Happy Halloween!

I'll post some cute pictures of my little ghost (I mean, zombie ghost robot--whatever that is) and my little cheetah soon. It is supposed to rain tonight, though, which is disappointing. I'm sure we'll still get some candy somehow!!

My Worst Nightmare!

I hate bats! I can not even imagine being anywhere near this town! It is a town of 17,000 people, and the man said there were millions of bats in this town-he estimated 10,000 bats in just one attic! Whoa! He also said he once found a layer of bat shit EIGHT inches deep!

AND, it is illegal to kill them-up to $1,000 fine and a year in jail for each one!

Now, I NEVER intend to to anywhere near this town, ever. However, we're driving to Texas next month. PLEASE tell me that Americus, Georgia is nowhere near the route to get there. Otherwise, sorry, Amanda, you'll have to find another bridesmaid. I can't make it...

I Have a New Blog!

My wonderful friend Anna (from England from Australia) is also giving biphasic sleeping a try. She invited me to post my experiences with her on our new blog: Biphasic Sleeping. In theory, it'll be updated often, since we both have all this new "free time." In reality...we'll see! When I lived in Australia, we did do a project together and it worked out quite well. We made a video of the area with her dad's camcorder. Of course, I can't find the movie, so you just have to trust me that it was a good little project... I didn't even get to transfer it over to the American version of the video-I have no idea what happened to it. This is a bad example of how well we work together... Alas, have a look at our new blog and enjoy!

My Dilemma

Josh and I used to go to the gym everyday. Then I got pregnant with Night...4 years ago. Then we started going to the YMCA, but Keira at 5 months old wasn't very comfortable with strangers (they have a daycare at the Y). I think Keira would be better now (I hope), but I can't decide whether or not we should join the Y again. I love spending that time with (kind of with) Josh. The problem is that the day care is only open limited hours, so if we want to go to the Y during the week, it has to be straight after work. If we get there at 5:30 and stay until 7:30, I will only have about an hour, maybe 2 hours a day with my baby because she goes to bed around 8:30.
The thought of missing out on spending time with her like that (Night stays up until 11ish) makes me so sad! I think I do a pretty good job of balancing work and home, spending plenty of quality time with the kids, but if we commit to the Y, there goes quality time!
I want to be a good example for my children, being fit and healthy for them, but I don't know how to fit it all in! I also feel like I'm robbing Josh because he doesn't have anytime to exercise unless we go to the Y.
I just don't know what to do!

I'm Scared...

I bought an eyebrow waxing kit, oh about 4 months ago. I can't bring myself to do it! I've even been to the salon since buying it. I went to the salon this afternoon (a walk-in, no appointment) and after waiting for 1/2 hour, the stylist informed me that she didn't know how to do waxing and there wasn't anyone around who could. Thanks. By that time, it was after 5:00 (I was at the mall, on Sunday), so I couldn't really go anywhere else to get my eyebrows done tonight.
My eyebrows are horrible. I go through phases where I don't even seem to notice them; then I can't stop noticing them. I'm in the later phase at the moment, so it is driving me crazy that they are BUSHES.
So, as the house is quiet, and I have the time, I decide to do it. I gather all the stuff, even get a mirror so I don't have to go in the bathroom-comfort is important, right? I sit down on the couch, just to read the directions... That's as far as I got. What if I fuck up? I'm going to be in a wedding in a few weeks. I can't really ruin all her pictures with my weird eyebrow sculpture-or worse yet-ruining it so much that I have to draw them in-completely.
I'm just scared. I guess I'll have to run out after work tomorrow or on my lunch break. What a waste of money. I'm too much of a pussy to wax my own eyebrows. In fact, I'd be more inclined to cut my own hair (which I'm not very inclined to do at all) than to wax my own eyebrows. Heck, if the lady at the salon can't do it, what makes me think I can??

I'm Back!

