Stuff that really pisses me off. Some of my computer accessories, you know that I JUST BOUGHT don't work with Vista unless you download a patch or a plug-in. So I have been doing nothing but re-installing all the chit on my computer, and wasting a whole lot of time doing so.
This one takes the cake:
Here is my "contact us" online customer service ticket, which was received in India or Pakistan. My customer service agent was named "Chiranjib."
hp e-mail support
language_code : en
language : English
Country of Residence : United States
product_line : 4X
product_oid : 1849439
product_name : HP Scanjet G3010 Photo Scanner
part_number : L1985A
purchase month : 8
purchase year : 2006
problem area : other
serial number : CN715A560M
operating system : winvistahomebasic64
What software application are you using? : hp sCANJET g3010 pHOTO sCANNER hp pHOTOTSMART soFTWARE
problem description :
Hello.
I purchased this scanner solely for the purpose of being able to stitch two images together into one image.
Previously, I used the feature on the software called "Create" and then"Panorama."
However, recently I purchased a new computer with Vista (my older computer was a WIndows XP) and since the change, the program no longer has the "Create" and "Panorama" option. I have uninstalled, and re-installed the driver you recommend online for Windows VIsta, and neither option has the ability to stitch at all.
This scanner, like I said, was purchased for that reason only. Is there a patch, or something you can provide me with to allow me this function?
I am very frusterated and disappointed to have this feature missing with Vista.
troubleshooting : Mentioned above.
setting changes : Mentioned above.
first name : Shaunte
last name : Wadley
And HP's response:
Hello Shaunte,
Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.
On reading your e-mail I understand you are unable to stitch two images together into one image on windows vista.
I sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and the level of discomfort experienced by you.
Shaunte, at present we do not have the patch to resolve this issue as the software worked with XP it clearly indicates that there is some issue with the vista operating system. if a patch is released by HP then we would definitely get back to you.
If you need further assistance, please reply to this message and we will be happy to assist you further.
For information on keeping your HP and Compaq products up and running, please visit our Web site
at:
http://www.hp.com/go/totalcare
Sincerely,
Chiranjib
HP Total Care
And my response to their response:
Chiranjib-
Really?
What you are saying then, is that I have purchased a HP product that is barely a year old and now obsolete to me, because HP is unwilling to upgrade software? Wow. That is awesome customer service. This will definitely influence my future purchase decisions. I will be sure to forward this e-mail conversation to all my contacts and online forums to let them know how "helpful" HP is when upgrading to windows Vista.
All my other computer accessories had patches and/or plug-ins for Vista, and now function properly.
I hope you will forward this to your manager, or anyone else who might actually care. HP needs to get with the times, as most PC operating systems will eventually be Vista.
What a complete and utter disappointment.
So basically, I am stuck with a scanner that will not work on my computer. Sorry, ma'am. So that leaves me the option of last night, when I needed to get some layouts scanned in and e-mailed.
I can:
1- Scan both halves of my 12x12, and just e-mail them. The recipient can just use their imagination to see how pretty the finished product might look, you know NOT SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE!
or:
2- Take digital photos of the layouts, which I have to upload to the computer, edit, crop, resize, and THEN e-mail to myself so I can have them on my new computer. And why is that last step necessary? Oh yeah, cause my new computer DOES NOT recogize my card reader OR MY CANON CAMERA. But the old one does. So I have to upload everything downstairs, and e-mail it upstairs.
It's a good thing I don't drink.
And it's a good thing that HP outsources their customer service to another country, one that I couldn't use my free flights to get to easily. With a gun.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
saturday randomness
I weighed in today.
Down another 2 pounds. I was disappointed. I am a measly 1/2 pound away from a five pound sticker to put on my bookmark! I wanted everyone to clap and cheer for ME! (How pathetic is it when an adult woman waaaaants a sticker(!)) It's my own fault, cause my bladder was full, I was chewing gum, my hair was still wet, and I wore a padded bra. <---don't you think that is about .8 pounds? Yes?
There were some ladies in the meeting that had gained...so my disappointment was short-lived.
In other news:
I haven't edited then yet, but we took a drive yesterday up the canyon to see the changing leaves. I love autumn, it is my favorite time of year.
