Feelin' crafty....

I've been looking around for new Easter baskets for the kiddos because ours have seen better days. I really wanted the ones from Pottery Barn Kids, but I just can't make myself spend that much on baskets, no matter how cute they are. Besides, they were out of the one I wanted for Ethan. :)

Anyway, I found this idea for personalized canvas bags on http://asisterforthebean.blogspot.com/ . I decided to give it a try, and it was SO easy, and I absolutely love the kids' bags!

And while I'm not going to use these for Easter, I still LOVE them. I did find some baskets at Michael's and I'm thinking about making liners for them....we'll see if I get around to that.

I can't believe it's March!

We moved in December, is it really possible that it's March already? I still have boxes of stuff that need to be unpacked. I'm seriously thinking about just having a yardsale with them because I obviously don't NEED what's in them.

We're still trying to sell the house. Monday our realtor called and the same people who submitted an offer last week wanted to re-submit it this week. Last week they started at $18,500 less than the list price, and after all of the negotiating they had come up in price a whopping $5,000. After all of that they still wanted us to pay their closing, repairs, and buy them a home warranty. We came down as much as we feel is acceptable, and gave them our lowest offer again yesterday so we'll see what happens. I'm actually getting annoyed with them, but I would love to sell the house.

We found the kids a pediatrician finally! One that went to medical school in this country, and not Belize. (I know that may sound a little nuts, but I had a bad experience with the first doctor I took Ethan to.) They saw her yesterday and she assured me that Ethan's stiffening/holding his breath until he passed out fits are perfectly normal for a 2 year old. Ethan also got the second dose of his flu shot, which surprisingly, didn't make him cry. He whimpered just a little, but then she put on a SpongeBob Band-Aid and he was fine! Just like every other time they get a shot, I took them to WalMart to pick out a toy. After looking at ALL of the stuff in the store, he decided on a $1 bag of plastic coins with the Easter stuff.

Abby asked to eat lunch at Wendy's because she hasn't had Wendy's since we moved. My kids are so strange. :) It was nice to get to explore in a new direction. Their doctor is in Eunice which is south/southeast of where we live. And on Saturday after Abby's soccer game we're going to go to Lake Charles and explore over there as well. Matthew has an eye appointment there, and we'll have a few hours to waste so that should be fun.

We had Matthew's parents and nephew here last weekend, and on the 21st we're expecting his aunt and uncle to come down. It's actually nice to have regular visitors, especially when they don't stay an entire week! But if someone wants to come and see me for a week, bring it on!

ATTENTION: NEW EDINBURG (AR) GRADS

Ok, so my Papaw (Jerry Langford) is trying to round up the class pictures from New Edinburg. (The big composite ones that are displayed of the entire class.)

Some classes apparently had 8x10 composites just like the big ones made. If any of you have one, your mom or grandma, aunt, or whoever has one, he would like to get a copy or at the very least get it scanned onto the computer so he can get one made to hang up at the old school.

So, get out the pictures and get to diggin!

Brandy

Insurance....argh!

First let me say that I am soooooo very thankful that we HAVE insurance, and good insurance at that, but why does it have to be so darn confusing?

Matthew works for the Federal Government, which = great benefits. We have health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance....the dental and vision just started this year so they're new to me. Ok, so Abby went to the dentist on February 3rd....no cavities, YAY! Her total charge was $170, so I wrote them a check, but they always hold your payment until they receive payment from your insurance. So, I get the estimation of benefits from the dental insurance and it says: health insurance is paying $61.00, and dental will pay the remaining $109.00.

I'm ecstatic, I just saved $170! Then today the dental office left me a message that I owed them $26.00, which I'm not complaining about, but I wondered why since the insurance was supposed to cover the whole thing. So, I started calling insurances. Then I called the office back....."we don't file on health insurance" they told me. They are sending me a SuperBill, whatever that is, so that I can file with my health insurance. Meanwhile, I paid the $26.00.

Once again, I'm not complaining about the money, but why does it have to be so complicated? I mean, we pay a pretty penny for all that insurance, but it's not much when you consider what the government pays and what we would spend out of pocket if we didn't have it. And since it IS paid for, I expect to be able to use it when we need it.

