I wish it would stop!

I swear when it rains - it pours!

Both of the faucets in our bathroom have been leaking for a month.

I called PricePfister to get the parts and they sent every part but the one that I actually needed!

I was able to get the sink faucet to stop leaking but then one of the washers around the neck broke. So I need to order that part too!

I'm still working on the shower faucet and figure that when I place the call I can get them to send all of the parts at once.

Thank God this is all under warranty and the people there are friendly and provide really good customer service!

*drip*drip*

One faucet at a time...

I've got to keep telling myself that I can only do so much these days! I have a to-do list from here to the floor and my motivation to get things done is pretty limited!

A few years ago we looked at kitchen faucets and decided on a name brand faucet that didn't cost us an arm and a leg.

It's done a great job but now I'm realizing that I should do some caulking around the base of the faucet because I think water is actually draining down and into our cabinents.

Always something new.

So my dad is back at home after being in the hospital, nursing home, hospital, and nursing home.

I'm glad that he's back at home and in a few weeks he thinks he's going to be back at work.

Of course, I know that he's going to jump into it too quickly. His plan is to do botox and non-surgical procedures first. One option might be for him to buy wrinkle cream and market it to his patients!

If he were to find some good products and sell them then he could do pretty good without having to perform surgery!

Tick tock - you don't stop.

I'm not quite done with my to-do list. Before I know it I won't have anything on the list and it will be time for the baby. (Yeah, I'm sure that's how it works, right?)

A few years back I purchased a new Skagen watch for Shawna and it's been great. I just purchased a new battery for it and I expect that it will be good as new!

However, I just saw a beautiful breguet watch and they are really great timepieces! Not to mention, I think Shawna would have liked it better!

I was able to find some great watches at ViaLuxe! The website was easy to use and I like the set up. Not to mention, the pictures of the stunning watches are amazing. It makes me want to buy a few watches.

Of course, I'd have to spend Emmy and Grammy's college fund to do that. But you never know when I might hit the lottery! (I guess I'd have to play first, right?)

Not only are they classics with a great look...but they have a great reputation for being competent and hardy watches that can withstand almost anything!

God knows, I'm going to need a decent watch with two kids and and endless amount of baby barf landing on me!

Partner?

At some point I've got to ask myself if I really want to do the extra work to be come a partner.

What are my personal and professional goals and can I be happy and successful with both.

There's tons of potential in my line of work and at some point it might be worth thinking about even coming up with a franchise!

I know there's a huge demand for residential Landscape Architects....now just to find competent employees!

Drug rehab, anyone?

I was shocked to find out the other day that a few kids I had gone to school with had to attend drug rehab.

You hear about it everyday - the newest celebrity intake. However, it really rings through that there's a problem with alcohol and drug addiction when someone you know has a problem and seeks help.

Bad memory!

No matter how much dell memory we add to our computer I'm not sure it will ever be enough. It could be because we're used to working on desktops and laptops just don't have the lightening speed of the desktops.

At some point I know we're going to have to get another computer! It seems like when I am on the computer Shawna always needs it.

Doesn't she know I have important people to write and games to play?

Right about now ...

Shawna's wishing that we had a couple of walk in tubs! In fact, the other night she got into the tub with Graem and I swore she was going to need a hoyer lift to get out!

When we remodel the upstairs we're going to do a nice tub and shower combo. I can't imagine waking up and not having to walk downstairs to go to the bathroom and take a shower!

On other people..

I really like religious jewelry!

I've been in trouble for a few months now for losing my ring. Shawna bought those years back and I have no idea what happened to mine. I figure it's long gone now and a few weeks ago when we went to look for replacement rings I was shocked to see how much white gold was!

If only I hadn't lost one of the rings we'd be fine and wouldn't have to spend money to buy two new ones! Eek!

Got coins?

I have never really been into coin collecting. We tried to collect all 50 states and decided they were putting them out too slow and gave up on that whole idea.

Heck, I even purchased the quarter holder for the coins and I'm sure it's in the basement somewhere with $1.50 worth of quarters collecting dust.

I wouldn't know a rare coin if it were to hit me in the head!

However, I think it would be really special if we were to find Graem and Emerson's birth year and purchase rare coins in their honor. When I was a baby my grandparents were able to find the coins for my birth year and had them mounted. It was always really special to me.

ZoomCoin.com offers a great website for people like me who are newbies to collecting coins and need a little extra help along the way! I've always wanted a good coin dealer!

Oh zits.

I keep telling myself that now that I'm in my thirties I really shouldn't get pimples.

HA! So much for that idea. I seem to get a new one each week. What's ironic about all of this is that as a teenager...I never had pimples.

More than likely if I decided to do something about it...I'd probably go with a natural acne treatment. I really don't want anything toxic on my skin.

When Shawna was in high school there was a kid that put on acne medicine and a few months later he had liver failure and passed away.

Really, zits are not that evil.

I'm hooked.

I admit it...I have a passion for electronics.

I love computers, phones, and good televisions! Of course, I've never really liked watching television and I think I like the idea of having a nice one over spending hours in front of it!

It seems like there's getting ahead when it comes to buying electronics! There's always going to be something bigger and better and more than likely the price of it will be cut in half within 6 months of it's discovery.

What a mess.

All I'll say is that "it's back."

The situation with my father has gone from bad to worse. Right when I think he's doing better...I get a call last night that he's collapsed and back in the hospital.

I've all but given up on the financial stuff because very honestly...I just can't keep up and it seems like my dad doesn't want me involved.

