We have moved several times over the last couple years.  We just weren’t happy either financially or physically with the places we have stayed in the past.  In Nevada we would not have been able to financial take care of ourselves after we had Lil Tony.  He would have had to go in daycare and he had really bad colic and I just couldn’t do that to him or a daycare provider.

We had an opportunity to go back to Florida where Tony would make enough and I wouldn’t have to work.  Well the problem with South Florida was it wasn’t really safe, living expenses were kinda high and going up plus Tony was working 70+ hours a week.  He was NEVER home.  So he took a cut in pay and a demotion so he could be home more.  We moved to the Tampa area….within 6 weeks of being there he was back to working 6 days a week 65+ hours a week and not getting paid anywhere near what he should. 

We were tired of the shit he had to go through.  At one point a couple weeks before we moved, his boss wanted to throw her “power” and tell him that if things didn’t change (things that sucked before he got there that he really had no control over) so he started to look for a new job.  He got a job at this great place, the bad thing is it meant another move.  The great thing is he makes the same, just hourly now instead of salary, he only has to work 40 hours.  OT for asst managers (which is his position) is not permitted.  WHAT?  That is freakin’ awesome.  He works 8 hr shifts and then he is home.  How freakin great is that.  He has 2 days off a week of which weekends are permitted, his old job he was not allowed to have Friday, Saturday, or Sundays off. 

I just can’t believe how great things feel right now.  We also pay less for rent than we did in Florida so that is a big help too.  I just hope that things keep going down this great path!

Ok, so I am really happy there are a bunch of kids that live on our street.  Nicki has someone to play with everyday.  Now what drives me absolutely crazy is…we have a large porch and 3 large windows that look directly in to our house.  I shouldn’t have to keep them closed, I should be able to leave them open.  What annoys the shit out of me is the kids like to look in our window.  Or if Nicki is inside eating or doing chores, her friends will sit on our bench right in front of the window and wait for her.  I just don’t like that, they live either right next door or some live 4 houses down.  When I am eating dinner with my family I don’t want lil kids sitting on my porch or looking in my windows. 

A few minutes ago, the boy she plays with next door, walked past my front door to walk to my CLOSED windows looking in to my house and starts yelling for Nicki in my window.  I told the boy he needs to come to my door and knock and talk to her.  He was also told this yesterday.  When will he get it?  It’s just frustrating.  Their parents aren’t even that friendly with us so it’s makes it a little more annoying.  It’s not like we are all buddy-buddy!

Yesterday I went to the doctor.  I am 4 months along and have not managed to get to see a doctor.  In past pregnancies I never went past the 2nd month before going.  I have never had any problems in my pregnancies so I wasn’t that worried but just felt better seeing there was a baby in there, finding out the heart beat was ok and getting a general idea of a due date.

The place I went to wasn’t an actual doctor’s office.  See, I have to be on medicaid.  I don’t work, Tony and I aren’t officially married and not to mention he just started working at a new place so even he doesn’t qualify for benefits yet.  So I went to a women’s clinic.  I needed a confirmation letter saying I was pregnant for medicaid.  The lady at the clinic didn’t seem very experienced with the ultra sound machine.  I mean she knew was she was doing but didn’t seem to have much experience.  She was having trouble getting measurements and just being able to see the baby. 

One of the measurements she took said (as of yesterday) I am 15 weeks and 5 days.  So technically my due date is December 6.  When she went by what I could estimate as my last menstrual cycle, my due date is November 30.  So I guess sometime around the beginning of Dec I will have a baby, lol! 

She said the heartbeat was normal and everything looked good.  I have the letter I need and will get all that turned in to medicaid on Monday.  Hopefully it won’t take long to get approved.  I would really like to get in to see a real doctor.  Technically by the time I will be approved and get in to a doctor, we will get to find out what we are having.  I am not sure if I really have a preference.  I mean of course I want a healthy baby no matter what I have but I already have 2 girls.  I think a boy would be great so Lil tony would have someone he could wrestle with and play rough with.  He tries with his lil sissy and she is just too sensitive.  I do however, love that Lil Tony and daddy have a great relationship already.  Lil Tony loves everything daddy does, power tools, cars and much more.  They look a lot alike.  As far as girls I am not sure I can handle another, lol.  Nicki is so dang emotional and dramatic.  Isabel is very sensitive and clingy.  Whoa is me! 

