Mommy Musings

She has been taken over…..Mckenzi now is the proud owner of a button down blouse…a black pea coat (fitted) and she LOVES cardigan sweaters…..ha ha hah……I am winning her over

This is the joy of living with and shopping with a teenager.  I used to love shopping with my mom.  She would through me into the dressing room and start chucking clothes at me…..it was alot of fun.  Now, I am on the other side of the door, throwing clothes at Mckenzi, telling her to shut up and just try it on….humour me please.  Turns out, she really likes the clothes I like….who would have though huh?  So we have progressed from skinny jeans to a straight leg and last night we bought a boot cut.  Although I don’t actually own clothes that are so in style…I really wish I did.  It is fun though, having a daughter to dress up in all the clothes that are stylish and cool.

I am nice, I am smart, and gosh darn in, people like me!  Being home with my children all the time has sort of made me doubt myself in some ways.  I officially stopped working on August 19th 2005 - almost three years ago.  A bit ago I thought I would give it a shot and go back to work….Walmart was fine when I was in college, but was tough as an adult.  This past week I started temping for a large company near by.  The first day I was brought it to do filing.  Filing is not something I enjoy….who does?  It was easy work though and the pay was really great.  I had the day to myself and I although I was doing a task I didnt like, the day was good.  A day later they called me back to see if I could fill in at reception.  Yeah - a little more challenge, but not much.  The day went very well.  By the second phone call I was back into the swing of things.  Apparently I haven’t forgotten how to ready items for the purolator or how to run mail through the postage machine.  Yeah me! 

By the end of the second day I had impressed the staff so much they asked that I consider taking a more perminent role with the company…in AP ….yeah!  I am pretty excited..now I just have to wait and see if the temp agency is accomidating and makes a good offer.  I really enjoyed my time out of the house.  I like meeting new people and using some of my old brain….plus I really loved shopping for new work clothes.

Mckenzi made some money too.  Thev offer was put to her first to watch the girls and make some good money.  I was surprised that she took the offer honestly.  I really figured I would use my friends in Leduc….Mckenzi wouldn’t want to be a full time sitting at the end of her holidays.  I was pleasently surprised though and I think she is appreciating the extra pocket money.  I am going to have to pay someone to watch the girls, I am more than happy to give Mckenzi the chance to stack her new purse - this way she has a nice wad of cash to go back to school with….or she will buy herself a new phone for the new school year…..but she will have to keep working to keep buying minutes for it.

It has been a shop till you drop week in our house.  We haven’t even gotten to the school supply list yet…it has been clothes and shoes for Mckenzi and myself.  It has been alot of fun having a shopping companion…especially one who likes the same clothes as I do (sort of).  We were walking through the store last night and I pointed out a blouse, sweater combination that I really liked…and Mckenzi did too….and then she was slightly horrified at herself for liking it too…ha ha ha…that was too much fun. 

Everywhere has big sales on.  There has been 50-70% off at Bootlegger, Stitches, The Jean Warehouse, Rickys and Walmart.  We have bought shoes and bras and panties and pants and shorts and skirts and shirts and hoodies and braclest and watches and purses…and lions and tigers and bears oh my!  It has been too much fun.  All in all, we haven’t spent alot of money…but we have gotten alot of clothes for our money….the past few years of discount shopping has made me a master shopper. 

For myself last night I managed to get 2 pairs of pants, 1 pair of capris, 4 sweaters and 2 blouses for just under a $100 dollars…and none of it from Walmart.  This is a first for me….I have been a big walmart shopper the past three years.  It was even hard for me to take a $100 and spend it on myself….I would have rather spent it on the girls or Steve…but I was long over due for some new clothes.

Last night was the end of our shopping until school supplies.  There are still a couple of big things we need, a coat, winter boots, hat, mittens, a dressier shirt for Mkcenzi, but that can come in time.  For now, we are off to a good start.  The night was capped off with a girls supper out and a movie…..and it was a nice night.  We laughed and talked and just had fun.  I liked last night…and now, Mckenzi is changing a poopy bum and hasn’t even rolled her eyes once since she has been here……I like the change very much!

Another weekend has come and gone.  Summer is more than half way over now.  Soon, September will be here and Emma will start pre school.  Mckenzi is getting set to start moving herself in.  She will soon venture across the street to the local school. 

So much has changed for our house this summer.  And more is to come.  Steve is going to be a stay at home dad for a while, and I am going back to work full time.  I have applied for a handful of jobs and so far have turned one down, holding out for the one I really want.  I should know some time this week if I got the job.  It is back in a similar field to my work in a previous life (pre children).  It is full time, back with my own office, with my own stuff…being able to go to the bathroon whenever I want, with no small children in tow!  I am so excited.

