Clueless

Newsflash: This girl has no freaking clue what she is doing at the moment!

For real. It is bad. I had not realized how bad it was until last night when I was out on a date and talking about life.

My life is a mess.

I am going to back up a bit. First, I actually had a date! Hold the press! That shit never happens. But it did and it was a guy that I was actually interested in. Note the word “was” because now I am not so sure. We had gone out a couple of times last year; I was interested and he had stuff going on. He resurfaced last week and was going to meet me out Monday, but things did not work out. He ended up making an appearance at the bar I was at Saturday night. Funny side note: I was singing Offspring’s Self Esteem karaoke when he walked in. Smh. He texted yesterday and asked about dinner which I jumped at.

My life really never changes. I am ridiculously boring. Really. It is not a bad thing usually. The last couple of months, however, I have found myself itching for change. As we were chatting we talked about my house. It is in a great part of town, but my street is busy, so I have started to seriously consider selling. My kids are getting older and will be gone in a couple of years. I have recently finished my degree and do not know what is next for myself as far as educational/professional goals.

I am sure I sounded like I have no clue. It is actually accurate.

I am not sure if there will be another date. Previously, I was all about it. This time, I am not so sure and I am actually very okay with it. I have never been a dater and have always been one that wanted relationships. Now, I think a date here and there while I figure things out might be the way to go. In related news, I got asked out for tomorrow night by another guy. Not sure if I am going yet, but it might be interesting….

Until I figure out something in my life, I am just going to focus on things that I can control. I signed up for a fitness class starting next week. My final class at Liberty began last week. I have a crazy list of house projects that I can work on. Perhaps while I do stuff the rest will fall into place. A girl can hope, at least.

Vacation Brain Part 2

We are in the home stretch! Today is Tuesday and we leave on Friday for vacation. Unfortunately, that means that my mind is in overdrive. As much as I love travelling, I am a ball of nerves whenever I leave.

I have created some killer packing lists this time for the trip and, thanks to being a clothes hoarder, can almost pack now and still have clothing to wear to work daily. In related news, do you have any idea how much sunscreen redheads should take on a trip to the Bahamas? The answer: a LOT. I have seven bottles going on this five day trip.

I absolutely despise coming home to a mess. Generally, this is because I jump right back into my crazy life. That being said, I have broken down my house so that we have a good chore list for everyone. If all goes well, the house will be in better shape than it is in normally when we get home.

I still need to run by the post office and stop our mail. I will likely do this task today at lunch. I was not thinking yesterday and made an online purchase which I am assuming may be delivered while we are away. I am hoping that it will be delivered snail mail; otherwise, I can hopefully sweet talk my best friend into intercepting the package for me in return for a beer when I return.

The animals. Poor little boogers are being displaced while we are gone. Taking the guinea pig to my parents so my youngest brother can watch her. The dogs are going to the vet to be boarded. I am trying to use all of the dry food we have up prior to leaving and will have to stop and buy more before the trip. Looks like I will be planning a trip to the store again Wednesday or Thursday…

In related news, while we are not having any real issues, I am planning to bug bomb once everyone and everything is out just to be safe. Guess I can pick that stuff up while I am getting a new bag of food for my furry friends.

Finally, I think the only other thing which I need to worry about is work. This is actually my slow time of year, so I am not terribly concerned. I am planning to put up away messages on my voicemail and email. I will reach out to everyone that I am currently working with to let them know I will be out and, then, I should be home free and clear. I will not have access to internet or phone for the trip and is should be DEVINE!

Only a little time and a lot to do. Obviously, I have quite the to-do list going. I cannot wait to have everything accomplished and be able to relax for a bit!

Vacation Brain

The struggle is real lately. I am itching for a break and my vacation is not coming fast enough-23 days, but who is counting? Haha.

For real, though. I don’t think I have ever wanted a vacation so bad. My senior year at Liberty has taken its toll and work has been stressful. My kids are pretty much the same way. My younger daughter is especially excited to go. The first year of high school has been trying.

