End of Year Thoughts

"If you wanna live your life,
Live it all the way and don't you waste it"
Jennifer Lopez - Let's Get Loud

Reflections for the past year, as is custom during the close of the last 12 months.
Things I really am proud of:

I taught D how to read

I home-schooled D for the 6 months of school left of this year, and successfully brought him to the proper grade standards by the time he hit public school.

I got my kids walking this summer!

I learned how to make Deviled Eggs

I made my first Jello Shots

I got a blog following!

I learned some easy tips to take better photos

I grew to be comfortable in front of a camera through self-timers

I grew closer to my MIL through the small trials that we face everyday, and learned to lean on her as much as I do my own Mother

I properly balanced my food budget and filled my cupboards each month with healthful food that my children and husband enjoyed

I dreamed of what I'd like to do if I ever got the choice to further my education

I kept in touch with my family and friends regularly and helped myself through some terrible home-sickness by sending out a monthly letter with a family update and an occasional picture and artwork

"Just steal your destiny
Right from the hands of fate
Reach fro the cup of life
Cause your name is on it"
Ricky Martin - The Cup Of Life

Things I Could Have Done Better:
I really wish I had knocked off that weight that I gained when I moved to Ohio

I hated sifting through H's diapers looking for that damned penny I thought I saw him swallow

I really wish I had sucked it up a bit more and cracked down on D's writing

I would've loved to actually do Hospice Volunteering after going through that 30 hour course

I would've loved to volunteer at the Library since I signed up and got my name badge

I would've tried harder to explore more with the boys, and walked more than we did

Shown appreciation to my Mr for supporting us here (there's always room for improvement)

I wish I would've worked on the transition and weaning thing before now, cause the longer you wait the harder it is

'You're really sweet, Mmm, you're really nice
Didn't Mama ever tell you not to play with fire?"
Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby

Isn't It Funny...

Gearing up for a fantastic New Year's Eve party at our house. Cleaning tonight, picking my music and I end up selecting Much Dance 1997. Oh my, does that ever bring back memories. Mini-teen years listening to that stuff, glued to Much Music (Cnd version of MTV, better IMHO) watching various shows like Electric Circus and what-not. Picture me, in a long striped (horizontal even!) tight dress (OH god, they have it in the yearbook!) wearing a Santa hat at the school Christmas dance, breakin' it down to Hypnotized with a boy who was kind enough to ask me to the dance, and who would also turn out to be gay later on. I recall being so worried about him having a crush on me and me having to hurt his feelings because I didn't feel that way about him in return. I really only went with him because he had actually asked me.
Big things that year...that same evning I was at my friends' house having my hair done by her older sister who would (3 years later) turn up murdered, and would later that year stop talking to said friend because she broke into my house.
I never really thought of that album as a specific memory trigger, but boy oh boy my innocence sure took a hike after that album came out, and that was an album full of my generational angst and yearning.
Oh well, back to cleaning...

3 Parachutes

Indigo over at That's My Answer asked this question:

You’ve been given 3 parachutes, but there are 4 people who need them. Who will you not give one to: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson (sorry Better Safe Than Sorry), Will Farrell, or Bill Murray?

(Of course, all 4 of them are up really super duper high in the air, and the parachute is truly the only way to save them. You are safe on the ground, so there is no need to give yourself a parachute.)

Would definitely be Bill Murray, he’s had a long and happy career already, let the youth live on!

Pepsi & Insomnia

Hmmm, with a title like that it's no wonder I didn't get any sleep!
LOL
Ok, so a few of you want to know how Pepsi changed my life.
As far back as I can recall, I've been a Pepsi girl. Now I can't be certain when my first taste of the stuff was, or even when I started drinking pop, but I know that Pepsi has been a constant in my life. I've gone through all the Pepsi phases. I can recall buying Pepsi in glass bottles, Crystal Pepsi, Pepsi Vanilla, Pepsi Twist, Pepsi Free/Caffeine Free Pepsi, and Pepsi Slushies.
I remember walking to the store in Little Fort many times during a day to kill summer-time to get myself a cold Pepsi and bring it back to the river to swim or fish, or roast marshmallows over the fire.
I drank Pepsi from a glass bottle, with a small paper bag full of penny & nickle candies, and a Nintendo controller in my hand.
I remember walking across the street to the store to buy a Pepsi Slushy to keep cool because we had no air conditioning.
I recall drinking Pepsi with most of my alcohol when I first started drinking because it was always readily available.
I recall drinking Pepsi through my first trip across the country with my first husband, and the boost it gave me to drive for the last three states straight because I hated driving on Interstates. I can remember walking to the local store (about 2 miles away) almost every night while my first husband worked with the girl he would later leave me for.
I can remember buying nothing but Pepsi while I went through a post-dissolution mayhem of things I don't care to remember.
I can recall drinking Caffeine Free Pepsi after having my first son, just for a taste of Pepsi, ANY taste.
I'm now back to drinking regular Pepsi, and craving a Pepsi Slushy, now that I've mentioned it.
Pepsi has been a constant in my life, for as long as I can remember, it's been there. No matter where I am, I can buy a bottle (my preference over can) of Pepsi and think about home, remember the good parts of my childhood (which are pretty hard to come by in my memory), and think about the times in my life where I wanted to feel close to home. When I drink Pepsi, I can clearly remember the faces of those other family members who drink it with me, my Grandpa, My Aunt, My Uncle, my Step-Dad, even my Grandma when she's up to it. Pepsi is clearly associated with positive feelings both towards my childhood, and my family members who have my favor. It's changed my life because it's ALWAYS been there for me, and I honestly cannot see my life without it in the future.

Now, onto my night. We bought the boys a bunk bed for their Boxing Day gift (I know, you're really not supposed to give gifts on Boxing Day), and my Mr got it all put together. My MIL bought a second mattress to put on the bottom for H cause D had his on top, of course. I made the beds up, and tossed them in. Up until now, we've had a family bed, with H sleeping in between us on our Queen size bed. Now, last night I began trying to train him to sleep in his bed on the bottom bunk. He woke up about 4 times before I just let him sleep in my bed with me...but during that entire time (from about midnight until 6:30am) I couldn't sleep AT ALL. I was suffering from baby-cuddle withdrawals. I no longer had a little heater next to me, I now longer had someone kicking and prodding me in the middle of the night, and i certainly had no pesky nurse mommy requests. I could hear crickets...or rather, the high winds from the severe weather we were having outside. The wind howled all night, and each time I dozed off, something different woke me up. About 5 am, the power switched off and I heard a loud crack/pop right in front of our house. About 8am my poor Mr (who was just as restless as I) got ready for work, and phoned his mom at my request to come help with the kids. The kids slept in relatively late, and I caught about 4 hours of sleep, enough to get me in gear for the day and not feel so groggy.
I went shopping last night at a Pat Catan's and got a few really great deals, so now that I've rested a bit, I'm gonna head back to see if there are any left for me to pick up.
So, now oyu know my Pepsi story...happy?

