Mrs Kioski

Emma’s Godparents got her a really cute Christmas outfit for her Birthday, but unfortunately it is too small. Rhea and I went to Burlington Coat Factory to try and return the outfit and were not successful in any sort of way. The sign said that items could be returned for in-store credit if they were returned without the receipt AND/OR the tags were not attached. We couldnt find the receipt anywhere and only one of the tags was still on it. It clearly had never been worn because the hat that came with it was still attached. We went up to customer service and the woman their immediately told us that we couldnt exchange it because we had no proof that it had been bought at Burlington Coat Factory. Since this was contrary to what the sign said, I asked to speak to a manager, who ended up being very rude to us. I felt as if they were accusing me of stealing the baby outfit and trying to return it. I felt so insulted and I have never been treated this poorly in a store before. Now I have a cute outfit that my baby can never wear. If I had tried to return something in this condition to Target they would have taken it back without a question, in fact, I have returned stuff without a tag and receipt to Target before! Rhea and I promised ourselves that we would never buy ANYTHING from a Burlington Coat Factory ever again.

I’m graduating from Normandale next semester!

It’s almost Christmas again and it reminded me of something that my best friend, Kristin, said in high school. She said that it is important to find a way to enjoy life, to eat, drink, and be merry as often as you can. It doesnt matter how much money you have, you need to get your ass out of the house/apartment and enjoy yourself. This is why Mike and I go on dates every other week. We need to celebrate our love. It is GOOD to spend money on this. When we dont have money for a date, we cook a really nice dinner together and watch TV or a movie together. We know our limits, but we also know that life would be pretty dull if we didnt get out and do stuff.
I saw my father waste away his life worrying about money. He went over the budget over and over again every week. He sat up late at night just WORRYING. It got to the point that he could hardly enjoy himself. All he did was worry. I promised myself that I would not let this happen to me. It is important to budget your money, but even that can be taken too far. This is what Scrooge did. Over budgeting is just as bad as throwing your money all over the place. So, am I going to spend money on fun things? Yes indeed! I am going to enjoy life and live to the fullest! Even if all I can afford to do is go on a date with my husband once in a while, that is what I am going to do.

Sometimes Emma gets so sick of being in the apartment. Nothing will satisfy her except leaving the apartment. I figured this out the other day because she was only happy when we took turns walking up and down the hallway with her. Eventually we all just took a car ride in the hopes that it would calm her down; and it did. We have one energetic little baby! She is very aware of her surroundings. She recognizes people and gives them big smiles!

Can you believe that this will be my second thanksgiving with Mike?! This last year went by so fast. I am so glad that I get to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Kioski family again. Thanksgivings with my old family (holidays in general) were never all that great. Actually, they were miserable. I would try to get out of them by going to work, and most often I was successful. You see, my cousins and Aunts and Uncles generally ignored me at our family gatherings. I know this may be hard to believe because I do enjoy a good conversation, but its true. The one aunt that gave me any attention got a brain tumor and was put in a home (not blood related). I think a lot of the problem was that my extended family thought that we were weird. My parents being members of POP, Catholic, city folk. They were Baptist, country folk. Isnt it weird how people let RELIGION tear them apart? I dont think that is what religion is supposed to do. Perhaps they just didnt like me; who knows. Oh yes, and the only sort of athletic talent I have is in a swimming pool, and my cousins LOVE to play baseball and football. I am not good at either of those. This left hardly anything in common between us. It’s too bad that I could never really be friends with my cousins (after we entered high school). Before highschool was much different. I remember this one time that my cousin who is about my age met one of my friends. He developed a bit of a crush on her and started stumbling all over himself. He was trying to show off for her and fell and kept messing up his speach. I think that is my favorite memory of him. I also remember being taller than him. That is not the case anymore.
But now I get to be with Mike and his family this Thanksgiving. There wont be as many people there, but it will still be fun. If I were still in contact with my parents I would still choose to spend Thanksgiving with the Kioski’s. Then again, being anywhere with Mike makes it all better. I love spending time with him. I wish that we could spend more time along together, but Emma is the number one priority in our lives. Her needs come first. But it is still nice to just know that he is there and that I can get a hug and kiss whenever I want. He never holds out on me and that is one my favorite things about him! I may be a bit biased, but he’s the best husband I could ask for.

Poor little Emma had 4 shots yesterday. She absolutely HATED it. It was terrible to watch her scream and cry; no one likes to see there child in pain. It was a huge comfort to have Edrie there helping out. Emma loves her Grandma. These shots are so important for her health though; as Edrie said, we have a duty to get our babies immunized if we can. She’s forgotten all about the shots today though. She woke up several hours after her shots and was crying again because her legs hurt. It also didnt help that our neighbors were blasting their music and partying again. It just aggravated her further. After a while, we finally got her back to sleep (after the police shut up our neighbors).

Staying hydrated is essential to maintaining energy. So before you head to the vending machine in search of a pick-me-up, drink a big glass of water.

“Being dehydrated can make you feel tired, so one of the easiest, calorie-free ways to beat an energy slump is with a tall glass of water or sparkling soda with a twist,” says Carolyn O’Neil, RD, author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous. “As we age, our thirst mechanisms are not as reliable and don’t work as well. Keep water bottles at your desk or in the car, and sip regularly.”

If water just doesn’t do it for you, try a glass of iced tea or cup of hot tea.

“It makes sense that cultures around the globe have enjoyed the daily ritual of ‘tea time,’ to enjoy a hot beverage and a little snack to perk up their sagging energy levels.” says O’Neil.

Having a cup of tea helps hydrate you, and the addition of a small cookie or dainty tea sandwich is just enough to take the edge off your appetite and energize you until dinner.

“An added bonus is, tea is loaded with antioxidants and other health-promoting substances,” O’Neil says.

Stock your pantry, briefcase, or desk with a variety of tea flavors and individually packed, simple cookies or 100-calorie snack packs so you can enjoy your very own “afternoon tea” time.

www.webmd.com

There is always something more to do; whether it be homework, cleaning the apartment, or errands; there is always something more. I dont think that I will ever actually get caught up. I have a project, 2 essays, discussion answers, and a short answer all due by the weekend. How I am going to get this all done is beyond me. It is extremely hard to get homework done when someone demands all of your attention. I can only work when Emma is sleeping. She wont allow anyone else to hold her for very long when she is awake without crying for me. It’s great that she loves her momma so much, but it will be very nice when she is ok with spending time away from me.
Our cat does not add to the stress in the least bit, in fact she helps relieve stress. I am used to taking care of a cat since I have been doing that my entire life. It’s just something Ive always done so it doesnt really feel like a chore.
I think that I am getting up earlier and earlier each day in order to get everything done that I need to. Emma has a tendency to sleep more in the morning than evening. Unfortunately I like to sleep in the morning too, but if i want to get anything done i must get up. thank god for tea.
If only a day was 36 hours long instead of 24!

Here’s some pictures of Emma enjoying the music coming from her bouncer. She was also very happy when Rhea and I were dancing along with the music.