All Things BD

Wordless Wednesday: Is 8 Inches From the TV Too Close?

2009-12-09T09:21:00.000-06:00

Because Tonight I Need The Funny

2009-12-08T19:37:00.002-06:00

Inexplicably, I am crabby and sad tonight. Don't know what brought it on, but if I hear one more thing about people and their pain, I'm gonna punch someone in the neck.

Instead, I'm going to watch this video 537 times in a row and eat a lot of chocolate.

Snow Day!

2009-12-07T14:08:00.000-06:00

We got some snow here last Friday, and it was EXCITING! For all of 15 minutes, and then it was gone, leaving behind sunshine and not a trace of snow on the ground. Strange. BUT! I got pictures. (of course I got pictures)

Can we talk for a minute about my next door neighbor's back yard? It's like a spa resort over there. Outdoor kitchen, fire pit, pool, hot tub, helicopter pad. Wait...

Ah, it's BD's mom! She got to see the snow, and was pleased that it only lasted 15 minutes because she had a flight out the next day and didn't want to bother with things like de-icing of wings and runway closures.

The best part about snow in Texas is that both of my girls' teachers let them run outside and play while it lasted. How cool is that? When we had earthquakes in California, they made us dive under desks. Wait...

Math Facts Made Easy

2009-12-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

I learned an easy way to remember a math fact from Boodle the other day, and I have been going on and on and on about it ever since. It's not like I don't know all the math facts, but I've NEVER heard this way of remembering it before, and I'm a dork, so here it is:

"I ate and ate and got sick on the floor"

8 x 8 = 64

Do you get it?

Genius.

Not to be outdone, I tried to come up with another one to help Boodle remember another one.

"I ate mine and Santa's too"

Boodle's look of disgust was pretty special, and she informed me she already KNEW what 8 x 9 was. I consider it a victory that she even knew what the hell I was trying to say.

I Met a Famous Person!

2009-12-03T22:52:00.003-06:00

Okay, maybe Internet famous, but still. Pioneer Woman was recently in my city, and I dragged my friend Monica along to the cookbook signing. This is Monica, who will probably no longer be friends with me after she sees her face on my blog.

Monica is always taking me along on crazy outings like the opening of the Nordstrom Rack at 8am with 500 of our closest friends. It was nice to finally drag her to something crazy that I was doing. We got wristbands, and then went shopping at Anthropologie.

After realizing that we were not in fact rich enough to reasonably shop there, we headed across the street, where Monica found a back scratcher for her son's Christmas stocking and I contemplated buying bacon bandaids, and the world was right again.

Actually, the world became right when we ended up at Whole Foods pondering our brownie choices (peanut butter for her, walnut for me, in case you're interested). We got back to the bookstore around 6:45, and it was PACKED. She came downstairs and did a Q&A with the crowd before signing books. Here's a shot of Ree at the microphone from where I was standing (note her hubby, Marlboro Man, in the background).
(Next purchase for my camera: zoom lens.)

They gave the wristbands out in ROYGBIV order, and we were yellow. Because we're impatient and rebels and rule breakers, we got in line directly after the orange group, BEFORE they called the yellow group. I know. How we weren't arrested is beyond me. One of the employees tried to hassle us about it, but we gave her the "c'mon, get REAL" faces, and she backed the hell off.

We only waited about a 1/2 hour to get into the room with Ree, and then there we were in front and I was babbling about that time that I won her "Name That Photo" contest. She remembered me, and that was awesome, and she signed my two cookbooks, and THAT was awesome.

Plus, bonus, she was giving away t-shirts!

Wordless Wednesday: Calling All Nerds

2009-12-02T11:37:00.000-06:00

(Click a picture to see it larger)

Brand New Day, Now With Doughnuts

2009-12-01T13:13:00.000-06:00

Today is a brand new day. Isn't it awesome that each day you can start over? Whether it's work issues, parenting problems, bad hair days. Every morning you can get up out of bed and begin again.

Yesterday was a terrible parenting day for me, culminating in me physically dragging my near one hundred pound 9-year-old down the hall as she limp-noodled me. Not my finest hour. Especially when you consider all this occurred in front of my own mother. Awesome.

