Will Pee For Pennies!

This is going to be a fairly long post as I catch up from the past week and all of the happenings, so grab a drink and settle down! I am using bullets to make it shorter, LOL, but still......

• My Mom, MIL and Nephew left this morning. I miss them already! The week was way too short. We didn't really do much of anything except for hang out, but we had fun being with each other.
• My nephew, Chance, is soooo good with the boys. I wish we lived closer, I would have him over any time. He plays with them and helps them pick up their toys and wears them out so that they sleep good at night! He is 13 and such a "big boy" that the boys respect him and look up to him. He is a great kid.
• I missed Jenna lots. I am extremely glad to have her home again. So are the boys. She has lost a little weight and gotten a great tan at camp this summer. Wow! My little girl is growing up. She is going to be a Junior in HS this year and it makes me feel so old! She is having some concerns and questions regarding her future. Feel free to pop over to this post on her blog and this post on her writing blog and leave her some feedback!
• I have been sick as a dog for the past 3 weeks. Congested, coughing, hacking, losing my voice and generally yucky. I went to the doctor this week and she said it is allergies. Really? I hardly ever have allergy issues. But, she told me to take Zyrtec every day and if I saw no change within a week to come back. My lungs were clear, no bronchitis, and since I had clear mucous (yuck!) she is pretty sure this is just the allergies. I feel somewhat better after only 3 days of taking the meds. We will see what happens.
• Yesterday, I got a letter in the mail from the PACE Headstart program. Braeden was accepted! So, my bitching and complaining had some effect! We took him for his physical and several tests yesterday afternoon and we have orientation next Wednesday. He will start school on September 8th (I think) and I am so excited I could just cry. So, with that on the horizon, we have stepped up potty training. Which leads to my next bullet.....
• Braeden pees for pennies. After all of that planning and trying and working using chocolates, toy cars and plastic dinos, he is totally rocking the potty for pennies. I am paying my son to use the bathroom. LMAO But, it seems to be working...... and now we have a real reason to push it. He needs to be trained well enough for school within the next month! Of course, I do not expect perfection. And I have a feeling that once he sees other kids using the potty we will not have problems, but,.... wish us luck!
• I am overwhelmingly happy that my little guys and my big girl love each other so much. The boys love to go in their sister's room and play. She likes having them there for a while. Right now, they are having a dance and lego party! They are listening to techno dance music, dancing all over her room and also playing with legos. Fun! She can be so good with them. It really brings home how badly I will miss her help when she leaves for college in two years! Arrrrgggghhhh! Only 2 more years!!!!
• My Frugal Faeire blog is up and running again. I am trying to post at least several times a week over there. Hopefully I can keep it up!
• I have not written very much at all over this Summer. With Jenna gone and the boys making me crazy, I just have not had the time. It is now time to set up a writing schedule for myself. I really need to start writing regularly and often. We need the money, and I need to write more and get the practice!
• My microwave blew up again. This is the third one. Roaches! Yuck. When we bought this one, we also purchased a replacement plan in case it happened again. So, I call the number on the form and after talking to 2 people and telling them everything, I am told that the oven is still under manufacturer's warranty so I have to call them. Waste of money for the replacement plan! So, I call the manufacturer and they tell me to cut off the cord, peel the label off of the back, make a copy of my receipt and ship this along with the glass base from inside the oven. When they get it, they will ship me a new microwave. I have to pay the shipping to them. ..... We went and bought a cheap microwave last night. I will still ship the old one's things back but I need my micro now, not 2 - 3 weeks from now!
• Jenna's best friend, Cat, was fishsitting this Summer. So that I would not kill all of Jenna's fish like I did last year! LOL So, last night she brought the fish home and.... was driving her new car! Not new, it is used, but when she got out of the car there was much squealing and hugging and jumping up and down! The Jenna came out to see it. LOL Jenna starts driver's ed class this Fall and we will have to start thinking car in the spring sometime. Wow. It just does not seem possible! We told her that we will match whatever money she earns for a car, up to$1000. So, is she saves $500, we will give her $500. If she saves $1500 we will only give her $1000. So far, she has $350 saved. She may look into getting a job in the spring. I would like her to have a car for Senior year, but she may end up having to wait until second semester of Senior year. Depends on what we can find!
• I am about to start seriously trying to lose weight. I feel bad physically and emotionally I am a mess. The weight loss should help to some extent. And I plan to start yoga as well. I will post updates as to my progress.
• I am trying to quit smoking again. I have smoked at least a pack a day, sometimes more, for the past 19 1/2 years. It's past time to quit. Wish me strength and luck,

That's it for today! I will be back tomorrow!