I guess he's going to have to be the one to deal with the mortgage lenders.

We miss Peanut.

The other night we were in bed and I read the word Peanut in one of Graem's books and she started talking about how much she missed him.

Truth be told...we all miss Peanut and wish he was still with us.

I remember when he was a kitten and he loved playing on a cat tree that we had picked up on the side of the road. He also loved the curtains at Warrenwood Apartments.

In fact...I think that's where we lost our first pet deposit! Oh wait...that would have been our Seneca apartment after the landlord walked in to see we had a cat!

This shouldn't be happening...

to a 32 year old!

However, it seems like lately my face has been breaking out! I'm sure it's due to the stress and my lack of an immune system.

I don't think I'm at the point that I require acne treatment. In fact, I think I'm still in denial that I'm this old and still getting pimples!

Geocaching!

I really wanted to do some geocaching this weekend but I wasn't able to get around to it. This weekend has been pretty packed and I haven't had a whole lot of "fun" time to myself.

One thing I should think about getting is some tactical gear! When going through the wilderness that might help with the scratches and wounds I've incurred trying to get to my treasure!

LAPoliceGear.com offers a website with just about anything and everything you could want and it's perfect for the avid geocacher.

This post sponsored by: LAPoliceGear.com

I'm losing it.

So much is going on and I really can't get over how I've been able to keep it together. I guess I actually haven't. Considering that last week I crashed for two days.

I really do think it was my body begging me to take a break.

I hardly ever get tired, sick, and worn out...but I was in the gutter this time last week and could barely move.

Thank God I'm on the mend!

Wanna get hitched?

Are you looking for that special someone? Are all of the women you meet not worthy of your love?

Well, I've got the answer for you! You need to look into mail order brides!

LoversPlanet offers some beautiful Russian women just looking for love from American men. The women are devoted and looking for a serious and loving relationship.

You can check out Russia's top 100 women by going to LoversPlanet. These are the women chosen by viewers and are the most looked at profiles. The profiles provided offer full information and even Russian Brides Photos!

Check it out! You might be saying "I do" in time for a spring wedding!

I need to remember...

to schedule my massage therapy appointment! My work actually purchased a gift certificate for a local spa and that was back in September!

With all of the stuff going on with my dad I really could use a nice hour long massage. Maybe I'll go for that this weekend!

Logo on the go?

When we were starting up Shawna's business we really worked hard on creating a logo for her business branding, business cards, brochures, and letterhead. We thought an important part would be getting the word out but also having something that would link consulting and caregivers into one small logo.

In the long run I think we should have gone with a logo design firm that mastered the art of marketing! We spent way too much time trying to do it ourselves.

LogoYes.com has an easy to use website where you can design your own logo and even make a whole marketing plan designed specifically with your business in mind.

I admit it.

I love my wine. Most of the time I pick up a big bullet that will last me for a few weeks. However, at some point when Shawna can drink I'll go back to getting nice wine that we can have with our meals.

One wine that's been noted and become popular over the years is Riedel. I've really been trying to vary my interests and try new things so I might see if I can hook up with some the next time I go to the store.

Mmm.

I must say that since Shawna stopped drinking coffee I've cut back a bit. It's harder to make a single cup than it is to make a carafe of coffee. Especially, when I'm using a french press.

That's why I have my eye on espresso machines! I figure big things come in small packages and if I can get one shot of espresso to start my day it will jumpstart me!

New gear?

Shawna has started packing our bags for the hospital and I'm not sure if our good ole suitcase is going to make it. It's traveled all over the world with us and it might need to be retired soon.

At some point we might look at brands like Samsonite and Briggs and Riley for quality luggage with a good reputation.

WEEKEND!!

I'm quite excited that I have just a few more hours til work is over. This weekend we have swim lessons tomorrow scheduled and absolutely nothing else. I think I'm going to take the weekend off of work too.

To say the lease...I'm exhausted. Between my dad's health and work I can barely wake up on time, get dressed, and do my thing.

Shawna's been taking care of much of the house stuff and that's been nice. However,there are tons of things that need to be done that she can't do.

I'm scared...

of stepping on the scale!

My dad has two Escali digital scales and they have always been right on when it comes to weight, unfortunately!

They are actually really nice too and with the digital face they don't even look like a scale. He keeps it right in the kitchen and his girlfriend uses it to measure food and figure out calorie intake.

One place that has tons of scales at great prices is Scalesetc.com. The nice Escali scales go for around twenty five dollars and you can even choose your own color!!

This post sponsored by: Scalesetc.com

Bleh.

Well, we're in NY now and I'm so sick of hanging out in the hospital.

Today when we arrived I was glad to see that my dad had color and actually looked good. He was also full aware of what was going on.

Quite the difference from yesterday.

I think we're probably going to stay til we get kicked out this afternoon and I'm really not sure yet if we'll stop by tomorrow before we head back to I-Town.

I know we want to get on the road early in hopes of making it back home before the roads get bad and it gets dark.

We'll see how it goes...most of the time early these days means that we leave by noon!

We need a piece of this.

So we're really starting to get serious about investing for Graem and Emerson's education. In fact, we're looking for the perfect angel investors who would love to contribute to such a noteworthy cause.

We're just getting through some of the past infertility debt and feel like we're making headway. It'd be great if we could have all of our debt paid off before Emmy makes her appearance in May or June.

We'll have to see about that and see where we are when our taxes come back!

Got grille?

Shawna's car has been through the ringer. I guess it does have over 125,000 miles and is 9 years old!