Cranky

Oh my glory. I am SO irritated today.
The kids are annoying me, my Mr is making me angry with stupid little things, and I just feel like I've got a horrible case of Cabin Fever.
It's warm, and rainy outside, and this evenings forecast calls for Thunderstorms, which means I'm going to be having two kids suctioned to me because neither of them like the sound of the wind. *sighs*
I've folded all that laundry I mentioned in the last post, but have yet to get it all put away.
All the new toys are upstairs in their room, and the wrapping has been tossed into the recycling bags where they belong, along with the boxes for everything. Seriously, 5 bags of recycling, without the boxes being collapsed and tossed in. Scar y how much waste we go through during the holiday season.
Had some fantastic dreams lastnight...didn't want to wake up, maybe that's why I'm so irritable today.
Hope your days is going better than mine :o)

Friday Fill-Ins #104

1. I must see each ocean before I die.

2. You can't stop the boys from being boys.

3. I wish I never had to buy feminine hygene products again.

4. Pepsi has helped me change my life.

5. I know the song Roll Call on Thomas & Friends by heart.

6. If I weren't so afraid, I would go Skydiving someday.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing some Boxing Day Shopping!, tomorrow my plans include possibly folding & putting away the laundry that's been sitting out since the 24th and Sunday, I want to relax, gotta do it sometime!

Thursday Thunks

1. Have you ever started your Christmas tree on fire? Nope, can't says I have.

2. How many rings do you wear? 7 is how many I have to wear, usually I wear about 5.

3. I say "dog barking", you say _________ ? Shut-up. *g*

4. How many pictures are in the room that you are in. On the wall?? I have collage frames, so, first I'll count how many frames, then I'll count how many individual pictures Mmm kay? 16 frames. 39 pictures in all.

5. Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? Nope, I hang all the lights inside the windows. I'm smart, i don't freeze myself for that non-sense.

6. What's your favorite Christmas song? right now, I'll Be Home For Christmas.

7. What do you fill your Christmas stockings with? Little trinkets, and stuff that is a waste of time to wrap.

8. How many times a week do you charge your cell phone? Ha...once every two-three weeks. I have a Pay-As-You-Go phone from Wal Mart that I usually only use in emergencies when I'm out with the boys by myself, so I don't use it all that often.

9. Do you own any exercise equipment? What are they? Sure, we have an exercise bike, a punching bag, and some various weights in our basement, never use em though.

10. What's your cookie jar look like? A piece of Birch Bark...but I never use it. Cookies don't last long enough to put in a jar around here.

Merry Christmas!

So, our family tradition is to open gifts on Christmas Eve Night, just after midnight, so it's technically December 25th.
The boys had a fantastic time opening gifts, and getting wonderful surprise after wonderful surprise that they got what they really wanted. It's quiet now, for the first time tonight, as they're busy playing with their new toys and exploring everything they got. I got what feels like a billion and 1 pictures, but I know it won't be enough. We'll sleep in tomorrow, and see what else Santa brought us (as a few members forbade us to open until Christmas morning, and we saved some "from Santa" to not spoil the feeling, as D was getting suspicious that there was no Santa).
We had a feast tonight. I starved myself today. H & I woke up at noon (D had a sleepover at the MIL's) and we got busy. Our house had been a disaster zone from the power outage, and our trip up north. Dishes were all dirty (I mean none left to use), food was everywhere, fabric scraps everywhere (I was in such a rush I just cut & dropped), the table was buried under a mound of junk, no counter-space to speak of, and the laundry was covering nearly every ounce of floorspace.
I got home, the night before and it was bearable, so I got to work. The work was so heavy that it carried over to today. I finished most of it b4 everyone came over. I didn't eat at all until dinner (around 6:30) and was starving.
Candied Yams, Green Bean Casserole, Honeybaked Ham, Squash, Mashed Potatoes, and Gravy. That was just dinner. Afterwards I busted out the billions of desserts. MIL had a cookie exchange at work and brought all the goodies she traded for here. She also made jelly rolls, and yummy butter cookies. I made a Blackberry Pie, and a Pumpkin Pie (first time ever, I had no idea it started out as a liquid!). I have gingerbread mix in the fridge as I didn't have time to make them, along with a yummy dinner rolls mix ready to go.
We waited until that food settled, then we busted out the Snacks, which I made up the night before. A giant veggie plater with red/orange/green peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, and baby carrots. A meat tray with ham, turkey, garlic bologna, and turkey bologna. A cheese tray with Co-Jack, and Mild Cheddar, as well as a small pickle platter and various crackers. Let's not forget the Chips, about 6 kinds, and I forgot to bust out two of them...meh, oh well.
We feasted, let it settle, then ate some more, and so on, until midnight.
What fun, mom called and we chatted with her a bit. I'll hafta remind myself to get a video of H saying Merry Christmas to post tomorrow morning.
I was so tired earlier cause we stayed up until 4:30 cleaning and preparing for today, and about an hour of that was spent putting H's new Thomas Tricycle together. Wow, was that ever a big hit! He had the biggest grin on his face when he climbed on it. Tomorrow we will refresh their memories as to what they got, and I'm sure they'll be in a much better mood, not being so tired.
In any event, I hope your day is as great as ours has been so far.
Need to go to bed so we can wake up sooner, LOL.

Give Me 5 Monday #45

Late, yes, but better than not doing it...LOL
Give Me Five Favorite Holiday Foods

1. Butter Tarts! (thanks to 4streegrrl @ i pity the rhino for this reminder)
2. Pies, doesn't matter to me which kind it is, so long as I get some.
3. Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, and Beans. All a part of my Christmas dinner.
4. Fresh Mandarin Oranges. Too bad they're not available here in Ohio. We eat these things by the boxful, about one every 4 days back home. The canned variety don't cut it.
5. Fresh-in-the-shell Almonds. We always had a big bowlful and a spare bowl to the side for shells. D loved learning how to shell the nuts.

