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My Spending Fast continues

I continue to do well on my spending fast, despite the fact this is my birthday and I'm known to buy myself birthday presents! We went to the Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati on Saturday. I spent $6 for a little leather pouch for Brayden to keep "treasures" in -- and .75 for two such "treasures" -- a marble he loved and a pretty rock he loved. I bought Mary's Mother's Day present at the Festival (Brayden's portrait done in silhouette - it was wonderful!), but I don't consider that a non-essential. I did go out to breakfast with a friend on Thursday, but spent only $4 plus $1 tip. So, to date, that's under $15 of unnnecessary spending. I guess anything over "$0" is not a true spending fast though. I've been getting some nice freebies in the mail these days. This week I received coupons for freebies from Thomas' English Muffins and for a fruit juice. I received money off coupons for several other items, and received free samples of the True Time drinks and Huggies Diapers. I found the best way to find free samples of products you normally use is to simply do a Google Search for "Free Sample" and see what comes up! Today is my birthday and, as is pretty standard for my birthday, I plan on doing only what I feel like doing. It may be nothing, it may be quilting, it may be working in the garden. Whatever it is, it will be exactly what I want to do. I love birthdays!

A Mother's Day Tribute to Three Mom's

I'm having a great Mother's Day. I received a "Happy Momma's Day" from my grandson this morning. How cool is that? I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to the three very best Mother's I know. First, my step-mother, Barbara. She knows how much I appreciate all she did for me when I was a teenager, though, like many step-kids, I didn't appreciate it at the time. She brought structure to my life, she taught me what a mother should be, and she showed me just how much patience and love of life one single person could have. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Second, is my friend, Karen. I know she'll read this. Karen was my kids' babysitter when they were 3 and 4 up to when they were 6 and 8 and we moved to Ohio. Karen taught my kids discipline and manners. She is the only person I have ever met that can take 6 kids under 6 years of age to an amusement park or beach by herself. I am so grateful she was in my kids' lives -- and so grateful that she is my friend. Happy Mother's Day, Karen -- and Happy Grandma's Day! Lastly, I want to give a nod to my daughter -- a new Mom, but a great Mom. She's a single mother who works hard to make a good life for her son. Despite being sometimes overwhelmed with taking care of her house and holding down a highly responsible job, she always has time to play with Brayden, and she always has time to give him lots of kisses and hugs. She wants a good future for both herself and her son, and she's working hard to get there. I'm so proud of her. Happy Mother's Day, sweetie! And Happy Mother's Day to both my kids. Thank you for being exactly who you are. On this Mother's Day, I'm thankful that my kids have made it to adulthood safe and sound and that they are both adults that I am proud of. They both make it so easy to appreciate being a mother. Big hugs to you both.

Baby boomers theme song - FUNNY!

Staying Positive

I found this on The Random Ramblings of a Working Mom blog (who found it on the Internet) and thought it worth posting. It was a good way for me to start my day of babysitting for Brayden. Things to Keep Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your actions. Keep your actions positive, because your actions become your habits. Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your lifestyle. Keep your lifestyle positive, because your lifestyle becomes your destiny.

Photo of the day

American Idol's cutie-patootie is gone

OK, pardon the ramblings of an ol' lady here, but I am sincerely going to miss Jason Castro on American Idol! I haven't seen the elimination show yet (I have it on DVR to watch tonight), but it's hard to get on the web and not find out who left.

I admit to being a Jason fan. Was he the best? No, unfortunately. But Jason has talent and with the right manager and song writer, I do think he'll go far in the music industry. Besides, HOW CUTE IS HE?!?!?! lol! I didn't care what he sang, I just wanted to see him do that shy smile thang of his!

Best singer? David Cooke, by a long shot. His rendition of "Teenage Wasteland" (or whatever the title was) would make me go out and buy his CD on that song alone. (Let's not forget I've been rockin' and rollin' since the 70's!) The other David is really good, but I honestly haven't heard a song yet that would make me go out and buy a CD of his. Syesha? She's great, but in more of a Broadway singer style than a pop singer. She has surprised me the past few weeks, but I think it's obvious she'd prefer to be in theater.

And YIPPY! So You Think You Can Dance is starting back up on May 22! I love that show! I am just in awe of those hip-hop dancers that are suddenly confronted with the technique of ballroom dancing! I'm really looking forward to watching it.

So now the question is -- do I influence my grandson to become a future American Idol contestant, a dancer, or a NASCAR driver... decisions, decisions. I guess I better let him decide!

A little of this, a little of that...

Just quick blogging today because my To Do List has grown due to the extra babysitting days this week. I refuse to fall behind!

Are you decluttering and donating items to charity? Here's a great FREE web site affiliated with Turbo Tax (though you don't have to use Turbo Tax) that let's you keep track of your donations, give them a tax deductible dollar value, and add it all up at the end of the tax year! Check out It'sDeductible online. My husband the accountant was excited about this one!

