BarenakedRachel

Jacob's Innate Business Sense

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:20:16 GMT

Jacob: Daddy, I want to buy lunch at school on Fridays because they have pizza!

Chris: (sighs) Okaaay... I'll send money with you to put on your account.

Jacob: You can also put money on my account online!!

Chris: Nah, I don't want to do it that way because they charge extra money.

Jacob: How much extra?

Chris: $2.50 extra - the price of a whole meal!

Jacob: Oh man! I bet if they charged ten million dollars extra they'd go out of business!!

Steven Page - The Chorus Girl

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:24:54 GMT

Took me forever, but I finally found this song for download :D

On top for forever
A fantasy, oh no never
Just wait till you hear the chorus girl

A snow drop with sun stroke
A love song to make you choke
Wait till you hear the chorus girl

There'll be no waiting limos
No cocaine and discos
I gave that all up for the chorus girl

You tried to ignore her
Derided those who adore her
But soon you'll come round to the chorus girl

Look out of the window
The people move down below
Each one is in love with the chorus girl

The poor become wealthy
The sick become healthy
But don't crucify the chorus girl

At night all alone
With my microphone
I never get close to the chorus girl

I'm waiting for you now
There's nothing to do now
But save your breath for the chorus girl

More Kid Conversations:

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:42:27 GMT

(boys sword fighting with mini American flags)
Me: Cut it out! You're either going to hurt each other or break your flags!
Jacob: Oh, that's OK, Mom! They were only 99 cents each, so we'd just have to find one hundred and ninety-eight pennies to get new ones!

(Jared dropped a penny down the register vent in my bedroom)
Jared: Uh-oh!! It's gone!
Me: It went down the vent?
Jared: That's OK! We can buy a new penny at the store!

The Things They Say

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:08:49 GMT

A couple of days ago, I overheard this conversation between my sister and Jared:
Rebecca: Jared, you're sooo handsome! Do you know what "handsome" means?
Jared: Orange!!!

Just heard this conversation between my two boys:
Jared: Ack! Spider! Kill it, Jacob! Kill it!
Jacob: No, it's an ant, Jared! Just an ant!
Jared: Kill it!
Jacob: No, Jared!! It might be somebody's mom, or dad, or grandma!

Dream Fragments

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:11:09 GMT

I've been chronically sleep deprived for the past 6.5 years of my life (ie, since the birth of my first child, then my second child, and now raising them while working second shift at a nutty job), and I think it's starting to affect my dreams (among other things, like my ability to think clearly and remember to breathe ;), but this is the most recent change).

For the past two nights, I've had these really nutty, nonsensical segments of dreams - not complete dreams, or even 2/3s of a dream - just little slide show versions of dreams - maybe five, six, or even seven different bits of dreams throughout the night, usually closer to waking up. So bizarre. I can hardly even remember them, which is odd for me since I always remember my dreams in vivid detail.

All I can do to describe them is make a random list of words or partial sentences:

- Gianfranca came to visit, riding on tiny clown-sized motorcycle (took pics of this on my cell phone camera in my dream)
- My kids peeing on a playground and other parents being upset with me for not controlling them
- Fynn and Clover coming over to play with Jacob but then Jacob got sick and started vomiting all over, so I was trying to get Fynn and
Clover home before they got too close to him, worrying that they'd get sick too
- Some group of Mormons trying to convert my children in a weird building
- Trying to call a co-worker and hearing their voice but they couldn't hear mine
- Other stuff I can only remember hazily... climbing up some building to get in? I don't know!

If it all sounds like I feel generally out of control of my life, I do!!! Ha ha!!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:36:27 GMT

Hit up the Victoria's Secret semi-annual sale today with my sis (and kids in tow). Awesome bargains on all kinds of yummy stuff. Afterward, Chick-Fil-A milkshakes :) Jared is now passed out in bed and Jacob is playing Diddy Kong Racing. Methinks I might be able to sneak a nap in before work tonight!

A Jacob Funny

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:28:38 GMT

I keep forgetting to post about this!!! One afternoon after Jacob got off the bus during his last week of school, he excitedly told me about what they did that day:

Mommy! Guess what!?!?!? Mrs. Edrward's brought her punani to school today! And we hit it and hit it and hit it, real hard! With a stick! And then when it was Kaleb's turn, he hit it so hard it exploded and candy went flying all over!!!

::facepalm:: Ohhhhh!

Piñata!!!

Hail Mary!!!

