Unexplored Territory

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Vacation anyone?

Ace and I have been discussing taking a little vacay with the kiddos. Discussions have been had about going to Great Wolf Lodge or Kalahari or Castaway Bay (basically all the same place, just different locations in Sandusky, OH ... all of them just large indoor waterparks, which the kids love). But MAN they are EXPENSIVE. And when you think about spending close to $ 200 a night, you pretty much go for one night after you get everything else factored in (meals/gas/etc).

We haven't really taken an "official" vacation with the kids. We have been waiting for them to get a little older so (1) the drive won't be unbearable if we decide to go someplace far away and (2) they can enjoy themselves more.

I was perusing the PayPerPost site this morning, and this is the first site I came upon ... so yes, I am being paid to write about this. BUT ...

I have spent the last 30 minutes (instead of working; bad me) looking at vacation home rentals and coming up with some great ideas of places we could thing about.

I was looking at the Maine vacation rentals because of all the states that my parents took me to when I was 13 years old on our trips to the East Coast, Maine was my favorite state by far. I loved Portland. I loved Ogunquit. I loved Wells. It brought back a lot of good memories. I think we will save that one for when the kids are a little older.

I think we are going to look at going to Pigeon Forge or Sevierville ... locations close to Dollywood and 1300 miniature golf courses and just plain fun places for kids to go. This is the cabin that I am looking at. Of course, my mind goes immediately to black bears because when my sister and brother in law took my niece to Gatlinburg, they were in a similar cabin and did see a black bear or two. But then ... we have coyotes in Ohio. Sure, bears vs. coyotes not a good comparison, but hey. Can't always be in a safe location.

I will post back to let you all know which one we choose. Right now, with -5 degree wind chills, I am ready to go at this very moment. But I guess I need to make sure there is room for us when we get there, huh?

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Tuesday, January 30, 2007

A little knitting

I have joined a group of talented women and we stock on the 15th and 30th of each month. Well, today is my debut and I have some serious last-minute knitting to finish up here.

But here are some things that I HAVE accomplished ... I had realized that I call myself the knitting maniac, but I never show anything on here for it. I really AM a knitting maniac... I promise. I just don't want to bore you to tears with my items.

Not to infringe upon a product's name, here is a "personal music player" carrier...

and up close

I am in the process of knitting up a really cool bag (at least I hope it ends that way when I get it seamed together and felted. I need to decide what the handles will look like. I have some here but need to determine if they will work or not. I am hoping that they do because I really don't want to knit anything for it. I will post a picture of that later. Hopefully.

I also have some finger puppets that I need to get done ... we will see if that happens, too.

So there you go ... some proof that I actually DO knit. I promise, I really do.

On the scrapbooking side, I REALLY want to make an altered clock like the one on Donna Downey's site. I am considered in my little circle of friends the altering queen. I LOVE to alter things. I love to change the ordinary into something with just a little more pizzaz. And that clock I am drooling ALL over ...

Check it out:

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Pour some Spirit on me... in the name of love

This morning, I was singing away in our second service. The choir is always on the platform in front of the congregation, and in between us and the congregation are the other band/music members, including our fearless choir director.

This morning I witnessed a first and hopefully a last: an air guitar move. From the director.

It was one of those things that I thought I was imagining. But then the person who stood next to me and who shares a lot of thoughts that I have leaned over and said "oooo... an air guitar solo."

And then the giggle floodgates opened. And they wouldn't shut.

Thankfully I appeared to be led by the Spirit ...

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Oh balls

Dear County Soccer Association:

While I have not appreciated the lack of preparedness that your organization has displayed in years past, I am not so certain that I appreciate the sheer amount of preparation and aforethought that has been placed in the organization this year.

This year, why do I have to pay $ 100 for my two children to play an extracurricular sport? I appreciate the $ 25 registration fee. I really do. But the $ 25 uniform fee? Seriously ... my kids are eight and six, and neither of them play on a traveling team, which would require some sort of uniformity to the look.

But my son ... the one who JUST started "getting soccer" at the end of the fall session ... really doesn't NEED a uniform. What happened to allowing them wear their little soccer shirts ... the ones that could be HANDED down because we took great care in not placing their first names on the back of their shirts, going instead for the last name?

I am not too hip to this whole situation, but I will be darned if I am going to tell my kid he or she can't play because your stupid association listened to a scant few parents who decided that the kids looked "sloppy" in their hand me downs and plethora of shorts choices.

But game on next fall when I have THREE kids in your organization.

Friday, January 26, 2007

You saw WHAT?!

Another good one from our local docket:

An employee at Best Buy Warehouse on County Road 212 contacted the
sheriff’s office Wednesday after seeing a commercial truck with a large amount
of “body parts” in the cab and a “head” mounted on the back. The caller believed
the items were plastic, but made the report “just in case.” Deputies could not
locate the truck.

Now that is a new one to me.

Another typical, I didn't work much during the week Friday. So that means I will be chained to this computer over the weekend. What joy.

Tomorrow we start Upward basketball games. I swear it was yesterday that we finished up with cheerleading. Seriously, I can't believe that it was a whole year ago that I was coaching eight little cheerleaders. This year, I get to be a parent who sits and watches. It will be a nice change to be able to enjoy something as opposed to always having to do something.

And tomorrow ... the wait is FINALLY over. The Naked Brothers Band starts, and the Queen is beside herself with excitement. Ah yes ... it is a new era for us in television shows. Even though the Monkey still watches Noggin, I wax nostalgic when I think about how the Queen used to watch Noggin, too. Now it is The Naked Brothers Band and Avatar and Drake and Josh and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Lovely. No Cheetah Girls in there. All about the boys.

