These things May or May Not have occurred Over the Holiday

* We ran out of propane and had to call Hank Hill to refill our tank. On christmas Eve. Things were thrown.

* My mother's power was lost on Christmas Day due to a frying of a squirrel. She called the police instead of the power company much to my confusion, and fortunately our hillbilly relatives didn't show up in their RV to cook said squirrel.

* i made a kickass pumpkin cake.

* Having successfully completing the creation of 'bath fizzies' with her "Spa Factory" Rug placed said bath fizzie into a plastic container with a lid VIA THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BOX and it immediately BLEW UP in her hand, causing a lot of screaming but fortunately no injury. Angry mom has already written a zero star review for Amazon.com.

* LP surprised me with diamond earrings in a Cheez-it box.

* I returned the favor by giving him the gift that keeps on giving....a Goblet with encrusted rhinestones that spell out "PIMP KING". Ohhhh yeah. Totally equal gift. this, please note, is after we both decided we were NOT giving each other gifts this year. I think he should be pretty damn proud to be Pimp King.

* I am not completely addicted to 'De Blob' on Wii.

* I can no longer enter Al's room, since the 'Jacob' poster adorning her wall is now following me with its eyes.

* Mo is still the cutest little bug in a rug I've ever seen. She has memorized all the words to "Toy Story 2" and now will come up to you, unprovoked and point and say, "YOU ARE A TOY!!!"

Happy New Year week, y'all.

SPF Friday -easy breezy

I sent out my cards this year the day after Thanksgiving. Why? I was in a car for 2 hours driving to an outlet mall, plus I wanted everyone to have my new change of address, so THEY had no excuse to send ME a card this year. Boo yah!

We took quickie pics this year of the girls, of course not without some drama. Here is the winning Christmas card photo:




and here is the runner up:


Clearly Rug has listened to "Christmas in Hollis" one too many times.

Merry Christmas yo.

a Major Award

I have finally been recognized for my greatness by Kelly, from KLOG (with the best taglines ever). She is fantabulous, and I am honored.

Actually I wrote a whole long post and then my computer ate it so this is my second try. Definitely will not be as long.

The rules are as follows, I must say something nice about my Man (what? What sort of whacked out award is this? I might be like that one chick who ended up not thanking her husband at the Oscars and then they get divorced...I certainly don't want that.)

Also, 6 things I think make up SUCCESS.

Lastly, I must bestow this prestigious award onto others.

NICE STUFF ABOUT LP: He centers me. I mean, when I'm acting like a fool, he will call me on it. Also when I'm freaking out, he, like I like to call it, 'talks me down'. Chills me out. Like the other day when someone drove by my house and their headlights shone into my bedroom, thus waking me up, and in my stupor I assumed (as one would, right?) that the light was an atomic blast and were were being bombed. He talked me down from that.

Have I mentioned I'm quite neurotic? I was half asleep, that is sadly my only excuse.

HOW I DEFINE SUCCESS: Pretty much 'what Kalki said'. But I can add that I think success is basically doing something again after you've failed. And failed. And you keep trying until you finally GET it. That is success. I do think that those people who think success is LOOKING successful have it all wrong. I believe that having your PRIORITIES straight makes you successful. In life anyway.

Now to tag. I would bestow the honor to two bloggers who already received it, that being Kalki and Susie whom I both adore. So for my purposes I bestow this award to:

Bente: Not even on the same continent and I would consider her my friend. Very nice, and her photography is amazing.


Kristine: She was the one who taught me about blogging. I found her through her hysterical comments on Dooce. she's like the cool girl in high school everyone wants to be friends with.

Circus Kelli: Only blog friend I've spoken to on the phone, and she is just as charming in 'real' life. Her minivan has flames. Now THAT is success, my friends.

Ahhhhh AFTER

also have i shown you my Disney bathroom???? i would not have done this on my own, but it was here, so I kept it, naturally.

BEFORE pics

The worst part about this green is that it looked PROFESSIONALLY DONE.

P.S. The 'bean bags' are actually "Cordaroys" of which I found on HGTV.com and promptly purchased. They have mattresses inside!

After pics to follow....

Days go By

I have been religiously getting up at 6 a.m. to run, so far, so good. I am amazed at how much I can get accomplished between 6-8 a.m. and my daughters can't even bring up their laundry baskets. "We run out of time!" Sigh. Time management, clearly, is a class I need to teach the family. Also, how not to wear white socks with dress shoes, that's a big one too.

Last week was the Christmas Bazaar and even though I'm working, I was able to pull it off. Yay me!

I am making scrapbooks for the older girls of their school pictures for Christmas. I hope it doesn't turn out like those weird gifts you got from your mom where she's all super excited and you are like, uh, this sucks, where's my George Michael tape? yeah, that didn't happen or anything.

LP actually wants to exchange gifts as usual this year, we have ALWAYS given each other gifts, regardless, but this year...I'm thinking we have spent WAYYYYYY too much money this year, it's time to cut back. Although I am sort of hoping he is wanting to replace my DIAMOND earrings that got vacuumed up by an 11-year-old whom shall go unnamed here....that would be nice.

Almost wiped out yesterday in the car from the ice! We saw FOUR accidents on the way to school, what usually takes me 15 minutes took over 45 minutes. I was actually enjoying the thrill of the swervy swerving, but I dare not tell my girls that.

I am attending a Christmas 'card' party next week, it's a yearly thing, we get together, eat yummy food and write out our cards. I have almost finished mine (although, if you want one, send me an email and I will send you one!) but I figure I can bring the scrapbooks over instead. She also liked TKW's Bad Christmas Sweater idea so we are stealing that. I have to go find one this weekend, and I will let you know how I fare.

I am *THIS* close to being done shopping. One plus to having 3 sets of grandparents...dole them out the expensive gifts and they will take care of it for us. Plus Fisher Price toys were Buy one get 1 free this year at the toy store so I did pretty well. If only Wii games would ever be discounted, I'd be set.

Oh, that's right, I'm supposed to be working. Next post? Painting the awful colors away in my new house. pics to come.

Mi little Mo

So you drop the F bomb not too often but often enough for me to be embarrassed, and though I blame it mostly on your father, who feels words can't be 'bad' so he uses it as often as ESPN.com, I have been known to drop a Bomb or two. Plus, I AM the Vice President of Swearing at In-Laws in the club "moms who drink and swear" on Facebook so I can't innocently say I'm not to blame, even though my preferred curse word is the "S-missle" and is usually directed towards the in-laws, and not 2 year olds. Or i use the term 'mothergrabber', a nice term your Daddy coined when your oldest sister was your age to prevent us from using the alternative, clearly showing what happens between the first child and the third.

Yesterday I went to register your sister for her new school, and when I turned to sign some papers, you had grabbed an ornament from the school office Christmas tree and shattered to the ground. Clearly assuming it would bounce, one would hope.

When we returned home, you found a box of Ritz Bitz your sister had stashed and proceeded to open it, pull apart the crackers, eat the peanut butter inside, and then smoosh the two crackers into the ground, as you were already sucking the peanut butter off the next cracker victim.

These incidents may or may not have caused me to drop the F bomb.

