Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Interesting New Schedule

Theresa seems to be adjusting to her new schedule nicely. The preschool will start back on August 19th which means that she'll be away from home half of two weekdays. That doesn't require a lot of rescheduling to make sure she's still in therapy five days a week for speech. The school will give additional speech and occupational therapy. The ABA will stay on Fridays so that she gets it as long as she needs it. There isn't any school on Fridays for the preschoolers so that works out good.

Theresa can do "fill ins'. You say "twinkle twinkle little" and she says "star." Stuff like that. She's starting to answer questions when you can get her to focus on something besides doing her own thing.

I've got to get her supplements in her and get her dressed to be at speech by 11am this morning. She's out of HLC and I haven't been by the bank yet to get out enough to cover it. I've also got to find out what the alternative is and how much it's going to cost. She went through 3 bottles of HLC already this month, I think I can order it online but the shipping eats the amount that you save on it.

OK time to get back to work and get her ready. Probably need to chase a cat off a counter by now too.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Lazy Saturday

Hubby is at his parents for the renewal of their wedding vows. Theresa and I are exhausted so we're here enjoying the silence. We had a long week with therapy. I've been up since 6am this morning thanks to a cat that was getting into everything. I don't know what he was doing but I hope he doesn't do it in the morning.

I managed to get the fire ants that come with the summer heat off my kitchen counter. They're one of the reasons I'd love to move. I did yesterday's dishes from when Theresa and I were at therapy. Then I did one load of laundry and put another in to soak.

Theresa looks kind of confused right now. She got some new toys and she's not sure what she wants to play with. I'm attempting to watch the 100th episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels for the third time. I was so tired I fell asleep the first two times I tried to watch it. OK the roof just flew off I've seen it up to this point.

Well, I've got to get some work done before the end of the work day. Tomorrow starts a new work month for me.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Friday and Exhausted

It's Friday for a few more hours anyway. We had speech and ABA this morning. Theresa was exhausted, she was up late last night. We have 8 raffle tickets left to sell. They're going slowly, it seems that everyone is either broke or stingy.

Hubby is going to his parents tomorrow. They're renewing their wedding vows. I don't particularly want to go and Theresa's had just as long a week as I have. So we're staying home while he goes. While it may be a bit hateful to say so I do believe if they can afford tacky decorations they can afford to purchase a raffle ticket that benefits their grandchild. Of course it's not my place to say and it'd be rather rude to point it out to them so I'll just stay away from them.

Well, hopefully Theresa will be winding down soon and I'll be going back to bed.

Monday, July 19, 2010

It's Gonna Be A Long Day

OK it's 8:20 am and I've been up since about 5:30 this morning. Salem and Sylvester had to be dropped off at the vet between 6:30 and 8:15 this morning for their surgery and rabies shots. I'll pick them up between 7 & 7:30 in the morning. The fee is $6 to cover their anesthesia. That's not too bad.

Theresa was ready to get up a few minutes after I got home this morning. She's watching "Scooby Doo" on Demand right now and playing with her computer. The t.v. in the bedroom is plugged in and I don't know where hubby plugged it in. I've got to find it and unplug it.

The cats kept hubby up all night crying and trying to get out of the carriers. It was easier than hunting them down at five this morning to put them in them last night. When he wakes up he has to go get a battery for the lawnmower. It's so old it won't even take a jump start anymore. I hope it doesn't rain so he can cut the grass. Actually if we get a battery that doesn't need jump starting I can cut the grass before he ever wakes up or most of it. My push mower is great but you can only walk so far in this heat even with the easy walk.

I have clothes in the back drying from last night and some whites soaking in the washer waiting to hang up. The grass under the line needs cutting before I can use it. I have no idea if it's supposed to rain or not. I have some dishes in the sink to do but I don't want to. I need to clean the cat boxes today so they are full of clean litter when the boys come home. It's time to empty the litter completely and wash the boxes. I can do both today since there won't be any cats home to use the boxes. Just have to get the trash can from the side of the road first.