BUT. Today, we woke up, and started fresh. No drama, no tears, no hurt feelings, no resentment. Just embracing a day that may or may not involve snow flurries. It reminds me of a line from a Nichole Nordemann song: "Your mercies are new every morning, so let me wake with the dawn".

Well, dawn might be pushing it a little.

Hey, did you know that today is Doughnut Day? It's true. The first day of each month, we have declared to be Doughnut Day. It began when I foolishly took the girls to the doughnut shop that we passed everyday on our way home from school, and then it was a daily demand. I finally came up with the 1st of the month thing, and we've been doing it ever since. So, go get a jelly-filled and join our celebration!

PS - turns out, when you don't feed kids dinner in a timely manner, they get kind of cranky and irascible. Huh. Who knew?

My Brain Is All Backed Up

2009-11-30T22:32:00.003-06:00

I've got so much going on right now, and so much that's been happening in the last two weeks, I'm getting stuck blogging. I think about this thing, and that photo, and that argument and that other freakout, and nothing wants to come out as actual blog posts.

I think I just need to get over my obsessive need for order and linear storytelling, and just jump in and say what's first and foremost in my noodle.

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I've had a wonderful time with my mom here visiting. She's leaving on Saturday, and there will be tears all around. I'm working on getting her to move here to Texas (sorry bro!), and each time she visits, she gets more and more willing. However, we have a chance of snow tomorrow (Meg, I've got my camera ready to prove it if need be!), and I think that might push her back the other way. It's hard to leave the California climate to come here and bake in the summer and freeze in the winter.

It's funny, because every time I tell someone how my mom's visiting for almost 3 weeks, they are surprised at the joy I express. How fortunate and blessed I am to get along so well with my mom, and that The Man loves having her around as well. Now if I could just get her interested in her grandkids...

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Boodle got thrown from her horse at her last riding lesson. I know! How frightening. Three of the girls in the class got their horses bunched up as they rode around the ring, and one horse named Firecracker (dude, with that name we shoulda seen it coming) decided he'd had enough and started kicking. Boodle's horse was right behind him, so she started shying away, and in the fracas, Boodle fell off. Luckily, Firecracker moved ahead and she didn't get trampled.

That sounds so dramatic, doesn't it? In reality, it took all of 45 seconds for it to start, her to fall, the teacher to run out and get Boodle right back up on the horse. I of course was a stunned ball of freaking the hell out, but Boodle assured everyone emphatically that she was okay. It sounded manic and stubborn to me, which made me want to cry all the more, knowing she was actually pretty wigged out and trying not to show it. I didn't cry though, keeping my own manic, happy face on as she came around the ring and looked to me for reassurance.

The instructor handled it very well, the fall coming on top of an hour of stubborn horses and much switching of riders to see if they could get the horses to trot. She said that if the girls were willing to come back after all that drama, then they could turn into good horsewomen. Boodle basically said "hell yeah!", so we're pressing on.

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I finished editing the photos from my first family shoot, and I'm pretty pleased. I learned so much, and of course now see 537 things I could have done differently, but I got some great shots and the family seems happy. They were just looking for a photo for their Christmas card, and I overwhelmed them with a billion photos and requests like, "Which edit do you like better? Did you like this smile or that smile? Look at them and then call me and we'll get together and talk about EVERYTHING!"

I'm pretty sure they're changing their phone number and email address as I type this. If I can get their permission, I'll post a few of my faves. I guess I could do a Witness Protection Program shot, but I don't think this translates:

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T20:20:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful...

- that I didn't burn my first turkey (which was only a breast because we also made a chicken dish and what am I Rachael Ray?)

- that when I dropped the paper towel roll on the fire extinguisher in the pantry (that is mysteriously missing it's pin), it did not fully discharge, and that the debacle was cleaned up before our guests arrived

- for pumpkin pie

- that my mom is here and was able to share the day, which would have been her 44th wedding anniversary

- that I got to say the prayer before dinner so I could include all our traditional prayers (NOT "good food, good meat, good Lord let's eat"-I'm saving that one for Christmas)

- for my family

- for my friends

- for my friends of the internet persuasion

- that I am living in a beautiful house in a beautiful city in a beautiful state in a beautiful country.

- for the military serving overseas who are sacrificing for our freedom.

and lastly...

I am thankful for stretchy pants and loose fitting tops.

