The "talk"....

Well, it finally happened. I had been hoping for at least one more year, but no, she finally asked. Wee one was sitting with me on the bed last night and said, "Mom, how does the baby actually get inside you?" I was caught off guard for a moment....however, quickly recovered and turned the question back to her. "How do you think they get inside?" She smiled and made a kissy-face....with tongue. Oh man....

I asked her what she was doing and she said, "It's called a French Kiss mom," like I should have known. I said, "Where did you hear about that?" and she got all sheepish. I asked if she and her friends talked about it at school and she giggled and said yes. Then she gets serious and says, "Is that how the French really kiss?" Stifling a giggle myself, I told her no, well, maybe they do, but so do Americans and everyone else. It's just called a French kiss. I thought since we had veered from the original subject I had dodged a bullet. I should have known with my sharp witted little wee one, that was not the case. 

Again I asked her how she thought they got inside and this was her explanation. "Well, when you French kiss, the bacteria gets into your mouth and down inside, and it goes to the egg. You know, like on the beginning of that movie where all the squiggly things are swimming?" I had to think a minute, and then realized she was talking about the beginning of "Look Who's Talking," where they show the sperm (Bruce Willis' voice) talking and racing toward the egg. This time I did laugh, and explained about a woman's ovaries, uterus, egg, sperm, etc. Of course I didn't mention how the sperm actually got there, I figured she didn't need to know that. However....she asked me point blank, "So, when you kiss a boy it gets in there?"

At this point I decided not to lie and to tell her the truth....in a kid friendly way, of course. Dr. Phil says if they are legitimately asking, then you need to answerhonestly. I began by saying that two people who love each other and are MARRIED want to show their love by being together. They kiss and hug, like mommy and daddy do, and yadda, yadda, yadda.... Of course, once I got to the physical aspect of it, I had to tell her that it was not through kissing but, "Ummm, well, uh, ::clears throat::, lower." She starts laughing and says, "Oh right mom, like the wiener," and then she laughs hysterically. I look at her and say, "Yes, honey." I would have loved to have taken a picture of her face at that moment. Her eyes got huge and she just looked at me. "WHAT?" I managed to eek out the rest of the story, being sure to mention that sex is a gift from God, that it was meant to show love between a husband and wife. I said this was also the way women become pregnant. The parents love would create a child that would be loved with all their hearts. She though a moment about that, then turned to me and said, "Are you sure God wants us to do that?!" LOL. I have to admit, I laughed at that one.  Of course, after a few minutes, the horrible truth hit her and she said to me, "Oh my gosh. That means, you and dad?!"

I played that part down....wayyyyy down, and she was okay. You know, you have kids, they become toddlers, elementary age, then *bam*, they are learning more than you ever thought they would. I don't remember ever having "the talk" with my mom. I think I just learned it from friends. However, I do remember in 7th grade, a friend of mine who's mother had died, asked me the same thing wee one did. She thought you got pregnant from kissing. I laughed at the time, and was immediately sorry because I could see that she was hurt and embarrassed. I didn't want that to happen to wee one. It was obviously the time to tell her, and I think our talk went really well.

Apparently she had been thinking about it after we had talked because this morning as I was brading her hair, she asked me, "How long does it take to get pregnant." I wasn't sure how to answer. I said that it could happen right away or it could take months. She said, "NO. I mean when you have sex, how long does it last?" Oh man....how do I explain this one? Before I could answer she said, "It probably takes an hour or so, huh?" Thank goodness it was time to leave for school....I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth about that one! LOL....

Talking to myself....

You want to know what one of my biggest pet peeves is? It's when people are shopping and talking on their cellphone, but using the earpiece. I can't tell you how many times I have walked past someone, heard them ask a question, then turn and say, "Pardon?" only to get an annoyed look as they continue on with their conversation. I make it a point never to do that....until yesterday.

I had sent my sister some information via e-mail and hadn't heard back from her. When she finally called, I was just getting ready to walk into Wal-Mart. Normally I would have sat in the car and talked, waiting to go in until I had finished. But I was hurrying to get home before the girls were out of school....so I broke my own rule and put the earpiece in as I grabbed a basket. Now, I don't know about you, but I can't talk and shop at the same time. I need all of my attention when I'm trying to decide which toilet paper is the softest, or which scent of fabric refresher I'm in the mood for. So I decided to head off to the department I needed to go to, which was the furthest from the door, figuring I'd be off the phone by then.

As I was turning the corner down the sewing machine aisle, I noticed an elderly woman fiddling with a sewing machine. It was apparent that she had taken a piece off of it and could not get it back on properly. Just then my sister said something funny and I said in a loud voice, "Oh My Gosh! That is just CRAZY!" The little old lady turned around and looked at me and said, "Well, I suppose I do look a little crazy, trying to get this thing back on."

I felt like an idiot! I immediatley dug through my purse, looking for my phone and held it up saying, "Oh, I'm not talking to you! I'm on the phone! See????" Of course, my sister heard the entire thing and is laughing hysterically in my ear. I'm not quite sure the lady believed me, or perhaps she was not accustomed to using a cell phone, not to mention the accessories....but she did smile. I apologized....several times....and hauled butt around the corner. Sheesh. Next time I will do my talking in the car!

Since the girls were off today, wee one had two of her little friends spend the night....oh the horrors! They were very good....but very wild. They did go to bed at a decent hour, but they were up rather early....having breakfast in the tree house. Of course, they decided to dump any leftover waffles, toaster strudel, cereal or juice on the ground with the assumption that London would eat it. Which she did....and I couldn't get her to come back into the house for anything!

I took Betsy to the doctor yesterday for her leg pain. She's been really suffering with it lately, and the lifting at work plus the heavy backpack from school hasn't been helping. They took x-rays and her spine is slightly curved at the base, and her hips are not aligned. The doctor said that this is most likely irritating the nerve endings, causing the pain. She is scheduled for 4 weeks of physical therapy, and has a new medication for the pain. I hope that it works because I just hate to see her suffer with this. She didn't see any arthritis or disk problems though, which we are very thankful for.

