...and then you blink

Testing

Testing!

So sorry

I swear I have not fallen off the face of the earth; I've just been sick sick sick. Things are starting to look up - I can actually see the light at the end of the first trimester tunnel (I'm 12 weeks now). I am so sorry I haven't been by to visit any blogs in the past month. Do know that I miss all you guys, and I will get back in the saddle again soon!

No, I didn't die of boredom

Yes, I'm still here, and there is much more time for blog surfing this week than there was last week. Last week was wild, and I could usually get to a few blogs from the list, but not quite enough time to comment (or post on my own for that matter). I just wanted to tell any of you who stop by that some behind the scene changes are happening...first off, a new design by my friends over at Daisyhead Delectable. I am super excited about that! Also, this site will be moving very soon...I have decided to change my location and become "anonymous." I want all of you who do stop by to know when I move, so please just leave a comment here and I'll email you when everything is finalized. Fun, fun!

Bored, Bored

Do you ever feel like you've reached the end of the internet? That's me today.

**************
Update:
We just got back from swimming, so boredom cured for a little while :o)

I haven't mentioned...

...That I got a TIVO for mother's day (/late birthday)! Yep. It is now officially "my new best friend." A friend once told me that she didn't think she could live without hers now that she's so used to it...well she was right! It is the first thing I go to when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I look at. I literally want to lick it. If a person could marry an inanimate object, I would totally be honeymooning with my tivo. It has a brain, you know. It knows things that I like, and records them! Without me asking it to! I do wish it could record two programs at the same time, but, hey, nothing's perfect.

...That my son is now POTTY TRAINED! Oh yes, we are now a diaper-free home. It is more liberating than I could have ever imagined. We had a bumpy start...peeing was good, pooping was BAD. Now he has things pretty much figured out (except the pooping away from home thing), and I am so relieved because he starts preschool this fall (and must be potty-trained).

...that a friend of mine from my Knit-In group wrote a children's book, and got it published! She sent me one this week...so sweet of her!

...A belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Leslie of Rubber-Sol. I hope you had a wonderful time!

...That we bought the original Star Wars trilogy, and my son has watched each episode 4,286 times! I'm sure we can all quote them by now! He has also become unhealthily addicted to this:

and these:

(Obi-Wan and Darth Vader in the Galactic Heroes series)

...and last (but never least), a huge thank you to all of you who emailed and commented words of encouragement during my deep, serious funk that was February-May. I can never, ever put into words how much you mean to me. Thank you!

Well, enough updating for now...must go prepare supper (ha!)

Tennessee River at dusk

mobile phone picture

Never a wish better than this

What is it about the Chase credit card commercial featuring "100 years" by Five for Fighting that makes me cry every. damn. time.

My mind is in overdrive

This morning as I checked my email, I had a comment from my "100 things" list. It was from a person I knew from "real life" from, apparently, a very long time ago. As I read it (7 times to be exact), tears filled my eyes. I don't know why...it wasn't "hate mail." I suppose the thing that disturbed me the most was that this person from my past was thinking about me and googled my first and last name. Apparently something about the way "Jack" treated me made her feel bad after reading through my posts from the past year. What can I say? I would like for this person to email me so I can know more information than that she [removed to protect the innocent]. I would also like for this person to know that high school/college was a very long time ago, and I feel quite certain that neither of is the same person we were then at all. I don't know what they did that was so bad, but I'm pretty damned sure that I wasn't innocent. I would love the opportunity to discuss in more detail, so please email me if you do come back, "Jack."

On an unrelated note, I am in the mood for change. I am kind of sick of being stuck in a rut, so, in honor of my first week of summer vacation AND my one year blogiversary (which was May 15), this place will be undergoing a few changes (hopefully). Stay tuned. :o)

A rundown...

The past two weeks have been a blur. I have barely had time to touch the computer (non-work-related), except to read a blog or two here and there every other day. Sickness has hit here BIG TIME! I have tried so hard to keep it out of my house, but damnit if it didn't move in despite my close, personal relationship with Germ-X. Today begins a small "winter break" (Friday is an optional inservice day, and Monday is President's day), but I already have visions of either a) having the evil stomach virus or b) cleaning up my 3-year-old after his bout with said evil virus. My mom (who kept Chase yesterday) and Tim both came down with it this morning. Bleh. It's just a matter of time.

In other non-sick news, I had a moment yesterday in the car on my way to pick up Chase...When did I become an old fogey?
For example, I can't tell you how many times I've said this school year "If you'd cut that long hair maybe you could hear what you're supposed to do!" I might as well be saying "Get out of here you long-haired hippy!" because I sound. that. old.
Also, I hate, hate, hate teenage drivers! This coming from the person who had 3 speeding tickets before I graduated high school. I am forced to drive beside, behind, in front of them every morning to school and every afternoon away from school. They are DANGEROUS! Sometimes I fear for my life. IT'S THAT BAD.
And the sex...oh my, it puts a deep fear in my heart to think that these kids will soon (very soon by the looks of it) be having children of their own! In school with my child(ren)! I'll have to bring birthday party cupcakes and feed the children of the children that I taught in class. *shudder* It's already happening...I have 2 former students with babies less than a year younger than Chase.