Gone are the days of Little Bear and Maisy and Miffy. Gone are the days when I could rely on the content of the show to be consistently mundane.

But I will have to say ... High School Musical ... a good show. And I do enjoy SpongeBob.

Sandy Cheeks: Patrick, don't you have to be stupid somewhere else.
Patrick: Not until four.

Hilarious.

Well ... off I go to work. Have a good weekend!

Remember when I said I was a soap opera junkie?

Ok. So I admitted that I am a self-proclaimed Young and the Restless fan, and I found the one site where I could get my soap opera updates.

So check this one out: a place where I can get the scoop on General Hospital.

I have yet to decide whether I like Sam. No. I have decided, and I don't like her. I want Elizabeth and Jason to be together. Always have and always will.

And then I have to go look at those spoilers ... and Robin Scorpio is shot?!?! Did that happen already?

I have loved GH since Luke and Laura were married. I remember when Heather Webber murdered that one chick (and I can't think of her name right now... Diana?), or did she blame it on Diana? But I do remember seeing her, lying in a pool of blood and Heather took her hand and spelled out Annie as the killer. And then they figured out that Annie wasn't the killer because the name was perfectly written .... with Diana's LEFT hand, and she was right-handed.

Oh the sweetness. I remember that like it was yesterday!

And Scotty Baldwin. I loved him. I loved him when he came back and they had Lucy Coe on there. Oh .... those were the days.

Don't get me wrong; it is a good soap now. And now I have the opportunity to read up on everything that I have missed, which always seems to be a lot.

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

TT # 26

Thirteen Things On My Desk This Morning

1. My morning cup of coffee
2. Two skeins of yarn that I NEEEEEED to mail off to my aunt in Chicago.
3. Two For The Dough, by Janet Evanovich ... this goes hand in hand with my New Years resolution of reading more this year. I am one book up!
3. A bottle of hand lotion that I have had to pry from the Monkey's hands too many times to count.
4. The Man's insurance card... this is a whole other story in itself.
5. My Coffee Mate Hazelnut creamer bottle. For # 1.
6. The sugar container. Also for # 1.
A spoon. # 1 again.
8. A pair of pants that I knit for a customer that were too small for her daughter and the Monkey decided would be hers.
9. My radio.
10. A watch that has a dead battery and I can't get the back off of them. I think the Disney Store planned all of that because I have NEVER been successful at getting the back off of any of my Disney watches.
11. My digital camera.
12. A picture of me and the Man when he was about 4 months old. Love that one!
13. The jewelry box that my niece gave me for Christmas that housed three homemade necklaces. Someone has taken off with the rose that was on top, and I don't think it plays music anymore. Nothing is sacred around here.

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Do you notice a theme here?

Ok. The birth of my nephew has brought back a lot of memories for me, some of them not so good. My niece's inlaws are ... well ... interesting, to say the least. Her MIL is a meddling individual who I could have locked in a room for about 10 hours during the labor portion of the day, just to get her to (1) shut up and (2) to get her to stop meddling. EVERYthing was a comparison to what her daughter went through two months before.

Well, when Tara was here, she blah blah blah.

Well, when Tara delivered, she was in this same room.

Well, when Tara was in labor, blah blah blah.

One can only take SO much of that kind of conversation.

And when my niece was wheeled back into recovery after her section, my sister kept trying to get people out of the room. But my niece's husband wouldn't listen, and neither would his family. So the husband stood in the room, holding the baby, and my sister was monitoring the whole situation. She could see that the MIL was getting antsy to hold the baby, and then my sister stepped in.

She asked her daughter if SHE had had the chance to hold the baby. And she hadn't. And then she dozed off to sleep.

The MIL's comment: Well then, I guess noone gets to hold the baby.

Damn straight, woman.

When my children were born, my mother steered clear of the hospitals, but my sister and my niece were there. They were very non-obtrusive.

When the Queen was born, I was in labor most of the day, and then Ace called his parents. They were only one hour away, so they hopped right in their car and came over.

And they stayed. And stayed. And when the Queen was born and had a rough start to life, they stayed. I was taken to my room at about 2 in the morning, was poked and prodded for most of the night, got little to no sleep, and my inlaws went home.

They were back. At 8 in the morning. With no forewarning that they were coming.

They stayed ALL DAY LONG. They didn't go home until 10:30 that night. And they were in MY room. Don' t mind me. I just shoved a 9 pound 9 ouncer out of my body.

They were back the next day. Bright and early. They walked in no sooner than I had gotten dressed from my shower. And they came with reinforcements, Ace's uncle and aunt. They were there ALL day long.

They were back the next day when the Queen was released to pediatrics, and we were set up in a room across the hallway to live in with her.

I finally had to encourage Ace to kick them out. And their nose was out of joint. We didn't hear from them for a while, and it really didn't bother me all that much.

When the Man was born, we set boundaries. We told them (and MY family) that we were limited visitation, because I was going to give nursing a try. I didn't want to have my boob hanging out, and some family member walking in.

Well, you can well imagine that that concept went over like a lead balloon.

They stopped speaking to us for two weeks. When they finally did speak to us, it was only to tell us that they were going straight up to Toledo just for the birth, and then they were heading home. All because they couldn't have their way.

On the day before delivery, they drove straight through our town and didn't even stop to see their first grandchild. Classy.