Power Outages & Winter Trips

Given the rush of everything I completely forgot that today was Give Me Five Monday, and as I'm too tired to do it right now, I'll do it in the morning. Better late than never.
We went about two hours north today to go and visit some family members b4 Christmas. I've been sewing up a s torm for the past week, and I'm terrifically happy that I no longer need to do anything with it for the next while and I can put my sewing machine away. I was making a hat/mitt/scarf set for the four siblings I was visiting, and a duffle bag for their brother late Sunday night, when all of a sudden the lights flicker, go off, and come back on again. I figured maybe that would be it, and it would stay on. Just when i thought it was safe to move, bam. It's pitch black inside my house, partly due to the fact that our entire block was out, and partly due to the fact that I have dark colored drapes. My Mr. finds us a lighter & candle, then we proceed to dig out the flashlights and the rest of my candle stash and re-light the house. This is around midnight. My sewing machine can't work without power, I (of course) discover that I'm hungry and can't make what I'm craving, and I begin kicking myself in the ass (yes, quite a sight...LOL) for not finishing the damned gifts before the last minute. I wait, and figure, well, if it's not ocming on right away I might as well pack what I'll be taking with me on our trip up north tomorrow. I pack, I fold laundry, I tidy up my sons room, and I get everything I need by the door so I don't have to worry about it. When I'm finished I find H passed out on the floor beneath a pile of blankets and lug him to bed. I need to mention that he's lately developed an intense fear of the dark and has refused to be more than 2 feet away from me, and have a flashlight gripped in his little paw. No sooner do I get him into the bed, then the lights come back on. In the 4 hours that it was off for (in the middle of a fricken cold snap) H had had the opportunity to test each and every light switch within his reach, and leave them all on, thus causing me to follow my way back through the house turning everything off, and planting myself firmly back in front of the sewing machine to finish my projects. 5:30 rolls around, and I'm finally done, put my things by the door, and crawl into bed. Alarm goes off, and I think to myself, jeez, it sure is cold in here, where's the heat??
I get out of bed in the MOST rude wake-up temperature I've ever had the displeasure to meet indoors, and hop into a scathing hot shower to warm up...only to be frozen the instant I step out and attempt to dress while shivering. Not an easy task when putting on tights and the like for a special Chritsmas outfit.
Anyhow, we had a fantastic day out with family members (I fell in love with the vehicle we rented to drive up there), and I even caught an hour long nap on their couch, which was nice. We came home, unloaded, and discovered our house was still below 59F. F*ucking cold. Phone the landlord to find out that because we have baseboard-copper-piping-hot-water heating, that it will take it a while to catch up in heating the house agian. It's been about 16 hours since the power had come back on and it's no warmer in there than it was when I woke up this morning, how long is it supposed to take? Oh, if it's not warmer by tomorrow, he says, then give me a call and I'll come look at it. In the meantime go buy some space heaters for $15 @ Lowe's.
Yeah...space heaters, with my kids...are you insane?!!
So, we surrendered, and vacated to my MIL's, and it's wonderfully warm in here. Will send Mr. home tomorrow to see if it's any warmer before I decide to venture home with the boys.
I'm tired, exhausted really, and will be happy if i never have to look at my stupid sewing machine again util the New Year. I want to sleep for a long time, but I'll be content if I just get one good night's sleep now.
Thank goodness we have relatives who live relatively close by.
Like I said, I'll catch up on GM5M tomorrow cause there's an air mattress that's got my name on it, and I'll be darned if it doesn't look like a 5* Hotel bed.

Homeless Partners Wish List

I don't know why I didn't post this earlier, it's rather late now...Better late than never though, right?
Earlier this month I came across a link from the news-site that I read everyday. It was a story about Homelessness during the holiday season, and what we could do to help. They talked about how for the first second year in a row they were going to be doing this program called Homeless Partners Christmas Wish List.
They interview homeless people, and ask what they would like for Christmas, add it to this list, and post it online in the hopes that some kind reader would buy an item from the list and send it in and sponsor someone.
I was so inspired, though I can't send anything back home from here, I sent it along to family members and asked them to help if they could.
Anyways, take a peek, read the stories, they're a great reminder of how lucky we really are.
Also, check out the Thank-You's section.
Inspiring, in any event.

Ranting, Fair Warning

"You must have wanted the world to know
Poor little thing
And now, they know"
Stina Nordenstam - Little Star

*start rant*
To touch on my day on Tuesday (was it Tues??) When I went requesting donations from the local businesses...I had posted that I was glad H was there as my moral support otherwise I might not have lasted too long.
This sort of thing usually never occurs to me until after wards, and in this case it was days before what was bothering me finally came to me. I noticed a particularly cold reception at almost all of the places I went into (granted I knew some dealt with corporate for this sort of thing), a lot of the people looked at me like I was from another planet, and nearly every place told me their manager wasn't in at that time, so I ended up leaving letters for them to look over & consider. At one point I actually had someone ask me if H spoke Spanish as they prattled off to chat with him. I told him no, French. Now, can anyone else spot why that would offend me??
Like I said, it took a while, I knew when they asked that I ought to be offended, but didn't know why. I just trusted my instincts and reacted a bit coldly myself. The person speaking, took a look at my skin color and assumed I, and my son, spoke Spanish. This is why I really dislike living here...cause I get confused with a Filipino, or a Southerner, or even Asian for heaven's sake.
Yes, I know it's difficult for people to believe that a Native American could actually still be brown considering how much they've been bred out down here...but it strikes me as so sad that those are the only options for brown skinned people here. I get offended easily when it comes to my skin color, as I should because it's a huge part of who I am, it's one of the first things you could notice about me if you were making assumptions. I'm brown. I hate it when you call me an Indian, that's you term, not mine. How would you like it if I made up a nasty term to call you because you're black, or white, or whatever other color exists out there. Why not try asking the colored person what they prefer to be called, instead of assuming the name you made up for them is ok with them.
*end rant*

"You will believe in me
And I will never be ignored"
Garbage - #1 Crush

Ok, now that I've gotten that off my chest...I do know that I have a tendancy to be sensitive about these sorts of things, and sometimes I do blow things out of proportion (I AM a woman, after all) and I'm wondering if I'm taking the cold reception and adding it to the Spanish thing, and making more out of it than I ought to? In any event, after discussing the subject and my experience with my Mr he kindly offered to take my place on most places, and do the footwork himself. Yes, I love my Mr. Not to say that I'm going to let him just do it all himself, but I appreciate that he even wants to do it, it's not an easy thing to do.

"Been a long time coming only just begun
Doing all the things that makes my heart sing"
Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing

"You must have wanted the world to know
Poor little thing
And now, they know"
Stina Nordenstam - Little Star

It's been a busy week, we had the Cub Scouts Christmas thing, then D's Clas party yesterday. Though the entire week I had to make a Santa Suit and elf hats for the Cub Scouts, and figure out a game for the Class Party. At the last minute I decided to make a kid sized Santa Suit, and pull my wreaths down for the Class Party. I literally left my decision of a class game until 10 minutes before I walked out the door...I'm SO disappointed in myself for that. I really dislike being that unprepared, and the stress that goes along with it. In ANY event, I got a picture of each student in the Santa suit, very festive, and I'm quite pleased with the reception.

"Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion"
Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again

Ugh, my house is a disaster zone. Unfortunately when I get busy I don't get to keep on top of the cleaning...mainly why I gave up on it for the time being seeing as I'm actually being productive otherwise. I wonder if I explain to my Mr that he's lucky he gets to leave work everyday, and I live in it...if it will make a differenece in his outlook?

"The "inferior sex" has got a new exterior.
We got doctors, lawyers, politicians too"
Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin - Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves

Friday Fill-Ins #103

Here we go!

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, am I making it too breezy?
2. The first Noel, the angel did say, forever will you remember this day.
3. Go plow all the major roads, Over the hills and everywhere.
4. It came upon the midnight clear, the ice was as thick as mud.
5. Have some eggnog, Let your heart be light.
6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing off key.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing and NOT sewing for 24 hours, tomorrow my plans include getting going on those hats and Sunday, I want to make that duffle bag!

Thursday Thunks

1. If you had to have a brain transplant and had to choose between a cat brain and a dog brain, which would you choose? A cat, cause then I could truly be treated like a queen.

2. Why do you think bananas are shaped the way they are? Maybe their skins are too thick, so that doesn't allow them to expand in any other direction. Think opposite strong points of an egg.

3. Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip? Who cares, just make sure it's lotsa lotsa!

