Widney Family Photos are UP!!

These are the most recent family photos. My husband, J, is a photographer and captured these beauties!! He is available for hire...

Mini Me, J, Motor Mouth

I Saved!!

I hear of all these people who save massive money using coupons and going to, of all things, their local pharmacy to purchase grocery items. It was my turn at Walgreen's yesterday. 

I looked at the flyer for sale items we would use, clipped coupons, then I went to a coupon website to grab a couple more coupons for deeper savings. 

My biggest accomplishment was getting the new Purex Detergent/Dryer sheet combo packs on sale, 2 for 1 at $8.99 - $1.00 coupon = $7.99!!! We're set for the rest of the summer!

Walgreens Coupon Savings: $21.05

Walgreens Advertised Savings: $31.00

Manufacturer Coupon Savings: $1.75

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Your Total Savings: $53.80

I honestly think I could have saved more money if I had taken more time to clip coupons from a coupon website and if I had looked at the CVS flyer to compare prices and show it to the cashier for a price comparison markdown. But $53.80 wasn't bad for 30 minutes work!

Dead Dreams

J Googled our son's name. The first listing is an article entitled: "Dead Dreams", which I wrote shortly after his birth for the adoption agency newsletter. If you have a dream that seems to have tanked, I hope this short version of our story gives you encouragement.

Click to read Dead Dreams then scroll down to the article.

What the Hell?!

Saturday evening, Mom to Twins from my babysitting co-op sat for me. Turns out, her kids attend the same school Mini Me will be attending. Mom to Twins told me they DID add that extra class at the Montessori school. You remember - the principal told me that if they got approval from Chicago Public Schools to add another 1st grade class, my son would get into for sure. It was Saturday night. I had to wait until Monday morning.

I remained cautiously optimistic. Restless. I think the hyper vigilance of untangling that yarn knot was part of my attempt to redirect and focus on something else.

On Monday morning, I called the school. And called. And called. Finally, the principal answered. I thought they had all gone on vacation! That happened at Spring Break. No answer for 2 weeks! I'm going to have to come up with a good nickname for him, but right now, I don't have one. At any rate, he said he would call me back that afternoon.

We embarked on Adventures of the 3 M's. Another diversion. At 2:30, I started calling the school. Their voicemail says they close at 3 pm and I HAD to know. Finally, at 2:56, I got through to the principal. He said it was next on his list and he would call me. 

It was crucial I get an answer on Motor Mouth getting in Monday, because I had a meeting set for Tuesday morning to discuss the possibility of me working at the private school we like for Motor Mouth, to offset the cost of tuition - it's that much.  

He called back. Motor Mouth didn't get in. First on the wait list. If someone cancels, he is in. I cried. How could my kid be practically promised a spot and then not get in? 

I felt like I had failed my child. I should have kept calling the school every week, like I did for the first month or so. I should have asked if I could assemble the preschool packets that were taking way too long for the school to get done. I should have been more pushy, instead of trying not to step on toes and piss the administration off before my kid started school. At one point, I remember wondering who I had to sleep with to get my kid in - Sally Field style on Forrest Gump. The principal is a gay man. Maybe I should have had J come to the school with me...?

I could barely function Monday night. Tuesday morning, on the way to the private school meeting, I was weepy. I just wanted to crawl under a nice, thick duvet and sleep. 2 minutes from the school I literally put my happy face on. I smiled real cheesy and shrugged my shoulders like I was a perky co-ed. Mr. Rourke's "Smiles, everyone, smiles!" came to mind. 

The meeting went well. Seems she was excited when she saw my resume. I actually have a lot of skills and experience the school can utilize. Where was this angel a year ago, when I couldn't even get an interview if I paid someone. We are in talks. Nothing is firm yet. I'll keep you posted. Homeschool through the virtual charter program is still an option. 

Well, gotta go make up for all the time I took off while being cautiously optimistic and depressed.

Adventures of the 3 M's - Pilsen Edition

My goal this summer is to experience as much of our neighborhood as possible. To that end, the 3 M's embarked on an adventure today.

Heading Out...

Notice NO STROLLER for Mini Me

Blowing Bubbles near a fire hydrant

Don't ask. Just accept.

Had to get a city sticker

Of course, they sell them at the 

NASTIEST place on Earth - a Currency Exchange

How much is that doggy in the window?