I love sweatshirts and fuzzy slippers, hearty stews and steaming mugs of hot chocolate. The smell of Pumpkin Spice candles. Bubble baths to take the chill off. Nights where all the kids are in the house, watching a movie or playing a game. Throwing blankets over the heater vent to make a warm air tent, and curling up with a book. Comfort.
You can smell it in the air now, at night...the cold coming on. I am so ready.
Down another 2 pounds. I was disappointed. I am a measly 1/2 pound away from a five pound sticker to put on my bookmark! I wanted everyone to clap and cheer for ME! (How pathetic is it when an adult woman waaaaants a sticker(!)) It's my own fault, cause my bladder was full, I was chewing gum, my hair was still wet, and I wore a padded bra. <---don't you think that is about .8 pounds? Yes?
There were some ladies in the meeting that had gained...so my disappointment was short-lived.
In other news:
I haven't edited then yet, but we took a drive yesterday up the canyon to see the changing leaves. I love autumn, it is my favorite time of year.
I love sweatshirts and fuzzy slippers, hearty stews and steaming mugs of hot chocolate. The smell of Pumpkin Spice candles. Bubble baths to take the chill off. Nights where all the kids are in the house, watching a movie or playing a game. Throwing blankets over the heater vent to make a warm air tent, and curling up with a book. Comfort.
You can smell it in the air now, at night...the cold coming on. I am so ready.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tagged!
My friend Heather tagged me, and I would link you to her blog, but its all private and stuff, but this is her photography site, and is is rather fabulous. I, of course, am biased, because she and I had some bonding moments that have cemented us together forever.
1. your rock star name (first pet & first car).
Smedley Storm (Smedley was a snail I found up the canyon, and brought home. My mom was an anti-pet person, incidentally, Smedley gave birth, and we has baby snails in the kitchen window sill for a good, long time.)
2. your gansta name (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie).
Cappuccino Lorna Doone
3. your “fly girl” name (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name).
Swad
4. your detective name (fav color, fav animal).
Red Raccoon
5. your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born)
Blank Lehi <---I don't have a middle name.
6. your star wars name (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first).
Wadsh
7. superhero name (”the” + 2nd fav color, fav drink).
The Pink Mountain Dew
8. nascar name (the first names of your grandfathers)
Wayne Elwood
9. stripper name ( the name of your fav perfume/cologne/scent, fav candy).
Blue Bit O'Honey
10. witness protection name (mother’s & father’s middle names ).
Kathleen Jay
11. tv weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter).
Emal Eugene
12. spy name (your fav season/holiday, flower).
Autumn Daisy
13. cartoon name (fav fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”).
Nectarine Flippy floppy
14. hippy name (what you ate for breakfast, your fav tree).
Fiber Bar Banyon
15. your rockstar tour name (”the” + your fav hobby/craft, fav weather element + “tour”).
The Scrapbooking Thunderstorm Tour
Okay. I played along, so if you feel so inclined, consider YOURSELF tagged by me, and copy and paste, and answer away...
Make sure you link me so I can see your kooky answers too.
Sincerely,
Fiber Bar Banyon
1. your rock star name (first pet & first car).
Smedley Storm (Smedley was a snail I found up the canyon, and brought home. My mom was an anti-pet person, incidentally, Smedley gave birth, and we has baby snails in the kitchen window sill for a good, long time.)
2. your gansta name (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie).
Cappuccino Lorna Doone
3. your “fly girl” name (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name).
Swad
4. your detective name (fav color, fav animal).
Red Raccoon
5. your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born)
Blank Lehi <---I don't have a middle name.
6. your star wars name (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first).
Wadsh
7. superhero name (”the” + 2nd fav color, fav drink).
The Pink Mountain Dew
8. nascar name (the first names of your grandfathers)
Wayne Elwood
9. stripper name ( the name of your fav perfume/cologne/scent, fav candy).
Blue Bit O'Honey
10. witness protection name (mother’s & father’s middle names ).
Kathleen Jay
11. tv weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter).
Emal Eugene
12. spy name (your fav season/holiday, flower).
Autumn Daisy
13. cartoon name (fav fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”).
Nectarine Flippy floppy
14. hippy name (what you ate for breakfast, your fav tree).
Fiber Bar Banyon
15. your rockstar tour name (”the” + your fav hobby/craft, fav weather element + “tour”).