However, I am not writing them down because they frustrate me. As I was blowing bubbles yesterday and you were yelling, "Caught it! caught it!" I knew that these are merely moments in time and soon will be forgotten. Soon, you will be sitting at a computer typing away on email or something completely ignoring me. All you want right now is a bit of my attention, and I am trying so hard to give you as much as I possibly can. Every time I lose my patience with you I try to collect it back again because I know you will not get that excited about bubbles for very much longer. I know that soon bubbles will just be bubbles, and a broken ornament will just be a mess to clean up. Now though, it is a chance for me to interact with you, to teach you, to show you the world and how great and wonderful it truly can be. It's also allowing me to learn a few lessons of my own.

So I think the F-bombs are OK, as long as we don't say them in front of Grandma anymore, K? Heavens knows she's gone through enough lessons with me as her daughter.

NOT Negatorily negative.

Last night I was complaining that I had a pretty sucky birthday this year, and LP was refuting that belief. He said I only saw the negative in it and started calling me Ja-NEGATIVE which truly made me laugh. It's hilarious because I'm usually the positive one in our relationship, so whenever i say the least amount of stinkin' thinkin', he totally calls me on it. Apparently I'm the Rainbows and giggles in this household, and am not allowed to speak words that are not cheerful and happy. OK, then, I'll take that as a challenge.

I will overload him with Happiness and Giggles. be prepared for the onslaught!


My frigging Christmas tree is so great. I need to take a picture of how far away you can see it from the road. Like a mile! It's because LP put these funky blue lights on it and we have no outside lights, so it has become the Blue Light Special of our street. I hope no one expects a bargain when they enter.

I LOVE how Mo repeats every last word we say. I could talk to her for 10 minutes straight, and she will grab onto that LAST word and repeat it, like a question. Such as "I believe that the world is coming to an end." Her: "END??" "Mommy drinks to have a drink" Her: "Drink?" "When I was little, I used to think I was going to be a special effects artist, and go to Hollywood and do the gory makeup for scary movies. I was always into that and the coolest makeup I though was from American Werewolf in London." Her: "London? Mommy Hot dog!" (Hot dog is what she calls Mickey Mouse, and unless you have a child who watches the 'new' Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, you will not understand why)

OK that is all the positive ness you're going to get from me today. Maybe I'll go spread some happiness to my twitter pals.

No Janegative for me, it's Janeverbenegative for me!

Naturally

Annual Christmas Dance for you from the Say Qua Girls

Turkey Weekend

I had a surprisingly enjoyable weekend. Thanksgiving was busy, and the food was delicious. NO DRAMA! Which is the sweetest part of it all.

Friday morning I got up early to head to Wal-Mart in search for a good deal on a new camcorder, and a few Christmas gifts. Now that we live in the sticks, we are closer to the SUPER Wal-Mart even further away, and I was hoping it would be less crowded than the one I used to go to. I was totally right, and it was awesome. I got two of the 'doorbusters' that I hoped to get even though it was already 7:30 a.m. I did witness my first Black Friday fight, in electronics naturally. Some woman claimed another woman took something out of her cart, and it was free for all. I backed away quickly, singing "We Wish you a Merry Christmas!" as I got outta there.

I found the checkout near the garden area with no line so I didn't even have to wait in LINE! It was great. I got home, ate some breakfast and left with the in-laws to drive 2 hours to an outlet mall for more shopping. We go every year, stay in a hotel and get away from my kids for 24 hours. It was nice, and I got some great deals. can you say fleece pullovers at Old Navy 2 for $10? Oh yeah!

Of course now we are knee deep in stomach flu and both the kids are home sick today, but the next 3 weeks there is no soccer, little homework and a lot of Christmas cheer. I can't wait.

One more thing, I found out LP's uncle is going to be on Reno 911! Isn't that cool? I'm almost famous.

Turkey Day, say Qua style

Scene: LP and I, drinking wine in front of our new fireplace, discussing the aftermath of a stuffing passive/aggressive situation between the in-laws for Thanksgiving that is resulting in our less than enthusiastic anticipation for the impending holiday:

LP: ...so I say we say screw them all and let them eat their own damn stuffing by themselves!

Me: Man, we are SO exactly like that new Vince Vaughn movie coming out.

LP: (with lightbulb over head) That's it! Instead of Thanksgiving here next year, let's take the girls to Disney World and have turkey and stuffing with Mickey and Minnie! It'd be perfect, I'd only have to take 2 days vacation, the girls would only miss a few days of school and....what do you think J?

Me: (not responding as I am already booking the hotel).

Happy Birthday mo

Happy Birthday mo mo. I loves ya.

downloaded some pics

so i finally found the USB cord to download some pics. We have one room painted (Al's room) and we will be painting the 'green' room this weekend...after I lose my mind and have family over here tomorrow night for mo's birthday...yes, that is right she is 2 tomorrow (whimper, cry, go fetal). So anyway, here are some pics. I LOVE my office, the ability to shut the door to the madness is just wonderful to me.

I do have to say that having people help you move is fantastic. However, if said people are stocking your fridge, make sure they do not put the eggs on the bottom shelf where a 2-year-old can reach them and throw them onto the floor.

(the one of the family is us at the old house during the madness of moving, saying goodbye to the house that was home for 10 years...and LP going, OK, let's hurry this up)

Satisfied

Last night we were driving home from the mall, the 'new' way to our 'new' house. The exit off the highway was nearing and LP starts wailing,

"THERE IS OUR EXIT! JANA TAKE THAT IT'S OUR EXIT!"

(pause)

"Oh, that's south, we need to go north. The next one is our exit."

I gave him an all knowing like, like, duh, I knew where I was going.

ONLY because last week I'd taken the first exit instead, but he didn't need to know that.

ho boy

well here we go. Went to the new house last night, and had to drop a check off to our new neighbors across the street. Met their 5-year-old, who immediately SMOTHERED Al (who is, the most reserved of us all) and would not unleash her from a bear hug. SHe was not amused, nor was I that his mother clearly had no restraint on the kid. Great!!!!!

I will see you all on the flip side...in my NEW HOUSE!!!!!! WOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!

Hope

I don't get political on this blog, only because I don't feel I'm informed enough to be making any type of judgement on most of what is going on. Not that I don't care, but I just don't think I truly ever have enough information to go spouting my opinion on. Kind of like Madonna and Guy Ritchie's marriage. What went wrong, what do I think went wrong? I don't know, I don't know these people from Adam and I cannot assume that I know what happened to them. He could have just called her a wanker every time Madonna got dressed in blue, who knows...it's not my call.

So that is why I don't make any political essays on this blog. Madonna and Guy.

Anyway. I'm sick, on cold medicine and little of this makes any sense.

The point is this. Last night, for the first time in YEARS, I had hope. And that hope has rolled into this morning. I know, Lord do I know, that change cannot happen overnight. That one man cannot be our Savior.

But by golly he is awe-inspiring. I wasn't born when MLK or JFK were around, and this is the first time I feel like I've been alive when a true 'maverick' (ha) will inspire us to become better people. To become a better Nation.

I love America and I love that I have the freedom to vote and choose who will lead us.

Obama may make mistakes, he may screw things up, but I know that he has given the jolt that we need. Yes, yes we can.