So what are we doing? Shopping. Too much shopping. On the plus side, most of it is actually needed. We purchased swimsuits last week. I found a cute towel yesterday. Last night, I purchased luggage for my younger daughter-she needed a set anyway since she will be going to Europe next year and it was an early bday gift. I think the only other thing I need to buy is sunscreen and a lot of it with two redheads travelling!

I have also arranged for my dogs to be boarded and the guinea pig to be watched.

We are leaving the day prior to leaving port to break it up-gotta figure out where we are staying or if we are winging it as far as hotels go.

I am starting to do mental lists. I want a massage and pedi before we leave if I can swing it. I am creating a list for my outfits because, you know, gotta look good. Need a master packing list.

Otherwise, I am just a girl sitting at my desk, daydreaming about laying in the sun, listening to the waves, and not having any access to cell phones, email, or social media.

Too much

So I am writing today because I need to clear my head a bit and sometimes putting things on paper (or computer helps). Today, I am completely overwhelmed and I need to get some order to the crazy in my head. I am a list maker so here are a few of the many things taking up space in my brain today and in my crazy, chaotic life. Maybe seeing it all spelled out will make me calm down a bit….

1. My desk is a mess. I have a LOT of clients needing things from me and I do not know where to begin. On the plus side, I am head for the year and hit my goal for the month. Now, onto the next goal.
2. I have a 7 page project/paper to work on and another huge group project due on Monday. It is close to the end of the semester which is great, but that means I have a lot due and we are going out of town next weekend. Gotta get a grip on stuff and fast.
3. My tax return came (good thing), but totally overwhelmed trying to make sure I get everything we need to do with that taken care of (trips, car, prom, house repairs, yadda, yadda, yadda)
4. Errands. Normally, not a big deal, but this week time is crazy. I need to make so many things happen and time is not my friend. I need to pick up glasses, get an oil change, the dog needs groomed, pick up snacks for a sleepover, etc.

Really, that does not look so bad.

Inhale. Exhale. Get shit done.

A Quick Ornery Update

Two weeks have passed since my last blog; not a lot has been happening in my world. I started talking to the guy I have seen on again and off again over the years. Maybe I am a bit insane to fool with it since they say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, but I have this crazy little part of me that needs to ride it out and see what happens. He has been a good distraction. I like the idea of us. Always have, hence the one again off again for years.

In keeping with the “What random guys have entered my world” topic, I was highly amused last weekend when a guy slipped me his number at the end of the night. I later found out he was 26. I feel like age should only be a number, but I am really struggling with the idea of seeing someone that much younger. Granted, he is not the 22 year old that asked me to come over earlier this week, but still, the age difference is an issue. Funny how I do not mind a guy ten years older, but one ten years younger is a hang up. Regardless, dude has asked me out twice now and I have declined because of my crazy life. I need to either say yes and give it a try or cut the dude loose. Time is ticking (at least in my own head).

Otherwise, life is okay. I am totally overwhelmed with school. There is only two more weeks this round of classes which is awesome, but these classes are killing me with papers. I feel like I am barely staying afloat with their workloads. I have officially registered for spring classes and get to apply for graduation in January!

Football/marching band season continues. Tonight’s game is looking soggy-stupid Matthew. I may sit it out. Kind of hoping that tomorrow’s competition gets cancelled so I can focus on school and housework for the day.

My best friend found a new home! We get to move her on Sunday. Hoping with her getting reestablished that we can get some routine going. I need a gym buddy again.

My oldest turns 17 next week. The festivities are apparently going to be all week long. I am feeling very old and poor. Homegirl has expensive tastes.

Well, that is a quick Ornery update. Hopefully, there is something good on the horizon. Fingers crossed!

Adulting Sucks

Some days I really feel like I am a decent adult. Others not so much. Lately, there has been a lot of not so much. I am sure a lot of it is because I do too much and spread myself too thin, but geez. Here are a few of my issues lately. Things could definitely be worse, but these are a few of the things that have managed to make me feel like a lousy adult this week.

