The truth.....

So there I was, thinking I was all smart and stuff, looking forward to cutting out a bill we don't need - cable. I went out bought a DTV converter box, bright eyed and bushy tailed I laid my toddler down to sleep and tore through the box with excitement. I hooked it up like the directions said to and ............. NOTHING. I googled and googled and found out a little something..... these things do not work for just anyone.

I live in a rural area, I have trees, many trees that surround my house. I was flabergasted. More googling ensued. I found a site where it lists the channels I can get with an anntena - I get about 4. So why wouldn't the box work? The signals aren't strong enough. I can pull them in with an anntena and get pretty good picture but not with the box.

As I googled I found many a unhappy person just like me. The converter box is back in it's own box and ready to be returned - I obviously need to speak to someone who knows a thing or 2 - do I need a better anntenna (we are not putting up one on our roof!)? We, honestly, would be more than happy with just a few channels but we want them to stay and in June when the transition is over I don't want to be left in the dark. Anyone else with this problem?

Random.....

Is anyone still there?

Quick thoughts for today - it is time to make the "before the baby gets here list" and I have this tremendous need to downsize our entire house. Things we don't need but others might -- this huge oak glass top desk I am typing at? Dont need it. 2 filing cabinets? dont need it. what we do need to keep is baby boy clothes but other than that we have lots of clothes down stairs that are just sitting there in totes that need to go!

Another thought - I hate paying for satellite TV - all we watch is crap and I am really thinking of buying the converter boxes and getting 2 channels ..... wouldn't we be much happier? it would be about 50 bucks less a month and anywhere we can cut corners is good -- also, our cell phones.....we pay 5 bucks a phone for handset insurance - not sure that is worth it.....we have never broken or lost any of our phones but if we do I guess we will pay because I am going to cut it out.

What have you cut out? Has it been successful?

Shame.

Where does the time go? What I want to do is blog and be home more, what the reality is is quite different. I am working 5 days a week and have been working long days since H is off on school vacation and he is able to get BC early from daycare or stay home with him. It is back to school on Monday and back to the rat race against time during the day to drop BC off not too early and pick him up not too late and still work a full day. Arg. It absolutely blows being a full time working mother. Blows. I have to get started on looking for other options when this next baby is born - I would love to job share and work 2 days a week but what if that doesn't work out? Plan B's are always good to have.

The baby is good. Our 20 week u/s in Feb. 4th and am hoping all is well. Heartrate has been at 160 bpm so that is reassuring and so are these little pokes I feel now and again. No major movement yet but little nudges.

Am I just a bag full of complaints or what? At least I have a job. At least H is in school. I am grateful really I am.....just in a funk.

What is new with you?

Money, Oh Money.....

Interesting times huh? I have joined the Grocery Game! Google it, to tired to link. My last shopping experience my bill went from 110 to 80 dollars! Using coupons and tracking sales takes about an hour a week but totally worth it!

I just made a huge payment on H's truck to get the process of paying it off quick, like real quick.. one less bill around here won't hurt anyone.

I am doing good, tired and showing. Yes, apparently with your 2nd you show earlier.....ha! I knew that it is just kind of surreal still.

After a long journey my best friend's husband is home from Iraq tonight. Both of our husbands made it home. Both of them made it home. That is big people. It was a long journey together but it is over until we are called to serve again.

OB Appt on Monday - one last early ultrasound.

Any comments on working from home? C'mon!

Hello, It's me.....

Sigh. Apologies. For the whole 2 readers I have, I am sorry for not keeping up. Ya know? When you have a child, a full time job and a husband in school I just crash at the end of the day. I am around 11-12 weeks pregnant with this 2nd baby and at first, admittedly, I was scared and feeling not so great. You see, I have a hard time dropping off BC at day care and he is 18 months old - I. HATE. IT. Getting pregnant and thinking about dropping off a baby and paying for 2 kids in daycare, I just can't do it. I am a social worker, and yes I am the director of my department but dont be fooled - we make nothing compared to my counterparts in the for profit world. Daycare for 2 kids would be about half of my paycheck a month! Now, I am not surprising anyone reading I am guessing.

The common goal is to stay home full time once H gets a job. H's degree will be in the mechanical engineering field and if all goes well and with the trend - I will be able to stay home full time. Worse case scenario I would have to stay working full time because he can find no job, but the most likely case scenario is, I will go down to 3 days a week - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I will take 3 months off of work if I have to stay on.

So, to my point. Either way, I will stay home but I would like to work from home - now the age old question gets asked.....what to do? I have a 4 year bachelor of science degree - I would love to do contract social work out of my home for some agencies who need office work done or home studies or what have you, but how to chase after that dream? When to give up? Who to mail resumes to?

At the end of the day I don't care what I do -I will do anything to stay home while my babies are well.....babies. I can have my career later.....my children come first. Having said that, I do not want to offend any working moms - I commend you, it is just not for me.

So, my smart ladies.....what do you know about working from home?

All is well.....

Appt went fine, there is a tiny little baby in there with a beating heart! Have to go H is doing something to the tub and I just heard , "oh no."

Appt Scheduled.....

First scan scheduled for Monday late morning. I will be about 6w3d. With BC my first scan was 6w1d so I am feeling good about the timing. Just to give you an insight on how great my new doc is her office called and the appt person spoke with me. Now, this is just the appt person not my doc or her nurse - When my new doc went to the new big hospital to head up the OB/Infertility dept she really wasn't kidding when she was excited about patient centered care and being on the cutting edge of culture change in hospitals.

Appt Person (AP): Hi this is Amy from Big Fancy New Hospital and I spoke with Dr. Lovely and she said it is up to you when you want your first scan as long as it is after 6 weeks.

Me: oh, uh, great, uh.....(flabergasted with the option)

AP: She wants to wait until 6 weeks to be sure you will see something on the screen to reassure you.

Me: Oh, awesome. I will be 6 weeks on Friday give or take a day so.....

AP: Ok I have Thursday open with a couple of times and Tuesday is her surgery day.....

Me: I guess Thursday is ok but I was hoping for something earlier.....

AP: Monday late morning? Is that ok for you? 11 a.m ?

Me: That is great, i will take it, I just need some.....

AP: Reassurance? I understand, I have you down. See you then. We will send for you medical records when you sign the release. Have a good day and try and relax this weekend.

Me: Ok thanks!

how great is that? i am so grateful to have such a good doc and to be able to go to her.

I am rather sick in the morning with queaziness and in the evening but during the day I can work quite well without thinking about the pregnancy. I am just tired and am finding I am constipated and get full really really fast when eating.

Lots of little cramps and pulls --

thanks for checking in with me!