Tonight we went out to dinner and then to Michael's. Wee one wanted to get valentines to make for her class. She was disappointed that they didn't have the ones they had last year....the little cut out, foamy bears that you would glue together. She got hearts instead. They are really cute....they look just like the candy conversation hearts. I got two really cute prints and frames for them to go into. JB got a photo album for his car pictures. He says he is going to organize his dresser drawers....which contain more pictures than, well, drawers....lol.

Okay, it's late and I'm tired. Peace out!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

I'm sitting here listening to my husband going through what I deal with every day by myself, "Stop it London. No bite! I'm going to tell your mom on you!" He just called me to come in there and stop the dog from nipping at him. Well, I'm not going....he can deal with it on his OWN. I'm still recouperating from the nasty bite mark on my ankle. She would NOT leave me alone today! All she wanted to do was play, and when I told her no....she would run behind me and grab my calves, sliding down to the ankle and biting like a mad dog. LOL. Then she would ram her head into the back of my knee, causing it to give out and I'd stumble across the room. I tell ya, if I break another elbow because of a dog....Now she is in here with me, looking up with those innocent little eyes saying, "I'm a good girl mommy! Pet me! Love me!" LOL....

This week has gone by achingly slow, hasn't it? I feel like it should be Friday. Today was an "early release day" and they are off on Friday....another "unused hurricane day".  No wonder foreign countries are so far ahead of our kids academically. This is ridiculous! Soon it will be spring break and then out for the summer. Of course, it feels like summer now. I told John yesterday, as we turned the a/c on in the house, that it sure doesn't feel like January. Right now it looks like fall outside. The leaves are falling from the trees and everyone needs to rake. Weird.

JB and I went to the grocery store alone this evening. Wee one is at church with her friend, and Betsy was working, so we decided to go to the cell phone store (he broke his holder AGAIN), and then to Winn Dixie. I went in and got everything I needed....except for the eggs. I am completely out of eggs and that was the one thing I wanted to be sure to get. And I will tell you why I forgot. JB has been whining and complaining that he was out of coffee creamer. Whine, whine, whine. "It just makes the coffee taste better." he says. "You can't go back to plain milk after using it!" So, as I'm walking down the paper towel aisle, I remember the creamer and begin my mantra, "Remember the creamer, remember the creamer, remember the creamer....", which is right next to the eggs. I pick up the small container and he is looking at the big container....so then I pick up the big container and I'm looking for the expiration date. I get sidetracked and whizz right past the eggs. So, now Mr. "I can't drink coffee without my creamer" will get a smooth, creamy cup of coffee with his breakfast of toast, bacon and NO EGGS....kinda serves him right, doesn't it?

How not to make a smoothie....

Today I've started my "healthy lifestyle change". What does that entail? Cutting out 90% of my sugar, incorporating more fruits and vegetables, and daily exercise. I've done really well....I just came in from walking the dog and decided to make a smoothie. I put my frozen blueberries in the blender, along with my carefully measured 1/2 cup of fat free yogurt, 1/2 cup light white grape juice, and 1/2 banana. I hit the "liquefy" button and waited. It would whirrrrr for a moment, then stop, due to the frozen blueberries. I would start it, stop it, stir it, restart....over and over and over. To be honest, I knew this would happen....it happens every time I make one. However, I was hot and thirsty and getting rather impatient. So what did my brilliant little mind decide to do? Of course....why not gently push the blueberries down with my spoon whilst the blender was on?

I did good for about, oh, 5 seconds before the blade hit the spoon. Both London and I stood there in shock as the half defrosted, blueberry goop spit out of the blender and sprayed all over the counter, the floor and me. I turned the blender off and just stood there, as smoothie dripped out of my hair onto my pretty lemon-yellow shirt....it was a sight to see I'm sure. I went into the bathroom to survey the damage and I looked like I had just been in a fist fight....the blueberry smoothie was all over me and it looked like I had bruises on my arms, neck and....well, let's just say I now have my own personal "blue ridge mountains" sitting on my chest!  I took off my shirt and put it in the washer, then washed my arms and neck, and rinsed out my hair.

I went back into the kitchen and was greeted with a clean floor, thanks to London and her penchant for blueberries....however, the counter top, cabinets and sink are covered with smoothie. I suppose I could look at this as a positive experience. I mean, I did get double the exercise, having to scrub my kitchen surfaces. And isn't there some recipe for using bananas on your hair for conditioning? Of course, my skin is still stained a lovely purple. Maybe I could convince JBthat I fell on my walk, while trying to become a healthier wife for him and he will take pity on me with, oh, say a nice  diamond wedding band? Hmmmm, this diet thing may not be so bad after all!

 

**No pictures of this event were taken....and I wouldn't have posted them anyway! LOL** (Sorry Marian!  )

 

An evening in St. Augustine....

Well, the weather has been perfect today. It hit somewhere around 79, the sun was shining and a gentle breeze was blowing. Since both girls had things to do, JB and I took off for an evening in St. Augustine. We should have known better than to try going downtown at 5:00 on the first really nice weekend of the year....but, we did it anyway.

It took us 25 minutes to get there, only to be slowed down by a driver who apparently hadn't read the manual to his new car, an accident that had the main drag backed up to the highway, and about 1,000 other people who had the same idea that we did; enjoying a nice evening out. JB was crafty enough to sneak down a side street, and once again we were off, flying down the highway to the lesser known entrance to the city. Seems, however, that other's had gotten the idea as well, and we were stuck in the turning lane for three freaking lights. I was getting po'ed by this time, especially since JB had sped past a turn that would have bypassed the light. I was tapping my fingers on the door, sighing heavily, and saying that we would "use an entire tank of gas" sitting there. He ignored me....which of course made me even madder....and we finally got through the light, only to be stuck in another line of traffic. He asked what I thought we should do and I said, rather rudely, "Just turn here and we will come up the other street....I don't care!" Now, this is where God decided to teach me a little lesson in patience. The second we turned, a car pulled out and we got PRIME parking. John flicked on his signals and whipped that truck right into the space. I know what he was thinking. I know what he wanted to say to me. "Darling, had I turned when you wanted me to, or stayed in the line where the accident was, we never would have gotten this space." However, he did not say that....he just walked around all evening with a silly smirk on his face, commenting on how it was soooo crowded and man did we get a good parking spot. Yeah, yeah....I get it. I was wrong to be impatient. Sheesh! LOL. I suppose I need to work on that issue....