This week we're taking it in to have the timing belt and water pump changed on it. We figure putting a little bit of money into it every few months is better than purchasing a new car and having a monthly payment.

When I was a kid I remember when my dad's Chevy grilles used to always come off! In fact, at one point we used to duck tape it right back on.

That car didn't last long...but I'm attributing that to be a Chevy!

Down to the wire!

I can't believe only 97 more days plus or minus before we get to meet little Emerson! Plus, we're down to 76 more days before we get to have a "romantic moment".

We've been abstinent for close to 20 weeks now and let me tell you we are ready to let loose!

We've already decided what hotel we're going to go to at 37 weeks and we figure since it's a daycare day we'll just make a nice afternoon of it including lunch and massages at the spa!

Of course, no romantic date would be complete without a little lingerie. Hmmm...I wonder if they have maternity lingerie!

Coins!

I have never really been into coin collecting. We tried to collect all 50 states and decided they were putting them out too slow and gave up on that whole idea.

Heck, I even purchased the quarter holder for the coins and I'm sure it's in the basement somewhere with $1.50 worth of quarters collecting dust.

I wouldn't know a rare coin if it were to hit me in the head!

However, I think it would be really special if we were to find Graem and Emerson's birth year and purchase rare coins in their honor. When I was a baby my grandparents were able to find the coins for my birth year and had them mounted. It was always really special to me.

ZoomCoin.com offers a great website for people like me who are newbies to collecting coins and need a little extra help along the way! I've always wanted a good coin dealer!

Broked.

This morning as I was getting ready for work I realized that one of our cabinet knobs had actually cracked.

We bought them years ago when we were in the "new homeowner phase" of life and actually cared and had time to maintain our house.

I hope that they have the knobs at our local store because I'd hate to have to pay an arm and leg for the same darn knob!

L Law.

Our friend L is starting her own practice and we are always there to give her good (bad) marketing and business advise.

Last night we talked about fax machines and I told her that she can subscribe to an online fax service so that she can get calls and still get faxes too.

Maybe she should open up a storefront and get digital signage so that the word gets out faster?

What a night.

Last night I got the call from my brother that our dad isn't doing well at all. He's bleeding and he has taken it upon himself to do oxygen and IV fluids in the comfort of his bedroom at home!

To say the least we're concerned and I'm wondering if we should get him medical jewelry for when he leaves the house so that if something were to happen people and healthcare providers would be aware of his situation and be able to treat him accordingly.

Maybe stairs aren't so bad.

These days Shawna's sleeping on the couch partly because her back has been bothering her but also it's a much shorter trip to the bathroom and going up and down the stairs is a real pain.

I think we might want to make an investment in either an upstairs potty or a stair lift!

Our stairs are pretty steep and we're always worried that we're going to fall down and them and it's really scary when we're holding a small baby!

We've got to do something!

It seems like every time Graem goes to daycare she ends up coming down with something. Just yesterday Shawna took her to the doctor and she has bronchitis for the third time in the past three months!

At this point she's on antibiotics and it makes us cringe giving her the meds because we really don't like using them and know that they will make her immune if she gets too many in her lifetime.

Maybe at some point we'll try a more natural type of cure that boosts the immune system such as Astragalus. Astragalus helps the defense system fight infection and disease.

Golf?

I can't imagine Shawna's going to get a whole lot of golfing in this summer! In fact, Branson private golf is notorious for having beautiful courses at really great prices.

We have friends that are avid golfers and golf around the world. They have a card where they can golf at so many courses and get a huge discount. PLus, they get their cards marked!

With two kids though, I can't imagine there's going to be too much time for anything!

Holy crap!!

Okay...so I can't get over that Shawna has made it to 23 weeks pregnant and in 13-19 weeks we're going to have a baby.

It seems like last time when I was pregnant Shawna had handled all of the small details and this time around...we have yet to do much of anything in preparation for the baby!

I guess at some point we'll put the carseat in, wash the baby clothes, put up the crib, and stare at her belly waiting for the little one to make her appearance!

Right around the corner...

I know within the year we are probably going to have to think about getting a new car. Shawna's car needs new tires, a new timing belt, and it sounds like the shocks might need to be changed again.

I mean it is 8 years and we can't expect it to keep running forever with minimal care!

At some point I really should check out Car Prices and see what it would cost us to get into a new or used Toyota Sienna.

CarsBlvd.com is a great website that offers car prices with minimal information. That way I can check out the Toyota and Honda and get a ballpark idea of what they both offer and the costs of each.

This post sponsored by: CarsBlvd.com

Long time, no post?

Yikes...I've totally been neglecting the website and for that...I'm sorry.

Work has been killing me lately and every minute I'm not trying to make this Thursday deadline I feel like I'm spending with Shawna and Grammy OR sleeping.

We're also trying to plan a trip to NYC to visit my dad and brother this weekend and I'm getting stressed about getting everything together in time!

The good thing is ... once the deadline gets here Thursday I can sit back and coast a little bit Friday after picking up the pieces of my other neglected projects.

The long road.

Shawna has a friend who was trying to get pregnant when we were about 2 years ago. Unfortunately, she's had quite a few miscarriages since then and also done a few IVF cycles.

We both cycled in Las Vegas together and now she's thinking about going back to LV and interested in Vegas hotels.

Last time they talked J had mentioned that she was going to do a cycle with the other doctor at SIRM, Las Vegas because he had a special protocol.

Bizarre commercials.

