The Burp Rag Chronicles

Bored

I am not entirely sure what I did with all my time before children. I was busy, sure. But I distinctly remember being "bored" at times.

Most of my free time nowadays is spent doing homework or chores/errands. I haven't had time to watch my soap opera or TV of any sort, really. I have three tests next week starting on Sunday (well, it's due by Sunday midnight since it's an online test - I will probably tackle it tonight to get it out of my hair!) so I have been working diligently on those reviews. The main one sucking up my time is Algebra. But I have finished the review for that and after I take my test tonight I can chill on that a bit.

Tuesday I have Anatomy & Physiology Lab test, and then Friday Anatomy & Physiology Lecture test. I am pretty sure that eventually A&P will go hand-in-hand but right now they are not on the same subject matter and it just feels like Lab is an extra course we don't get credit for. So, like in Lecture, we are learning about the chemistry inside the body. In Lab, we're studying cell anatomy. Yeah, not really the same thing at all.

So, lately I stay up until about midnight (burning the proverbial midnight oil...) and get about 5-7 hours of sleep. Last night I got about 5 so I am kind of testy today.

On the bright side we got out tax refund, so I am thinking of getting a second Stokke seat for Cameron. The rest is going to credit cards.

Speaking of credit - normally we get a credit report done about yearly, just to make sure things are up to snuff. Well, mine had a collection on it! From the water company we had in California. But not the most recent one, the one we had when we moved out of the condo after selling it.

So, apparently despite forwarding addresses, calling to cut off service, restart service at a new location... they couldn't figure out the new address we were at to send a final bill. Well, of course in the hustle and bustle of moving I wasn't keeping the greatest of records of what I got, paid, filed, etc.

So I check my report and there has been a collection on me since - get this - DECEMBER 2007. We moved out of the condo in November 2006. We didn't even leave California until December 2007. So I call the water company to get the information for the collection agency. I call them up, explain the situation, where she tells me that they don't normally "go after" you if the amount is under $100.

Well how the heck was I supposed to know there was anything past due without any sort of contact? I have gotten things forwarded from the post office in California so I *know* it worked okay.

So, fine. I ask her how much I owe them to get the thing taken care of and taken off my report.

Seventy-four dollar. Seventy-four dollars was all that was past due. I told the woman that was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard of, especially considering every one of our monthly bills was paid on time and in full. She agreed, we laughed about it, and she told me that she has seen a collection account for the amount of $4.93. But over time, compounding interest, and all that it had gone up to a whopping $19-something.

Now that that is taken care of (and after much, much seething) that is all fine and dandy. Takes about a month for it to come off the report with no ill effects. I ended up owing them a bit under $100 after fees and what not (grumblecakes!!) but whatever.

Anyway, the REASON I was checking my credit report is that we are (slowly!) paying credit cards off and I wanted to see where we were at according to the report.

So that goes to show you that you should check your own credit report yearly! Go do it now! :)

Now, the Facebook thing. Apparently some shady characters were trying to get into my account so they put it on lockdown. Then later I tried to log into Google to check my calendar and they told me there had been suspicious activity and that I should change my password. So... I did. And all my other passwords, as well. I can't imagine what I have that anyone wants, but whatever. :P

What a Week

This has been quite the week - my account being disabled by Facebook was just the start. I still don't know what I did or if I can get my account back or not. I miss it, I feel so out of the loop. :( Dang it, Facebook - get to my email and help me understand! Give me back my darn account! *scowls*

And now Spud is sick. With what, I don't know - last Friday she threw up, but then everything was fine. Then Tuesday she came home from school and took a nap which is VERY unlike her. When she got up, her temperature was 103! We've been able to successfully manage it with Tylenol and Motrin, but it'll go down for a while and after the medicine wears off, it's back up. She's acting fine, so I think it's just a wait-and-see.

But no one likes to see their baby sick. :(

So we've been laying low, yesterday we only went out briefly to get some more medicine for Spud and a quick drive-thru stop at Burger King for a special treat lunch. Which brings me to my next point: Spud cracks me RIGHT up.

We discuss the entire way what she wants from Burger King, chicken or cheeseburger. This is the same conversation we have every time we go to any sort of fast-food place. Today, she declared that she wanted sweet little Krabby Patties, and that ketchup AND mustard were okay because mustard is her favorite.

This is an out and out lie.

I keep trying her with mustard, because I suspect that, like ketchup, she will eventually like it. It's got a heavy vinegar base so... come on! What kid doesn't take a little coaxing with ketchup, then begin to put it on everything under the sun?

So I order her the Burger Shots (yep, that is what a "sweet little Krabby Patty" is!) with no special instructions, and we head home. Apparently they come with ketchup, mustard, AND pickles. I know she will freak out at the pickles, so those come off. Here goes, two little cheeseburgers head her way.

Hey! She's eating it! And enjoying it! I dice up some pears and give them to her as a side... chomp chomp chomp! Wheeee! Is this the turning point? Has my daughter made the final transformation into her father and has made mustard her new love?

Then, after all but about two kid-sized bites she declares to me, "Mommy, I decided that I do not like mustard. Can you take it off? It's too sour."

I laughed and told her to eat her pears.

So Miss Cameron is standing on her own for brief intervals! Most of the time she does it when she is distracted by something with her hands (a toy, the TV, her sister), but she is on her way, people!

Shudder.

Banned?

I've been banned from Facebook for some reason - I emailed them to see why, what happened, etc. I've read that it could be someone reported me, could be that I made too many posts in a certain time frame, things like that, so who knows?

