Gratitude

Every year in Al-anon we have one meeting that is called a gratitude hour. You all go around and say 5 things you are grateful for. I think it's a really cool idea and it really helps you remember what you have to be grateful for.

1) I am grateful for my son. He is the most wonderful person I have ever met and he makes me laugh out loud at least once every day. He is so smart and funny and I can't wait to see the little person he becomes.

2) I am grateful for my family's health. No one is sick this year (aside from the normal colds, thank you daycare) and that is truly something to be grateful for.

3) I am grateful that I have a job that I like that allows me to pay my bills and still have a little left over to go out to eat with some great AA and Al-anon friends every Friday night.

4) I am grateful for the program. Without that I'm not sure where my lie would be but it certainly wouldn't be where it is today.

5) I am grateful for my husband's continued sobriety.

So... what are your five things?

Happy Birthday Molly!!

Yesterday was my SIL Molly's birthday. Those who know me well know that I am NOTORIOUS for forgetting these occasions. And even if I do remember it is usually half way through the day, much to late to get any sort of regular birthday card in the mail.

In fact, if you have gotten a card from me chances are you either A) received it late or B) I delivered in in person, there by assuring that I probably picked it up on the way to your house.

But this time... this time I vowed to be different. This time I went out last Tuesday and I bought Molly not one but two ADORABLY cute birthday cards.

See... I have proof...

And where are those wonderful birthday cards you might ask? In the hands of Molly all the way in Alaska where she is smiling just looking at them. Of course not. No, they are somewhere in the back seat of my car waiting to be mailed.

Hey at least I BOUGHT the cards early this time. Next step... getting them in the MAIL....

We love you Molly!! We hope you had a wonderful birthday despite your obvious lack of cards from us slackers here in Iowa. They will be on their way to you before Christmas... I promise!! :-)

The Return of Titus Henry

This morning I opened up my e-mail and was surprised to see an e-mail from my dear friend Titus...

****************
I will arrange with a shipping company to pick it up from your house after you have receive your payment.

Thanks

*******************
I guess he's a slow learner. I won't post here what I replied to him because it was not very polite.

However, I will answer a question that I was asked in the comments section. How is this a scam and how does it benefit them.

If you sell something on Craig's list you will, inevitably, be contacted by a string of scammers. Usually the bigger ticket the item the more scammers. When I sold Jake's jeep we had at least 2 per day. With the treadmill Titus has been my only friend thus far.

Basically what they do is offer to send you a money order. Then they tell you that they need to have the item shipped to their house. They would like you to receive the money order, cash it, and then send the balance to their "shipping company."

This is where the scam comes in. The money orders are fake. Sometimes you will get to the bank and they will tell you right away that it is counterfeit. But sometimes, if you are unlucky, you will get there and they will tell you they are depositing the money into your account. (The money orders are for banks that would not be in your town so you couldn't just go there and cash it)

So let's say your bank doesn't recognize it as being counterfeit. You deposit it into your account and then make a withdrawal for $300. You send that $300 for the "shipping fee" to this company. 10 - 15 days later you notice that the amount of the money order has been withdrawn from your account. At this point you are SOL. The money order was fake and so you are responsible to give the money back to the bank and try to find this person to get reimbursed. (Good luck with that)

In the mean time you are also out the $300 that you sent to that "shipping company" which 99% of the time, luckily, has not showed up to get your stuff. I haven't heard of anyone actually loosing the "shipping" money and their item but you are usually out the shipping money plus any fees you get assessed from the bank for the bad money order or any checks you wrote assuming that money was in your account.

Hopefully that helps and will make sure none of you fall victim to this REALLY popular scam.

My Standard Answer When We Were Selling Jake's Jeep....

Seriously? You don't even know what it is but you want some pictures and to know it's condition? There are pictures and a description of it's condition in the ad.

FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO WITH YOUR TIME. PERHAPS GET A JOB?? NOW THERE'S AN IDEA!!

I will not fall for your scam, I am not stupid.

Oh, and by the way... you also can not send me a cashier's check. I will not cash said check and send you the "extra" money for shipping. I will not send that money to your shipper. Why the hell would anyone want to ship a vehicle anywhere anyway??

Serioulsy...

