Are you jealous of me?!....

I saw a commercial today which stated, "The average American has $8000 in credit card debt." This means that for once in my life I'M ABOVE AVERAGE! After thinking about it for a bit, I realized that this is probably not a situation in which I should be happy.  So we have decided on a home equity loan, again.  Here's the typical scenerio.  First house, Me: "Honey, we need to get a handle on these credit card bills.  Why don't we get a home equity loan?"  Hubby, "Sounds good.  Then we will be able to breathe easier!" We get the loan, stay in the house another four years, sell it for more than we paid for it, and pay off all cc debt. Me: Lets never use credit cards again!" Hubby:  "You are right!  Cut them up!" Flash forward to 2000:  Me: "Honey, we need to get a handle on these credit card bills.  Why don't we get a home equity loan? Hubby:  "Sounds good.  Then we will be able to breathe easier!" We get the loan, sell the house the next year, making more than we paid for it, and pay off all cc debt. Me: "Lets never use credit cards again!" Hubby: "You are right!  Cut them up!" October 2003....I think you know where this is going. 

 

 

 

Errands....

Well, it's 7:18 am and I am getting ready to take the wee one to the bus stop, then run errands with a girlfriend.  I think we will be doing breakfast first (belgian ((is that spelled right?  It's early)) waffle....yum!) then begin the Christmas shopping.  I know, I know, I've got at least 52 shopping days left, but I hate to procrastinate....lol.  I've already bought my first gift, so that's one down, hundreds of dollars to go!$

The tooth and nothing but the tooth....

I just got back from a dental appointment with my youngest.  According to the dentist she has "perfect teeth"!  No cavities, brushing like she should, and two loose teeth.  I am thrilled to say the least.  We were in the office for over an hour, then had to run to the bank, get a hamburger on the fly, and rush back to school so that she wouldn't miss her first student counsil meeting of the year.  As I was rushing about I started thinking of the things I probably should be doing; like finishing the wash that built up over the weekend, finish my sewing so that I can get my order in on time, pay my bills since payday was Friday.  And then when my daughter said, "Thanks for taking me out today Mom.  I like it when we're together," I thought again.  I shouldn't be thinking of everything else when I am with my kids.  So I had to wait in the waiting room for a while.  I was waiting with my daughter snuggled next to me, quietly reading a magazine.  And as we went to the bank, we talked about school and what she would be doing this afternoon.  Then we ate together in the car, laughing about stuffing our faces so she could get back to class on time.  And finally, she wanted me to walk all the way to her classroom with her, so she could kiss me goodbye.  What load of wash or bill is more important than that?  I will have plenty of time for mundane tasks when my kids are older and don't need me as much.  These are the times that we look back on and wonder when they grew up so fast.  They grew up at the doctor's office, the dental appointments, the sports practices we sped to at the last minute.  We were with them, but maybe we were cursing the long wait, or trying to pass the slowpoke in front of us on the way to practice.  We have to learn to look beyond all of that, and enjoy the time we spend with our kids....vacationing at Disney World or waiting at the dentist....it's all good to me.

Another day in the life....

Well, it's Friday morning, which means it's cleaning day.  Actually it's more like "get the house ready for the weekend because no one is going to be neat for the next two days"-day.  For some reason on Friday afternoon, the bookbags don't get put away after school like usual; instead they are left in the middle of the kitchen for me to pick up.  Shoes are tossed off at the door, instead of being put in the shoe rack.  When hubby comes home, is keys aren't hung up as usual, and he leaves his briefcase for me to either a. cook dinner around, or b. put on his dresser (which, by the way, he passes immediately after plunking it down on my kitchen counter).  Here's my question....when do I get to treat Friday like the end of the week?  My theory is that if I start with a clean and neat home on Friday, by Sunday it will be messy, but not horrible.  I have to protect myself or Monday will be torture.  We stay at home moms are always thinking ahead.  Sure, I'd love to toss caution to the wind and not wash the kitchen floor because it's "Friday"....however, by Monday no one will be able to get out the door because they will all be stuck to the floor.  I'd love to say, "Gee, I'm sorry you have no clean underwear but....it's the weekend!"  Since it's Friday, maybe I won't do a dang thing.  I'll just sit around and relax, rent some movies, have cold leftovers for lunch.  When everyone gets home, I'll tell them dinner will be the cereal of their choice.  Of course, you know I won't do it.  I'll do what I do every Friday, and make sure things run smoothly.  I'll pick up the shoes, put the bags away, and I will probably even put hubbys things away while I'm at it.  I know, I know, you are saying, "Why?  You deserve to relax too...."  I don't know why.  It's just who I am.

A Good Hair Day....