We have speech at 2:30 today that should be enough time to get a lot of work done especially since I've already managed to get some work done today. I read an article about a couple that attempted to be trash free for one year. I think it's good that my family of three only fills the trash can twice a month but I'm wondering just how much longer we can go. I think I'll start keeping track of what we're doing. I have some composting bags for the grass clippings that seem to pile up when it rains a lot. I don't rake I let them go back in the earth but I need some potting soil for next year. I think I'll see if I can't make my own composting device (saw one make out of a plastic container) to plant my veggies in next year.

Time to get back to work!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Theresa Got "Do This"!!

We've been working on imitation with the phrase "do this" for a little while now. Theresa finally got it today. She was in the tub with her letters. Her favorite things and she was putting them on the tub spelling out words and reading to herself. Well, I put some letters up and she read the words. Then I took a letter and off and said "do this" she imitated me while echoing "do this." Then we tried "do this' with clapping, she did it almost every time. The times she didn't she was distracted with her letters.

We still have to do the shaving cream with her but I have to figure out where to do it first. It's getting later in the evening and I have to cut some grass. We get to buy a new lawnmower battery next week when somewhere with cheaper batteries opens.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

More Done by 9am than All Week and I Was Supposed to Sleep In

Well I was planning on sleeping in today. Instead the morning sunshine woke me at 6 this morning. By 9 this morning I had done the dishes, sadly enough from yesterday and started a load of laundry. I even cleaned both litter boxes, took out some trash, got Theresa up (after I washed my hands). I gave Theresa breakfast and her supplements before I ever got her father up. Actually I managed to vacuum the part of the carpet that I mopped last night. I took pictures of it and did some before of a couple spots so I can post them when I get it all done.

I have a feeling that I'm going to be moving the furniture by myself to get the entire carpet mopped. I'm sticking to the bathroom first since it's tiny and I don't feel like ripping up the rest of the carpet in there to expose the linoleum. Actually since the carpet around the tub is the only part that can't be gotten up I think I will finish ripping up the bathroom carpet since part of it's ruined. Then I can start mopping the bedroom, once I find the piece needed to seal the carpet at the bathroom door.

I managed to make some laundry detergent today. It doesn't look right but I love the Zote bar to hand wash delicates. It actually makes suds! I got to get a life but the weekends are my rest time. Sort of the week is full of therapy appointments and next week the cats go to the vet.

Sylvester and Salem are getting rabies shots and neutering Monday. They can't eat after midnight tomorrow so I'm gonna have to crate the cats to keep them out of the food and the garbage. (Sylvester's the only one that gets in the garbage and jumps on the counters.) I have to have them there between 6:30 and 8:15.

It's my turn to set up the coffee pot, since I got to take a nice long nap today I guess I can go ahead and do that.

Friday, July 16, 2010

A Long Day for Me and Theresa but A Good One

This morning began for me at 6am. I actually had time for a hot cup of coffee and a hot shower before I got Theresa out of bed. She ate her breakfast, ran wild and took her supplements. I managed to get the laundry almost folded and part of the bathroom carpet mopped before we left at 8:45.

Her speech appointment was at 9:30, we managed to make it early even with the construction! She did great! She sounded out "kid" all by herself! Then at 10 or a little after since the therapist has another child right before her. Theresa used her "go fish" cards in therapy today. She matched three right off the bat! The next step is to increase the matching with the cards and to get her to match objects to objects. We're gonna try getting her to match blocks with pictures on them.

ABA lasted until noon, then Theresa played in the lobby for a few minutes before we left to go to the store. We went to two stores and didn't get home until 3:30 in the afternoon! She was so good in the store that she got to pick out her "reward' for therapy this weekend and next week. She even got her own coke when we left the second store. I was exhausted when we got home and had to go back to the store because I forgot something.

Well, dinner for the baby was hot dogs and potato chips. I had a chili salad. Hubby made chili, didn't notice they're were canned beans in the pantry and had to use the dried beans I bought. Poor thing he still hasn't eaten because the beans aren't swishy enough for him. Oh well, next time he'll pay attention to what's going on. I was going to put beef stew in the crock pot for lunch tomorrow but I think I'll do it when I wake up in the morning for dinner tomorrow night. We can have left overs for lunch.

OK it's nearly time for bed and I'm exhausted.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Everything Breaks At Once

Isn't it nice that when one thing stops working right then something else follows almost immediately? First the air on my truck didn't work right for months with people trying to convince me it was supposed to blow out hot air. Well, I got the freon replaced ($70) and now it's going to take approximately $146 to replace the switch. Before that can be done the air conditioner on the house has to be serviced. Don't remember what it costs for them to come out (it went up when gas prices did) but the last time I had to have freon for the central unit it was $60 per pound. 


