You are such a jinx. As I was starting to wrap the freezer stuff, this happened.
What are the odds that this happens to you on Sunday and me on Monday?

It is a good thing I found a good deal on this a few months ago and stocked up.

Spending

OK so this no spend challenge I have enforced upon my household is not going so great.

I figured we would have to buy milk, bread and gas to get Kris back and forth to work but that was my limit.

I have spent money on baking powder that I did not plan to. I made a mental note to myself never ever start baking banana bread unless you pull all the ingredients out of the pantry first. I didn't want to waste the eggs I had already broken open, or the bananas I already mashed up so I went to the store and got the baking powder. Why I did not replace it when I ran out I will never know.

I did have to put gas in my truck yesterday which I didn't plan on doing BUT in my own defense I had gone just over a week with less than a quarter of a tank. That is awesome considering I drive an older truck that sucks gas ways to fast.

Kris had to fix a toilet in the house and had to buy a part for it but he did use a gift card to make that purchase, so yeah to him.

Kris has to mail a certified letter out sometime this week so he will have to spend a bit of money on that.

Other than that we are doing well with not spending. We are eating from home every meal. I have double up the recipes on certain meals and have a small freezer stock for the first time in a long time. My aunt gave us some sweet potatoes yesterday so I am going to try to freeze some for future side dishes.

I will say it is killing me to see all these deals people are finding and I am not in on it. I would normally have bought several gifts by now for birthdays/Christmas and whatever from all the after holiday sales but I am holding steady in my quest.

I plan on making some pumpkin bread this week but did not have any ginger in the pantry so when I went to visit my mom yesterday I was able to swipe some from her. Frugal me, hey it kept me from having to go to the store.

Random Zack

While at the library the other day I was looking at some books to check out for Zack and I to read through the week. He was doing the same. At one point he picked out a book and said "Mom we have to get this one." I asked him why. The response I received was just to funny. "Mom we have to get it because it is peculiar." He couldn't tell me what peculiar was or why the book was peculiar but we got it just the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While sitting at the table the other day he was helping read my mail.

He was focused on one like he really was reading it and them threw it off to the side and exclaimed "that is just lame."

Where he hears these things I have no clue.

Getting dressed

"Zack go upstairs and get a long sleeve shirt and some pants."

"Mom, I want to wear jammies today."

"That's fine we are not going anywhere."

"Mom, ha ha when I come down there you will never recognize me."

Silly little boy I knew exactly who he was when he returned wearing nothing but a t-shirt!

Catching up.

He's catching on to her ways.

Zack looks forward to K coming and every day he asks if she is coming today. It has gotten so I don't know anymore when she will be here and when she won't but that is a whole other story.

Every morning that she does show up for at least an hour and a half I hear "K lets go upstairs and play, lets play this and lets play that." Every morning I hear the same "No yet, I am tired, No I want to watch TV, No I don't feel like playing." He gets frustrated and she knows it. That is why she does it.

Today he was asking and asking but she kept telling him no. After a while I said the TV will be going off after this show. Apparently she did not believe me because even after I turned it off she still sat there watching a black screen.

After a while he asked again she told him no then proceeded to walk past him and go upstairs to the playroom. He followed but every suggestion he made, he was told no. After a half hour of trying to get her to play with him, he gave up and went into his bedroom and played with the train set he has in there. The second she realized he wasn't coming back out she stood at his door begging him to come play with her. He responded with a great big NO. He stayed in there playing by himself for about 45 minutes. Much of that time she stood at his door asking him to come out and play.

When he finally did come out she was all to happy to play with him.

I had to laugh because she frustrates the heck out of him with everything having to be her way or no way, everything has to be on her time. I wonder if she will remember how she felt today standing outside his door and how she didn't like it. Now maybe she will stop doing it to him.

I try to let them work out their differences but every once in a while it is good to see the little one win a round.

Play time with Play-Doh

Boredom is setting in for the little one since we haven't gone anywhere but the library in a week. It is much to cold to go to the park and play, there isn't much around here that little ones can do that do not cost a cent so we have been staying in.

