Wierd Dreams

Typically, I have wierd dreams, espeically after consuming dairy products late at night. Well, let the hormonally charged pregnant dreams begin! Last night, my dream began at our income property. In my dream, Extreme Home Makeover was making it over for the tenants. At first I was mad, because nobody told us, but then Ty ( AKA "Spiky Dude") showed up. Every pregnant girl should get to dream about him. He is yummy, artistic, and can design and build a house in 5 days or less. That does something for me......
Later, in the same warped dream, our rental house turned into this old barn in West Winfield, NY. It was still our property, and still being made over. In the end, the Extreme team decided to leave the roof off and the master bedroom was totally exposed to the out doors. I was freaking out, but they were calm and assured me it was fine.
My dream continued and I was washing my car in that old car wash at the Red Barrel in West Winfield. I haven't been there since I was a teen. I didn't have money and when I went insode to get change, I discovered I was pregnant, only in this messed up dream, I didn't know who's baby it was.
Ya know, I usually try to figure out what my dreams mean. I am not going to touch this one! Hopefully, though, I will have more dreams of my Ty.

Girls Night In

We have the junk food, the movies and plans to stay up WAY late. Like maybe 9pm. Miranda is having a friend sleep over tonight, so I did what any cool Mom with sleepover experience would do. First, we stocked up on junk food. We have Chips Ahoy, Jiffy Pop, and Krispy Kremes. Next, it was a run to the movie store for come PG chick flicks. We have Sharks Tale, and Freaky Friday ( don't tell anyone, but I love this movie. I am a little freaked out by Jamie Lee's role in that it hit's a little too close to home. A control freak, Volvo driving, OCD mama. Yikes!).
So, I proceed to pop the Jiffy Pop, and Miranda's friend looks at me and says " Miranda's Mom, don't you have a microwave." Sleep over lesson number one. Pop corn taste better when you shake the crap out of the little aluminum pie plate that blows up like a balloon. It's practically a life skill, being able to make Jiffy Pop. I think I will skip sleep over lesson number 2. Chips Ahoy, when crumbled in a bowl with milk also double as breakfast. Trust me on that one........
I can't believe Miranda is old enough to have sleep overs. I hope I remain the cool mom, providing snacks, just the right movies, and hanging out just long enough so the girls want me around. I can only hope 10 years from now she will want to have her girlfriends over for Friday night movie nights, and that I will remember to get the junk food.
Here's to staying up late, eating junk, and hanging out with girlfriends. Oh yeah, and junk food hang overs. That's sleep over lesson number 3. Make sure you have your tooth brush.

Mama Mia!

I am quite possible too old for this! The last time I was pregnant ( successfully), Clinton was in office. Freinds was "THE" show and the price of gas was .97 cents. Princess Diana had been tragically killed that year, and Titanic was the box office smash ( only never take a hormonal pregnant women to see that film. It took me days to recover). In 1997, I was 26 years old.

Flash forward to 2005, I am 33, will be 34 this summer. Morning sickness everymorning is taking a toll on me. When I was 26, I travelled with a zip lock and didn't think twice of just thrwing up and getting it over with. Now, I don't want to get up because getting up means I will throw up. AND, I am very cranky about having to give up diet coke and coffee. I don't think it bothered me in 1997. I just did it. Without my daily caffeine buzz, I am a mess.

May my additional 31 weeks treat me kindly. I am too old for this! How do those 50 year old actresses you see on TV that crank out babies do it?????? What the hell are they thinking. As it is, this baby will graduate school in 2024. 2024!! I will be, well, OLD! What the hell am I thinking??? I guess it's too late for that question! Mama Mia!

What a Weekend

My weekend actually started on Friday. I don't work at my internship on Friday, and Miranda had a half day. Today Miranda and I had a special mission. We went to the Ronald McDonald House with some goodies. Our Brownie troop was either going to help out the RMH or the ASPCA, since we picked the ASPCA, Miranda has been concerened about the kids at the Ronald McDonald house. We went on their website to see what we could do for them and she wanted to make Valentines for the children and we saw that they collected snack foods for a "comfort food" pantry they keep. On days when kids have treatments, they like them to be able to pick out some comfort foods that remind them of home.
So, off we were with 2 shopping bags boxes of Little Debbie Snack cakes, and Valentines. Since all the rooms at the house were full of families ( 16 in all), Mirnada got to deliver her cards ( she had candy, too) and meet some of the people that were staying there. We saw the video about the house, and had the tour. What a neat, magical house. For all of the pain it must have seen in the past, it still seems so conforting, welcoming, and almost like a haven from the hospitals and the treatments. The rooms were like doll house rooms, made into real sizes. They were decorated with so much thought.
We decided we would like to go back and cook dinner some night. They have families and groups come in and cook so the families that stay there don't have to worry about cooking. I can't wait to go back. I am so touched that Miranda wanted to think about others, in their time of need. If I can raise her to be compassionate and empathetic, what a great addition to the world she will be. I love you Miranda. May your heart always be pure and beautiful and filled with love for other people.

It's Tax Time Baby!

Normally, I am not quite so giddy about tax time. I am the family's pseudo accountant. I do the prep work and then give everything to our accountant. We own 2 rental properties and it's no longer as simple as a 1040. There are multiple tax forms, but, I am the queen or deductions. Our rental properties have some awesome deductions like home lones and property taxes. Of course we have the child deduction, but this year, we have 2 other surprises up our sleeve. I donated my car to charity this year. My beloved 1994 Saturn, paid off years ago, dependable as hell, never broke down. I donated it to a program called Wheels for Work, in my city. They give it a good tune up, new tires, and give it to a family that could benefit from having, well, wheels! Somewhere, right now, my car is having a nice afterlife. That's priceless, but I also get the Kelly Blue Book value, $1350.00! Ca-Ching!
The second tax time surprise this year was the medical deductible. My husband had a long year of trying to get diagnosed. There were family docs, specialists, neurologists, perscritions, co-pays, deductibles, etc....We racked up $6500.00 in medical bills. For the first year ever we have qualified for that deduction.
So, after totaling the receipts, patting myself on the back for being a money honey and keeping ahead of tax laws ( ok, and having a good accountant), I have smiles alllllllll weekend! I do believe both the Feds and the state owe me a sizeable amount of cash. I'll take that in large, please!