Anyway....as you can see from the above pics, we had dinner in the cutest little pub! I was so excited to find it. I wasn't sure exactly where it was, but wee one and my aunt had eaten there a few weeks ago and said it was really good. They were right! Of course, I had to embarrass JB by taking pictures of dinner, menu's, condiments and the like. But hey, isn't that what life is about? Having fun with the ones you love....and we did have fun. After dinner we walked at least 4 or 5 miles, all around the town, along the water, around the fort, then back to St. George Street and on to Killwins for some fudge (to take home) and ice cream cones. They have the best waffle cones! He had some sort of pecan praline, and I had my usual, chocolate peanutbutter. We only have their ice cream probably twice a year, but it is very good. After getting our cones, we strolled along and enjoyed the lights. It really was gorgeous....the pics don't do it justice.

We headed back to the car and JB started whining....I asked him what his problem was and he said, "It's just that it's such a good spot....I hate to leave it!" Are all men like this when they find a good parking spot? We made our way to the car and got situated....and I'm waiting and waiting....and he isn't turning the car on. I look at him and he says, "But it's a GOOD SPOT!!!!" Lord, help me!

Eventually we made it home....before 8! I tell ya, we are such wild people. I called my mom and she was like, "It's not even 8 and you are home????" LOL....

So now, here I sit, writing this....and he is in the living room, relaxing in front of the tv. Betsy got home from work and is eating her Chinese food, and London is laying next to me, chewing up a piece of paper....wee one is at her slumber party and the JBCoupe household is calling it a night....

Lawn care, vet visits and other unimportant stuff....

Today was London's last "puppy shot" visit to the vet. She did really well....she weighs 25 lbs. now....up 5 lbs. from her last visit. (Of course, mommy probably is too, but I'll talk about that later....). She is such a good girl at the vet's office, and everyone loves her. Today she sat on my lap with her front paws around my neck. It reminded me of when I took the girls to the doctor when they were toddlers! Both the doctor and the vet said to her, "You do realize that pretty soon you will be too big to sit on mommy's lap, don't you?" LOL. While I was paying the vet brought out her blind kitten and she and London ran up and down the halls, chasing each other and playing. It was so sweet! I reall think London needs a playmate. I've been perusing the Golden Retriever rescue organization in our town....

I bought some One a Day Weight Smart vitamins. I figured since I wanted to start taking a multi vitamin, I might as well take one that could possible jump start my metabolism. JB and I have been walking 2 miles each night, so maybe with this little boost I'll feel and look better. Anyone ever tried them? Success? Fail? Good? Bad? Reviews are welcome....

I am so mad at our lawn service. Last year we signed up for one year's service. I got a print out of all the applications, and how much they would be. We finished with them and I received a notice that said we had until March if we wanted a special price. Soooo, yesterday the guy comes and sprays the lawn. I didn't know why, and when I saw the statement in my door, it said we owed money....huh? I called and this is what they tell me....we are on a revolving account and that they continue service until we tell them to stop. Ummmm, WTF? I told her we were NEVER told that, we NEVER agreed to that, and why weren't we called and asked if we wanted to continue? I asked her where in the contract does it state this, and she said that it is a "verbal" contract. I told her we were not "verbally" told this. I called the national number and they said the same thing. I asked where it was exactly in the contract and he said he couldn't tell me, but he would transfer me to my local dealer. I told him nevermind, I had already experienced their run-around and I wasn't interested. So....do I owe or not? I have NOTHING in writing that says we had to call and cancel. I have a printed out schedule that says exactly what they were going to do and that these specific things were paid for. I am beyond pissed. So I said that I wanted to cancel my service and she asks me "Why?" in an annoying voice. I wish I could have said what I wanted to....but I'm trying to be more Christian....

I can't believe it's Friday again. It seems as though time is just flying. I have shorts on today. SHORTS! In January. So weird. But I was hot. It is nice outside....like that first day of spring when everything smells fresh and clean....

Okay, I'm off to mop the kitchen floor before the crew starts coming in. Later....

I forgot to put in a subject....

THU    FRI   SAT

66°F   75°F  78°F   What is happening to me? It's cold outside....yet my thermometer reads 48 degrees. That was a heatwave in Indiana this time of year! I wouldn't walk outside with the dogthis morning because I was cold....and of course she wouldn't go out without me....so I ended up taking her out, then getting into a hot shower for 15 minutes. I'm losing it folks....I might as well admit that my blood has thinned, I'm getting used to the heat, and according to the forecast, Saturday will be a great day to go to the beach to soak up some sun. Sigh....I feel so defeated. My northern ancestors are shaking their heads in shame....

In other news....I finished my ironing last night. I spent two hours on it but I was working on it in front of the tv so I wasn't bored. I watched All My Children, which I had missed during the day whilst at the pizza party. Which, by the way, went well. The kids were happy with their pizza and chicken wings and my cupcakes were a hit. The other mom and I walked in just as they were grading a test....on which wee one scored 100%! It was a 13 colonies test where they were given a map of the east coast and they were to fill in the blanks with the correct states. We had made up a....oh man, what do you call that when you use the first letter of each word to help you remember something????....anyway, we did that and she remembered it perfectly.  She looked over at meand wrote an "A+" in the air, to let me know....lol.

Not much else going on here. I am out of my "annoyed funk" today. Well, as of 10:45 am I'm still out of it....we will just have to see how the rest of the day goes. I noticed that a lot of people here in j-land seem to be in the same state of mind. Must be the time of year.

I have to go re-windex all of my mirrored and glass surfaces. I don't know what happened, but last night I started noticing streaks on everything I cleaned yesterday. I hate when that happens. Perhaps some Pledge got on my paper towels and caused the problem. In any case, I could see the streaks on my sliding glass door, bathroom mirror and computer monitor. Oh, and the tv in my room. I'm almost out of paper towel too. Betsy told me that there is one brand that I buy that tends to streak....of course I dont' remember if it is Bounty or Brawny. I can't imagine my studly Brawny guy would streak on me....hmmmm, that came out wrong....but what a mental picture! LOL....

What-the-freak-ever....

Have you ever had one of those mornings where you wake up annoyed? Welcome to my day....

