Wouldn't Ya Know It

I hoard money.

I'm scared to spend it....because then I MIGHT RUN OUT!

{What's THAT kind of Paranoia called? Bonus Points if you know!}

This mostly applies to Tax Return Money, Savings Account Money, and Gift Money that I receive. I just deposit it - and let it sit there....in case I NEED it, ya know?

Thus, we don't have any of the things "Everyone else" has - much to my son's dismay, as you may recall.

While some people have their Tax Return spent before they even get the check in the mail, I still have LAST YEAR'S Tax Return sitting in my account when the CURRENT YEAR'S Tax Return comes. WHEN that happens, I can start using LAST YEAR'S. That's how I spell, S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y.

{That's probably how the REST OF YOU spell, W-E-I-R-D.} :)

So, since we've had the CURRENT YEAR'S Tax Return for a few months now, my fear of finishing up using LAST YEAR'S dissipated, so we did. Except THEN I went against my usual hoarding practice recently and decided to ALSO use THIS YEAR'S money to purchase something [right now.] AND it wasn't exactly a "Need-to-have" purchase, either. It was definitely a "Nice-to-have" purchase. And it took a big chunk from THIS YEAR'S money, too!

{GULP}

{Soooo OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!}

AND THEN GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? Guess what happened when we prematurely used the money?

*Our Automatic Garage Door Opener broke.

*My Master Bathroom sink/plumbing went KA-PUT (and waterlogged 9 good rolls of extra plush Toilet Paper that were stored beneath!)

*A rock flipped up and caused a [most likely unrepairable] "spider web" in our minivan windshield.

*An unnamed child [Katelyn] tried doing pull ups (or SOMETHING) on the window blinds and it snapped right in two.

*The basement carpet got damaged due to our WET spring

*The wind blew a ton of shingles off our roof - time for a new one.

*We have a multi-cracked bedroom window.

*My In-Laws are coming home from their mission in a few weeks...but we've been using some of their furniture to replace our crappy stuff we threw out... so we could show our home better...and the plan was to buy our own before they came back, so they could have furniture, too....ACTUALLY, the plan was to SELL OUR HOME before they came back - but, WHATEVER!

*Our gyrating washing machine chewed up the laundry room flooring.

*And we need a new driveway.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN I SAY I MIGHT NEED SOME MONEY!!!

I guess I'll have to dip into my Christmas Gift money that's been sitting in the account. Merry Christmas to me!!

Murphy.....Leave me Alone!

Lesson learned. Go back to hoarding.

Hard to Come Home From....

All-Inclusive privileges at the resort's 11 Restaurants/Eateries

The Beach

Steak (or 2) every night for dinner, if you please (and he did!)

Napping on the beach

The VIEW from my BED!

First thing I saw when I woke up at 8:00 - or 9:00 - or 10:00 every morning. :)

(The kids had a different room, down the hall)

Feet in the sand

Girls' outings to La Creperie/Ice Cream Parlor/Waffle House ~ WHENEVER!

The Beach (again)

Unlimited Pina Coladas (virgin, of course)

~ they MAY have forgotten the "virgin" part on one of Kyle's Strawberry Daiquiris, he reported it tasted a little "weird."
This can neither be confirmed nor denied - he did fall asleep EARLY that night, though. hmmmm.....

Frolicking in the....

waves....

and on land

A clown to make balloon flowers - or animals - or swords, Oh my!

All You Can Eat Ketchup!

Did I mention The Beach?

The 3-Tiered Pool

Don't let me forget The Beach!

The "Adults Only" [with a dress code] Restaurant

The Beach

The Pyrotechnics

Our CANCUN Family Vacation

June 4 -11, 2011

My Summer Slave Plan

The Sonic Scrubber. It's like an electric toothbrush - FOR CLEANING. My intention was just to use THIS for tile grout, but when the kids saw me using it one day, they were fascinated.

WHAT'S THAT? They asked curiously.

So, I demonstrated.

They were attentive.

Can I try it? They eagerly responded.

They experimented on kitchen counters, garbage cans, light switch cover plates, sink faucets, stove tops, toys, chair rail, door knobs, cup holders in the car....

This is SO 'SICK'! I caught them saying.

This is FUN! I overheard.

M-o-o-o-o-m, Ryan's hogging it and won't let us have a turn! They griped.
(For once, I didn't mind the gripe.)

And then I brought out the Big Guns.....


FOUR [additional] Interchangeable Brush Heads they could also use!!