I can't believe I grew up. I still feel like that 16 year old girl with her brand new license, but it's suddenly painfully obvious that I'm not.

More than one way...

I have tried (unsuccessfully) for the past few days to upload the picture of my finished baby 'boggin, and I give up! I can't figure out why MT won't generate the HTML for my uploaded pic. Anyway...I've decided to just go with Flickr. The link to my account is over in the sidebar ----->

Busy weekend! We celebrated Chase's 3rd birthday Saturday (there are a couple of pics of it in Flickr as well). I just can't believe he is 3! My baby boy. He had a blast. I (luckily) got away with just having a small family party again this year, but I know once he starts preschool next year that will all change. He wanted an "Incredibles" party, which I couldn't believe because he has wanted a Rescue Heroes party since his b-day last year. But, fun was had, pizza and cake were eaten, presents were opened, all of which made one happy little boy.

To switch gears suddenly, I finished my 2nd round of Clo*mid with nary a symptom! What?!? I'm not complaining, but I just can't believe what a difference this month was compared to last month. Maybe different is good...last month was obviously not successful.

And to round out this rambling fest, I did not win the Volunteer of the Year award Thursday night, but the lady who did win was certainly more deserving than I. I was amazed because her first real job was working for President Eisenhower! She is also a former IRS employee, and now does free tax services for those who need help but can't afford to go to the professionals. Yeah. I'm not that dedicated. It was really an honor to get recognized, and the hubs and I had fun getting out for the night, too!

I'm not dead, I just feel that way!

I have had a wild week (a very tiring week) but first things first!

GIFTY!!

It has been such an honor to get to participate in Rubber-Sol's Gifty! goody swap. I have learned so much from visiting the journals of some of the most crafty, intelligent, and genuinely good-hearted women I have ever met. I was so excited this past weekend when I opened my mailbox to find this from the super sweet Jill:

I *adore* toile...isn't this the most lovely package!! Wait until you see the goodies inside!!

I loved the cute peony pen, and her "For a Sunday Morning" CD was divine...so soothing. The eye mask smelled heavenly! In fact, the whole shipping box (appropriately a J.Jill box - ha!) smelled of the wonderful goodness of the eye mask. Jill was so thoughtful in her ideas of a "post holiday de-stresser." She even printed a copy of the recap of the first episode of Wickedly Perfect because I missed it! Look at the notes in the margins! So awesome!

I can't wait until Gifty! 3, and I am so thankful to Leslie for coming up with such a feel-good project. She rocks!

----------------------------

The root of my tiredness this week stems from the Krispy Kreme doughnut fundraiser run I made at 4:00 am (yep that's IN THE MORNING!) on Tuesday. The cheerleaders held a KK fundraiser last week to raise the remainder of the money we owe for our new uniforms, and as the sponsor I was the one to go get the dern things! Off we (me and the other sponsor) go at 4:00 to the KK that's one hour away to load 319 boxes of sugary goodness. It was downright frigid loading them into the back of the other sponsor's Yukon XL, and the only employee that would stay outside to help us was a one-arm man! bless his heart, he has a sling on the other arm because of an accident, and could not use it at all! It took us 45 minutes due to the cold and the...um...lack of employee participation. You should have seen the sea of doughnuts! They were stacked as high as the head rests the ENTIRE length of the vehicle (all middle and back seats were removed). We made it back to the school by 7:30 to commence the handing out of the doughnuts. We were finally through with the blasted things by 8:15 (school officially started at 8:00, but we had people watching our rooms), and were ready to start our very. long. day. By the time school let out at 3:00, my ass was dragging. But, oh, it gets better! I had a basketball game to attend that night! Oh what fun 2 sleep-deprived cheerleading sponsors were at the last home basketball game of the season! Ha. Ha.

I still have not caught up on my sleep, despite the fact that I crashed yesterday when I came home from school. I'm hoping that the hubs will take Chase for a boy's morning on Saturday so I can sleep in! Here's to wishful thinking!

A Quickie

I intended to post my wonderful Gifty! pictures this morning, but Chase and I slept much later than I meant. (Not that I'm complaining...it was grand!) Now I have to get ready to run to a neighboring town for the afternoon. So...I'll post pictures this evening of the lovelies I received from Jill for Gifty! Round 2.
In the meantime, you simply must go visit Fussy to see Mrs. Kennedy's January 14th post. Be sure to read the comments as well. I laughed so hard that tears were streaming down my face. It just struck me the right way, and I couldn't stop laughing. (Aren’t those the best kind of laughs?)

