Breakfast with the Firefighters

Saturday morning, I awoke to an email from Jeremy's boss:

"Just wanted to let you know there is a fire truck and Sparky the fire dog for the pancake breakfast if you wanted to bring Jacob."

This is what we saw in the parking lot when we arrived:

Jacob and the firefighters.

(The guy to your left of the guy in the white is a probie. He has to do what ALL the other firefighters tell him to do. He was helping to clear tables, set tables, and greet people. He also took Jacob to see the inside of the fire engine. Jacob wouldn't get in - shocker!)

Wearing the Captain's helmet. The captain is the fellow with the moustache withOUT glasses and blue shirt. I don't know the difference between blue shirts and white shirts. Sorry.

"This hat is heavy!"

This breakfast was in support of the Great Lakes Burn Camp. Thank you to the Otsego Twp. Fire Department for your service.

I love a deal!

This week, Thursday and Friday, I took half a day off each day. Jeremy had both days off and my intent was to spend some extra time with him and Jacob both days, rather than just one and I did but, I also did a few little fun things on my own.

Thursday, after I ran a few other errands, I went and checked out the local Aldi. I hadn't been there in years. Once I figured out the cart rental system, I was on my way (enter quarter in the slot and undo the chain). After talking with a guy from work who does their family grocery shopping at Aldi, I had decided to try and save a little money on my grocery bill and start buying my staples at Aldi. I did find some really great bargains on a lot of things I use often. For instance, cereal ($1.79/box), egg noodles (99 cents/bag), soup (49 cents/can), canned goods (49 cents/can), a gallon of milk for $1! Now - there are things I won't skimp on: Heinz ketchup, Dawn dish soap, and Comet Cleanser, just to name a few. I have learned that canned goods - most of them, the same company cans the name brands, the store brands and the Aldi brands. The just run different labels every few hours. A penny saved is a penny saved. I haven't figured out my savings but I can tell you this - I saved over $1 on frozen french toast sticks and the $1 gallon of milk?? Worth the trip!

I've also changed my thinking on laundry detergent. I always bought Tide with Bleach for my whites - which I will continue to do but, on my other stuff - does it really matter? I mean, isn't it true that the stronger the soap, the more it will fade my clothes? And do my clothes really get that dirty. Um, no. I sit at a desk! Jacob is pretty good at hitting his mouth now, and Jeremy's stuff - I add a little Dawn to those loads anyway to cut the grease. So, my local grocery last time had detergent on sale - buy one, get TWO free! Count me in!

Back to my half days off...Anyway, on Thursday, I also took the time to peruse the local Goodwill as I do once in a while and I so scored! Not at one store but, at 2 stores!! In Holland, I got a pr. of jammies for me $4, a like new sweater for $2.99 and an inflatable bed for Jacob (I was looking for this last year - it was $30!) for $13.55 - BRAND NEW and in THE BOX! This is the exact one!

And then I toured the Goodwill in Allegan. I found a pair of work pants for Jeremy ($3.99 and like new). I don't like to buy new for him for work as he ruins them in the restaurant. A Red (from the movie Cars) but, this one is missing part of the ladder and the hoses ($2.99) and Jacob can play outside with it so he's happy (HA! While looking for that link, I just found one for $20 including shipping - I'm so ordering that for Christmas!). A dollhouse furniture set in a HUGE bag. It's the Little Tikes brand that I can sell on an online auction site for TRIPLE the $4.99 I paid. I found the Perfection Game, with ALL of the pieces for $1.99. I also got Jacob a pair of Levi's Signature jeans for $2.99 - again, like new. But the best of the best - I had a 20% off coupon!! I saved like another $4 off my total!

I like when that happens!

What a weekend!

Whew! Why is it that the weekends when you do nothing seem like you did everything?

Saturday, Daddy went to work and Jacob and I went to see G&G S for the evening. They had Nick and Nevaeh, Jacob's full biological brother and sister. We had a really good time until Nick locked Jacob and Nevaeh in the bathroom. ON PURPOSE! He locked one door, ran around, shut and locked the other door. Jacob and Nevaeh were fine, they were playing with a bottle of baby powder (the good kind, not TALC). Grandpa got a coat hanger and sprung the lock. I wasn't very happy with that Nick. The rest of the visit was pretty good.