It is so nice to be back to normal! I haven't been able to do my biphasic sleeping very well because I had houseguests staying in both the living room and the den. Our house is small, so it made leaving the bedroom during my awake time very difficult!
Now, biphasic sleeping has been wonderful, and I am getting used to getting up in the middle of the night and really enjoy the benefits; however, it is extremely difficult to wake up for any period of time without getting out of bed. Also, Keira decided that having houseguests meant that she needed to scream in the middle of the night at weird times-just to keep us on our toes! So, that also made getting the right amount of sleep time difficult.
So, tonight is my first night really back to biphasic sleeping. I kind of dabbled when everyone was here, but now I'm on my serious schedule. It was very difficult to wake up be polite when my nap was over tonight. I didn't have much trouble getting out of bed, and I started doing things right away; but, when Josh talked to me, I felt like biting his head off. He sounded chipper, and that wasn't working for me at the time!
I'm doing better now, but he's in bed so it doesn't really matter. The animals don't care if I'm polite to them!
Now that the time change has taken place and I won't have any interruptions, I think I'm going to try sleeping just 3 hours for my 2nd phase of sleeping. I think this is a benefit because it gives me even more time awake (duh), but it also makes my time in between sleeps feel less rushed. Many times before, I would feel like I just woke up, only to have to go back to sleep and then I wouldn't have much time after my 2nd sleep to do much other than get ready for work. This way I will have more time after both sleeps!
My main concern is that once I decide I'm going to sleep for 3 hours rather than 4 1/2, I can't change my mind as I will need to get ready for work. If I stay up any later than 2am, I won't be able to sleep any longer than 3 hours and keep to a sleep cycle. Maybe it is better that way-no turning back when the alarm goes off; I just hope my mind doesn't decide I need more sleep and turns off the alarm!
Here goes nothing! I'm feeling pretty good right now!

Oh, to answer Connie's question as to what made me decide to start biphasic sleeping, I was tired of being tired all of the time. I felt exhausted pretty much all day-there would be a few hours where I felt pretty good, but it was usually when I was at work, which is really a waste... I wanted to be awake for my kids. I feel like I work too much anyway, then when I was home, I was either sleeping or might as well have been. I did some google searches about sleeping, and this is what I came up with! It is an experiment that has seemed to work pretty well for me!

Why?

My mom and her best friend and her friend's husband (who is also her friend, I guess!) are visiting right now. I am just wondering something. Let me preface it by saying I don't mind it or even think it is unusual, I just wonder why... Why do older people refer to themselves as "Grandpa ..." or "Grandma ..." to little children who are not their grandchildren? Night was calling them Max and Eileen then they told him to call them Grandpa Max and Grandma K (referring to her last name). I understand it is a term of endearment, but why should my son have that endearment to these people that he more than likely won't see again, definetly not within the next year or so? He just met them this week! Shouldn't that be earned? Isn't that what makes it endearing? What is it that compells people to do that?
Personally, I think that you should only refer to your own grandparents as grandparents, unless it is someone special. For instance, my host parents (from Australia) are not technically Night and Keira's grandparents, but they are very special to me and I think of them as my parents of sorts; therefore, it is okay (better than ok!) for him to call them his Granny and Pop. That one makes sense to me.
What do you think?

Works For Me Wednesday

I have been experimenting with biphasic sleeping for the past few weeks, and it is really working for me! The idea is to take a nap sometime during the day then sleep for less time at night. It is based on making sure you complete a sleep cycle during the rest period so that you feel fully rested. Glen Rhodes has some interesting things to say about it!
I have been sleeping for 1 1/2 hours at my nap (10pm*) then 4 1/2 or 6 at "night," which is around 1am. I am leaning towards the 4 1/2 more than the 6 because being awake gives me more time to get things done around the house, letting me spend more time with my family. It also gives me time to be alone with Josh and just plain alone. I have actually had more energy during the day since I've started my experiment.
You can read my blog for more of my thoughts on it. If you google "biphasic sleeping," there is a lot of information out there. Another approach is polyphasic sleeping, where you sleep many times throughout the day, half an hour at a time. It doesn't seem practical for me, though.
I had been feeling run down and tired (for years, it seems), and by sleeping less and making sure my sleep is more quality sleep, I feel a ton better. I recommend trying it if it fits into your schedule.


