Google chat

Oh how I love you!!!

Thank u for letting me have those conversations! And not relating
slurring into typing!! I love my late nights alone with the Internet,
the tv, and iTunes!

Sent from my iPhone

have you seen these idiots tossing toddlers?

http://www.break.com/index/rejected-olympic-sport-toddler-tossing.html

 

Thoughts?

my little monkey

UGH!

Hubby left today for a 7 day business trip - he left 4 hours after we got home from the beach.  We got up at 3:30 a.m. to drive home.  And I've been at the beach for 7 days with three small children.

 

I AM TIRED.

 

And of course the following happens:

1.  we arrive home to no air conditioning.

2.  BabyT shut the garage door on the Yukon XL open rear hatch.

3.  BabyT shut off the pool chlorine generator before we left for the week.

4.  BabyJ learned how to scale the baby gate that is all mesh - the one they advertise as "unclimbable" because it's all soft and has nothing to grab onto.  That one.  So she can now access the steps at will.

5.  BabyJ has figured out how to climb out of her crib and drop on her head.  Because she's so young, she doesn't forsee that this will happen EVERY TIME and keeps doing it.  I turned the crib around so the short side is against the wall so then she climbed the HIGH SIDE and almost fell on her head.  Fuck.

6.  Did I mention Hubby is out of town?

7.  I need to work from home this week (see item 6) and the laptop downstairs won't connect to the internet.

8.  AC repair guy to come tomorrow.

9.  BabyJ gets hot easily and cannot sleep if it's too warm in her room.  See Item 5.  Again, I am totally screwed.

10.  Blondy and Red are partying in OC with out me.  How in the hell did that happen???

Ahhhh. Another good day at the beach

Click for pic- also think my iPhone camera got salty??

A better day at the beach

Click for pic

So far an awesome vacation! Good food, well behaved kids and fun in
the sun!

Today at the beach

Click for pic

a lot of work

Whew! The beach with 3 kids is a lot of work!

Sent from my iPhone

Really ugly wallpaper

Click for pic
Striped with gold veins

Busy in the car

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Headed to the beach

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A pic of the flower my kids got

For me for my birthday almost a week ago! The flowers are still
beautiful!

Done with pedicure!

Click for pic!

Mid-pedicure

I love my pedicure lady -but today they've over booked her so her
niece is doing mine until my lady is done with her other client.

Of course the niece is not as good, and I can't say anything, drat.

DMV

I hate the DMV.

I had to go Tuesday and renew my license (it expired and the State of Virginia insisted I have a vision test).  That took 35 minutes, plus 20 minutes to get there and 20 minutes to get back.  Really, at my age ( < 40!) I do not NEED A VISION TEST.  SERIOUSLY State of Virginia, thanks for wasting my time.  Shouldn't I just be able to pay a fee and get on with it - ELECTRONICALLY?  Would've saved me time AND gas!  They could say they're going green and NOT MAKING EVERYONE COME DOWN THERE FOR DUMB THINGS.  Hell, even raise the fees, I don't care as long as I don't have to waste my lunch break (I'd much rather be out to lunch!) than heading down there.

So last night my little brother called - Mom's license plates expired.  Since this is my responsibility, and we're going on vacation Saturday (and they are taking Mom's car), I HAVE TO GOTO THE DMV AGAIN TODAY!  ARGH!  Someone shoot me now.

SPIDER ON MY CHILD!

We keep our strollers either in the backs of our SUVs or in the garage.  My preference is in the SUVs because of the bugs and dirt in the garage, but whatever. 

Well, today, while taking the 3 kids on a totally joyous fun-filled trip to Target, I look at Preschooler and see A HUGE SPIDER ON HIS CHEST.  And he wasn't wearing a Spiderman shirt! ;-)

Of course I start screaming and am trying to extricate him from the stroller and get him to let go of the fruit roll up he's eating (that stuff is like crack for them I swear) so I can flick it off.

What if it bit him?  Where is my hubby when I REALLY need him? GROSS GROSS - what if it ALREADY bit him somewhere?  Yikes.  NOW the strollers will be stored inside our vehicles.

JetBlue

is going to charge passengers $7 for a pillow and a blanket?  SERIOUSLY?  I'd never pay money to rent a used pillow / blanket.  Not only is it gross, it's crazy to charge for it!  What is this wold coming to?  Will they charge for seatbelts next?

planning a good-bye for the intern

We have an awesome intern at work.  He is fantastic and basically does the work of a regular employee while he's here (no photocopying all summer for him!).

His last day is Wednesday and we're trying to plan a going away event.  For a long time we were going to do indoor go-karts.  Until we discovered it is $80 per person to do that.

So then we've been emailing back and forth (and killing the Outlook server) about what to do -

The choices we came up with were:

Laser Tag
Bowling
Visit Museum
Movie

Then we disucssed Mini-Golf and decided it would be too hot.

Then Bowling.  And cue the discussions on lack of socks worn today by the women on team (ok, I started that discussion, but WHO WANTS TO WEAR BOWLING SHOES WITHOUT SOCKS?  EWWWW).