4. Do you use keyboard shortcuts? What are those? Occasionally, I guess it depends on what program I'm using. On the internet, not all that often, in Word or Media players fairly often yea.

5. Are you a member at InsanityCafe Forums & Arcade? If not, you should be. No, cause then I would really never get off of the computer...and my kids need to eat sometime.

6. Where I live it was a low of -19 degrees this morning - what was your low last night/this morning? Couldn't tell ya, it was just damned cold with that stupid wind...and icy! I don't care to look at thermometers cause whether it's in Fahrenheit or Celsius neither really means much to me.

7. Do you like hard boiled eggs? Yes, but I didn't care for them until I stayed in the hospital with H for two days after he was born...hated em before that.

8. Have you ever drank green beer? Nope.

9. Whats your favorite cleaner? Wow...great question!! Ok, I'm a Vim Cream die-hard fan. It's simple and easy to use, and it can clean ANYTHING. Only problem is I haven't been able to find it in the god forsaken state (not that I've gone out of my way to look for it or anything, so it's probably there, I just haven't noticed it yet)!! I'm a huge fan of alkaline based cleansers, what can I say? Is it wrong that this question excited me?

10.White or whole wheat bread? Whole Wheat...I only eat white bread when I feel like treating myself on those rare occasions I'm eating breakfast out.

11. Everyone has some type of phobia - whats yours? I have lots, but I'm really good at controlling them, for the sake of not looking like an entire idiot in front of my kids. I can't stand small spaces, heights, spiders, or dirty things.

12. Aren't you glad there weren't any Christmas related meme questions? Very relieved, yes.

Butterfly Award & Hitting The Pavement

Diamond at My Pretty Pink Blogette was kind enough to bestow me the Butterfly award, for having a "beautifully simple blog". My Mr. has been mentioning that I should be getting paid to blog, then we'd have no worries, LOL. I like it without ads or anything, and it makes me feel good to know that others appreciate it as well, Thanks Diamond!


"One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer"
George Thorogood - 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer

I hit the pavement this morning to do a bit of fund raising. I finally got my letters sent out, thanks in part to my MIL who was kind enough to stuff and (return)address the envelopes for me yesterday. So, I decided that rather than wait for a "good" time (cause who am I kidding, it's never a good time), I'd just get it over an done with. Now, my committee members have been doing their fare share for sure, hitting the downtown local businesses...After I was finished this morning I think they got the easy ones, LOL.

"Why don't you call me back no more?
Why on earth can't you just pick up the phone?
You know I don't like to be alone."
Alicia Keys - How Come You Don't Call Me?

I got the old "we have a procedure" at most places I stopped at (yes, I looked on all of their websites and found no info on it, so I had no choice but to go in and talk to them in person, which was kind of awkward with a little one in tow). Along with that speech, I was allowed to leave letters at most places who didn't have a manager or owner available. In any event, I managed to knock down two small strip malls, and got halfway through a third before H decided he wanted to come home and nap. On the bright side, I did get a promise of a gift basket from Bob Evans.
Hopefully I can get more done tonight and still leave a bit of time to put together the Santa costume for tomorrow night.

"You see these shackles?
Baby I'm your slave"
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

I'm pushing it...I know. Thank god for caffeine.
I love a challenge I suppose.

"Here in some strangers room
It's late in the afternoon,
What am I doing here at all?"
Colin James - I'm Losing You

H was so friendly today, he said hello and goodbye to everyone who acknowledged him, freely gave me smoochies anytime I asked for them, and even fed me raisins by hand. *sigh* Thank goodness for moral support ;o)

"You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better"
The Beatles - Hey Jude

I got most of my stuff cut out last night, and even went out for a bit of midnight shopping (once again, I gave up on the "good" time). I finished the shopping for the boys finally. I'm hoping I can finish their PJ's before Christmas now, LOL.
I also looked up some Christmas games online, and am having trouble narrowing it down to one I want the kids to play on Friday. :oP Maybe I'll take another look, usually one just jumps out at me and I go with it, not this time. hmm.

I talked to my Gramma the other day as well, first time in forever. I haven't talked to her since we figured out we're headed back to BC. She was in tears when I told her of our decision, and I haven't had the heart to call back cause I know it won't be until June. I guess it feels like the more I chat with her the more homesick I feel, especially around the holidays...which is weird, cause she's so full os idiosyncrisis. She's one of those Gramma's who you just love to chuckle at because she has so many antics it's hard to pick one to be annoyed at. It's not that she tries to be annoying, it's just that she works so differently from me in some ways, and we're so alike in others it's almost scary.
Oh my god, I'd give anything to be with my family this Christmas.

"Miss you miss you all my soul
Miss you miss you can't feel whole"
54-40 - Miss You

Man, I Feel Like A Woman!

I'm killing way too much time blogging tonight...really. It's my third post today for heaven's sake, no wonder I'm over 900.
ANYways. You ever have one of those days where you roll outta bed feeling fabulous? I had a day like that today, and it's managed to carry straight through to tonight. Amazing.
My hair did what I wanted it to, I didn't need any make-up, my clothes looked great, and I felt wonderful.
Anyhow, tonight I'm cutting out the things I'm going to be working on over the next two days, and as I'm going along, I realized I've picked my wicked music. The music that makes me think, damn, I look good when I dance...the music that makes me want to dance. So, I'm dancing and cutting stuff out, what great exercise. It almost sounds like an oxy-moron, I know.

A few from my list:
Tom Petty - Honey bee
April Wine - Slow Poke
Journey - Loving, Touching, Squeezing
The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket
Aerosmith - Ragdoll, Pink, Love In An Elevator
George Leach - Making Love
Colin James - If You Need Me
Metallica - Whiskey In The Jar
Nelly Furtado - Maneater
311 - Love Song
T.I. - Live Your Life
Buckcherry - Too Drunk
The Doors - Roadhouse Blues

You get the idea...So, what songs make you feel great and get you off your feet, especially when no one's looking?

Shoe Addicts Unite!

LOL
Ok, so to continue with Carina's post...we're discussing summer shoes, and we're also sharing pictures of our fav pair of shoes. I bought these at the bgeinning of the season for 9.99 @ Payless, and wore them straight through the entire summer. Course, they were no good by the end of it, but that's why I loved em. I loved em even more because they had a back strap tp keep them from flopping off and making that yucky squigy noise.
Yes...those are smiley faces on my toes.

Party Recap

My stomach was sore yesterday, in recovery from Sunday's party. I wasn't sick or anything, but I had spent the majority of my Sunday eve laughing really hard at everyone's antics that I had a sore tummy on Monday.

We had a fantastic time, and our party went well. The house was clean and it looked beautiful. I didn't make too much food, and had just the right amount in the end cause we didn't have any leftovers and no one complained about being hungry. We're now aiming to have New Year's here as well, and my MIL has graciously agreed to take the kids overnight for us.

