More Hairdressers in the family

I could save a lot of money if I had gone to cosmetology school. I would still have to pay to have my hair done, but if I knew how to cut hair correctly I could cut Brian's and the girl's hair. I figured I could possibly save $300 a year. Over 10 years that would be $3,000.

Macy doesn't let me do her hair, so I felt it needed to be a little shorter. So yesterday I decided to give it a try on Macy's hair. My sister-in-law has always cut her 3 daughter's hair and she has no formal training was my logic. Also I have taken her into the salon before, but each time I left feeling like it wasn't worth the money. The only bonus is that she sits still for the hair dresser and doesn't listen to me. Oh well. To calm any fears about her hair, it turned out fine. I am sure a professional would gasp but for a 3 1/2 year old she looks great. I cut about an inch and a half. I warned Brian about my adventure. He hasn't really seen it so no comments have been made about it.

After Macy's hair I decided Kelsey's needed a trim. My sister's would be commenting about how it was mulletish. Macy got to Kelsey first. You might ask how this could occur again because this is not the first hair cutting incident of Macy's. Well she is one sneaky girl. I had evidence yesterday that hair had been cut and I tried to find the scissors. The girl hid them. She is always hiding the weapon and covering up evidence of destruction. She is no dummy. So within a ten minute time frame Macy did a bang up job. This by far is her worst cut. There was nothing a hair dresser could do to salvage it so I did not take her anywhere to get it fixed. Instead I trimmed a 1/2 inch off her hair and Kelsey will be wearing headbands (if she will leave them in) and no pigtails for some time. If I can get a good picture of the new do I will post it. I will mention that most of the hair was left intact so it isn't terrible. The amount of hair cut was about an inch wide along the part line and is 3/4 inch long. It sticks straight up like it did when she was first born. The other portion cut was right by the right ear and those pieces are about 2 inches long but if her hair is left down this trim is covered up.

I think I will leave Brian's hair alone.

Random Thoughts on a Topic of Conversation

First I am going to give a disclaimer. I really have no problem when people ask me these questions, but I really never know what to say and my answer differs every day depending on the circumstances. I just find the questions odd and don't usually ask them.

Last night at the Laurel class activity a topic of a past advisor came up. One of the girls said that this advisor was pregnant and that was when someone else asked if she was pregnant a year ago which led into the topic of this advisor trying to conceive her third child for quite some time.

This started me thinking. When did it become normal to ask casual acquaintances when they are going to have children? I have heard a comedian joking about this and it has tainted me ever since. His interpretation of these type of questions was "So are you and your spouse intimate regularly?" "Is something wrong with your system or his?" His routine pops into my mind each time someone asks me when we are going to have another child. I almost want to start laughing but then I would have to explain myself.

As I pondered even more, the whole reason why I don't pry into the bedroom affairs is because I don't know everyone's personal circumstances especially casual friends. What if they can't have children or there have been many obstacles to the goal? What if the marriage is on the rocks at that point?

This question of children can also relate to single people always being bombarded with "Are you dating anyone seriously?" "When do plan on getting married?" "Any prospects yet?" After awhile you can get tired and annoyed with such questions. Everyone has their own path to follow and their own time table.

Of course on the flip side maybe by asking personal questions will lead to a sort of healing process or a sympathetic friend to confide in or find others in similar circumstances.

One last thing to say. This post does not mean we are trying for another child, it doesn't mean we are trying and can't conceive and it does not mean Brian and I are getting divorced. It is just random thoughts swimming through my head and I neither think the topic a good or bad one.

Favorite items of the Day

Kelsey has fallen in love with the chapstick her sister bought. Luckily Macy has been nice enough to give it to her. She carries it with her all the time. I believe she puts it on every 5 seconds. Lately she has been putting it all over her face and hands. The kid smells like bubblegum chapstick which is not so bad until you give her a kiss or hold her hand. You are then left with greasy goup all over you.

Macy's true love is money. Monday we started giving her an allowance. She gets a dollar a week for being a part of our family. But as part of our family she is to do some chores so I made a chart. She is to help make her bed, help with the dinner dishes and help pick up toys. Several friends of ours have taken a class called Love and Logic and this is one of the things taught and that they loved. Whenever the kids go shopping with the parents they are told to bring their money. Then when they ask to buy something the parents ask if they have any money. I thought this was brilliant since Macy wants everything in sight. She doesn't really understand the whole concept but my hope is that this will point her in the right direction with patience and money management.