The Scrapbooking Thunderstorm Tour
Okay. I played along, so if you feel so inclined, consider YOURSELF tagged by me, and copy and paste, and answer away...
Make sure you link me so I can see your kooky answers too.
Sincerely,
Fiber Bar Banyon
Monday, September 17, 2007
dating a DJ
I guess I need to tell the Howard Jones story, since I posted a picture of he and I together, and left you all hanging about that.
I was working as a loan officer, and had a friend from High School come in one day. He came in with this guy, who wanted to get a loan for a car. They were friends, and my old friend, whom we will call Phil introduced me to "Rob." <---not his real name.
I worked Rob's loan up, and we chatted about things. Come to find out, he was a DJ for a local alternative radio station. We talked shop for a while. Talked about The Cure, and Erasure, and some NIN. Then he signed his loan papers, and went to pick up his car.
A day later, Phil called and told me Rob thought I was cool, and wanted to ask me out.
At this point in my life I had just survived a horrible relationship, and was not at all interested in dating. The thought sickened me, actually. I had just come to terms with spending the rest of my days as a nun, or a spinster librarian. I tried to tell Phil that, that I wasn't up for it, for the games and the obligation or any of that.
He assured me that Rob just wanted to hang out. No big deal. Besides, Rob wasn't the best looking guy ever. He reminded me of Charlie Brown, actually, with a head that was too big for his body, slightly balding, glasses...
I gave Phil permission to give him my phone number. If he was sure we could just be friends.
During that week, Rob would send me funny things via the fax machine at work. (This was pre-e-mail, people.) And it was all good. I was looking for a friend, and he seemed to be fine being one. He made me laugh. He had a great sense of humor, similar to my own, a little off the wall. We got along great.
That Saturday, he called me, I was at work, and told me that Howard Jones was going to be at the station that afternoon, and did I want to come down and hang out with HoJo. Um, YES! So he left me a VIP pass at the front desk, and I got to hang out with Howard Jones, ask him questions, eat lunch, watch his live radio broadcast. It was very cool. That night I went with Rob and Phil and Phil's date to the Howard Jones concert.
After that, on weekends, we would all hang out at the station where Rob would work, and in between songs we laughed and talked. I needed the friendship, and I was grateful to have a place to go and something to look forward to. I didn't feel any pressure from Rob. It was nice. I made it very clear that I was NOT looking for any type of relationship. He seemed to understand.
I should mention, however, that this was about the time that Sam came into my life. Freshly home from serving a two year LDS mission in Ecuador. We had always been friends in High School, but this was the first time we saw each other as potential dates. He was looking pretty good...but I was still hesitant about dating anyone.
Depeche Mode came into town. Rob asked me to go, and gave me backstage passes too. I love, love DM, and was so excited to meet them. It was unreal, to be standing there, right next to Martin L. Gore!
We went to the radio station after-concert party. Everyone seemed to be very interested in meeting me, when Rob introduced me around. I started to get it then. That he was reading into this wrong. I am not sure why a guy can't just be friends, but I knew I needed to break it off with him. It wasn't fair to him. And besides...even with me fighting it at every step, Sam was growing on me.
I don't remember how I broke it to him. I do remember Sam taking me to lunch one day, and we were casually holding hands, and a friend of Rob's saw us, and reported back to him that I was holding hands with some guy at the mall.
He was hurt. I didn't have an explanation for him. I felt really, really bad.
The next day, ON THE AIR! he proceeded to publicly bash me. Not by name, but anyone involved at the station knew. He went on and on how girls say they don't want a relationship, use you, and are holding hands with another guy the next day.
I didn't talk to him again, for years. And of course I married that other guy.
A couple years ago, I won something on the radio. It wasn't the same station, but Rob had switched stations, and I didn't keep track of him. As luck would have it, he worked at that station. So, the station put me in touch with him, and we talked. I was nervous, but everything was fine, after all those years. He was married, and happy. I was married and happy. We caught up, and I got closure.
I still hear him broadcast every once in a while. And I have awesome memories of what could have been a pretty dark time in my life without his friendship.
I was working as a loan officer, and had a friend from High School come in one day. He came in with this guy, who wanted to get a loan for a car. They were friends, and my old friend, whom we will call Phil introduced me to "Rob." <---not his real name.