I am just happy all is well and things are moving in the right direction for us.  Maybe this was finally the right move.  That will be for another post.

I was given the opportunity by Mom Fuse to review a Temporal Scanner.  I received it a couple weeks before I moved and I (unfortunately) had the chance to use it with my children right before we moved.  We travelled back and forth from Virginia twice in about a week and a half.

So both my lil ones were sick for about a week or so.  They both had fevers on and off the whole time.  The Temporal Scanner came in handy.  Both of my kids have no patience.  I have tried the thermometer that goes under the arm and it just takes too long.  They never sit still long enough.  I don’t feel the reading is accurate.  The Temporal Scanner on the other hand is very easy to use and a very quick and accurate reading. One push (and hold) of the button as you gently swipe the Temporal Scanner across the forehead and you will get a reading in seconds.

You can pick up a Temporal Scanner at some of your more frequent shopping centers, Babies R’ Us, Walmart and Walgreens just to name a few.

Now for the giveaway, one of my readers will win a Temporal Scanner.  I will make this easy to enter….al you have to do is leave me a comment telling me how many kids you have and their ages, if you are entering to win it for someone else, just tell me who.    That’s it.

This giveaway will end June 23 at midnight EST. 

Thanks again Mom Fuse and Temporal Scanner for this great opportunity.

This review took me a little longer to complete than I wanted it too, I received Norman in the mail only a day or so before I was set to move.

Norman was a great addition to our road trip.  His fart sounds are so real.  Tony and lil Tony laugh at each other when they fart so I knew this toy would be awesome to review.  When lil Tony first heard it, he just couldn’t stop laughing.  Not only is this a great idea for a stuffed animal but the Elephant is so soft and cuddly.  All you do is push his tail and with each push he will let out a different sound, a total of 8 sounds.  Thankfully there is no smell because some of those sounds could really be deadly, they are silent but they’d surely be deadly. LOL! 

Other than being a great toy for your child, co-worker, friend or family member, a portion of Norman’s sales gets donated to charity.  Smile train, Half the Sky and Ronald McDonald House Charities..click on each to read more about them.

Now here’s the best part, one of my readers will win their very own Norman PhartEphant to take home and call their own.

**There is only one requirement to enter, check out Norman’s site and under the “retail locations” tab help the out by naming your favorite Mom and Pop toy store.  There is a submission form on their site and then come back here and tell me you’ve done it and the name of the toy store.**

This giveaway will end June 23rd at midnight EST.

Thanks again Mom Fuse and Norman PhartEphant for this great opportunity.

Lil Tony’s terrible twos are in full swing.  We started them about 8 months ago but I never thought in my wildest dreams that it would get to this point.  He SCREAMS at the top of his lungs most of the day.  He is like Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Seriously, in one minute he is pissed at the world and in the second minute he is laughing his ass off.

You just never know what mood he is going to be in.  He gets angry at his lil sissy a lot. The stress of his terrible twos is causing pains in my stomach.  I am so upset most of my day.  Sometimes I just want to give him what he wants to make him happy and he hurls whatever it is across the room.  I don’t think I have ever heard of terrible twos this severe. 

If anyone wants to chime in and tell me their TT horror stories, maybe it will make me feel better or at least understand I am not alone.

Well actually not even close.  LOL!  Virginia weather is so much better than Florida weather.  I mean Florida is was just HOT all the time.  In Virginia the evenings tend to be cooler and it warms up a bit in the afternoon. Also when it rains it cools off where as in Florida it just gets MORE HUMID!

Well my kids pretty much had all warm weathered clothes.  Plus they grow out of their clothes really fast.  Well I found this really cute childrens boutique online.

R&S Avenue has some really cute clothes.  I would have to say they are more of the children designer clothes, for girls very fashionable and lots of ruffles.  For your girly girl.  This is probably one of my favorite dresses:

They have an array of styles to chose from and they have boys and girls clothes. They are also offering FREE shipping to the US on orders over $50.  I may have to pick up a couple outfits for my kids.