(insert chanting "USA! USA" here)

He may not be able to bring Guy and Madonna back together, but I think, if we are willing as a country, he can bring us together and make us the country we ought to be.

Nov 4

you're damn diddily doodily I did.

P.S. It's my Dad's birthday today too, and although we don't see eye to eye politically, he's a darn good Papa and I love him. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Now THIS is awesome

Amazon is cutting down packaging!!!

interim

<
I've deveoped a slight head cold this weekend from burning my Supermom candle at both ends, but still I persist! Who cares, I'm moving!!! Woot!

I've learned a lot about Craigslist this week, in that some people are really weird, some are rude, and some are just spectacular. I've had more spectacular and that is wonderful to me.

i also learned that giving free CDs to teachers makes them VERY happy. :) Who knew my husband's old Aphrodite's Child CD would make an 8th grade teacher giggle so? I was just glad to be rid of it...it's pretty awful. Hated to see the Cole Porter one go, but what are you gonna do, it's on my iTunes.

Lastly, Halloween came and went pretty quickly. Mo ran out of gas once we were around the circle of our street, so I took her home and Rug went with a neighbor. Apparently Al feels that working for candy was not worth her while, so she spent the night at her aunt's and watched "Poltergeist" for the first time.

Here are some pics from the festivities. We are moving most of our stuff Wed. and then closing Friday, so not sure if I'll be around this week or not. If not, then I'll see you from the new digs!!!

guess what!!!!!!

update

Potential buyers' realtor had a baby last week so we have not heard back yet.

no, I'm not even kidding you.

We are 'supposed' to hear today. But from the looks of it we may be moving. It does not sound like they found anything too terrible in the inspections but who knows.

I know what is wrong with this house, and it shouldn't deter anyone from moving here!

so the waiting game continues....

D-Day

Tomorrow is it.

Tomorrow is our inspection from the last people, our last chance of moving out of this house.

I'm very apprehensive.

Although I pretty much got the basement packed up this weekend, there is still a chance I could not be moving.

But at any rate I got rid of those love letters from that awful ex-boyfriend. Way past due on that one.

how awful was he?

let me see. He didn't show up to my high school graduation, and when I got mad at him for it, put ME in a headlock for not listening to his lame excuses.

What is worse, I dated him for 2 more years after that incident. Lame!!

I think I kept those letters just to remind myself of how great LP is. He is truly my soul mate, and just plain fantastico.

How I wish I had that time machine to go back in time to tell that younger me to not waste my time with that doofus and wait because something great was just around the corner. Oh well.

The only thing I can do now is appreciate every second I have with this man.

And, on that tangent, maybe I'll be spending the rest of my life with him in a new house! Starting soon!

OK!

P.S. I am reading "Twilight" because it is ALL the rage in 6th grade and my daughter talks about it seriously, all. the. time. Every day I hear about something Edward or jacob has done, so one of the other soccer moms is letting me borrow her copy so I at least have an idea of what is going on. It's been OK so far. Kind of like a vampire Harlequin. I also have "Son of a Witch" on hold at the library, which is a sequel to "Wicked", the last book I read. Story of the Wicked Witch of the West's son. Should be interesting.

That is all for now! I love the rambling, don't you?

Anticipate my next post to be either me hanging my head a la Charlie Brown or jumping for joy like Snoopy!

from the archives

This was taken in 1999 when I was pregnant with Rug. These 2 guys next to us on this hayride are two of my very best friends. I adore both of them, and I love this picture of us because it was a LAME evening, but we were making the best of it and laughing and just enjoying being with one another. This pictures demonstrates how I feel whenever they are around.

Glad I have the pic to remind me of how much fun we have together.

There is NOTHING like good friends.

annnnnnd......

well the first buyers had some problems with their inspections so we are moving forward with the second buyers! But, the first buyers said if anything happens, they still want to be in the race, I guess they have some time or something to get their financial stuff squared away.

So next up...even more inspections.

But I have spent every night going through the basement and I have found hee-LARIOUS stuff down there, stuff from when I was in high school. Plus lots of old love letters from my ex boyfriend of which I promptly threw away. What the FRICK was I thinking? Oh man, he was just bad, bad. Bad.

Anyway, maybe if I ever get a chance I will scan some of the things i have. It's pretty good stuff.

Latest Update

We have another offer on the house, so we have to utilize the 'kick out' clause in our contract with the other buyers...they have 48 hours to come up with financing. Today at 2 p.m. will officially be 48 hours so I will know then if we are going with the first buyers or the second! Woot!

First buyers pros: Already had inspections, and are OK with them.

First buyer cons: Still have house to sell; they could always have more problems with that.

Second buyer pros: Do not have a house to sell!

Second buyer cons: Still have inspections to go thru.

If all goes well, we could be moving November 7 or 14th. Just in time for Mo's Cookie Monster Birthday!

In other news, my husband thinks the only way to relieve stress is by having sex. Ok, well that's the lamest attempt of getting me in the sack I've ever heard.

(but it worked, so Husband 1, Me 0)

USB- finally found it

As I was cleaning...trying to get rid of some stuff...we have TWO offers on the house right now but still have to go through inspections...if all goes well we may be in the new house by November 10th...but again, I am not holding my breath!

I promised pics so pics you will get!



Balloon Glow



Merely moments before her total breakdown and deciding without hesitation she did NOT like the loud hot air balloons.



OK not the best picture but this shows how close I was to him!!! rick rox! And I am a total dork! But I am proud of it!


is she not just gorgeous in this picture? I adore it.

More to come! I am trying to clean out/organize the basement! All in one day!

Waking up

I wish i could mush up together an actual coherent thought. My brain is fried.

But with all the presidential things going on, I have to tell you I am far more disgusted with what is happening in my own STATE.

My governor has his priorities screwed up.

He is closing down state parks AND state monuments! Like Lincoln's first law practice!

Sad, sad STATE of affairs.

Rain is falling

Well if you read my Twitters, you will find that once again, we are back to square One.

The latest contract is still sort of in effect, but they have no buyer for their house as of right now. The buyers had inspections done and found RADON and cancelled their contract. So, basically here are the steps that must be taken in order for us to move:

1. People need to find a buyer for THEIR house.

2. Need to go through inspections and 'pass' on their house.

3. Must go through inspections on OUR house and 'pass'.

4. House is OK for them to move into, and they want no repairs.

5. Make sure no one else is interested in the house WE want to buy.

6. Close.

Yikes.

I need a beer. That's a lot of hoops to jump through. I need to start watching "Ninja Warrior".

I didn't get to go to the meet and greet...BUT...

I did get a signed T-shirt, he WAVED at me (and really, that's all I needed, you know, a kind gesture that he is aware of my love for him right?) he signed my CD and my friend and I were in the 2nd ROW.

More pics to follow.

It was so much fun.

Oh and I met John Waite!

P.S. we were by 3 guys who are MUCH bigger Rick fans than I could ever be. Is that possible? Apparently...I have never 'air guitared' to him. These guys? Totally did.

Proof the Universe is Against Me

My friend, who is going with me to the concert tomorrow night, won 2 MEET AND GREET passes to meet Rick Springfield. Seriously.

She gave the other one to her sister. And unfortunately, her sister is hands down the nicest person I have ever met and clearly deserves stuff like this.

