Happy 2007!

Happy New Years to all that read my ever so exciting blog! I wish you all the best of everything in the coming new year!

[[[hugs]]]

Angel!

Last Update!

My sister and her husband made it last night around 11pm to Tampa and other than rain for a spell it was uneventful.

I'm glad they are safe and secure in their rental home. They will rent that house for 3 months while they house shop. My BIL just secured a professorship job in Architecture and since it is big pay for only 25-30 hour weeks he is looking for another part-time position in an architectural firm (he and I met in an architectural firm over 10 years ago and I set him up with my sis.) My sis is a Graphic Designer and landed a good paying job also. Since he graduated with his masters degree this past August it will be the first time they are both working. I hope the money pours in and they find the perfect house.

Moving update and a tid bit.

Okay, so they are in Georgia area. Yesterday evening, before they got to a hotel for the night the took a wrong turn into a residential area. They couldn't get out and couldn't turn around with the car hitched. So after a few tries they had to remove the car off the back, turn the truck around and then rehitch the car.

I truly wish I was making this up. My mom called a bit ago to tell me they are in Georgia and when they woke this morning everything started out fine and has been going fine. I think they might be pushing to get to Tampa tonight but I won't know until my mom updates me.

*****

Tid bits~

When we moved from our townhouse on the other side of town we had movers. We closed on this house and I kid you not it started to rain and didn't stop for a week. We closed on Nov. 8th of '01. My daugther had just turned one, my son was a little over two. We had no lawn, trees, shrubs or anything (we put it in ourselves in the spring) so everything was mud.

Our closing had been pushed back so we were living for one week out of boxes at the townhouse and had discontinued our garbage so I ran the garbage across town to the new house. I get all the way back to the townhouse and a storm hits with wild winds. I turn back around to get the cans. When I got to the house garbage was everywhere.

Then we finally moved and after a month or two I realized my kids rocking horse was missing. It wasn't with the other stuff I had unpacked. When I called the moving company they treated me like I was lieing. They never found it. It was a gift to my kids from my parents for Christmas. One of the moving men had to have stolen it. It makes me sick. I hate that moving company and if anyone asks me what I think of them I give them what I think.

I filed a police report. Then a year later I got my kids a new rocking horse and sent the bill to the owner of the company who never replied. They suck my ass.

Moving sucks. I might just have to die in this house. (when I'm old that is. LOL)

Update on my sister's move

Okay, so my little sister and her hubby are moving to Tampa Florida from Akron Ohio. On Christmas day the housing plan they are renting in in Florida was hit by a tornado and a ton of houses were flattened or damaged. Their house was spared, luckily. On the 27th they and my parents loaded up the 28 foot truck and settled on a temporary mattress for the night. First thing the next morning they were going to hitch one of their cars to the moving truck while my sister drove behind it in their other car.

But when they woke my sister had a stomach flu and was throwing up. She had done it on the carpet so they had to clean that up. When she ran to the toilet and finished she flushed it. The toilet then overflowed and they only had two towels to clean it up. They spent the rest of the day getting her better. This morning she felt better so they started her hubby's car but it was stalling out so they hitched his car (which they originally planned to have her drive) and she drove her car. The drove down to West Virginia and stopped to eat. After eating she felt horrible so she asked him if she could nap in the car for a bit before heading off and he said okay.

When they finally got out of the car to stretch before driving once more she heard a loud hissing noise. It was coming from one of the tires of the moving truck. They contacted the rental company who sent a guy who told them there must have been a bolt in the tire which fell into the tire leaving a hole. A few hours later they were on their way again. *sigh*

I am not making any of this up. Seriously. I just hope that is the last hinderance to their trek to their new jobs. I will say a few prayers. *double sigh*

Random thoughts on a hyperactive day

I just got back from dragging my two monkeys around town from a grocery store to stop at my parents for a minute to a large bulk store. After that we ran to Target for the rest of the b-day present and the bank to close one account and revise another (which ended up being an awesome thing to do because the new account she told me about will save us buko bucks!) Then I dragged them to a local Chinese restaurant where I picked up some dinner for later.

My daughter's friends party is from 4pm to 6pm and I won't have time to make dinner so I had to have something readily available.

I miss all my blog buddies but I know in the New Year we will all be back on a regular schedule and having a grand old time. Hee hee. Then I also hope to have time to revamp my novel and get it ready to send to a publisher for consideration.

Party lady!

Today my daughter has a friends b-day party that I forgot about until last night. Eeeek.

And we offered to have a New Years Eve get together at our house this year just yesterday. Ever since we have had kids going out on the town for New Years Eve has been out so we usually spend it with family. Last year it was just 4 of us here at home and it was quiet. This year my parents are invited and my older sister and her boyfriend (jabba). I wish little sis could be here.

Speaking of little sis, she and her hubby were to start driving with all their shit halfway to Tampa. Unfortunately she woke up and started to vomit. EEeek. I'm sure she blames us for taking my daughter to the house Christmas sick. But I've handled all the glorious throw up and have yet to get it so I figured it was a kids illness. My hubby thinks there is divine intervention telling them to not move. LOL. My BIL's car is acting up these last few days, Christmas morning the community they are renting in had 60 homes flattened by a tornado (I shit you not) and now her getting sick. Perhaps he's right.

So now I'm off to a few stores to buy a present, groceries and party food. Look out, Party Lady coming through! hee hee.

Blog-a-licious

I haven't been blogging. I've been busy. Imagine that. LOL

Today was a fun-filled day at the dentist. My son was so cooperative and one in a flash but my daughter made it an ordeal. The good news is that we all have no cavities. My son has a split tooth in a tooth they previously filled but since it's a baby tooth and isn't causing problems they're letting it go. Hmmm.

Tonight we watched one of my daughter's Christmas presents from my parents, "The Little Mermaid." At first she refused but then settled on hubby's lap. My son came out and said, "I'm not watching that!" Then Sebastian started doing something funny and he was on my lap. It was a nice family night and all is peaceful now as my little monkeys are asleep in their beds.

Tomorrow is grocery shopping and bill paying. Fun times all around. My daughter has a b-day party to attend. *sigh* There's nothing like buying a b-day present this time of year.

Hot Cocoa hissy....

So hubby worked from home yesterday and around 2:30 we headed over to my parents once again. This time the whole fam damily would be together. My little sister and her hubby were still there but my older sister joined us with her kids (and oh yeah, her boyfriend Jabba was there too.)

It was a great time. The kids played nicely (although there was an eye poking with my son and my niece but she ended up being fine and it was an accident.) A tear or two was shed by me when I hugged my little sis thinking about how far she will be from me from now on. *sniffle* All she said was, "Don't cry, Ang." I think it was because she was trying to not cry.

So the day after Christmas was wonderful. My daughter was better and playing like normal and I got to visit with family again. I'm feeling blessed.

It's back to the routine with hubby at work, the house a mess and the kids needing things. The one thing I could do without is my son throwing a hissy fit over wanting hot chocolate with breakfast. It's a treat not a breakfast beverage. *sigh* But I musn't yell, I'm having trouble with my voice andI don't want surgery on my vocal cords again. So no yelling today. LOL.

Post Christmas

So it was all in all a great Christmas. Family, feasts and festivities. My kids were smiling like Cheshire cats on Christmas morn. We made it downstairs (they actually slept until after 8 am which ticks my mom off. LOL) They screamed when they saw their piles (yes, piles) from Santa. My daughter sat down and looked at me and then ran to the bathroom with me in toe. There she threw up. Stomach bug got to her. My son is better but she got it, and on Christmas morning. *sigh* my poor peanut.

She felt good enough to open all her things alongside her excited brother and she even screamed for certain items. She made it to my parents with us where we had prime rib (yum) and exchanged some gifts. When she and I were walking to the car she said she was going to be sick so I put her down and she threw up in the grass. She hasn't had more than 6 ritz crackers in a day. *sigh*

She isn't throwing up (yet) this morning but she isn't better yet. We are going back over to my parents house today (they live only 5 minutes away) because my older sister and her kids will be there (with jabba, unfortunately.) We are also trying a new tradition this year called 'dirty santa.' Hmmm. We each buy two $10 gifts and draw numbers. Then we select two gifts (not our own) from the pile and then have the option of stealing one or two gifts from someone else or taking them from the pile as we go. Hubby bought two and I bought two and neither of us know what the other got. LOL. This should be neat.

