Nix9to5

WAHM Tip #2: Never Turn Your Back on a Toddler

// June 18th, 2010 // 4 Comments » // Children and Babies, Work at Home

Groupon: 90% off Fit Body Bootcamp

// June 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Couponing, Money Matters

How I love Groupon.  Just as I approach a trip to the lake, and while I have not managed to find time to workout since the Bear was born (well, and for 9 months prior to that, I just didn’t want to), Groupon sends me this fantastic deal:  one month of Fit Body Boot Camp for only $20!!

Now, unfortunately for me, this deal is in Moore, and I know that, no matter how good the deal, I’ll never make it out there.  I’m not driving 45 minutes one way to work out.  But for you people in and around Moore, OK?  This deal is fantastic!  I’m a little jealous of you!

To sign up for Groupon and to find great deals in your area, click here.

I love getting paid to shop!

// June 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Couponing, Money Matters

My Walgreens visit today:

Purchase:  Schick Blade 5 Razor, Nivea Men Body Wash, Mentos Gum
Coupons:  $5/1 Schick, $10 Register Rewards
Receipt total: $1.98 (had to buy the gum because my coupons were eating into my  tax, which Walgreens won’t let you do)
Register Rewards: $10
Pending Rebate: $7.99
Profit:  $16.01!!

Plus, I got a $6.99 check in the mail today for a shampoo rebate (plus $2 coupon), and I got a free sample of 3, um, feminine products (and a $1 coupon).

It has been a profitable morning so far!

Proof that I’m a Fantastic Housekeeper

// June 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // Life in General

You may have noticed the scrolling quotes on the right side of the page.  They are just a few funny quotes about working, family, and being a mom that I’ve come across and thought were funny, true, or both.  If you find any you think I’d like, feel free to add them to the comments here or send them to me through my contact form.

I’ve added a new one today, courtesy of my own mom (I told you she’d see the picture of my disgusting stovetop!).  She sent me an email this morning saying she saw this quote on a message board, and that she thought I’d like it.  Of course, I do, since it goes to reinforce what a fantastic housekeeper I actually am:

“Sign of a great housekeeper. . . .You haven’t misplaced your house once.”

The closest I’ve ever come to misplacing my house was after we first moved in.  I can’t tell you how many times I pulled into my neighbor’s driveway and couldn’t figure out why the garage door opener didn’t work until I looked at my actual house and saw the garage door going up and down as I frantically pushed the button.

But I didn’t misplace the house.

It was right there all along.

WAHM Tip #1: Start Now

// June 13th, 2010 // 4 Comments » // Money Matters, Saving, Work at Home

On the About Nix9to5 page, I wrote that this blog is about what works and what doesn’t as I try to become a work at home mom.  Since I have finally accomplished the goal of working from home, I can tell you a little bit about what I have learned as I tried to get to this point.

One of the first things I want to tell those of you considering trying to stay home or work from home is to start now.  Even if you think it is impossible–like I did–start now.  There are several reasons not to procrastinate your efforts.

First, you won’t accomplish anything until you get started.  My husband and I were married for 13 years before we had the Bear.  You would think that, in that time, we would have been able to save up a little money so that when we finally decided we were grown up enough to have a child, I would have been able to stay home with him.  Unfortunately, we did not plan ahead, we did not save, and we did not think we made enough money for me to be able to “quit my day job,” anyway.  Along the way, I heard people say that, if someone wants to be a stay at home mom, they should start banking mom’s paycheck at least a year in advance.  I think that is fantastic advice–but for us, it was not possible.  Therefore, what was the point?  I’d NEVER be able to stay at home, right? (more…)

Auntastic

// June 11th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Children and Babies, Family

I’ve been meaning to write this post since the last day Bear stayed with Auntastic and Uncle Awesome as his full-time childcare providers–which was in May.  I’m a little slow.

I think part of the reason it took me so long to get around to posting is that the last day didn’t really seem like the last day.  I mean, for the majority of the Bear’s life–from the time he was 2 months old until he was 18 months old, with one summer off–Auntastic has been taking care of him while I worked.  And what great care she has taken of him!

I’ve said it before, but I want to repeat that my decision to stay home has NOTHING to do with the quality of Bear’s care while I’m away.  I couldn’t ask for better than Auntastic in taking care of my son.  She has been so wonderful to him:  they play games, color, do craft projects, go on “field trips,” and more.  I think my little Bear is as smart as he can be, and I think a lot of that has to do with how much Auntastic interacted with him.  We’re going to miss seeing her (and Uncle Awesome and their girls) every day.  In fact, we’ve already had to go visit earlier this week, because Bear was asking for his Tallie and Taddo (his names for Auntastic and Uncle Awesome).