If there was shade around the house and the windows weren't basically ceiling to floor I'd buy a couple window units. One for the small one for the kitchen, (provided the openings to the living room could be adequately sealed), a couple small units for each bedroom and a couple large units for the living room. That way I could at least turn off the units in the ones that weren't being used and turn them on when we need them. My poor light bill is going to be way over budget if we don't get the air conditioning serviced this week. 


For some reason I think that the $170 budget amount is going to go up next time it's figured. I was happy when it went from $185 to $170 for a $15 a month savings. Out here not being on budget billing is a rather bad idea because while there are months I can get the bill down below $100 in the heat it's easy for it to go over $200. Well, the good news is that everyone has agreed to cooperate with the savings experiment. 


I need a small dishwasher to keep the dishes from being contaminated with the foods she's not supposed to have. That's going to work wonders for my electric bill although I have a feeling I won't be pulling any dishes out of the strainer with food still on them. My hubby helped with the dishes, I do wish he'd admit he needs an eye exam. 


That reminds me I have to get back to work so I can either replace the frames for the glasses I'm supposed to be wearing or get an eye exam and new glass within the next month. The frames broke on mine and I can't find the box for my contacts to get the prescription off of it to order them.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

It's Only Getting Hotter

Yikes, it's supposed to be 77 degrees tonight and 100 degrees tomorrow. It was 85 degrees inside today, tomorrow it'll be 90 degrees with the air going full blast. There are blankets covering all the windows in the house. Now if the cats don't knock them down it'll stay cool enough overnight to keep the air from coming on as early tomorrow. 


I have a feeling that we're going to use more electricity in the next few months than we have all year long. For some reason the light bill during the winter months isn't as high. I keep wondering if it isn't because I like to be cool and can't stand being hot. I just have to remember to unplug everything before I go to bed. I also have to remember to unplug everything that's not going to be used during the two hours that we're in therapy tomorrow.


We're potty training Theresa. So far it's a royal pain. The child has been in pull ups for over a year? I think it is. I finally found the cloth training pants and waterproof plastic pants that I wanted. The prices on those things are obscene. Of course they're thicker than I remember them being when Jasmine was little, they actually hold liquid in now. OK I've been at home way too long.


Well, I managed to get some work done today. I'll be going to the grocery store tomorrow. That's gonna be a fun trip. I may just go replace my electric skillet, deep fryer and two eye burner I used to have. I have a load of clothes soaking in the washing machine so I can hang them out before we leave for therapy in the morning. It'll be hot enough they'll dry by the time we get back. I managed to wash and hang out three loads of laundry today it was so hot.


Time to go back to work or to bed instead.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Tired and Irritable

OK I had an appointment with the nutritionist yesterday. Theresa's diet is more balanced than I thought it was. Theresa was answering the questions in speech with sentences. Yesterday afternoon we went to the doctor, Autism consult time.

Well, we went over the progress she's made. Clarified the directions for the new prescription and had four tubes of blood drawn to check on her supplement doses. The results should be back in a few days, hopefully by Friday. If all the levels are fine then she's not due for a redraw for six months. That puts it at the time of her four year check-up.

School starts in about a month so I'm wondering when I'll be getting Theresa's new class assignment. They said something about moving her to mornings which means rearranging her outside therapy appointments. This is going to be fun I'm not actually a morning person so getting her to appointments that start at 10am are hard enough. I've got to figure something out. I noticed that lately I haven't been focused during the day at all. Nights I get more focused but then I lose concentration because I'm so tired.

OK it's time to try and get a little bit of work done before I have to go put my shoes on and get Theresa's stuff together. I get to stop by the store on the way home for some kitchen towels. I'm getting a large pack from the paint section and putting the ones I have to work on the floors until they wear out. I'm tired of running out of towels. This way I'll have a full load of whites sooner which will be a big help. I need to find a five gallon bucket with a lid or recipe for laundry soap that makes a gallon or two gallons of liquid detergent at a time.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Not Much Work Done but Enough Shopping

I didn't get any work done at all today. I managed to get a 3lb bag of rice and 2 cans of tomatoes and peppers to use with the meat and stuff that's here so we can put off grocery shopping until the 14th of the month. I managed to get confused at the store as well. I had to go to two stores so I decided to compare the prices on my hand soap and bath soap at the two. Well, the hand soap was 2 cents cheaper at the first store and the bath soap was 2 cents higher which means they even out unless I wait to buy one or the other and combine it with a trip for something else.

