Welcome back to the insanity

I am still here

2009-04-01T08:13:00.001-07:00

Sorry to have disappeared. Life has taken over again for a bit. I have finished 8 credit hours worth of work and almost complete with another 13. I am getting there. I plan to finish my degree by this time next year, 2 years ahead of schedule. I am crazy and ambitious, but I am doing it.

So, this is what I have going on: marketing presentation is done (2). Business law exam is done (6). My proctor came down with a flu that is going around so my Marketing exam has to be rescheduled. 2 weeks or so and those 6 credit hours will be complete. I have essays coming out in my Leadership class, hoping to have that 4 credit hour class done by next Friday. Then I am left with my communications class. Those 3 credit hours will hopefully be done by 4/13 so I can pick up more classes.

The revolutionary thing about Western Governor's University is that I go at my own pace. Do the assignments and move on. It is perfect for me. I get bored easy and frequently distracted. This way, I get the excitement of new classes every few weeks.

So, yeah, I promise to pop in more than once a month but I am swamped so daily may not happen.

Tuesday's green cleaning!

2009-03-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

well, this isn't so much cleaning as it is household organization and storage. Ever get sick of awkward plastic wrap? How about looking in vain for a lid to a container? Weeeeeeeeell...my friend Abby has a solution! FOILERS! I love them to cover the half bowls of yogurt my kids don't finish or my lasagna pans or a casserole or any container that got put away without a lid attached (OK, so all my containers, lol). Check out Abby's instock items. You won't be disappointed!

Monday: school report

2009-03-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

We're actually going to be enrolling Ben in public school shortly. In re-evaluating what is important, this kind of fell off my radar. I'm not sure if I am going to start him yet this year or wait until the fall.

I'm back!

2009-03-09T09:01:00.001-07:00

Hi world! Its been a crazy few months. Computer problems and life problems. But I am back and will start following the schedule today. I did start back to school today also and I have a crazy, crazy goal of 31 credit hours this semester. Its not as much as it sounds. My school works much different than most. It is still a helluva lot. Anyhow, look to hear about my insanity again!

Evening update

2009-01-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

Last paper is still a very slow work in progress. I will buckle down and finish it tomorrow.

I got feedback on 2 more today. 3.85 and 3.95. I feel smart for the first time in a long time :)

Another update and discovery the undiscovered

2009-01-12T05:22:00.000-08:00

OK, first the update. I should finish the last paper tonight. Tomorrow, I should be back on schedule. I'm still waiting on feedback from the last two law papers and the first ethics paper. Should hear something today about the law stuff and early this week on the Ethics work.

Now, for undiscovered talent. Her name is Melanie fudge and she is AWESOME! Take a listen.

quick update

2009-01-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Paper 4 is done. Waiting on my proof reader, then I will turn it in. I'll do number 5 tonight and tomorrow then I'll have 3 exams to take during Feb and I'm done.

Catching up

2009-01-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

I have been bit by the homework bug. I apologize but I have work coming out my ears. I'm 3 papers down, 2 more to go. I have feedback on 1. 3.8/4.0 so pretty good :) Waiting for feedback on the other two. Should hear something by Monday. I will finish the other two hopefully this weekend. After that, I will get back on schedule. Bear with me,

My bad...

2009-01-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

So, I already screwed up the schedule. OOOOPS! Yesterday should have been what's happening with school here. Today should have been green cleaning. I blame my nonworking brain from these papers (which are coming. I am finally making good progress). So, lets switch it and reverse it this week.

Since we finished 1st grade just before Christmas, we are taking it easy in January. We still have some history to cover (Ancient times are SO fun but its so easy to go on a tangent and stay in Ancient Greece or Ancient China for WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too long!) and we are doing a ton of reading. But, the best part of this week is a Christmas present we got. Admittedly, the wicked witch of the west sent it (AKA, my Mother In Law) but its a HUGE box of art supplies. I love a brand new box of crayolas! She sent a big bag of these things called nuudles. They are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Somehow, they make them from corn starch. you moisten them and they stick together. Its so much fun. This week is lots of art!