Lately, we've been watching live television instead of watching TiVO. Partially, it's because we don't have much taped tv due to the writer's strike.

I was shocked the other night to see so many commercials from the pharmaceutical companies promoting cures for fibromyalgia. I had never heard of fibromyalgia and the commercials were able to inform me a little bit about the signs.

However, I'm not sure I'd go with a medication just because I saw it on television!

Pregnancy lingerie?

I'm not even sure I want to think about that! God knows we're on probation in that area til Shawna gets to 38 weeks!

Of course, I'm always on the lookout for nice women's lingerie to purchase! Of course, we're going to be some old ladies by time we ever get to use our sexy clothing again!

Darn kids.

Next time get the professionals, dad.

My dad lives in Brooklyn and he's moved a number of times over the past few years. Every time he moves he hires some guys and they throw his crap in a box and end up breaking half of it before it gets to the new destination.

Next time my dad needs to look for New York movers to come in and get the job done! Had he gone with a reputable place then he'd be able to get them to cover the damage to his property.

Of course, that would include the porcelin ninja dolls that I'm sure he got in Chinatown back in the 1970's.

Darnit.

I just ordered over $200 worth of pictures from Shutterfly.com. Of course, I looked all over online for coupons but I wish I would have come across these great Shutterfly coupons!

CouponChief.com offers some great coupons on just about every internet provider out there. Just the other day I was able to find a great coupon for the new shoes that I got Shawna for her birthday.

Everyone needs a little funny sometimes.

I've been looking at baby clothes and onesies and I'm looking for something really cute for the tot to wear in the summer when she's born. Of course, I might want to look for matching funny t-shirts for Graem and the whole family!

RoadKillTshirts.com has a great selection of tees for the whole family and the website seems easy to use and shop.

I'm looking ...

for a few good investments. Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold has always been a strong metal. Monex Deposit Company is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for. I should buy gold coin!

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

Fun! Fun! Fun!

This weekend it looks like we're going to be pretty booked with fun stuff. We actually have a birthday party for Graem's friend Dobbs. He was born a day after Graem and he has two moms too!

Then we're going out and celebrating Shawna's birthday at Sangams. She's wanted to eat there for the past four birthdays and I'm trying to get a group together for that.

I don't think we have much planned for Sunday but I know that one of Graem's friend's from daycare wanted to do a playdate. So I'm sure our calendar might fill up quickly!

I can see you!

Ever since I've been small I've had prescription glasses. Unfortunately, my company does not have vision coverage and when I get glasses they run between $300 - $500!

It'd be great to have a second set of glasses but with the prices being so expensive it's just not something I have extra money to spend on!

Until now - Great Discovry:$ 8 Prescription Glasses From Zenni Optical might be an option for me!

This post sponsored by: ZenniOptical.com

Sleep.

It seems like no matter how much sleep I get...I just can't seem to get enough. Luckily, I have been getting good sleep so that helps.

The past few nights we've been going to bed at 10pm and it's nice to wake up refreshed, however, I think since I'm so sleep deprived it's going to take a lot to get me back on track.

Maybe this weekend I can sleep in a little bit and get a few naps in. Yeah, right...with a three year old?

The family quilt.

Last night we worked on the quilt pattern that I've had for over a year now. It was actually fun because we did it as a family. Grammy's job was staying away from the iron and table.

Shawna's job was doing the ironing of tiles and mine was to work on the sewing.

I think it's going to be a really nice quilt once we get it all together and of course I get motivated to finish it up!

Last weekend...

we had dinner with L,L&F. It was a great dinner and L's mother and sister joined us. Both family members are at a crossroad and really looking for direction. L's sister is considering going to an expensive college and ending up with a great degree but also tons of debt. But on the flipside...she still doesn't have a passion for what it is she wants to do.

We tried to talk her into an online college so that she could get her degree at her leisure while working and not have to have tons of debt upon graduation. That way she could pursue grad school.

The mother was interested in social work or psychology. It looks like an online psychology degree might be perfect for her!

Actually, Capella might be a great answer to what their looking for in their educational paths!!

She would love it!

We would love to do some traveling this summer but with a newborn I can't imagine we'd be going far. We even looked at checking out Emu Australia as one of our trip destinations!

If it were just the three of us I think it'd be doable but I really don't want to bring a newborn onto a flight that's going to be long.

Instead, we might head to the beach for a few days and stay with our friend C&L.

I guess any get away - away from work is a good one!

1/2 way there!

Well, Shawna is officially 20 weeks pregnant and for that we're very thankful! Yesterday, we had a good midwife appointment and everything seems to be great. Her chances of having Downs are 1:10,000 and that's the best available number for her age.

The little one had a heartbeat in the 140s and the midwife was able to answer all of our questions.

We have an appointment scheduled with the OB February 14th. We also have another ultrasound scheduled in Rochester January 28th to check out the baby's heart. HOpefully, we'll get a peak at the girl/boy parts!

Flowers!

I have another week and a half to get my act together and find Shawna a birthday gift! She's mentioned that she wants a massage but I owe her one of those for the holidays.

I think I might look into wholesale roses. FiftyFlowers.com offers some good deals on roses and flowers and I'm all on that!

She's also mentioned that she wants some new Merrell Slip on shoes too. That is so much harder to get than flowers these days! I should just get her to order her own shoes and have them shipped to the house!

Hmm....maybe I should check the credit card bill first. She might have already ordered the shoes!

Whew, we found it.

Over the weekend we thought we had lost our camera. We are pretty attached to the thing and we would have been sad because it had a memory card that had all of our Christmas photos and even Graem's birthday party photos!