Have a great holiday Monday (if you are off work like I thankfully am)!

If it had been a snake it would have bit me

I hate that saying. It's just not a pleasant thought. Snakes and biting and ME, eeeww. Today it just keeps ringing over and over in my head, though, because dear friends: I am an idiot.

I woke up late this morning (not unusual in the least), and I was running around trying to get all the pieces of my clothing together (truthfully I was cursing myself for not doing it last night - but I always do that...it's part of the "morning routine"). I decided to put my pants in the dryer in lieu of ironing them "to save time." On my way to the dryer to retrieve my cozy warm pants, I stopped at the laundry basket of folded-yet-not-put-away-clothes for a pair of socks. I finally found two that matched (well, sortof - they were both white) and took off to the dryer. I ran back to the bedroom - grabbing my shoes on the way, pulled on my pants, and sat down to get my shoes and socks on. No socks. Where were they? I ran through the house twice. No socks. Went back to the laundry basket. No more matching socks (man, I need to get all the laundry done AT ONE TIME! next time). Back to the bedroom, not on the dresser, not in the bathroom, not effin ANYWHERE! I decided to give up my search for a bit so I can get some make-up on. I look in the mirror.

My socks. Draped over my shoulder. What an idiot.

I feel really bad about laughing at my mom that time she lost her glasses...on top of her head. I guess it runs in the family.

How many !!!! can I use in one post?

Comments are fixed, thanks to my wonderful host! It sure helps to have someone smart around! :o)

I am so irritated because I missed Wickedly Perfect last night! I had a ballgame to go to (no choice in the matter), and was so rushed to leave at 5:00 that I forgot to set the recorder. Just another check on the reasons we need a DVR. Up until now digital cable (and TiVo) have been one of the things to do without for the sake of "the budget." I am slowly creeping to the "I want it real bad" phase. Especially when American Idol starts in a couple of weeks. I just have to convince the hubs that it is necessary. Ha! Maybe soon, though.

Not much planned for my weekend. I tend to get bored this time of year. Christmas (and all the hubbub that comes with it) is over, and I feel like there's nothing interesting to get out and do. Not that sitting home is bad, but man, there's only so many times a person can sit through Spider Man (1, 2, and various cartoon versions). We rotate them constantly. I'm quite sure Wild Child can quote them by now. Speaking of Wild Child, his new favorite word is "sideways." However, he thinks it is the replacement word for backwards, inside-out, and around. Everything needs to be turned sideways . Quite funny. And, the other day I walked in the living room to him standing on the ottoman changing SpiderMan DVD's out (a big no-no). I told him "Mommy is not happy with you!" and he put on his "charmer" face and said "Yes you is!" How are you supposed to deal with cuteness like that? I've got my work cut out for me here!

Ya know what?

I have put together train track way too many times since Saturday...

Why, hello there!

Since I joined Blog Explosion yesterday, I have (like everybody else in the world) noticed a HUGE daily jump in visits. The only problem? I have no idea who you are! So, while I'm off to get some Christmas shopping done this weekend, why don't you leave a little comment and say "hi."

Have a fantastic weekend!

I despise my school internet

Holy crap my school internet is wacked today! I can't even check my email without having troubles. This tiny post during my "planning" time is a huge feat. This week I have had so much trouble getting up in the morning! I guess it's those late nights trying to get my Christmas decorations out (which I still haven't finished!). Last night was supposed to be my only night at home with no other things to do, places to go, etc. Then, I had to make a trip out to my parent's house to deliver some things Mom needed and ended up not getting back home until 7:30. The hubs spent the better part of the night shampooing our living room rug 372 times because it is funk-nasty. Toddlers are tough on wool rugs - or any rug for that matter. But I digress...needless to say I wasn't able to get a lot done last night, then tonight I have to go to a ballgame 40 minutes away. I don't expect to get home until around 11:00. At least I don't have to go to school tomorrow! Yay! On the flip side of not going to school, though, is that I've got to splay myself open for my yearly (and hopefully find out just why we're not having any baby luck). Good times, good times. At least I can do a little Wild Child-free Christmas shopping! Davis-Kidd here I come!

A Scare or Two...