Green Cleaning tip: Vinegar

2009-01-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

Short post today, still up to my eyeballs in school work :)

Vinegar has got to be the most versitile cleaning supply I use. I use it on my windows and mirrors, counter tops, in mop water, add it to the rinse cycle in my diapers for extra softness and many, many other things. Here is a good link with a lot of uses: http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/homemaking/vinegar.html

Have fun :)

I am thankful for...

2009-01-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

To all my friends out there, I have a little gift. I stumbled across this on someone's blog and I thought it suited all of you (especially you, Rae and you too Kimmy.)

Typically, this will be a list of things I am thankful for. Today, I have one major gratitude. This is going to be a short post because I have 5 papers to write...by the 15th. I know, I should have started sooner. I'll get there, in time :)

I am thankful for my amazing online friends. Melissa, Ryan, Mikey, Rae, Krausie, Kim, Jaw and others. You guys know who you are. I don't express it enough. Having you guys to make me giggle when I need it is priceless. Being able to let my hair down and just be me is so special. That is something I have never had before. I love that you don't care how much I weigh or how I look, you just love me. I love that you know I have faults and you don't care.

I often act tough to keep people out. I am so glad you saw through that. Thank you for all of the times that you have been there to help me crash with style. Thank you for wading through the gibberish when my thoughts move faster than my hands and I'm missing every third word. Thank you for being patient with me when I'm snappy and grouchy. Thank you for understanding when I am short with you.

And I don't want to forget my blogging buddies. Thank you for putting up with my disappearing acts and coming back again, and again, and again. Especially, thanks to my dad who gave me a really cool award today.

And, I especially want to say thank you to Suzanne. I know she isn't reading this because she left this world on Christmas Eve. She was a very special blogger to me, made me feel welcome and always had very kind words to say when I needed them most. As one said, when it rains the liquid from the sky will forever remind me of my liquid. I loved you Suzanne. I hope you knew that. The fact that you have my daddy's feathers with you brings me much peace. Thank you for being my friend!

If you read this and you consider me a friend, please throw a comment me way :) They are moderated but I will get to them soon!

Saturday update

2009-01-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

My area of the assylum is quiet today. After a week of the flu, I am now well on my way to recovery. I am still exhausted and sore but I'm getting there. I am also hitting crunch time. I have 5 essays due by the 15th of January. So, I am crazy busy.

The kids are doing great. Growing like really bad weeds. Silas will be 2 on the 25th. He's had a rough winter, spent most of it in a cast on his leg. The cast should be removed in the next week and all will be well. Makenna is just loving preschool. And, Ben, well what can I say. He's my spunky, funny creative waaaaay too smart for his own good kid. We have actually finished the first grade work and we will be starting second grade math shortly. For the rest of his subjects, we will be spending time doing some extra projects, fun reading etc.

Life here has a lot of bumps and I'll probably go crazy in the process but we are making it work together :).

More On Beauty

2009-01-02T18:40:00.000-08:00

I am having a very positive day today. My beast is stuffed where she should be, down deep where she can't whisper uglies at me. I am wearing sweats, I never did manage make-up today but I feel amazing. Right now, I feel beautiful and smart, ready to take on the world.

Society doesn't want me to feel that way. They want to sell me the next fad diet, the next big make-up product, hair care item or acne medicine. They want me to fit a label, a definition. I don't need any of that. Emma, the girl inside me, needs to feel loved. She needs to feel smart and empowered.

Sometimes she feels like this:

Other times its more like this:

I want to be told I am gorgeous but I want to not need other people's opinions. I want to be powerful but I want to have safe places to fall apart. I want to be beautiful but I'll decide what that beauty is. Mostly, I want to define me. Not society.

Friday Free For all- Beauty Within

2009-01-02T06:35:00.000-08:00

These videos speak volumes to me on my bad days. When I am fighting the beast, I have been known to watch these over and over and over. It reminds me that real beauty is not what we see in movies and on TV, that's make-up and airbrush. Beauty is everyday people with their flaws. Beauty is whats within.