The boys didn't stay up too late, and were decently rested for Monday, which was a bonus. We ended up with about 6 guests...though we did have 3 extra who popped in for a bit and left early cause it was a school-night. I ended up booting everyone out around 3am (in fairness it began around 9pm), and not getting into bed until about 4am.
I rolled outta bed bright and early with D on Monday morning, got him off to school, did my morning blog post, and went back to bed where I slept until 12:30. Stayed up for the day, but went to bed early and caught up on my Z's.
The jello shots were a big hit with everyone, but I think the next time I make them I'm going to make them a bit stronger as they got polished off and no one really had any telltale effects from them.
We had a few really happy people by the end of the night, and one actually ended up calling off from work the next morning as he had too much fun (thank goodness he had a DD). For the most part though I'm very happy to report that everyone had fun, laughing and joking the night away, and all are looking forward to New Years.
So, all my hard work was not lost on anyone, I had many grateful people for a clean house, and yummy snacks. It makes me feel good to know that people actually notice the small things that I do.
Anyhow, got a very busy week...Tomorrow I don't have anything scheduled, but I'll be sewing up a storm as I need to make the Santa suit and elf hats for the Cub Scout Party on Thursday night, as well as finish my holiday outfit for Friday, and find a game for the class to play. Saturday and Sunday will be spent sewing the gifts for those family members we'll be visiting on Monday. I also picked up some chair covers from the teacher this morning, and I'll fix those over the holidays. Busy busy busy.
Anyhow, it's what makes the holidays so special, and it makes me feel less homesick to know I'm in such high demand here.

Shot On The Spot...I Was Tagged

These are the rules:
1. DON'T change your clothes.
2. DON'T fix your hair.
3. Just take a picture.
4. Post that picture with NO editing.
5. Tag 5 people to do this.

Carina over at How to be Happy, when Sad? got me today, so I took this about five minutes after I received the tag. That's last night's party make-up you spy. I'm clean, I'm showered, but that's as far as it goes...I was actually just getting ready to walk out the door to go enjoy my little D's Christmas Music program.

My tagged folk are:
1. Jodi over @ Moody Blue
2. Diamond over @ My Pretty Pink Blogette
3. Billy Rhythm @ Philosophy of Chairs
4. Berleen @ A Straight Jacket & A Padded Room
5. YOU! My reader, come play Shot on the Spot with me, and leave me a comment to let me know you've joined in. :o)

Give Me Five Monday #44 & POST #900

Yep, I blog too much...LOL

Give Me Five of your favorite holiday songs

1. Hark The Herald Angels Sing - Mariah Carey
2. Little Drummer Boy - TSO
3. Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire - Nat King Cole
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
5. Feliz Navidad - Boney M

These are just the first five that pop into my head, if you refer to an older post, I have a set list of Christmas song versions that I HAVE to have each year that I've given more thought, but I do listen in on a few other versions as well, it's always god to browse.

Oy

Yep, I'm busy today, and I needed a break, so here I am.
Got the rest of my decorations up around the house. My fingers hurt from the push pins, why do I torture myself so? LOL
Made what little food I had planned lastnight...buckeyes and a cheese spread, and some jello shots. It sounded like fun, so I decided to give it a try. No, we don't plan on getting rowdy or nothing, cause the kids are here, I just thought it might be a nice change from the norm of rye & coke, or cran & vodka.
Gotta clean now. The Mr. did some yesterday, but the day of is always the worst as even when we do clean the kids come and tear it all up again. So, today I get to make sure things stay relatively tidy. I'm looking forward to about 6 ppl making their way here, so it won't be too busy, I hope.
I have the hiccups today. Have you ever had one of those days where you have them constantly? I eventually end up with wicked heartburn when I have days like these, where not even brown sugar can take them away. Did you know that? If you eat a spoonful of brown sugar when you get the hiccups it takes them away. I can't recall where I found that out, but it's a lifesaver.
So I haven't had an opportunity to make my party outfit like I had planned, but that's ok, so long as I have it for this Friday (D's class party) all will be well.
Got the Letters to stuff my PTO Raffle envelopes, I just hope that I can get the stuffed and out quickly, though it's looking like I may need to pay first and have them reimburse me afterwards, even though they prefer not to do that.
My brain is traveling a mile a minute, can you tell?
In any event, added a whole bunch of music to my playlist, so hopefully I'll be posting some newer music quotes soon enough.

Dollar A Day Diet

I have to admit that it piqued my interest when I first seen the headline on Yahoo. So, I looked them up and headed to their blog to find out more. Now, I read through the entire month of their Dollar A Day Diet and was really impressed that anyone had the ability to do something that would be so aware. Of course it didn't start out that way, but as that's how these things go. Go check them out, it's a good read.

Parties & Santa

Hmm, it seems like I have one of those Mr.'s...
So, the other day my Mr. found out that the company Christmas Party was for employees only, and not their guests. Given that the party is about an hour away, and it could be a BYOB, and the people (who would most likely be drinking on the way there, or doing the BYOB) he wanted to drive there (we're designated taxi for most folks), I asked him not to go. I worry even if he has one drink and then decides to drive because any DUI would prevent him from re-entering Canada, and would pose a very difficult course of action for us afterwards.
Now, most folks who had planned to go to this party are now choosing not to as they don't have childcare (they were planning on taking them with them), and don't feel like driving the hour to get there for a 2 hour party after a long day of work. Instead, my husband, being the wonderful opportunistic soul that he is, volunteered us to host the party for the other party rejects. (Ok, that's sounding more harsh than I want it to, and I totally don't mean it that way) Anyhow, I'm assuming those folks will be bringing their children and we'll all have a grand time, but you know...if I don't plan something for those kids to do, all hell will break loose. So, now I get to plan a few things to occupy the children, and find something to occupy the parents so that I can ensure they have a good time...nothing big, mind you. Anyhow, I'm planning on just serving snacks, chips, crackers & cheese, and apples. Simple enough, heck, maybe I'll even bake something. I always get so nervous over these things and go way overboard, that now I'm going to attempt to hold myself back and just go simple.
Also...my Mr. has requested that I make him a Santa outfit for the Cub Scout Christmas party. Yay. I can do it, but it adds to the growing list of items I'm putting on the back burner for more pressing priorities. I'm hoping this next week will go a little slower so that I have time to make all of these things.

Friday Fill-Ins #102

1. Friends are people that I'm grateful for.

2. Take care of your health; it's a fleeting thing.

3. I'm ready for the holidays to be over, and we're only halfway through! (for the record I'm really only impatient cause I want to give the boys their gifts now...lol)

4. Fire & Ice is one of my favorite perfumes.

5. The oldest ornament I have is probably something passed on to me by my MIL that was made for my Mr. when he was little.

6. Take some great food, even better people, and a relaxed atmosphere, mix it all together and you have a fantastic Christmas party.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to figuring out what my menu for Sunday will be, tomorrow my plans include finishing decorating and cooking for Sunday and Sunday, I want to throw a Christmas party!

Thursday Thunks

Welcome to the December 11th version of Thursday Thunks!

Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

1. Do you like waffles? I suppose so, but only if they come loaded with Strawberries & Whipped Cream

2. Name 3 things that is within your reach right now, excluding anything to do with your computer/laptop. My yogurt that I'm eating for breakfast, my Fancy Schmancy Sony AX200 Camera, and a funky fiber optic Moose Statue that is holding skiis.