We had a huge scare this morning at school. A small group called Students for Christ meets every Wed. morning (before school begins) for short devotionals led by local pastors/priests/youth ministers. They always have a light breakfast, doughnuts or sausage and biscuit, etc. Well, this morning a sixth grader got choked on a piece of doughnut and almost died! Our basketball coach and then one asst. principal (a certified first responder) did the Heimlich on him until his lungs bled, but that piece would not come out! The ambulance finally got here about the same time as his dad, but he had been w/o air for at least 6 min. He was solid blue and of course passed out. I believe they ran a tube down his throat to give him oxygen, but he still couldn't be revived. Finally his mom got here by then and she said he needed his "shot" because he's severely diabetic. The last we heard he's ok...but he was sent to the same major medical center that Busy Mom works for because of fluid and doughnut particles in his lungs (which could cause pneumonia). His 1st cousin was in my room, and she was scared to death. Heck, it's scary stuff for anyone! I am so proud of my fellow faculty!

Another scare - but substantially less important happened to me yesterday. One of the first things Wild Child tells you when you ask what Santa's going to bring is an Incredible car. He wants it BAD. I decided yesterday that I would just go ahead and order it online because I could keep it in the shipping package and not worry about him finding it. I went on the Disney store website and the estimated shipping time was 15 weeks. 15 WEEKS!!! I went to Toys R Us and they didn't have it...KB Toys - nope, some other random toy stores on the 'net - nada. Panic started to set in. This is the first Christmas that he has actually asked for anything. The hubs got mad at me and told me that I was not going to start acting batty over silly toys, but I was just heart-broken about it. I had the hubs call his sister in Memphis, who called the Disney store in the mall. Luck! They had a few in stock! She bought one this morning, so all is well in the world. Well, for today.

*tap* *tap* - Is this thing on?

I feel like I should explain why I have been so absent for the past few weeks, but I just can't. It's not that anything is wrong, it's just that several things just aren't right (mainly the fact that I just can't seem to get pregnant). I hope I am on the right track to feeling like my old self, and I have made a little deal with myself to be more attentive to my blog/journal. Poor itty bitty has been neglected for so long sparks my fly when I try to post this "real" entry. So many times I have done something, or something has happened that I thought "I need to blog that," but I just didn't have the energy. And just look at this pitiful layout! It takes me so long to put up a new layout because I am so html retarded - and my crazy computer has "lost" my FrontPage. That in itself is enough to keep me depressed! I'll take layout charity if anyone's offering - hehe. I really have missed it...but enough of my blabbering on and on - I'M GOING TO DO BETTER - for me!

Now, ohmygod! I'm in love with Desperate Housewives! I can't get enough of it! I just hope they don't let too much out too fast, ya know?

I have been keeping up with my knitting. Right now I am in the midst of a sea of Christmas-present scarves. I'm just about to finish one made with hot pink Squiggle and a bright multi-colored Plume FX. It's really cute! I plan on giving it to one of the teachers I team-teach with, and I'll give my other team-teacher friend a pink GGH Gracia scarf. (off topic, but I just *love* the girls I teach with! We have so much in common, and it has really made my school year enjoyable)
I also finished Wild Child's rolled brim 'boggin. He loved it (went around yelling "mommy made it!" *heart melt*). I had a small problem with the pom poms, though. On Thanksgiving day, my nephew tried to jerk it out of C.'s hand by pulling on the pom, and the pom yarns went everywhere. I guess I'll be trying that one again!

I guess the biggest thing that happened over my long Thanksgiving weekend was my 10 year class reunion Friday night. I have had mixed emotions about it forever. I mean, just how much would I have to say to these people I haven't seen in ages, and the only thing we seem to have in common is that we all graduated in '94. Well, I can confidently report that my worries were true. It just wasn't that fun. :o( Thank goodness it only comes around every 10 years!

Well, I'm calling it a night...g'night ya'll!

Mmmmm...almost turkey time!

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Oridnary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You're the glue that holds everyone together.

VOTE!

I Voted... Did You?

days are long when you are waiting for a vacation

This week has absolutely drained me...AND IT'S JUST WEDNESDAY! I have had two fights break out among my students (one Monday, one Tuesday), an away ballgame - an hour and a half away...on a bus, and a vast outbreak of cheating today. I'd swear it was a full moon. And - to top it off I was spammed like 30 times from some site today, which made me remember that I hadn't updated my MT Blacklist since, um, never. I hate spammers.

I started a little ribbed scarf for The Boy Monday night - the first time I've tried ribbing. Ha! I had the general idea, knit knit, purl purl, etc., and I knew I had to make sure the yarn was in the back for the knits, and in the front for the purls. What I didn't consider was that you couldn't just move it back and forth under the stitches I had already made. I kid you not, I know I frogged the beginnings of that scarf and re-cast on at least 10 times. Each time it just looked like a blob of thread. I was determined to get it right - so I went back to the ribbing section of SNB and read it super close - and realized I should have been moving the thread from the front to the back over the top of my stitches, between the needle points! DUH! Talk about an aha! moment. I've never felt so stupid. It actually looks like it is ribbed now, but I'm just to pooped to knit anymore this week. I have to get quality tv time in, after all. Is it just me or is Smallville slightly odd with the addition of Lois?