Because I'm So Far Behind On Posting I Can't Stand It Anymore

2009-11-23T14:46:00.000-06:00

*My mom is here

*I feel better

*Boodle started horseback riding lessons

*Loodle is taking piano

*Boodle had an artist's showcase at school

*Loodle got her ears pierced

*Boodle lost another tooth

*Loodle's class made upside down pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving (vanilla pudding, pumpkin mixed with spices, and graham cracker crumble)

*Boodle has started suffering from terrible nighttime nosebleeds (dry air, allergies)

*I did my VERY FIRST photo shoot for a family, and boy is my body SORE (who knew?)

*I went to a Women of Faith Conference, where Steven Curtis Chapman performed and Blair from the Facts of Life was a speaker

*Loodle had her birthday party, and the first gift she tore open with excitement was a hot pink kid-sized Snuggie, which we will immediately have monogrammed

*I broke in my new purple clogs

(Not really on that last one, just wanted to see if you were still reading. Five points if you know the movie reference)

Happy Birthday Baby Girl

2009-11-22T10:01:00.003-06:00

You're 7, which is not possible. Because I'm pretty sure you were just born a little while ago. You are smart, funny, quirky, insightful, thoughtful, a good friend, and a wonderful daughter.

I love the stuffings out of you, kid.

Houseguest

2009-11-16T21:45:00.002-06:00

This lady is here again. We were a tad pleased to see her, and bonus, she'll be here for Thanksgiving.

I'm also currently wallowing in a cold, so you might not hear from me for a while. I'll be busy snuggled in a blanket on the couch and eating my mom's famous grilled cheese sandwich and chicken noodle soup. Nothing heals you faster than being cared for by your mommy. Life is good.

**Two things to note about that photo: Boodle, who is 9, is almost as tall as Grandma; and Grandma is holding a carry-on bag with a bare-chested Johnny Depp. How cool is she?

Stuff

2009-11-12T13:23:00.002-06:00

I'm feeling a bit under the weather, so I might be getting loopy and finding things more interesting and share-worthy than they really are. That having been said, here we go.

* Yesterday I went ~~home and had a nutritious lunch of spinach salad and lightly grilled chicken~~ out to lunch and had shrimp tacos at this great Mexican grill. They serve chips with jalapeno ranch dressing that is to die for. I bellied up to my food while reading a book, and I was halfway through scarfing down a basket of chips and dip when I looked down and saw a dragonfly had just crash landed in the dip. I was startled, and then proceeded to watch him struggling to get out. The humane thing to do would be to rescue him and send him on his way. Instead, I looked at him in disgust, becoming grossed out and pissed that he'd ruined my lunch, and left in a huff. The end.

** I just remembered that a while ago we saw a pigeon get hit by a truck in the Walmart parking lot, but it didn't die right away. I hurried the girls away from it because I didn't want them traumatized, but a lady had just pulled in to a spot near us and asked if it was dead. When I told her no, she proceeded to back out and told me she would go finish it off. We continued inside, and then ran into her on our way out. She reassured us that it was dead, and we notified the staff that they had a dead pigeon in the parking lot. Isn't that a lovely story? I can't think why I waited so long to tell you.

This then reminded me of when The Man was commuting to Santa Barbara from our home town, and he saw a squirrel or something get hit but not die, and he swerved to finish him off. I was horrified at the time, but I was young and stupid. Now I think he and that lady in the parking lot are courageous. Also that The Man is no longer my medical power of attorney.

*** There is something totally awesome about this story. "World's Tallest Man Unveils World's Biggest Cookie" And why did I find it infinitely more amusing to know he did it in an IKEA in Oslo?

**** I'm leaving tomorrow for two days to do a church conference thing in Houston, and I was outlining to The Man his Parental Responsibilities while I'm gone.

The Man: So when are you leaving?
Me: Tomorrow at 11am
The Man: So when do I get the kids?
Me: Saturday morning
The Man: ???
Me: They're having a sleepover so you can go to your Wrap Party for your game
The Man: Oh, that's RIGHT. So basically I'm going to go to work tomorrow, and I won't see my children until Saturday morning?
Me: Yep
The Man: I love you

**** I went to the school to eat lunch with the girls today, and while I waited for their class to come in, I was watching a table of 3rd graders. There was some jockeying for space, and they kept saying leave a space for Addie, leave a space for Addie! I was curious, and then a teacher came walking up with Addie, who is a Down Syndrome kid. The classmates were vying for her to be able to sit next to them, boys and girls alike. She sat down with them and they all started chatting away together, not realizing how profoundly awesome that was.