We've already purchased a replacement digital camera battery so that we can have a battery in the camera at all times.

God knows, when you have a little one in the house it's important to have access to your camera at all times!

Got an extra car?

Many people (especially in Jacksonville) seem to have extra cars hanging out in their front yards! Who knows if they actually work or not.

However, it would make sense that if you have a car that's working and you're not using it that you might want to donate car to a good cause.

CarAngel.com is a great website that offers information on how to donate your car for a good cause. Check it out if your front yard or garage is full of cars that need a good home!

My aching head!

Lately, I've been getting some pretty bad headaches. I've never had a migraine. However, I'm wondering if these headaches might be considered something like that.

I think more than likely they are allergy related and for some reason our house has either gotten dusty or moldy and my head is paying for it!

It could be that we have a new heater that has a humidifier. This is great and all --- but it also makes mold build on the window sills faster and each day you can wipe the windows and get black on the towel!

We want a new TV!

There's really nothing wrong with the televisions we have except we want bigger and better. More than likely when/if we remodel we'll make the upstairs (new room) our family room and get a nice big screen television and home theatre system!

Of course, we'll also have to be in the market for tv stands too. Our local vendors don't have a very good selection so I'm guessing we might have to find a good vendor on the internet.

Oh man...

Shawna has this mad idea that she's not going to shave her legs til the third trimester of her pregnancy. Of course, she's at the second trimester now and I must admit...it's getting pretty wooley!

I can only imagine what would happen if she had a gold anklet! I think it'd probably get lost in the mass of leghair and it'd be gone forever!

We should really look into..

making our air better with air purifiers!

We looked a few years ago and didn't know where to start because there are so many different options. Plus, we weren't sure where in our house we'd put it since we have a pretty small house and they tend to take up a lot of room.

Maybe we can get a good deal on one and order it before spring time and the baby gets here!

I'm so fat.

I'm starting to realize that I'm on the pregnancy diet too. Of course, Shawna's the one that's pregnant this time and even she has only gained a few pounds over the past 16 weeks!

I keep saying that I've got to do something about my weight but maybe I should look into seeing a lap-band doctor. JourneyLite.com offers a great and less evasive way to lose weight than the typical banding procedures.

They have offices in a few of the big cities out there and I'm sure that I'd be a pretty good candidate for the surgery.

This post sponsored by: JourneyLite.com

Happy Monday!

Okay, not really.

Our non-productive weekend started with us purchasing Super Mario Galaxy Friday night. We played a little bit and went to bed.

Then Saturday came around and we ran some errands, did some shopping, and came home and played more Mario and watched television.

Fast forward to yesterday. Sunday we literally didn't do a thing. Graem stayed in her pajamas all day and we watched many episodes of Tom and Jerry, played more video games, and caught up on Weeds.

Of course, this morning I'm back in reality and realize that I probably should have put a few hours in at work.

Crap.

Las Vegas!

I'm not sure we'll get a chance to check out Las Vegas again but I was quite impressed at all of the hotels in Las Vegas when we visited a few summers ago!

Some of them had so much decor it was a little overwhelming! Of course, I wish we were able to enjoy the fine dining a little bit more.

Next time, we're going to have to check it out without kids in tow!

Watch me!

I've never been one to wear watches. I had one that my father bought me while we were vacationing in the Carribbean, but I have no idea where it is or if it still works.

I am starting to realize that I need to increase my look a little bit and look a little bit more professional. With that I'm thinking about dressing nicer and maybe adding a little jewelry to my wardrobe!

I especially like Franck Muller watches. They are sophisticated and might be the style that completes my look.

A day of rest...

Well, today has been a funfilled day! We went first to the mall to finish up all of the Christmas shopping we had to do.

Then we went to the commons to check out the ice sculptures and some good food!

Graem woke up way too early this morning and she's been a major crab this whole afternoon.

Of course, it's 4:00pm now and instead of giving her a nap we're all just hanging out in front of the television playing Mario.

I love a good auction!

A few years ago when we were looking for a mortgage for our house we did tons of legwork and spent so much time trying to get the best deal.

I wish we would have known about NameYourLoan.com, America's 1st Online Mortgage Auction!

I love a good auction and it seems like it would cut to the chase and allow all of the companies to come together and work for your business. Not only would this have saved us a lot of time - it could have saved us a lot of money too!


Check out this press release for more information:

NameYourLoan.com Diversifies Current Lending Environment for Borrowers with New Approach to Online Mortgage Loans.

New online mortgage auction site, NameYourLoan.com, has revolutionized the way borrowers obtain mortgage loans online. As a unique and creative online community, borrowers can easily connect with the best mortgage lenders while lenders benefit from a wealth of real time mortgage leads and opportunities for business growth.