GET A LIFE!!

Sincerely,

The woman who knows your game and is NOT about to play it....

I Don't Think You're Picking Up What I'm Putting Down....

From: titus henry titus_hnry@yahoo.com
To: Me
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 10:13 AM
Subject: Schwinn 5120.2 Treadmill / Clothes Hanger / Cat Mover - $250

hi, i will like to buy your item. Please, can you let me know the condition of it and how much you want for it.send me pictures of it.

Thanks

*********************
First of all... there are pictures in the ad. Second of all, buy my item? Do you even know what it is you are wanting to buy? But I humor him....

From: Me
Subject: Re: Schwinn 5120.2 Treadmill / Clothes Hanger / Cat Mover - $250
To: titus_hnry@yahoo.com
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2008, 11:45 AM

It is in good condition. I barely used it.

I need for you to pick it up and pay for it in person. I am not willing to ship it.

Thank you,
Heather

*****************************

From: titus henry titus_hnry@yahoo.com
To: Me
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 12:25:53 PM
Subject: Re: Schwinn 5120.2 Treadmill / Clothes Hanger / Cat Mover - $250

Hello, Thanks for your quick response, i am very grateful to read from you. Well I accept your price, but i will like to pay you via a certified check for this item and once you get it clear you ship it to my address.

Thanks---

********************
It is at this point that I loose my patience. I HATE... absolutely HATE scam artists. Which part of this are they missing. Who is still falling for these scams?? Why can't someone stop these people??

From: Me
Subject: Re: Schwinn 5120.2 Treadmill / Clothes Hanger / Cat Mover - $250
To: titus_hnry@yahoo.com
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2008, 12:48 PM

Ok, which part of that second sentence did you miss?

I am NOT willing to ship it.

If you want it... you come and get it and pay me for it when you come.

Heather

For Sale: One very... very... VERY Slightly Used Treadmill

For Sale: One Schwinn 5120.2 Treadmill

Works great as a clothes hanger

Also frequently provided laughs when it was turned on while the cat was lying on it.

Not quite sure of it's status as a treadmill as it was only walked on maybe 20 times in the last 6 years.
I've been told that it has speeds from 1 - 10 although I'm pretty sure I never made it past 3 but I did crank it up this morning just to check and yup... they are there.

It also has an incline from 0 - 10% although really... see above comments.

Make me an offer I can't refuse and get this thing the heck out of my house!!

What to Wear...

Or what not to wear... as the case may be.

On Saturday we have our family pictures. I have a sweater for Zack... that's as far as I've gotten in my clothes picking out. So, I'm asking for your assistance. Please.. help dress our family!! :-)

Outfit #1 - Sweater Khaki Pants

Outfit #2 - Sweater Jeans

Outfit #3 - Sweater - Black Corduroys... kind of faded

After you've picked Zack's outfit... on to the family matching.... (Jake's are on the left and mine are on the right...)

Red Sweater, black sweater....

White Sweater, Black Sweater...

Red Sweater, White Sweater...

A couple more things... to those of you for which this is important... the reds are NOT the same color and there is a gray strip on the arm of Jake's red sweater.

Ok mighty blog readers... DRESS. THIS. FAMILY!!!

Mommy I color you picture

Ok guys, I need you to put your creative thinking hats on. I'm in the process of trying to find my office, as you all know, and I've run into a little snag. I have stuff. Lots and LOTS of stuff from daycare that is Zack's.

They are continually sending home something he has colored, painted, etc. Now obviously I want to keep the important stuff, like the tile I got for Christmas with his foot print on it. But what in the world do I do with the rest. I feel bad just throwing it away, but I can't see keeping ALL of it.

Should I scan it in? Pick my favorite pieces and just keep those? Some combination of the above?

What did you do, your parents do, your friend down the street do? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Dinky??

So this morning I got out of the shower. Dried off, draped my towel around my shoulders and headed upstairs to get dressed. The same as I have done every other day for the last 22 months of my son's life.

However this morning did NOT go as every other day has.

I made it to the kitchen and there he was standing there. He cocks his head to the side and says to me

Dinky?

I know what it appears that he's looking at... but he's only 22 months right?

What buddy?

Dinky?

So I wrap the towel fully around me and lean down to his level.