I am going to hold onto that lunch memory every time I start lamenting the fact that kids these days are so mean and uncaring and insensitive. They're not. When given the chance to be decent and caring and loyal, they can break your heart with the size of theirs.

***** Catch you all on the flip side, if I don't succumb to what is surely the R2D2 virus. May the force be with you. Always.

The One Where Loodle Cooks

2009-11-09T20:39:00.008-06:00

Tonight, I ~~worked twice as hard as usual~~ took the night off and let Loodle make dinner. They were all up in arms last week because I always cook deadly poison with a side of grilled liver and onions, so I said, fine, you pick the menu and make it.

I knew full well that this would actually be MORE work for me, but the point was for them to realize that a lot of planning and thought and work goes into making a dinner. *snicker snort guffaw* Or at least realize that they had no interest in doing this on a weekly basis and leave me to my devices.

Loodle, my almost 7-year-old, was up first. She went through our two kids' cookbooks and picked.... sandwiches. And brownies. Oooookay, but wait! It's a circular sandwich! Bread baked into a circle is exciting!! After adding baked potato chips and carrots to the menu, away we went. Here are some pics from her prep and the final product, of which she was extremely proud.

Making round bread is easy. Take two Pilsbury french bread loaves and form a circle and pinch the ends together. Viola!

This was a cold cut Super Sub.

There were many steps in its preparation, but I'm pretty sure you know how to assemble turkey, ham, bologna, provolone, American cheese, spinach and olives without visual aids.

How it ended up with a face is... actually not a mystery, because all food items Loodle is involved with inevitably end up with a face of some sort.

Anything resembling outlandish toppings (i.e. mustard, mayo, pickles, peppers and tomatoes were left on the side to be added as necessary, which the girls used exactly zero times)

Those are brownie "buttons", whatever that means. (surely are not meant for me to put my feet upon whilst watching The Big Bang Theory) They were made from scratch, thank you very much, and there are mini m&m's mixed right into the batter. You want some right now, don't you?

Bits and Pieces

2009-11-05T14:01:00.000-06:00

Just A Note to the Lady In Front of Me at the Store Who Took EIGHTEEN Minutes to Check Out:

OMG FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY WOULD YOU SHUT UP AND LET THE CHECKER SCAN YOUR FREAKING FOOD WITHOUT HAVING TO HEAR ABOUT HOW THE VITAMINS IN THE SMALLER BOTTLE ARE HIGHER "POTENCY" AND HOW THE MINCED GARLIC IS BLAH BLAH BLAH AND THOSE ROLLS SHOWED ON THE SHELF AS $.50 EACH BUT THAT'S RIDICULOUS AND DID YOU GET THE TWO COUPONS FOR ROLAIDS CAN YOU PLEASE GO THROUGH ALL THE COUPONS AGAIN ONE BY ONE AND CHECK AND LOOK HE'S DONE SCANNING NOW AND HAS GIVEN YOU A TOTAL AND NOW YOU DIG THROUGH YOUR PURSE AND BRING OUT YOUR CHECKBOOK AND PROCEED TO FILL IT OUT SLOWER THAN THE POLAR ICECAPS ARE MELTING SO HELP ME GOD IF I SEE YOU IN THE PARKING LOT I WILL RUN YOU OVER AND NOT EVEN FEEL BAD ABOUT IT NO MATTER WHAT I'M READING IN MY BIBLE STUDY CLASS RIGHT NOW

/capslock

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The lady across the street was sweeping her garage walls today. The WALLS. Then she appeared to be scrubbing the garage floor. I don't NEED this kind of pressure, lady.

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The girls listen to classical music while falling asleep. Tonight, Loodle was out here complaining about her sister not letting her fall asleep. I gave her half-assed instructions and sent her back to her room. The Man, looking to actually PARENT in this situation, followed quietly after her down the hall and overheard:

Loodle: Did you skip ahead to this song?
Boodle: Yes.
Loodle: (pause) Why do you hate me?