On the Bear’s last day with Auntastic, she gave me a little gift (I have something in mind for her, but I didn’t get around to it before we were done with school, and now I have to make sure it’s just right–we didn’t forget you, Tallie!).  She said it was to celebrate being a full-time mom:

I think it’s perfect.  It reminds me of the Ruth Hulburt Hamilton poem “Song for a Fifth Child” that I wrote about in an earlier post.

In full disclosure, I thought I’d show you just how good a mother I really am by showing you the stove that plaque is sitting on:

Filth-E.

I could blame HH for this stove, because he’s the one who cleans the kitchen (part of what puts the “Hot” in “Hot Husband’), but that wouldn’t be fair.  Besides, if I did, he might post pictures of the never-ending pile of clean-yet-unfolded laundry that is supposedly my job in the household division of labor.

Of course, once I took the picture of my filthy stove, I was overcome with mortification.  I mean, who knows who’ll see that picture?  My mother?  My mother-in-law?  Child Protective Services?  To ease my horror and regret, I immediately cleaned the stove:

Unfortunately, you can see that even my “clean” stovetop has stuff indelibly burned onto it.  Even shame can only induce me to scrub so much.

Actually, I scrubbed A LOT.  Anyone have good advice, short of a straight razor, for getting the perma-burned junk off my stove?

Library Play Time

// June 10th, 2010 // No Comments » // Children and Babies, Life in General

PART TWO:  Play Time for Babies and Tots

Now that I got my huff out of the way, I can tell you about Bear’s visit to the library (complete with $40 library card).  I found out that one of the branches (yes, the one where Miss Mouthy works) has “Play Time for Babies and Tots” nearly every Wednesday during the summer.  Play Times are 9:15 and 10:30, which do not conflict with nap time.  Bear and I and some friends signed up for June, and yesterday was our first time to go.  (more…)

You can’t shush me. I’m a librarian.

// June 9th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Life in General

This library saga is going to have two parts:  (1) my library fit and (2) Bear’s play date at the library.  They have two totally different tones, so be prepared for a little literary whiplash.

PART ONE – The Library Card Incident (more…)

Comfy and Cheap at Target!

// June 7th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Life in General, Money Matters

I am so excited about this deal I found over at Simple Saving Savvy.  Today’s Daily Deal at Target is BOGO on select maxi dresses with free shipping!  But the deal gets even better–you can use the code TCJ09UAB to take an additional 10% off.  That’s $9.90 each.

Want an even better deal?!  Order through Ebates and earn 3% cash back.  Plus, new Ebates members get a $5 bonus when they sign up.  This deal could be as sweet as $7.09 per dress SHIPPED.

Hot Husband hates these dresses, but I love them.  I have one that I got a couple of years ago, and it is so comfy!  I like being able to look like I’m somewhat dressed up but feel like I’m in my jammies.  I already own a teal maxi dress, and I bought the black and gray ones with today’s Target deal.  I’m considering buying a couple more . . .

EDIT:  If you’re like me and decided you needed two more, the code above will not work again.  However, on the second purchase you should be able to use the code MT9ZC7RW.  Unfortunately, I found this code AFTER I made my second purchase.

I’m a WAHM!

// June 5th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Life in General, Work at Home

As of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 3, I am officially a work at home mom.  It has taken several months of very hard work to get here, and I’m pretty darned pleased with myself.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to write about it yet, because I’ve been so busy working!  I’m definitely a WORK at home mom, and not just a stay at home Trophy Wife.  I’ll soon be giving you an update on what has been happening since my last post and since I have officially quit my day job.  Stay tuned to hear about (1) how eternally grateful I am to Auntastic; (2) how it feels to finally accomplish my goal; (3) what’s been going on with the Bear while Hot Husband is on yet another motorcycle trip; (4) what I’ve learned so far about how to become a work at home mom; and (5) my rant about the public library and the little hissy fit I threw (I guess I think that since I am no longer a librarian, I don’t have to be quiet in the library).

The next couple of days hold more work, and then I’m going to create a work schedule for myself that includes daily postings on Nix9to5.

In the meantime . . . I don’t have to get out of my pajamas to go to work anymore.