But why!?!?!?!?!

Anyway, I'm tagging along with them in the hopes I might just be able to make it in. If I do, I will forever be on top of the clouds. Oh my goodness.

Put all your hands together and pray for the 80s mojo to kick in for me!

Countdown

4 days and one hour until I see the MAN for the 4th time.

I am so way super duper pathetic.

McSpazatron would be a good term for me.

*I'm so excited!*

even more things.

hey look i'm blogging more than once a month, that's cool right?

just a quick update...we have another showing tonight. this will be 26. Ironically, tomorrow is my 26th birthday. Okay, no it isn't. But it was a nice try. Tonight is the last night I will be closer to 30 than to 40. :(

Next of all, Mo has been so incredibly entertaining as of late. She can sing her ABC's and can at least recognize the letter C due to her recent obsession with Cookie Monster. I mean, he is old school, right? But she is in love. If she had to choose between Elmo and Cookie, I'm not sure what she'd do. Cookie is more her level though, even since he's become more "PC" and eats fewer cookies (he eats veggies now too), he is still pretty non-evolved and I think that's why Mo likes him. It's interesting how some Monsters on Sesame Street have very good vocabulary (Zoe, telly, who is just about the most annoying one on there) yet others have yet to even grasp the idea of first person. (Elmo, Cookie) I guess those folks know what they're doing over there though. Heaven knows it's 10000 better than Dragon tales or Barney.

Okay that was quite a tangent.

I also wanted to mention some song she sings, only in the car, and only when she is revved up. We don't know where it came from, or what it is, but it just sounds like, "WHA-DAY" over and over again, with arm motions, and then some other chorus after the refrain, that is completely unintelligible to all in the car, besides Mo of course. it's hysterical, but I will never get it on video because I'm usually driving and she has never sang it at home, and if you try to sing it, she looks at you as if you have desecrated the National Anthem ala Roseanne.

Last of all, Al scored 4 goals the other night at soccer, her last game of the year for the school, and the score was 4-3 so needless to say she won the game for them. I was SO proud of her, and I told the principal of her school if he saw her in the hallway to give her a pat on the back. Instead, he announced it in front of her WHOLE class, and made them give her a standing ovation. She was beaming when she got home, and I pray and pray she never ever finds out I told him about it!

I've got more work to and and apparently some cleaning to do as we have a showing at 5:30 and I'm sure the house still smells like Smelly Cat.

where i've been

* Working 80+ hours for this new job...when your computer sits in your house, it's hard to say you won't work. Not like jumping in the car and driving to an office, they KNOW it's right there. So, in a nutshell, my back hurts, my fingers hurt and my head hurts from all the new terms I've been learning. Good times.

* Driving up the River Road with my delicious husband for his birthday and sitting on a deck drinking Blue Moons and watching the sunset. Fantabulous.

* Getting my yearly cups from the Italianfest...each year our city holds this festival where there is a ton of Italian food and beer (ya I know, I hate it too!) and with each beer you get a cup. These are the ONLY cups we drink out of, and I have 10 years' worth in my cabinets. This year was the 25th anniversary however, and the cups had RIDGES. It's like my whole collection of fine china has become upgraded. (oh, and by the way, I 'earned' WAY too many cups this year and spilled one over my friend's super hot brother's back. 'Sokay though, I was giving him a hug at the time and was rubbing up against him, so it was worth it)
* Transcribing cardiac stress/rest tests that make my brain squeal in pain.

* Running! With all this stress I need an outlet, and even though i didn't make my bet with LP, it's OK, because at least I'm still staying healthy.

* Finding a new channel that I like on Sirius, #36, lots of dance music.

* Eating at the hibachi grill again, those onion volcanoes just are the bee's knees.

* Going to a balloon glow before the annual Great Balloon Race in St. Louis. Did you know STL was famous for this? I mean, I knew it happened but I don't think anybody outSIDE of St. Louis does. But they insist it's what we're famous for. You know, not for being the murder capital or for that big silver McDonald's arch-looking thing that towers over the city. WTF? *** Oh, I wanted to post pics, because this balloon thing was so fun, but I can't find the USB cord. Hopefully I will have them soon)

* Watching a LOT of soccer. Guess what I'm doing Friday for my birthday? If you answered getting a pedicure while having a back massage by David Beckham you'd be...really wrong. I'm going to a soccer game.

* Did I mention the working? It's truly kicking my a$$.

* we had our 25th showing last night of the house. That is 25 times I've had to clean the house to Martha Stewart clean. 25 times we've had to go find something to do, and 25 times I've yelled at the kids to pick up after themselves. Still, we are here.

* Collapsed into bed only to not be able to sleep due to LP's incessant snoring.

* Oh and I got an IUD! Is that appropriately listed here? Probably not. It's probably nobody's business either, but I had planned a post actually about taking this birth control pill called Yaz that made my hair fall out. You read that right, it made my HAIR FALL OUT.

* Enjoying the last week where my age will be closer to 30 than it is 40. :(

So that's it. It doesn't get any more exciting than that either, so breaking this up into separate posts would have only put you to sleep faster, so good day. Enjoy your nap.

Hope all is well, and as soon as I find that cord I will post pictures.

When Sesame Street Appeals to the Mommies

Brilliant.
Mo and I can certainly watch this episode over and over.

Mmmm yum.

My obsession visits with Mo's obsession.

travell

This weekend was SO much better than the last. Granted I worked every single day (yes, transcriptionists work on Labor Day. It's Labor. we work. in our jammies though) but the weather was beautiful and LP and I even got to go on a drive in the convertible. Wish we could have gone floating, we have not done that in 4 years and I'm seriously craving it.

3 showings this weekend, haven't heard back on any of them. Still contemplating buying a lot of land and starting from scratch as soon as we sell this. who knows, I still love that house we have a contract on. Just not sure if it's the 'one'.

Rug was invited to go to Greece, she is still in the running to have it paid for, but her coach invited her regardless, but we'd have to pay for it. It'd be about $20K for the 4 of us to go there, and that's if we left Mo here. :( which would be hard to do, but what would be harder, lugging her around the Parthenon? Probably. So we are doing tons of searches on Greek tourism, it looks so exciting to me. I of course would have to go to Santorini just cuz Kalki did.

Gotta go, a CT of maxillofacial bones is waiting for me.

Arguing

My husband and I are arguing this morning about what the top 10 'grunge' albums would be. Of course it is all subjective really, but we both have pretty strong opinions on the subject, seeing how both of us were in college during the heyday of grunge itself. I was a Freshman at EIU when Smells Like Teen Spirit and Alive came out. So it pretty much was the soundtrack for my college experience. When I graduated, Hootie and the Blowfish were inundating the airwaves and though I liked them at the time, it was the end of an era.

So here are my top 10, and of course this certainly isn't relevant to any of my readers being too YOUNG to remember or too OLD to care, (which both have their merits of course, but could never appreciate the joy of Grunge) but if my daughters someday read this they will know that Mommy had the better taste in music than Daddy. Which of course, they already know, having to listen to all that awful Cinderella music he insists on playing.

(For Pete's sake he wanted to put Offspring on the list. Seriously????!)