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Loodle, the almost 7 year old, is currently reading the bible. For fun. I'm barely keeping up with her in my bible study class entitled "The Big Picture", wherein we read through the bible over the course of a couple dozen weeks.

So we're in the van a couple days ago, and Loodle says, "Oh, right, I was at the part where Moses goes back to Egypt." Thank goodness I know what's happening, since I've just gone through Exodus. I idly inquire what she's reading about in the book. "Boils. It was the 6th plague." Um, oooookay, gonna have to take your word on that one. I wait for a bit, and then ask again what she's reading. "I'm reading about the Angel of Death." Awesome. Carry on.

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In a related note, a few weeks ago I volunteered in Kids' Praise during the second half of church, and Loodle was there watching a Veggie Tales movie about the whole Moses/Pharaoh/plague situation. If you're not familiar, Pharaoh has his heart hardened even after all these plagues are brought upon his people, but the last straw is when God orders all the firstborn sons of Egypt be killed, even the Pharaoh's.

Obviously, in a Veggie Tales movie, this is a delicate subject, so they portrayed this part by showing all the babies in baskets floating gently down the river into the sunset.

Loodle turns to me and says matter-of-fact: "Does that mean they killed them?"

Um, yeah, it does, and now I'm rethinking the whole church thing altogether, because you are just too smart for sugar-coating. Alternately, is it blasphemous to rip out the entire Old Testament from her bible?

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Our carpool buddy, a 6 year old girl, was riding in our van today after school on our way to an afternoon outing. She spoke up with the following: "I could use a drink right now." (me, giggling internally because I'm juvenile and also think maybe I'll need a drink after an afternoon with three giggly girls) Then she mutters: "Yeah, I could use a cold one." STOP IT, you're killing me.

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Later, another friend, a 5 year old boy this time, met us at the local library, and we were walking down to see a movie, when the carpool girl accidentally brushed him with her bookbag.

5yob: Hey, watch it! You're gonna hurt my wiener!
6yog: (oblivious)
5yob: (I'm guessing he realizes you're not supposed to say wiener) Oh, I mean you almost hit my tenders.
6yog: Are you talking about chicken nuggets?
5yob: Grinning, no I mean my tenders. You know.
6yog: Yeah, tenders are chicken nuggets.
5yob: No, I mean...
(This is where I finally have to intervene before I DIE of a heart attack from withheld chortling and guffawing)
Me: No, he's talking about his boy parts.
6yog: Oh. Sorry.

Wordless Wednesday: Judging By Mold Progression, I Think Halloween Is Over

2009-11-04T19:01:00.002-06:00

Say Cheeeeeeeese!

2009-11-03T10:18:00.006-06:00

The beginning of the school year brings about an argument in our household that I'm sure not many folks have.

Picture Day.

We've been through, oh what is it, six? Yeah, six picture days now, and I can honestly say I've liked exactly one of the pictures that we got back. From EITHER child.

In the beginning, Boodle was at an age where she was extraordinarily uncomfortable getting in front of anybody, where their entire being would be focused on just her. She couldn't take the pressure, so the first two years' pics were tearstained, manic looking photos. Ah, fond memories to last a lifetime.

Then, she finally got comfortable enough not to cry, so we moved into the CHEEEEEZE! phase. There were two years' worth of Camembert shots that the dentist could use to diagnose a cavity.

Now, Boodle has moved on to the Uncertain Smile years. I blame myself, because after trying to better my photography skills using my ~~guinea pigs~~ kids, I've spoken to them about a natural smile, and I'm sure I've done it in a consistent, loving, helpful way. *snort*

So. School starts. Actually, let me back up. The devil himself invades school administrators and they institute SPRING portrait day last April, and after foolishly purchasing the package last fall of less than memorable pictures, I refused (REFUSED!) to buy any pics for Spring.

Back to this school year, and a big brouhaha erupts over whether I'm going to shell out $50 EACH for their photos. Me: NO. Them: Waaaaaaah. End scene. I've finally decided that I'm sick of the traditional, you-must-have-pictorial-evidence-that-your-child-went-to-school-this-year portraits.

So last week, on picture day, I took them after school to a beloved park with a stream and sand and turtles, and told them that they could play to their hearts' desires after they let me take their pics on the pretty path. I didn't mention school photos, just told them to have fun.