*I chose 10pm because it gives me the most time with my children after work. My daughter goes to bed around 8:30 and my son doesn't go to bed until 11pm (stay at home husband is a night owl). By going to bed at 10:00, I can sleep until just after Night goes to bed so I don't disrupt their bedtime routine, but I also maximize my time with both kids. It'd be more ideal to take my nap around 6:00pm so my time awake would be better spaced, but then I wouldn't be able to see Keira.

This is what works for me! Check out Shannon's blog for more works for me wednesday ideas!

The Rash is Power

She took a step!!! It was only one, but it was a very nice one. She has been standing up and sitting down for a couple of weeks now, but she just couldn't get her little legs to move without flopping down. She did it today. She's brilliant.
Hope the rash is okay, though.

Keira has a Rash

There are red splotchy dots on my baby's leg. She isn't scratching them; they don't seem to be irritating her; she doesn't have a fever. I'm fighting myself. I want to rush her to the hospital. How do I know it isn't one of those freak rashes that is spreading infection or something? I want to take her to the ER and have them fix her.
I'm not taking her...yet.

I Hate Small Talk

Tomorrow we are having an open house at the dentist's office. It is his seventh year in practice here. (about the 40th in practice, just 7th here) I am soooo not looking forward to it. All these people that I don't know-coming in just to chat. I don't mind doing all the planning and ordering food and whatnot, but I don't like having to make small talk.
I am the only assistant in this office. Chances are, if people from other offices come, they will be with their friends. They don't need me here to talk to them, and patients? Why would you go to an open house at your dentist's office anyway?
I just feel really uncomfortable when I'm expected to lead small talk. I can't do it and I don't like it. I'm dreading it, and the dentist is getting all worked up over little details that he previously acted like were not a big deal. It just annoys me.
Don't come to our open house. I don't know how to talk to you in that setting...

religious-erotic obsession with horses...what?

Harry Potter is going nude. He is trying to change his image. I can understand why he's trying to change his image, but personally, I'd just take the money and retire. Who cares if everyone thinks you are Harry Potter for the rest of your life. You are rich-you can do whatever you want. Besides, there are worse things than being thought of as a wizard!

Exciting (but not the good kind of exciting)

I feel like I'm a CSI! Okay, not really. Okay, not even close, but here's the story.
I was working at the front desk at the dentist' s office this morning and I got a call...
"This is ..... with the Nashville Medical Examiner's office. We have a gentleman that was found decomposing in his home, and we are looking for his dental records to be able to positively identify him."
Whoa.
"His name is... Do you have any dental records for this man?"
"Can you hold please while I look for that information?"
HOLY CRAP. Oh. No. Don't see the name.
"Thank you for holding. No, .... was not a patient here. I'm sorry I couldn't help."
"Thank you for looking. Have a good day."
"Thank you. You too."

weird. Now I'm not going to get this picture of a decomposing guy out of my head. Yuck. It would've been cool if I could've found the records, though.

Celebrity Sitings

The little restaurant that I work in has been known to be host to a few celebrities, probably because it is usually quiet there. Every Saturday, Ralph (someone famous-I just don't remember who-I think he's on the radio or something. He's old), Ray Stevens, and Goober from The Andy Griffith Show all take up table number 5. They always have Linda as their waitress, and she spoils them with all their special orders; but pretty much other than that, she doesn't pay too much attention to them. Sometimes we make them feel special by having them sign autographs for our friends or something. They like that-they are old and not too many people recognize them.
I've waited on Reece Witherspoon and her husband Ryan Phillippe, which was a lot of fun. They were nice and quite quiet. He's a small guy. Faith and the family have been known to come in. We've seen Leann Rhymes a few times as well as Julie Roberts. I can't leave out Lisa Hartman Black either. Okay, her mom is the one that comes in every week, but Lisa Hartman has been in before too. She is also very tiny.
By far, my favorite (other than Reece, but she's not a regular) famous person to come in would have to be Keith Urban, mainly because he is Australian... He hasn't ever brought Nicole in, and his visits have been less frequent in the past few months. I just like when he comes in because I talk to his mum about Oz when she comes with him, and I like his accent. He has very white teeth. Anyway, Keith came into the restaurant on Wednesday. I don't work there during the week, so I missed it, but the manager told me he was there-the day before he checked himself into rehab... Must've been some pretty strong eggs we served! I told Josh this story and he said, "Wait. Isn't he Australian? It must've been a lot of alcohol!" You see, Aussies like their amber fluid! Of course, this is just a stereotype. Aussies drink a lot and yankees (all americans) all carry guns-everywhere. Can't say I know which stereotype is closer to reality...