I have never been opposed to working.  I just haven’t wanted the girls to be in day care all day.  With S being home with them, I am more than happy to head back out.  Happy for the chance to be the bread winner.  Happy to know that my skills are still desired and I am a still employable citizen.  Please don’t get me wrong.  I have loved the past three years.  On August 19th 2005 I started my first mat. leave.  I haven’t worked outside the home since (other than a short lived Walmart stint).  I am more than a little nervous about getting back into grove of work, but I am confident knowing the girls will be with the best person around…their dad!

Mckenzi is also looking forward to having her dad home.  They can have lunches together.  He will be here when she gets home from school.  He will be able to help out at the school, and be able to be a ‘helper mom’ at the preschool.  He will take Hannah to swim lessons and make sure the house is ready for our family time in the evening.  It will be good for him, and me to have a change in our roles.  The next month or so should be a challenge.  I am pretty excited about all the changes to come.

I am pretty excited to share some big news…..our house is expanding by 1….and I don’t even have to give birth………Mckenzi is moving in!  We are all pretty excited, although Emma and Hannah aren’t in on the situation just yet.  I don’t know exactly when it will happen.  Before school starts for sure.  There are still some pieces of furnature to get moved around and taken care of.

I am excited to share more in her life.  I am excited to have another person in our house to laugh and talk with.  Someone to play cards with, someone to cook in the kitchen with.  Finally, someone to watch horror movies with!  I know for sure though, that soon enough, she will be gone with friends, or better yet, our house will be full of friends…..giggling, studying, playing music…..being girls.  I am pretty excited to see how our house will be, come Thanksgiving. 

I have always loved the fall.  Getting ready to head back to school has always been a fun time of year for me.  This year will be even more special.  I have school registration, soccer registration and supplies to get ready for.  I am pretty stoked……hang on…..this is going to be one heck of a ride!

Tongiht we sat around the supper table and laughed.  It all started with Hannah.  It usually does.  She loves to laugh.  I joined in, although at first, I was laughing just for the sake of laughing.  Next thing, Mckenzi and Emma have started too.  Steve didn’t know what to do.  He just kept eating, with a huge smile on his face.  The four of us ladies were so loud, we laughed for so long, our sides all ached.  I still dont’ really know what was so funny in the first place!

We climbed the hill after supper.  We swang on the swings….Mckenzi was so dizzy she took a header.  We flew planes and chased the soccer ball.  Many pictures were taken.  Tomorrow Mckenzi goes home.  I am sad tonight.  I am going to miss her.  The girls are going to miss her.  Her dad will miss her most of all.  We can’t wait until we see her again on another weekend….more days to be a compete family.  This is the worst part about sharing the life of a child.  When they are with you, your home feels right and complete.  When they are at home, with their other parent, your house feels empty and lonely.  It must be worse for the child who has two rooms, two houses, two families….except at Christmas as Mckenzi often reminds me!

I am pretty sure that I have shared in the past, our families attempt at being more GREEN.  Since we have moved out to the country I have been lax.  We no longer have access to a Blue Bin recycling program and although we are limited to 5 bags of garbage per week, we have been accumulating so much more.  It has been hard, adjusting to life in the country…..and I have been lazy, I admit.

A new page has been turned though.  My dryer is hardly being used at all.  Steve installed a retractable clothes line and I love it.  Of course, it does take more time to treck back up stairs and out to the back yard and then hang or take down the clothes, but the process isn’t unenjoyable.  I feel better knowing we are doing better and saving money in the long run too.  It is too cute to see all of our panties (even Steve’s) hanging up, blowing in the wind.

I am ashamed that my family produces so much waste each week.  I hate seeing the bags piling up, waiting for garbage day.  We have always recycled pop cans and the like.  Now, we have taken a huge step and bought large bins to sort our recycling out.  This means we will have to bag our own once sorted and take them into either Camrose or Leduc, but at least our black bags of garbage each week will be far fewer in number, and I won’t be so ashamed!

We have also purchased a large composte.  Because our large isn’t very big, we decided to go with a manual push mower.  It is very easy to use, compact to store and so nice.  We rake up our clippings and use this in the compost.  As well, we now have a bucket in the kitch for all our food scraps, coffee grounds and what not.  I am amazed at just how much peels and stuff we have.  It has been every couple of days that I am needing to dump the bucket.  Our household garbage is way smaller now.  And I am feeling so much better about our house and our waste.  Now, if I can just convince my family to cut down on their endless showers….like father, like daughter!