My younger sister and her hubby were there last night and will be there again today. I'm enjoying visiting with them since they are moving from Akron Ohio to Tampa Florida in 2 days and seeing her will become far too infrequent now. *sniffle*

Hubby got me a ton of great things (including design and drafting software for my laptop *claps hands*) and 400 thread count sheets I've been wanting. He got a reciprocating saw (that should help us finish the basement....ourselves John *wink*.) We all got MP3 players from Santa and hubby and I bought a 15 inch LCD tv/monitor for cheapo cheapo on black friday. We have no idea where to put it. The office? By my garden tub? LOL.

Well, I'm off to put 100+ stickers on my daughter's huge 'Loving Family' doll house.

Of course I wish my daughter wasn't sick but at least it is a small illness and not something serious. For that I'm grateful.

Visitors and pain

Our visitors are here and I have a headache. *sigh* I'm so sick of them. (*update* the headaches not the visitors. LOL. I realized how that read. Sorry for the confusion.)

We went to Pramanti Brothers to try an authentic 'Burgh sandwhich. It was pretty good. The kids loved the video games. LOL.

We plan to go out for drinks tonight. I hope I rid myself of this headache.

Chrismtas Eve is tomorrow and I'm getting excited!

I'm done! I'm done! I'm done!

I can't believe it!

I'm done with all my work before my guests arrive, and with an hour to spare! I did it!

Now it's time to just relax and enjoy myself! *sigh* I'm in the Christmas spirit now! hee hee.

Merry Christmas!

To all the readers (and any fans of my blog, dare I hope to have some? LOL) I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

I truly hope that you all have a spectacular Christmas. I hope that you laugh a lot with pleasant company. That your table is over flowing with food and that love is abundant, at Christmas and always!

I'll 'see' you all after Christmas! I'm off to do family time! [[[hugs]]] to you all!

A gap

There will be a gap of time in my posting, as I presume there will be for most of us who celebrate Christmas.

My baking is 99.9% done. All I have is cleaning to do and I have only 3 hours to finish it and have dinner ready. Thank goodness I have that ham. LOL. My BIL and his girlfriend arrive at the airport at 7 pm.

I feel myself calming down. The one bad thing that happened today was that my son vomitted. I have no idea why and he hasn't done it again. I certainly hope he isn't getting sick. That would suck!

Chaos on Crap street

Volunteering for a 1st grade holiday party is nuts.

Volunteering for it while baking like a fiend is even more walnuts.

Then! Offering the idea of the craft for the kids to make roped me into heading the table with 6 impatient kids. Triple nuts.

Mix in that a ham in the oven that is due to be finished right as you plan to walk in the door but you are delayed. Mixed nuts.

I haven't felt this worked up in a long time. I'm blogging to calm down. What up with that? Oh, and the glass of wine will hopefully help.

Again I ask myself, "What the hell was I thinking?"

Crap! I forgot the giggle!

Check this out. It made me giggle

"Family Guy"

What's done is done...oh and a giggle

So we got the beautious car. It's beautiful. It's a pity I have a migraine and can't fully enjoy getting it, the features or the new car smell mixed with the leather seats. After picking up the 'Silver Bullet' we jaunted over to the Giant local (45 minute drive from my house) Mall to see the big man in red (AKA Santa Claus, Kris Kringle.) The kids got to sit on his lap, and we capped their list to give him at 5 items each. My daughter likes to make it easy by saying, "I just want everything." They smiled amazingly and then rode the train that runs behind him.

By then my migraine had grown exponentially and I made it home and wanted to crawl under a rock. Hubby rocks though, he bathed both kiddies and got them to bed. *sigh* thanks hubby.

Now I'm decked out in the jam jams and catching up on my fav blogs. I should be baking but I'm still recovering. I will take a photo of the kick ass new car. We put the salesmen on notice to notify us of any special deals on Beetle convertibles. I also handed out some cookies and business cards. Even with a headache I was marketing. Yeah baby.

So the Jeep Liberty is gone (bye bye 12 miles per gallon) and it's kind of sad. My daughter was a little over 2 months old when we first brought it home and it's gone. *sigh* Time flies by quickly.

Today

My son was 'star student' of the week this week. What does that entail? I had to find a ton of pictures for him. I had to send treats into an estimation jar. And today I went in to eat lunch with my son after getting my daughter from preschool. I even spoiled him by taking in Burger King for us rather than cafeteria food. After that he guilted me into staying to read a story to his entire class and then asked if I could get him an early dismissal. *sigh*

Tomorrow I'll be back (without my daughter) for his party, which I volunteered for. What was I thinking? LOL.

*chirrup, chirrup*

My blog can't compete with Lioux and his sexy mug. *sigh*

Traffic stopped at his blog and I can hear crickets chirruping here. Hee hee.

Frickin' Frackin' *bleeeeeeep*

Okay.

I know I'm busy. I know I over stretched myself but I've been trying to deal with it. But then my little sister added something to the mix. She is making some sort of gift for my parents and asked for me to scan and send some pictures to her. It took me some time to get to it but I did. Then I call my parents and my dad asked me to email him some pictures I had taken of his driveway (that is possibly leading to a lawsuit.)

My father is really OCD and a perfectionist to boot, which is crazy because perfection is ellusive so when he doesn't achieve it (which is always) he gets irritated. He also tends to obsess over things (thus the OCD.) So when he gets it in his mind he wants something or we should do something at our house he literally asks me every day until we do it. It's like a demanding child and rakes on me. I try to take deep breaths and such but right now I'm frazzled. I know if I don't send those pics I'll hear it EVERY day. Seriously.

So I take time out of baking and wrapping and such to send them, all 16 of them. So I log into my email account and they exceeded his allowable email. UUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH! So I have to REsend them ALL.

And we still have to take the kids to see Santa tonight. (that is if my son isn't sick when he gets home.... he's fighting something off I think.)

Then I get an email from my sister telling me the third picture I sent wasn't crisp enough, could I resend it? Of course, right? LOL *triple sigh*

On track

I managed to iron 22 of hubby's shirts yesterday and do 9 loads of laundry. Hubby folded one load while I made some cookie dough that needed to refrigerate over night.

I also made almost 4 dozen buckeyes (2 dozen for a client and the rest to give to neighbors and friends.) That and I cleaned the 2nd floor. I'm so energized by my 'to do list' having so many things crossed off. I have a bunch of baking today and a ham to make tomorrow. Tis the season!

To those who regularly read this blog, I wish I could send cookies your way as a form of 'thank you' and well wishes for your bloggy friendship!

No!!!!!!!!!!

So we've had unseasonably warm weather here and I like it. As far as I'm concerned it can stay like this now and through winter until spring. Okay maybe a snowfall on Christmas day would be acceptable. Last week the weatherman tricked me again. He told me we'd be in for this warmer weather even into mid this week. But as usual they get paid 100% of their salary to be correct 8 % of the time. If only every job could be like that, right? So we were in the 50's all night and this morning but I went to the store and I noticed it was cooler. Sure enough I saw on the news a few minutes ago that the temperature is to drop and by tonight be in the 30's. It was 56 last night at midnight and what....? 30 tonight?

My body can't take this crazy weather yo-yo darn it! It must stop now! Who do I complain to? *sigh*

Okay, enough complaining. I know you didn't come here for that. LOL.

I'm going back to my normally scheduled crazy day! *smile*

Happy Hanukkah!

I would like to take this moment to say...

Happy Hanukkah

to anyone who reads this who happens to be Jewish. I hope you have a happy and healthy holiday!

It's getting close

Christmas is fast approaching and I fear that this week will fly by like a freight train with all the wrapping and baking. My son's school party is Thursday and I volunteered to help out. I was able to get a babysitter for my daughter, thank goodness.

The Grinch is on with Jim Carey so I'm off to sit with the kiddies. Cya!

Another test

I was laughing so hard when I just took this test because...... it is so perfect! So me! I mean if you don't believe me, read the previous post and see the car I REALLY REALLY want.

Your Summer Ride is a Beetle Convertible

Fun, funky, and a little bit euro. You love your summers to be full of style and sun!

What's Your Summer Ride?