(PRWEB) – In today’s tough lending environment, littered with deceitful lenders and cunning tactics, it’s high time for a revolutionary tool that can empower borrowers yet still benefit lenders. NameYourLoan.com has answered the need with the launch of a new online mortgage auction site designed to give consumers access to an increasing mortgage lenders network to ultimately obtain great online mortgage loans.
“For centuries, auctions have been the most efficient and effective way to get the best deals in everything,” says Al Salahi, President and CEO of NameYourLoan.com. “Why not have auctions for all mortgage loan types?”
NameYourLoan.com is an online community where borrowers can easily connect with the best mortgage lenders. Lenders compete with one another in an online auction to win the borrower’s business. As numerous lenders submit loan offers, the site enables consumers to see “apples to apples”, compare mortgage interest rates and achieve the lowest rate mortgage online such as the best home equity loan rate or home refinance loan.
The site’s sophisticated computer system compiles and calculates all the information submitted by lenders (interest rates, points, fees, terms, etc.) and then ranks loan offers, based on their true worth relative to the borrower’s stated preferences (lowest rate, lowest fees or best combination of rates and fees). This simplified process gives borrowers a coherent presentation of information without having to do the math themselves.
Unlike other online mortgage comparison shopping services, only those lenders who come out at the top of the auction with the lowest interest rates and fees get a chance at the borrower’s business. Moreover, borrowers can invite their friend or relative lender to participate in the borrower’s auction quickly and without cost. Lenders who refuse to participate are most likely high priced and not the best mortgage lenders.
“Through advanced technology, we are starting to make haggling and deceptive lending tactics a thing of the past,” explains Salahi. “At the same time, we are transforming a generally stressful and complicated process into a very pleasant and easy experience for borrowers. Our multiple bid auction format, coupled with constant consumer feedback, will make it easy for us to weed out dishonest lenders—and hopefully put them out of business!”
Use of NameYourLoan.com is completely free for borrowers. Borrowers are under no obligation to accept any of the online mortgage loans offered in the auction. To protect against identity theft and fraud, site users are never asked for sensitive information, and lenders that receive multiple consumer complaints will be barred from future auctions.
For more information, visit NameYourLoan.com.
About NameYourLoan.com:
NameYourLoan.com is the world’s first online mortgage auction, designed to advance the lending process by helping honest and competitive lenders grow their business, and at the same time, make it possible for borrowers to instantaneously reach multiple lenders and receive competitive loan offers online, in an auction format. NameYourLoan.com uses a patent-pending concept powered by sophisticated proprietary software that has been developed by a number of technology heavyweights from the Fortune 500 arena.

This post sponsored by: NameYourLoan.com

A little bit here...little bit there.

So I'm looking out of my window and I'm really trying to work. However, I just want to be in my warm house, in my pajamas watching television and hanging out with the girls!

I keep hoping that the snow picks up a bit so that I can head home!

Of course, I would have to shovel the driveway and do laundry.

Maybe work isn't too bad afterall!

Show me the silver!

One thing that never loses it’s value is us silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to silver, gold, and precious metals to maintain their value.

Monex Deposit Company offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but Monex Deposit Company (MDC) is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

Especially with the economy doing so poorly and people losing all of their investments with the stock market!

Brrr.

Well, winter has hit full force. I can't believe the past few days have brought on so much snow! In fact, just a day ago I was raking up leaves and now we have close to a foot of snow on the ground and due to get another 6 inches or so this evening.

I was able to get into work pretty easily and there wasn't too much ice on the ground.

I don't think Shawna realized how snowy it was until she got the call this morning that her doctor's appointment at 1:00pm had been cancelled!

This might be perfect for me!

I must admit that I haven't been up for scary movies in the past. In part because I don't want Graem to get the same scared reaction as myself and I really don't want her to watch them.

However, I just looked at the Sweeney Tood movie site and I can say that it looks like a thriller that I can actually tolerate and probably enjoy!

I'm happy to see that Johnny Depp is at it again. He's a great actor and always pulls off any role that he is in. Most recently I enjoyed him in Willy Wonka and he was just as scary as Gene Wilder in the original movie!

He also did a good job in Pirates of the Carribean. His acting made the movie what it is today! In fact, it's lead to the huge success and many sequels too!

I'm sure he'll do a perfect job in the Sweeney Todd Movie and make it a chartbuster you just can't miss!

If interested... visit the official Sweeney Todd movie site


I've never been much of a myspacer myself (I'm addicted to Facebook) but you can now visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace!

I'm all about making friends on Facebook and I'm guessing it's equally intoxicating to find friends on MySpace!

We have heat!

So I know last week I was bitching about us having heat. Last night Shawna's parents called cause they were under the assumption that since we hadn't posted about our heating situation --- we still weren't heated!

Well, I'm happy to let you know that we are fully heated. Of course, the installers are total dumbasses and haven't quite finished the job.

They've come out 4 times now and still not been able to finish a job that should have taken two days. However, they have promised that they will have it totally finished and up and running by FRIDAY!

Help!

We all need a little help sometimes.

I remember when Shawna and I first started living together and I was in school. To say the least...we were poor!

At one point we were even going around and collecting cans to pay for our next meal!

I don't remember seeing much about payday loans but now it seems like they are the "in" thing that people are doing to get by.

There's now a place that offers Faxless Payday Loans!

PayDayLoanQuotes.com offers an easy to use website that specializes in making payday loans easy and convienant.

This post sponsored by: PayDayLoanQuotes.com

1/2 way through...

I don't know how I'm going to be able to get through the next 7 months!

Things at work have been pretty hectic and the deadlines are never ending. When I told my boss about Shawna being pregnant and told her I wanted to take 8 weeks maternity leave - she mentioned that I'd have to save my vacation and not take time leading up to the baby's arrival!

So, it looks like I'll just have to endure and pray to god that I don't burn out before then.

I think it's all about pacing myself and just not overdoing it on any one project. Of course, with that said...I'll still make sure that things are done good and the job gets finished on time!

Traveling?

I can honestly say that we're probably not going to travel for a while! We might go to New York for Christmas but that's only if we can find a place for the dog to stay.