I worked Rob's loan up, and we chatted about things. Come to find out, he was a DJ for a local alternative radio station. We talked shop for a while. Talked about The Cure, and Erasure, and some NIN. Then he signed his loan papers, and went to pick up his car.
A day later, Phil called and told me Rob thought I was cool, and wanted to ask me out.
At this point in my life I had just survived a horrible relationship, and was not at all interested in dating. The thought sickened me, actually. I had just come to terms with spending the rest of my days as a nun, or a spinster librarian. I tried to tell Phil that, that I wasn't up for it, for the games and the obligation or any of that.
He assured me that Rob just wanted to hang out. No big deal. Besides, Rob wasn't the best looking guy ever. He reminded me of Charlie Brown, actually, with a head that was too big for his body, slightly balding, glasses...
I gave Phil permission to give him my phone number. If he was sure we could just be friends.
During that week, Rob would send me funny things via the fax machine at work. (This was pre-e-mail, people.) And it was all good. I was looking for a friend, and he seemed to be fine being one. He made me laugh. He had a great sense of humor, similar to my own, a little off the wall. We got along great.
That Saturday, he called me, I was at work, and told me that Howard Jones was going to be at the station that afternoon, and did I want to come down and hang out with HoJo. Um, YES! So he left me a VIP pass at the front desk, and I got to hang out with Howard Jones, ask him questions, eat lunch, watch his live radio broadcast. It was very cool. That night I went with Rob and Phil and Phil's date to the Howard Jones concert.
After that, on weekends, we would all hang out at the station where Rob would work, and in between songs we laughed and talked. I needed the friendship, and I was grateful to have a place to go and something to look forward to. I didn't feel any pressure from Rob. It was nice. I made it very clear that I was NOT looking for any type of relationship. He seemed to understand.
I should mention, however, that this was about the time that Sam came into my life. Freshly home from serving a two year LDS mission in Ecuador. We had always been friends in High School, but this was the first time we saw each other as potential dates. He was looking pretty good...but I was still hesitant about dating anyone.
Depeche Mode came into town. Rob asked me to go, and gave me backstage passes too. I love, love DM, and was so excited to meet them. It was unreal, to be standing there, right next to Martin L. Gore!
We went to the radio station after-concert party. Everyone seemed to be very interested in meeting me, when Rob introduced me around. I started to get it then. That he was reading into this wrong. I am not sure why a guy can't just be friends, but I knew I needed to break it off with him. It wasn't fair to him. And besides...even with me fighting it at every step, Sam was growing on me.
I don't remember how I broke it to him. I do remember Sam taking me to lunch one day, and we were casually holding hands, and a friend of Rob's saw us, and reported back to him that I was holding hands with some guy at the mall.
He was hurt. I didn't have an explanation for him. I felt really, really bad.
The next day, ON THE AIR! he proceeded to publicly bash me. Not by name, but anyone involved at the station knew. He went on and on how girls say they don't want a relationship, use you, and are holding hands with another guy the next day.
I didn't talk to him again, for years. And of course I married that other guy.
A couple years ago, I won something on the radio. It wasn't the same station, but Rob had switched stations, and I didn't keep track of him. As luck would have it, he worked at that station. So, the station put me in touch with him, and we talked. I was nervous, but everything was fine, after all those years. He was married, and happy. I was married and happy. We caught up, and I got closure.
I still hear him broadcast every once in a while. And I have awesome memories of what could have been a pretty dark time in my life without his friendship.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
we have babies!
6 pounds, 15 ounces and 19.5 inches long (tall?)
7 pounds, 2 ounces and 20.5 inches long.
Totally adorable little chunky monkeys.
Congrats Shay and Rob!
lots to say
But man! have I been text heavy on the blog lately...
I will be quick today.
My first weigh-in with Weight Watchers.
Down 2.8 pounds! WOOT! WOOT!
I prefer to think of it in butter. That is 10 cubes of butter. Gone.
In other news...
My sister, who is pregnant with twins, is being induced TODAY! Bless her heart (and 45inch waist!) she just found out she has a clotting disorder, and they will be unable to give her an epidural or any type of pain medication. On the off chance that she will need a cesarean, they will just have to knock her out cold.