Top 10 Grunge Albums You Must Have if You Call Yourself Grunge and ever in your Life Wore a Flannel Shirt and it Was Not Cold Outside:

10. Rage Against the Machine

9. Tool, Undertow

8. Smashing Pumpkins, Siamese Dream

7. Pearl Jam, Vs.

6. Nirvana, In Utero

5. Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger

4. SINGLES soundtrack

3. Alice in Chains, Dirt

2. Pearl Jam, Ten

1. Nirvana, Nevermind

And there you have it. Al and Rug and Mo, listen, trade in those Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers CDs and replace them with these fine classics. You will never be disappointed, I promise. If anything, you would reverse the damage you've caused with that awful "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" remake Miley Cyrus has made to Mommy's brain. Thank you.

I told you all those pictures were of Mo. She is so cute though, no?

I've had so many things in my head to post but of course they all have vanished in the air. The best I can tell you is that my husband thinks he is a Pro at grocery shopping, yet he went Sunday and forgot milk and white bread. Pro--bably the worst grocery shopper ever. We do have tons of chips and beer now though.

The job is going better. My head is spinning with all the new reports I've learned. If you ever need to be scanned for gallstones, I know what to look for. Thoracentesis? I'm your lady. Needle biopsy? Haven't got that one done quite yet. You don't want to be getting one of those any way.

The girls have had their first whole week of school this week, and they've been hanging pretty well. We have NOTHING this weekend except to chill and play Mario Cart on the Wii and probably not drink as much Dixie cup wine.

And if this is sarah, stop reading right now lady.

Monday

Well it's Monday and I said i would update.

Had 3 showings this weekend AND an open house, still no leads. Hanging my head because I busted my TAIL cleaning. Commencing the weeping....

Now on top of all of my stomach problems I have added panic attacks to my repertoire. Nice! I've never had those in the past, but with the new job + selling house + school starting + not feeling well apparently equals a panic attack. Fun for all.

OK I have to get back to work. No more of all this positive energy!

Friday nights

Two Dixie cups of wine got me tipsy.

Clearly this is a sign I need to start drinking more to get my tolerance up, right?

15 years ago I know I was probably doing the same thing on a Friday night, dixie cups and all, but I'm 100% certain I was not as buzzed as I was last night.

Or that I was at a 2-year-old's birthday party.

Road to nowhere

I had a 30 minute conversation with a lead transcriptionist on how to work the software. Okay, I know now, but I have no password to get in to the system. Great. I've called and emailed 4 dfferent people with no response. So what do I do?

I blog!

This pic of Mo is priceless because I have physical evidence of her obsession with her bellybutton. It must be her entire system function button, because she always has her finger on or near it. That button is important and she is not letting anyone else touch it. I wonder if it will launch missiles from Houston if I push it.

Out of the pics I have from Holiday World, 24 are of Mo. I figured I had some catching up to do and I already have a ton of the older girls. Who needs more right?

I'm really praying I can start on this new job soon. I'm very excited but nervous at the same time. My old job was a very small hospital with very little variety in reports. This is a huge account with reports I've never heard of let alone typed. Totally feel like I'm in over my head.

Actually, someone compared my situation to being in quicksand. As soon as I get my footing, I start sinking again, and then get back up, and sink again. Just all the instability in my life that is going on, it's a great analogy. I do not have any firm ground to set my weary feet upon! Everything is in such reflux.

tomorrow I get my hair highlighted and cut so I will be able to close my eyes and relax for awhile. This weekend we will be gone most of the time. I will update on Monday. Have a great rest of the week!

This too Shall Pass...

Well I've started this post at least four times now. My boss called me this morning to inform me my salary has been budgeted at a FRACTION of what I make. Basically it was 'we're kicking you to the curb' but saying it in a nice, financial way.

So much for that new house. I'm going on vacation!

Yesterday I went to run some errands and found that Mo had pooped all the way down her leg, even seeping into the cracks between her toes. Apparently the A T & T store did not have customer bathrooms, so I had to go take her to the girls' school but got caught in traffic for 1/2 hour. She was not pleased, to say the least. Once I arrived, I discovered the grapes and fruit salad from the day before had not so much been digested as it was evident in the whatnot that was spilling from her diaper. it was a lovely sight.

Later that evening LP had given me the Saab to drive (he saw it in my eyes) Al to her soccer game as he went in the opposite direction with Mo and Rug to HER soccer practice. He got a new phone, and text messaged me, "I love you, hope you are having a good night! XOXOXO" but since the new phone was well, NEW, he wasn't accustomed to the pad and apparently sent that message to someone with the number that ended in a "5" instead of a "2" like mine does. Whoops--there goes someone's marriage.

In the meantime I'm going to be searching the internet for job opportunities and perhaps consider going back to school, at 35 years old. (well, I'm not 35 yet, but I will be in September, and that just makes me hurl). What the hell, it's not like I'm using my college degree any, let's just get some more schooling under my belt! I may end up a ph.D after all is said and done! Too bad there isn't a doctorate in transcription, darn!

But first, probably should start by taking a shower.

First Day

Today the girls started back at their school, the one they've been going to all this time. Who knows what will happen next week. They might be going to a DIFFERENT school by then. It has changed so much in the last week, my head is spinning.

Holiday World was a blast. We spent every second enjoying the nothing and I swore to LP if he even brought up moving, selling, or relocating I would pinch his eyeballs out. Of course yesterday we came back to reality, and had two showings, one of which are returning on Thursday for another look.

I don't even know what I want anymore. Today I dropped $800 on a radon removal system. 3 months ago if you asked me what that was, I would have looked at you like dopey. "Wha?" Now I can tell you how radon gets into your house, and how it is removed. And why it needs to be. Radon 101.

I love to compare how the girls have grown up. The one pic is from 2004. Riley was going into kindergarten, Alex into 3rd. My how things have changed.

Mo finally said her name today as well as dropping a very audible F-Bomb, so clearly she has her "K" sound mastered.

I've got a new job on top of my old one, so I'll be in front of the computer more often. Won't that be grand. LP will love that I probably won't be showering as often.

I will post more pics when I get them.

I love Jasper Indiana so much. It is just a nice quaint little German town. I heart it. enjoying every millisecond of my time here.

Check out the German restaurant we ate at last night, and apparently according to my husband, will be eating at again this evening as he cannot have enough German food.

Schnitzelbank

Right now Mo is sleeping, the older two are with their grandparents, LP is downloading every possible iPhone application to my iPhone, and I am having a nice, quiet moment getting to know my new laptop (yes, I know, this is my very FIRST laptop, crazy, no?) and drinking Diet Dr. Pepper and eating the free hotel cookies.

Bliss. Pure bliss.

diary

I stumbled across an old diary of mine from when Al was a baby. Actually, Al stumbled across it and read it. She said to me, "I was in my terrible twos mom, you wrote all about it!"

When I sat down and read the entries, the one thing that stuck out was how I felt like I was missing something. "I don't write as much as I used to" I said. "I can't ride my bike like I want to". All these things, because I had a child.

I wasn't missing a thing. I'd take those moments again in a heartbeat!

I do appreciate the blogging, as it helps me write as much as I used to. Now to just get that bike on the road...