Back to her love and misunderstanding, she now asks for a dollar every time she cleans. She sleeps with her dollar and in a book called The First of Octember it talks of the money coming down and she keeps asking if she can grab the money when it comes.

The other favorite items are hand-me down clothing from their cousins. The girls received cute new clothes for Christmas but they always want to wear the "Jensen" or "Kennedy" shirt. Every shirt Kelsey puts on she grabs it and asks "Jensen shirt?" It is actually kind of maddening. I spent money on new clothes and they refuse to wear them. I should get over it, but they received really cute clothes. Actually I hid some of the clothes for Macy to try to get her to wear other things.

Motivation

I have been a little out of touch with the blog lately. I still read everyone else's blog but my writing had gone the way of most my journaling attempts. I am back for another go.


Life continues to fall in its normal bump less course and it is during these times that I should be able to get most projects done. However, it is during these calm times that I have no desire to do anything besides the minimal and that is pushing it. I always think in my mind that I have plenty of time so I will do it tomorrow. When tomorrow comes there is a pile of a lot of "to do's". I would love to know how people stay motivated all the time.

I don't write much about my husband, Brian, but he is one terrific guy so I thought I would give a tiny update. At Centex there has been a lot of organizational changes. Corporate wants all the divisions to run fairly similar instead of as separate entities. Since he is doing a rotational type job they weren't sure where to place him. Phoenix is the only place that was trying out this fast track leadership training program. So they gave him three jobs. He is still the New Neighborhoods Manager and the Estimating Manager, but now he is also a Purchasing Agent. Maybe he needs to be more of a slacker so they don't give him anymore work.

I hope he will be able to come home at night because we have become addicted to the game Ticket to Ride. That is why I didn't post this last night. We have played it almost every night since Friday. It may be my driving need to beat him at something. I did win last night but I am scared that it was a little bit of luck so I will have to challenge him again.

I can see

Today was my cleaning day. I did some vacuuming, dusting and door washing. The doors had to be cleaned because Sunday night the girls took a pink highlighter to a couple of them. Of course Macy says Kelsey did it and Kelsey says Macy did it. I am sad to say that it did not come off completely. I used the Magic Eraser and it is definitely lighter but I ruined the high gloss finish. I knew this was a possibility but it was either bright pink doors or white ones.

My big project today was I finally figured out how I am going to clean my blinds. I was able to clean 4 of them pretty easily. I took them down and hung them over the pool fence (If Brian is reading this I did place a towel between the blinds and the fence to protect the finish). I then hosed them off and let them air dry for a bit. As they were drying I started to notice how filthy the windows were. I haven't cleaned them since we moved in and I don't know when the previous owners cleaned them last. Once I got started I didn't stop. It was amazing how clear my view became. I had to remove the screens from the inside and that was when I noticed how bad the inside was. Washing the windows has been on my to do list for a whole year so I went even bigger and cleaned the insides as well. Just looking at those windows makes me smile. Now if I can get up the desire to finish the rest of the blinds in the next week. One small confession, I skipped 2 windows completely. I didn't want to drag the hose to that side of the house and if I wasn't washing the outside why do the inside.

Oh the horror

This is why you wait until all your children have grown up to buy nice furniture. Friday night while the babysitter was over someone unplugged my Bath and Body Works fragrance thing and left it tipped over on my 1 1/2 year old kitchen table. Of course the spill was not found until the next morning after it had done its job of completely removing all stain from the area. After a little anger, 2 tears, a few deep breaths, and a couple of internal reminders that this table is not going to heaven with me and I was calm. I was then able to help Brian get through the same process.

Not sure what to do now, but I am going to put a call into a friend that does woodwork to see the best course of action. Oh why couldn't this have happened to my counters. Then I would have a really good excuse to get new granite countertops.

Macy's Blessing on the Food Tonight

"Heavenly Father, please bless the food that can poop it out. In the name..."

Also after she accidentally swallowed her gum she asked if she can poop it out.

Sorry for the potty humor.