Living with a Three Year Old Boy

Connor Night can be so entertaining!
Yesterday, he pointed to my "girly" lotions and asked me if those things make girls turn into zombies.
where did that come from???


He was eating his "Scooby Snacks" last night (that's how I lured him out of the bathtub), and he brought me a cracker. "Here's a cracker for you. I licked it a little bit. Do you want to lick it too?"
yummy


As I'm wiping urine off the bathroom wall beside the toilet, I'm wondering why I thought a potty-trained boy would be better than a diapered boy. At least the diaper keeps everything contained. As it is now, we never know what we'll find when we go into the bathroom. He is very much potty trained, so that is a bonus (I guess...), but he's not so great at aiming yet. And when he poops, he goes in the little potty instead of the big one. This isn't as bad as it could be because he then dumps the contents into the big toilet for us and puts the little one into the bathtub so we can clean it out for him, all without prompting (usually). The problem is that he doesn't always tell us when he goes---what a surprise when you try to quickly hop into the shower when you are late for work! I'm not complaining, this is a better system than when he just left it in the potty and didn't tell us about it!!
I feel like we should put up caution tape in the doorway!

freelance

Josh is making a movie. Here is the preview. What do you think?

Squeezing My Babies

It is stories like this that make me want to hug my two babies tight and never let them go. First of all, the BABY was taken away because of neglect. The baby is only 9 months old and was already taken away? Then during a supervised visit, the person supervising them gets beaten TO DEATH.
This baby doesn't have a chance of being civilized if they don't find him and get him away from those parents. How could anyone be so horrible? I just hope they don't treat the baby like they did the supervisor!

Other CNN headlines:
Kids Learning How to Protect Themselves from Gunmen at School
Canadians Run Into a MaryJane Problem

Another Sleeping Update

Well, last time I wrote I said I was going to try taking my nap earlier... I haven't been doing so well at getting up from my nap. The first night, I had set the alarm wrong and it didn't go off. Josh came in to wake me up. I vaguely remember him telling me something about the alarm then asking if I was ready to get up. Nope. So, I slept all night. I had told him to set the alarm for 4 1/2 hours later and it'd be like I got up for my nap but didn't. I reset that alarm about 10 times, just like I did before I started my biphasic sleeping. I was fairly tired all day-not horrible, though. I really missed having that time, though!
Then last night, I was just really tired. I got up from my nap, for oh, about 15 minutes. Then Josh was just getting into bed when my alarm went off to get up, and I couldn't resist the cuddling, so I reset it and hit snooze a bunch, just like in the old days. I did, however, get up by 6:30, which gave me enough time to do pilates. Before biphasic sleeping, 6:30 was an excellent wake up time. Today, though, it didn't feel good. I missed so much of that free time; and I feel a little tired.
Tonight I'm going to go to bed by 9:30 and get up an hour and a half later. I WILL NOT let myself just go back to sleep. I need to do something active shortly after waking up; otherwise, I am too groggy to do anything. I heard myself telling this to myself last night on my way back to the bed, maybe it'll work tonight... I AM going to sleep for either 3 or 4 1/2 hours and then get up for the day.
I like what biphasic sleeping does for me, I just have problems convincing myself at the point of waking up; after that I'm fine. In fact, I'm usually better than fine. I just have to remember that when I wake up!