Uneventful

Just when I thought we were over the sickies, they come back for a visit. Chase had an upset tummy all day yesterday, and The Hubs had one all day Wednesday. I didn't feel so good last night, either. I hate being sick. I did finish my sister's scarf yesterday, though. I even got the ends weaved in! Yay me! Now I'm in a knitting slump. I don't have anything to make. Well, I do have my Furarri yarn, but I want to learn a couple of things (and get a pair of size 15's) before I start it. Well, off to school...Yay it's Friday!

Where is everybody?

I've noticed a decline in the blog world lately. Anyone else think so? My theory is that everyone is uber-busy - I know I am. I've also noticed that some long-time bloggers are calling it quits. I, for one, am really missing Javamama. Yesterday I checked in on Christy at number14.org, and though she has returned, it's only on a "no private stuff" basis. All of this gets me worried. I have posted pictures of my child on this site, but now that I read more and more bloggers who are concerned for safety (re: pictures) I begin to doubt my decisions. I have been thinking a lot about my blog, and I have even noticed a sub-conscious shift in it. I find that I am posting less about my family (the whole reason I started my blog) and more about crafts/general thoughts. I realize I am not the most interesting person in the blogosphere, but I'm not in it to get the laughs or the site hits. If no one comes to visit I'll be okay, a little lonely at times, but okay. I haven't decided whether I'll take down any personal pictures, but I do think I'll stick to what I've been doing for the past few weeks. Anyone have any suggestions??

Riders on the Storm

The damage from last night's hurricane in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisania is unreal. My little town has been flooded with those who fled from the weather - and we are 8 hours from the coast! One of my student's parents owns a hotel here, and their patrons told them that there were no vacancys between the coast and here. It's all just really sad. They will go home to shreds of what they left.

How not to go to W@l-M@rt

It started out as a simple trip...just to get some white broadcloth for the lining of the outfit I was making for Chase. Things were going pretty good, too, until Chase started begging me to ride the B@rney ride in the arcade area at the front of the store. I usually never let him ride those things because he cries when we leave (insert foreshadowing here). I thought I'd give in since we had several minutes until we had to meet up with the hubs. He rode the blasted thing, and had a great time - that is until it stopped. I told him that his time was up, and I started to lift him back into the buggy when he did his wonderful 2 year old move and bowed backwards and head butted me in the mouth! I feigned a smile out of the store to the car, searching for my keys (insert foreshadowing here). I had practically taken everything out of my purse before I finally let myself believe that my keys were, indeed, not there. I peered through the window of my car, and sure enough, they were laying in my console! I tried to call Tim, but he didn't answer his cell because he was mowing the church yard. I called my mom to go tell Tim to come unlock the car at W@l-M@rt, and I went back inside to wait it out. Mom called back about 10 minutes later and said that Tim was already gone, so I tried his cell again, and then finally got him at home. He said he'd be right there, so I walked around for another 5 minutes (plenty of time for him to get there), and went outside to wait by the car. 15 minutes later (follow me here, that's 20 minutes total) we're still waiting outside for him. All at once all hell broke loose...I got attacked by the fire ants that had taken residence beside my locked car, and Chase decided he didn't want to wait in the cart, he wanted to play in the little plastic cottages that were so strategically placed in the front of the store. I was just about ready to start walking home (heh - not really) when Tim pulls up and has this look on his face like "hey, what've you been up to?" He unlocks the car and I practically throw Chase in the car seat and get the heck out of there. We had already planned to go to the Chinese restaurant for dinner, and just when I pulled into a parking space I realized I had no purse and no W@l-M@rt bag! I practically laid rubber pulling out of there and raced back to the hell-hole, back to the ant-infested parking space, practically ran over a pedestrian, but there everything was, in my cart, untouched. Thank you, thank you, thank you! All this for a piece of broadcloth!

TGIF!!!!!!!

I'm totally addicted to this stuff! I am a HUGE fan of Burt's Bees, and when I found this Lip Shimmer the other day, it was love at first sight. It feels exactly like the plain ole' lip balm, but has that hint of color that I need.

I have been obsessively watching Olympic gymnastics. The hubs has had to work late or be at meetings late all week, so I just veg out in front of the telly like I don't have 40-eleven other things to do!

I've decided not to put Chase in preschool yet. I may put him in after Christmas, but nothing set in stone. I know he would love it, but I'm not ready to let go.

Well, it's my bedtime...I have had the worst time waking up in the mornings! It's like my legs are lodged in the mattress, and I literally can't get out of the bed! I know, I know...drama queen.

Ya'll have a great Friday!!!

Don't play with me; I don't know how to share!