So we're going to play pool.

Happy Birthday to me!!

YAY!  It's my birthday!  Hubby let me sleep in and then prepared me a great breakfast that included a wheat bagel and COFFEE CAKE and flowers!

Then at 10, he went to the Fractured Prune and got fresh donuts for a snack!

Then he helped me take the kids to my grandparents because she made me an awesome southern cake (with the homemade southern hard chocolate icing!).

pretty good, eh?

My girlfriend says the reason I don't hate being 35 (she turned it in March) is that I have no wrinkles!  Maybe that's why, but I don't feel older than I did when I was about 23?  (except of course when I have to change a diaper or break up a fight!).

Yay! No more cast!!

click thru for pic....

Yard sale prep!

Click thru for pic...
This is 1/2 of the clothes too small for babyj - 5 boxes left to sort
and 10 boxes in basement that the kids haven't grown into yet.

Plus u don't see the boxes of bibs hats and shoes for sale!

Blog The Recession!

Ok - so there are a lot of people having issues - job losses, cut backs, layoffs, not being able to find much free-lance work, etc.

Motherhood Uncensored has what I think is a great idea! Click thru your feed readers to the blogs! People will get some ad revenue for the click thrus and click on an ad if you see something interesting! It doesn't cost you anything and you're helping people out!

What do you think?

something terrible has happened...

please send your prayers to Midwestern Mommy.  She just found out she has cancer.  She is EXACTLY my age and it just popped up out of nowhere and now she's in the oncology ward at her hospital.

http://midwesternmommy.com/

small update on playground wars

The owner of the house next to us, where the trespassing neighbor was playing on their playground before moving onto our playground, came over yesterday.  He said I was AWESOME!

He said he was inside standing in the window pondering how to go tell that fool to get off property that isn't his and he saw me come running out, pointer finger going crazy!  He is also totally baffled that people would come play in the yards of people that they do not know.  He pointed out that these people don't even come over to say HI! if they seem him or us outside.  They just wait for us to be gone and run to use our stuff.  Losers.

funniest twitter comment ever... (or so far in it's tiny existence)

(click thru for full)

I found this on "DCist"...

Funniest Twitter comment from the Los Angeles earthquake earlier today: "I am totally serious. My Ob/Gyn was IN my vagina and an earthquake started rattling the room!"

seriously? What is wrong with the world today...

<<Click thru for full post>>

Today's headlines on foxnews.com:

"Mistaken About Taunting, Dad Stabs Boy In Face"

"Unattended Infant Mauled By Dog"

"Mom Puts Baby In Fish Tank To Stop Its Crying"

"Motorist Hits Husband, Drives Off As He Dies"

Really people - is there not enough wrong with the world that we have to hurt the ones we love (or not care for them properly as in the mauling article)??

Everyone play nice please.  I can't even read the articles about the parents hurting children.  HOW CAN ONE DO THAT?  How, how, how? I have been frustrated - when my husband is gone for 60 days at a time I can go crazy too.  Know what I do rather than drown my children?  I call someone to vent....I go outside....I go upstairs for a moment...I tell the kids that Mommy needs a timeout and not to talk to her for a moment.  It doesn't even occur to me to hurt them.  There's enough going on in the world where we should be nice to each other - we are all we've got!  There are plenty of people out there that would hurt us if given the chance, let's try and be able to trust our own.

Playground trespass!

So yesterday hubby was leaving and he called to say the people down
the street ( that we do not know ) we using out neighbors playset
( which they have been asked not to do ). Well I had to leave the
house 2 min later and guess what? They were in OUR playset!

I stormed out there telling ( not yelling. Not rudely. ) them to get
off!

And the dad was all "sorry! Sorry!" ( they are Pakistani ), I said
"no! Please GET OFF!".

They waited til they thought we were not home to trespass, so they
know we wouldn't like it. What us wrong with them?

And FYI, they are currently having their basement finished, so they
could have bought a set if they wanted.

made it to the gym again!

The alarm went off at 4:31 a.m. 

I hit snooze 2 times, then bounded out of bed to head to the gym!  I did a full circuit of leg workouts then ran for 28 minutes (then walked up hill at 4.0 for 5 more minutes).  YAY me!  Last week I got 3 workouts in, let's see how this week goes!  But so far, it looks promising!

I have to admit one of the things that gets me out of bed in the morning is that our gym only has 2 showers and I'm terrified of getting there late and having to wait in line to shower, in which case I'd probably just shoot myself.

In other news, I'm updating my links tonight to add my new friends Red and Blondy - am I missing anyone else?

Oh no!

at 5 a.m. this morning, hubby bolted upright in bed, even though no noise had happened in the house/over the baby monitors, etc.

"What?!" I asked - it is RARE that he is up voluntairily at this hour - especially when the alarm was going to go off at 5:15 for him to get up and goto work (covering the shift for one of his workers that has a pregnant wife - she can't watch their other child all day w/out going into contractions)...

