Wednesday Randomness

Eesh.  Harriet was not in the mood for sleeping last night.  Maybe it was the extensive nappage of the afternoon, or maybe her tummy was bothering her (hence the projectile puking of earlier in the evening).  Whatever the cause, she didn't want to sleep soundly for more than 30 minutes.  Then, instead of nursing and going back to sleep, she decided to kick and claw about and make life rather uncomfortable.  Usually I really enjoy co-sleeping with the muchkin, but last night my nerves were so fried that I would have gladly put her in her bassinet...if she would have not melted into a puddle of sadness.  It's on nights like this that I wish Steve were at home.  Just the moral support of another adult in bed would have been tremendously helpful.

(However, I am so very glad that Steve has a job in the first place, but also has a job that allows us to have insurance and be able to put a considerable amount of money into savings.  When we pack off to St. Louis and are able to set up shop without getting into debt, I know that we will look back and appreciate what God provided through BD.)

I finished two books this week.  Count 'em: two.  The first was Timeline by Michael Critchon, which Steve got off of Paperback Book Swap a few weeks ago.  Overall it was a fun and fast read which didn't require a lot of brain power - and the brain power parts could be skimmed without it being detrimental to understanding the story.  I like the premise of time travel, especially to the middle ages.  However, there was a lot of unnecessary language that I didn't care for (more graphic than Lord Peter by a long shot) and Critchon also had a tendency to stick sensational themes in the story in a rather awkward way.  Okay, so maybe folks back in the middle ages didn't give a flying fart in space about morals, but I think that he could have incorporated that aspect of the period into his story in a less...well, awkward...way.  Due to the story being set during the Hundred Years War there was a lot of battle-related gore that I rather skimmed over.  All that said, Critchon's writing style was engaging and intelligent and I kept coming back for more.  The tone was fast-paced and movie-esque.  I probably wouldn't read it again, but I wouldn't call it a complete waste of time.  (I did laugh at Critchon's attempt to attach one of his female characters back to reality when, after chapters and chapters describing her intensely daring escapes from various heartless villains, the epilogue depicts her as being seven months pregnant and unable to move.  Ahem, if this gal can swing from beams, climb up castle walls, and engage in hand to hand combat, I think she could probably have more gumption during pregnancy. Maybe.)

The second book was The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr Laura Schlessinger, loaned to me by my wonderful fellow-married-woman sister, Clara.  I usually despise self-help marriage books, primarily because of the inundation of pop psychology and the tendency to provide easy fix-it solutions which ultimately put me into a sort of mental bondage ("if I'm doing all of [insert wifely duties here], why can't he get his rear end in gear?").  The Proper Care was surprisingly useful and refreshing and was a timely read after a year of marriage (and the many associated changes to every day life).  Basically, the author is taking the Biblical principles of respecting and loving your husband, but applying them practically in a secular setting.  It was good to read something that wasn't over spiritualized, even though I know that the principles really do spring from a spiritual source.  As I read I kept thinking, "Wow, this describes me."  And that wasn't always a good thing.  The good thing, though, was that I was convicted about the need to change, had some practical ways to go about doing so, and didn't feel guilty for "messing up."  The funny thing was that Steve picked up the book, glanced at a paragraph and started laughing.  "So is this stuff about guys really true?" I asked.  "Of course it's true," he said.  Anyway, it's recommended reading.

Jacob and I have been watching episodes of Cake Boss when he comes over in the evenings.  It makes me want to really learn how to decorate cakes well...or at least cupcakes well.  I should have known that watching this stuff before bed causes me to have cake decorating dreams.  Those aren't always pretty.

So I'm really not a coupon person, but I found out about some really good coupons from Qdoba and since we eat there every. single. week after church, I thought I would be a frugal wifey-poo and get them.  How can you beat a free entree with a drink purchase?  I went through the hoopla of creating my own wonderful online entree-blah-blah, arrived at the page to print the coupon and...it only printed 1/2 of the coupon.  Something is wrong with the size of the image verses the size of the printer page.  Phooey.  I guess I'll try again and see if I can get more of a coupon.  If so, we may just be able to get our next Qdoba meal for next to nothing!

I've got bread that needs to get in the oven.  Bye for now.

Qdoba coupons