A new car

My husband and I have a new car. We've been approved and just need to pick it up. It's a VW Wolfsburg edition Jetta in Reflex Silver and he's excited. Not only does he love the car and all the features but he got a better lease deal on this than the SUV we are getting rid of. Is there hope I might get my car in the spring? (As a hint I'll paste a picture below of what I want.)




I hope so. I would love that car like crazy.

Website

I'm trying to develop a web page for my baking business. I was thinking in the new year of getting an EIN number, a bank account and all the tax and fun that goes into a business. I thought that it would be good to develop a website (free for now of course) to have customers look at to see the newest menu. I won't be shipping any baked goods because of the legal issues involved with sending food over state lines so it would be local orders only. But now I am venturing into another computer thing I am not familiar with. Wish me luck.

Out all day

I was out all day. My daughter had her Christmas pagent at her preschool and she was a lamb. She sang beautifully and, yes, I could hear her. LOL. She's been practicing at home for a few weeks so I guessed the songs they'd be singing.

After that hubby, daughter and I went car shopping. Our SUV is gone before the new year and that means we need to find a new one or how will hubby get to and from work. We've narrowed it down to two, we even got insurance quotes on them. Now to decide.

Oh....yeah....one more. (I know. I've gone test crazy)

You're an Passionate Kisser

For you, kissing is about all about following your urges If someone's hot, you'll go in for the kiss - end of story You can keep any relationship hot with your steamy kisses A total spark plug - your kisses are bound to get you in trouble

What Kind of Kisser Are You?

Test crazy....What flavor Martini are you?

You Are an Orange Martini

Everyone's favorite drunk, you're fun, flirty, and charming. Unfortunately, you often spark jealousy - and unintentionally start bar fights. You should never: Drink and dial. You'll just end up with multiple booty calls at your door! Your ideal party: Is huge and lively. You love to work a crowd. Your drinking soulmates: those with a Blueberry Martini personality Your drinking rivals: those with a Dirty Martini personality

What Flavor Martini Are You?

This test..... I just HAD to do.

I read the title of this test and I HAD to take it. I have a reoccuring dream about being a stripper but will never do it (outside of my bedroom that is..LOL)

Your Stripper Song Is

I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred "And I'm too sexy for your party Too sexy for your party No way I'm disco dancing" Yes, you're super sexy. But you never yourself too seriously!

What Song Should You Strip To?

What kind of rocker are you? (I know, another test.)

I've become addicted to these little tests and have some I've taken saved in a word file. You'll have to endure me posting these every now and then.

You Are a Chick Rocker!

You're living proof that chicks can rock You're inspired by Joan Jett and the Donnas And when you rock, you rock hard (Plus, you get all the cute guy groupies you want!)

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

Pilfered meme

I took this alphabet Meme from Mr. Nice Guy who took it from someone else. I hope I'm not breaking any meme rules but I've seen meme's flying around and have never been tagged so: Tag I'm it. (tag isn't as much fun alone but serves a purpose. LOL)

Alphabet Meme

[A is for age]: 34 (but still feel 18, darn it! Hee hee)
[B is for beer of choice]: I prefer a rum and coke but will drink LaBatts if persuaded
[C is for career]: Interior Designer by education, stay-at-home mom and then dual if I ever find a job.
[D is for favorite Drink]: iced tea (sweetened, thank you.)
[E is for Essential item you use everyday]: My kitchen. I use it multiple times a day (does that count?)
[F is for Favorite song at the moment]: “Far Away” by Nickleback
[G is for favorite Game]: Attack Uno or Cranium, although at faux gambling I LOVE blackjack.
[I is for Instruments you play]: My voice. And yes, it is an instrument. I used to sing in auditioned groups in high school. I still love to sing.
[J is for favorite Juice]: Orange juice with no pulp, fresh from the fridge over ice.
[K is for Kids]: two. A son 6-1/2 and a daughter 5
[L is for last kiss]: 7:35 am today
[M is for marriage]: 10 years (and 7 months on Christmas day, not that I'm counting. LOL)
[N is for full Name]: My initials are ALP, my maiden initials are ALD
[O is for Overnight hosp stays]: two. One for the birth of each child, otherwise two outpatient surgeries (knee and vocal cords.)
[P is for phobias]: Spiders and driving to some place new alone.
[Q is for quote]: "It's not getting what you want but wanting what you got." It's one I'm trying to live by right now and is from a Sheryl Crow song, I believe.
[R is for biggest Regret]: An online relationship.
[S is for sports]: I love to watch football (well at least my team.) I used to play softball (for 9 years, thus the knee surgery.)
[T is for Time you wake up]: 6:30 am
[U is for color underwear]: dark pink thong with a bow
[V is for Vegetable you love]: Corn on the cob fresh from the farmer cooked to perfection dripping with butter.
[X is for X-rays you've had]: teeth, knee, back, chest. I think that's it.
[Y is for Yummy food you make]: I make a chicken dish with cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup and sour cream with some seasoned breadcrumbs and paprika that's served over rice that's a big hit. My baked goods too, since I have a baking business. LOL
[Z is for zodiac sign]: Sagitarian

Self imposed insanity

We went to the game. It was awesome. I've never been to a NHL hockey game before and the seats rocked. Our team kicked a*s and for the most part the kids had fun (if you overlook my son whining every few minutes for everything under the sun.) So today he wasn't feeling well. I knew we got home late and he had a bad headache and footache (they must be growing again *sigh*) so I got my daughter to preschool but he stayed home.

Now he is whining and being a general pain in my a*s and I'm wondering why I decided upon this self imposed insanity?

It's a gorgeous day so after cleaning the kitchen because I just whipped up 4 dozen snickerdoodles for my daughters pagent tomorrow morning and just delivered them I plan to get outside and wash the SUV. That SUV will be turned in to the leasing company before the New Year is rung in. We might as well drive it shiny and clean before unloading it. I will be full of joy because, while I love the car in many ways, I hate the fact that hubby can drive it for 5 days to and from work and it needs filled. Over $120 on gas a month only on his car is obsene. Our next car will be more fuel efficient, definitely.

*sigh* I must go and put "Frosty the Snowman" on for my son or else all my hair might fall out. Thank god I'm sending him back to school tomorrow. Do they have Saturday school? LOL

To the winner goes the spoils

So at the holiday party this past Saturday hubby won two hockey tickets and I won two hockey tickets. We were able to trade someone for four on the same night, and that's tonight. We even got a prepaid parking pass. The seats are the firms and are near the ice. My first hockey game, the kids first hockey game. I hope they wake up for school tomorrow. I'm off to bathe them early so they can just go to bed once we get home!

Blog you later! I'm outy!

Reality bites

When I was a kid and even during college I always thought, "When I grow up....."

In this thought I dreamed of big money and very little worries. As I've found out that with that comes student loans and other realities. Although my student loans are paid off it will take almost 30 years to pay off hubby's, add to that a house payment and all the other items. With this in mind I realized that big money means watching it go out faster than it comes in. The reality is that we may never have a savings cushion that I thought we would by now since the type of law he practices pays squat.

When I was a kid I always thought I would eat chocolate, chips and pop any time I wanted when I grew up. Reality is, if I do that at 5'-0" tall it will show quickly.

When my job at the architectural firm was phased out (otherwise known as I was pregnant with my daughter and no one else in the design department had families. My supervisor thought they got in the way) I always thought that when my kids got to be a certain age I could easily go back to work. Reality is I've been out of the work force full time for over 5 years now and they wonder why.

Then I thought maybe I could land a part-time Interior Design job but outside of retail it has been next to impossible. I only have one avenue open to me now and I'm praying they don't send a rejection letter. But if they do hire me I need to find out what daycare costs would be for the time I'd need it. The reality is what wage is enough to absorb the day care cost and not make me think I'm JUST working to pay the day care to watch my children that I could do at no charge?

In the end: Reality bites.

I want to run in barefeet in the grass in the summer sun with a popsicle and not think about the weeds growing. I want to slide down the hillside in the snow with the giant flakes slapping me in the eyes and not think about shoveling or 'do we have enough salt'. I want to look up adoringly at the Christmas tree without thinking "I need to do this", or "that" or "I really need to start to wrap things."

I want to dance in the living room with my parents and sisters like I did when I was a kid with nothing to worry about. I want to wake Christmas morning and run down with the wide eyed wonder of a kid. Alas, time marches on and those things are in the past. The only thing keeping me from thinking that the reality of the present totally sucks ass are my kids (oh yeah, and hubby.lol. He reads this and will get pissed if I missed him. Sorry honey!*kiss*)

Shocking

My hubby will be shocked to find out that I have nothing to say. *gasp* I can't come up with anything to write. Maybe after a good lunch my brain will work properly. LOL

Premature grey.