I got a 90 day air filter that'll only last a month. I got the $5 instead of the $9 one this time. I can't tell a difference as long as I don't buy the thin blue ones. With the thin blue ones I have to change the filter a couple times a week so it all works out in the end. I did get the baby a few months worth of bubbles, one large bottle was on clearance for 50cents and a large refill was $1.50 on clearance. We have the little bottles to refill so she'll be happy for a while, the bubbles are the one reward she never seems to tire of.

Then I got to wondering about my baking soda. I know it works out better to buy the 4lb box for $2.12 than to buy the 12lb for almost $7 but what about the 14oz boxes for 50 cents each? All I know is the 4lb box last longer. My 6lb box of generic oxi-clean that I bought a few weeks ago is a lot cheaper than the ph increaser they sell. I noticed a $2 difference in the cost of borax from one store to the next for the same size box with a different design. I bought a small bottle of bleach (generic) for $1.50, I couldn't bring myself to buy the $1 bottle of ammonia because I couldn't remember what I wanted it for.

I bought four emergency blankets at $2.88 each. I managed to cover five full sized windows and two small windows completely. I managed to partially cover one window with them. Not bad for only for blankets. I put a darker blanket on my bedroom window. It felt cooler in the house once they went up although I won't know for sure if the blankets go back over the other windows since it was 80 degrees in the house with the air on when I put them up.

Well, I'm rambling and I should actually be working. I have an appointment with the nutritionist in the morning while Theresa goes to speech and I have to make sure I have what of her food diary I've managed to keep so far to take with me.
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Saturday, July 3, 2010

Aren't Children and Animals Nice

Well, I found my cat he was trying to live with the neighbors. Now to find the first one that went missing. So far today I've managed one load of laundry and we've gotten the grass cut. We still have to cut the very back and I have to clean out around the air conditioner because for some reason my darling hubby never realizes it's part of cleaning the yard.

Of course I still have to get up the pile of rotted wood from where my front porch was replaced and tear down the back porch. Anyone able to tell me how to put steps together? I have a feeling this is gonna be fun. The front steps don't have support below the step so I don't understand how they've working. I want supports under the back steps since I have to do it myself. I guess I can go tear it down then hope it doesn't rain for a few days so I can figure it out.

Ever feel like there's more to do than you have time? Oh well, time to go see if the kid's lunch is ready to turn over so she can eat. It's a bit late for lunch but that's OK too.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Interesting How Days Run Together

Today was ABA  funny how it seems like just yesterday that we were but it was last week. I actually participated this week unlike last week when I was so tired that I just watched. Theresa was starting to rely on prompted commands more than spontaneous asking. So we're going back to those and getting her to name things by what they are.

Meanwhile my glasses broke this morning and I have to use my old pair the prescription isn' t right on until I can get an appointment to have another eye exam. I don't even remember how much they cost. This is going to be a fun month.

I figured it out I have enough to pay most of the bills and get gas to go to therapy. We can catch the one that I don't have enough to pay all of this month by adding a little bit extra to the payment each month after school starts back next month.

The cats are still settling in fine. Sylvester is slim with a slick coat and pushy personality. Salem is a bit heavier with a not so slick coat and a shyer personality. OK time to work and hopefully get something done other than think about working.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Settling In Nicely

Sylvester and Salem, the two new cats are settling in nicely. They've came out more today and even shared my lunch with me. Salem has gotten brushed again, the only difference in the two is the size. Hubby has trouble telling them apart. I made an appointment to get them fixed and vaccinated in two weeks. That was the soonest the vet could fit them in.

Thanks to the cats the house is getting a much needed reorganization and spring (summer) cleaning. Top to bottom a room at a time. That is between working, therapy and child care.

Well time to get back to work or maybe I'll attempt to play farmville just to have my computer lock up on me once again.

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