Television - Blugh.

We're finally all move into the new apartment.  Not unpacked, by any means, but at least moved in.  Today was 'cable day' - cool guy came and hooked up my internet, phone, and cable.  They lowered my rates by $40 a month AND gave me another 100 channels and a DVR.  I'm not a tv person, at all - I was raised reading books, doing crafts, and things other than sitting on my butt watching other people live fake lives.  I've tried to raise my daughter the same way, despite her being infront of the television more in the past two years than the entire four years before that combined.  I had decided, officially, that tv was making it's way out of our home.  A show here and there...but that's it. I only opted for cable because the bundle was cheaper than the internet/phone only package for the only decent internet provider in the area...then, the 'cool cable guy' hooked up cable in my kiddos room. Ruh-Roh!

So, Mini-Me and I made a deal this evening.  She can have television in her room.  She can even watch it! BUT, she has the following stipulations:

• Homework must be done every evening
• We can't skip our nightly reading time. If we start running out of time before bed, we cut tv time in the future.
• No television during dinner...once we get the kitchen put together.  For now, we have dinner at the bar (also without the tv on). 
• We must continue to do the following together, every week (we started this three weeks ago) :
• A board game and/or puzzle atleast three times a week
• Flashcards and workbook fun atleast three times a week
• Crafty fun time atleast atleast four or five times a week, together (We're currently working on drawing animals, and cross-stitching on plastic canvas.
• Chores - gotta be done. She has a morning, afternoon, and before-bedtime routine just like mommy (Thanks, Flylady!)  Most of it is simple stuff like remembering to lay out her clothes and brush her teeth.  Some of it is routine chores like emptying the dishwasher while mommy starts dinner.  
• Finally: Mommy has control of what is on the television, and any future parroting of inappropriate phrases (like her infamous 'You smell like butt!' week-long repeats after watching iCarly) will result in a blocked show.  

Now...lets see how long this lasts before I remove the cable box from her room. :P

Sunshine and Rainbows

The past few weeks haven't exactly been sunshine and rainbows.  I was delayed a week on both class as well as packing because a 'Snowpocalypse' hit Georgia (and by Snowpocalypse, I mean a whopping 5-8 inches of snow).  On top of that, I'm having regular contractions that are preventing me from packing and getting as much done.  I guess, when you weight the options of 'slower packing' and 'bedrest', I really should be grateful that I'm getting anything done in the first place.

But, over the past few days, I've taken a look around and realized that there really is a rainbow...way off in the distance, somewhere, but it's there.  I was approved for our new apartment, my professors this semester are amazingly funny, and despite being 'slow' about it I am actually being pretty productive for someone who isn't supposed to be doing anything in the first place.

More importantly, things are changing...and very much for the better.  Mini-Me and I, when I was previously a single mom, had a routine.  We were a team, and we ran this house together.  Over the past year and a half, I allowed things to fall apart.  Priorities changed, my grades slipped, routines went out the window, and even we, as people, took a turn for the worse.  I became negative, which I said I would never again be, and I became unproductive.  The past week, things are making a turn for the better.  I'm booking parties again, Mini-Me started helping out with her former chores almost automatically, we both have smiles on our faces, and we're back to doing things as a 'team'...which is always much more fun than working against each other.  Just in the past two weeks, we've grown closer than we've been since we went to Disney. 

This experience, as a whole, has taught me one thing I should have learned a long time ago: never settle.  Never settle for a person, situation, environment...anything.  If you know what you want and deserve in life and things aren't going in that direction, DO something about it instead of just letting it happen and being content with it.  I think alot of people stay in their situations because they're not in 'bad' situations or with 'bad' people, but they're not actually happy and that leads to resentment.  I've over resentment.  So, I am putting on my happy face and pulling up my vintage cowboy boots by the straps, kicking the negative people back out of my life, and giving myself and my family everything we deserve. <3

Single Motherhood.

The other half moved out last weekend and, yet again, Nev and I are embarking on a wonderful journey into managing a family together. She's excited, I'm excited, and I'm sure the baby would be excited if he had more than a few inches of kicking space. Is it going to be hard? Yes, very. Is it going to be emotional? Goddess help my poor six year old when postpartum hormones hit - it's a good thing we can handle each other better than anyone else. We're looking forward with nothing but positive energy, happy thoughts, and sheer determination to make the absolute best out of the situation we are currently in and will be in over the course of the next...well...who knows how long. We have hope, we have an amazing support group, and, most importantly, we have each other. In just a few short months (9 weeks, to be exact), Finn will also join us on this interesting journey of ours.

Wish us luck!

Busy, busy month!

Nevaeh and I have had a busy, busy month this month. Not only did she turn six, but we have both also had some kind of flu/bronchitis bug AND my portfolio for acceptance to the art program is due in a few weeks. Talk about a whirlwind of things to do.

Nev had an awesome birthday party, and racked up on cash...which she then spent on 14 books at her school book fair. I volunteered and they made me wear a cape - so wish I had taken pictures. Also, for her birthday, she took a trip to 'the baby doctor' with mommy and got to meet everybody and hear the heartbeat. The heartbeat is an old hat for her, though, as we have a Doppler at home that she knows how to work.

Here's the monster on her birthday:

We bought a paper holder and roll of paper from Ikea back in September, and she has almost blown through 98ft of paper in the past month. Best $10 investment I've made all year! She has spent hours drawing helicopters, cats, clowns, and many other things from some drawing books I picked up on Amazon earlier this year. We also spent two nights painting two pumpkins and two mini-pumpkins. Tis' the season for crafty awesomeness!

'Rainbow Buckets', explained.

My family and I took a trip to Barnes and Noble in search of a 'New Big Sister' type book, and ran across a book titled, 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today?', by Carol McCloud. Scott immediately laughed and called it a 'hippie book', which only increased Nevaeh's desire to buy it. The book talks about how everybody has an invisible bucket that they carry around, and it is our job to fill that bucket up with happiness. When we all fill each other's buckets, the world is a happy place. Hippie-esque? Maybe a bit. Possibly a tad on the Buddhist side as well. Nonetheless, Nevaeh fell in love with the story as well as the pictures of rainbows and shapes flowing in and out of buckets on each page. She has since repeatedly asked me to read 'Rainbow Buckets' to her.

This blog is about Rainbow Buckets - the things she and I do to make each other, and the people around us, smile. Life's happy little moments often pass by without notice. Instead, she and I want to share them with the world. Expect artwork, funny stories, and our journey into becoming a big sister for the first time. ♥