Nothing has particularly set me off, however, as the day goes on I find myself more and more irritated. Things that top my list are as follows:

1. Everything.

I'm sorry, I just can't narrow it down right now.

Anyway....

I'm trying to eat "healthier". I know, I know....I try every year around this time and end up a huge (no pun intended) failure. I think that is part of my general disenchantment with the world today. I'm mad at myself for letting things get too far, and I'm mad that I now have to do something about it. It's pure and utter laziness on my part....and I readily admit that. I need to be walking every day, and now I have a great excuse to go....London. She loves going for walks. But it seems that every time I decide I will go, I find something that "has" to be done before I can do it. What did I do this morning to push back the walk? I cleaned out my junk drawer. Now, that did not need to be done immediately, no one even sees what's in there. But for some reason I had to do it. See? Laziness, pure and simple. Sigh.

I have had a productive morning thus far. I've cleaned the house, vacuumed, mopped, made a fruity smoothie, and am in the process of doing laundry. Now I need to get ready to go to school for the "A-B honor roll party". When report cards come out, those who make the A-B honor roll get a pizza party. I made cupcakes with sprinkles last night, and wee one helped. I have 2 hours until I have to go, which leaves plenty of time for me to get fixed up and do some of the sewing I put off yesterday.

Why did I put off the sewing yesterday? Because when I checked my journal in the morning, I noticed that my counter had been reset to 0000001. Gee, thanks AOL. You would think with the ads at the top, they would have enough money to pay competent techies to keep things like that from happening. I noticed that a lot of people out there lost their journal count....so, I followed the explicit instructions on how to fix it....five freaking times....and it wouldn't work. So I reinstalled my site meter counter....which of course I had to reset a hundred times before it worked properly. Is there some kind of web troll running around, messing with things lately? Sheesh.

When I was cleaning out the junk drawer, I found a baggie in which I had saved an almost full cartridge for those electric air fresheners. However, it had spilled out of the baggie and I didn't notice until my hands were covered with apple cinnamon scented oil. While I was upset that it spilled....the lingering scent on my hands smells really nice. So, I suppose that is one good thing that has happened today.

Okay, enough complaining and whining. I'm going to go take the clothes out of the dryer and fold them. That should cheer me up....

 

 

Delightful dinners and other things....

Last night I was going to make my famous beef sandwiches. They are very simple....put your roast in a crock pot, add a jar of sliced pepperonicci, and let it simmer all day. Serve on a bun with mozzarella cheese. I love the way your lips burn a bit after a few bites....however....since hubby dear called and said that he was having "stomach issues", I decided the flaming sandwiches would not be a good idea and instead, decided to make a milder, yet comforting meal of hot turkey sandwiches....complete with homemade mashed potatoes, seasoned green beans and cranberry sauce. I bought sliced roasted turkey from the deli (none of that fake, who-knows-what-parts-are-in-here packaged meat for my family, no siree) and fresh potato bread, which everyone here loves.

Within no time I had whipped up my "yukon gold" potatoes into mouth watering mounds of culinary ecstasy (okay, maybe that was a bit over the top....they were really good, how's that?), and toasted the bread just so....I plated my masterpiece and presented them to my children who, only moments before, had whined about how hungry they were and just when was dinner to be ready?

As I was turning from the oven I looked over and saw Betsy with a strange look on her face, holding her gravy soaked sandwich, obviously trying to figure out what to do with it. I said, "Betsy, what are you doing?" to which she replied in an annoyed tone, "I'm trying to eat this thing but you covered it with gravy and mashed potatoes....what a mess!" I took one look at John and we both started cracking up. I couldn't help it! There sat my 17 year old, academically gifted child with a blue plate special sandwich in her hand and no idea how to eat it! Through my laughter and consequent tears I said, "Betsy, you eat it with a knife and fork....it's not a sandwich you pick up". She looks at me like I'm nuts which of course sends her father over the top, as he is now choking on said sandwich. It was priceless. I then explained the concept of the "hot turkey sandwich", and she then got it. She said, "Mom, you KNOW I hate when my food touches. Why would you think I would eat this?"  Finally she started laughing along with us, and conceded to being the subject of our teasing all evening.

I don't know why we found this so funny. I guess it was because she looked so innocent when she was trying to figure out what she was supposed to do with her dinner. She reminded me of when she was little....I don't get many moments like that with her any more. She is such a smart girl that when something like this happens, it tickles me. Wee one on the other hand knew just what to do, and didn't miss a beat with her knife and fork as she watched her sister. She said that the dinner was "awesome"....and I have to say it was. The cranberry sauce was really good too. Even though it wasn't homemade, I mixed a can of the whole berry stuff with a container of cranberry-raspberry sauce. Delicious! I'm a cranberry fanatic. I need to get some cherry pie filling to make a cran/cherry pie with the leftovers....good stuff!

Yesterday I was washing London's bedding and guess what I found? The missing tooth! I don't actually think that it was the one that John dropped (lol), but one that came out while she was chewing a bone in her crate. I saved it, along side the tooth wee one had pulled on Wednesday. I remember saving one of Percy's baby teeth, however, it was lost a long time ago.

I did my grocery shopping yesterday and actually went to three stores to get the best deals. I haven't done that in ages. I started at WalMart for the snacks and cereal, went on to Publix for tea and dairy, then moved on to Winn Dixie for the rest. I did get a lot for the money, and I planned it so that I didn't have to drive all around. It was a straight shot down the road. Gas prices are creeping their way back up so I'm back to watching how far I go+9-*. 88888888888 <----London's contribution to my entry....she just stood up here to check out my breakfast. She was disappointed however when she saw it was cheddar cheese rice cakes and orange juice....

Okay, I've sat here long enough and it's time to get going. I have lots of sitting, I mean sewing to do today!

****The picture at the top is not of our dinner....just one I found on the web. I'm thinking Betsy would not have tried to pick that up! LOL

 

Sunday ramblings....

