The Gentleman

Ashleigh and I stopped at the grocery store after school. We were standing in line when a gentleman pushed his cart in line behind us. I don't use the word gentleman lightly either. After standing there for a couple min an elderly woman pushed her shopping cart behind him in line, noticing that she only had a few items (and this was the only line open) he told her to go ahead of him. She had a pleasant but shocked look on her face and asked him, "are you sure" which he replied with, "of course, you only have a few items". I haven't witnessed that in years and made me smile to think that some people still value those random acts of goodness.

Fingers crossed

I found out today that I have to work Christmas day. Funny, since it's supposed to be by volunteer only. I'm sorry but a mandatory volunteer is NOT actually volunteering at all in my book. I sent out an email to my department offering to give away my shifts. So hopefully there are some people looking to pick up some extra hours. I would love to have the whole week off so lets keep our fingers crossed!

Up & Down

Well, I'm past the one month mark for my first list, which is how long I gave myself to complete it. I didn't finish it all though. Should I look at this as a failure? I don't think so. So what if I didn't finish everything... I did get about half done and as the month wore on I realized that all of the things on the list I would like to get done but it's just really not the right time for some of them. Starting a marketing campaign the month before Christmas and with my next semester starting in January, I figured that's really something I need to put on the back burner so I don't spread myself to thin... and same goes for the website makeover. I think the list was a bit ambitious.

Today has been an odd day. Earlier this afternoon I felt on top of the world. I had a nice relaxing Sunday and was feeling good. But now, here it is midnight and I'm feeling stressed and frustrated. Over the last few hours I've come to the realization that my Children will be spending most and I mean MOST of their Christmas break at their Dad's house. Why, you ask? Because their Dad's new wife gets to be a stay at home mom while I have to work. If you couldn't tell, I'm slightly bitter about the situation. So, I will spend a few hours with my kids on Christmas day, only to take them back to their Dad's house later that night so I can get up early and go to work the next day.

As I go to bed tonight I'm going to pray for a new outlook on the situation...

New Client

Crossed another thing off the list. Every night between 7 and 8 PM I tell the kids it's time to clean up. They happily clean knowing that once they are done they get their before bed snack. I tried it last week and the house has stayed clean! Yay!!

I got a call from an old friend last week, who owns a Real Estate Co., and wanted my help with designing some advertisements for him. I met with him earlier today. Not only will I be designing two full page color adds for a local Real Estate magazine but also, fliers, for sale and open house signs! After our meeting, I got a call from a friend of his (who was at his house and over heard us going over design ideas) and he is in need of a logo for his carpet cleaning company. On the way home I rewarded myself with Panda Express for lunch. My fortune cookie said something about having a creative mind. Ironic.

I had a very successful day and I will be very busy this week.

p.s. I just killed a spider that was crawling up my wall. Just thought I should share. haha

Sleeping Problems

Nothing new to cross off the list tonight. I've felt super worn out and just down right tired the last few days. It's around 7 PM and I'd go to bed now if I could. I hope I'm not getting sick. Although, my 6 year old coming into my room every night hasn't been helpful.  He kicks off my covers and kicks me, he also has this habit of playing with my hair...even in his sleep! I woke up some point this morning and couldn't move my head because he had wound my hair around his fingers so many times. I NEED him to sleep in his own bed at night again. Any suggestions???

Progress

Woo-hoo! Just crossed four things off my list. I'm feeling motivated to get things done now, which is probably a good thing since I have dishes to put away and two loads of laundry looking at me begging to be folded and put into their perspective homes. I also need to straighten up the house in general from a long and crazy week.

I just checked online and Jackson's library books are overdue (oops) and apparently the movies we borrowed a few weeks ago were taken back late, so I better make my way over to the library to drop off the books and pay the fine (ouch). I have come to the realization that the Library just does not work for us. I can't tell you have many fines we've payed for books and especially movies over the years. What I need to do, is take the kids once a week on the same day so it becomes a habit and our items are never late. Hmmmm, I think I will add some schedule type items to the next list.

I think I will make myself some hot chocolate to sip on.... darn, I'm out of milk now. I'll have to add that to my shopping list. People are going to start thinking I'm obsessed with lists! Maybe my sudden craving for lists is a cry for more order in my life. You would think a single mom of two busy kids, who works and goes to school along with doing freelace design work on the side would have plenty of order! hahaha

High of 38

It's cold. VERY cold. The high was only 38 degrees. Normally this wouldn't be an issue however, our heater is completely broken and my house is freezing. The good thing is that I'm getting a new furnace installed on Saturday. The bad thing is that my finger tips and nose are quite cold in the mean time. All in all it's not that bad. We have 2 space heaters to keep us from freezing to death and it helps us to appreciate things a little more.