We've thought about breaking the trip up and actually finding Hotel Reservations half way - maybe in Scranton.

We've checked out HotelReservations.com before and the website was easy to use and they really did have some great prices and good specials.

This post sponsored by:

MOES.

Today I noticed that my boss had put out a card for a free lunch at the new restaurant Moes. So since I'm all about free lunch I called Shawna and asked if she wanted to come down and go for lunch, my treat.

We actually ended up going with some work friends too who wanted to hook up with a free meal!

I got the nachos and although the queso was good there was hardly any meat on the nachos and the bottom nachos were just chips because they didn't put enough toppings.

Shawna got the burrito and it was pretty good.

But how can you screw up a burrito?

All in all...I'm glad it was a free meal. However, I don't think we'll be going back. How in the hell can they charge $6 for a burrito or nachos?? We all know that it takes just pennies to make these crappy foods!

Our almost three year old!

I can't believe I wrote that. Graem's birthday is in almost a month and we haven't even started to think about what we're going to do to celebrate.

More than likely we'll do cupcakes at school and also have a small party for her. I should probably get some kids party invitations and get them out since her birthday is around the holidays and I want to make sure that people mark their calendars.

I'm guessing that Graem is going to want to go with a Backyardigans theme this year!

This little light of mine...

At some point we're going to have to get a few more lights for our house. We've had a few table lamps break on us and I'm tired of getting cheap lighting that breaks! So I think we might check out the lighting stores available both online and locally.

I'm guessing that the quality of their lamps are top notch and they'll probably last longer than our cheapie target ones!

I've never been one to...

use tons of products. However, I'm starting to realize that my skin is having a hard time battling the brutal upstate New York winters. One solution that I've looked into is Jane Iredale cosmetics and products.

Lately, my eczema has been making my face rash out including my nostrils and around my lips. Maybe I can find something that will help make it less noticeable.

The time has come...

for us to look into getting some new luggage! A few months ago I saw a great piece of Samsonite that was pretty reasonably priced. However, I've heard that travelpro is also a good brand too.

We just want something that's easy to use, lasts through tons of traveling, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

You got to keep in mind...the less we spend on luggage...the more we can spend on traveling!

We need more dinero.

So, I'm looked at our checking account this morning and realized we are broke! Merry Christmas, right??

I think we're going to have to figure out how to get more money! Shawna's been subbing and we have some money coming in from that and doing some computer work. However, with us now having to pay for a new heater and then some Christmas gifts.

Eek!

Can I be excited...

about our new furnace? I mean, there are many other things that I'd rather spend $5,000 on - including saving it for maternity leave. However, I'm excited that we might actually be warm in our bedroom and I'm also excited about the humidifier option and the possibility of having some decent gas bills this winter.

Oh, the joys of being a homeowner.

I'm so ready to go back to renting. That way when something breaks or craps out we can just make one call to the landlord!

MONDAY.

I hate you, Monday. It seems like after every weekend I have the hardest time getting to bed Sunday. Perhaps it's that I just don't want Monday to come. Or maybe it's because my mind is racing through all of the things I'm going to have to get done Monday.

This weekend was pretty productive. We ended up cleaning the house Sunday and Saturday we went out ran errands, and had a good time at the Farmer's Market.

It seems like the days are going so fast. I don't want to be at work and by the time I get home at 5:30pm it's pitch black and I can't even take Graem outside.

I guess I shouldn't complain because in a few more days it's going to be snowing outside!

We *heart* New York!

Of course, since I was born and raised there I have a passion for New York and the great things it has to offer. Sometimes it makes me sad that Graem will never get to experience the many things that I took for granted when I was a kid.

That's why we feel like when we go to the city to visit my dad or brother that we have to make the most of it and go to all of the museums, plays, and shopping that we can fit in during our visit.

During the holidays they are now offering a New York CityPass. The CityPass is offered at a price of $65 for adults and $49 for youth. The pass allows you to go to all of the great museums and includes a pass to the top of the Empire State Building! Plus, MOMA, Museum of Natural History (we went to that a few months ago), and the Guggenheim.

All together the price for these tickets would be around $130 - so you can see the great savings.

This is a great gift for anyone that you might know that is visiting the city or even someone that lives in the city but might not take advantage of all of the great arts and entertainment.

The great thing about these museums is that they are HUGE and there's no way that you can full see one of them in less than a day! Plus, they constantly have new shows and are always changing. So even though you might have visited the museum a year ago --- I'm sure it has a new exhibit or has added new features.

This evening's plans.

Well, it looks like Shawna might pick me up after work then we're going to go pick Grammy up at school. I love picking up that kid because she get so excited. She loves seeing both of us too!

I think we might go for Vietnamese tonight. WE weren't planning on eating out. However, Shawna had a harsh day subbing, I had a rough day at work, and we didn't thaw anything out.

Plus, it's Thursday and we're all friggin' exhausted!

I know...

I'm totally a spoiled brat when it comes to appliances. At least I admit it, right?

Just a few years ago we looked at Maytag Dryers. Our old dryer worked fine but it was making our clothes smell like mold and baby barf.

We looked online for reviews of Whirlpool and Maytag washing machines. We really couldn't find a great website with opinions or customer reviews. We even went to consumer reports website and we've trusted their opinions for years. Who would have thought that a website would be able to charge you to see a review?

Now, I wish we would have known about krillion.com. They offer reviews of thousands of different appliances and it's easy to use and search. They also have information on how to order the specific machine if you are interested!

I love a place that offers one-stop-shop.

I guess that goes back to me being a spoiled brat!

