Recent new things

Projects

I finally tackled my pile of bills and documents!

Along the way, I fixed my Verizon bill, adjudicated my parking tickets, registered the car, and got started on my next project:  budgeting for the next few months and into the rest of the year.  My other project that I’m working on finishing tomorrow is fixing my printer.  The print nozzle isn’t working, so I called up Kodak, and they sent me a new nozzle yesterday.  Wish me luck, I hope this works so that I can use my printer again!

Another project I have been working on, well it’s not really a project, but rather a reason to not do laundry:  I want Ellie to every single 18 month outfit at least once.  When was the last time I washed her clothes?  Almost a month ago!  Ridiculous, yes.  How many of those outfits did Trav and I buy?  One, MAYBE two.  Yes, Ellie has over-excited family members who have filled her closet to the hilt.  I have 4 more outfits, so alas I shall be doing a ton of laundry this week.  It’s not to say Trav and I don’t create a lot of laundry…heck, Ellie has created plenty of laundry herself.  Just this last week we had to wash the high chair cover, AND the stroller fabric (that was interesting to figure out how to take apart the stroller). 

Ellie News

What are these pictures, you say?  Why, Ellie got her first haircut this weekend!  Trav found an old-school barbershop that specialized in kid haircuts.  Ellie was enjoying the place until the hairdresser put the white cape on, and oh boy, did the frown come on!  OMG, Ellie was not about this experience at all.  In the end, we said good riddance to her mullet look, and we got her some bangs.  It really makes her look like a little girl, and not a baby.  In other Ellie news, Trav noticed today that two bottom molars came through, and so now we’re up to 12 teeth. 

 

 

New things

New things ellie says: 

• oh, boy!
• anna (babysitter), nini (aunt nicole)
• amen
• mine
• oh, wow!
• yummy, mmmm
• cookie
• puppy, woof woof
• mama, dada
• please
• up
• thank you
• hi
• hey
• bye
• bubbles
• no
• pee pee
• shoe

I have to say, a verbal baby is a nice thing to have.  I now don’t have to go through the rounds to guess E’s needs (diaper, food, drink, cuddle, entertainment, repeat)

Well, things have changed…

I am officially quitting my job tomorrow.  Am I going to be a stay-at-home mom, you ask?  No.  I am the modern woman and I am the clear breadwinner in my family.  I like owning my home, so that means I will be going back to work in August.  So, why am I quitting my job?  Because I got an offer I can’t refuse.  I, for the last five years, have been teaching social studies in schools that specialize in emotional disturbance and multiple disabilities.  This means that for the last four years, I have been teaching public school students in a private school setting because the public school setting couldn’t meet the needs defined by the students’ IEPs.  Yes, this is a really hard job.  Yes, a lot of my current/former students are in jail or mental facilities.  Yes, I know that I’ve lost one former student to violence, and I know that I have developed a bit of an obsession with the news to fulfill a need to know that none of my students are involved in violence.

I’m sure that you’re saying, “Jenn, you are crazy for staying five years!”  Maybe, but then, I found my job to be fulfilling.  I have also come to the realization that my job was negatively affecting my mental health, my relationship with my husband, and my overall quality of life.  Since having E, I have found myself to be more unwittingly open to emotion and more compassionate.  This isn’t a bad thing, but when I was having signs of depression this last winter and spring (I know the signs—it is a part of my job, you know!), I knew I was in need of a re-evaluation of my life choices. 

As some may know, I don’t apply to jobs willy-nilly.  Since being at High Road, I have applied for 3 jobs; I could afford to be picky because I liked the school I was at, and they liked me.  This summer, a job posting came across that caught my intrigue.  This school was also a school for special education students, but for students that had learning disabilities AND who were talented and gifted.  I had read good things about this program in the newspaper.  I applied.  I went through an interview, model teaching, and meeting with the executive director of the entire school.  They offered me the job, and today I called my (former) boss.