When I picked up the kids from school today we went to a second hand store to get the rest of Ashleigh's costume for Halloween. She is a fairy. The highlight of the shopping trip was when Jackson (unknown to him) leaned up against the emergency exit only door and the store's alarm system started blaring throughout the entire store!! It was deafening. Jackson, of course was mortified and started crying. I told him it was ok and gave him hug. In his defense... the door didn't even say anything about an emergency exit or that an alarm would sound, just a simple hand written note that said, "please use other door". After about 5 min, someone finally came over to the door and locked it, causing the alarm to stop. We did end up with a pretty cute costume in the end so the shopping trip was a success. Just a very eventful one!

I didn't do anything on 'the list' today. In fact I thought of a few things to add! Ahhh, I'm moving backwards. Maybe I will start a second list after I finish the first, that way I wont get too overwhelmed.

Well, time for bed. But before I go.. I just wanted to say we had the most delicious dinner tonight. It was Ashleigh's idea. Soup in a bread bowl. Ash. had clam chowder while I opted for creamy tomato soup with some cheese shredded on the top, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped bacon. Yummy!

Pumpkin Guts

I checked something off the list tonight. *pats myself on the back* I love progress, even if it's baby steps.

After our first snow of the season today, the kids and I carved the pumpkins we got from Grandpa Madsen's garden. I think Ashleigh picked the heaviest pumpkin there was. I'm pretty sure it weighed as much as Jackson! It took us 20 min to get the top off of it because the pumpkin was so thick and there were a ton of 'pumpkin guts' holding the lid on. R.I.P. to the kitchen knife that broke off at the handle trying to wrestle with that darn lid.

After all was said and done, the jack'o lanterns turned out very cute. We rolled up all the slimy guts in the newspaper that we had covered the table in, and washed off a few handfuls of seeds... which we roasted (and I am snacking on as we speak). I think it's time for warm PJ's and I'm going to try to get to bed early tonight.

A List

After watching Julie&Julia with my Mom and Aunt recently, I am inspired to start Blogging again.

So, here I am... Sunday evening, in all my sweatshirt-ponytail-no makeup glory. I have been in a slump this last week. Not a HUGE slump in which I eat peanut butter for dinner and feel the despair of the world closing in. Just a small slump which I'm bored with the same old same old that most of us deal with at one time in our lives or another. You know, the old 'day late', 'dollar short', and normal stresses from work, kids and a never ending messy house... that kind of slump.

With that being said, it's time to revamp things a bit. I'll start with a list:

• Find a system that WORKS for the kids to keep the house clean
• Plan some quick & easy meals for dinner
• Fix the leaky pipe under the sink so I can use my dishwasher again
• Get a copy of the laundry room (which is downstairs but always locked since my brother lives down there) key so it's not such a pain to do the wash.
• Make chore charts for the kids...but stick with it this time so the kids can earn allowance (easily ties into the first item on the list)
• Get new flooring for the Kitchen
• Have the new cooktop I bought a month ago installed
• Find an inexpensive chimney service so I can actually use any of the 3 fireplaces I have in my house this year
• Do the finish work on the window that was installed in my bedroom recently
• Look into duct cleaning services to come out after my new furnace is installed next weekend - done (company installing the furnace does that also and will give me a discount)
• Research what local companies are charging for logo and webiste design 
• Makeover my own website
• Start marketing my design services
• Schedule another charity pickup for things we are getting rid of 

There we go... a starting point. I am giving myself a month. I have a list of future things I am keeping in the back of my mind also.

• New flooring in the whole house
• Remodel both bathrooms
• Organize the garage with shelving
• New kitchen countertops

baby steps though. I did go through Jackson's room with him earlier today and got rid of clothes and toys he no longer uses. It was quite productive. Then spent an hour or two on the computer looking at everything from new logo and business card ideas to tile and faucets for the bathrooms. It was overwhelming yet inspiring at the same time.

Simply Ranelle.

Alicia RaNelle Steinberg Gober Madsen?

I was born a Steinberg. My Step dad was a Gober, therefore my Mom became a Gober and of course my brother was born a Gober. When I got married, I became a Madsen. Consequently, my children were born as Madsen's. When I divorced, I stayed a Madsen, for no other reason than keeping the same name as my children, which I feel is very important.

I was not close to my Dad growing up, I couldn't stand my Step dad most of the time, and other than my kids... have no reason whatsoever to keep my ex's name. So, where does that leave me? With my very own, on in a million, super-fantastic, name. Alicia Ranelle.

There are 223,785 people in the U.S. with the first name Alicia. Statistically, it's the 293rd most popular first name. (according to howmanyofme.com) But, do you know how many others have the name Alicia Ranelle?.... None. I am the only one.

I searched the meaning of my name, do you want to know what it was? There isn't one. Do you want to know why? There are very few people in the world with the name Ranelle. My name was made just for me. It came from my God Parents Ray and LaNelle.

No matter what my last name is, this will never change. It is brilliant. It has no textbook definition but has such a wonderful story behind it. It is simple yet beautiful in both form and function. It is unique. It is... me.