Watch Out for the Corn Flies

We are decorating for Halloween/Autumn/Fall at work. The Dr. brought a bag out of storage. The bag had a maize/corn stalk thing in it. He goes to show me what it is so I'll know where to put it, and the whole bag is full of LIVE flies. The bag has been in storage for a YEAR. A YEAR with no air, food, or water. How are they alive? I figure they had been eggs or something, but if you live in the Franklin area, be careful-he let the flies out of the bag, and these suckers have got to be virile! He was going to try to autoclave them (how we steam-sterilize our instruments) but he decided that it'd be too cruel. I say fry the suckers, but what do I know?

Camera Cozy

camera cozy
Originally uploaded by mari_ickes.

Look what Josh made for me!!! He knitted this little bag thing for my camera. I like to take my camera with me in my purse, but I was afraid it'd get scratched up, so I've been putting it in a sock. (a clean one!)
Josh picked out the yarn and everything. Isn't it wonderful?!

Sleeping Update

I am really enjoying this biphasic sleeping; I feel so much more rested, which is really my reasoning for trying it. I have noticed that it takes longer for me to get up (be ready to function) from my first nap than my second. I also noticed that when I wake up from my first nap, I am STARVING. It doesn't matter if I eat before I lay down (for just 90 minutes), but when I get up, I want lots of food. I'm not the same way after my second (3hours or 4 1/2hours, depending on the day/my mood) nap. I can go for hours without eating. I am usually more productive after my second nap.
I think I might tweak it a little and go to bed the first time a little earlier. I picked 10pm because it gives me the most time with the kids before they go to bed. Keira is usually down around 8:30-9:00pm, but Night doesn't go to bed until around 11:00pm. He and Josh tuck me in for my nap. It is really cute!
Due to the fact that it takes me so long to wake up at 11:30, I don't have a very long time between my first nap and my second one at 1:00, so if I move my nap to around 9:00 or even 9:30, maybe I will feel better when I get up. We'll see. The major problem with that is I have to work Monday night until around 9:00, so the day after my experiment begins, I'll be changing it! Maybe I'll wait until Tuesday!

I've Changed My Mind

** warning-this is a long rant about working at the restaurant. you may want to skip it. **

Old people are NOT cute.
Even though I am working on my book (not really, but I should), I really do like being a waitress. I enjoy the people I work with, I enjoy interacting with the people, and I enjoy taking cash home rather than having to wait for a paycheck. However, some things really get on my nerves!
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people argue with me or complain to me about price. First of all, how rude! Second of all, I DON'T MAKE THE PRICES! Third (and final, even though I could go on and on), you have a menu in front of you, if you don't like the price, don't order it. Besides, if you argue with me over a couple of dollars, I know what my tip will be-despite the fact that I've wasted my time giving you extra attention over something STUPID. (like how I got in a fourth point?)

I work at a breakfast/brunch place in an upscale (well, the people like to think of themselves as upscale) neighborhood. There are A LOT of older people who come in as well as a lot of families on the weekends. One older couple really got under my skin yesterday morning, and seeing as I am going to be going back into the restaurant today, I really need to use Anna's idea of therapy and blog it out!