Is Friday here???

God I can't believe it's almost a weekend. I think I'm going to try to get some geocaching in this weekend. I know a time will come (maybe next weekend!) when it's going to be snowy out and I won't be able to get outside.

Plus, I need to do some yard work. We have about 20 million leaves outside that need to be raked up and I need to prune some of the peonies.

Tomorrow should go by fast since we have our midwife appointment at 2:00 and that will probably take an hour or so.

YAH FOR A WEEKEND!

Everynight...

I make sure to spend time with Graem teaching her letters and sounds. We try to do it in a fun way and typically that involves spongy letters and the bathtub. She's doing a great job and just the other night was able to read "hot dog".

At some point we might be interested in hiring Reading Tutors to help her out.

Score Learning Centers offer trained tutors to help your kids.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

2 more weeks and over the hump.

I'm talking about the pregnancy hump! I can't believe that we'll be out of the first trimestr and into the second.

WOW.

Despite all of the early complications things have actually gone pretty fast. We were lying in bed last night and Shawna mentioned that Thanksgiving was in two weeks.

I really can't believe it.

So far we've made plans to leave Wednesday afternoon and go to New York City and spend Thanksgiving with my family. Of course, I'm leaving my brother and his girlfriend in charge of getting everything together.

That could be dangerous.

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Check it out!

This stuff rocks!

At some point...

Graem's not going to want me to teach her.

Every night we've been doing letters in the bathtub and she loves it. She looks forward to bathtime and I think she really appreciates learning.

When she gets older we might look into getting her an Innovative Tutor from Score Learning Centers.

They offer tutoring services for kids 4-14 and are the professionals in the area of learning.

Now we just have to look online to see if they have a Score Learning Center in our area.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Center

Great weather...

I don't want to jinx things...but I really can't believe what great weather we've had. Sure, it's cold but that's nothing and I can always wear a jacket for that.

It's been sunny and beautiful! Of course, I know that anyday can bring a blizzard and we can end up with 8 feet of snow outside of our door.

But for now, I'm just going to take advantage of it and enjoy the time I have with my sun!

We need a garage first...

My dad has a garage that he spends tons of time in. Of course, I think he loves to tinker and I'd probably do the same thing if I had a garage!

However, I'd want to organize my tools and make it my little "haven". I'd want to install garage cabinets so that everything can have a place and I can find everything easily.

CarGuyGarage.com offers just about everything to organize and have a sweet garage. In fact, I'm pretty sure I can find something for my dad for Christmas! That's been nearly impossible each year.

This post sponsored by: CarGuyGarage.com

Sick kid...again.

Well, it looks like G's cold has gotten worse over the weekend. I swear this poor kid always has something going on. Of course, when she gets sick the asthma kicks in full gear and she sounds horrible.

She was going to go to school this morning, but instead, Shawna's going to keep her at home and take her to the doctor.

I think at this point we're going to push for her to get on some antibiotics.

Poor kid.

Maybe I should...

go back to school. In my profession they offer a Masters program in Landscape Architecture but I'm not sure I'd benefit from it unless I wanted to teach college or university.

In most cases getting a higher education means going to classes during the day, staying up late at night working on assignments, and no income while attending school.

That's not the case any longer! capella university makes it easy to get your online phd while working full time. You can attend their online university and they have many different degree programs that you can enroll in.

They have a great blog where you can see the ongoings and get a feel for what college life would be like for you.

In fact, I have a few friends that are attending online schools and it's fitting in perfectly with their day to day routines - including a full time job!

I can't believe...

we're already at 10 weeks! This weekend we had a bit of a scare. All of a sudden Saturday morning Shawna woke up and had bright red blood. We both freaked out a little...but it wasn't tons and we figured it could have just been from her cervix.

Sure enough, she went to the Re's office and they did a check up. Things look good and the baby was doing well. Shawna's cervix was nice and long and everything looked pretty good!

So, I guess it's just one of those flukey things that we'll have to get used to.

Our smart girl.

Every night I play with Graem in the bathtub and we go over letters. She's really doing good and she gets excited when it comes to learning.

I'm sure she'd love Math Tutors that specialize in teaching.

Score Learning Centers are designed to tutor kids 4-14 and located in many big cities. I'm sure she'd love to learn about math and it'd be good for her to learn from someone besides me!

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

Oh Monday.

Well, we had a fun filled weekend. Saturday Graem and me met up with Dobbs and his moms and we went geocaching at the Cayuga Nature Center. We were able to find two good caches.

Then we went to The Pines and got burgers. Shawna wasn't feeling very good so she stayed home and rested.

Yesterday we went to "The Bee Movie" and then over to Jen and Terry's for delicious chili. I was also able to get out and mow the yard.

Boy, it's a bum deal that when I come home now that it will be dark outside.

Need a good dealer?

I'm talking about a coin dealer of course!

One thing that never loses it’s value is gold coins and other precious metals! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to silver, gold, and precious metals to maintain their value.

Monex Deposit Company offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but Monex Deposit Company (MDC) is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

Especially with the economy doing so poorly and people losing all of their investments with the stock market!

When it rains...

aside from the damn bathroom that is falling apart I get a call from Shawna that our furnace needs to be replaced. Supposedly, we have two cracks in the exchanger. Of course, that means that if we turn on the furnace it will release horrible gasses into our house that could cause us to go dumb.

Or something like that.

Now, it looks like we're going to have to pull $4,000 out of our asses to pay for this damn furnace.

I'm ready to move.