He asked to play with the play-doh yesterday. Silly little monkey thought he was going to play with it in the living room. I don't really want play-doh covering my couch or my carpet so that bright idea was nixed. I let him know that anytime he plays with it, he must be at the dining room table.

He played and played and played with that play-doh for quite a while. I was surprised at just how long he did play with it. Then after nap time he asked to play it again so back out everything came and he played with it again for at least and hour and a half.

It is not like he never gets to play with it because I do have a small backpack filled with Play-Doh and some cookie cutters that come with us whenever we go to a restaurant. It keeps him busy enough until they bring out our order.

He woke up this morning asking to play with it again. I did tell him he has to wait because mommy and mornings do not really mix and adding play-doh into that might be a disaster.

Cook Books

Sign up here for a free Breakfast and Brunch cook booklet at Goose Berry Patch.
You can also sign up here for Fall Favorites and also Family Favorites cook booklets from Goose Berry Patch.

I received a Goose Berry Patch cookbook from a friend and love it, I have made several recipes from it that I just love.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser coupon

If you go here you can get a coupon for $1.00 off Downy Wrinkle Releaser plus $10.00 in other coupons. You can either have it emailed to you or mailed via snail mail.

I have to admit I hate ironing and pretty much refuse to do it at all so wrinkle releaser is the way to go. I have not bought any in years though because I make my own but I am hoping this has some other good coupons with it.

Christmas trees

Christmas is over and I have a big bare spot in my living room where our tree once stood. Oh how sad it was taking all the decorations down knowing it would be another 11 months before they could go up again.

Poor Zack nearly cried taking the decorations off the tree, he just doesn't want the tree to be gone for so long. He helped Kris take the tree down and put it back in the box. Yes, we do have an artificial tree by choice. You see one thing I really can not stand is getting those stupid pine needles in my feet in June even though I have vacuumed a million and a half times since taking the tree down. Every year that I ever had a real tree it has happened to me.

Last night we took the decorations off Zacks tree in his room. He was helpful but whined about taking it down the whole time. I considered leaving it up and just changing out the decorations based on what holiday was coming up. After all it is in his room, no-one sees it but us so who would really care. Having said that I did take it down and put it away. We are on a budget this year so we really can not be spending money on decorations for every holiday.

Speaking of Christmas trees, my Grandma had a little tiny tree that she put up in her living room every year. When Christmas was over she put it back into the bag, in the closet until next Christmas. I always loved her tree. When Grandma passed, my mother inherited the tree. It is nice to walk into the house at Christmas time and still be able to see the tree. I used to have a picture of that tree but I do not know where it went to.

I think this year my husband will not be a happy camper when I make him put up the tree in the living room and one in the loft. After all that should be his punishment for not getting the outside Christmas lights up this year.

ConAgra

Sign up at
http://startsampling.com/sm/101044/captureAddress.iphtml?item=101044&source=

Copy and paste the address into your browser, for some reason it would not let me link it.

This will get you a ConAgra Foods coupon book worth $17.00.
Even though I am not spending any money right now I will still be doing everything I can to get more coupons for future grocery shopping trips.

What a day.

Little one must have a stomach virus or has eaten something that does not agree with him because he has gotten sick twice today.

This morning he was fine. He ate his breakfast like normal, washed his hands when he was done, walked into the living room to grab a toy and sneezed. As he sneezed he threw up all over the toy, the couch and the carpet. Not a fun way to start the day.

He sat down to eat lunch this afternoon and really didn't get through much of it before he was sick again.

He does not have a fever nor is is complaining of anything hurting him so I am hoping it is nothing and will go away rather quickly.

Apparently this little one of mine just does not understand that his mother has a very weak stomach.

____________________

Day one of my no spend 2 weeks went alright. I stayed away from all those after Christmas sales. It was hard I tell you knowing things were 75% off already but I am determined.

I also made enough dinner last night to get 3 meals out of so that is a great thing.

In with the new.

Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year