I'll probably get a ton of my homework done now! ;-)

So, stay tuned for updates. Trust me, I'm not ignoring everyone on Facebook. ;-)

The Italian One

This baby really, really likes those Gerber pasta pick-ups. I diced them up after heating, and she went to TOWN!

Butterflies??

Alright, so I will be honest here. I was excited and kind of dreading my first day back at school. It reminds me of when we'd just moved to San Antonio when I was 13 and I started my Sophomore year not knowing anyone. I don't think I slept that night because I was so nervous.

Driving to Starbucks and on the way to school I had those pesky butterflies. And I sat there and told myself I was being stupid. I'm 31-years-old, I am not interested in what other people say or think of me, WHY am I nervous?? While I am not the smartest person, I am certainly not dumb so what am I worried about?

Yeah, that never goes over so well, the mental pep talk.

So I get to the college and I park. I think there were about 5 other student cars in the parking lot. So I saddled up my bags and walked to class.

I forget how school-like school smells. You know, that smell of chalk, old plastic chairs and floor wax? Yeah, that hasn't changed. Especially in a science building, which is where all my classes are this semester.

I walk in, and immediately see the Wall O' Models. Seriously, one wall was a bunch of glass cases with various models in there. Skin, ear, nose... you name it, it was in there. There was also the cross-sectioned human on the tables, which seated four students at a time.

I was the third student to arrive, and one of the others was talking vividly about how some restaurant put salted pork in his taco rather than bacon. Of course with it being 6:50 in the morning, I pretty much threw up in my mouth a little at the thought of salted pork. I loves me some bacon... when I am more awake.

So anyway, the instructor was really nice! I think she will be a good teacher for me - she tosses in a little bit of humor but not distracting amounts. We covered some basic stuff, terms and overall names of body parts. Since this is a lot of students' first biology class in college, it's very easy to jump into and get your bearings. I will be a huge note-taker, I can tell that right now. LOL She said that we will rarely actually work until 9:45 (the actual end time of the class) but she would be there until then if we *wanted* to work until then or ask questions.

After class ended I went and purchased the suggested DVDs to help in the course as well as my parking permit. The permit totally eluded me until I saw an old sticker on someone else's car in a parking lot. I didn't even THINK of it. In Los Angeles you pretty much pay for parking anywhere you go. Not so back here in Texas - you rarely pay to park anywhere.

So I went to the Bursar's office and got those taken care of. Really, it was a good day and, as predicted, it was a non-event. It's hard to tell yourself something you already know, but somehow don't believe. I guess it's my way of bracing myself for the worst. ;-)

And There It Goes

Sydney has always been a child ahead of the curve. She walked early, she got teeth early, and, as predicted, lost her first tooth early.

We had her last dental appointment in October, and the dentist said that her tooth was loose (to my surprise, mind you! It shouldn't have surprised me, but it did!) and she's been working it since then. It's been hanging on by a thread so Jarrod decided to do a little tugging action. Maybe next time she will get the string and door knob treatment. ;-)

Here she is beaming with pride at her lost tooth! 

Showing us the goods!

Put away safely in her tooth case thingamajig.

"I'm going to put it under my pillow and hopefully the tooth fairy will visit me!"

These kids grow so fast. :(

I Hate Waco, TX

I officially hate Waco, Texas. I think everyone here moves half-speed. It has taken me about an hour to get gas, make a quick HEB run for formula, and stop in Starbucks. I'm currently sitting behind someone at the Walmart gas station, and she take 5 minutes to get out of her truck. THEN she has to walk over to the little kiosk and pay cash.

Grrrr.

To top that off, there is a creepy amount of birds in the parking lot. Kind of scared to get out and pump. It was the same way at HEB. There was a group of them picking at - get this - a CHICKEN bone by my van door.

Cannibalistic, no?

I'm officially crossing Waco off my list of places to stop for coffee and gas. Unless I am just itching to hang out in Slowville.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

I admit it, I am going through The Change. Millions of young people go through The Change every year, and a smattering of not-so-young people. All of them hope to better their lives through it, and almost all of them come out with a new perspective - good or bad.

College.

Since having both of my children and having to have frequent scans with both of them I have wanted to become a sonographer. I've been curious and inquisitive about everything they do when looking at my kids (well, and me to a lesser extent) so I have decided to pursue that course of study. Possibly radiology as well, we will see where the course load takes me.

My first semester in college will consist of the following classes (brace yourself, mmmkay?):

Anatomy & Physiology I (yep, there is an A&P II! There is also a combined class of I & II, but it's not accepted for my major. Of course.) It also has a Lab on a different day.

Introduction to Physics

College Algebra

So, that ought to be fun. I am taking College Algebra again as the first time I got it I got a C in it. The advisor I spoke with said that since the Sonography/Radiology programs is so selective, that C will probably hinder my being accepted into the program. SO... here I take it again and pray to God for a better grade.

Secondly... I hate Physics. Thank goodness this is only a lecture class and not a lab. I was forced to take Physics Honors in high school and I dropped it like a hot potato because I SUCK at it. I rocked it in Chemistry and my Chem teacher thought I was also smart enough for real-life junk. Not so!

I am really interested in A&P, so I don't suspect issues with that one. I am seriously considering taking English Comp II (I already have Comp I) but I worry about stretching myself too thin, ya know? We'll see. They haven't put my transcript in yet so the system won't allow me to register for Comp II. We'll see what it brings when school draws near. I was thinking about a telecourse, so there really isn't a limit on students to register for it.

So yay! I am now a student again! I'm actually excited. Remind me about this feeling again in two or three months, okay?