I saw my FIL once on the day of delivery: right after the Man was born. He stopped in, my MIL took a look at the Man, my FIL glanced at him, and uttered NO words to me. No congratulations. No how are you? No NOTHING.

And then they left to go back to Kentucky.

A few weeks later, I got into a shouting match on the phone with my FIL. And to this day, I don't think they have ever seen the error of their actions. To them, they were justified in this pissy, childish fit. To this day, I still cannot believe they acted the way they did.

So when I witnessed the actions and interactions this weekend with my niece's family, I realized that when people become inlaws and grandparents, all bets are off on any kind of realistic human behavior.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Baby lust, oh baby lust

What is it about a newborn baby that makes a person yearn to have one of their own?

At this rate, I will have contacted a fertility clinic soon to look into insemination. I am such a sucker for babies. I am such a sucker for wanting babies.

But isn't three an uneven number? Don't we need to round it out to four?

And then there is the question that is begged: what is a 37 year old woman doing, thinking about having a baby?

Ok. I won't look into it. But man.... I better be able to hold that nephew of mine pretty soon or I am going to go CRAZY!!!!

Hey.... on another note ... I don't think I have mentioned yet that I am going to CKU!!!! Oh yeah... I am. I am going with the girls. I am going to have an awesome time. I am going to pee my pants in excitement the entire week heading up to the weekend. I am not going to sleep a wink. I am going to ~~spend~~ save a lot of money ... how, you ask? Well ... I will save money on yarn. Because I won't be buying any. Yeah yeah yeah ... I will be spending it other places, but I WILL be saving money by not feeding my other vice.

Ok ... now I'm off to do a Google search for fertility clinics in the area. :)

Monday, January 22, 2007

Soap Opera News

When Queen Bee was newborn, I started watching The Young and the Restless at 9 in the morning. Queen would be doing the newborn sleeping thing, and I would lie down on the couch and intend to sleep.

But then Victoria became pregnant. And she went into premature labor. And she and Cole cried and cried when they mourned the loss of their newborn daughter. And I cried. I cried my eyes out because I couldn't imagine the sheer amount of grief that they were feeling.

And then I remembered... it is a tv show. But man, I was hooked.

And I became a Y&R addict for quite some time. However, I have fallen away from the storylines because Blue's Clues takes precedence.

But now there is a new site that is about 6 months old where I can get Soap Opera Updates on Y&R and General Hospital!!!

Oh another vice to add to my computer time...

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Ah yes ... winter is here

Not that we received a whole lot of snow but we are under a 2 hour delay.

Some people embrace delays like a long-lost family member.

Here, it is embraced like the plague.

No sooner does the Man make it out the door is he coming back in that door. I just say shorten the morning Kindergarten class, and let my kid have his normal day at school.

And then there is Queen, who either is anxious to get on the bus, or just lounges around.

The kids went outside to take advantage of the 1/4" of snow on the ground.

"Let's make snow angels!" "Let's build a snowman!!!"

As you can see, my kids have grand expectations ...

And just for good measure, you know you want to see my new great nephew ... you know you do. And he really is a beautiful newborn baby.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Easin' like Sunday morning...

At 3:19 am, my great nephew was brought into this world via c-section. I had a feeling he would be born in this manner as my niece was not progressing well at all. Even though she got to 9 cm dilated, the little stinker never moved past plus one station. The doc thought he was stuck somehow. Hmmmm... you went to med school to make that determination?

And this doc ... very hands-off. And I imagine he has had to be that way, but he had NO other patients after his one patient was in, delivered, and out in a matter of hours.

My poor niece was tired. My poor sister was tired and worried. I really felt sorry for her the most, knowing that my niece was at least getting some rest in the room.

But he is here, he is healthy, and from what I hear, has some dark hair on his little noggin.

but I didn't win the weight pot ... I guess 6 lbs 10 oz. My sister was dead on with 7 lbs 4 oz. And I am sure she will give the money to my niece and her husband. Or the baby.

And I hope that they decide to wait a while before thinking about having another one. Like ... when I have moved away to Alaska. That way they can just call me.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Ever feel like a raging mommy?

I know I certainly have felt like a raging mommy from time to time.

Well, get to know another raging mommy ... Jack's Raging Mommy, to be exact. She is my new renter this week. Hopefully the stay will be a pleasant one!

And she shares some similar views of the Wonder Pets.... although will have to admit that we seem to have gotten over our WP obsession.

Check out the blog ... to the left ... there in that thumbnail there... go ahead. Please?

And don't forget about Local Girl's Valentine's Day Swap. I have already "met" my giver and the person I am giving to. It should be a lot of fun!!!

And today is D-Day ... delivery day ... for my great nephew. At least I sure HOPE he comes out as a nephew because this will be a butch girl with all the boy clothes and stuff the baby has gotten.

So I will come back with some really good stories, I am most positive. Or at least mildly amusing.

Friday, January 19, 2007

A Valentine's Day Event

Local Girl at an Island Life is hosting a Valentine's Day get to know you event. It looks like a lot of fun.

If you sign up in her Mr. Linkie, you will be sending a box of something (candy, whatever you would like, as long as it isn't something your blogger doesn't want) to the blogger listed immediately after you. It is a great way to get to know other bloggers and possibly make some new friends along the way.

We have a local chocolatier here in our town, so I know what my blogger friend is going to be receiving, as long as s/he isn't opposed to receiving chocolate!

It looks like a lot of fun! If you are interested, pop on over to check it out!

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On another note, I am feeling 100 percent better than I was yesterday. The sinus headache has abated, and the antibiotic is kicking in.