I've been a bad blogger! I swear there needs to be at least 5 more hours in a day. Why 5? I don't know...I'd use up that time too and still not have any bloggy time! I have been so extremely busy and stressed...I even conjured up a fever blister with all the stress from starting back to school last week. It seems like there is just so much to get done, but no time in which to do it! Believe it or not, teachers have to attend a lot of meetings during in-service (or at least I do!) I think everything is finally back in order and I'm ready for the kiddos to come back tomorrow.

I didn't learn to knit this past weekend like I had hoped. Not a soul knew how to knit (well, one girl could do the knit stitch, but not purl...I didn't pursue it). Speaking of this weekend, the family reunion/cabin outing thing was just o.k. I had a little tiff with by BIL because he told his 2.5 y.o. son not to play with Chase "because he doesn't know how to share!" EXCUSE ME!!! Is this the same child who has eaten my baby alive by biting him so hard there are bruises?!?! I have never told Chase not to play with someone else for any reason. I may cringe when he gets bitten/hit/pinched/etc. by my nephew (and my sis and BIL don't do anything about it), but they are 2 YEARS OLD! Really, it's just something all the time...

Well, this is really all I have time for, folks...I hope to get back into the swing of things soon. Maybe then I will be able to resume visiting all my bloggy friends and give some much needed love to my own blog! Ya'll have a great week!!

I like mine with lettuce and tomato...

I'm sorry I haven't had anything to say for the past few days. It's been a pretty quiet week/weekend. I did get to do a little shopping last Wednesday (mostly for birthdays). I did buy myself a couple of things for work since I GO BACK THIS WEEK! I know I keep saying it, but I just can't believe it is back to school time again. I am going to have such a hard time getting up in the mornings, especially since I have to take Chase to the babysitter's this year (the hubs took him last school year).
Speaking of Chase, he is still sleeping in his "big boy" (read: his OWN) bed. We're getting ready to put up a twin for him this week. I've been lusting over a quilt from PBK, so I'm going to use my yard sale money and get it. (Is it even possible to lust over children's bedding? Sounds bizarre, don't ya think?) He has been the cutest thing this week...shocker of all shockers, heh? He has developed this habit of saying "all queen" (all clean) whenever we finish something...for example, when I snapped the buckle after putting him in his stroller, he said "all queen!" After hooking all of his (6) Thomas the Trains together, he said "all queen!" (you get the picture) He also developed a (bad) habit of saying "look mama, shit" and pointing to his poopy diaper that I am changing. (yes, I'm a bad mama...this whole thing came from a tragic potty training episode last week when he pulled down his poopy pull-up to use the potty. You can guess, poop everywhere! You can also guess what I said...) And, perhaps the funniest, he has developed a deep affection for the song "Cheeseburger in Paradise." You haven't lived till your 2.5 year old is singing Jimmy Buffett!
Last night we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday. I'm sharing a few pictures with you in the extended entry. One is of the flower arrangement I made for the centerpiece. I was quite pleased with how it turned out, and my mom loved it.
I'll be around some this week, but it'll be hectic. Ya'll have a great week!

I got nothing...

I'm really tired this week and the hubs is out of town on business, so I'm going to my parent's house tonight. Tomorrow, my mom and I plan on going out of town for a little shopping. I probably won't be around much...just didn't want anyone to think I had fallen off the face of the earth.

Have a good one!

Way to tired to think of a title today

Yard sales suck...I was really hoping to at least make enough money to buy Chase a "big boy" bed, etc., but no such luck. I'll just have to make do with a bed that I already have. He has done so well sleeping by himself. This is a MAJOR feat because he has been in our bed since the day he came home from the hospital. We have a ritual, though...he has to go get his Woody doll and a sippy cup of water, then I tuck him in and give him his goodnight kisses. There is usually a hefty bit of whining and tearful "don't do this to me" looks going on during this, but I will stand strong...

This is my last week as a "SAHM." School starts next Wednesday (for the teachers), and I'm pretty depressed about it. Summers are so short now. I can remember going back to school in September, you know when back-to-school shopping meant shopping for fall clothes. Now, it is sweltering hot the first couple of months of school, and let me tell you, sweltering hot + 7th graders = nasty ass b.o. Yep. depressed. That Alice Cooper back-to-school Staples commercial is quite cute though.

Nature's beauty

Early this summer, my mom found a mysterious plant growing in the bottom of an abandoned pot in her potting shed. She divided it and placed it in 2 concrete pots on her patio (along with some geraniums, asparagus fern, & vinca vine). Slowly it started to grow, and sprouted 3 big blooms. She knew it was a lily of some sort, and eagerly awaited it's debut. This month it burst in all it's glory...

The first lily to bloom...