"I LEFT THE HOSE ON ALL NIGHT filling the pool!"

YIKES! The pool is about 1 mm from overflowing.

UPDATE: and now it is raining!

Star Wars - Clone Wars Battle Revolution Ship

(Click thru for picture)

Found at Target today. Son was $5 short, so he owes me 5 $1 chores!

A good Saturday!

Ahhhhhhh....pedicure time!

Cast!

guess what we scored today?

A WII FIT!  YAY!  Actually 2 - one from toyrus.com and one from target.  If the toysrus.com one actually comes (we had some issues online ordering) we'll ditch the Target one -but I can't wait to play!!!!!

GO ME!

Ok - I did it.

I got up at 5 a.m. today and went to the gym!

Now, before I had kids, I was there 5 times a week, when they opened the door (I had the number to call the openers if they overslept! I was EARLY!).

After having the oldest son, I switched to working out at lunchtime, 3 or 4 days per week.

After having the second son, I had just started running again LITERALLY 4 days before I found out I was pregnant with Number 3.

Since having BabyJ my schedule has been nuts.  I joined the gym in Sept. and went maybe twice before Hubby went out of town for all of October.  Then the holidays hit and any extra time was spent shopping and doing stuff w/the kids. In January I tried to start going again but Hubby when out of town for all of February.  Finally in June (after going once or twice in april and may) I said "OK - I go Tues and Thurs after work!  No ifs ands or buts!"....hahahahaha.

Now to be clear, Hubby doesn't ever tell me not to go.  He encourages me to go....but when life gets in the way, I feel guilty about canceling something else or telling the kids we can't do what they want to do because mommy has to goto the gym, so it's always the first thing I cross of the schedule (going away for the weekend?  Then the Thurs workout is out.  Get home from work late?  Workout is out - we can't have dinner late).

Well...I decided to put the workout where I CAN CONTROL whether or not I go.  And the only timeframe that I have control over is 5 a.m., so there we go.

And the feeling of having control of my schedule for the first time in FOREVER is great (Note: the kids weren't sleeping well enough every night until mabye May to even consider this - i'm not getting up in the middle of the night, then going to the gym at 4:50 a.m.!)...

Wish me luck - tomorrow is another gym day!  I'm shooting for 3 workouts a week!

Ahhhhhh.... Saturday!!

Baby Borrowers: The mom of the vegetarian boys is MIS-INFORMED

The teen watching her two vegetarian sons eats poorly.  I get that.  The mom tells the teen that they just need salad an potatoes, for example, when the teen mom is making dinner choices.

FIRST OF ALL - growing boys need more protein than that.

Then she LECTURES the teen (note: this is NOT the most effective way to speak to teenagers, which this mom will find out when her sons are older) that if she eats poorly her children will automatically be obese and sickly.

WRONG.

Now, I do eat poorly.  I should eat better.  No veggies and fruit for me, in general, although I do love fresh corn on the cob w/butter and green beans cooked in bacon fat.  I drink diet coke and water, in that order.  BUT... my kids are awesome eaters.  They eat a lot of fruit and some vegetables (including carrot-apple juice).  If you introduce it when they're young they will drink/eat it and get used to the texture and flavor.

My children are not obese - far from it.  They are little powerhouses (the 2 boys have awesome six-pack abs) and the little girl isn't far behind.  For weight, they're around 50th percentile, although about 100th percentile for height.   EVERY MEAL has fruit or veggies as the first course.  EVERY MEAL.  If we go out, they eat their fruit at home or in the car before we goto the restaurant or I bring their fruit to the restaurant and they eat it before the food comes.

Should that teen eat a better diet?  Of course.  Will trying to scare her into a better diet work?  No, and the mom was WRONG about how the kids turn out if the kids don't eat well.

AND I know TONS of parents that DO eat fresh fruits and veggies all the time and their kids live off mac&cheese and nuggets!  Generally, my kids eat a better variety than their kids (2 of my kids eat tofu!  Broccoli!)

Donuts again!!

Donuts!

are you watching Nashville Star?

I love this show - but really they need to boot the people that suck and the fakers and just let Michelle and Gabe have a sing off.

The blond chick - she sucks.  I'm surprised John Rich likes her because she sounds awful and her voice is not powerful enough.

Gabe - he is AWESOME.

Melissa - she is AWESOME.  Oversinging it my ass.  She did GREAT and she was confident and looked like she was really having fun up there.

Coffey (pronounced Cough-eh, like a redneck trying to sound French).  OMG - please do not ever sing a Tim McGraw song again.  I thought my ears were going to start bleeding.  You are awful.  Pulling the sympathy card might get you thru (and chocking up during the song, wah) to next week, but you'll still suck then.  I agree with Jeff and John - you are NOT country and we can see right thru you.

Shawn - omg, she is terrible.  And this young lady is NO Carrie Underwood, and she butchered her song.  She could also stand to watch herself on video because the faces she makes while singing are painful and downright scary.  And not dressing like a whore might help too.