Life is starting to return to normal around here. I will have to say that my niece's life is about ready to take a turn tomorrow morning. She is being induced tomorrow morning at 6 am.

And my sister is in full mode, neurotic mother syndrome.

My sister gives a new definition to the word neuroses.

Last week, when I wasn't feeling well, Ace had my BIL come over and help him move our treadmill back to the basement so Ace could start a running regimen. My BIL agreed, and he and my sister came over to the house. My sister spent about 20 minutes in here with us, didn't make contact with me whatsoever, and then they left.

The next day, when I started to realize that I wasn't getting any better and that I was actually feeling worse, I was speaking with her on the phone. She then said "I just feel really bad that we came over to your house yesterday."

I asked her why she felt bad (thinking that she felt bad about putting me out with having a guest when I wasn't feeling well). Well.. far from the truth.

She felt bad because she doesn't want her daughter to get sick.

Ok. Give me a break.

First of all, we didn't kiss. Second, we didn't shake hands. Third, we didn't even come in physical contact with one another. Fourth, you just made me feel like Typhoid Mary.

I informed her that my niece has been making weekly dr's office visits, and she could pick up more crap in a dr's office than anyplace else. Or the handle of a shopping cart. So seriously ... the chances of my sister picking something up at MY house, and passing it to HER daughter are so remotely removed.

But she can't think these things through. She just has to blurt it all out there.

She calls me later in the afternoon, and I think "oh ...she's going to apologize to me for being an ass" but instead asks me if I still have our glider.

Ummmm... no. Anything else you want to say?

Oh ... ok. Thanks. I thought you still had it. I guess I will give her my rocking chair.

Dude. First: shouldn't you have thought about this before now? Second: thanks for apologizing.

So now we are down to the very last day ... and my enabling sister is going to be the biggest wreck. And I have told her I would be there. Because my sister was there when I gave birth to my first two kids.

I just don't know what I am going to do with her. All. Day. Long.

God grant me the strength....

Thursday, January 18, 2007

So Sorry

Dudes... so totally not doing a Thursday Thirteen today.

My sinuses feel like they are pushing my eyeballs out. You know the feeling ... so pleasant.

However, I will have to say that the sore throat is starting to abate.

Those antibiotics better kick in majorly!

So I'm not feeling up to the list today. Back at it next week.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Pardon me if I don't believe you

I was just reading an article on cnn.com about how Bradgelina have decided to "move" to New Orleans. They are there because Brad is shooting a film in the Big Easy.

The article goes on to say that it is in keeping with their humanitarian efforts to help the underprivileged and desperate people of the world. While they are living in their $ 3.5 million ~~mansion~~Hurricane Katrina-ravaged shack.

And they are planning on sending their children to school in NOLA.

Ummmm.... ok.

As soon as Brad is done with that movie, they will hightail it out of there. Mark my words. And I am having a hard time believing that she will stick this one out. Yeah. She's got a kid with him. Yeah. He adopted her other two kids.

Remember this:

All she had to do was erase his name, and ..... poof .... he's gone:

And she MARRIED that dude.

Look out, Brad. She just might take that Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to you, too. But only when she is finished.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Do you REALLY want to know how your driving is?

Dear Mr. Werner Truck Driver:

Don't think that I didn't notice that you high-tailed it up the exit ramp, practically tipped over when you took that left-hand turn onto the overpass, and hauled arse to get BACK onto the northbound side of the interstate just so I couldn't take down ANY information on the back of your truck.

Dude. That little van horn you heard blaring at you all the way up the exit ramp ... that was MINE, you dumbarse.

Because I am not certain whether you know this or not, but making the split second decision to get onto the exit ramp that I am already on, about ready to freaking side-swipe me, just isn't cool driving tactics, no matter HOW many tires are on your vehicle.

So how IS your driving? It is shitty, but I can't tell anyone at your company that because, even though I pride myself in being a speed reader, I can't read things that are blurry.

So the next time you come through this little town of mine, you better watch out for that red 2003 Toyota Sienna van ... I'll be waiting for you.

Nope ... nothing scintillating yet

Slow start to my morning here. Nothing exciting to report, really. We are under our third flood warning in six weeks. I feel terribly sorry for the people who keep getting water in their houses, basements, and crawl spaces. We do live right across from this river that covers our county, and we do have to carry flood insurance, but (knock knock knock on wood) we have never had to call the insurance company for flood reasons.

Did anyone watch Wife Swap last night? The body builder/perfection wife ... she is from Upper Sandusky, which is about 20 minutes down the road from us. I guess they all gathered at a local establishment to watch the show. I don't know if I would have the guts to show my face in public. But it was a pretty benign show. I am not sure how I would fare on such a show.

Ok. Really. That was the least exciting post. Ev-er! Oh well ... I guess you'll have that every once in a while.

Back at it today. Kids back to school, me back to work, teaching tonight, need to prepare for that this afternoon because I acted like I didn't have a THING to do tomorrow night all day yesterday when I was sitting on my rear end in my kitchen, knitting.

But you know who HAS been busy blogging? My renters, Chel and Chelle. Seriously ... so check them out for some good reading. They have been busy posting over there, and there is some good stuff! Check out the subtitle entry under From My Calendar.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Such an exciting weekend

Really, it wasn't. It consisted of me coming down with some ick on Friday night, and continuing still today. Sore throat, stuffy head, grodie to the max feeling.

And today is a school holiday. Yippee!

And it is supposed to snow. Double Yippee!

And Ace won't be home until after 10 tonight. Triple Freaking YIPPEE!!!