First lily with it's sister bud

Second lily on the day the first lily bloomed

Second lily the next day

No rest for the weary

I feel like I've been on a very long trip, but I've been at home the whole time. My whole idea of being lazy and doing absolutely nothing last week reached up and bit me in the rear. You see, I kept my wonderful baby boy cooped up with me all week - only getting out of the house one day (Wednesday) - just relaxing and trying to get back on our schedule. What I didn't know was that an evil monster was brewing inside my loving, cuddly son. On Saturday, one of my very best friends, L., came to visit while our husbands went off to play golf at a nearby course. It's been a while since we've seen each other, and I was so excited for her to see how Chase had grown, and how much he was talking - well, just to show her all the wonderful things that all mommies are proud of! He went absolutely apeshit all. day. long. When we went to lunch, he spit (SPIT!) his mouthful of drink all over me, he spit chunks of roll all over the floor...while visiting my parents, he was uncontrollable. He terrorized the cat, beat nana's flowers to a pulp, and once even tried to hit (HIT!) at L.! I wanted to crawl up and cry! Where was my son!?!?! He was so very hyper, and truthfully it didn't go away until his nap yesterday (Sunday). Well, by the time out dinner our arrived that night, I wanted to pull my hair out (and I suspect it looked like I already had). I called my mother on the way home from dinner and told her how embarrassed I was over the way he acted, and that I felt that L. probably thought Chase was an awful child and that I was a bad mom. I am just appalled at this uncharacteristic behavior. Is this a reoccurring thing????
This week will be different, with seemingly no free time...the Hubs has taken the week off, we have VBS this week, I'm planning a yard sale with my mom for Saturday, AND my SIL (the hubs's sister) is coming to visit with her 3 kiddos. If the relaxing, do nothing week didn't work, then this one should!

Heh, who am I kidding...I have a two-year-old.

Totally Lame

I have just had a momentary lapse of anything that is sane. I have been so put off by the shoved-down-our-throat low/no carb diets, and (even though I know it works for some people) I have silently sworn to myself that I will not jump on that bandwagon. So, dear readers, tell my why why why I bought these Edge Doritos at the grocery last night? They are akin to eating a paper napkin. I am so totally serious. Nasty.

In other news, I am so enjoying VH1's I Love the 90's. Damn funny. I remember once upon a time thinking I would never watch VH1. It was so, ah, lame (said in my best 80's vally accent). You know soft rock, easy listening crap. So please understand why I'm so shocked and disturbed that I actually prefer it to MTV. This is just happened in the last 3 years. When I was newly preggers with Chase, I would literally watch MTV all day. (hey, it was summer, I was SICK, and I wasn't about to go out in the sweltering heat) Now, I can't tolerate it much longer than it takes to watch Nick & Jessica...um...not that I actually watch Newlyweds...um...no, not at all. Ahem. ANYWAY...there are just so many interesting things on VH1, Behind the Music, A-Z, I Love the 7-8-90's, and my fave - Best Week Ever.

Man, I sound so lame...

There's no place like home, there's no place like home!

I finally made it home Friday afternoon, and I have been just exhausted all weekend! Really, we had a great time and the girls were perfect angels, but it's the early mornings, late nights, and sweltering heat that wears you out. I won't even get into the whole community shower bidness...it's just awful! I can't tell you how happy I was to get home to my OWN bathroom.

I really missed all of you guys, too. I had so much to catch up on over the weekend, but at least I didn't miss the birth of little Ellie.

This week brings with it lots of rest for me, as well as a little bit of weaning...off of caffeine! I have got to get with it on my summer goals because my summer is over on August 4th! *wipes away a tiny tear* Where has it gone????

Dance your ass off

Ren: You like Men At Work?
Willard: Where do they work?
Ren: No, they're a music group. How about The Police?
Willard: I seen them.
Ren: In concert?
Willard: No, behind you.

What is it about movies like this - that you just happen to find on t.v. - that make you sit down and watch the entire thing? I even found myself eagerly awaiting my favorite parts. Did you know that there are talks of Paramount remaking Footloose? I'm not sure that it'd go over very well, but then again...this is coming from the person who is blogging about Footloose.

Get your Gmail account!

I have a few Gmail account invites if anyone wants one. You can either email me or just leave a comment here. Be sure to include a valid email address (note: sometimes Gmail invites disappear in Yahoo).

-------------------------
UPDATE: I'm all out, but if you really want one, leave a comment and I'll send you one as invites come in.

Cool: Take two

I had a whole entry typed, but lost it when my two-year-old pressed the "sleep" button on the keyboard 10 times in a row. How funny, because I had written about how feisty he'd become as of late. It's weird, he'll be the sweetest, most loving "mama's baby" one minute, then pitch this screaming, crying, kicking fit. He's also developed this high pitched squeal (imagine trying to sing a high note - off key - overandoverandover) that makes me want to crawl under the house and die! (well, maybe not die, but cry lots and lots, and pray that he will just skip over this hysterical phase v. quickly) It doesn't help matters that he was in the middle of one of these fits when I sliced my middle finger (about 2 inches along the knuckle) on the cheese knife that the hubs placed in the utensil holder blade side up. I can't win for losing.