Sometimes I wonder why I'm not prematurely grey. My daughter, god love her, is my half-listener but she tries like a champ. Today is MASSIVE cleaning day. I took the things out of my china cabinet and cleaned it all, I cleaned my chandelier in my dining room and so on and so forth. It's a wild cleaning day.

My daughter loves to help so here is how our conversation went:

"Here [insert daughter's name here], take this rag, don't unfold it and wipe the table off in the living room. The table with the candle."

"Like this, Mommy?"

"No honey. Don't dust the candle, the table it's sitting on."

"No honey, not the piano next to the table, the table. Right there. That one. Yes, that one."

All of that and she was done in 2 seconds. LOL.

Quiet before the storm?

I have a few orders for Christmas but not a ton. Is it the quiet before the storm or is there a cosmic thing that realizes that I might have enough on my plate already? I don't know. I do know that I have found someone who has offered me free advertising through a mailer. If I do that will I be swamped? Hmmmm, so many questions.

I will be running to my son's school in a few minutes to deliver some iced sugar cookies I made yesterday that look like the bells from The Polar Express because they are having a 'Polar Express' party. He's so excited. And those aren't the cookies I offered to make for the Holiday party (add to that the 3 dozen for my daughters thing on Friday.) I need to learn to say 'no' but it's for my kids. They beg me and I cave.

It's about that time that I need to go but in the words of a California Governor..."I'll be back."

Amusing SAHM Moment

I sometimes have moments as a stay at home mom during the week and I think I'll try to post one a week.

This morning my daughter was most amusing. First off she sings alllll the time! She walks around singing songs that she makes up or songs that she hears. It seems that my kids really like Feliz Navidad a lot. My son at her age would sing it and I've tried to teach them the proper words. So this morning she was in the powder room alone singing in her mousey voice:

"Feliz Navidad

Feliz Navidad

Feliz Navidad Prospero año y Felicidad
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas

From the bottom of my heart." And with such flair.

And while that was cute, this moment was the amusing moment of my SAHM day. While she was serinading herself in the bathroom I went about plugging in the train and lights on the real tree in the living room for her since she planned to play with it. I had to put some things away and went through the dining room to the kitchen. She came out of the powder room and entered the living room not knowing I had been there and I heard: "OH Epi (that's my cat's name) You did it!"

I rentered the living room and she said, "Mommy! Mommy! Epi did it! Epi plugged in the tree lights!" I started to laugh because it was so cute. I replied, "No honey. Epi didn't do that, Mommy did." I hated to ruin it but later my daughter might corner the cat and demand she do it again and we can't have a confrontation like that. *chuckle*

Weekend

I've had a lovely weekend. Hubby's second work party was wonderful. The food was exquisite, the presentation of holiday gifts was comical (who knew lawyers were so funny?) They had a game show set up that everyone partook in. We all chose numbers so that we would not partner up with our spouses.

There were 24 teams of two. Hubby and his partner won their round and then the first semi-final round. Then my team won and should have won the second semi-finals but my buzzer was f'ed up! I pled my case to the room full of lawyers. LOL. Yeah right. Anyway, hubby and his partner won the entire game. And to think that my parnter and I were almost pitted against him and his partner in the finals. How weird would that have been?

I truly enjoyed myself. Two Saturday nights out in a row on someone elses dime has spoiled me. LOL.

Tonight we went out to dinner with my parents, my older sister and her kids, a bunch of my aunts and uncles because it was my grandfather's 90th birthday. Believe it or not it was a surprise party, but we didn't yell surprise....that would have been bad.

Hubby and I picked up and set up our live tree in the living room and my daughter helped me decorate it today. All in all it's been a good weekend.

Little Apron Angel

Back around Thanksgiving I had some people ask me about my aprons. I know I said I'd post pictures of them and I finally took pictures of them.

The white one is my main one. Hubby bought me it plain and I got fabric paint and had the kids put their hand prints on them. (and now, that wasn't meant to be crude. *shakes head* some people *giggle*) I couldn't show the whole apron since it has my kid's names on it and I keep those close to the vest.

The second one is the red one my little sis made me. She used bling on it and planned on writing "Angels' Heavenly Confections" which is my business name but ran out of bling after "Angel's" I laugh every time I see it. It's so her to leave it like that. Thanks Apes! For making it and steeping it full of memories before I even wore it! You rock!

Parties and people

I had a meeting for my son's 1st grade holiday party. I took an idea for a craft that all the other mom's loved and I volunteered to make sugar cookies. I know. Why did I do that? Because I love to over involve myself. But one of the mom's might have her gallbladder out so I thought I'd take more of the burden.

Because of how some girls in high school treated me I have always been extra shy around other females. Men let things roll off their back like water on a duck so I'm more comfortable, that and I have, at times, a dirty sense of humor that men appreciate more.

But since having my kids I have vowed not to pass on to them my scars from my past. So I push myself into situations I would normally avoid and I have found something interesting out about myself, I enjoy myself. I know I'd love to have tons of friends but I'm gun-shy. Now I've decided that friends don't come knocking on my door looking for me so I need to put myself out there. I'm not a wall flower, I love to socialize and thrive around other people. I especially love to laugh and make others laugh. But through the years I've learned to fine tune my filter that keeps me from saying too much or saying something that can be misconstrued as it did in high school. Because it's fine tuned I have realized that I'm more comfortable in making new friends.

I count that as a triumph for me and a good example for my kids.

The half listener

I don't think my daughter listens. Correct that, I think my daughter half-listens.

Example just from this week:

When hubby's cousins were in staying the night they have two kids (also cousins but once removed, isn't that confusing?) Their daughter's name was Nicole but when I put my daughter to bed that night she said something I couldn't understand so yesterday, at dinner time, I asked her "what was daddy's cousin's little girl's name?" And she said, "Coin." I looked at her funny and laughed. Then we said, "Her name is Nicole." So my daughter replied, "Yes, nickel." Then it hit me..... nickel......coin! We laughed.

From today:

My daughter was running around the house in her new black "pretty shoes" that I just picked up for her today. She changed into a dress because she loves dresses and had her Barbie lap top, her play purse with a Barbie flip phone and as she approached me she said, "I gotta go, Mommy."

I said, "Okay. You're on a mission."

She replied, "I'll miss you too."

*sigh* Love my peanut. Hee hee.

No bloggy.

Sorry I haven't been so bloggy lately. I have been full of festive happenings (and germs...hee hee.) I'm feeling better so thank you for the well wishes here and via email. I wish for all I know and all my bloggy friends to have a happy healthy holiday season!

I am almost finished shopping. I need to be finished with some so I can ship the items to their destination.

It's been snowing on and off all day. My kids think it's wonderful. It has caused my daughter to break into song more often than usual.

I think it's pretty when I'm cozy in the house but didn't it have to kick into a squal while I was standing at the bus stop waiting for my son. Isn't that always how it works? LOL.

rambling thoughts of a mind with a fever.

I can deny it no longer.

I'm sick.

I even have a fever.

I sound like I have a frog in my throat.

I don't even want to fix my hair (*gasp* I know. I ALWAYS FIX MY HAIR!) I fixed it but I didn't WANT to.

I just ordered clothes online for family members rather than drag my sick butt around a store (and I love to shop.)

I still need to shop for the monkeys tomorrow. I better drug myself up and sanitize my hands to keep from infecting others.

Contemplating getting one of those Michael Jackson germ masks but to keep the germs to myself. (is that the fever talking?)

Thank goodness I made homemade chicken noodle soup yesterday. Go figure the timing.

Thank you hubby dearest for sympathizing and offering to do 'left over night' to spare your poor sick wifey poo. *weak smile*. Or was it to keep me away from food that you eat? *quirks brow*

My daughter has her clamy bare feet on me and I'm too lethargic to move them. *sigh*

My daughter was just crying because she said my cocker spaniel was eating her hair, or was I hearing things?

They're calling for 4 inches of snow to fall here tomorrow. Ohhhhhh goodie.

I just thought about getting up to do something but completely forgot what that was.