1. I screwed up my accounts. I have money. I transferred money. I forgot about the holiday and left myself with nothing to run on.
2. In my attempt to fix my before mentioned mishap, I realized that I had no checks. I hardly ever use them so, of course, when I need one, I am screwed.
3. Road work. Holy shit there is a lot going on lately. Everywhere I go I get delayed.
4. My lawnmower broke. Well, maybe it isn’t really broken. But it won’t start. And it is new. Like two weeks old. Hopefully, it is just bad gas. Otherwise, ugh.
5. I might have purchased the new lawnmower for nothing; my dad thinks that my old mower might have had bad gas too.
6. With my overgrown yard, I am becoming THAT neighbor.
7. I have not cooked for my children all week and I am pretty sure that there is not much for them to choose from in the house because I didn’t grocery shop last weekend.
8. I have not gotten to the gym all week.
9. I forgot my little brother’s birthday.
10. I have zero focus on my work because of all of the other shit running through my mind.

And there you have it. Just a snippet of the crap that has left me feeling like a sucky adult this week. Hoping that the weekend will help me get things turned around and going in the right direction again. Stay tuned!

Getting Organized

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that life was getting crazy, but in a good way. Funny, but my household runs so much better when we are fully engulfed in activities and chaos. That being said, there are a few things that really do seem to help make life run a little smoother and there are a few things that I am considering adding to my organizational systems moving forward.

Current Systems:

Dry Erase Boards: I currently have two. One which has columns for each of us and rows for each day so that we can list our activities. The other is a to do board which I put chores and notes to the kids (their favorite-sarcasm, totally)

Google: I love my Google Calendar which I have two that are intertwined. One for work which is attached to scheduling software and the other which is for family/kid stuff. My other favorite Google app-Keep. I can create lists for EVERYTHING. Groceries? Homework? Errands? Karaoke songs? Gift ideas? Yep, chances are I have a list going.

Other: I am a creature of habit. Some things are just accepted in our house. Tuesday nights, we watch tv and I do laundry. Wednesday nights, we put cans out for Thursday pick up. Sundays, we play catch up.

New Introductions:

Car Organizer: I got a new car a couple of weeks ago and have just started to realize the lack of storage space in the console. I spend a lot of time in my car during the school year waiting on kids and doing homework. I am looking for an organizer that I can keep post-its, highlighters, pens, snacks, my coloring book and pencils-basically everything a three year old needs on a road trip because I am that mom.

An old school planner: I purchased an old school paper planner a week or two ago. Honestly, even with my current systems, I felt like I was floundering. There is something great about being able to write stuff down and mark things off. Not sure I am not in organization overkill, but giving it a try. My girls both got new planners, too.

Stocking my work lunch room: Trying this for the first time this week. I purchased my sodas (yeah, I should quit), frozen lunches, oatmeal, and snacks when I went shopping over the weekend. Now, I am not having to run out and take time away from my desk and I should save a bit-a winning situation.

Other good ideas that might eventually be implemented:

Planning outfits: I should be that girl. I am not. My mornings would run so much smoother. I might get there eventually.

Keeping a packed gym bag: This could easily happen. This should easily happen. It does from time to time, but I think if I kept one ready to go, I would sneak a workout in now and then during down times.

So that is where I am at the moment-in the midst of chaos, loving it, but preparing for when it gets worse or I just am not feeling it quite as much. Any ideas on other things I can do to prepare and keep life running smooth? What works for you?

Unwelcome Visitor

I am not a complicated girl. Others might disagree, but I think I am pretty low maintenance. Feed me. Let me sleep. Don’t get in my way. Throw me a compliment now and then. Yeah, I think that is about it. Give me those things, not necessarily in that order, and you will have a happy OrneryDame on your hands.

This morning, I am not a happy OrneryDame.

Really, I probably jinxed myself yesterday afternoon. I was talking to a neighbor and mentioned thinking there was a critter hanging around our backyards at night. My dogs have been acting crazy now and then as if there was something on the other side of the fence. It is not a normal occurrence, so I have not let it bother me too much.

I have been getting into bed at a somewhat reasonable time most nights. Last night, however, I stayed up a little later doing homework. I went ahead and crawled into bed around 11:30 going on midnight. A little later, I woke up to my dogs barking. Initially, I tried to ignore them, but then I thought I heard a noise. Eventually, I got up. I found that in their excitement, they left me a nice puddle to clean (I love swiffering at 3:00 in the morning!) and out the door they went-sorry neighbors!