So, you tell me. Do you think the portrait company would be able to get anything close to these faces or these full of depth expressions? And should I shell out $100+ just for tradition's sake? And WHEN did I turn into my bah humbug husband???

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The Man Is Famous!

2009-11-02T21:15:00.002-06:00

Okay, maybe not personally famous, but still. We were watching The Big Bang Theory tonight (which, if you're not watching, dude, it's awesome), and a commercial came on for the game his company worked on. A commercial for his game! On TV!! In the middle of a totally awesome show that's on a REGULAR channel, not one of those weird cable access channels.

The Man totally rocks and I'm totally bragging on him.

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Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T20:25:00.007-05:00

This is Sharpay from High School Musical, in case that's not obvious. Which, dude, it's so not. We lost the hair scrunchie that goes with it, and it was cold so Loodle added a sweater for comfort.

Meet the Victorian Queen, not to be confused with Queen Victoria. This distinction was made clear to everyone by Boodle.
I can't begin to describe my joy to see that Loodle is WORKING this dress. I'll be looking back at this outfit fondly, I'm sure, when I'm arguing over the trampy clothes she's trying to pick out at Hot Topic in a few years.

Garth Brooks. 'Nuff said.

Down With The Boll Weevil

2009-10-27T06:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had to use the Urban Dictionary to find out how the phrase "smoke a bowl" is spelled. Is it boll, like boll weevil? Or is it a bowl, like an actual bowl?

That is sad, but not as sad as looking up the spelling of "boll weevil" and seeing that Alabama has a Boll Weevil Monument, and also in California, there's a Boll Weevil Restaurant. After clicking through, it's revealed to be a chain, and the one in Chula Vista has the same great burgers and the same great beer, but the sauce isn't on the tray, you have to ask for it, and don't even get us started on them letting Julieta go, which means now you have to bring your own crackers and cherries. Apparently.

Here in the fine state of Texas, we have a Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. Which, if you click through and see their logo, compels me to give them my very last penny to keep that giant insect from devouring our state.

The TBWEF is hiring, btw. I considered going for a Field Technician job, but it required things like "common sense" and activities like "walking, hiking, climbing, standing, balancing, kneeling, stooping, bending, stretching and reaching in extremely rugged, cotton-field terrain, including walking across ditches and furrows, up and down steep banks, over muddy ground and through loose, shifting sand." I'm pretty sure I'm no good at ANY of that. Also, I would be unable to correctly identify a boll weevil, and instead would eradicate some rare, newly discovered beetle that could cure cancer.

That would suck.

Just Like Bert & Ernie's Pad

2009-10-26T21:13:00.004-05:00

Last year sometime, the girls decided that having a playroom was crap, and it was time to split the bunk beds apart and have separate rooms. Hallelujah, bedtime became infinitely easier, what with the inability to talk all the livelong day and keep each other awake until I come in screaming.

Whew. SO glad that happened. But. Yesterday. I must have been tired. Or in a particularly giving, loving ~~delusional~~ mood. God help us, I agreed to put the beds BACK in the same room and resurrect the playroom. And by "I agreed", I mean I signed up The Man for heavy lifting.

It is now 9:15pm, and let me just say... the talking. THE TALKING. What did I expect? They are GIRLS. It's the first night of Room Switcheroo 2009. Luckily, The Man has drawn the short straw and has to be the one to awaken them in the morning to get ready for school. Ha ha.

Of course, the fallout for ME is that I get to move 87 pieces of furniture around and try and make some sense of the clutter. Ssssshhhh. Don't tell the girls that while they are in school, I periodically go through their ~~garbage! IT'S GARBAGE~~ stuff and ~~throw away~~ box up their things and move them to the garage. Of course, they've not ONCE missed a single item. (except for those stick ponies that neighed and played the William Tell Overture until the batteries/motor started to go bad so they sounded like Rossini had smoked a bowl, but I told them uh, duuuh, hmmm, no clue. They're maybe in the closet... oh you should keep looking! No? How about a lollipop!)

Anyway. A nine year old and an almost seven year old sharing a room. I'm sure it'll last WELL into their teens.

Or, in a more likely scenario, next week I'll be documenting the line taped down the center of the room.