*sigh* I better stop blogging with a fever. I might say some delirious things. LOL. Where is my vitamin C?

Under the weather

Just when I thought I had beaten the *cough* illness, it's back. *sigh*

I feel just aweful. I know it didn't help that I just walked around 7 stores about 4 times. I'm sitting on my loveseat feeling like a sicky sick sick and not wanting to budge. Worse yet my son sounds like he's getting it again too and hubby just informed me that he's getting sick. Do you know what that means? Yes, I can get better later. For now I'll have to be nurse maid to my boys.

For now I'll sit on the loveseat and leave the shopping bags in the kitchen. Maybe I'll get enough strength to......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Unexpected guests and shopping

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from hubby's cousin. She and her family (hubby and two kids) had been north of us for a funeral on her hubby's side. They had an early early flight this morning at the airport near us but were concerned about driving the hour + drive from where they were for their early flight especially since where they were was snowing. So she asked if they could sleep at our house.

There wasn't a moments hesitation. Despite the fact that my kids had school this morning and I knew they wouldn't go to sleep well I knew it was fine with me. They're nice people, they're family and that's what families do. So I made sure my house was presentable (by cleaning my sewing up) and I had been making some homemade Chicken noodle soup that day. I offered them dinner but they already had plans.

I did have my parents for dinner that night since they had been driving to and back from Ohio to my baby sister's apartment before they move after Christmas and my mom will be working I thought she could use a work-free meal.

So now today, with both kids in school this morning, I'm getting ready to hit Christmas shopping hard. I'm outy like a belly button!

A clearer view

Kintner's post got me thinking that I could find what it looks like in a clearer picture. Apparently this is how it is supposed to look.

And here is what it's called on this website. I thought Santa was doing the *ahem* pulling. LOL

Deer Pulling Santa out of Chimney Animated Airblown Inflatable.

Obviously my view is limited as I only see Santa going up and down from the back and at one point appears to be kneeling in front of Dasher.

Noooooooooo! Santa, No!

In a previous post on The Angel's Club I discussed how much my neighbors decorated, especially across the street. And I mentioned one item in particular.

This isn't PC and is probaly very offensive. But when I see this animated blow up decoration all I can think is..."No Santa!!!! No!" And yes, Santa moves up and down within the chimney but how they have this facing my house makes it look obscene (at least to a potty mind like mine. LOL)

Sorry if it's grainy, it was dark after all. hee hee. Can you see what I see?

Glitches to bitch about!

I have been absent for no other reason than my laptop is experiencing some online internet problems. I'm trying to get a hold of my local internet provider but their circuits are busy. Hmmmm.

Yesterday sucked because I couldn't do anything on my laptop. Eventually no application opened. Hubby sat with it for hours and it's back to only having the interenet not accessible, at least from my identity. Right now I'm logged onto my laptop under hubby's identity and got on the internet just fine. Thus the need to call the interenet provider and given the 'circuits are all busy' message I got it makes me think it's more than just me.

In the morning yesterday all but two cable channels were frozen in mid show for hours. I also get my phone service through my cable provider so at least that wasn't effected *knock on wood*.

Hubby's driving to a meeting way up north and said on the cell phone that it's icy. Yuck. I have no plans of venturing out for anything other than getting my son from the busstop. He's all bundled for school and there as I type.

I hope you are all experiencing a great, computer glitch free day!

Co-Worker Dan's Birthday!

Today is a friend/blogger's b-day and I wanted to send him out a big birthday wish!Coworker-Dan/Train Wreck (whichever alter ego you choose *wink*) I hope you have a wonderful birthday today!

<3 Angel

Brrrrrr it's freezing!

My son hates being too cold and this morning is the coldest of too cold. Our mini weather system said it's 19 degrees F right now (without the wind chill which is too cold.)

He's bundled and on the bus as I type. Today is his shopping day at school for his family's Christmas presents. I give him money and an envelope they gave that I marked what he is to spend on each family member. It's called 'The Holiday Gift Shop' program. My son is so excited. Last year he bought his mommy a necklace with his birthstone. He told me that this year he wants to buy me a ring. *grin* I told him, "shhhhhh. Don't tell me. Surprise me."

Yesterday was a lay-about day but toward the end I managed to sew my swag valance for the window in the two story part of my entry way to match the one in front of the powder room. Hubby climbed the tall ladder and installed the swag holders and I climbed to situate the drape. *claps hands!* It turned out wonderfully. I'm so inspired that I might start the valances for the three windows in my Master Bath.

My daughter and I were going to go grocery shopping first thing until I saw the temperature. I've revised our timeline. We'll go during the warmest part of the day (which will still be below freezing. Brrrrr.)

Have a good morning all and keep warm!

Shortest Personality test

I have found a site with tons of fun tests. This is one of the tests I took.

Your Personality Profile

You are sexy, powerful, and bold. You're full of passion and energy... Sometimes this passion has a dark side. You feel most alive when you're seducing someone. You never fail to get someone's attention. Quick minded, you're also quick to lose your temper!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Wow!

I had a Rubik's Cube when I was younger and I solved a few sides but Never like this!

The good life

I did drink more than my fair share last night. Hubby held his drinking to a minimum for me. I believe I carried myself well. I was coherent, polite, not slurring my words and considerate. I wasn't a sloppy drunk. I was a flirt but I'm that way sober too. LOL. So today I get to spend with my monkeys.

I told hubby last night, "When we have one of these outings I look forward to going out without the kids. So tell me why as we drive away I miss them horribly?" I did. I was so happy to see them sleeping in their beds last night and to have my daughter come get me this morning. I left hubby sleep in. He rarely gets to do that. So I'm sitting on the loveseat with my two monkeys and happy. Right now life is good. :D

A great day

I have had a great day.

Many emails.

A good number of ecards.

Some nice well wishes here on blogger from my blogging friends.

My kids singing to me.

A meal brought to me by hubby.

A surprise trip for drinks and dessert where my parents joined us.

And now we're winding down with kids all asleep.

Yes, it has been a good day.

I might be getting older but that's okay when you have a day like today.

*smile*

David Caruso's "School of Acting"

After watching CSI Miami yet again I find that now I also watch to see if I can spot things that David Caruso is trying to teach us about acting. He should really start his own acting school. I have learned all of this for free!

Rule #1: Never look directly at the camera. I’ve noticed that he always always looks off to the side, either left or right. He doesn’t even always look at the other actor while he’s speaking. I call this ‘the bad ass effect.” He always looks like a bad ass when he does this. *rolls eyes*

Rule #2: If you want to appear taller, or bigger (since he isn’t an extremely tall man and I’m not very tall myself I appreciate this rule of acting from his school): Have the camera film you from a distance but from almost ground level. You will seem like a giant!

Rule #3: When you want to say something extremely profound or ‘bad ass’ end the statement by putting your sunglasses on and walk off the sight line of the camera. This is so very very bad ass!

Rule #4: (and this is my ultimate favorite, David Caruso does this EVERY episode) If you want to say something with impact, something very powerful and again, bad ass, you MUST repeat the sentence. For example: “You’ll be sorry, Mr. X. You’ll be sorry.” See how bad ass that is?

So those are the first four rules in the David Caruso's School of acting that I have picked up on this season watching his show. Next time you watch the show, have these rules handy and see if you can spot one or all of them within an episode. Heck, you could make this a drinking game if you want. But should you ever want to be bad ass in real life or as an actor, follow these rules and mark my word, you will be, friend. You will be!

~Wind update ~

Update! I ran out a FOURTH time to fix my garbage can and was pi**ed off. I decided to try and outsmart the damned wind, I know, I'm way ahead of it.

I left the can laying on its side but made sure the lid was shut. Now my recyclables will not litter the neighborhood.

You shall not win Mr. Wind!!!! *shaking fist in the air* You shall not win!!!!

Shopping, Wind and Blonde moments

Okay, so after picking up my daughter monkey (also known as peanut) we went out for lunch at her favorite restaurant (Burger King) and then went shopping. I love to shop. Love it but I hate to spend money. Weird, I know. I got some items to make a new decoration, I got some gifts for my nephews (one born just before Thanksgiving) and some other odds and end items. I had my best shopping buddy with me (my daughter monkey) she sings in the stores and oohhhhs and awwwws all the things on display. She was happy because she got to see her grandma (my mom) who was working at a local store.