I was really busy at the time, so I didn't get the couple drinks before they ordered. I think this is more efficient anyway-why do people think they need a sip of coke before ordering? (can you tell I'm in the mood to go on a tirade?) Anyway, I get to their table and greet them. I'm very nice. She's cordial. Fine. Then she tells me what she wants to eat (it is called a Dawn Breaker-a scrambled egg thing, really yummy) and then asks me what she can get instead of the potatoes (like hashbrowns, kind of)...(I start to point in the menu)...without paying extra. I simply, but politely, say, "Nothing." She says, "Well, this is what I'm going to do. I don't want any potatoes. Instead I want rye toast and wheat toast." I politely (I'm a very nice person) say, "Well, I will have to charge you for the second order (Didn't we just go over this?) unless you just want one piece of each." Still not catching on (or just trying to trick me because she is mean and old), she says, "No, I'm exchanging the potatoes for toast." Me: "Well, you can't-unless you want to get charged." Her: "I'll just take one slice of each, and I want coffee." Great. I look at her husband and he rudely says, "WHAT'S SO MAGICAL ABOUT THOSE POTATOES ANYWAY??" I wish I could do the voice for you so you could truly experience my annoyances. I just politely say, "I don't know. They are pretty good." Then the woman starts mumbling about how nobody likes the potatoes anyway and the restaurant is just trying to get more money... I let it slide; didn't even comment, even though I could have: a lot of people DO like the potatoes and they are really cheap to make, so if you want, say a bowl of fruit instead of the cheap potatoes, you really should have to pay for them.
Then the old man, who is yet to order, asks me AGAIN about getting something without paying extra. He wanted an eggs benedict. Then he said, "Instead of the potatoes, I want extra apples (gross apples that come with the "benny"), AND I'M NOT PAYING FOR THEM." *whoa* Still politely, I say, "Well, I'll try, but I don't make the rules! (stupid old cheap bastard)" Then he procedes to tell me that he is going to share his wife's coffee and he wants his own cup. We bring a carafe of coffee to the table, but we charge by the cup/calling it a never ending cup, so really, we charge by the person. It is not a new concept. I started to tell him he'd have to pay for it, but he just stared me down, daring me to charge him. So I did. I didn't discuss it with him-why should I be discussing prices? They are in your menu.
Then I went back into the kitchen to put in their order for cheap food (not even charging him for his damn apples, which should've been $1.50). I get their carafe of coffee and TWO mugs and walk out to the dining room. They are both turned around looking into the walkway of the kitchen. I take them the drink. "Well, (exaggerated sigh) we WONDERED when you were going to bring the coffee." "Well, (persnickety sigh) I was putting YOUR order into the kitchen. I thought you'd want to eat." And I walked away.
I wasn't rude to them, but I wasn't the friendly server that I usually am. And I am a good server... I took them food, checked on them, even brought them extra coffee that they were SHARING. I then waited until they were more than finished to drop off the check that had that extra $1.95 for coffee on it. I dropped it and didn't look back, until they were gone. I watched the register when they were paying, but they didn't mention the coffee. They'll probably never come back due to that $1.95, which is fine with me.

Thursday night, I had the most difficult time waking up from my nap. I just didn't want to do it! It took at least half an hour for me to fully wake up and function. Then, I didn't want to go to sleep! I decided to try cutting back and getting 1 1/2 hours sleep at my nap then 3 rather than 4 1/2 for the second sleep. It turned out that I got less than 3 really because I went to bed after 3, but I still wanted to get up at 6:00. I was fine all day, until around 6:00pm. I was DEAD TIRED then. I wanted to sleep, but we were out shopping until around 10. I fell into bed as soon as possible last night (10ish?)
I didn't have too much trouble getting up from my nap last night, but I didn't do anything after I woke up. I ended up going back to sleep about an hour after I woke up. I planned on getting 4 1/2 hours sleep, but Keira was pretty fussy, so I didn't really have the quality sleep that I've been having. I feel very groggy, and I've been awake for nearly an hour; usually by this time I'm wide awake and don't feel tired again until night time. I haven't done anything physical yet today, which may make a difference. The past few days after waking up, I try to do something physical (cleaning, walking dog, just moving around rather than sitting) which seems to make a difference. Even though I knew that I should get up and do something when I woke up from my nap last night, I couldn't bring myself to do anything!
I'm hoping that once I get up and moving, today will be as good as the rest of my biphasic sleeping days have been! I'll let you know.

Night Cooking Muffins

Thanks to Mary Ann at Two Many Cooks in the Kitchen, we made bran muffins tonight! Josh likes the ones from Harris Teeter, but they cost $3.59 for 4 of them, and unless they are BOGO, I never buy them. We are going to try this one out. It is a much better deal, and it makes A LOT. They are in the oven right now.

Night Cooking Muffins
Originally uploaded by mari_ickes.