{Heaven}

Side note: I find it completely unnecessary to use the Sonic Scrubber in all the places they were using it, BUT, HEY, whatever WORKS!

Armed with this kind of power, Ryan had the courage and inclination to tackle a serious job.
(And later, going through my photos, I discovered he took the liberty - and pride - to document the event himself!)

First, you take the dish soap, and you squirt it, squirt it.....

Then, you take a grody refrigerator shelf, and you gag over it, gag over it....

Then, you take a clean refrigerator drawer, and you admire it, admire it....

Now, My main job? Keep our home stocked with AA batteries!

THANK YOU SONIC SCRUBBER!! YOU'RE A MIRACLE WORKER!

**This Blog post was not paid for by the Sonic Scrubber company. I have received NO compensation for my product praising post -- BUT would not be opposed to it at all!!**

The Umbilical Cord Test

As mentioned previously, I am a Ranch dressing ALL-THE-WAY kind of gal.
No Thousand Island. No Italian. No French. No Caesar. No Thank You! Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing from the packet only. (Yes! I AM a Ranch snob!)
And as such....my offspring are also lovers of Ranch....after all, they received it (plenty) directly through the umbilical cord and developed the taste (not that it HAS to be a developed taste - it's just automatically GOOD from the first time you try it!) Born with the addiction - except I like to use the word "fondness" better. Kind of like "Crack Babies" but mine are "Ranch Babies."

It's not JUST for salad, either! Did you know that? It's for dipping carrots, celery, zucchini, French Bread, Garlic Bread, rolls, bread sticks, pizza, chicken nuggets/strips/tenders, fries, too-well-done steak, crackers, chips, burritos, Taquitos, Mozzarella Cheese sticks, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, tator tots, baked potatoes, Jalapeno Poppers, pretzels, sandwiches.....HECK, it even makes Spaghetti somewhat edible!

I've always joked about, but believed in, my getting-it-through-the-umbilical-cord theory about my offspring. While discussing this the other day with my family, I remembered something I ate often while pregnant with Kyle.

THIS:

Yep, I went to Sam's Club and bought me a whole case of this deliciousness and put it in my freezer. EVERY afternoon, after I survived the morning with my toddler and put Ryan down for his afternoon nap, I rewarded myself with ONE.

And, DO YOU KNOW WHAT?!? I only gained 17 pounds that whole pregnancy! AND I lost 30 pounds just by giving birth to Kyle. You do the Math! I think I'm on to SOMETHING!!! Do you think I should patent the "Whatchamacallit Diet?" I think I need to go on it again now! :)

ANYWAY, During this above mentioned conversation, I bet Kyle that he would probably LOVE Whatchamacallits since he received them (plenty) directly through the umbilical cord.

"What cha WHAT?!?" he asked, confused.

And then I realized that I had deprived my son of this great goodness his whole entire [post-womb] life!

How could I?

Since he hadn't ever had one - and I had piqued his curiosity with my pregnancy story - he began badgering asking me all. the. time. about WHEN he could have the OPPORTUNITY to try one for himself. (my verbal assurances and watering mouth just weren't enough proof for him that THEY WERE GOOOOOD!) He wanted to take me up on my bet!

Eventually, I [convinced myself that it was a good idea to go to the store with The Terrible Two and her older sister] and bought some.

I was SURE he'd LOVE them.

This prenatal treat would send him down Memory Lane.

It would be a HIT.

I was CONVINCED it'd become his favorite candy bar.

I waited.

I was EAGER to share this bond with him again. (And to test the umbilical cord theory.)

AND.....

I was so PLEASED!

I was a PROUD MAMA!

I was thinking about Science Experiments again! Oh Boy!

And then I had to go and ask him if he liked it. If he liked it a lot. If it was THE BEST candy bar he'd ever tasted. If his mama was so smart about umbilical cords. And if he wanted to take his mama to Vegas (I'm good at betting). I finally asked if it had dethroned his 3 Musketeers from the #1 spot.

He broke it to me.

No.

It wasn't his favorite candy bar.

It wasn't even his next favorite candy bar.

It was only his 5th favorite candy bar. (Following 3 Musketeers, Twix, Hershey's bar, & Cookies & Cream Hershey's)

I'm bummed.

Maybe I waited too long to re-introduce him to it.

So, does that mean my Ranch Theory was all just pure coincidence, too? Everything I always believed....down the drain.

Oh well, looks like I'll be on the "Whatchamacallit Diet" alone! :)