I need to go out and rent about 20 movies, get some popcorn, and sit my kids in front of the boob tube today. It is one of those days. I might even see if there are rentals on Gameboy games somewhere. Shoot, I might even buy the kids a pony. Each.

I promise tomorrow will be a more scintillating, thought-provoking post. Or not.

Have a good Monday, y'all! And Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. And thank you to my employer for giving us this holiday. Finally. And no thanks ... I don't wish to "defer" my holiday. I gave you five of my vacation days for the last two years and you never paid me for them. You owe me.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Welcome Aboard

I apologize to my new renters. They have been here for over 24 hours, and I haven't given them the appropriate welcome yet. Hey ... I am under the weather, so I might have SOME excuse in there.

Meet Chel and Chelle. Their blog is a lot of fun ... you need to read about Chelle's experience, answering the referral lines for drug and alcohol issues.

So please give the thumbnail a click and give a shout out to them!

Friday, January 12, 2007

It saddens my heart...

Some of you may remember me blogging about a girl who lost her four-year-long battle with neuroblastoma. Her name was Christi Thomas. Christi's website links to other sites of kids who are fighting, or have lost their fight, to this nasty monster of a disease.

One such person is Penelope London. Penelope was diagnosed at the tender age of 16 months with Stage IV NB. She and Christi treated together at times in Philadelphia and New York City.

I have been mesmerized by this little sweet thing ... she reminds me so much of the Monkey. Maybe that is why it is so hard to look at her picture. I look at her and realize ... she could be my child. She could be the child of someone I know.

Penelope is losing her battle, and it doesn't seem that she is going to make it more than a few more weeks. I think of Christi in her last weeks of life, how frail she had become, and how distraught her parents were throughout those last weeks. I can only imagine the anguish that Penelope's parents are suffering right now, watching their four-year-old child, who should be going to preschool and playing with her friends and finger painting, battling for her very life, knowing that she will lose that battle in the not so distant future.

Dear sweet Penelope ... Godspeed, little one. I pray that your passing from this earth to your next existence is a peaceful one, and that you are surrounded by your family and friends.

http://www3.caringbridge.org/ny/penelope/

The saga of the thick thighs

When my sister was growing up, I remember her bemoaning her genes. She would continually complain that her thighs were "too big." She would even refrain from attempting any sport-related extracurricular activities because of how the uniform would make her appear "fat." My mother would constantly tell her that she should stop focusing on her physical attributes, and focus on her potential of becoming the next Chris Evret. You see, my sister was a very good tennis player.

But she didn't like the way the tennis skirt made her legs "look fat."

I am sure that the fact that my father would sing "King of the Road" to her ... Trailers for sale or rent ... when she was growing up didn't help matters, either.

My sister doesn't have any height on her. She is about 5'3" on a good day, and, well, she just doesn't have the height to pull those legs up. You can well imagine the jealousy that ran rampant when I started to stretch out to 5'8". She was never able to live that down all through my high school years (even though she was a mother of one at that point).

Who would have guessed that the saga of the thick thighs would live on in one of my children? I certainly did not.

The Queen is at that stage in her pre-pubescence ... thickening of the waist, thickening of other areas, and her legs are no exception.

And we have already started hearing it: I don't want to wear that .... my legs look fat. Look at how big my legs are. Look at them!

I have been trying to get her to stop focusing on the appearance of things ... ALL things. Last night, she was coming out of Upward basketball practice at another church. She exclaimed: I LOVE this church because it is bigger than ours. I told her that outward appearances should never be used to determine whether we like, let alone, love something. We need to find out what the thing is like on the inside before we make such determinations.

That flew over like a lead balloon.

I am such an effective parent.

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And a HUGE thank you to Local Girl from An Island Life for nominating me for a December ROFL Award! My very first, and I couldn't be more honored! Thank you!!!

Thursday, January 11, 2007

TT # 25

Ok. I am having one of those mornings where I have no original thoughts. So I thought I would just have my ramblings for another TT13. Sorry to bore you all. To my sistahs .... it is cup time, ladies ... hence the overall tone of the post.

Thirteen Random Thoughts

1. Man ... Ohio State sure SUCKED Monday night. I can't believe they lost like that!

2. I wonder when my niece is going to go into labor? And I wonder how far she will make it without medication. And I wonder how big he will be?

3. WHY do I have to have at least ONE child who, on a daily basis, tells me that their stomach hurts? Just now, the Queen informed me that her tummy "feels funny" and isn't sure if it is the BAD funny feeling. Oh joy. PLEASE let it be hunger pains.

4. I need to find another job. I keep getting these subtle hints that it is time to move on... the most recent: me dropping the ball on getting to a training session in 2006 for this huge deal of where the company is going. Yeah. I MESSED up and didn't get my session scheduled, thinking they were going to offer something this year. So I get a phone call from the manager yesterday afternoon.... such a LOVELY feeling. Seriously. Even though I love the flexibility of this job, I don't think I am pulled together enough to work at home.

5. I need to prepare for the class I am teaching tonight. Hmmm.... how to order a pizza when you need to study for a test and don't have time to make dinner? That could take about 20-25 minutes of class time ... go through the coupons, look at the pizza joints in the phone book, call around to see who has the best delivery time ... I might be on to a lesson plan here!

6. Why can't I have the time and money to do EXACTLY what I WANT to do, as opposed to working like a dog to do all the things I HAVE to do? I know that we all have responsibilities. Don't get me wrong ... I am not whining because I don't want those responsibilities. But it just seems that there are people out there who are doing exactly what they want, having fun at it, and getting PAID for it! I was reading Donna Downey's blog this morning ... case in point, not only for her, but for the owner of the scrapbook store that is pictured on Donna's blog.