I feel strongly about this, can you tell?  I love country music and have listened to it all my life.  I am quite offended by Jewel's entrance into country (marrying a rodeo guy doesn't make you country!) and by her being on this show.  (don't get me started on Jessica Freaking-Simpson's new country song - PLEASE)  I can't imagine any of these loser people winning - it has to be Gabe or Melissa.

twitter with me!

Follow me on twitter!  Come on, you know you want to!

www.twitter.com/vhmprincess

QOTD from Enjanerd

QoTD: "I can explain it again, but I can't comprehend it for you."

Tony Snow was 53, not 55.

Tony Snow

what terrible news.  I really liked him and always hoped he be back...55 years old is way too young.

Breakfast for the kids and me

and no babysitter...

Babysitter A and I were in a long texting discussion last night trying to find a time that would work - but no dice.  We get no adult time this weekend (well, no normal hours adult time).  I imagine we'll break out the ROCKBAND and the beer and work on our mastery of it.  I really want to work on my singing while playing guitar (man, that is really really hard) and am thinking I might try singing and drums.  I am a crazy one, let me tell you!

Right now we've got a long day ahead of us - Son is in soccer camp and they're playing the coaches today.  I'm trying to work up the strength to take the 2 little ones to go watch - but it's in the searing sun with no shade.  What do you think - fun or not?

The diet is going ok - I promised myself a set of super cool bluetooth headphones for my iphone if I can lose 5 pds - and then I read last night that the iphone doesn't support stereo bluetooth!  Eh?  Seriously?  It has gps but not bluetooth for listening to music?  What kind of crack are they smokin over there?  If they just f-d my diet, I'm going to be mad!  That was the only reward I could think of!

HANCOCK!

We saw this yesterday - MAN was it awesome!  I have no idea why it is getting bad reviews, it just so incredibly awesome.  Plenty of special effects, action etc and great romance story on the side.

I almost started crying at one point and Hubby hissed at me "You aren't going to cry at a WILL SMITH ACTION MOVIE are you?".  But it was great - it was funny and exciting and FRESH!  A new idea AND it has a plot twist that you won't see coming.

I give it MANY THUMBS UP - GO SEE IT!

A medium size drink at the movies

Parade!

Waiting for the parade

Test

and...

we are pottytrained!  BabyT (now 2 and 1/2 years old!) has been in underwear for TWO WEEKS!  GO BABYT!

Baby Borrowers

Ok.  Supposedly NBC has a new show coming out - The Baby Borrowers.

Where people LOAN THEIR BABY TO A TEENAGER that wants to prove they are ready to be mommies.

SERIOUSLY?  http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/about/

Now, make no mistake, I'll be watching this show, but who in their right minds hands their children over to inexperienced teenagers?  Who, obviously are immature if they think having a baby when you are a teenager is a good idea!

MOVIE Review: I Am Legend

Wow.  WOW.  What a good movie - although I have an idea for the end that I THINK is better.

What a scary movie.  The graphics AND the plot are AWESOME  - the whole movie kept me on the edge of my seat.  SERIOUSLY.

I loved it - if you haven't seen it, do!

And Will Smith is awesome in it - it has to be hard carrying a movie on your shoulders.  He is alone in the movie for most of it except a bit at the end.

ps.

ps - now that the cheetos are gone, stay away from the skittles, moron!

note to myself

sTeP away from the ChEEETOS!

Weekend Update - I ATE TOO MUCH!

Saturday was Son's movie night at a friends.  B's parents have like 30 kids and their parents over to watch a movie (the "bee movie" this week) on an outdoor screen.  Everyone has to bring a dish - so I brought my famous homemade from scratch cookies.  I brought them last time and they all got eaten IMMEDIATELY so I brought them again - and there were at least 5 other plates of cookies there too!  But my plate cleared of cookies before I brought it home, even though there were so many other cookies!

So - I had cookie dough and cookies Saturday afternoon and beer Saturday night.

Then yesterday I baked a vanilla/chocolate marble cake (from scratch) with homemade butter cream frosting because we had all the ingredients laying around and I didn't want them to go bad.  So not only did I have a slice of cake, I had batter and icing!

(I also bought a bag of cheetos in a moment of weakness Friday which I managed to eat most of this weekend).

I have no idea why I can't get these 5 pounds off!

what a Saturday!

We played in the pool with the kiddies!  And now I'm baking chocolate chip cookies, my famous ones!

how how how how

how does a man beat and stomp his own toddler (or any toddler) to death?

HOW?

REMINDER: save natural gas

turn off the pilot on your gas fireplace!

a wonderful day!

 Yesterday we took our nephew to King's Dominion!  And Grandpa came along to help out!  We had a great day - the little kids had a blast, Son had a blast and nephew had a blast.  Hubby and I got to rid big rides w/the nephew!  I RODE THE CRYPT!  It was very very cool (actually it was very hot, but it was an awesome ride)!

It wasn't too hot so it was great.  And NO CROWD at all!  We did really have a blast!