Let me tell you the wind is a bitch today. It has gusts up to 30 mph and why!? Tell me why this happens on GARBAGE DAY? We recycle here in my town everything! Right down to toilet paper rolls. And my garbage trucks have all come except for recyclables. My daughter keeps screaming "our garbage can!!" and I have to run out (three times now) to pick the damned thing up and chase the f'ing cardboard, boxes, cans, milk jugs down the street like a freakin' goof ball.

And then I have a new phone system here with voicemail but in a blonde moment I put the new books on how to work it 'somewhere I'd NEVER FORGET." Did you ever do that? Yep, me too and I ALWAYS FORGET where I put it. So, I have a message and I can't remember how to retrieve it. *sigh* GRRRRR.

Tell me...

I heard on the radio this morning that Danny Devito was drunk on "The View" and vomitted all over Rosie O'Donnell. I just found the drunk video but no vomitting (not that I really need to see that.) But I'm wondering, did they say that correctly? Does anyone know if he did vomit on her?

B-day but not mine.

Some of you remember that I write erotica, or erotic romance. I haven't written anything new since finishing a long story in October (which by the way earned me a big fan who asked me to be his 'f' buddy. LOL.) I have been relearning some rules of grammar or trying to improve my writing ability but always, as with anyone, I miss certain punctuation, spell things incorrectly, use a word here or there the wrong way and *gasp* end in a preposition. (I know TW/CW-D. I should be ashamed of myself.)

To help me with the issues in my writing I found two editors through the site that I primarily post my stories. I have lost touch with one recently but the other one I have become good friends with. His name is Gail and he lives in the south.

Well today is Gail's 74th b-day and so on top of the gifts I sent, the e-cards I bombarded him with today I want to dedicate this post to him. He loves erotica too and is a fun and wonderful man I have had the ultimate priveledge of finding, getting to know and ultimately calling my friend. So happy b-day my friend. Happy Birthday. I hope you had a wonderful day and the cookies I sent don't make your tummy hurt. :D Pace yourself please.

So......

Tomorrow is 'my day' my family keeps reminding me. *sigh* Yes, I know my b-day's coming up but I think I'm at the point where I dread another year passing and saying 'I'm 34' instead of 'I'm 33' when I feel 18 at heart (despite having two kids. LOL)

My daughter keeps whispering about a surprise to which my husband laughed at this morning and said, "It'll be a surprise to me too." So that means it's all in my daughters head. *snicker* My little peanut.

But hubby did call from the car saying he has a plan for my b-day night. Since the next night we go out for a work holiday party we aren't really 'planning' anything for my b-day and that's fine. I'm happy to spend it with my family. He has told me I will not be cooking so, yay...two nights in a row of 'not cooking'. That in and of itself is a gift.

I did get my Nickelback tickets in the mail yesterday so I'm a happy Angel.

So bloggers, tomorrow I'll be forced to change my profile to 34 year old. *sigh* I'm wondering if I should just remove that and keep myself from having to depressingly change it. But I will not change it until my actual time of birth. I shall not go softly into that good night!

Why?

Why do I call my kiddies 'monkeys'? Good question.

Well, it started with my youngest, my daughter. One day hubby was sitting on the floor in the family room after wrestling with them and she climbed up the front of him and around to sit on his neck. With no spotter, no assistance, nada. We both were shocked and amazed. Hubby said "(insert name here) you climb like a monkey."

Then both of my kids continually climbed a plastic play kitchen so that they might sit atop it. I know, that's not what it was for, which is why I got rid of it. Well that and it was too tiny for them. I said to them, "My goodness you two are like monkeys."

From there I would use the word monkey over and over again until finally I just referred to them as my monkeys. Since my daughter was quite the climber and influenced the name I called her 'monkey #1' and my son 'monkey #2' despite it going against their birth order.

Anyway, the term 'monkeys' was born and used.

Shopping day and what have I done?

Today I went shopping. I got my kids ready for school, walked my son to the bus stop and then drove my daughter to preschool. I then was off. I went shopping for necessities and some holiday decorations (ie. a tree skirt that's burgandy and not bright red and thus clashes with my furniture and rakes on my eyes. I know, I'm easily annoyed in my own home.)

Then I went to a clothing store for outfits for the two, count them, two holiday parties for hubby's work. (one for attorney's/spouses and clients/spouses and then one for the firm.) I always get a new clothing item. Being a SAHM doesn't require a dress code. I like to dress nice usually (although today was athletic clothes day) with my lowrise boot cut jeans, nice shoes and such. I mean, that's nice for a SAHM, right? LOL. But I don't spend a lot of money on my clothes or buy myself much. I'd rather use the money on my monkey's clothes since they grow so darn quickly.

Lately, though, hubby has been insisting I get myself new clothes.

But once a year we get to go out and paint the town red and by golly I'm going to look smoking hot, or as smoking hot as I get. *snicker*

Tomorrow, if the outfits work, I'm off for a new pair of shoes perhaps.

Then I did something so stupid. I agreed to make cookies for a 'cookie exchange'. I have to make 7 dozen cookies, which I could do in my sleep, but why did I say yes. I can't go to the evening out and actually exchange them in person since the gathering is on my b-day and if I went I would miss out on a nice cozy family b-day celebration consisting of me and my monkeys. But I do plan to make the cookies and exchange them for two reasons: #1 It's a way to keep getting invited to things with the gals in this neighborhood. It's so high school that if you turn down too many things you stop getting invited. and #2 I might just slip a business card and menu for Christmas cookies and wahhhhlah, perhaps expand my business. Good in theory at least.

To top it off, I have volunteered for my son's holiday party on the 21st (near my Christmas order deadline) and just volunteered to make 3 dozen cookies for my daughters holiday party at preschool. Sometimes I think I'm happiest when I have too much to do. LOL *sigh*

Another test, this one about sex. Hee hee

I took this one and liked what I got. I really need to get to bed. LOL

You scored as Hot. You are Hot, you scream and are wild, people love doing anything sexual with you. Hot 94% Violent 75% Exciting 75% Soft 50% Wet 50% Sweet 50% Shy 13% Awkward 0% What is your sexual style? created with QuizFarm.com

What kind of candy bar are you?

I found this on Dad's Life blog and it was so RIGHT ON! I love, absolutely LOVE Butterfingers!

Butterfinger

They call you sticky fingers for a reason!

What Kind of Candy Are You?

The last installment of Christmas-fied

The foyer is faux finished by me. It's actually 3 neutral colors, but it doesn't show well in the photos.

My foyer BEFORE decorating.

Foyer After.
Foyer 2nd view.

Foyer Down view.

To the left of foyer, in the entry by the powder room. Phew, it was almost as tiring to post the pictures as it was to decorate. LOL.

Christmas-fied continued

Dining room.

Family room.

Christmas-fied!

Okay, I'm finally done with most of my house (excluding the formal living room, that will be done in a few weeks with a real tree.)


Dramamama had posted an "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" post so here is mine. It may take a few posts.


This is my kitchen/family room.


This is my family room (I hate the big black stereo, can't wait to get surround sound.)

Family room.

Done and done.

I have completed the decorations in my house. Of course that doesn't include the real tree in the living room or the train set but that will be done either the 9th or 10th. So I will vacuum up all the little pieces of things that fell during decorating and then snap some photos.

It's a quiet day blogging as everyone seems to be trying to get back to their routines. We'll get it down just as we have another holiday. LOL

Back to normal ~sort of ~

Now that Thanksgiving weekend is over and my son went back to school today, I'm back to my normal routine, sort of. I'll miss my little monkey boy but it was clear that he was getting bored at home.

Hubby is on a plane, as I blog here, to points southward (jelly belly) where he has packed shorts for his 'off time' (double jelly belly) to partake in depo's for work. He'll be back in a few days and I hope to have this house Christmas-fied by the time he returns.

My laundry hamper is one load shy of empty (wooo hooo!) and I got a jump on cleaning so if I keep this up I'll have a great week. My b-day is coming up but the day after is one of hubby's two work holiday parties, we use that night as our night out for my b-day. So that means I'm off to a store with the b-day money from Mama & Dad. (yippee!)

pssst....Dramamama. I promise to snap some pictures when I'm done decking the halls here. *smile*

Holiday spirit ~ short term post ~

Here are my outside decorations. In the light of day you can't see the multi-colored shrub nets I have on all 7 shrubs that run in front of the house but use your imagination. LOL.