I thought I'd put in a few pics that my mom had brought over the other day. She has been going through things and thought I would like these. I can remember being in my mom and dad's bed....there is nothing like your parents bed. For some reason, it's always so much more comfortable and cozy than your own. The pic of Betsy when she was five, shows just how much wee one looked like her at that age. I had to think for a moment to remember which one of the girls it was! They had the same hair, same smile, same big, blue eyes....how I miss those days. Seeing my dad so happy in those pics makes me wish I could just pick up the phone and call, and hear his voice one more time. We wouldn't talk for long, he would always ask how I was and then say, "Would you like to talk to your mother?" LOL....and of course I had to throw one in of me, in all my cooking glory. I remember that Christmas specifically because I woke up in the middle of the night and saw that Santa had left a Winnie the Pooh slipper holder on my bed. I went running out of my room and my dad caught me before I hit the living room. I remember hearing my grandfather's voice and asked why he was there. I don't remember the answer, but somehow dad got me back to bed and when I woke up that morning, I had my very own plastic/cardboard kitchen set....complete with sink, fridge, pots, and plastic food! I was so excited. I also got that Winnie the Pooh red plastic tent in the background. My sisters and I spent hours in that thing....I still remember the smell....vinyl, mmmmmm....

Anyway....

Friday night was very nice. However, about an hour before we left I got dizzy, nauseous, just plain yuck. My head was stuffy and I had pressure in my eyes. I was getting Betsy's virus. When we got to the restaurant, I actually considered calling my friend and cancelling, but decided against it. We went in and I had some ginger ale which helped greatly. The guys hit it off well, and even talked a bit on their own whilst Kim and I jabbered away about the kids. It really was nice to be out with adults! LOL....we are planning on going out again, and perhaps this time we will take the kids.

Saturday I spent in bed until 1:30....I felt horrible. Of course, after laying there for so long I couldn't stand it anymore, so I steam cleaned the living room and computer room, and organized all of my sewing, craft and desk things. It did make me feel better! Today I have felt 50/50....we went to church this morning, and then to the mall afterward. It was a nice trip until we got there. We started with Betsy being sarcastic and smarmy....but she soon straightened up and just as we began to have a good time, wee one started in. By the time we were ready to go wee one was crying (she said I didn't like anything she picked out at the shoe store....which happened to be turquoise glitter heels!) and that she never wanted to go to the mall again because all we do is fight when we are there. Oh the drama!  She is not a shopper and would rather have me pick out all her clothes. Which would be fine if she would wear them!

She is one of those kids who has to have the "line" in her sock (I think she means seam) perfectly even across her toes or she will take her shoes off to fix them, even though we are 2 minutes from school and she needs to hurry up. Buttons can not pinch, zippers must be pulled to the correct height, and let's not even get into her complaints about bras! ("I don't like bras....why do I have to grow?" LOL) Oh how I long for the days when I could buy the short set in disney characters that she would put on without question and run off to play....

All was well, however, when we came home. Betsy went out for the evening, and wee one played Toon Town until I kicked her off at 10. I know, I know....kinda late to be playing her game....but she was playing with a friend from school, and I needed her occupied whilst I was watching DH and cleaning out the fridge/freezer, getting ready for grocery shopping.

Right now, I'm exhausted and need to get to bed. Thank goodness the girls have tomorrow off. I only wish JB did too. That stinks. Oh yes! London lost her two front teeth, along with one of the bottom ones today. I actually found one on the floor, and handed it to John so he could see it. One of two things then happened. He either a. dropped it or b. I missed his hand while giving it to him. A pretty good argument ensued, as my choice was answer "a" and his was "b". Being the loving wife I am, I conceded and agreed it was "b"....but we all know what the real answer is....

I've got no mail!!!!

Is anyone else not receiving alerts? I have had no mail today....well, except the usual crap from spammers....

John's wedding band was finally ready yesterday, after three weeks of waiting. We had his father's and my father's rings melted down to make a new band for JB. They weren't exactly what color it would turn out to be, as his dad had white gold and mine had yellow gold....but as you can see it turned out beautifully. They actually added a bit more of the white gold, so it has more of a "silver" look to it. I was so excited when I saw it....it was just as I had imagined it would be. His old ring was very thin and very cheap....we were young and broke when we bought the set! He said that his hand felt heavy wearing this new one....lol. I said that it really looks like he's married now.

Wee one had her friend spend the night last night and they have been playing all day. The little girls across the street have been over, ringing the bell every 20 minutes or so to see if they can play. Of course, wee one and her friend are the oldest on the street (4th and 5th grade), and the other girls are in 2nd, so they don't really want to play with them. After about the 50th ring, the girls decided that they would go out and play for 20 minutes. They were so funny....they said, "We told them we could play for 20 minutes and that was it!" Then they rolled their eyes and went outside. LOL. Yeah, it's tough being the "older, more mature" girls on the block.

Betsy ended up working an hour longer than she was supposed to, but it was with the manager. This woman likes Betsy a lot and thinks she is responsible and mature, which is going to mean more hours for Bets. She was very happy about that. She likes working there, and now that there are new owners, things are much better. Bets called me while she was at work, to tell me that some British people came in....lol. She said it was so cool to hear them talk. I know, I'm nuts, and I'm causing my kids to be on "Brit-alert"!

Tonight JB and I are going out with some friends to dinner. I have been friends with this woman since last year, as we were room mothers together. Tonight will be the official "meeting of the husbands". I am a bit nervous about it, as my hub and her's are a lot alike....very reserved and quiet. Of course, she and I talk for two hours at least every time we are on the phone, so that should make up for any silence at the table. I hope that we all mesh well....we don't have any real "couple" friends and it would be nice to have some.

Okay, time to go get the hair done, refresh the makeup and enjoy my "date night"....I'll report back later! (Of course, that report won't mean squat if alerts are down!)

Just the place to lay your head....

As you can see by the pictures, London has abandoned her "den" for the more comfortable and less confining space on the floor next to our bed. After replacing the comforter, I decided to give London the old one, being that it smelled like her mommy (and you just know it's a sweet, refreshing fragrance....). I thought it would be a great napping spot for her during the day. She naps there anyway, laying on the Homer slippers, usually with her snout inside the opening....and I figured adding the comforter would make it that much more cozy. I was right. It is now so inviting that she doesn't even glance at her cage when I give her the "night night" verbal command! She walks right past it and curls up in a little ball on her blankie.