Sunday = ugh! Sunday started off fighting with Jacob about going #2 in the potty. I have read about sooo many people having this trouble but I don't remember how they resolved it. If you have a success story, please, please, share? Daddy told Jacob that he couldn't go outside until he pooped in the potty. Yeah, didn't work. He waited for this morning when he could poo in last night's pull-up. Jacob hung out in the recliner most of the day watching his programs arguing with me about pooping on the potty and going outside.

I managed to complete 3. Yes, 3 books over the weekend. I'm sick. I need help. No one should be able to read like that! 2 of them, I read, in entirety, on Sunday. I have so many things to do. I have my Christmas shopping done, like I said but, I neglected to tell you that I have to MAKE all the stuff before they're really gifts. I'm also working on a quilt - I'm doing the top and the Amish by my sister Cindy, are going to finish it off for me. I should be making that stuff instead of having my nose STUCK in a bunch of books! :)

Jacob and I had some good quality time together in the evening though while Daddy was at work. We ordered out for dinner, we watched a movie, we took a bath (ha! my fat butt in the tub didn't last long but, Jacob was amazed at the change in the water level every time I moved), we watched his programs together and 'fnuggled' on the floor with our 'bwankies'. This morning, he was in our bed again and caught me picking my nose (sometimes, you just have to pick - and it was only a pick!) and said "Mommy, you eating birdseed?"

IYCSAN

I like roadside veggie stands too!

I pass by 8, count them, 8 little roadside stands on my way home from work. There's the big market that sells everything that can be grown in dirt, to the gal with a fridge in a shed with eggs, to the table with a cooler of beans, zucchini and pickles, right down to little old man who just sells pickles. I have no time to grow my own - I've tried. I always forget the water. I don't have a good yard for a garden either. It's too shady. I'm happy to help out the little man and his roadside stand. It costs much less than the grocery store and tastes better too!

There's also a gal who sells flowers. $2.50 a bunch. My dad liked to grow glads. They remind me of him.

Grandma and Grandpa H also came by for a visit last night. They took Jay for a walk, played some ball outside, and of course they read books. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner (one of my summer faves) of pork ribs on the grill, fresh picked corn on the cob (the farm lady said it was picked that afternoon), farm fresh pickles in rice vinegar, with baby redskin potatoes (from a stand too) shook in a bag with olive oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning then baked in the oven. YUM! Yes, they're reading a fire truck book - from the library.

And I had to throw this one in - cuz he's so dang cute!

And this one too. With his "Relbo" - umbrella. Yes, that is Lightning McQueen on the handle. Did you think my kid would have a plain, old, boring, "relbo"? (In case you're wondering, the u-wear are Thomas the train - actually they're Percy, Thomas' friend.)

Have a great weekend!

IYCSAN

I like...beets.

Jacob and I visited my sister Cindy (1), again over the weekend. Edna's sister, Darlene (2nd to the youngest) was there with her 2 granddaughters. We drove down and back on Sunday, and were home in time to meet my sister, Gloria (3) and her son Jaz on their way through.

To my point.

Cindy and her husband always plant a good sized garden. Beans, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, corn, cukes, beets, horseradish, zuccinni, onions, and more than that, I'm sure. When you visit Cindy in the summer, you take home just picked, garden veggies. That's just the way it is. Jacob helped pick some beans and my brother-in-law, Ron, cut me a cabbage, plucked me some beets and onions, and sent me on my way.

Monday night, I cooked up those garden fresh beets. I love beets, by the way. But they're best when garden fresh. I had beets for dinner on Monday. Though I forgot what beets fresh from the garden do to your poo. I thought I was dying on the pot! I was preparing to bleed to death when my husband walks in and says, "You ate beets." with the 'you're the dumbest dummy on earth' tone. Oh, yeah! The beets!

I do have to tell you - beets from the can do not do this. Pickled beets do not do this (at least not as severe). Only beets from the garden have this ability.

I had beets again for dinner last night (they're all gone now). Those beets must have some fiber to 'em. Anyway, this morning Jacob comes into the bathroom wanting to flush. He looks in the pot, puzzled, leans in, and stares as it goes down. He looks strangely at me. I said, "Jacob? What's wrong?"

"It's purple."

Christmas in July

I'm one of those freaky planning kind of people - if you didn't already know this about me, you know now. I mean, measuring the 1/2 inch interval on a poke cake, c'mon!

I'm working on Christmas and it's July. I have decided on my little theme for Jacob's Christmas. Yes, I have a little theme every Christmas. Last year was construction. Dump truck, digger, and a bulldozer. This year...FIRE ENGINES! We did fire engines for his birthday last year, yes but, oddly, we didn't give him any fire engines. (I haven't themed his birthday yet, but, I'm thinking police cars if I can).