7. Am I just lazy for not realizing my dreams and aspirations? Or am I just scared? Or a little of both?

8. Oh CRAP! I think we have to start selling Girl Scout cookies pretty soon!

9. I have a wonderful husband. He has really pulled a lot of weight around here so I could teach this class at night. Thanks, Ace!

10. Maybe I should schedule some dental appointments before I get fired. See # 4.

11. I wonder how Jacque's mom is?

12. I need to mail out some books today. Dude. This is turning into a to-do list, isn't it?

13. I suppose I should ship this yarn out to my aunt in Chicago as opposed to letting it sit on top of my monitor, staring at me in the face.

You all have a great Thursday! Love to each and every one of you!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

What a nerd!

One minute your eating from a baggie of Nerds....

The next minute, you're out like a light with your hand in that baggie.

The sky is falling!

My sister called me yesterday afternoon to give me Baby Boy 2007 update ... my niece is 2 cm dilated and soft. Ok mamas... you know that that means. Men ... sorry.

So we started talking about what I want to do when the arrival date comes. I told her that I wanted to be at the hospital as much as possible for my niece, and my sister said "do you still have the same cell phone number?"

I told her that I could no longer find my cell phone, and because the battery was going on it, it had long lost its battery life and we could no longer call it to locate it. So it is officially MIA. She said she had an extra phone that we could just get programmed, and then it dawned on me that I had purchased my niece's cell phone from our garage sale last summer to use as a second phone for Ace. I told her that I would just contact Alltel, my provider, and see what I needed to do.

I called Alltel, and we programmed the phone over my phone. It was pretty slick, so now I have a fully operational cell phone again, and one that has a decent battery life.

I programmed the call in tone, choosing Toccata and Fugue. I had Ace test it for me before I took off to teach my class last night. I was off and running.

I called Ace when I was leaving class last night to tell him I was on my way to Sterling to pick up some milk and cereal, and to ask if he needed anything. He said he didn't.

While in Sterling, I was standing in the chip aisle, trying to make my selection.

And then this sound started going off. I look all around.

What IS that noise, I think? Well, it sounds like someone's cell phone. But it can't be MY cell phone because that isn't MY ringtone. It sounds like some bomb being dropped, and I KNOW I didn't choose that ring tone. So I kept looking at the chips.

But it kept GOING. I looked up. Aha... it HAS to be an alarm on the Beer Cave door. That door must have some super secret power of knowing when an underage has walked into its lair, and it is alerting the store clerk to the issue.

But the store clerk doesn't seem fazed by the sound. I start physically looking around at other people in the store, expecting them to answer their damn cell phone. The noise kept changing location as I turned around in a full circle. Nothing. I STILL wasn't convinced it wasn't the Beer Cave.

Wait... maybe it is MY phone. I hold my purse up to my ear. Nope. It isn't me. Thank goodness because man .... what a loser.

Finally, the annoying sound ceases, and I finish my shopping and head home.

I enter the house with my stuff and Ace asked me if Robin got a hold of me. I said "no, she didn't call. Nobody called me. When did she call here?" and Ace told me it was just a few minutes ago.

I told him that I had my cell phone with me and it was on, and ... oh wait. It's in my pocket. And, there's one missed call.

So I check my ringtone. Somehow it defaulted to what my niece had chosen for it (maybe the reason she sold it at the garage sale!) and that ringtone... Bomb's Away. I tested it and ... sure enough ... did you know the Beer Cave and my phone sound EXACTLY alike??!?!

So friend Robin... I apologize for not picking up.

When I was changing it in the kitchen, it started making all of its noises, and Queen Bee, who had gone to bed a little bit earlier, emerged from her room, inquiring as to what the noise was. I shooed her back into her room, and Ace started laughing.

He said that when he put the older two kids to bed, a loud jet went over the house and Queen thought it was an airplane coming to bomb the house. So he had to spend five minutes with her, telling her that we weren't going to be bombed.

and then I come home with my cell phone and start making all sorts of noise ... he was sure she was lying in bed, thinking it was the end of her world.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Another one of my promises to myself

In addition to keeping my house semi-clutter-free (at which I seem to be failing miserably because you should see the status of the girls' room, the hallway, and .... oh forget it), I have decided that I am going back to .... duhm duhm duhm.... Weight Watchers.

I have been waiting to see if I want to do online, or if I want to make the weekly meetings. Since I don't have two seconds to rub together on a lot of days of the week, I am thinking that the online program is the way to go.

I do have a weight loss blog. But is was abandoned ... oh ... around March of last year. When I stopped going to my meeting.

I could tell you what I need to do. I could tell you that I know what I have to do.

And now my friends at CouponChief have offered me the means to do it.

Weight Watchers has a 25 percent off signup for a three-month package for the online program. And this is exactly what I have been looking for. I will need to send this information on along to my sister because she "thinks" she is overweight. Of course, I look at her and think "whatever." But I know we all have our goals and aspirations in life, and if hers is to lose weight, who am I to judge?

This is a sponsored PayPerPost announcement.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Some more gems

It is time for the daily installment of local yokel news:

At least he was nice about it:

A woman stopped on North Main Street was rear-ended by another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle, after exiting his car and agreeing to pull over at a nearby business to exchange insurance information, then honked and waved at the woman as he drove away and continued up North Main Street.