This has worried me, because although she seems to be 99.9% house trained, I didn't want her to get up in the middle of the night and potty. However, she sleeps soundly all night long....if she does move, it's just to the footstool that is next to wee one on the couch (which is where she usually ends up every night....also rebelling against her den!), where she cuddles up next to her and snores until JB's alarm goes off. I'm leaving the cage up though, and putting her in 1/2 hour a day, to keep her used to it for when I have to run errands, or if we are all gone to church, etc. I certainly don't trust her to be alone yet!  As a matter of fact, she is chewing on my computer chair as we speak. That is the only thing I have to keep her away from. You would think the harvest table would provide her with a tastier chew....but she isn't into it....thank goodness! I should put some tobasco sauce on the chair so she won't bite.

I was trying to clean the bathroom this morning. I had a burst of energy and got the Pine Sol water and a bucket, and began washing baseboards, behind the toilet, walls, etc. Of course I had to fight London the entire time. Apparently the smell of Pine Sol to a dog is like catnip to a cat....she went berserk! She was trying to lick my hand, bite the rag....I kept moving her back and when I would block her, she would bite my ankles. Finally I pushed her out the door and shut it, only to have her scratch and whine to get in. I finally opened the door and continued on with my cleaning. Prettysoon I felt something on my leg....she brought me her ball. I guess that was her way of saying, "Enough with the cleaning, woman....let's play!" LOL. She is so funny. I did stop and play for a while....even took her outside.

Which leads me to the next problem....the cat neighbors. The other night when wee one took her out, she counted 11 cats in our backyard. I've mentioned it before I know....they are all ferrel and have just had two new litters. They used my backyard as a bathroom, and London tends to "sample" their droppings. I'm going to have to report them again. None of the cats are tagged, vaccinated or spayed/neutered. They are all nasty and flea ridden as well. The vet already told me that London will have to be on the strongest heartworm medication because the parasites that are undoubtedly in the cat "droppings" could be transferred to her. I'm at my wits end with these people. Every time we call, they close the garage door, stop feeding and then the cats dispurse. But in about 2 months, they start all over. It's maddening when you try to keep a nice home and yard and irresponsible pet owners ruin it.

Anyway....I need to finish my cleaning. I'm doing my Friday cleaning on Thursday because the girls are out of school tomorrow, and I have to babysit all day. That means no cleaning for me! Of course, I should be able to get a ton of sewing done which will be nice. I finished half a load last night. It is a gorgeous day today....we are supposed to reach 77 this afternoon! It's so nice to have the windows open and the fresh scent of spring in the air. Of course the two weeks of green pollen hell will be here soon, and the windows will be closed once again. We are getting a cold front though, so we will be back into the high 50's tomorrow. Winter is returning....better get out my snow suit! LOL....

Have a good one!

Mmmmm, pancakes....

Mmmmm, how about some pancakes with your syrup? That is what my dh John usually says whilst watching me drown my flapjacks in rivers of Mrs. Butterworth's. I can't help it....I'm a fan of the breakfast cake. I had a craving for them yesterday, however decided to wait until today to make them. I put mini chocolate chips in them and they were gooooood. I just finished them....and of course London finished hers. I made one from that last scoop of batter that is never enough for a full pancake, and has no chocolate chips in them. And guess what? She loved it....lol. Of course she did....she's just like her mommy. (no syrup for her though)

Anyhoo....Betsy is back to school today, although she did not want to go. She is still feeling queezy, but she has physics now and can't miss the class. She sent me a text saying that her stomach hurt....which I'm sure I was supposed to reply with an  "Oh honey, mommy will be right there to pick you up!", lol. However, I didn't reply....and I haven't heard from her since.

Wee one went to school a bit peeved with me as well. Her safety patrol group is going to Washington D.C. at the end of the year, and I said she couldn't go. The trip is not school sponsored, and there is no teacher involvement. The parents are given the information, and if a committee is set up, kids want to go, etc., then the trip will be scheduled. Every year a few parents do set things up and the kids go....but I just don't feel like she needs to be doing this in 5th grade. They ride busses for 8 hours, then immediately get off them and begin sight seeing, without stopping at the hotel to rest. Most of the kids are sent without their parents....which I think is crazy at this age! And if you are a parent that goes, that means you are responsible for your child, and whomever is placed in your group. Now, I have no problem with this if it's a trip to the museum or zoo....but D.C.? No thanks. I tried to explain this to her rationally, but she was not having any of it. And her biggest complaint was that they are going to Busch Gardens and she won't get to go. I told her we will take her to the one here in Florida and she says, "Yeah, well we lived here 3 years before you took us to Disney!" LOLOL....okay, she got me on that one. I did okay the two trips that are school sponsored and planned for the end of the year, so she was happy with that.

I gave London a bath yesterday and she is so fluffy and clean! I just love it when she is freshly washed and smells like baby powder. It's so easy to give her a bath, it amazes me. Percy loved baths when he was well, but when he started getting sick it was so hard to get him into the tub and manuvering him around, poor guy. London doesn't particularly like baths....she tries to escape when I'm putting the shampoo on her....but I always manage to catch her and keep her in place. I have also learned not to get dressed for the day before bath time! You would think I would have known that already....

Well, my sweet yet talkative girlfriend is on the phone so I must go....I hope everyone has a great day!

Nothing in particular....

Yes, my flowers have been blooming and London chased her first butterfly the other day. It's been so mild here....although it got quite cold over the weekend. I even covered some plants because they were predicting a frost for Friday night. It still seems funny to me when the top story on every station is, "Get ready everyone....we are preparing for FROST!!!!" LOL....even the teachers at school told the kids to be sure to dress warm on Friday. Turns out, it wasn't as bad as they had thought, although it did get into the low 40's and, I hate to admit it, I was COLD! Apparently my blood has thinned, much to my chagrin, and I am now an official "southerner". Betsy has been walking around with her sweatshirt on, talking through chattering teeth, and John has turned the heat up at least 5 times this weekend. We even had a fire in the fireplace on Saturday night....it was so warm and cozy!