On a happier note, I finally snagged a Gmail account today (thanks DaisyHead) and it's pretty cool. I haven't been able to use it much (obviously), but I'm glad to have it. (Ironically on the same day that Yahoo launched it's 100 MB - "I want to run with the big dogs" - campaign. Oh, well.) Also, I've jumped right on the Rainlendar bandwagon and I'm really loving it! I got the snazzy Mod skin, too, from Shelby over at Yup-yup.com. Very cool.

And, one last thing...tonight's the first night of TBS's Sex and the City Five nights of Great Sex. They are going to show favorite episodes all week, then show all six seasons from here on out. Even though I have the "real" thing on DVD, I'll still be tuning in just for the heck of it!

Observations

I'm in a pissy mood. Bahhh.

Preppy days

I just love getting Daily Candy delivered to my inbox each day. When I was out of town earlier this week, I missed this post on the most cool, preppy golf bags for women. Oh I didn't know you played golf, you say...Well, I don't, but these bags could make me want to take it up (much to hubs's dismay...well, and the ungodly price tag).


Speaking of preppy, aren't these watches just awesome? I think I'll be experimenting with some ribbons and making my own little beribboned watch this weekend!

I just can't go anywhere

Don't you hate it when you think you have $10 in your purse, and as you are getting ready to run out for something to eat you realize that the $10 is gone? Or maybe I should be more specific...don't you hate it when you have $10 in your purse and your husband took it on his way to work that morning to keep from going to the ATM? Yep, I've been a victim of spouse-lifting. It really pisses me off, too - almost as much as not being able to call him and tell him that I'm pissed because he's in meetings all day at work.
Anyway...I've been out of town visiting my younger sister for the past 2 days, and it has taken me forever to catch up on all my daily reads (not to mention that I totally missed the 50,000 visitor drama on Mindy's site, and the missing co-worker mystery over at Marcia's!!!) It's official, I just can't leave town again.
My sister just recently moved into a new apartment and my mom made her some really groovy curtains out of some $1/yard sheer cream fabric and these really cool amber & wooden beads. I think she was pleased (as pleased as a 20 year old college student can be about curtains) Really...she does have a really cool apartment (picture Trading Spaces meets Pink Floyd - heh)

Ooohh, little boy just woke up...gotta go play Mommy!

The things I get myself into

So I spent the day with my mom making curtains for my friend's new house. Yes, that's not so bad you say. Did I mention my friend is in Florida on vacation? It's just one of those things you volunteer to do, then regret immensely later. Oh, well.

Yesterday we went to my parent's house (Chase *loves* it at Nana & Papa's). We were having such a good time until Chase fell and hit his head on one of Nana's concrete flower pots. Blood gushed down the side of his face and I just knew he had busted some blood vessel on his head. Luckily it clotted fast, and the little hard-headed thing ran off yelling back to me that he wanted some "MM's." He is *so* much like his daddy!

I'm still not over this damned cold/ear infection. It is pure misery to be sick in the summer. Speaking of summer...IT.IS.SO.HOT! It's not even June yet, but this humidity is killing me. It's always the humidity.

While I'm on a rambling spree, I can't wait until they start to show Sex and the City next month on TBS. It will have to be a hoot to see how they cover the *ahem* language issue.

One last thing...Fantasia just won American Idol! I have to admit that I was a Diana fan, but Fantasia did an excellent job the whole way through. I'm glad it's over!

Well, that was fun!

I think it's because I put that I rarely get sick on my 101 things list. What started out as a few sniffles turned into a full-blown "let me pierce my eardrum myself to let some of this pressure out" ear infection. Teamed up with the end of school, I was absolutely zonked all weekend. But, it's good to be back. Now a few comments to make:

1. This whole Kaufman thing is utterly bizarre.

2. I finally saw Love Actually this weekend and couldn't help but think that there was so much more they could have done with all of these great storylines. I guess that's why I'm not in the movie biz.

3. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to plant between the rocks on my new flagstone patio? (I realize this is more of a question than a comment, but, you know, it's gonna be ok)

4. You gotta check out American Girls Gone Wild (snagged from Melissa @ Suburban Bliss)

Have a fabulous Monday!

Bad day...

You know how people say that you shouldn't live with your best friends, that you'll end up hating each other over something petty? Well today I realized that lovely piece of wisdom also applies to work: Don't work in a team-style setting with a close friend. To make a long story short, the day ended with me bending over backwards to keep up appearances, but mentally counting down the days until summer break. Uggg...I hate days like this.