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:56:12 GMT

Hello? Anyone out there awake? AOL is sucking ass tonight and telling me that I'm not connected to the internet when clearly I am. No chatting tonight :( Oh well. :::Hi Kristen!!!:::

I'm never able to come home from work and go straight to bed... it just does not work that way for me. It was insane at work for a while and I really thought I'd be there forever because I got such a late start on the close, but I somehow managed to get it all done by 11:00!!!!! I'm starting to get really frustrated by how short-staffed we are after 8pm - there seriously have to be more cashiers who can stay until 10:30 or 11:00???

Mary, though, takes the cake. Around 9:30 I got a call from her asking me if I could give her a "generic set of numbers" so she could sign into the other register at the gas station. Before I could ask her why in the world she would need such a thing (there is no such thing as a generic et of numbers!), she went on to explain to me that since she was logged into her register, she couldn't log into the other one at the same time in order to change the money (from today's money to tomorrow's money). I told her to just sign out of her drawer and then into the other, change the money out, sign out, and then back into hers. Silence. Then, "But, I can't do that, there are people in my line!" WTF? Have them wait, or wait until you get a break, I suggested. "Oh, but I can't do that!" :::bangsheadonwall::: For the love, Mary!! My six-year-old could do this!!! So I sent Steven up to take care of it -- I was already very short-handed and had long lines and irritated guests so this was just really a huge pain - not a good time to have to send someone to the gas station for something that stupid.

But, hey! At least nobody crapped their pants tonight :D

Bizkit the Sleepwalking Dog

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:34:42 GMT

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:22:50 GMT

Yes, it's true. A cashier shit her pants at work yesterday. It was... quite the event.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:58:58 GMT

Innovator

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:58:10 GMT

Your answers suggest you are an Innovator

The four aspects that make up this personality type are:

Summary of Innovators

Energetic and creative taking inspiration from everyone they meet
Enjoy flexible work environments with few rules and many opportunities for fun
Think of themselves as imaginative, sociable and sympathetic
May not think logically about their ideas

More about Innovators

Innovators are fun-loving, creative, sensitive people who enjoy developing their ideas by discussing them with others. This group supports the people around them and expects the same in return. Others are drawn to Innovators because of their love of life, caring nature and openness.

Innovators are most likely to say they do their best work when they start at the last minute, according to a UK survey.

Innovators are good at spotting opportunities and recognizing potential in people. Innovators put all their energy into new projects and their enthusiasm motivates others to support their plans.

In situations where they can’t use their talents or are unappreciated, Innovators may become rebellious and unfocused. Under extreme stress, Innovators may become preoccupied with meaningless details.

Innovators may over-extend themselves or put a night out with friends ahead of more pressing commitments.

Innovator Careers

Innovators are drawn to careers that require teaching or counselling, where they can work with and help encourage the development of others.

It's important to remember that no survey can predict personality type with 100 percent accuracy. Experts say that we should use personality type to better understand ourselves and others, but shouldn't feel restricted by our results.

Overall results

The graph below shows the percentage of people with each personality type out of everyone who has taken this test.


Big Thinkers
Counsellors
Go-getters
Idealists
Innovators
Leaders
Masterminds
Mentors
Nurturers
Peacemakers
Performers
Providers
Realists
Resolvers
Strategists
Supervisors



		Human body homepage The mind homepage Psychology tests Spot the fake smile What's your millionaire potential? Sensation-Seeking Careers test Morals test Disgust Reading faces 1 Reading faces 2 Interactive lonely hearts ad Interactive body Brain map Facts and features Personality type Flavour and personality Moral maze Seeking perfection Brain



		Psychology in sport Personality tests and job interviews



		The British Psychological Society Relate Myers Briggs OPP: Personality at work The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Read about the 16 personality types from the What Am I like? Personality test:

Big Thinker,Counsellor, Go-getter, Idealist, Innovator, Leader, Mastermind, Mentor, Nurturer, Peacemaker, Performer, Provider, Realist, Resolver, Strategist and Supervisor.

Le New Swim Wear

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:17:33 GMT

15 Books

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:20:26 GMT

I was not tagged, but saw someone else post this meme and decided I'd like to do it, so here is my list :) A lot of the books that first came to me are from so long ago - I think Bridge to Terabithia was from 4th grade or something like that. Then a few are from middle school, and the rest from high school, except The Politics of Breastfeeding - the only book on this list that I've read as an adult (for the first time).

I tag whomever is interested :D

15 Books Meme
You're not supposed to think too long or too hard on this one. List 15 books you've read that will always stick with you -- list the first 15 you can recall in 15 minutes. Don't take too long to think about it! Tag 15 friends.