Well, I just got my hair done....$95 worth of done.  Truthfully, I don't feel like it was worth that much.  I got red "autumn" highlights to replace my golden "summer" highlights, and a trim.  So basically my hair is a little redder, and 1/4 inch shorter.  No one even noticed until I pointed it out to them.  Now, you would think that after spending that much money, someone would notice!  I think that my expectations of hair cutting day are much too high.  I have this thing about getting my hair cut.  Two weeks before my appointment, I begin leafing through hair style magazines at the store, in search of the elusive "perfect cut".  Three days before appointment time, I actually buy the magazine (at $3.99 a pop) and begin frantically searching, bending over the corners of the pages that I like, and shoving it under the nose of my husband while asking, "Which one do you like?"  His response is always the same.  "You know how I like your hair.  The way you have it in the picture of us when we were dating, long and curly."  (Not only is my hair short now, but in the picture I had an 80's perm and my hair was wider than it was long!)  I just roll my eyes, and go back to searching.  Ten minutes before the appointment, I take out the picture that I ripped out of the styling magazine that my Mom had, give it to the stylist, and get the same thing done that I always get done.  So, I am really out about $98.99 plus tax, if you include the purchased magazine.  But hey, my hair does match the season.... 

What a week....

Well, it is Friday....thank goodness.  It hasn't been an overly busy week, but it's been a long one.  And I don't feel good today.  I think I have a sinus infection.  I took some medicine today, and I believe it is wearing off.  Hubby is in Daytona until Sunday (he left Wednesday), so it is night #3 with no formal dinner.  Hmmmmm, bagels with peanut butter or chef boyardee?  Decisions, decisions.  My oldest is going to a church lock-in tonight.  In case you aren't familiar, that is a night of pizza and games and talking, locked in the church.  We used to have them as kids, and they were a blast.  Of course, that means she won't sleep all night, which means that Saturday will be a day of either a.) a crabby, snotty teen or b.) a sleeping teen.  I, personally, am hoping for b.  But, I will put up with either, because she chose church over hanging out at the mall, or any other mindless "teen" stuff.  She is a really great kid, with good grades, good morals, and a good head on her shoulders.  I am a very lucky mom.  So, that leaves my youngest and I for tonight.  I am so disappointed that they took Funniest Home Videos off Friday nights.  That was our official "start of the weekend show".  We would all get in bed together and watch it, laughing our butts off.  I suppose it will be back to Nickelodeon and SpongeBob.  That's okay too, though.  I honestly don't think that I am the only adult out there who likes SpongeBob.  I even watched him this morning, after the kids went to school while I was cleaning.  I can't help it....he's just so adorable.  I am a cartoon freak, I suppose.  Family Guy, King of the Hill, Home Movies, and of course, our favorite, The Simpsons.  I have a Simpsons theme running through our car.  Floor mats, steering wheel cover, and Homer antennae ball.  Even Simpsons checks!  You might say I'm obsessed.  I suppose I am.  Well, it's time to make dinner, or perhaps I should say "toast" dinner.  Bon appetite!

"Holy Cow....Almost"

"You knew they would blow it in the end."  That was the comment of an on/off Cubs fan friend of mine.  Well, yes, I knew that there was a chance that they wouldn't win, but more importantly, I knew that there was a chance that they would win.  That's what makes being a true Cubs fan so special.  As a child, I remember listening to Cubs games on hot summer days.  My father would be working in the yard, accompanied by the voice of Harry Caray on the radio.  I remember how excited we would be when we would hear the booming, "HOLY COW!" and singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch. The great thing about being a Cubs fan is that you would have a few seasons of inactivity but then *BANG* something great happens, and there would be the hope that this would be the year.  (Remember 1984?)  The Cubs bring people together.  Sure, it's great when the Yankees have yet another consecutive win, but it doesn't equal the feeling of a Cubs win.  Wearing a Cubs shirt almost always guarantees a stranger will smile and say, "This could be the year!"   How many times since 1908, has a father taken his son to the ballgame, and hoped that the season would end in victory?  Okay, so it hasn't yet, but how many teams can boast multi-generational bonding like that?  Being a Cubs fan brings families together.  It teaches us that even though you might not win, doesn't mean you shouldn't give it your all.   I'm not saying that I wouldn't be thrilled if the Cubbies actually won a World Series.  I would cheer just as wildly and be just as proud as the next fan. Until then I will look forward in anticipation to each new season.  So, at the end of the Cubbies 2003 season, I say thank you for another year of fun, excitement, cheers and, admittedly tears.  It will be a year my kids won't forget, sitting together, cheering every catch and high-fiving every run. Being a Cubs fan is never a disappointment.  It's a lesson in perseverance.  So to those who say they knew the Cubs would blow it, I say,"Just wait till next year!"