Our neighborhood Library

We had so many books, 

Motor Mouth & Mini Me each had to carry 1

Healthy lunch at McDonald's

Attack of the T-Rex

I was going to head to the tortilla factory, 

but Motor Mouth (and Mommy) had full bladders.

Colossal Waste of Time

I am crocheting an adorable and unique baby blanket. When complete, it will look similar to the blanket MAM recently made for a preemie, only bigger (MAM's shown below) and blue and whiter.

This is my first attempt at a blanket. That's not the problem. I was working away but had some problems getting the yarn pulled out of the manufacturer's 'ball'. So, I took it all apart and made a ball from the other end.

 It was all good until I got to a spot close to the blanket. That's where a huge knot formed. I worked for 5 hours and whittled it down to this: 

I could have started the blanket over and almost had it finished in that time, but it is tricky to start and I wasn't with MAM, who helped me get it going. And I didn't realize how long it was taking me. Some of my blanket unravelled in the process.

Finally, I gave up and cut it. Only, I don't know how to join yarn or incorporate it in the pattern without it being super obvious or falling apart on the recipient. I'm going to take my kids for a walk to the library and maybe I will return to making the blanket. Or not. Ever. We'll see.

BEST Wedding Anniversary EVER!!

On our 6th wedding anniversary, my amazing husband surprised me with the best gift ever. 

J lured me to our Tulsa church's chapel auditorium under the pretense of helping him setup a video for AJ, the missions director. We walked in and it was almost all dark. There was a single light on a huge bouquet of roses near a projector in the room. When I saw it, my exact thoughts were: "AJ must be presenting some kind of missions award to someone. AJ's certainly getting fancy."

The screen lit up and there WE were! Finally, I realized, it was all for me. The flowers, the whole room, our video, and even the box of Kleenex J placed next to me. It was like the deBoers commercial when the husband and wife go into a movie theater and their wedding video is on the screen. I would marry him all over again.

J fulfills the dreams I never even knew I had.

WORST Wedding Anniversary!!

I didn't realize just how much I was looking forward to our wedding anniversary until I lost it in the car tonight. Our 10th wedding anniversary is on August 6th. J and I have been through so much. For all the great times, there are some really hard times that we have managed to friendship our way past. We almost didn't make it to 10. a celebration is in order.

If you read our engagement story, you know I didn't get an engagement ring. A few years back, I told J I wanted a 'big ass' ring for our 10th anniversary. I've been buying cheap rings for years, trying to figure out what I like and don't like. Last year, when J got laid off and we sold our house for less than we paid for it, I knew my ring a dream deferred.

But I still have our anniversary weekend!!

We have a tradition to pack the kids off to Grandma and Grandpa's while we spend our anniversary weekend in a hotel with great blackout curtains and sleep and catch up on movies. And sleep. 

Until this year. There is a leadership conference at our church ON OUR ANNIVERSARY and J has to work it. He is the sound and lights and video and set design guy. -*Sigh*-  If I'm lucky, I might get to do dinner with J. Let's not discuss the fact we live 8 hours drive from the closest grandparents so an anniversary weekend away is pretty slim to none.

Come back tomorrow, when I tell you about our best anniversary ever!

I dare husbands to top this one...

Smiles Everyone Smiles!!

My opinion and approach to Motor Mouth bedwetting at age 6 has changed after reading this article, written by a grown up, former bed wetter. What is my new approach?

Say nothing. Do nothing. 

Smile more.

We have tried everything we can to get our boy to stop wetting the bed. Everything. From here on out, I'm not going to talk about the bedwetting. I'm not going to show any sign of frustration at having to change sheets all the time. I'm going to do what needs to be done in secret and in silence and just pile the love on my boy.

When Motor Mouth grows up, I want him to feel like it was okay to reach his dry night milestones in his own time. I want Motor Mouth to know he was loved and supported by both of his parents and we are a safe place. So, from here on out, I'm going to smile, smile, smile!!

Facebook Sabbatical

I suspended my Facebook account and I'm going to try to stay off Facebook until Mini Me starts school. 6 weeks. It hasn't been 6 hours yet and I'm feeling lost. An aimless kind of wandering on the net. Ah, but I have Twitter and you - my blog reader. 

I have 6 weeks in which to be the best possible mother to my children. After that, I won't have my baby girl at home. Once Mini Me is in Montessori school, for 4 weeks, it will only be me and the boy, Motor Mouth. A special time for sure. How can I waste that on Facebook?