Once the dogs calmed down, they came back inside. It appeared that I might get a little more sleep. But no, about the time I got settled, they started up again. They continued until who knows when. All I know is that I tossed, turned, and cursed for a good amount of time before finally drifting back off. Once I did finally get to sleep, I found myself deep in a crazy dream that ended an hour after I usually get up.

Eventually, Larry texted me to see if I was up and moving. Larry leaves for work earlier than I do. He said that he found the source of what was driving my dogs crazy when he got up. There was a raccoon on my porch scratching at the door like it wanted to get in, or just drive my dogs crazy.

Now, I love raccoons, from a distance. My back porch is too close for comfort especially when the critter has managed to piss off my dogs and keep me up all night. It is time for a trap. What I will do once we catch the thing is beyond me. There is a good chance that many more nights like last night and they will end up at the SPCA; probably not, but it is a good threat anyways. Especially when I think of them snoozing while I work the day away.

I think an early bedtime is in my future. Perhaps with earplugs.

Keeping Sane in Chaos

Two posts in a night?! What is that Ornery Dame up to?

Life has been off the hook crazy over the last few weeks and our hectic schedule has got me thinking about my own sanity. It is time for me to make a few changes. Some have already been in the works, but others are new, and some are yet to come.

• I need to free my life of unnecessary drama. Some people make me crazy. Really, it is on me for letting them affect me so negatively, but if I remove myself from the situations, it eliminates some of the crazy. Prime example: I deleted Larry’s ex from my Facebook friends list and already feel better. I deleted people that air out a lot of their drama and I hid people that post political crap that drives me crazy.
• I have asked Larry to move out. We are just not able to blend our families successfully and I am miserable because of it. Things will only get worse the longer we wait; especially with Alvin wanting to live with his father.
• It is time to re-evaluate my spending. This girl has got to get back into a budget! First up, my cell phone bill is off the hook-shopping for new providers this weekend.
• Meal plan! It is amazing how much better I feel when I have a plan for what we will have for dinner daily. Preparing warm up breakfasts is an amazing time saver and keeps me from hearing kids complain about nothing to eat. And, finally, I need to keep lots of snacky things on hand for lunches and, well, snacks.
• Make time for studying! This semester, I am taking two classes. So far, I have worked out the following schedule: I get up early during the week to do my virtual gym class. I read on my lunch breaks and sit down to work out math problems after the kids climb in bed.
• Find ways to vent. Last week, I went out to sing karaoke with one of my oldest and dearest friends. Tonight, I went crazy cheering for our football team. Frankly, it was awesome.
• Blog more. This has been on my mind a while. It is time for some changes. It is time for more posts and more of the real me. Confession time: names have previously been changed to protect the innocent. I originally renamed many of the people in my life: my kids, my boyfriend, his kid, and our families. I am kind of over it. I will not be changing everyone; I prefer not to cause drama with Larry and the ex. But my family and my kids will be the real deal. Added bonus for a somewhat full disclosure; I can post more pics and let you all see more of my real life!

Now is a great time for some of the changes that need to take place. This three day weekend will allow me to catch up around the house, shop, organize, and next week will be a better one.

Making Progress

Love when I feel like things are moving in the right direction. I had the best weekend for getting things accomplished. I know it was only last week that I posted about all of the projects I had going on, and I still have quite a few things that I want to do, but I feel like an update is due given everything that was completed over the weekend.

• I finished the afghan for my new nephew. I forgot to take it when I saw the little booger yesterday, but it is done!
• I got crafty with spray paint and painted some containers for the camper.
• With the kids assistance, we were able to make/freeze 12 Canadian bacon and egg English muffins, a few biscuits with egg and Canadian bacon, and a batch of chocolate chip granola bars
• We switched out Jeanette’s small chest of drawers with a larger one that we had in the attic for more drawer space
• Kids assisted with laundry, ironing, and cleaning of the family room
• And overall straightening and cleaning of the casa (not that anyone can really tell now)

Overall, it was not a bad weekend. Still lots to be done before school starts again, but we are definitely making progress!