Now, Matthew needs new glasses, and he has an appointment tomorrow and I feel quite sure that I'll get to call everyone all over again for that. At least maybe I won't have to call the dental insurance anymore, and at least everyone I've spoken to so far has been American!

I am afraid...

that I am raising two little brats. Does anyone else feel like that?

Of course, I try to teach them right from wrong. I try to teach them not to hit each other, not to be mean to each other, to have respect for other people, their things, and their feelings. But what if I'm not doing good enough?

Lately, and I'm not sure how much of it has to do with our moving, Abby has been acting out. Yesterday I told her to go and stand in the corner because she didn't do something I'd asked. She refused. I got up to give her a quick swat on the behind, at which point she dropped to the floor and started kicking me.

Ok, at this point I admit I completely lost my cool. I first removed her shoes. Brand new shoes that we'd bought the day before at Target and that she is absolutely in love with. I put them in the top of my closet because they became the object of her anger when I took them off. She was in the floor having an all out FIT, so I took her outside. (This is something I've done before, and it has immediately calmed her down. At our house in Del Rio, I would stand her outside the back door in our fenced yard, and close the door. When she was done screaming we would talk.) Well, I took her outside, but she screamed like someone was beating her, banged on the door, etc....until I was afraid that someone would call the cops. I brought her inside and put her on her bed.

It took quite a while for her to calm down, and she stayed in her bed most of the day and was not allowed to play with her toys. I didn't know what to do, and I still don't.

I did make up new chore and behavior charts that are on a point/demerit system. Starting tonight we will count up how many stars or stickers each child has earned and they will earn coins (I haven't decided what denomination to start with) for each. Then, we will count up the number of demerits (red x's) and take away one earned coin for each of those. I am hoping that by seeing how her negative behavior will affect her earnings that she'll work to earn more, and lose less.

I just finished reading "Have a New Kid by Friday" and I want to implement that in our house. However, I'm afraid that her behavior recently is too far past what I learned in that book for it to help right now. I want to have good children, and I believe they ARE good children. I just need to learn how to make THAT part of them the more dominant part. Also, how are we as parents supposed to know when something else is bothering a child? Like, what if she's really upset over the move and not having her friends? What do I do? How do I know what to do?

Man, I wish there was an instruction book.

Ok, I need more help...

This seems to be a continuing topic for me, huh?

Anyway, in the previous post I asked about a cookbook for a graduation or wedding gift. (Thanks Tara!) And in this one I need a little different help. You see we have this cousin. She will be 18 in about 2 weeks, graduating in May, and has recently announced to the world that she is getting married in June or July.

The latter has caused quite a bit of uproar from various family members since she is so young and has only been dating this guy since around May. For much of the time they've been dating he's been at Basic Training, and now is in Italy with the Air Force. Now, having been a teenager in love, I can see her point of view. Also, after having dated and been married to the same person for the last 12 years, I can also see her parents' point of view.

I have seen this coming for a while now, because we are very close thanks to text messaging and various other internet networking. She is a very level-headed girl and fully intends on going to college, online at first while in Italy, and physically attending classes to become an RN upon their return to the states. I've done my best to bring up various points that should be considered and discussed before a person gets married, and she's thoughtfully considered all of them and discussed them with her soon-to-be. I, personally, do not know him, but from the people who do he sounds like a nice young man. He is 20, I believe.

Now, here's where I need help. Can you all, since I know you're all older than 18, and have all been 18 at some point, think of more points that I can have her think about? I understand that she will legally be an adult and can basically do whatever she pleases, but I care and I want her to be as prepared as possible. Since it looks like she will not take a couple of years to get to know this guy better, I want to throw as much helpful knowledge her way as possible.

Also, get your recipes ready, because I'm sure that I'll be asking for that soon! Thanks!

Create-Your-Own-Cookbook

Does anyone know of a good blank cookbook that I can get for a graduation or wedding gift? Matthew's grandmother gave me one when I was in college and I LOVE it. Only thing I would change is I would want a spiral bound so that it will lay open while I'm trying to read it. Something simple with lots of room to add.....