My time in Early HeadStart

When CW was 2, and shortly after I discovered I was pregnant with Ivan, I signed him up for Early HeadStart. I was hoping to get him into the center, but the line for homevisits was shorter. When AB came to our first visit, I was really glad I made that choice and took us off the list for the center.

AB was tons of fun. She brought toys that CW enjoyed, she chatted with me and occasionally gave my family extra support, like playing with Ivan while I got some time with CW or helping me get a gas card to help with the frequent trips to Lansing. I couldn't have asked for a better homevisitor. She felt like a good friend, even tho I knew she was getting paid. She never treated us like that and she genuinely loved the boys.

Then when CW got into HeadStart, she accepted a teaching job within the organization. That meant we were getting a new homevisitor. Things were also being shaken up. When I started there were 2 visitors, and 1 got a teaching job and the other had a baby and chose motherhood. So everyone got new visitors.

K was from the EHS center. She was nice, loved Ivan and took perfectly good care of my family. Not her fault she came in after the coolest homevisitor ever! We had her quite a few months, but then money came into 8-cap from the government stimulus (AAHA or some collection of letters I can't remember). A EHS center opened in Ithaca and since that was her home turf, she took the offer to head that up. You go girl!

So then 8-cap got a bunch of new homevisitors and we got AO. She was good, too. She loved Ivan, and he adored her. She even had fun with CW, laughing at his quirks. But she got engaged and moved out of state. I haven't had a visit since mid-December. They send a paper with activities on it, but it's not the same. As an added bonus no one bothered to tell me that playgroup was moved from Thursdays to Tuesdays. That was a big bummer when I got all organized to go and no one was there.

Ivan misses AO. I told him we were going to playgroup this last Thurday and he starts saying AO's name. Broke my heart! I had to tell him that she was all-gone and we wouldn't see her again. He spent 3 days saying "ao, all-gone?" He even cupped his hand over his mouth and said "AO, THAT YOU?"

All this adds up to me not being the excited involved parent that I used to be. I don't want to have another stranger coming into my home and family. I'm not big on meeting new people, so it's way out of my comfort zone. I also don't want to ever have to do this again. It's not fair to Ivan to get attached to someone, he doesn't get that this is just her job. I don't think it was as bad when AB left because CW had started HeadStart and Ivan was still a baby.

I love HeadStart and Early HeadStart, and I'm grateful to 8-cap for all the support they've given my family. I'm just worn out on the homevisitor dance. So I am in this for the kids, what I hope is the new girl makes it until Ivan gets into HeadStart - which could be as early as next September. Then I won't have to worry about that anymore.

Also - CW does remember AB and we have pictures that pop up and he remembers that part of his life. Ivan is that same age now, I want it to be good for him.

CSN Review

I was contacted by CSNstores.com to post some links and then review products of my choice. I chose 3 items.
Melissa and Doug Figure 8 Train Set
Lite Source Sharp Heavy Weight Floor Stand
and Alden Lap Desk

First let me say that even though CSN has many different stores, it's fairly painless to get all your items into one cart. Just find what you want and then find it at the CSNstores.com main site then add to your cart. The items I ordered are all in different stores, Games & Toys, Lighting and AllCoffeeTables.com. But I found them on the main site and added them to the cart there. Each item having it's own number makes it fool-proof.

My order went thru easily enough and I'm very happy with the amount of communication. They send you your order, then announce as each item is shipped from the warehouse, along with tracking information. Everything came fairly fast as well, and made it by the assumed dates listed at time of order.

Now for the items. :)
Melissa and Doug Figure 8 Train Set

For Christmas Ivan recieved a thomas train set from Auntie Deb & Uncle Tim, but it was wood. However, Ivan LOVED it - it was the favorite Christmas gift. I immediately regretted everything I had bought him. So when I saw this and from reviews heard it would work with the Thomas sets I hopped on it. Less than $20...when a similar Thomas set would probably go for $80 or more. It does fit...not perfectly but close enough to work. I also like that the rounded pieces can work both ways so there's no end to how to fit the pieces together. I'm very, very happy with this and the price...$19.85.

Winsome Alden Lap Desk

I have been dreaming about this desk for months. Priced right at $40.00 I snagged this as a review item as well. I dreamed of taking my laptop into bed with me and being able to use my mouse and comfortably watch a movie or play games.

It's worked well for that. Plus the boys fell in love with it and have eaten a meal or 2 there. But once I moved it to my room, the dowels on the legs pulled out and it was pretty wobbly. However, this is easily fixed with some wood glue. I'm still really happy with this item. It's a fair price and it's really useful - there's even a little drawer and part of the top props up.

Lite Source Sharp Heavy Weight Floor Stand in Polished Steel
This is the item they show:

This is the item you get:

I was very disappointed. Partly this is my fault, it does say floor stand. Partly it is theirs for a misleading picture. Really any company knows you show what the person will be recieving, not what they can make. I also think they should have made it obvious with featured links to lamps that would fit this stand.

My disappointment aside, my husband assures me this was a great price at $53.10, and it really is solid. Now I just need to get a lamp that fits it. The polished steel is attractive and truly it's a heavy solid piece with wheels that make it easily moved.

Sunday Stealing...late...or maybe early...

Cheers to all of us thieves!
But I was reminded by my friend Anna who stole it first at Anna - Me, Unapologetically

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:00 am

2. How do you like your steak? Used to be well, has changed to med-rare

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Tangled

4. What is your favorite TV show? Ummmm....Raising Hope

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Ireland countryside

6. What did you have for breakfast? hotdogs and coffee

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? olives

9. Favorite Place to Eat? Mexican Laundromat (el vaquero) or Mountain Town Station

10. Favorite dressing? Blue Cheese

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? 96 Prizm

12. What are your favorite clothes? jeans and a bulky sweater

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Stonehenge and Hawaii

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? 1/2 empty (i really want it to be 1/2 full, tho)

15. Where would you want to retire? someplace warm but most likely by my kids

16. Favorite time of day? early evening

17. Where were you born? Owosso, MI

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Ick - don't like it at all. Ok does T-Ball count?

19. Who do you think will never call you again? Probably lots of people...definitely my biological father.

20. Person you expect to call you next? Ummm...no one calls me.

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to Stealing? nah

22. Bird watcher? yes, love to see the birds. Usually see lots of crows for some reason.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? night

24. Do you have any pets? yes, 1 big furry dog named Henry

25. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? finished my taxes and we are getting more than I expected!!!

26. What did you want to be when you were little? archeologist

27. What is your best childhood memory? reading with my Great-Grandma Keehn and playing in the rocks outside her house...tied with a trip to my Grandma and Grandpa Hursh's campground in the UP.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? yes

29. Are you married? yes

30. Always wear your seat belt? yes

31. Been in a car accident? yes, minor tho.

32. Any pet peeves? tons

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? mushroom

34. Favorite Flower? lilac (duh!)

35. Favorite ice cream? mackinac island fudge

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Oh My! Burgers and Fries

37. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? zero

38. Who did you get your last email from? Bill Me Later

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? TJ Maxx

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? not really

41. Like your job? yes!

42. Broccoli? yum

43. What was your favorite vacation? cruise with my parents, brother and Kurrle grandparents who paid for us all to go.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? My good friends Jen & Steve and their kids. We tore the place up!

45. What are you listening to right now? silence...finally!!!

46. What is your favorite color? blue

47. How many tattoos do you have? zero - I hate needles

48. How many times have you tagged someone to do a meme? a few

49. What time did you finish this meme? 9:20 pm

50. Coffee Drinker? oh yea