If you go:

Bring Sunscreen.
Bring re-fillable water bottles ( $3 a bottle there! )
Buy the all day refillable bottle if you're a soda freak like me (every 2nd cup I'd get lemonade and share with hubby) - so for $8 we got like 7 giant drinks.
Bring bandaids!
Bring hats and little snacks!
BRING EXTRA Clothes - the kids didn't get dirty by BabyJ dumped water down her diaper and on her clothes.

ALSO - the don't seem to sell any fruit or healthy snacks AT ALL. I understand having a limited selection, but NONE?  Disney has caught on since last December when we were there - now they have fruit at every stand!  Such a good idea!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Papa John's Wheat Crust Pizza

I was skeptical!  Whole grain bread is gross - and this crust was 100% whole wheat and whole grain.  But I ordered it anyway and I LOVED it!  And hubby tried a slice and loved it too!

Like with many whole wheat or low fat options, they use a spicier sauce than on the regular although they didn't need to, it was like regular crust.  But the new sauce is good!  Just have a water handy!

I definitely give it a thumbs up!!!

gave blood!

We had the Red Cross at work today and gave blood!  I got to prove to everyone that I have REALLY low blood pressure and I bleed very slowly!

owners of our truck!

As of May 16, we are the owners of our black GMC Yukon XL!  IT IS FULLY PAID OFF!  YAY US!  And, unlike in the past, we did not run out and buy a new vehicle!!!

diaper review: Target Brand Diapers.

I bought some of these because I've read numerous places that they are awesome!  So I fully expected awesome w/out the price -bite of Pampers!

WRONG!

The sizing was fine - very similar to Pampers.
We didn't get any leaks or blow-outs, which is good.

BUT the diapers don't keep the BABY as dry as the Pampers do.  When I opened her diaper numerous times she was damp.  Which, because we change our children whenever we notice that they are wet (as opposed to the other theory of "wait until the diaper is full", which, GROSS.  Why would you want your precious child toting around pee until the diaper is full???  That's nasty) she didn't get a rash, but I could see she gets pinker when we use the Target ones.  And I have to think that it also feels gross to be damp like that.  So for now, I'm only using Target sporadically, and never 2 in a row until the pack runs out and I won't buy them again.

so...back to reality

Hubby and I had our first night (2 actually) and days alone in 6 and 1/2 years.  We went to a great dinner (part of the conference) at Shula's in the hotel and then the sales guys took everyone out for the evening to Pleasure Island.  The next day we slept in, ate late and went to the parks after I did some conference stuff.  We only rode rides we cannot ride w/the kids!  I did Tower Of Terror and The Rock & Roll Rollercoaster!!  And ate ice cream!  Then we had a concert (also part of the conference) with H.OOTIE and the B.LOWFISH!  Awesome.  Thursday we slept in late and went shopping!  Then it was time to come home.

But that taste of our old life - the fun carefree life before we had kids.  Remembering what it is like to have fun with each other!  And have one another's full attention!  And eat a meal in peace!  It's almost shocking to come home and be dropped into the life as parents of three children - especially since the 2 little ones are SO little.

We have already started planning our next escape!

at IBM PULSE 2008

In DisneyWorld!  I am at the DOLPHIN and it is SO Fabulous!  We just saw Lance Armstrong speak - what an amazing story!

some awesome talent

i saw this today - the artwork is AMAZING.  And what the children have to say!  Even, and especially, the young ones.  What great young minds we are producing!

http://www.google.com/doodle4google/vote.html#

WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!

HUBBY AND I ARE GOING FOR TWO DAYS (I GET FOUR DAYS TOTAL!  HE'S COMING FOR 2 OF THEM) WITHOUT THE CHILDREN!  IT IS OUR FIRST TIME ALONE IN SIX AND A HALF YEARS!!!!!

Product Reviews: Seventh Generation Dishwasher detergent vs. Palmolive ECO

When we first decided to be greener at our house, I bought the Seventh Generation Powdered detergent for the dishwasher because everyone RAVES about their products.  Also, since I put my dishes pretty darn clean into the dishwaher anyway, I don't really need a harsh/super strong detergent --> an aside: I believe in the power of soaking.  I will use a bowl that is already dirty, let it fill w/water as I use the sink all day then put the silverware into it to soak until I'm ready to load the dishwasher, that way most of the food is off the silverware before it goes in and I didn't have to do any work!  I also leave dishes under the faucet to get water run on them all day for a constant soak, so they also are pretty darn clean going into the dishwasher - same w/glasses.

 

 

Anyway - the first couple of loads were fine, though hubby complained about the goopy detergent that was being left in the dispenser.  Over time I noticed all the glassware getting hazy - a problem I've NEVER had before - and all my spoons were getting the haze too (just the spoons!).

 

So I switched to Seventh Generation Liquid, since my Target doesn't sell the Method dish detergent and Whole Foods is too far for a special trip.  It was no better, though it didn't leave soap in the dispenser.