Seems I should quit Twitter too, but now's not the time to quit Twitter. Sherri Shepherd, co-host of The View, just direct messaged me today!! She said: "I like that." I am almost as excited as I was when WhittakerWoman first replied to a blog entry of mine. Ah, the joy and laughter and jumping and screaming that occurred on that blessed day.

I'm going to enjoy my freedom of speech this summer. 

And my kids.

Ahhhhhh, it feels great already.

Overnight

A few weeks ago, we drove to Tulsa with our 2 kids. At 8:00 PM, J decided we should leave at 10:00 PM and drive ALL NIGHT!! 

I thought he was insane. However, my husband was right. It was an amazing experience!! 

We didn't stop for potty breaks, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or walks around Wal-Mart. We didn't have to referee fights, divvy out snacks, replace game batteries, or bring a gazillion toys. J and I took turns driving and had a great stash of Red Bull and stay awake snacks. The only time we stopped was to gas up and for our own potty breaks.  The trip was the closest thing to Nirvana (not the band).

On the way home, we messed up. The kids had played extremely hard that day. Motor Mouth had night terrors. Mini Me was overtired and restless in her seat and whimpering most of the night. We left close to 11:30 PM. WE were over tired. 

At one point, J pulled over so we could all sleep. Then he started snoring which ticked me off so bad!! I ended up driving the majority of the night. It felt like we were never going to get home. To top it off, Motor Mouth's face started swelling (happens EVERY time we go back to Tulsa). We had to take him to the doctor as soon as we got back into town.

Would we do it again?

YES!!

Would we change anything?

Leave no later than 10 PM

Would we recommend it?

YES!!!!!!!

Finally, a Father's Day Gift that Rocks!

My husband, when being really honest, will tell you I suck at gift giving. J is the BEST at it!! This year, I know that I know that I know I got him something he wants and will love. 

This year, J is getting 'Settlers of Catan'. 

Settlers is a board game out of Germany that has a growing cult following. It has been described as a designer board game. 

We first heard of the game at one of MAM's great game nights. J fell in love with Settlers - like no other game he has ever loved. Maybe because he beat me at it (a first).  

Happy Father's Day to the most wonderful father a girl could have for her children.

I Got Fired!!!!!!!!

And that is how I came to be married.

I was bumming around, working part-time, living at my parents home, enjoying life tremendously, when this "friend" of the family hired me to work for him. Everything seemed good at first. 

Then I noticed he was having closed door meetings with a LOT of his financial investment services clients who then just suddenly invested in his laser system venture company. Coincidently, BS (those really are his initials) would have more of these meetings right before payday.

On payday, I took my check directly to the bank it was written on and cashed it. If you know me, you know I seldom carry ANY cash, much less a couple thousand in cash. But if you were one of the last employees to cash your check, it bounced! Let's just say, I beat the rush.

I was getting ready to quit very soon when on Thursday, BS came rushing at me like he was going to hit me!!  The stress of cheating his clients out of their life savings must have been eating away at him. On Sunday, I removed all of my personal stuff. He was so mean to me, I was going to quit after I put Ex-Lax in his coffee. Then notify the authorities because I knew what he was doing was wrong and had to be illegal on some level. 

On Monday, BS fired me - ummm... Let me go in the 90-day probation period. He was stumbling and stuttering over his words. He was pathetic. I asked if he wanted me to leave immediately or at the end of the day. Immediately would be best. I hopped up, trying so incredibly hard not to bust out laughing with joy, grabbed my purse from my office and walked out. I was that ready to go.

I called my mother when I got in the car. We laughed hysterically and yelled for joy together. I was able to pick up more hours at my part-time job and was not tied down to a job so I was free to go to Tulsa for my now sister-in-law's high school graduation. It was that trip J realized he couldn't live life without me and had to do all he could to own me. 

Four for Friday

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Pillow Talk: Over a 1/4 of UK employees are so work obsessed they can't resist using a mobile device such as a laptop in bed before they go to sleep. Do you work at night while in bed?

- I don't. J does that with his iPhone though.

Q2 - Staying Home: Do you think certain 'essential' professionals -- such as teachers, firemen, doctors & nurses -- should be barred by law from walking out and striking?

- I saw what a strike did to my friends' families financially and what it did to our city when I was a kid. I think no one should be 'allowed' to strike.

Q3 - Turning Around and Going Back: When was the last time you forgot something and had to turn back around to retrieve it? How long did it take and what was it that you forgot in the first place?