I'm really enjoying the Home Sanctuary blog. It really is my goal in life to make my home a sanctuary for myself, my husband, and our family and friends when they visit. Today's HS task: Check your first aid supplies and add necessary items to your shopping list. And she's right -- if my grandson falls down and scrapes up his knees, or my husband gets a case of the stomach flu -- I need to have the necessary supplies ready and accessible.

My Simpler Life's Decluttering Calendar (free online) task for today is: "Toss old food in one kitchen cabinet". I have to admit, this made me laugh out loud. She didn't mention when I'm supposed to take it back out -- on trash day, I suppose. Other than this small grammatical faux pas, it's worth downloading this Decluttering Calendar!!!

Joey the killer cat has a boo-boo on his eye. I imagine he had a run-in with another cat or a wild animal in the woods behind our house. This little guy (he's short and stubby) has the attitude of a lion in a teeny kitty body. I'll keep watch on the boo-boo, but haven't a clue on how to change the attitude.

Does your family have a patron saint? Ours does! About 10 years ago I sold books on the Internet (before Ebay put an end to the profits of that kind of business). I went to auctions and estate sales and bought books by the boxload and carload. My husband and I enjoyed bringing the books home and going through them one by one -- amazing what people leave in old books! We found money, photos, gorgeous old bookmarks, advertising pieces, handwritten letters and more. One day I bought a particularly good lot of books, with many profitable first editions (a first edition John Steinbeck with dust jacket!). As I was thumbing through the books, out popped a small black and white photo, and on the back was the name "Fortune". I knew I was going to make some good money on the books I'd bought, so I showed my husband the photo and said, "Fortune is smiling down on us." No sooner had I said it, than the phone rang. A national chain grocery store had their grand opening that day, and my name was drawn for their grand prize!

Since then, Fortune has been our patron saint, and sits on the bookcase amongst photos of family. Her poor photo is fading (I hope that's not prophetic), but she still holds a place of honor in our home. She's in the small silver frame. Those are my maternal grandparents in the larger frame.

Speaking of home, do yourself a favor and go to Tipper's blog Blind Pig and The Acorn and listen to her wonderful musical family! The music will get your foot tapping and the singing will make you smile, for sure.

Enjoy your day! I'm off to get things DONE!

Sick little boy and a tired grandma

Brayden spent the day with me again because he was too sick to go to his other babysitter's. The poor little guy was SO sick this morning -- just hacking and wheezing and not wanting his mom to go to work (I felt as bad for Mary as I did for him -- it's so tough to walk away from a sick child, even when you know he'll be well loved and taken care of -- it's still not YOU taking care of him). The cough just got worse and worse, and then about 8am he started vomiting too. That actually turned out to be a good thing because he got rid of a lot of the mucus that was so bubbley in his chest. But, like any little one, he hates throwing up and he doesn't understand why it's happening, and he pretty much fights it. But we got through it, and he settled down into Umpa's recliner with a pillow and blanket and watched his Baby Einstein movies for awhile. We read some books and played with his gyroscope (purchased at a rummage sale last week for .25 and it just fascinates Brayden) and generally tried to keep activities quiet. By 10:30 he was hungry, so I gave him a few crackers and a cheese stick, then he asked to go for a nap (yes, that's right -- he asked...lol) He slept for about an hour and a half...

And was UP AND READY TO ROCK N' ROLL!!! Oh my goodness, did that child have energy! Although he still had a runny nose, his cough was very minimal and there was no holding him back. He wanted to ride his bike, he wanted to ride the lawn mower, he wanted to pull weeds (who am I to deny him the pleasures in life? Yes, Brayden, you can pull weeds....), he wanted to chase the cat and play with his cars and blow on dandelions and push his wheelbarrow and get the mail and help me hang out clothes and and and...

And Umma is just plain tuckered out tonight! From the frazzle of having a vomiting child to the frazzle of having an over-energetic child... wow. He hasn't worn me out this much in a long time!

I have a Brayden story to share. I have a large rubber tree in my computer room. When Brayden arrives in the morning, his job is to get a bottle of water and water two plants -- one in the kitchen (see him at work in picture on the left) and one in my office. He doesn't spill a drop and I don't even have to supervise anymore. One day he went into my office to water the plant, and came running back to the kitchen, grabbed my hand, and said, "Come, Umma" and pulled me into the office. He stood in front of the rubber tree and showed me where one of the smaller limbs of the tree had fallen off and was laying on the floor, with a few almost-dead leaves scattered nearby.

He pointed at the limb and leaves on the floor and said, "Umma - WEEDS!" :)

This is why I babysit for my grandson. It's lovely to see the world through the eyes of a two year old again.