 

So when I ran out I bought Palmolive ECO - WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  All of the haze is GONE GONE GONE!  I love this stuff (a liquid) and recommend it WAY OVER the Seventh Generation stuff!

*Note this is not a paid/supported review, just my findings over time!

well well well...

Hubby is living it up in Vegas - having a WELL deserved break.

 

SO I bought myself a break!  A babysitter for this evening to help entertain the kids (it's been raining for 2 days and we're all a little stir crazy) so I could actually eat my dinner and clean up!  YAY Me - the best $25 I ever spent!

 

Hubby home in T-3.5 days!

damn...

hubby went out of town for 6 days

 

Forgot to eat dinner.

Walking!

And we have a walker!  Who will be going to stride rite to get her first shoes today!

party time!

BabyJ turns ONE tomorrow!!  unbelievable!  We are having her party Sunday - along w/a half birthday party for toddler T (his real bday is in Dec).  So our house will be awash in Lightning McQueen and Tinkerbell Sunday, as well as cake, candy, drinks, people, toddlers and craziness!

Wish me luck!

tying shoes?

Is it odd that it only took Son 15 minutes to learn to tie his shoes?

pray for strength

is what I do when BabyT (toddlerT?) spills his Elmo potty FULL OF PEE on the hardwood floor in the guest bathroom.  OH MY F-ing GOODNESS.  I know he's trying to be helpful and dump it but REALLY?  All over my floor?  I almost had a stroke I was so upset.

going to break her cell phone

The person over my cube wall has ringtones - OBNOXIOUS RING TONES.  SEVERAL (the one that just went off is "Hallelujah"  - VERY LOUDLY).  Not only does this person chat on the phone all day they let their phone ring several times before answering the damn thing.

and the older women too!

A third grader walking by that rides Son's Bus saw Son in the yard yesterday and she tried to get him to come over (out of our yard) and talk to her.

She said she had been watching him in his afterschool ultimate sports camp and wanted to chat with him. And was he busy watching her too?  Thank GOODNESS Son is So Not Interested in girls, but it is odd.

i have fainted.

Son has received TWO love letters in his backpack this week from the girls in his class.

One invitation to SPEND THE NIGHT....OMG.  Hubby and I almost dropped dead.

And one letter just professing love.

Good lord people, he is SIX and in Kindergarten!  What on earth is going on?

menu planning works for me!

One of the websites I read says that menu planning will save you lots of $$ because you can goto the store with a list of only what you need to buy to feed your family for that week.

Since our grocery bill (5 people!) has gotten out of control - the rising prices are killing us, especially since I try to buy Organic if it's an option for that product (they make organic chocolate!) - we're looking at EASILY $200 a week (and that doesn't include formula for the baby).

So yesterday I made my menu for the week (which doesn't include fast food or restaurant food for the whole week and went to the store.  Well, pizzas were on sale, so I bought 5.  And I bought baby cereal, ice cream (buy 1 get 1 free!), walnuts (heart healthy!), a jug of gatorade, and a couple of other things that weren't on the list.

The total: $130!  So I got everything we needed, plus a few bonuses and spent way less!  YAY!

Look 10 Years Younger!

Me and the young guy on our team, J, were meeting with our "Problem Manager".  He said something about the young kids these days.  I asked how old he was because I think he looks about 43?  I am 34.  HE SAID 33!  He thought I was the same age as J, who is 23!  Yay me!  I look 11 years younger than I am?  AWESOME!

so, um yeah - SKIING!

We went to Snowmass, CO with Hubby's parents.  What a trip!

For the first time in YEARS, I got to ski!  And not only SKI, but ski EVERY DAY.  FOR TWO HOURS.  With hubby!  Without children!  It was AWESOME! 

I spent Monday - Thursday working on my technique (which was crappy).  I can get down any slope (Jupiter Bowl in Deer Valley?  Where they did the OLYMPICS?  Check!  I can get down it - not ski it well, but I didn't die!).  But I wanted to ski more like all those rich people skiing around who get to ski more often than once every six years!  So I worked and worked and worked on my technique.  And I improved!  Yay me!  I even went down the Campground Run - which is a BLACK!  And a Black on the west coast is WAY HARDER (steeper!  LONGER!  STEEPER!) than a black on the east coast skiing.  I laugh at blacks on the east coast, because EVEN if you find them scary, they only last 1/8 of the time the ones out west do!  But I did it!  And I didn't do too bad!

But then Thursday night, we got snow.  At the base of the mountain, it was like 16 - 19 inches, easily 2 feet at the top.  I've never skied that much fresh powder before, so out we went into the blizzard (it was still snowing like crazy Friday morning).  And the first thing I did was fall down! Into 2 feet of powder.  Which is pretty much like falling into 2 feet of water - you get submerged.  It was neat!  So I went down the green as I was a bit shaken - skiing in 2 feet of powder is nothing like skiing on a well used run!  MISTAKE!  Apparently no one skis green slopes in that much powder because the powder makes you go so slow.  SO I was skiing on totally unskied territory and I was alone.  And terrified I was going to screw up in all that mush and go flying off the mountain.  But they had run a snowmobile around the slope for morons like me so I just went in it's track and finally got to where the run crossed where Hubby was waiting for me.  But by the end of our time, I had improved my powder skillz as well, aren't you proud?