Seems like his gene pool isn't too deep:

A van hit a "road closed" sign on County Road 236 just south of Heatherwood Drive on Saturday. The driver said he couldn't see the sign due to the sunlight reflecting off the water on the road.

Can you tell we had a little flooding in the area over the weekend:

A woman was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after she
drove into high water in the 700 block of Clinton Court early Sunday. The car
drifted behind 731 Clinton Court, and the fire department was called to rescue
the woman.
A Ford Focus had to be temporarily abandoned in the 800 block of East
Sandusky Street on Sunday after it became stuck in high water.

Freak you up

This is the Chandelier Monkey's favorite thing to say when she comes in behind me in my room while I am working and tries to scare me.

"Wait Mommy.... I want to freak you up!"

That would be "out," Monkey ... but one can never argue with her because, even as a three-year-old, she knows EVERYthing. And it is freak you UP!

So when I saw this picture on the digital camera last week, I will have to say that the Monkey really freaked me up... but a little history beforehand.

When the Blair Witch Project came out on DVD, Ace decided to rent it. I am not a huge blood and guts horror person, and anything that has ANYthing to do with the supernatural ... well... it freaks me up. That and any of those alien movies ... not Independence Day but Communion. The ones they say are based on a true story ... with those freaky little aliens. Gah ... getting freaked up right now as I think about it.

So ... we watched BWP.

And I was FREAKED. UP!!!

I couldn't stand it. I watched the whole thing, and I was freaked OUT for about 2-3 months afterward. My sister thought the movie was stupid. My niece (her daughter) and I told her she was crazy for not being scared. But my sister is of the Halloween/Friday the 13th generation, so this one just didn't do it for her.

The creepiest scenes for me were the tent scene and the final shot of the dude standing in the corner, and the girl dropping the camera.

Check this out ...

Ok.... I see clearly now

All right ... look at the picture. It IS a picture of a mural in a Wal Mart, but that is the painting.

NOW I get it.

The article is misleading, and I was thinking that they had this hanging up in the Wal Mart.

Thank you, Mamacita Tina, for pointing out the error of my ways. When I looked at it again last night, I thought "those people don't even LOOK real" and they aren't.

So my bad.... but still very interesting that she does have Wal Mart depicted in the picture BELOW Angelina and the children.

Very different indeed.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

So ... who is Baby Jesus?

So ... here's the story behind this.

This "little" mural was painted in a Wal Mart in Raleigh, N.C.

If you have seen the story already, then you know who it is.

If you haven't, that thar is an artist's rendition of Angelina Jolie. As the Virgin Mary.

Here is a little excerpt from the Yahoo article on the painting:

On her blog, Kretz, 43, said the painting addresses "the celebrity worship cycle." She said she chose Jolie for the subject "because of her unavoidable presence in the media, the worldwide anticipation of her child, her 'unattainable' beauty and the good that she is doing in the world through her example, which adds another layer to the already complicated questions surrounding her status."

So... Shiloh is Baby Jesus? The much anticipated child? So ... does that make Brad ... God? Or is this a way to tell the world that Brad ISN'T the father of Shiloh?

Certainly an interesting and thought-provoking piece of artwork ... which is what art is supposed to do, right? Remember Picasso? Remember Van Gogh? Oh ... all right. I don't think I will lump this artist with the late and greats, but it certainly does provoke some thoughts.

Yet I wonder if it has curtailed the shoplifting at that Wal Mart? Because I know if I was headed out the door with pilfered goods, I would probably drop them as I stood at the entrance, mouth agape, wondering what this world was coming to.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Par-Tay!

Another gem from our local docket:

Three persons were nabbed Wednesday for shoplifting a bottle of liquor, sunglasses, whipped cream cans, steaks, greeting cards, socks, cubed beef and tampons from Kroger.

And I assume that the conduct occurred before he took his nap:

An inebriated man -- passed out on a lawn at 325 Glessner Ave. -- was arrested for disorderly conduct Thursday.

Thursday, January 04, 2007

The bread goes directly to your lips

Ok. I have given this little morsel of inlaw fodder a few days to steep. I did not want to automatically run to the computer and post this story because ... well ... I just didn't think it would be prudent. Ok. Want is not the appropriate verb here. Crap, I don't know what I am trying to say so I better say it.

Sunday, we went to Bob Evans for lunch with the inlaws. I was at one end of the table with the Man and the Monkey, and my MIL. Ace was down by his Dad and Queen.

Whenever we order ANYthing at Bob's, the rolls and biscuits are split up and shared.

I order the Chicken and Noodles, and it came with two dinner rolls. I knew that I would be sharing with the Man and the Monkey. Biscuits were delivered to the other end of the table. I think they were my MIL's, but my FIL received them for some unknown reason. As soon as Queen saw the biscuits, she immediately asked him if she could have some.

He said no.

Yes. You read that right. He said no. But wait ... it gets MUCH better.

The Monkey sees my rolls, and I was about ready to start buttering it. Ace then asks me if I could pass the TWO dinner rolls that were in my basket.

I thought "hey ... if the selfishness worked for my FIL, it will work for me, right?"

Wrong. Dead wrong.

No you may not have them. They are mine, I replied.

Ace got a little salty. Ok. More than a little. A LOT salty.

Fine. Never mind. I just thought that we could ask for more rolls. Never mind.

All this time, the Monkey is dipping her hand in my salad, pulling out her selection of lettuce and croutons. So I was a little mad that it was assumed that I would be the one who would share my bread with everyone.