I just finished reading both "Wicked" and the "Year of Magical Thinking". Both worth reading. I actually enjoyed Joan Didion's prose so much I went and got another one of her books and started it tonight, "Play it as it Lays" or something like that. I have to tell you when I was in high school, she was the kind of writer I vowed to be. I wanted that life. I wanted to be able to conjure up a poem at the drop of a hat or reference some old literary quote so obscure I'd have to find it to prove to someone I knew it.

Well then I went and majored in Psych instead of English. I just figured with my social anxiety, I would have ended up teaching English to a bunch of bratty teenagers who didn't care what Shelley had to say about anything. I didn't want that.

So now I blog, and that'll do me just fiiiiine.

We have had two contracts on the house fall through, I'm not even in the mood to talk about it. The girls are just stressed out, they just want to KNOW what is going to happen already, and I don't have that answer. I'm going to take a few days off from work, go swimming, have a beer and a pedicure and come back and think about it Monday.

Ciao.

Lame Things to Keep Me Going

Well it's late and I can't sleep so blogging is the best second alternative to slumber. For me anyway, because if there are any readers out there, this is going to be D-U-L-L.

Some things:

Mo has some new phrases.
"I You?" Which is her way of asking me to sing that blasted Barney theme song. She caught it once on TV and it has forever stuck to her as a perfect lullaby.

"Up Above so High?" Again, lullaby singing request, this one for Twinkle Twinkle.

"That is SO kewl". Usually after something her sister does that makes her laugh.

"Oh, no SHIT" Yeah, well, I drop things. A lot. She is a parrot. (she said this in front of my mom and fortunately she thought it hilarious. Whew!)

"Sit down." "All done" and "Side?" All just your basic demands from a 20 month old.

***********************************

In other news, we had two people see the house this weekend. One came back saying it was too small for them. (Dude, we have a HUGE house for this price range. Clearly a couple with eyes bigger than their wallets. Unless we're at their low end price range). The other we have yet to hear from. I hate to be hopeful because once I am, the floor falls below me. It's not bumming me out anymore though. The worst that could happen is we still have a fantastic family in a smaller house. I can handle it!

LP had to replace the sump pump this weekend, and I thought it was going to be a huge undertaking but he got it done in like a half an hour. I was impressed by his Tim Allen male-ness and rewarded him appropriately. He got to watch football and all that other junk ALL weekend.

This week we are going to see Tom Petty and Steve Winwood. It should be fun, but certainly not as emotionally provoking at the Foos were.

oh and I'm reading "Wicked" and it's really good, and I'm going to go read it right now because it should make me sleepy. I have "Year of Magical thinking" on hold for me at the library as soon as I'm done.

That is all.

Mo Definition: Exhaustion

After trying unsuccessfully for 2 hours to get my daughter to take a nap, I feed her dinner, and when I turn my head to spoon up another bite for her, I returned to her looking like THIS:



(and yes of course she stayed up until 11 p.m. later that night, naturally!)

Quick Summary

1. the guy cancelled the contract due to the inspections. Since the inspections weren't all *that* bad, the realtor seems to think something else was going on, i.e. he got back with his wife and needed an excuse or something. Who knows.
2. So now we're back to square one again.
3. A few people have seen the house, no luck.
4. It is near impossible to keep your sanity and try to keep your house 'showing' clean with 3 kids.
5. I've lost it.
6. Right now we've accumulated $3000 worth of repairs we did not anticipate.
7. I'm just about ready to give up.
8. But I can't. Not yet.
9. I'm taking the girls to a water park today to clear my head.
10. I think having a case of beer might clear it faster.

And finally,
11. I don't care what anyone says, at the next baby shower I'm buying Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for the new mommy. She has NO IDEA how much of a Godsend those things are.

Borrowed from Kristine and R & O

Have you ever showered with someone?
LP and I shower together all the time. It's the rare 15 minutes we have with no kids.



Where did you last sleep other than your house?
May in Champaign

Who was the last person in your bed?
Mo

Strawberry Milkshake or a Banana Pancakes?
Neither. If I HAD to choose it'd be the banana pancakes but I'd smother them with syrup.

Last movie you saw in theaters
Indiana Jones


Burger King or Wendy's?
Wendy's. I sacrifice my lactose intolerance for Frostys.

What time is it?
8:14 A.M.

Where are you right now?
In my front room doing my morning routine of reading the news, blogging, and playing Boxerjam games.

Where do you think your best friend is right now?
Getting ready to go to work I think.

When will you see your best friend again?
Next week, she is delivering her bambino

Are you listening to music right now?
No.

Who else is in the room with you?
LP. Give it a few seconds and Mo will come barging in.

In winter, would you rather wear jackets or hoodies?
Hoodies definitely. But oddly enough, i cannot STAND wearing hoodies while I'm driving. The hood just gets in my way.

Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?
Moving into my 'new' house *sniff*

How long can you go without your mobile phone?
Forever.

Ever kissed a blonde haired, blue eyed person?
I'm usually the blonde/blue eyed person.

Who last called you babe/baby?
LP. He always calls me, "Hey Babe?" This is when I know he is looking for something.

What's the worst way to say I love you?
Devoid of any actual love I guess.

If an ex said they hate you, you say?
Depends on which ex actually.

Would you curse in front of your parents?
yes and i do.

What is your current annoyance?
the guy who won't make a decision on buying our house or not.

Do you like drama?
In life hell no. I like a good chick flick sometimes.

How many pills do you take a day?
Two, BCP and a multivitamin

What was the last item you bought?
I bought a Webkinz for my daughter. It was a pink Googles.

Are you afraid of roller coasters?
Uh...NO they are my favorite!

What would you do if your best friend told you they were moving?
Show up with a six pack ready to work

Apple juice or Hollister gift card?
What the hell kind of question is that? WHat's Hollister?

What is/was your school mascot?
In grade school it was the Crusaders. In high school we were the Mighty Maroons, which really isn't a mascot at all. Pretty ridiculous.

At what age do you want to be married?
I am married.

Where is your mom right now?
in bed I'm sure.

What should you be doing?
Taking a shower

Are you slowly drifting away from someone close?
No

When was the last time you felt unbearably guilty?
about 4 years ago a woman I didn't know very well found out I said some things about her that were not so nice.

When was the last time you cuddled?
I cuddled last night with Mo. When LP cuddles with me I fall off the bed. He is a big man.

When was the last time you woke up to someone?
this morning

Favorite name?
Girl name: Avery Boy name: Max

Fourth Text In Your Inbox?
what?

Would you bail your best friend out of jail?
Yes but she doesn't even roll stop signs so I doubt it'd ever happen.

Do you think people talk about you?
Duh.

Do you judge people?
I certainly try not to.

Browsing

First I was HERE: Dooce.com

Then I clicked a link to *HERE: Etsy.com

Found some awesome cool stuff, but then it took me HERE: thisnext.com
Which directed me to HERE: instructables.com

Ah, what a morning of internet surfing can teach you!

*this was my longest stay, I adore hand made things

Big Me

This past Sunday I had a spiritual experience. A complete and total whole body nirvana. (foreshadowing here) Extreme bliss, pure and unadulterated cosmic righteousness.

I was one with the universe.

I saw the Foo Fighters.