3. Do you hang laundry out on a line outside? Only in the summer...Amish do it in the winter too, though I can't imagine how long it owuld take to dry in temperatures that are cold...I'd imagine they'd freeze first. Hey, I wonder if they freeze dry!

4. Loss of vision, ability to speak or hearing - which do you choose? (you have to choose one....) The ability to speak. I can sign, yeah, so I'm still in baby stages, but I have the basics of the alphabet too, so I could sign or write, or just become one of those fancy text-ers...fingers that are faster than a locomotive! I always want to be able to hear my lil guys giggle or say "I love you mom", and I need to be able to see to be creative...so, even though I love to sing, I can do without.

5. On a scale from 1 - 10, how are your computer skills? I'd say about 8. I can figure out how to run new programs, I can walk myself through tutorials, I can download programs that will help my computer, I know a bit about HTML (enough to build my own website if I wanted to, which I don't), and I can research anything that I need to figure out. Plus I'd like to say that I can type pretty fast, so I think. The only thing I can't do, is figure out how to rid a comp of a nasty virus, or re-install windows...

6. Do you volunteer or donate to anything around the holidays? Of course, not as much as I'd like though. Maybe next year when I'm at home I'll start volunteering to do the Salvation Army Can watch or something. In any event, once my boys get old enough I'm going to start dragging them out to soup kitchens and the like, even if it kills me...cause making cards for strangers isn't enough.

7. If a person receives a DUI while in government office, should he lose his/her position? Definitely. They're in a position of power, where the people put them because they thought they could trust them. If they're no better than the rest of us, thinking they can get away with breaking that rule, what other rules are they going to break??

8. Do you take vitamins? Yes, I take a One-A-Day multi-vitamin, and because I don't think it's enough (because I'm still nursing), I also take a Cal-Mag, and a Vitamin C.

9. Do you wear fingernail polish? Occasionally...my fav is when I do designs, like this!

10. If every flower in the world only grew into one color, which color would you want? Purple. Lilacs are so pretty when they're purple.

Cards, Parties & My Mr.

Holy cow, it seems like just last week that I was celebrating my 800th post, and I'm already almost (897) at 900...how does that happen so quickly?
I've been a busy bee.

"There's a feelin' that
I get from nothin' else and there ain't nothin' in the world
That makes me go!"
Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock

I've almost completed my cards for the year, very cute, I must say. Usually I try and do each one differently, but this year I've decided to make them all the same. I've also finished this month's family letter and got the majority of them out in this mornings mail, only a few left overs because I didn't have their address handy when I did the envelopes, and because I hadn't finished making their cards. Crap, I just realized I forgot to put my return address on the envelopes I sent out this morning...

"Winter is here again oh lord,
Haven't been home in a year or more
I hope she holds on a little longer"
Journey - Wheel In the Sky

Called the Room Parent in charge of the Christmas Party for D's class, and am officially assigned to a Game for the party, and a search for child-care for the hour that it will take for me to be over there for H. I am making cards for his classmates as well. I know, I wonder why I keep volunteering myself to do these things, and the only reason I can come up with is that it's a great distraction (from feeling homesick) and it makes me feel good. So, I continue.
Finished addressing the envelopes for the Raffle stuff, made plans to pick up the letters from the other committee member who has it, and am planning on hitting the pavement tomorrow with H in search of donors who'd like their tax break this year. Hopefully all will go well.
Still need to make my gifts for family members that we'll be visiting later this month, and set aside some time to do my shopping for my other family members who sent money and charged me with their gift finding. I have it, I just haven't gone out and done it yet cause there aren't enough hours in the day this time of year. I found a whole extra box of decorations that I've forgotten to put up, so I'll get around to doing that as well. I need to make my outfit for the Mr.'s Christmas party, which he's changed his mind about about. I will post pictures, cause I know I look spectacular in red *wink wink*

"Yeah,It's better to burn out
Yeah, then fade away"
Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages

I'm amazed I haven't burned out yet, but rather, I feel more energized knowing I have a specific list that needs to be accomplished. Squeeze onto that list a quick tidy of the house, as it is a mess. I cracked down on the Mr to get him to put away the laundry that I washed but hadn't had the opportunity to put away yet, also got him to do the dishes, and tonight I'm hoping he can finish the decorations for me. Just gotta keep on that whip and all will be well on the home-front, though I do feel pity because I think my poor Mr. is sucking up any exhaustion I'm not feeling but surely ought to right now. He's an amazing man, for putting up with my constant lists of things to do and such little relax time, and still being at my beckon call when I need something and I'm buried beneath all my card making paraphernalia or PTO papers. I'm so lucky.

"Ya know I'm here to stay
Got you in a stranglehold baby"
Ted Nugent - Stranglehold

Haha, that last quote makes me giggle at the implications...

Tis The Season

"Faithful friends who are dear to us
They gather near to us once more"
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Well, this is the time of year where everyone praises the reason for the season, or even the spirit of Christmas...it's a long way gone, yes.
So much commercialism, lots of shopping, obligations, expectations. Your neighbor won't like you anymore if they don't receive some small token from you, mom & dad will be really upset if they don't receive a hand written card in the mail, Aunt May will loath you if you forget her on you lengthening fruitcake list...yadah yadah.
I admit it, this year is going to be more commercial (well, nothing can beat last year's stack that swallowed our living room) than most, but it's for a reason. This year I'm aiming to try and keep the gifts to a minimum for the boys, by buying them the large items they requested, and keeping the smaller ones to a minimum. Why, you ask? I know we'll be moving in the summer, and I'm questioning how much we'll be taking back with us. I know we'll be taking immediate things that will be needed, but am under the impression that the big items will have to wait their turn...so, to do us a favor, I'm eliminating the small stuff to make room for the larger, mainly because any smaller item that isn't worth hauling across the country (AGAIN) will be sold in a fabulous yard sale in the spring.
I always feel guilty for getting rid of gifts, and because of that I actually still have gifts from when I was a kid...never mind what the boys have received since they've been alive.
Went out Saturday eve to go to the MIL's, had some wrapping to do and such (I keep all my gifts there away from prying eyes and rattling hands). What a lovely drive it was out to her house, not a single car passed me into town, they were all behind me heading out of town. Snow falling in giant clumps and that glorious purple glow in the sky. If ever there were a time when I was homesick, (as if there's a time when I'm NOT) it was right then. I imagined myself driving some silly little back-road of K-town as I went along, the one small stretch that was bordered by pretty, tall pines and little blinking houses behind.

"Peace on Earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Hark The Herald Angels Sing

So, on to more talk about the season. I have a set list of Christmas music that I prefer, though it never occurred to me until I started d/l-ing my Christmas music list. There is a set of songs that I prefer by certain performers, otherwise it just doesn't sounds right to me (though that doesn't stop me from listening to other performers versions). I like Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Boney M, Brenda Lee, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Mariah Carey, and Bing Crosby. Those are just a few from a list that I can't do without during my holiday season.
What are some of your favorites? Do you have a specific amount of time that you enjoy listening to Holiday music? I used to work for someone who began Christmas music in October, no lie. By the time November rolled around, I was singing her music in my sleep.
I myself prefer to begin it sometime in November when in the US, when in BC it's not until December.
How long do you leave your decorations up? I try not to leave them up past the kids' holiday break. I usually aim to have the inside ones down by the first week in January. The lights outside are a free for all as far as I'm concerned, lol.