Ok. More than a little mad ... a lot mad.

I looked at him and told him that I had people at my end of the table who wanted part of a roll, and that I also had one of them dipping their hand in my salad at that very moment.

So my MIL decided to take things into her own hands and offer her solution to Dinner Roll Smackdown 2006, the very last one of the year.

Her solution?

Passing MY basket of rolls down the table to her son, she stated matter-of-factly "we will BUY more rolls. Just have some."

Oh yes she did. Yes. She did.

The new roomie

Please give a shout out to Sunflowers, my renter for the week! She has a really cool thing .. she will exercise one minute for every comment left on her blog! Cool idea.

Have fun! Thanks for checking it out!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

TT # 24

Thirteen Things I Need To Function Everyday

1. My family ... I know there are times when I claim that they are driving me bonkers, but I find that I miss them terribly when I am away from them, even if only for a short period of time.

2. My computer ... not only to work the full-time job that I have, but also to socialize and to (most importantly) blog. Where would I be without my blog?!!

3. My coffee ... Ace has actually learned to make my coffee (he drinks none) and it has been nice to have him bring in my morning cup of Joe.

4. My coffee creamer ... it can be any brand, as long as it is hazelnut.

5. My AM radio show in the morning ... I love to listen to it while I work. It makes me feel all grown up!

6. My friends ... they keep me grounded and they help maintain my sanity.

7. My sister ... I talk to her on a daily basis, and I need her as a sounding board, and she needs me.

8. My knitting ... I knit Every. Single. Day. Every day. Seriously. I am a junkie.

9. This kind of goes hand in hand with # 2, but my Road Runner cable modem access ... I would literally pull all of the remaining hair out of my head if I had dial up. Remember THAT dinosaur?

10. My shower ... some can go without them and look abfab. Me, not so much. I can't stand myself.

11. Pepsi ... yes. I am addicted. Literally addicted to the stuff. The kids make fun of me that I have to have it. Yeah... so what?

12. My Birkenstocks ... love them. Can't live without them.

13. The telephone ... I need it. I don't answer it all the time, but I love it.

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Separated at Birth

This boy CONSTANTLY smells his fingers. Con.Stant.Ly.

He washes his hands. He smells them.

He picks something up. He smells them.

He walks into a room. He smells them.

Of course, my mother informed me that I did the same thing.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Starring ... the Lip Gloss Girl

So here she is ... her internet debut as the Lip Gloss Girl. Pardon my hugely obnoxious voice... I forget that I carry ...

In sleep he sang to me...

Once again, Ace has come through in the ticket giveaway department. This poor little local newspaper gets these tickets and Ace enters about every single contest they sponsor. This morning, he calls and says "can someone watch the kids tomorrow night, because we have a date with the Phantom."

Yes ... Phatom of the Opera is playing in a town north of here, and we have two tickets. But just for tomorrow night.

Now if I can just get him trained in obtaining the good stuff, like free houses.

Scooter's list

Hey .... if you don't mind, go on over and check out Scooter's list of Top 100 Songs of 2006. He's my kinda guy with such an eclectic list of songs.

Just click on the thumbnail to the left ... he's only here for a few more days!

Monday, January 01, 2007

Do you make them?

I have never really made a New Year's resolution. I have never promised anything to myself because I just don't want to let myself down.

But this year, I have decided to not "promise" anything to myself. This year, I have decided to make changes in how I conduct myself, how I live, and how I want others to live around me.

For example: I am CONSTANTLY on the kids to clean their rooms. I get upset when I see that nothing gets done.

Do you know why? I am too embarassed to even snap a picture of this bedroom of mine, but I lead by example. And I am setting a really bad one.

No wonder my kids want to live in a mess. Because I do. And so does their father.

Do you ever get to a point with clutter that it just overwhelms you? That you get to the frame of mind that it is easier to just say you live a cluttered life than to do anything about it?

I find that my mindset is much clearer when I don't have a dish in my sink, when I am not embarassed if people stopped over on the spur of the moment. It is almost as if I use my kids as the excuse of why we look like a tornado runs through our house every hour on the hour.

But it is because (1) we have too much stuff, and (2) we are slobs.

Now ... we aren't as bad as some of the people that I have seen on Clean House. I mean, I could NEVER live that way. That would drive me insane.

But for a family of five living in an 1100 s.f. house, we have a LOT of stuff.

I envy those people who have a place for everything. I need to have an organizer come into my house and get me organized. I know I would keep up with it. And I know that my kids would appreciate it, too.

So ... that is my lifestyle change. I need to organize and get this house shaped up into something that is liveable as opposed to chasing junk all over the place.

What I need is Clean House to come in and re-do my whole house. I wonder if they would?

There you go. Admitted on the internet. Now let's see if I can do it.

I'm a mom of three peeps ... Queen Bee, The Door Man, and the Chandelier Monkey, and wife to Ace, the Helpful Hardware Man. I created this space to get away from the people known as my inlaws, and because life with three kids and a hubby is all Unexplored Territory.

The nine-year-old who seems to be growing older every minute, has an opinion and a comment for everything, and has a true servant's heart.

The seven-year-old who loves the organization of things, will someday be someone's therapist because of his kind soul, and will more than likely be living with us until he is 40 years old.

The five-year-old with the 13-year-old attitude, who has a dictator's personality, asks you to watch her all the time and say "hold on" to keep your attention, and will someday come home on the back of some dude's motorcycle with 10 tatts and a body piercing or two.

The man of the house, the fixer of things, the winner of prizes, and the only person in his family to escape the South.