I'm sure that if Dave Grohl was the minister at my church, the attendance would surely be higher. His sermons would rock anyone socks off. He could probably get me to donate my life savings to whatever charity he was begging for that week.

This was the BEST concert I've ever been to. I'm going to have to apologize profusely for the lack of flair to that last sentence, because it does not have the ability to truly describe to you how fabulous it really was.

I realize the Foos are 'that' band for me. Everyone has that one band, or artist, that just SPEAKS to their soul. The one that got you through that tough time in high school. The one that helps you conquer that last mile in your run. The one that convices you they've written all their songs just for you. The Foos do that to me. I said that very thing to LP after the concert, I felt like they had physically hugged my inner self and made it say, "Life is good".

Dave Grohl is just amazing. The way he gets the crowd going, wanting more. He told an old story about a night he had in St. Louis years ago, and it made us all feel like we were sitting next to him in a local bar, swapping memories about old times.

I'd gotten the set list off the internet weeks prior, so I knew what they were going to play. If you know anything about them, they just released an acoustic album, so they set up two stages, one for the 'rock' and one for the 'acoustic' songs. We were closer to the 'acoustic' stage, and when he played "Everlong" the hair on my entire body tingled. He also put his entire being into "Marigold" which is the last song he and Kurt Cobain wrote together, so I'm sure it's bittersweet for him to play.

As he introduced the band, since they had the acoustic set they had brought along an extra 'percussion' guy. Dave introduced him as the 'triangle man' and said, "Judas Priest doesn't have a F**king triangle guy, but we do!" and made the poor guy do an entire triangle solo. And he rocked it, totally!

The last song of the evening was "Best of You" and I am fairly certain even those girls who were dragged to the concert by their Foo loving boyfriends most definitely left thinking they had just been a part of something seriously fantastic.

We drove home, after a night of shedding the Mom and Dad title and declaring ourselves still young enough to ROCK, and neither one of us could shake the goosebumps we still had on our arms.

Moving on Up

The inspections went well for the new house. Almost *too* well. The inspector tested out my jacuzzi bathtub and I almost stripped my clothes off and jumped in. I think that might have discounted the inspection price had I done so. Or inflated it, who knows.

Now all we are waiting for is the inspection of THIS house that we live in, which I am far more leery about. It's about 30 years old, and with that comes a lot of aging. I'm older than this house, but not much, and if houses ache the way we do, I can see where its joints and back may be hurting a wee bit. Unfortunately for houses you can't just go and slap some Ben-gay on. It requires a heckuva lot more, kind like of a tube of Ben Gay that costs about 2 grand.

So anyway. I will let you know how that goes down. He has to have them done by August 6th so i will know by then if the picture above will be where I'll be cooking dinner in the near future!

Crazy!

Our house went up for sale on Tuesday.

We got an offer Wednesday afternoon. What!

Our closing date is August 29th.

I am sufficiently freaking out right now.

Anyone have any boxes?

The King is Dethroned

St. Louis has been my 'hometown' since I was born. There are only TWO truths to living in/near st. Louis.

1. You are a Cardinals fan.
2. You drink Budweiser products.

Today, InBev bought out Anheuser Busch.

it is a sad, sad day for the St. Louis area and its residents.

AB stood for everything we know is good...almost more American than apple pie. At least, you would eat your apple pie with an ice cold Bud and it would taste better.

AB donates greatly to MANY great causes in our area. They are always there to give a helping hand.

A few years ago, I read the 'biography' of the Busch family, VERY intriguing read. Being from this area it meant a great deal, but is still very interesting to learn about the family that created such an empire. It's pretty tragic, actually.

On one of our first dates, LP and I went to tour the AB brewery, which is located in Soulard, south of St. Louis. It has ALWAYS been free, and after the tour, you get 2 free samples of their products.

Nearby, Grant's Farm houses many of the Busch family's exotic animals, and you can go there. FOR FREE. Plus, again, the 2 free samples of the AB products. What's not to love? They also house the Clydesdales, and all of the family's former cars. We are going there Friday, hopefully it won't be the last time.

I'm truly heartbroken that this great company has gone to Belgium, somewhere I may never see. All my life we have been the AB headquarters and even though I'm not much of a drinker, I felt a lot of pride in that. Strange Brew, indeed.

Here comes the King Here comes the Big number one!
Budweiser beer used to be second to none...(well...second only to Inbev!)

Try to have a Budweiser product today and we can all raise our glasses up for globalization! Cheers!

The original Clydesdale commercial is HERE

Freaking out

The guy accepted our offer on the house. OMG.

I've been cleaning like a fiend all day because we're putting our house up next week.

Crazy!

Why This Week has So Far Rocked Out

(Picture and hairstyle by Al)

Such a great week. Let me tell you why.

* Spent a whole day with best friend from Florida and her cool kids. Hung out at the water park and felt good about ourselves.

* Got a very pretty sassy pedicure in PINK. Dude, I never wear pink. Ever. I even opted for the girlie flower on the big toe. My piggies are not sure what to do with themselves, especially when I slip them into Adidas flip flops and not Jimmy Choos.

* EVERYONE told me their kid had the 'best time' at Al's party. It was a resounding success and that makes me Hap-Py.

* Al got the Indiana Jones game for the Wii and it's hilarious!

* We got rid of our old water heater. And doesn't getting rid of crap make anyone feel good?

* We put an offer on a super cool house. Won't know until tomorrow what is going to happen but the suspense is making me giddy! Maybe that's the reason for the pink...
(it has central vac! and a lake!)

* I forced my children to watch a few of my old favorite movies from the 70s..."The Incredible Shrinking woman" and Escape to Witch Mountain AND Return to Witch Mountain. they LOVED the Witch Mountain ones but the Shrinking Woman, was, sadly, just not their style. Next up on the 70s movie list...Roller Derby and the Apple Dumpling Gang...I won't make them watch Savannah because I would just cry. (by the way, I've already made them watch "Midnight Madness" a hundred times. I bought it, and if you have not seen it GO now!!!)

* Tomorrow I am going to an art exhibit of MAD magazine comics. I am so incredibly thrilled and ecstatic about this. MAD magazine had a very large role in teaching me a LOOOOOT of things.

* Last of all, Mo is really developing a sense of humor. I do believe she will be as twisted as I'd like her to be. Awesome! Sufficiently warped, I love it.

Plus the weather has been great. Also we have the Simpsons movie in the car so everytime we go somewhere far, I get to hear the Spider Pig theme song. Which would make any normal person happy.

A Whodunit

This year Al REALLY wanted to do a scavenger hunt for her birthday. Normally I go all out for her birthday, but this would have required MAJOR work on my part, including passing out flyers to our neighbors, coordinating teams, etc. etc. I was not up for it.

Good thing I didn't, because it poured down the night of her party. which was perfect for a MYSTERY party that we had!

When I sent the invitations, each girl was assigned a character. Some of them included a baker, a karate expert, a practical joker, and a ballerina.

Al was the actress.



Rug, naturally, was the Clothes Horse. When asked, she said she owned "1041" pairs of shoes.



Once all the girls arrived, they all introduced themselves and really hammed it up. I was pretty impressed with how they all got into character! Plus we had a special surprise guest...