My favorite cleaning items

	Baking soda!  This stuff is awesome.  I recommend buying this stuff in bulk or at least in the big 4 pound boxes.  I use this stuff for: the diaper pail cleaning surfaces with grime cleaning stains cleaning the drains This stuff works great with . . .
	Vinegar!!!!! This stuff is even better.  Vinegar is stinky, I know.  It is awesome though.  I use this stuff for shining windows and mirrors cleaning surfaces with grime combine with dawn soap to make a concoction to spray on soap scum (and not dry out) for easy bathroom cleaning dissolving baking soda residue cooking (my hubby is making fresh pickles as we speak) cleaning sinks with baking soda
	Yes, this is my stick vac. Cordless-CHECK Lithium Battery to run well until BAM it’s dead-CHECK Carpet cleaning function-CHECK Easy to use-CHECK Bagless-CHECK Here is the link to find one: Click! Is it pricy?  Yes.  Did I pay that much?  HELL NO.  I managed to snag one 1/2 off at target because they were on clearance…why?  Because they changed the packaging.  KACHING!  It’s so nice, my in-laws bought one, too.
	Dr. Bronner’s Magic SoapWe have two types—the citrus one pictured and peppermint.  We use this for: Bathing ourselves (peppermint soap in the summer is great) Mopping.  I recently mopped my house with about two tablespoons of this stuff and 2-3 gallons of water, and it made everything look wonderful.  I also didn’t worry so much about my wandering daughter managing to play in the water and exposing herself to chemicals.  Nice.
	Magic EraserI buy the off brand, but this stuff is great.  I use this for: removing paint off tiles cleaning marks off walls removing soap scum off the glass shower door cleaning surfaces at work (teenagers are FILTHY)

There you go!  These items are baby/toddler safe, and not only will save you money in cleaning products, some are cheaper to begin with!

Jenn’s Fresh Salsa Verde

Hey all!  So, the other day, I decided to walk down to the neighborhood bodega and get the ingredients to make steak fajitas.  I don’t frequently make fajitas because when I do, I make homemade salsa verde. 
What is salsa verde?  Well, it’s green salsa.  It’s also fresh, so there is very little salt, and it tastes better in my opinion.  Here are the things you can do with salsa verde:

• Condiment for chips, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas
• Marinade for meat (the acid will make meat tender and will help infuse the meat with flavor)

Here are the ingredients: (for a large batch—you can easily cut this in half and have plenty for one meal)

4-5 Tomatillos                   What are tomatillos?                        They look like green tomatoes wrapped in a  husk                        Peel the husk off and you get this: 3 jalapeños 1 bunch of cilantro 2 tomatoes 5-6 nice sized garlic cloves (If you like garlic, I recommend buying the fresh peeled whole cloves) 1.5 red onions 1 tbsp of kosher salt (or 1/2 tbsp table salt) 1/2 lime-juice squeezed out                                             PREP Wash your veggies!  The tomatillos will be sticky under the husk, and always wash your leafy items, such as cilantro. Prep the following:  Cut the tomatillos into 8 chunks De-rib/seed the jalapenos and cut into chunks—leave the seeds and ribs in if you want heat—I took them out for family members Cut each garlic clove in half Cut your onions into 1” chunks De-seed your tomatoes—You want to do this to reduce the amount of water you’re going to have to strain out later! Put it all in your blender Squeeze 1/2 a lime over the veggies Using the pulse button, blend your veggies.  I know, I know, it doesn’t look green, and it doesn’t look pretty!  It will though! Cut your bunch of cilantro into eigths—discard below the tie.  Do this to prevent “strings” of cilantro stems Add to your blender with the salt and blend it together. Much better! Now is time for the blah part of the recipe—straining out the excess liquid.  I used a small cup, but you could probably use a fine mesh strainer.  As you can see from the picture to the right, I was able to pull a full cup of liquid, easily! Last thing before eating (unless you’re marinating):  Put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Now eat it up! (As seen on my fajita )

Cheers…

To my last day in the cast, to typing one-handed, and being unable to write for two weeks!

Some Ellie Pics

Since the previous post didn’t really show off the little one, here you go!'

Oh, to be a 16 month old . . . VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Long Weekend

Hey all!  I just wrapped up a weekend with the grandparents, and it's back to routine for us.  Yes, I'm still typing with one hand, Ellie is honing her toddler skills (new words, being demanding, climbing stuff, and practicing temper tantrums), and Trav is off to long work weeks for the next month.  That means it's just us girls for 11+ hours a day.  For instance, today Trav didn’t get home until almost 8.  Boo.
On the 5th, I started tackling the bathroom closet.  I didn't get to take pre-cleaning pics for the entire closet, but I did for some shelves, so you can get the idea.  To sum it up, it was a disaster.  And I'm not done yet!  I do have some of the worst finished up though.

Closet Project—Before VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Closet Project—After VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I also got a cleaning bug in me, and I took it to the stove-top.  Do know what works amazingly?  Baking soda.  Pour a bunch on, add a little water, spread it around, and then take a 15 minute break.  While I was doing that, I did the baking soda and vinegar trick down the kitchen sink (Pour baking soda down the drain and then add vinegar...rinse after 30 minutes).  After letting the soda work for 15 minutes, I used a sponge to rub it around the tough spots, and then I used paper towels to wipe up the soda.  Soda stuck?  A little vinegar dissolved it right up.  Speaking of vinegar, after I got the soda up, I poured on some vinegar and polished it.  My stove looked great!