And SON?  He is an awesome skier!  We skied with him a couple of times (he was in ski school all day and loving it) and he blows our minds!  He tried to ski thru the woods!  And tried to get over to the jumps!  Thank goodness he didn't see those things in time to ski over to get to them!

Anyway - more on what we did that wasn't skiing coming up next!

And we're back!

We just returned from our annual ski vacation out west!  MAN did we have fun!

But the time change!  YIKES!  We flew out west March 7, and had a 2 hour time difference.  Then the clocks sprung forward on March 8.  Then we returned home and NO ONE set OUR clocks forward so all day yesterday in addition to being off by 2 hours for the time zone, we were off 1 hour because the clocks were wrong... And man did we manage to screw up everyone's body clock!

going green!

Ok!  We're going green!!!

Here's what we're doing!!

 

** recycling plastic, glass, newspaper

** recycling cardboard, paperboard, magazines & junkmail

** bottling the water that runs while I wait for the faucet to heat up - I use this water to rinse out the recycling

** not drinking bottled water if we can help it

** not ordering straws for the adults at restaurants

** using washclothes to clean the 2 babies after meals (we were doing this anyway at a savings of at least 6 papertowels a day!)

** not letting the shower run on and on while we wait for it to get hot and get distracted away.  I'm waiting by the door for it to get warm.

** taking shorter showers

** turning off faucet when washing face (already doing that for brushing teeth)

** not turning the car on until we're actually ready to drive away.  Even if it only saves 10 seconds of idle time per trip, over time, that is A LOT of gas.  I'm also no longer using the remote starter to start my car (this is sad, I love love love that thing) but my truck is a GAS HOG and to let it sit and idle just to get warm is DUMB and WASTEFUL

** Potty training BabyT.  This will be a huge savings for the environment - all those diapers!

 

It's funny, but all the going green stuff is CHEAPER than doing it the wasteful way.

Oh, except for the green cleaners.  Those are damn expensive. Also the dishwasher soap doesn't seem to work very well - I've tried Seventh Generation liquid and powder and they both suck.  Any suggestions?

The products, well, that part is getting expensive!

one suitcase???

Are you freaking serious?? Airlines are now only allowing ONE suitcase per passenger?  PLEASE.  Go fuck yourselves.  American and United - bite me.  You suck.  A lot.

is there no goodness going around??

omg

http://justanotherpregnancyblog.blogspot.com/

i am not for Obama

Barack Obama in 2004 responding to the question of why he was ruling out running for president in 2008:

"You know, I am a believer in knowing what you're doing when you apply for a job. And I think that if I were to seriously consider running on a national ticket, I would essentially have to start now, before having served a day in the Senate. Now, there are some people who might be comfortable doing that, but I'm not one of those people."

From Rachel Lucas.

so many tears

Are you following Flotsam's blog?  She had twin babies recently, and lost the little boy.  Simone is still very sick and her latest updating has her fighting her way thru!

warning, you probably won't be able to read this without crying...

http://flotsamblog.com/2008/02/24/the-golden-ticket/

OMG!

I did NOT KNOW that John Rich had a reality show!  It's called Gone Country and it's fabulous!  He takes artist from other genres of music and is giving them a chance to cut a country single.

We have Bobby Brown, Dee Schnieder (from Twisted Sister), Maureen that played Marsha Brady, Carnie Philips, Julio Iglesias JR., and some chick from American Idol.  Oh, and Sisqo (The Thong Song guy).  It's great, and who doesn't love John Rich?!  He is so...so....HIM.  He's a great artist with great insight.  I always have a lot more respect for artists that write their own music and he writes his own and a lot of the other country music out there.  It's worth tuning in!  And they show his awesome house, Gretchen Wilson's farm and who knows what else!

well.

As of last night, we are sponsoring a child thru Compassion International.  I don't know if you've been reading around the blogosphere, but they sent some bloggers there to meet the children that they sponsor.  I am awed and humbled by what they've experience and written about.  I want to make a difference ( a post coming soon about the differences/changes going on around my house!  It's big stuff for us!)...and my way to make a difference is to sponsor a child.  At least that's where I'm starting, no telling what'll come next!

Check them out: http://www.compassion.com/default.htm

grrrr.

So.  Someone forgot they needed some work done for a big, executive level meeting on Monday (yes, the holiday).  Of course, they need the work done whether I have enough time to do it or not.  It still has to be done.  So, because some "person" forgot to tell anyone they needed this work done, and it's for something important, I have to get 10 of these items done by Monday.  And my husband is out of town, so I have three kids for three days straight and am supposed to get all this work done?  I think the "person" who did the forgetting should come to MY HOUSE all weekend and watch the kids while I do the work THEY forgot to tell anyone they needed.

I HATE it when someone else's problems become MY problems.  Fuck.