Me and Leana the ballerina. I'm on the left.

The girls had to make up commercials for pretend products such as Magic Socks and Bubble Gum Bath, and Candy Shoelaces. Even the quieter girls were working it.


After the cake and gifts, we learned who the culprit was! They all screamed and hooted and hollered and just had a blast. Worth every penny!!

Last but not least I brought out a game we played a few years ago at a party that was a HUGE hit...just stick some hard to chew Bazooka gum at the bottom of a mess of whipped cream and whoever blows the first bubble WINS!




I did have to finally go down to the basement around 1:30 and tell them to GO TO SLEEP ALREADY but besides that, it was great fun had by all.

Now if I could just catch up on the sleep I've lost!

(P.s. The mystery can be purchased at www.dramaticfanatic.com in case you're interested...)

Makenna Definition: Concentration

(Hairstyle courtesy of Al)

When I'm bored and surfing You Tube....

This video has three of my favorite things: Disney World, Star Wars, and Thriller. Truly a trifecta of hilarity.

Darth is getting jiggy!

Sunday Sunday

Well it's been a whirlwind type of week. I should blog more, but I've been so busy...not being busy, if that makes sense. Outside enjoying the lovely summer. Fortunately I live on the bluffs near the Mississippi therefore was not affected by the flooding nearby, which is crazy. Half of the steps to the Arch are under water.

We have spent the last week celebrating Al's 11th birthday and full swing into Tween-dom. She even got the side bangs with the swishy haircut, the transformation is complete. She also got her own digital camera so maybe she can take better pictures for this blog than her mom! We did the annual trip to Six Flags, where I found the roller coasters I once loved just cause me to get headaches. I did enjoy tattoo watching at the water park. I will never get one myself, but I love to admire others.

This week we are going to check out a really fancy house, it is very European/modern/Ikea ish and if it has what we like, we may make a bid on it. Who knows.

We are also doing a Murder Mystery Party for Al's birthday. I will let you know how that goes.

As of right now, I hear a certain 19 month old has unplugged the tub and is swishing in the bathtub bare butt with no water. I will resume blogging later.

SPF Youth

Youth = Backyard Hose and big sisters.

Nuf said.

Please allow me to Introduce Myself...

First off, I just now realized the typo in last post's title. Chold? What is that?

Anyway.

What a long strange trip this past week was. Al got back from camp, intact, albeit a little weary for the wear but all in all she had a blast. Heard the "Coconut" song the entire 2 hour drive home. You'd have to hear it that many times to TRULY experience it. Thanks to the counselor who taught it to them.

Before I begin this ditty, I want to let everyone reading know that I am NOT a complete and utter nitwit. AFTER reading this ditty, you will almost instantly think otherwise, but I repeat, I am NOT a nitwit. I have a college degree, dammit.

The whole week Al was gone, I insisted to LP that I was picking her up in the convertible. He insisted the gas mileage was going to be just as bad as the minivan's. Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt. He loves his baby. I asked him if there was a speeding truck headed towards me and the Saab at the same time, which would he pick? He didn't answer.

And he still hasn't.

I was INSISTING on the convertible. I was picking Al up along with a friend whose daughter is one of Al's bestest friends. They are conjoined at the hip, truly. They met in preschool and have been pals ever since.

I am obviously trying to avoid this story and what it will reveal.

We started down at 7 a.m. and we had a lot to talk about. My friend, we'll call her Myspace because her Myspace has like a gajillion friends and she is very popular and I am not. She is also gorgeous, but that does not have anything to do with this story.

Myspace's daughter is on the same soccer team as Al's and there is a lot of drama going on, so we were yapping and yapping. Myspace is also single, and was just in the middle of telling me about some new boy she was being set up with, when all of a sudden, not unlike a movie scene...KAJUNG KAJUNG KAJUNG the car starts jerking and sputtering and making weird noises I had never heard before...and I am freaking out...."WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS CAR? OOH NO! WHAT THE....."

Myspace replies, "Um, I think we are running out of gas."

Seriously? No. I am a responsible 34-year-old woman with three kids. No WAY would I ever....run...out...of....gas.

Oh dear.

I pulled my husband's almost brand new spiffy sports car onto the shoulder of the highway as FAR as I could. And then I lost it.

"What?!! I ran out of GAS? What idiot does that? 16 year old girls do that. I do not do that! What the hell?????"

Myspace had to get out of the car because she was laughing so hard she almost soiled herself. I was still in shock. Because guess what? We were in the middle of NOWHERE.

If you've ever been in Illinois, you would know when I mean NOWHERE I mean banjos were not even close to being heard in the distance. No freaking where. Several miles of walking in either direction.

I call the motor assistance card LP has in the glove compartment, and after being on hold for what seemed an eternity (which in reality was most likely 30 seconds) I soon learned it was only for TIRE assistance.

Just as I am hanging up, Myspace notices a black car several hundred yards in front of us on the shoulder, backing up slowly. My mind is spinning.

"What if they're crazy old men in there? What if they want us to do naughty things for gas? Oh my gosh what if they tell my husband???"

Myspace says as the car gets closer, "Well, it might be worth it, it's a Jaguar."

As they get closer, and we read the license plates, we realize they are people we know.

Yes, someone was watching out for me that day. My guardian angel works overtime, I realize that. Hope s/he gets paid double.

After offering up my firstborn and any other things to NOT tell LP about this incident, they helped me get to a gas station, get a gallon of gas and put it into the Saab. yes, I left LP's baby on the highway, by ITSELF for a time span I physically get ill about thinking how long it truly was. And LP knowing.

We got back into the car, and headed down the highway again, all the while I'm thinking only about the next gas station I needed to get to to fill that sucker up all the way. So of course, I almost missed the exit to turn.

Needless to say, I'm never allowed to drive down there again.

Once I got home, I thought of my options. I could just never bring it up, and LP would none be the wiser.

Yeah, right, until Myspace and I get together at the numerous drinking events we partake in and start yapping it up!

So I calmly told LP what I'd done. He was pretty accepting of the fact, and didn't get mad or even roll his eyes.

Strangely though, whenever I go out to the garage, the Saab is locked up and I can never find the keys. Coincidence? I think not.

Next time I am going to just embrace my Minivan status and never again be seduced by such an inticing little harlot of a sports car.

Nit wit.

SPF---Chold's Toy

Well this has been a very busy week this week, which I am grateful for, less time for me to miss the Ali Baba. Anyway, I'm going to get her tomorrow morning, and I'm trying to clean the house up before she gets home. Then I'll never get a chance to get back into the tween sanctuary she calls her room.

Kristine has given us the assignment of showing a picture of a child's toy, and Lord knows I have a gajillion Polly Pockets, but i'm just going to go into my pictures and grab the first toy I see in there. I have three kids folks. Lots of toys.



Rug got the Hair Kit for her American Girl doll one year. Guess how many times she played with it? You are lookin' at it.




This toy gets the vote for All Time Most Incredibly Annoying Loud Toy in the World. So of course Mo adores it. Lots of spinning, farmer in the dell-ing, rattling, etc.



I've shown this picture before, but it is funny that Kristine's daughter hates the Smurfs. I LOVED the Smurfs growing up. They were, obviously, my favorite.