"When it snows ain't it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way"
Walking In A Winter Wonderland

I discovered this morning that D is tall enough to reach from end to end in the bath tub while laying down. I thought he'd never get that big...now if only I could get some bulk on him. I need a never ending supply of Carnation Instant Breakfasts, hmm. Are all parents as concerned with their children's weight? He's always been a bit on the thin side, but he's got no fat on him anyplace, it's all tough meat & muscle. My wiry little hero.
Since I wasn't feeling well yesterday, he brought me the heating pad, snuggled me often, and kept checking my forehead with the occaionall "Hmm" tossed in there. Such a great humanitarian. :oD

"And heaven and nature sing"
Joy To The World

On that note, I'm so very happy I have the ability to make both gifts for people, and Christmas cards (along with family letters) for those I care about. I hope you all find your own ways to make this season special, and to find something that reminds you what it's all about, showing appreciation to the ones you love, respect, and care about.

I Had This Coming

It never fails. The day after is always bearable because it's a necessity with two kids. It's the second day that always jumps out and bites me in the ass.
God I feel like my butt is on fire...or, rather, the muscles are. Yesterday it was my thighs, today it's my butt. I wonder if it's safe to rub A535 on my butt like I did with my thighs and knees. Hmm.
I think I may also be running a fever, my back feels like it's burning and it hurts to touch it, always a sure sign. My stomach is upset, but it's been like that for days...I'm thinking it's due to the extra dairy I've been consuming to aid the medicine I'm on from the dentist.
We've been watching movies and having a calm day, the boys and I. I'm getting ready to have a late lunch, and relax a bit before addressing my envelopes and possibly folding my Christmas cards in preparation to make them. The phone has rung once all day today. *sniff sniff* Just some silly 1-800 number. *sigh* I could call my gramma to kill some time, but I just don't feel up to sitting at the computer so long (we have Skype for our L/D).
I finished hanging the ceiling borders upstairs, now I have one small section to finish downstairs and it's done...I can freely stuff it away in some box downstairs along with the paint and various implements that are clogging up my only coat closet. Yay!
I need to skip up and buy the boys' big gifts from the north, and possibly a few small ones for D for his X-mas party with the Scouts.
I actually am uncertain if I'll be attending any parties this year. Mr. has one for work but hasn't really mentioned anything about us going, or made any arrangements for childcare, so I'm under the assumption that we're not attending. I don't know if I'll make it to the Scout one as it all depends on H's temperament that day. How sad. I will, however, volunteer for the class party at school, and make myself a fancy red skirt to wear to...looking forward to that.
I hope your weekend has been productive, or relaxing...I know it's difficult for those two to go hand in hand.

Why Do I Do This To Myself?

"I believe in something
I don't want to remember falling
For their lies"
Our Lady Peace - One Man Army

Had a girls night out last night, and wow do I hurt this morning. I danced the night away, and had a fantastic time. I'm in need of a shower cause I feel all grimy now though, as does happen when you get a workout like that. My thighs are so sore, and I think I may have gotten a couple of blisters on my feet. Yeowch. All in good fun I suppose.

"Ridin high I got tears in my eyes
You know you got to go through hell
Before you get to heaven"
Steve Miller Band - Jet Airliner

Hoping this weekend that I can get all of my envelopes addressed for the PTO fundraiser, and on Monday morning I can get the letter printed off at the school and sent out. Hoping. I can't seem to get a hold of the other committee members to give me a hand walking about the town to ask the local businesses, but maybe I haven't tried hard enough yet, we'll see. I feel marginally better (I was starting to feel pretty down on myself for not having done more) about what it is that I'm doing, how far we've come along, and how much I have planned. It appears I may just be shooting too high, but everyone's impressed, nonetheless. I've got a list of about 165 places to hit up for donations, and I'm considering doing a phone call to each and everyone, but that's a lot of quiet time to expect from H, lol, so it could be asking too much.

"It's just a minor thing
And I'm a minor king
He knows everything "
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Minor Thing

I need to make my Christmas cards and get those sent out, along with a couple of boxes for family back home. How do things sneak on me like this? All of a sudden I feel like everything needs to be done now. Does it happen like that for everyone? I think last year I had my cards made early and didn't really need to worry about it. Hmmm. Gotta finish putting up some outdoor decorations, and put the vase somewhere...just to get the dining area cleared out.
I've made a fantastic mess of my sewing things so far, only cause I've been a busy girl. I finished a tote bag for D's teacher, am planning on making a small duffel bag from this pattern that I found online, and a few hats for other family members. I really love how the internet makes it possible to find a pattern for practically anything without having to buy it. I got some bright colored Fleece from the fabric store last night, and some fusible webbing to get the Spartan pattern on the Duffel for the cousin who's attending Michigan State. I haven't decided what to make the boys yet. I actually do have two pairs (one for each of them) of PJ's ready to go that I've been working on since early fall that I could finish and wrap, I suppose that would be ok. I wouldn't mind making them some new hats, out of the bright colors as well, cause they suit it. Who knows, *shrug* I'll make up my mind eventually I suppose.

"Love is a man in a coat in the rain
Love's every little mistake that he's made
Love is the moment that he has to embrace
Love is the only mercy left"
Jann Arden - Love Is The Only Soldier

I wonder what I can convince the kids to get up to today...whatever it is I need to go take something so my legs and feet don't hurt so much. I wonder how I ever managed to do this on an almost nightly basis when I was younger...

Friday Fill - Ins #101

Hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

1. Snow makes me feel calm.

2. I'm looking forward to finishing my sewing projects and seeing the recipients' reactions.

3. Chocolate covered pretzels (is) *are* the best holiday creation ever!

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is Get Smart or Red Dwarf.

5. I'm done with keeping the house spotless, I haven't got time when I get busy like this.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is spending time with folks.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to possibly finishing the blanket I started lastnight, tomorrow my plans include more sewing! and Sunday, I want to sleep!