This photo won't be up very long due to my paranoid concerns of undesirable lurkers out there. LOL. [Not those I've befriended, though.]

Mess, such a mess.

The holiday as passed but my kids have just one more day off from school. My son has learned the joy of being able to sleep in and is doing so as I type this. Good for him. My daughter is up and playing her gameboy and my house is a major wreck.

I can't stand when there is a cluster 'F' of stuff in every room and for some reason that happens when we are all home together. Is it because I don't pick up as often or as good? I don't know. All I know is it's time to break out the timer and do the five minute per room pick up. It works every time and I end up a smiling happy Angel.

The damn wreaths! *sigh* ~~ Revamped~~

So I put wreaths in all my front windows, including the one over the door in our two story foyer. But I put them on the outside of the windows or you wouldn't be able to see them. I have a neat system for my regular window ones but the one over the door is a sore spot between hubby and I.

Every year we fight putting it up. In the last 4 years we've lived in this house we have fought over it and 3 out of 4 times I have climbed the incredibly tall and wobbly ladder to put it up because he has said his solution is no wreaths. *sigh* So I tell him to bite me and I climb the ladder. Then I tell my parents who get pissed off. Wait until they hear that I had to hang it again this year. *double sigh*

In fairness to him he had just finished dropping something off at my parents and was on his way home when I phoned him and asked him to go back and get their ladder (which is taller than ours but never tall enough) and he did without even a grumble. He set up the ladder and even climbed it a few times but the top screw was too high for either of us to reach on that ladder. He was trying to figure out a frame system to hang it but daylight was burning and I suggested he come up with that for next year but in the meantime I had an idea. I told him what I thought and he said he couldn't do it so I climbed the ladder and did it. The deed is done for another year. I wonder if we'll argue again next year, I hope not.

I swear we will end up divorced over Christmas decorations. LOL. btw, I don't think that I was just joking. We've been married for 10-1/2 years and when we were first married we used to fight like cats and dogs over the lights and garland on the tree but we found a system and now we never fight over that anymore.

Also, it may sound like we argue all the time but we don't. Hubby's right, I don't cast him in a good light. He might bitch every year about the wreath but every year he's there trying to help me and in all fairness he's terrified of heights.

Anyway, I'll post a picture of my house later and you can tell me if it looks nice or not.

Time home with the whole fam damnly.

It has been a crazy busy time around here. With hubby home I haven't had a moment to blog. He went into the office this morning. His company/firm moved from one building in town to another (a new lease) and he has to have his office set up for Monday. My monkeys and I will be taking a drive downtown to see his new office. He needs my help hanging some things on the walls (he says he doesn't trust his crooked eye. LOL)

Yesterday we got our tree up and some outside decorations for Christmas set up. I washed some windows before putting the wreaths up but only got the first floor five windows done before hubby needed me for something. I suppose I know what I'm doing later today. *snicker*

I've been sleeping better but had a horrible dream last night. I hate that.

I must get more things done while hubby is away. I'm outy! *smile*

A date

I have a date with my treadmill tomorrow. I enjoyed eating and now I must pay. LOL.

Tomorrow we plan to take advantage of the warmer weather and put out our Christmas lights on the shrubs and the window wreaths. We have 11 front windows and I know I need to clean them too. *sigh*

But early I might venture out on 'Black Friday' for the first time ever. I have baking money I plan to put to good use. My son wants an air hockey table that I saw on special. I pray I wake up in time and then I pray I don't get trampled.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Now I'm comfy at home with my daughter monkey and the animals (dog and cat who fight like the proverbial cat and dog. *sigh*)

Hubby is due home early. His work is moving from one building to another this weekend and they're packing their offices today. He even got to wear jeans which is awesome for a guy who wears a suit and tie every day.

If I don't get a chance to say this later to the Americans that read this:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!

To those outside of the US that read this (and yes, Rachel Emma that includes you) I hope you have a great rest of the week. With hubby coming home early today plus dinner and family gatherings tomorrow I will probably not be able to blog until Friday or Saturday. I might still blog more today, we'll see. But I'm wishing you well. All of you!

Wooooo HOOOOOOO!

I'm done baking. For other people at least. I have a pumpkin pie to make for Thanksgiving but that's it.

And the sun is shining. Okay, it'd freezing out but the sun is shining. As long as I stay in my nice warm house I'll never know.

Oh, wait. I have a pumpkin tort to deliver to a neighbor. BBL

Fubar tort

I just completely fubared a tort. I can't believe it. I don't think my head has completely cleared. *sigh* Back to the baking board.

Accidental OD.

So last night I was just plain exhausted. A cough is trying to take over me. I fell asleep on the loveseat until hubby woke me to go to bed. Some time last night I took cough medicine that hubby suggested I take to stave off the cough. In the middle of the night (around 2am) I was coughing uncontrollably and so I stumbled down to the kitchen and took a dose of the cough medicine. I made my way back up to bed only to be woken at 4 am by my son who was complaining about his feet hurting. When he is in a growth spurt his feet really hurt him. So I gave him some Tylenol. But by the time I was finished and began to walk from his bedroom to mine (which are across the house from one another) I began to feel funny.

My head was spinning and I felt clammy and could barely stand right. I quickly made it to my bed huffing and trying to steady the spinning. Then my stomach entered the picture. I thought for sure I would be sick. Finally, when I couldn’t regain my composure I woke hubby and begged him to get me a cool wet washcloth. He did, but I was too far gone. Before hubby returned from the hall bathroom I was off like a flash to our bathroom. I was only dry heaving since I hadn’t eaten since dinner around 5pm the night before. I laid down on the bathroom floor with the cool washcloth that hubby brought me. I fell asleep there. When I woke, whenever, I crawled to my bed. Even that was too much for me.

By 7:15 am, I woke realizing that I didn’t feel any better. My son had to be awake around 7:25 to feed, dress and send off to school. Luckily hubby stayed home to watch my daughter for my interview so his mind was already ready to stay home. Even though it was rescheduled he was free to stay home and get my son ready. I couldn’t walk right, I felt my equilibrium was screwed up and my blood pressure plunged (we have a blood pressure machine here to monitor hubby.)

That was when I found out the cough medicine has Codeine in it. Not only that but I took the medicine too close together. I pretty much almost OD’d on Codeine. I’m still not 100% but I’m functional. Thank goodness the interview was already rescheduled and hubby was home.

My cough is almost non existent and I’m off to bake. I hope I keep feeling better. I dodged a bullet, seriously.

Soooo very very tired.

I just got done in the kitchen and I'm so very tired. I think I'm fighting off an illness. I've been tired from working in the kitchen all day before but this is much different. *sigh* At least it's almost bed time. Tomorrow is another day and I have my interview rescheduled. Which is fine with me. I'm not overly enthused about the interview, though. It's a good job I'm sure but not what I really really want. I wish the architectural firms would call.

Still, it could be worse. I just found out this morning that a friend/neighbor got laid off recently. His son and my son are very close. I feel so bad. I just hope he finds a new job quickly.

Well I'm off to lick my wounds and cuddle up to my heating pad. I'm outy.

Bulky Bulk Bulk and shots

So a month ago, in my infinite wisdom I scheduled my daughter a 'well checkup' for today. But I have a ton of sh*t to do. But I had to take her. She got a stick to the finger to test her hemoglobins and two vaccinations. Fun fun for her. (and mommy when you have to hold her immobile. It breaks my heart. *sigh*)

As a reward hubby suggested her favorite lunch, Burger King Chicken tenders. Of course! I have to sit in the long drive thru line and I have a ton of time! Right?

Plus I had to run to a store. I love buying in bulk and it suits me for my baking needs. Only the last time I went to the Bulky Bulk Bulk store (I don't know what I called it before but I like that name better) I forgot to get a sack'o flour. (25 lbs) *smacks forehead* and it's Thanksgiving week so ALL the stores are INSANE! We made it through and now I'm over an hour behind on my schedule.

So why am I blogging, you ask? I have no freakin' idea. I'm outy! Blog you later! :D

Team, tired and tomorrow

So my team pulled it out in the end and won. My team played hubby's team. (He swears he isn't a fan anymore and hasn't been a fan since the franchise was sold years ago.) I still wonder how a Steeler fan can be married to a Browns fan.