By the way - I am done with my Christmas shopping for everyone else. I finished in February. :)

I have been scouring the Internet for Fire Department shirts (that's all Jacob wants to wear). I have the basics, FDNY and Chicago covered. I posted on my local Freecycle site hoping to draw out a few things from the local firefighters (actually - I know there is a wife of one of them that posts there and I'm hoping she'll help me to order one for Jacob). If nothing comes of it, I'll call the chief and see if we can get on the list when they order. I think I'm also going to try Manistee and hopefully, our beloved St. Louis. I roped G'ma S into my plans and she's going to work on her connections (she has a friend in a department up north). Aunt Cindy started this - she contacted Quincy and another department by her. Of course, I've scoured eBay. Anyway - our plan is to at least order a shirt for Jacob from these departments when they order shirts for the year. Wish me luck!

It seems I'm always off on some goofy project, doesn't it? This morning I wanted to see if I could find fire truck material and sew Jacob some sheets for his bed, then I remembered that he's almost outgrown this toddler bed so why bother? I mean really? How many sets of toddler bed sheets does one kid need?

I had another realization today. Grandma and Grandpa S. get to share Christmas and Jacob's birthday with us this year. She called us initially the day after Jacob's birthday last year and we didn't meet them until after Christmas. I'm looking forward to those memories for Jacob. I also told Grandma S. this morning, "I'm so excited! Now I have someplace to hide Christmas presents!" Goofy thing about these old houses, they're huge but, there isn't any storage space!

P.S. I even found a little gift for Jeremy today. Even though we aren't exchanging gifts this year due to my camera - I just can't help it! Sorry honey. :(

Horn tooters

I bought something for work from an on-line auction service and it arrived today with an evelope of cash in it (refund of shipping charges). There is no way to put this actual cash money back into our accounts. Now, yes, technically speaking I could have pocketed the $12 and no one would have known a thing about it but, I can't do that. I talked to the gal who requested this item and we decided to donate the money to an internal company matched charity. Then I found out that our coffee shop was sponsoring a fundraiser (win a 32" flatscreen) for a teammate who recently adopted 2 children (shoot - can't remember where from) and the daughter has some health issues. I simply handed them the money and said - I don't want tickets for the TV. I just want to donate. I gave all $12 and I walked away. I didn't tell you this to make you think I'm some sort of saint - it's simply the story.

I'm not one to toot my own horn, as they say. I don't think I do anyway. I do things for people and I don't expect to be rewarded (well, most of the time). I'm not always looking for reciprocation. In fact, most of the time, I rarely even peek. I'm generally satisfied with the feeling that I did the right thing, that I made someone feel special, or knowing I helped them.

I know I have spoken about reciprocation in the past. Sometimes, I do expect a little something in return though, I know I shouldn't but, when you help the same person over and over - with no reciprocation, I don't know anyone who can't help but feel taken advantage of or maybe due something in return for their efforts.

As a daughter, and part of the reason I've backed away from Edna, I'm burned out. I'm thankful to my parents for the sacrifices they (she) made for me. I'm not saying my dad didn't - I'm saying I don't know enough to say anything. I appreciate the things Edna says she did or gave up. All of them. I'm thankful that she flung "80lb. bags" of salt for 10 years. I'm thankful that she "let her teeth go" to pay for us kids, and whatever else she always goes on about. I have thanked her many times but - it's never, never, never enough for her. Any gift to her is never enough, never good enough as Edna is the BIGGEST horn tooter, I have ever met! She's always more than willing to share all of the simply nice things that she's done for people (especially her children or my dad) and how terribly we all treat her in return. I'm sorry, lady. Isn't that your job? As a wife and mother? Isn't that what you're supposed to do?

As a mother, I don't believe in tooting my own horn for what I do for Jacob. He's my son, I'm his mom, it's my job to do these things, it's my job to take care of him, to make his life fun. One day, he'll grow up and hopefully he realizes what we gave him. I hope he's thankful - but I don't expect him to be.

I don't understand this though - how is it that I can do for some people here and there and it's fine, I enjoy it, I'm happy with myself and I'm not looking for anything; in fact, most of these times - I don't toot my horn, I just do it, nod and walk away BUT, sometimes, with some people, maybe it's the doing more than once, it seems that the more you help, the more they expect? Then it becomes the more you do the less you feel good about it and then you start feeling owed.

I wanted to help, I didn't want to keep score.