Fresh Air Is So Invigorating

2009-10-23T16:54:00.003-05:00

This is what happens to a child after a record-breaking, hotter-than-Hades summer spent inside:

"But Mother, whatever does one DO when out of doors?"

Wish me luck this winter as we delve into the concept of what a park looks like.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Cancer Sucks

2009-10-22T15:42:00.001-05:00

My friend Monica and I just got back from the hospital, where we visited another friend who was diagnosed with APL last Friday. She's around my age with a husband, a 2nd grader and a yellow lab puppy. And now she'll be in the hospital for two weeks getting chemo, and choosing what the doctor referred to as a "cranial prosthetic" to use when her own hair falls out.

Cancer sucks.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T22:06:00.004-05:00

Visit to California

2009-10-20T05:52:00.001-05:00

Okay, I'm a week late, but here's what happened on my trip last weekend to sunny Cali:

Upon arrival at LAX, I was whisked away by my sister and law and bestest friend Tiffany and taken directly OUT of town for a weekend spent at the spa, the movies, the bowling alley, various yummy restaurants, the hotel, and the casino. We talked and talked and TALKED, and by "we", I mean I'm pretty sure I never paused for a breath. I might have missed my best friend just a tad with all the drama this summer. It was SO good to reconnect and RELAX. And no, we're not going to discuss just how much money I lost at poker. We're NOT.

Funny story: we almost became small-time criminals. We went bowling, and while I was putting bowling balls away and Tiffany was putting shoes away and getting coupons, we neglected to actually PAY for the bowling. We discovered this half an hour later while waiting for a movie to start. Of course, because we believe in Karma coming back to kick us in the cajones, we went back after the movie and did the walk of shame up to the counter. They gave us some good natured ribbing as well as gesturing for security to take us away, then THANKED us for returning to pay, which is awesome and also very sad.

Next I got to spend the night at my friend W's house, where I watched football, sat in front of a warm and delicious fireplace, and got my hat handed to me in Chinese Checkers by a 5 year old. Good times.

On Monday, I went to visit my mother-in-law. I was excited and trepidatious at the same time. I hadn't seen her since they took her down off the mountain, and I was trying to prepare myself. I was afraid she wouldn't remember me, but those fears were put to rest about 3 minutes after she woke up. She immediately knew who I was, squeezed my hand and touched my cheek. We got the breathing guy to put in the tube thingy (sorry to get so technical with y'all), and she was able to talk to us for a LONG time.

We joked about the troubles she and Tiffany had with the trailer when they first left for the lake. (They had a hell of a time attaching it to the trailer hitch, and a few minutes after starting out, it FELL OFF, and some nice gentlemen stopped to save the day and help get it reattached) I reminded her that she threatened to leave it to Tiffany in her will, and Tiffany countered with the suggestion that when her mom kicks the bucket (yes, we're THAT family), she'd bury her in it like Connie did with all the family pets in the back yard.

Tiffany: "Here lies Constance, who passed away at the ripe old age of 102, with the trailer..."
Connie: "That put her under."

We burst out laughing. It was so wonderful to see Connie's personality really shining through. The expressive eyebrows, the grin, the sparkling eyes. A coworker of hers also came down to visit and brought a small photo album for Connie to go through. She spent a LONG time looking at the pics of her coworkers, recognizing all of them, giving details about what was happening. I could not have asked for more with this visit, and have a renewed hope that she will improve by leaps and bounds with every day and every visitor that comes.

On Monday night, Tiffany, Mama DB and I went out to dinner at Red Lobster (mmm, seafood), then proceeded to DB's house where we harassed her hubby into setting up Rock Band for us (thanks Mr. DB!). Side note: cats know instinctively the best time to plop in the middle of the room and lick their butts. I'm just sayin'. We rocked da howse until Mama DB cried uncle. She apparently had a raging case of bronchitis, but I don't know. I think she's just getting old.

Speaking of which, after the late Monday night and then early morning flight, I was convinced I was coming down with the H1N1 last week. Turns out I'm just getting old and set in my ways, suffering mightily when I don't get a requisite 7 hours of sleep. What a wimp. At least on the flight home I was able to score a row to myself and snore my way back to Texas.

That's about it. Good times were had, people are now sorely missed as usual. Let's work on that "mash Arizona and New Mexico together, creating 1,000 fewer miles between Texas and California" machine, shall we?