Dinky go?

What is he saying?

I think he's asking me if I'm stinky?

No.... I think he's asking something else....

He can't be, he's only 22 months.

So I stand up and he pulls my towel back and once again asks me

Where dinky go?

So that confirms it... my 22 month old has now discovered that mommy does not have a pen!s. Let the games begin.

Well, mommy is a girl and girls don't have a dinky. Just boys do like you and daddy.

Why?

Oh, for heaven's sake... I am in way over my head here!! Aren't I supposed to have at least until three to think of a good answer for this??

After I stopped laughing I quickly went upstairs and got dressed then I took the opportunity to teach him the appropriate name for his dinky. (We think he calls it that because we ask him if he is stinky when we change him.)

So, to anyone who's child is going to hang out with mine... that word he may teach them... yeah... so sorry about that!!

After Pictures??

Wait... you were expecting me to actually CLEAN the office?? I was just showing you the pictures of why I avoid it. Cleaning it is an entirely different proposition. :-)

Actually, that is my project for this week. And maybe for the next month... who knows. In the back are BOXES, upon BOXES of pictures and on my hard drive are 2,000 more pictures. I just ordered a digital scrap booking kit and I'm hoping to be able to bring some sort of order to the nightmare that exists there.

The rest of the office. Three years of paperwork on the floor and 4 years in the filing cabinet. I started with 2001. I said to myself. Self... you do not have a business. You do not need to keep these receipts unless you have a business. GET. RID. OF. THEM!!

And slowly... that's what I've been doing. I've made it through 2001 - 2004 and am halfway through 2005. I'm going to keep 2006 & 2007 if for no other reason than I can't bring myself to part with them just yet.

Then that tread mill, the thing in the back that gathers dust and has been used more to turn on and watch the cat fall off the back than it has for actual walking... yeah that needs to go too. It is just taking up space.

Slowly, I'm making progress. When I finish, in 2010, I promise I will post some after pictures!!

WW: My "Office" - AKA: Why I Avoid Going Upstairs

Wordless Wednesday: Balloon

Did you Vote?

This morning we went to our local polling place and puppy did his civic duty and cast his vote!!

(Sorry for the bad picture quality, some nice guy stopped when I was taking Zack's picture and offered to take one of the both of us so I can't argue about quality when he was doing us a favor)

Just remember... no matter who you vote for the important thing is....

.

.

.

Tomorrow the political ads will all be gone and we can get back to our regularly scheduled programing!!!

Mercury or No Mercury

Zack was scheduled to have his flu shot at daycare. We have new health insurance and the prospect of him getting a shot for $25 instead of $125 seemed too good to pass up. Mercury free shots, same as the doctor's office. No need for me to take off work to take him.

Then they called.

Hi, this is the daycare. We wanted to let you know that the traveling doctor we are using said that since it is so late in the season the only flu shots that they have left are the ones with Mercury. Do you still want him to get the shot here?

My first, gut reaction, sure. It is a shot. There is no proven link between Autism and the mercury in flu shots.

Then I started to panic a little. I thought of one choice. One single selfish choice and never being able to talk to my son again and suddenly I couldn't breathe. I called the doctors office. They told me what I already knew. There is no proven link between the Mercury in shots and Autism but if I felt more comfortable they could give him the shot there and their shots were Mercury free.

I told her thank you. I would think about it. And then I thought about it, and how I would never forgive myself if something happened and I could have prevented it. However small and minuscule that chance may be. So I called the doctors office and scheduled his shot and then called the daycare and lied through my teeth because I feel bad telling people no. So I just told them the Doctor's office wanted him to have the Mercury free one. And now, my heart is beating a little slower and the weight is not so heavy on my chest.

Whew...this being a parent and making life altering choices is hard work.

What would you have done?

Cutest Cowboy on the Block

Last Thursday was beggars night here and we took Zack around to all of our friends and family's houses. It was kind of hectic, in the car, out of the car, in the car out of the car.... but he didn't seem to mind as long as there was candy provided at each stop.

I was going to post these on Friday but there was an unfortunate incident with a training class I was supposed to be at but forgot about until 8:30 requiring me to sprint out the door to this class and not allowing me any time to post pictures. :-)