We didn't do much over the weekend. Betsy and wee one went with my aunt on Saturday to take Jody to the airport, so JB and I decided to go out and shop for a while. I wanted to get a new bedspread, since I ruined mine in the dryer....don't ask....but I wanted the same kind. I didn't know if the store would have the same brand or style....but they did! I have a queen sized bed, but always buy king sized comforters....so I knew it would be expensive. $179....and then I saw the sign that said "any size $69" woohoo!!!! I grabbed that sucker, along with two matching decorative pillows ($30 marked down to $10), and ran for the register. Of course, I did make a small stop at the 75% off Christmas department....so for $136 I got the comforter, pillows, and a cart full of really nice Christmas decorations. I told John, "See? I saved you money!" He just smiled politely and rolled his eyes....of course when I mentioned that with the money I saved, we could go to Red Lobster for lunch....he thought I was brilliant. As it should be....lol.

We had a nice lunch together....and I must say that in all of the seafood places I have eaten here....and there have been quite a few....Red Lobster has the best freaking clam chowder EVER. It is so good. I know it's a chain restaurant, but I prefer theirs to any other. After lunch we went home and relaxed for a while, then decided to take London on her first real walk on a leash. She did so good! We walked about a mile and a half and she just loved it. However, like a child you try to tire out and they refuse to sleep, she remained in "hyper puppy mode" until bed time.

Today we went to church, then came home and had homemade soup....minestrone. My mom made it and it was really, REALLY good. Hit the spot on a chilly day. Wee one went to a friend's house, and JB washed my car. We took London on another walk, and then collapsed in front of the tv. I forgot about DH, but caught the last 20 minutes of it. I thought the kiss between Carlos and Lynette was hysterical. Excellent plot twisting potential there! Who was the guy in the trunk???? And are Mike and Susan back together? Someone let me in on the first half of the show!

Okay, I'm tired and have to get up early in the morning....I'm off to bed....nighty night!

Tough, Unique, Bad, Bold and Sassy....

If any of you were as big a fan as I was, you will totally understand my subject line!

I just caught a glimpse of something on my AOL screen that said...."Sonny and Rico are cool again...." Holy smokes. They are making a movie of my most favorite 80's tv show? The show I would watch every Friday night without fail? The show that caused me to go to the mall, venture into a men's clothing store and purchase a pastel pink blazer which I wore every Friday to remind others, in case they didn't know, that the show was on that night???? Ohboyohboyohboyohboy.....

And then I watch the trailer and see that it isn't my beloved, albeit older and bloatier Don Johnson with his trusty sidekick PMT....otherwise known as Philip Michael Thomas. Man, total let down. Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx???? Puhleeeeze. They could never do the boys justice. Will Colin be able to recreate the subtle sexuality of Don as he would lick the tip of his cigarette before putting it between his pouty, slightly damp lips? Can Jamie possibly fabricate just the right amount of brute strength needed to execute the classic one-handed gun cock, whilst smiling seductively? I have serious doubts....

Will they bring back Phil Collins as the smarmy Austrailian game show host in "Phil the Shill"? And speaking of Phill....let us not forget the music. Good Lord the MUSIC! Luscious body shots of  Don Johnson swaggering down the streets of New York (on special assignment, of course)  to Glen Frey's "You Belong to the City"....Crockett and Tubs flying through the city streets in Sonny's slick Ferrari Daytona Spyder whilst strains of "In the Air Tonight" send shivers down your spine? And of course the synthesized tones of everone's favorite composer Jan Hammer...he could make even the bloodiest drug-deal-gone-wrong sound good.

I could go on and on....but I wouldn't want anyone to think of me as a high school dateless wonder, fantasizing about being "Mrs. Don Johnson" on lonely Friday nights, sitting in the dark on my parents love seat, making out with my "Sonny pillow" during commercials. I mean, that would be totally pathetic.

Ahhhh, sweet freedom....

There is no relevance between this graphic and this entry....I just thought it was cute!

Today the girls went back to school....you would have thought it would have been hard to get them up and out, but both of them were all smiles, ready to go. Of course, ask me in a week how they are doing and I will guarantee the smiles will be gone and "real life" will have once again returned.

When I get up at 6 to make sure Betsy is almost ready to go to the bus stop, I wake wee one up and have her come into my room. This morning she rolled over, stretched, and fell out of bed. We were both laughing hysterically. She did it in slow motion, kind of sssssllllliiiidddding out of the bed and onto the floor. If it is possible to fall with grace, she did it. She did scrape her back a bit on the bedside table, however, she survived the injury and is fine. We were even early to school this morning, which was good since she needed a note saying that she could not "run" the five laps during gym, but "walk" them because of her Gerd. It is really bad right now....and when it's bad it causes pain when she runs, or walks, and sometimes just standing. However, she has been taking her Zantac and is beginning to feel better.

Betsy of course, came home with a list of things she needs for her new classes, along with $25 for her creative photography 3 class. Sigh....I didn't want to spend any more money this week....but, this can't be helped. She seems excited to start the class even if there are, as she put it, "tons of projects" that are scheduled. The teacher even told them that if they have a job that consumes more than 10 hours a week, they should consider dropping the class because of the heavy workload. I'm sure she can handle it though....she's a good student and has enjoyed the previous photography classes.

So, what did I do today....I cleaned the house and it actually STAYED clean for a few hours! No one walking on my freshly vacuumed carpets....although I did see tiny paw prints trailing back and forth as I moved room to room. London is not like Percy in that respect....she runs from the vacuum! I used to have to vacuum around Percy, and would even push him out of the way with it while it was running. London runs to the farthest end of the house, then peeks around the corner to watch for me. If I'm carrying it from one spot to another, she will bark at it....it's so cute! 

However, she loves when I windex Betsy's closet doors. While I'm cleaning one side, she is licking the other like she's helping me. What a nut! After cleaning for a bit, we went outside to play....I feel guilty when she doesn't get attention! Then we came in and I cleaned some more....then it was time for another potty break....and then a short nap for both of us! LOL. She is just so snuggly if you lie down next to her! I have to say, I was ready for the girls to come home....I got used to them being around for the past two weeks.

I can't believe it but they don't have a full week of school until February. They have "hurricane days" that they didn't use, so the school system is giving them Friday's off. Is that not the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard???? Trust me, this school system needs all the days they can get....they certainly don't need to give the kids extra days off. It's crazy. I can't wait to get out of here!