It reminds me that my outer shell is not me. Emma is not defined by that. I am defined by the person inside me. I'm still working on figuring out who she is but I know she is beautiful. If society doesn't see that, it isn't my fault.

My hope is all the little girls who are out there, headed down the road I travel, would stop and see that freckles and pimples and bad hair are part of you. I would hope that, before it is ingrained in them, they could see that people come in all shapes and sizes. I would hope that they could know that they are beautiful regardless.

I leave you today with a video that is my mantra of late. Now and then, I get insecure from all the pain, I'm so ashamed but I am beautiful, no matter what say. Words can't bring me down! I am beautiful in every single way, words can't bring me down. So Don't you bring me down today.

Discovering Your Boundaries

2009-01-01T11:03:00.000-08:00

OK, this week my take on this: Boundaries

Boundaries between couples. My husband and I don't have many. The only hang-up I personally have is people seeing me get sick. But, of course, everyone has their own things. I think the most important thing to making a relationship work is to respect each other and the boundaries that the other person sets. :)

Stock Pot Soup

2008-12-31T11:52:00.000-08:00

This is Wednesday so to follow my own schedule, I am doing a dinner on a budget. So, we will do stock pot Soup.

1 soup bone $4.00
1 cup barley $0.80
5 medium potatoes $1.20
1 medium carrot $0.09
1 large can whole tomatoes $0.75
1 46 ounce bottle tomato or vegetable juice $1.46
left over vegetables (peas, green beans, carrots, etc) free :) or used cans at 30-40 cents each

peel and cut the potato and carrots into combine everything but the barley and the juice in a large stock pot (or 6 qt crock pot) add water to cover and simmer for several hours. 1 hour before serving, add the barley and enough juice to bring the soup back to the original volume. Serve with bread and butter (around 1.00 depending)

So our grand total for this meal is: 9.28 if left over veggies are used. If you use 5 cans at 30 cents each, your new total is 10.78. Not too bad for a pot of soup with enough left overs for at least one more meal :)

Daily schedule

2008-12-31T11:33:00.000-08:00

Monday: School report. Some new activity the kids and I plan to try during the coming week or tried during the previous week, complete with instructions.

Tuesday: Green Cleaning tips. An idea or tip I've gotten to keep your home clean and the planet safe.

Wednesday: Dinner on a budget. I will post a complete, healthy meal for a family of 5 for less than 15 dollars.

Thursday: In the News. My thoughts on some probably obscure news story.

Friday: free for all. Anything goes.

Saturday: a weekly update from the insane assylum

Sunday: I am thankful for. Reminding myself why I am thankful helps me stay joyful.

Resolutions

2008-12-31T11:23:00.000-08:00

This year:

I will deal and slay "my beast" once and for all.
I will post and follow the daily schedule for this blog.
I will spend more time enjoying simple activities with my kids.

Not too hard, eh??

Insanity defined

2008-12-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

Take one stay at home housewife, who is anything but typical and mix it with a biker dude complete with a pony tail and leather jacket. Then sprinkle on three kids, all with unique needs. Season it with a small obsession with the condition of the planet. to that, kneed in all the love in the world, and more fun than you can measure and thats us. Insanity!!!

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAACK!

2008-12-29T14:52:00.001-08:00

This is Martha. From Welcome to my Crazy life fame? Remember me? Some know as Wixy's daughter, some know me as Emma or Whips, still others might be fresh. I'll get a basic who are we out there but I have made a lot of changes in the last bit and the old blog just didn't fit anymore. So its gone, but I am not. I'm back and I'm better than ever. Lets party!!

Some changes:
I'm going to follow a weekly schedule. I'll give you more info later.
Comments will be moderated. Forever. Sorry.
Pictures of my kids will be kept to another, private blog.

More will come in the near future. For now, enjoy our insanity.