Thursday Thunks

Hosted by Berleen at Thursday Thunks

1. Have you ever not thought about the possibility of suicide? Yes, many times. I've even attempted it once by overdosing on pills.
2. How many dogs have you owned in your life? What kind? What were their names? I can't recall, but I think two...LOL George & Cappy were both Shepard crosses, I think with sheepdog. If there were any others I shared them with someone and I didn't consider them mine.
3. In one word, what do most people describe you as? Direct
4. Do you watch HouseMD? Why not? I'd love to, it's one of my fav shows, but seeing as my boys don't allow me the luxury of concentrating on an hour long tv show each week, I just catch the odd episode here or there. I'd really like to get the Season DVD's to own sometime.
5. What irritates you most about your neighbors? Nothing actually...they're too quiet? Seriously, other than our neigbor with the really loud truck (which is ok cause I know when he's home and leaving & such) none of our neighbor make a peep. We're the loudest out of all of them.
6. Have you ever called someone in for some sort of abuse or neglect on humans, animals or property? If you count a Hit & Run as neglect of property. I once saw this woman sidswipe a car that was parked next to hers as she was pulling out of a parking stall, look at it, then drive off. Thankfully I had memorized her information, and left a note for the damaged car, who then passed it on to police, who eventually caught her.
7. What color is the sky in your world? Grey today :o(
8. Did you see those 2 planets that everyone is talking about this week? Which ones? They're talking about planets? Wow, I need to get out more often.
9. Would you like to submit your own question for future Thursday Thunks? Possibly.
10. Do you have a skin condition? Are you gonna tell us what it is? I get winter Ecema.
11. Have you ever had an STD? Yes, thankfully it was one that could be cured with a round of pills from the Dr.
12. Do you do any crafts? Lots, I'm actually in the middle of making a tote bag for my sons Teacher for a gift. Aside from that I sew, cross-stitch, bead, make cards, and anything else that passes my children's fancy.
13. Peanut Butter & Jelly - what flavor is the jelly? Raspberry
14. Stripes or polka-dots? Polka dots, they're so much classier...plus stripes make me look as wide as the Grand Canyon, so I avoid them when possible.
15. What accent drives you crazy? Is it a good crazy or a bad crazy? I hate Ohioan accents. They swllow their "L" and add in and "arsh" (picture Goofy) whenever possible. It's annoying, and it makes them sound less than intelligent. Horrible to say, I know...*sigh* They're good people, they just have an annoying speech impediment.

Random Memory You Should Picture

Was totally adorable. The other day the boys & I were sitting at the table eating lunch (during the school break I think) when H stands up in his booster seat and says "Arrgh" while making monkey arms. It took me a few seconds to figure out he was trying to show me his muscles. *snickers*
Yup, there's no question...he's all boy.

Uploaded pictures to Flickr lastnight. I finally got the ones from the Scout Over-nighter, and a few of our Christmas tree.
I really need to get over there and spend some time organizing those photos, and possibly add more of a description to some, but it's just so damned time consuming.

You Don't Like The Dentist??

Holy Glory...
I decided to let the Mr. book me in at the dentists this morning. I thought, ok, we'll just let them do that one quick filling and it will all be over and done with. Pfft. Yeah, right, amber, and what world are you in?!
We arrived at said Dentist office (a 35 minute drive away in another town) and the Mr. had his appointment first which was just a check-up and a cleaning. He got in no problem...I knew I was in trouble when I had to explain to them that all I wanted done was the filling and not a cleaning. Yikes. Do you know how difficult it is for a Canadian to get Insurance coverage here in the states? Suffice to say that I don't have any, so I'm very conscious of everything I do medically because it costs an arm and a leg. ANYhow.
They got me back there early, and took an X-ray, then numbed me up (HORRIBLE, the silly needle gave me a shock that I felt in my tongue and actually hurt) before asking me the filler questions. What kind of filling would you like (silver or composite)? Do you want this or that? Are you allergic to penicillin? Yadah Yadah.
Did you know the silver fillings are a whole 45 dollars cheaper than composite here in Ohio?? Can you guess which one I went with?
Anyhow, the Dr. comes in (a lady by the way...I can honestly say that I've never had a female dentist do my work for me) and proceeds to scold me while prepping me for the work. "The decay from the cavity has gone far enough down that it's very close to the root. Now, if I get in there and it's touching I'm either going to start a Root Canal, or just pull the tooth, do you understand??", and because I had previously been in there earlier for the problem, in April, she said: "Things grow over time, they don't just stay the same!"
Wow...yeah, what a stressful way to begin my work. The minute she said Root Canal I could feel my whole body tense, even after I had been silently concentrating on making it relax so I didn't look as nervous as I felt.
I have to mention that the assistant must have been new to the office, as she knew where very few things were kept. Every time the Dr. asked for something, she had to ask another assistant in a neighboring cubicle where she could find it. Very time consuming.
Yeah, the work got started, and I was glasses-less. I hate not being able to see when I'm nervous...and I kept getting bits of bone splashing up on my face. Yuck. As she finished the drilling, she sets the thing down and says It's right next to the root...and you can hear the "I'm worried" tone in her voice as she instructed her assistant to get this and that, and then says "I'm going to try and protect your tooth, we'll know in about 3 weeks if it worked." Yay.
By this time I'm breathing deeply at every few intervals to calm my heart because it's now racing and all I want to do is climb out of the chair and make a run for it.
Did I mention their headrests weren't adjustable? Yeah, so my head was right on a big seam at the base of the silly thing while she's pushing it farther into. Is it a good idea to flinch or adjust when someone's holding a drill to your tooth? I didn't think so, so I just sucked it up and dealt with it.
So, she slips on the sleeve (you know, that round piece of silver that they slip around your tooth and then tighten up so it completely surrounds it??) and requests the silver stuff for filling. During this time, I happened to glance over at the Dr. and notice that I can see a reflection of my tooth in her work glasses (the big protective kind) and I discover I can actually see the nerve in the root of my tooth. Horrifically I couldn't stop glancing at it, now that I've discovered it, all bloody and foamy. The assistant had to mix up a batch 4 times before they were finished filling the damned thing. During this time, she flexed the little suction thingy (you know, the spit sucker) and hooks it on the edge of my mouth and turns away, leaving it unmonitored cause the Dr. was frozen, waiting for whatever it was she needed. I have three mini-hickies on the base of my tounge now, because at least 4 times the stupid thing got painfully stuck to the bottom of my mouth, and each time it stayed there for at least a minute or two before anyone thought to pull the stupid thing off. A hickie means it broke blood vessels. Does that sound safe, or comfortable??
Anyhow, after they get it filled, the Dr. begins smunching the silver stuff down into the empty space, and during the time, she begins taking turns pinching my lip between my teeth, and either her hand, or her metal instrument. That really hurt. I had to really try and keep my lips flexed and out of the way once I had an window of opportunity to move them.
During this entire time, the assistant and Dr. are having a conversation with the other assistants about their dental experiences (biting themselves while numb), their admitted mistakes while on the job (did I give you this needle instead of that needle, ooops), and their job experiences (you know, the freak accidents, or the like). NOT a conversation regular patient ears should be hearing. Each story got worse, and each one made me want to run away faster. Dear god, I'm in the chair of the devil...it couldn't get any worse.
Just when I thought I was surely going to die because I was so anxious...the Dr. said she was finished.
I was shaky getting out the chair...and I stayed that way for a good hour after I got outta there. I really, very badly wanted to cry, but as I was in a public place, I held it off...I'll probably be a sobbing fool later this evening before I go to sleep, cause that's when I think about the days happenings.
I got a prescription for Amoxicillan and T3's. Apparently the Dr. covered my root/nerve with a medicinal agent before sealing it with composite, then she filled it with the silver stuff. She's hoping the medicine & Amoxicillan will kill the rest of the decay before I get an infection, but if it's still sensitive after 3 weeks, then I know it's failed, and I'll need to go back to have something horrendous that I don't even care to consider done to my mouth. As it is, I have another appointment in January for another filling that needs to be done on the upper right above the one I just had done today. Joy...what a way to bring in the new year.
I used to wonder why people didn't like going to the dentist. Now I know why.