Okay....time to relax for a bit before bedtime. JB told London that she is NOT sleeping on the bed tonight. She's getting bigger and there isn't as much room as there was a few weeks ago. Of course, who do you think is putting her up there? MmmmHmmmmm, Mr. "I don't want a girl dog....I'm not going to like her because I want a boy dog". Yeah, he said that but now, what is the first thing he says when he comes home from work? "Where's my girl? There she is!!!! My sweetie....how are you my little Lon-Lon?" Such a sucker for a furry face....

Last day of freedom....

Ahhhhh yes, tomorrow the girls go back to school. Betsy is ready to get back, however wee one informed me only moments ago that she does not want to return to school and "can't you just homeschool me?". Poor kid. She has such anxiety issues....I can only pray that things get better for her. She is such a smart, witty child....it makes me so sad to see her stress over things. I'm trying to build her up so that the second half of this year goes smoothly. Of course now they are going to be pushing the FCAT's (standardized testing) so that will open up a whole new bag of worms. I guess I had better make sure her anxiety medication has plenty of refills....she has already been having acid reflux today, thinking about returning to school....sigh.

I made a pretty dang good dinner last night....fried tilapia with hushpuppies (homemade and wonderful!), coleslaw and rolls. Everyone loved it. I did so well eating yesterday....cereal for breakfast, bagel and fruit for lunch....and then dinner. Oh well....at least I was on track until 5! LOL. It rained buckets last night. I had to walk the dog and of course the minute we got out there it started pouring. She HATES getting wet, so it was a pretty quick trip out there.

London has been doing so well at night. All I have to do is say "nighty night" and she walks right into her crate. Of course, last night she was barking at 2:30....so out we went to go potty. Funny though, when John let her sleep next to the bed instead of in her crate (bad, bad John!), she slept all night. Just like a toddler who wants to lay with mommy I suppose....she has trained really well....although she still has "potty issues" sometimes. I suppose that is normal....but she knows "sit" and "fetch" really well. I am definately going to have to take her to obediance training though....she has inherited Percy's stubbornness. She will sit down and REFUSE to move on her leash if she doesn't feel like going in the direction I am. Percy would actually sit and lean away from me for extra leverage. I swear....I think he is her guardian angel and he's whispering in her ear just to taunt me! LOL.

Okay, I'm off to the store....then back home to tackle the mound of crud on my desk. Oh how exciting my day is!!!!

Happy New Year....

I don't know what happened but in the past two days I've eaten soup twice. I had vegetable beef at Steak & Shake, and lima bean that my mom made and brought over today. I suppose I am a bit of a soupy girl. I used to love cream of mushroom as a kid. I remember coming home from church and making myself some....not because mom wouldn't do it for me....but because she would whisk all the lumps out. I loved the glops that didn't quite break apart. Of course it was Campbells....nothing else tasted quite the same. I also loved french onion soup. My sisters and I would make a piece of toast and float it on top of the soup, then put mozzarella cheese on top and microwave it until it got all stringy....mmmmm. We just loved that.

Our New Years eve was very quiet. I fell asleep watching the South Park marathon and John fell asleep watching....well, I'm not sure. He did, however, come in at midnight to tell me Happy New Year. Our neighbors were out, blowing horns and squirting silly string....which is now decorating the street in front of our house. Betsy said she had a nice time with her friends, and that the firework display downtown was awesome. Wee one said that they were jumping on the trampoline, tooting their horns and having a grand time at midnight. When I went to pick her up this morning I asked what time they went to bed. The older sister said, "Well, the movement in their room stopped around 4:30." LOL....when she came downstairs she looked like she was hungover....puffy eyes, still in her pj's....it was cute. She said they went to the barn to visit the horses (the mom and the daughter have one), and that was cool. Anyone want to take bets on how long it will be until I'm asked for riding lessons?

This morning we got up and went to early church....much to Betsy's chagrin, getting in at 1:00 am....then picked up wee one from her friend's house. Mom and Jody were here for a while....we had lunch and sat around eating since the "diets" all start tomorrow....yeah, sure they do. I will say though, I'm tired of my steady diet of Christmas cookies.

I did have a nice afternoon with my hubby though. He's been off for 10 days and it will be hard for him to go back to work tomorrow....so we ran to the store for toilet paper (that's not the romantic part), then went to Sonic for an orange cream slush for me, and a strawberry cream pie shake for him. We took them to the park and walked along the pier, then sat on the bench that looks over the marina. It was so beautiful in the afternoon sunlight....the boats and the water....and the weather has been gorgeous. Mid 70's with NO, ZERO, NADA humidity. We stayed for about 40 minutes, just enjoying the fresh air. Then we took a walk around the park, along the trails and near the pond....it was really nice. We haven't been doing much since, although we did watch The Wedding Singer. I just love that movie!

So, tomorrow things get back to normal....well, sort of since the kids dont' go back to school until Wednesday. I don't know why that is....but I'm sure I can find some cleaning and/or organizing for them to do. It's just the kind of loving mom I am....

Oh yes....my *dear friend Lori was *so kind to tag me this evening....*enter sarcasm here....so here is my very scaled down list of "quirks" that I have....

1. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum as Amy, I meticulously check the expiration dates on everything in my fridge. And just to be on the safe side....I throw them away 2 days before their "sell" by dates....

2. I have an obsession with the number "4". If you notice I like to use "...." a lot in my entries. You will never see 3 dots, nor 5 dots, but always 4. This holds true for exclamation points when I write "I love you!!!!" on anything for my family....(I'll bet you counted those, didn't you?)

3. I am obsessively clean about my e-mail box. I actually feel irritated when I know that there are e-mails that I either, a. haven't read or b. am not in the mood to read. Once I purge my mailbox I feel MUCH better. I'm the same way about my desk....I hate having clutter....and there is a lot of it right now! Grrrr....

4. I have to have at least 5 calendars in my house, and I can't change over to the next month or day (if it's a tear off calendar), until that exact date. I also have a tradition on New Year's day where I sit down with my old calendar, a pen and a highlighter, and go month by month writing down important dates....

5. My rings have to be lined up perfectly at all times. I hate it when the wedding band is askew, the mother's ring is to the side and the engagement ring has twisted completely around. I fiddle with them a lot....

Ahhhh, there we go. My top 5 quirks of the day....drove me crazy not to stop at 4!!!!