1. Adventures of Huck Finn by Mark Twain (11th grade)
2. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (11th grade)
3. A Separate Peace by John Knowles (9th grade)
4. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (12th grade)
5. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (never assigned reading, but read in 10th grade)
6. Bridge to Terabithia (4th grade)
7. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (8th grade)
8. The Inheritors by William Golding (9th grade)
9. My Antonia by Willa Cather (9th grade)
10. The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle Palmer (read in 2006)
11. 1984 by Geroge Orwell (10th grade)
12. Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (6th grade)
13. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (4th or 5th grade)
14. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (4th grade)
15. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (never assigned, but 6th grade and then again in French in 12th grade)

Sad :(

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:01:36 GMT

Air France Jet Is Feared Lost...

The Magic Spot

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:40:28 GMT

Today I dug up the (very big) roots to the Holly bush I cut down last week (it was deformed and annoying to look at). Now I have dirt shoved so far up my fingernails that not even picking at it gets it out. :::shrugs:::

Then I moved my largest day lily from its original spot to another, larger spot. I swear to you the spot where I originally planted this day lily is magic... or something. Three summers ago, I planted a hardy mum in this very same spot. I neglected to water it through the summer and it died. I dug it up and threw it out. That fall, the dead, dug-up mum came BACK, bigger than any of my other already well-established mums. Hmm, OK. That was cool. Eventually it got so big that I needed to move it to a new location with more room. Just last summer, I bought four yellow day lily plants from a local nursery. They were all exactly the same type of day lily, the same age, the same size, etc. I planted one of these four in the spot where the mum had been and then the remaining three in the same plot of dirt but along the front curve of the plot (bear with me, this is hard to describe!). This spring the day lilies came up on cue, but the one I had planted in the spot where the mum used to be came back much bigger than the others - a good three times bigger than the others. Seriously. It looked a bit crowded, so I transplanted it this morning. I doubt it was the optimal time to move it since it is still in the middle of flowering, but we'll see.

Jared planted two watermelon seedlings in the front where the Holly bush used to be (there is no more room in the back garden) and I planted the last seedling in the front where the supersized day lily had been. This little watermelon seedling is the smallest of the half flat that I bought. I almost threw it away... it was so tiny and hardly has any root to it. Then I decided I'd plant it in the magic spot and see what happens. Maybe I'll get a great, big, juicy watermelon :D

I Have Rights!!!!!

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:30:33 GMT

I thought I was about to be witness to a beatdown at work tonight!

This frazzled-looking old man started yelling really loudly about the lines being long (we had three 2nd shift cashiers call off and had only two lanes open at 8pm - it was very backed up). He got out of his line to come up to the desk to yell about calling a manager about the situation. I had my own long line at the service desk, so the couple he jumped in front of started raising their voices at him, telling him to get back in line. He yelled back and pretty soon these three were swapping profanities left and right. Meanwhile I was on the phone with my manager explaining why her presence was requested at the front, trying to get a return to go through, and doing my best to keep from losing my mind because I hate situations like this... I mean, really... these guys were yelling all kinds of stuff at each other- it was just crazy. The older man was really angry, really LOUD, and not going to calm down until the manager showed up. I really did understand, but there was nothing I could do about it and the way he was carrying on about it was rather nuts and caused everyone to get all distracted which made things take even longer. The couple I was trying to wait on at the desk kept getting closer and closer to him and telling him things like "Hey, we've been waiting in this line too and do you see us throwing a fit like a 2-year-old?" And then when he said, "But I have a right to talk to the lady! I have rights!!! Rights!!! Just like you!!!!" (I was the "lady" he was referring to), they said, "We got here first and don't give a shit about what you want so get in line and wait your turn!" OMG ::facepalm::

I finally spoke up and said something like "Ok, woah, hey... everyone just listen for a minute!" They actually stopped hollering at each other and looked at me... so, um, yeah. I can't believe that actually worked. I somehow managed to help them both simultaneously, no one else in line threw a fit about being "cut in front of", and then my manager finally showed up and talked to the older man for a bit... and all was well.

:::PHEW:::

Sponge Bob Me Square Pants

Thu, 28 May 2009 16:36:16 GMT

I've never been a very big fan of Sponge Bob (didn't dislike it, perse, but just never found it engaging), but the episode I saw last night (which Jared is now re-watching) was absolutely hilarious.

For those of you, if any, who are somewhat familiar with the show, it's the one where Squidward tries to start up a marching band. After a series of antics and total failure of the group to become competent at playing an instrument and/or following basic directions, they go up in an aquabubble to a football stadium on land and put on a miraculously perfect show... and for some reason Rachel finds the entire episode tear-jerkingly hilarious.