- Last week Wednesday. J forgot his wallet so I had to bring it to him. Only I forgot to take it with me, so I had to turn around and get it.

Q4 - Different Path: Assuming you had never gone into the career you are currently in, what would be doing now professionally

- Hmmm...I'm a stay@home mom right now... I guess I would be a working mom?

I found this gem HERE. 

Thursday Thirteen

Here is the deal. I am mulling something over in my head. I'm not ready to blog on it, so I'm filling space with stuff I find fun (quizzes/forms) and formulating how/if I can blog about what is really bothering me right now. If you send me a private message, I could probably tell you what is bugging me, and that might help me condense it to readable form. Or not.

I found this meme interesting and fun. I found it here.

Thursday Thirteen

1. When was the last time you dreamt about someone you shouldn't have?

Last week and a few weeks before that. I been having crazy dreams about my family. Unsettling stuff.

2. What is one of your main phobias?

Bridges. Mainly, bridges crumbling when I am on them and falling into the water below. Did you know I now live in a city with upteen bridges??!!!! Talk about facing your fears daily.

3. Last time you borrowed something from a friend or neighbor and what was it?

Almost monthly for the past year = books from Mary Anne.

4. What do you put on your toast?

Butter. Mayo. Tomatoes. Salt & Pepper. Parmesan Cheese. All at the same time. Yum! Don't knock it till ya try it!

5. Last time you swore?

Tuesday, outloud. This morning, in my head.

6. You have to watch a movie 3 times in a row. What movie would you pick?

You've Got Mail.

7. Is there an author you would always buy a book from without even reading the synopsis?

Patricia Cornwell.

8. One of your most expensive items of clothing.

Trench coat. Sadly, I am still using it because it refuses to stop raining...In JUNE!! April showers bring May flowers.  June is not supposed to rain!

9. Last doctor's visit?

Last summer. I had a rash on my face that wouldn't go away. Had to go to a dermatologist.

10. Favorite Fruit?

MacIntosh Apple. My dad's pears.

11. Last time you listened to someone but thought: "Shut the f**k up!" in your head...

I'm a stay@home mom with a 3 yr old who chatters incessantly but you can't understand 70% of what she said. And a 6 yr old whom you can understand, but talks non-stop from waking to bedtime. By early evening...

12. Bubble Bath?

I take baths less than once/year. But when I do, yes, bubbles, please.

13. Last Phone Call Made

To my brother-in-law's former step-father-in-law. He's "in Chicago" which means he is in a suburb, a 60-90 minute drive away. We'll meet up when he actually comes into the city.

Consider yourself tagged. Or not.

Chicago Date Night for $12

J and I got out together, sans children, for a few hours tonight. We did it for $12 plus gas. How?

Free Babysitting

I'm part of a babysitting co-op. It's parents babysitting each other's kids for free. I had over 15 hours banked, so it was a no brainer to use a few hours for tonight. 

Savings = $35-$45

$2 Parking

Parking validated at the movie theatre for $2. Without validation, it would have been $20. 

Savings = $18

$5 Movie

Prime time, new release movie (Star Trek), at a nice, new theater. Only $5 each. We used our Kerasotes $5 movie cards that will get you in to select movies each week for $5. Normally, we would have paid $10.75 EACH. We got in for $10 total. 

Savings = $11.50

Spent = $12.00

Saved = $62.50

A Great Week!

I've been a bit busy this week. Haven't really had time to blog. One of my best friends from Oklahoma came to visit with her son. For Kai's birthday, Aubdog took him on his very first airplane ride - to Chicago!! I can't tell you how much it means to me that she chose to visit us for Kai's birthday week. Kai and Motor Mouth were best buds in Oklahoma. It was a great week!

Here are just a few of the places we managed to visit:

Aubdog at Oprah's Studios

Pritzker Auditorium

The Bean

Artwork at Millenium Park

Playing in Crown Fountain

Wrigley Field

Lego Store

Carousel at Navy Pier

Apple Store

I made Chicago Style Pancakes

Ferris Wheel, Sears Tower, 

Hancock Building, Cubs, J, Dinosaur

LegoLand

4D Theatre at LegoLand

The boys slept HARD after LegoLand

Family Matters House

Chicago Style Pizza at Lou Malnati's

2 Handsome young men

Navy Pier

Playing in Fountains outside Navy Pier

Kai's first bus ride - stood like a pro!

At the Big, Glass McDonald's