Friday, Trav took the day off, so we did fun stuff all day.  Trav took Ellie to the park while I showered with the bag over the cast, and then we went out to lunch.  After a trip to Target for milk and supplies, we went to the pool for a while.  I put a bag over the cast, and we relaxed in the kiddie pool while Ellie flirted with the other babies.  It was a nice, but excruciatingly hot day.  Did I mention it's been in the 100s for the last 2 weeks?  Blah!
This weekend, we went to PA to see my grandparents.  My grandma, Ellie, and I went to a ladies' tea at the church on Saturday, where Ellie socialized her little heart out.  She had a blast.  Other than a visit from my aunt and her family, it was another low-key weekend in Chambersburg.

Look at the clutter! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Today, here were my goals:  completely unpack and declutter from the long weekend, vacuum, play with ellie, and tackle the bills pile. I also need to vacuum the furniture and I would like to work on E's room or continue working on the bathroom.

Much nicer! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Happy 4th!

Future clothes hound?

No fireworks for me this year...the baby just hit the sack.  At the park catercorner to our apartment though, there will be a better show than at the national mall.  DC residents are serious about their fireworks, and the baseball diamond will be explosive for around 3-4 hours tonight.  Travis had the day off today, so he was gracious enough to head up the laundry duties, and I did the floor boards, dusted, and watered the plants.  We then went to Virginia to do some shopping, where Ellie was the most social butterfly you ever saw.  I have a baby girly girl.  She oohed and aahed all over the clothes, flirted with everyone, and had a blast shopping.  OMG.  Nicole (my SIL) came over and spent the day with us, and for dinner, we had it all-american...apartment style.  Baked beans, pasta salad, watermelon, chips, and hot dogs broiled in the oven.  Trav and I topped it off with some giant freezees, and we all had a great day.

Oh, exciting day!

Nah.


Today, I finished organizing he buffet, vacuumed the kitchen and bath, and organized the coat area.  Everyday, I am filling a garbage bag with worn out and useless stuff--worn out grocery bags, cds from electronics we don't even have any more.  I like that.  Soon, I will be tackling the big areas: the bathroom hallway closet and the cupboards in our bedroom.

Ellie and I otherwise chilled all day, except for when she managed to pee around half a gallon during her nap and I got to do massive clean up.

this morning--pre-pee  WHOA! I'M FULL OF PEE!

   

Post-pee, reading

Now that I have time . . .

It is July 2, and I am officially a housewife right now.  Yeah, my current situation began 3 weeks ago, but I spent 2 weeks visiting family in Iowa, and then I had surprise carpal tunnel surgery last week.  Well, it wasn't surprising, but rather sudden, and yes, I am typing with one hand. :)

All cut and wrapped up for two weeks!

I have been having awful wrist problems ever since getting pregnant with Ellie.  I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel around 12 years ago, but it was always manageable.  Getting pregnant, carrying a baby all the time, and teaching made it unmanageable.  I finally decided to start taking care of myself and last Thursday I saw a specialist.  He decided to book me for surgery the next day, and at 2pm the next day, I had a carpal tunnel release!  Overall, I think I've been healing well, and I get my stitches and cast off two Thursdays from now.

My visit to Iowa went well, and Ellie got lots of family time with both sides.  She went swimming, to the childrens' museum (I wish DC had one!!), and played a lot with other children.  Some choice pics are below.

Blowing bubbles!

I'm free

Swim time!

Surprise vow renewals

Now to the purpose of this blog:  to chronicle my activities this summer, boring and interesting.  That includes daily adventures with ellie, progress in maintaining my home, and other things I deem personally noteworthy.

Today, I wasn't able to do much being gimped up and all, but I did manage to start organizing the buffet, vacuumed, and cleaned the oven.  I also managed to get $130 parking ticket.  Yeah.  I can't carry Ellie well right now, much less put her in a car seat, so I had to wait until she went down for her nap to move the car for street sweeping.  I found my car had been moved, and I even talked to the tow guy about the ticket.  He said his hands were tied and he couldn't do anything once it was in the system, and suggested appealing, which I shall.  BOO.

Tomorrow will be pretty boring as well, since I'm still gimped up.  Hopefully, it'll be cheaper.