What's more, Jacob and Jared are now into pretending to be in a marching band/rock band and putting on a show complete with air guitar, flashing lights (thanks to the light-up swords Grandma and Grandpa got them when at the circus a few months back) and, of course, Elvis dance moves.

Ahhh, it's been fun :D

LJ Post Facebook Style

Wed, 27 May 2009 04:18:01 GMT

Rachel is: feeling incredibly frustrated and disappointed :(

The Plan Is... I'll Get What I'll Get :D

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:39:01 GMT

I met with my academic advisor this morning down at the hospital :D

I now have a good idea of the classes I will be taking this Fall semester, but don't know what time slots I'll get since I'm in the 3-year track and don't get to register for classes until after all the 2-year students register. That means that it's very likely that the time slots I prefer will be filled up by the time I get to register :( Oh well. I will take what I can get and work with it as best as possible!

I really enjoyed my meeting and am feeling very excited about starting classes in August. At this point, I have no idea how everything will work out with child care and other finances, but I'm not too worried. Something will work out :)

I'm listening to Dave Matthews right now. It's been a long, long time since I've really listened to good ole' Dave, and I'm loving it right now.

Jared and I are going to get our dance on ;-)

Sun, 24 May 2009 05:12:44 GMT

Mmm, there's nothing like having an ice cream sandwich at 1:00 in the morning :)

Sat, 23 May 2009 16:58:33 GMT

Chris and the boys left for Indiana this morning. I'll miss my boys, but I've got a kid-free weekend!

I have a lot I'd like to get done, but I don't know if there will be enough time. I'm working from 2:30-11:00 today, 3:00-11:00 tomorrow, and then 9:00-5:00 on Monday (woo hoo, holiday pay!). I mowed the lawn this morning right after they left and that took up my entire afternoon! Just got out of the shower and now am going to get dressed for work before my bed starts calling me any louder than it is... I can't fall asleep now or I'll be way too tired to go to work :(

I've managed to lose 4lbs somehow... have no idea how that happened, but that's cool with me! My work pants are fitting a wee bit better now :) I'm much more active when the weather is nice, so that might have something to do with it.

I'm enjoying a few new songs I've downloaded (I love Matthew Barber and Patrick Fiori!) and some new-to-me Finnish folk music on last.fm.

I meet with my academic adviser on Tuesday at 10am and after that I'll know my schedule for the fall semester! I'm very excited about that :) It'll make planning preschool and daycare so much easier!

I've been participating in a NVC group with about eight other women every other Wednesday and have been really enjoying it. Theresa Horan-Sapunar is leading the group out of her practice in Sharonville. I'm quite happy to have found an affordable and nearby way to delve deeper into NVC. Very awesome :)

Ok! Time to iron my pants (they've air dried outide), pack a lunch, and get going...

Sat, 23 May 2009 05:48:37 GMT

In this moment, I am feeling incredibly grateful to be the mother of my two boys :)

I'm often so busy with life and with all the chaos that being their mother often entails that I neglect to really feel how wonderful it is to be with them. I was just lying in bed with them, snuggled in between their toasty, warm bodies. Jacob's arm flopped over my shoulders and Jared nestled up to my chest and sighed. It was such a beautiful moment. I'm sure there have been so many of those moments, yet most of the time I'm too "elsewhere" to take them in. Tonight, in that moment, I was really present, really there and able to take it in. I am so amazed by how much I love them and by how happy and grateful I am to be their mother. The love I could feel flowing through our bodies was so powerful that I wanted to immediately hop out of bed and write about it here... but I didn't. I lay in between them for a while and stayed with the feeling, letting it get as big and as enveloping as I could (and then had to pee, so I did get up!).

I love them both so, so much. I cannot imagine life without them and am so grateful that I get to live my life with them, knowing them, learning from them.

My greatest hope in life is for them to know, to feel, how much I love them. Above all else, that is what I want. To have a deep connection with them is the greatest experience I can have. To love them and really feel it, feel it so strongly that it's a warm, musical current running through me is the best feeling in the world. When I am truly present with that feeling, nothing else exists around me.

It's a beautiful place to be.

It felt as though I was talking to them without words...

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Fri, 22 May 2009 13:42:15 GMT

Taught Jacob the basics of CPR this morning first using a pillow as a mannequin and then with him as the "victim". His obsession with being a firefighter has been taken to a whole new level :D

"Is It Something Strange You've Never Seen?"

Fri, 22 May 2009 13:26:59 GMT

I've just discovered Matthew Barber. Absolutely fantastic. I cannot believe I'd never heard his work before!!! Canada never ceases to please me :)

Where The River Bends for your listening pleasure. I think pretty much every track from Ghost Notes is awesome.