I got tons of baking done today but I'm exhausted and I think I'm catching something. My daughter has had this pretty nasty cough for the past week and a half. Luckily the illness that is going around here is just that: A cough for 2 weeks. Alas I'm beginning to come down with it. Hopefully it will hold off until my baking is done. *sigh*

I hope to get a chance to blog in tomorrow.

Apron update!

Thanks ladies for the compliments on the apron but just as George Washington said, "I can not tell a lie." That was an image I found on the internet. After my baking is done I'll post a picture of the apron my little sis made for me. The one I use is white and I used shirt paint and I painted one of my kid's hands with their favorite color. Then I made an imprint of their hand on the apron. I wrote "mommy's sweeties" I think, on it.

I'll post a picture of each later.

Dramamama I'm sure you can find an apron out there. I'll sew you one if you can't find one. Of course it will be something I'd do later. LOL. I'm busy enough.

I have made a ton of stuff and have kept to my stringent schedule. Hubby took pity on me and made dinner and plans to bathe the kids. I'm off to make a half dozen batches of chocolate mousse.

Darn it!

I had some complications with the darn template! I had a counter at the bottom that seemed to disappear. 20 minutes of adding it back, darn it! *sigh* Oh well, such is life, right?

I've half cleaned the kitchen, now for the floor and then.....I'm putting on the apron. Yep, I have an apron. How 50's of me. Wait, that's right! I even have a puffy chef's hat. Hee hee.

My little sister is crafty (she's a graphic designer and they tend to be creative people). She made me a red apron with bling on it. The bling formed my name. I have 'Angel' on an apron with bling. It's too cool. I don't wear it because I don't want to ruin it. I wear my other one. If I open a bakery I think I'll shadow box the apron. *smile*

Light posting....I think.

I anticipate the next four days to be light posting by yours truly. I plan to start the whole baking stuff today. First I must feed the monkey's lunch and then clean the kitchen like crazy. It must be clean before I start. Call me particular.

I hope the change to my template doesn't scare anyone away. I promise, it's still me. I just felt I needed to be light and bright. I have always said I'd rather be the sunshine rather than the rain and this new template suits me.

Blog ya later. Peace, I'm outy!

I know....HOLY CRAP!

I changed my blog template. I liked my old one but it was so dark. I needed light and fluffy. This is a bit odd having the stuff that used to be on the right, now on the left. I hope I'll get used to it or I might have to change it again. I'd hate to do that because the other one was like a second skin and this change is a weird one.

This also was a long process. I hate that. LOL. I'm off to drink some rum and coke. Have a great night!

Parrrrr ---ty!

My weekend thus far.

Fun with hubby.

Breakfast.

Fun with hubby. (sounds good so far, huh?)

Lunch.

Sit for 3 hours and pay bills. Oh yeah, that rocks, huh?

Now I am off to clean. And the fun continues. Wait! I'll throw doing some laundry in there! Woooooo hoooo! It's a regular party going on here!

Thank god I have two weekends of ACTUAL parties coming up. I need a nice evening out with adults. Cool thing is that they are paid by hubby's work, both of them. One is dinner, mock gambling and dancing. Love it. Free good food, free drinks. Woo hoo. The other one is dinner, mock game show, dancing. I need to go shopping. I need some tasteful sexy outfits.

'Where's hubby?' you ask. On the sofa. Yelling at the TV. Penn State is on TV. *sigh*

Oh yeah...Oh yeah..it's my birthday, it's my birthday!

Sorry I was shakin' it while I said that.

Well, it isn't by birthday....yet.

But.

I do know my b-day present is tickets to Nickelback. I love them. Did I mention that? Yes I did. Before.

I just ordered them, myself. For me, from hubby. He told me to. Yep. I do everything. LOL. Even order my b-day present. Right now I'm not caring. I'm going to see Nickelback live, which I hear is an awesome thing. *jumping up and down*

Weekend blogging

I love to blog. And I have a few blogging buddies. But most of those blogging buddies don't blog on the weekend like me. Wimps. *snicker* j/k.

I don't know if I have more than just three people who read this blog but if I do.... WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

Come on in, wipe your feet and take a seat. Stay awhile. I love the company. And by all means......comment, please. The more, the merrier.

Messin'... just plain funny

I have previously said that I love funny commercials. Love them! Last night I saw one that I have thought was funny for some time but it slipped into the recesses of my mind:

Messin' with Sasquatch (beef jerky commercials)

They are so stupid they're funny. I know, I'm weird. There is no quick link to the commercials. I'll paste the site link and just find the video camera to view them all. I love them all. Favorites? Hmmm.

#1 "Water bowl" When he appears out of no where? Hyst-erical!

#2 "Shaving Cream" Just plain funny. Okay when he pummels that guy that's funny too.

I am sooooooooo

I am so going to see Nickelback! They are coming to town in March! I am so so so excited!

I love them! Their music makes me so happy, hot, excited. Love it!

Tickets go on sale tomorrow and I am buying them. Yep. My b-day's coming up. I can use that as an excuse. Definitely.

Why....why, tell me why?

Why do I let hubby talk me into doing something I don't want to do? Why? *sigh*

Totally Awesome dude, I'm getting old. Wait. *sigh*

One of the radio stations here is playing all 80's music today. It's awsome! I ABSOLUTELY love 80's music.

Psssst. Angel. Watch out your age is showing. *sigh*

Oh yeah. I have a b-day coming up. I think Train Wreck does too, or did I miss it. Is it possible to skip a b-day? I like where I am. I don't wanna get older. Worse yet, hubby's 8 months younger than me and calls me his 'old lady'. *sigh* I hate that.

I'm still trying to figure out a most awesome b-day gift to give Lioux. Hmmm. Ponder ponder. An ash tray? No. Gum. No he has that. I know. Tacks for in his boots so he can clomp and click. TW would love that! LOL.

Worky, worky and other stuff

Boy did the temperature drop. And now we got Dramamama's wind. Thanks. thanks a lot.

But it's Friday. My kids started off the day pretty good and I have big plans for today. So much to do. Can I make myself do them? Only time will tell.

I have beds to undo, wash and remake. I have a dining room to pick up to prepare for my baking. My office looks like a tornado hit it and I haven't had breakfast.

*one hand* breakfast ~ *other hand* work

Hmmmmm.

Bettering my brain.

I know I'm busy.

I know I love it that way.

But I got to thinking lately that I have neglected my brain. Oh sure I read. But as good as erotic romance is for many things, it isn't always thought provoking.

So last night I researched and compiled a list of the top 100 classic books to read. I checked off the ones I have read and plan to start reading. Perhaps I will have them all checked off before I leave this rock.

Yes, another 'to do' list. LOL.

Sometimes happiness is simple

Happiness is finding the very last Butterfinger in the pit-o-chocolate when you REALLY REALLY want one.

The beginning of a weird day

An odd morning.

I've had an odd morning.

First off, hubby was home and we were irritating each other and bickering. No big surprise there. We do that far to often. Anyway, our SUV's lease is up very soon and we aren't planning on keeping it so we had the end of the lease preinspection done here at our house. When he showed up we were worried. I kid you not, the man's eyes were going in different directions and his glasses were like coke bottle bottoms. And he went over our car with a fine toothed comb marking the tiniest of scuffs. The vehicle is 5 years old, it will have the scuffs. I think we only have a few things to take care of. How much that will set us back is anyone's guess. I've never done this before.

So Mr. car guy left and the phone rang. It was the principal at my son's school. Great. *sigh* Apparently my son was involved in an incident on the bus yesterday afteroon and neglected to tell me. What is it with him and the bus? He had a substitute bus driver and two kids in front of him were being too loud. After asking them to quiet down twice and they ignored him he smacked one. He was pulled into the principals office and talked to. I bet he was terrified. He wants to please everyone. Before I have a talk with him I think I'll hug him. He's probably worrying all day that I'm going to yell at him. Too much stress for a 6 year old. (Again, Dramamama, keep them young if you can. *double sigh*)

Then hubby leaves and I get my daughter and she is pouting. She explains why. We talk. *triple sigh*

I get another order for a tort. Wow.

Then I get a phone call for an interview. At National X Home Improvement Store. I hope it's for the Kitchen Design Department. I love those stores. I know I meationed that. It's different working there, I worked in the competitor for a spell.

Weird day so far. And I really must stop checking email. Really.