Fwd: no school today!

we've had an ice storm!  I'm waiting to let Son go out and slip and slide around!

and so it is...

Hubby has to go on another business trip, again.  Man, we all hate it when he has to go away!l  But it's so much easier to schedule for me only working part time than full time.  Tons easier.

BabyJ had her 9 month checkup.  She is OVER the 100 percentile in height.  She is quite tall.  And 60% on weight, so tall and thin.  Like the supermodel/doctor she's going to be.  Or a life-size Disney princess!

BabyT had his 2 year checkup.  He's also OVER the 100 percentile.  At the 2 year appt, they give you the future height estimate.  He is on track to be 6' 3.5 inches tall - GOLLY.  Son is to be 6' about, so looks like I will be the short one in the family again as soon as they are teenagers!

and he thought I was kidding.

The OB did, when I asked him what I could do about my what-appears-to-be-permanent mommy-belly.  Seriously, after three kids, I expected my tummy back?  When TWO of the children were big (and one of them GIGANTIC)?  Apparently this was funny to ask.  I, however, didn't think it was funny.

It is NOT fun to be told that, well, your abdominal wall is just shot and that there is one way to fix it --> tummy tuck.  Exercise, which helps, isn't going to fix it (duh, I knew that, but I did think it would help more than it has).

*Sigh*

well said...

http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2008/02/wheels-on-bus-go-round-and-round.html

for those of us with little girls...

http://greenmomfinds.com/2008/01/29/peacekeeper-cause-metics/

vaccines

We vaccinate.  I do not want my child coming down with some of the horrible things that there are vaccines for.  The side effects are no where near as bad as getting the actual illness.

Hear is a link for a med blog I read:
http://drbensblog.kruskal.com/2008/01/28/vaccines-people-either-dont-want-em-or-want-them-too-much/

 
Look what my son built! It walks by itself - it is SO cool...All the Lego Star Wars stuff is really cool.

on working...

When I started to get ready to get for work, my big name alphabet soup company did not have any part time positions for me.  This was a bummer as we need the money.  I'm in the same boat as a lot of families around here - my hubby makes (for example) $10 a month.  Our bills add up to $11 a month.  So I have to work, even though it looks as if I don't because most of my paycheck is extra (except of course, when we overspend --> December was a rough month with a Disney Trip, Christmas and birthdays for TWO of our children).

BUT in November they found a part time spot for me working for the group that writes and maintains the software for our company's help desk.

I love my new job!! LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I work with great people, in a great location, with great flexibility in my schedule.  AND I can work from home occasionally or to earn extra hours.  And it is possibly one of the few true development positions in the world that is part time!

It is a perfect fit and I couldn't be happier!

man, it's been a while!

HI there!  I just got back Sunday night from A GIRL'S WEEKEND!  It was fun and fabulous and all that I'd dreamed of.  And after 3 days away from the kids, I feel refreshed and energetic and full up of patience to be with them and love them and want to cuddle them like crazy!

We had a great time (traveling had LOTS OF ISSUES, we will never fly Continental again) - eating and drinking and seeing the sights in Scottsdale, AZ.  And it is so wonderful to chat and hangout and re-bond with my girlfriends.  It's amazing how wonderful it is to sit and talk with other women that GET you.  And are in the same place in their lives.  And dealing with the same issues.  It is revitalizing and wonderful.   I love my girlfriends. 

We are already discussing plans for the next one!

yeah, i don't know about this one.

Inmates on death row are challenging the way executions are handled.  They challenge the way most states execute prisoners by lethal injection, which critics say creates an avoidable risk of excruciating pain.  You know what?  You don't get ON DEATH ROW by being nice.  You caused SOMEONE severe pain, probably an excruciating death, actually.  So please stop spending my tax dollars to save you from what might be a painful death, when the death (or deathS) you caused yourself were not PAIN FREE.  Please.  Get off it.  If the Constitutional Amendments say that we need to spare them from unnecessary pain, then I say repeal the amendment.  If some jerk had murdered my family, and now wants a pain-free ticket, FORGET IT.  How many of my tax dollars are being spent on this?

The article on Yahoo! actually points out that it is unlawful to execute animals in this way.  That is fine - THEY should get pain-free executions because they didn't MURDER anyone.  I think that law is just fine.

well.

It's been a while no?  Yes?  Of course it has.  Working + 1 toddler + 1 baby + 1 6 year old = kicking my butt.

Also, both babies apparently keep sharing 2 different colds amongst themselves.  Lovely.

I am tired.  Beyond tired.  But hubby and I get to go out to dinner tonight ALONE for the first time since JUNE.  JUNE people, that is a LONG time ago!  I am so excited I can't wait.  Our New Year was fine - we didn't do anything special, but I think next year we will try.

VA Tech lost last night, booo.  Seems like they always choke in big game pressure.

I leave next week for a girl's weekend in AZ!  YAY for us, I'm so excited to see them, be warm, and not have to take care of kids for 3 whole days!  BLISS!