So if you think you are having a bad day, you could be delivering twins...naturally.
We had a church party the other night, which is a post in itself, but since occasionally I have ward member read the old blog (Hey, Bishop Everett!) I will keep my opinions to myself, and just say that our neighborhood has some interesting talents.
A few minutes before I had to go over to the church to set-up, I was herding the kids into the house, to scrub them up to go out in public. Brendan came in with a big slab of mud on the side of his face.
"What the crap, Brendan! Go clean up, we have to GO!"
"But, Mom, I got stung by a bee." (Explains the mud, does it really take the stinger out? Has anyone ever verified that on Mythbusters?)
"Well, go wash up."
And we get to the party, and I am setting stuff up, and randomly mingling, and Brendan interrups to to say:
"Mom, you really need to look at this."
"Okay, hold on a minute, 'kay?"
A few more minutes go by, and Brendan is back, with his hand over his eye.
"Mom, seriously. You need to see this!"
So I follow him into a dark corner of the building, and he takes his hand away from his eye....
Quasimodo!
Guess who is allergic to bee stings?
So I did what any good, and caring parent would.
I went out in the Suburban and got him some sunglasses.
I will be quick today.
My first weigh-in with Weight Watchers.
Down 2.8 pounds! WOOT! WOOT!
I prefer to think of it in butter. That is 10 cubes of butter. Gone.
In other news...
My sister, who is pregnant with twins, is being induced TODAY! Bless her heart (and 45inch waist!) she just found out she has a clotting disorder, and they will be unable to give her an epidural or any type of pain medication. On the off chance that she will need a cesarean, they will just have to knock her out cold.
So if you think you are having a bad day, you could be delivering twins...naturally.
We had a church party the other night, which is a post in itself, but since occasionally I have ward member read the old blog (Hey, Bishop Everett!) I will keep my opinions to myself, and just say that our neighborhood has some interesting talents.
A few minutes before I had to go over to the church to set-up, I was herding the kids into the house, to scrub them up to go out in public. Brendan came in with a big slab of mud on the side of his face.
"What the crap, Brendan! Go clean up, we have to GO!"
"But, Mom, I got stung by a bee." (Explains the mud, does it really take the stinger out? Has anyone ever verified that on Mythbusters?)
"Well, go wash up."
And we get to the party, and I am setting stuff up, and randomly mingling, and Brendan interrups to to say:
"Mom, you really need to look at this."
"Okay, hold on a minute, 'kay?"
A few more minutes go by, and Brendan is back, with his hand over his eye.
"Mom, seriously. You need to see this!"
So I follow him into a dark corner of the building, and he takes his hand away from his eye....
Quasimodo!
Guess who is allergic to bee stings?
So I did what any good, and caring parent would.
I went out in the Suburban and got him some sunglasses.
Friday, September 14, 2007
come to mama.
Dear Shaunte Wadley-
Your order placed with Dell on 9/12/07 has been shipped.
1 222-9194 Inspiron 530,Intel Core2 Duo processor E4400 (2.00GHz 800FSB) w/Dual Core Technologyand 2MB cache
1 311-7239 2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
1 310-8025 Dell USB Keyboard
1 310-7966 Dell Optical USB Mouse
1 320-5612 Dell 20in E207WFP Flat Panel Analog and Digital
1 320-5746 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8300GS
1 341-4810 320GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive (7200RPM)
1 341-5008 No Floppy Drive Requested
1 420-6540 Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, English
1 420-5769 Internet Search and Portal
1 420-5924 Icon Consolidation Application
1 463-2282 Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access
1 420-6436 Vista, PC-Restore, Dim/Insp
1 420-6995 DELL SUPPORT 3.4,DIM/INSP
1 313-5582 Dell Resource DVD with Application Backup
1 420-7244 Dell Support Center 1.0
1 310-1966 Mouse included in Dell Wireless or Bluetooth Package
1 430-0412 Integrated NIC card
1 430-2519 Internal PCI 802.11g wireless network card,Full Height
1 412-0914 Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0
1 313-5270 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
1 420-6464 Roxio Creator Basic
1 313-2758 Integrated Audio
1 313-2198 No Speaker Requested
1 412-0940 Security 30-day trial
1 412-0148 No Internet Service Provider Requested
1 420-6585 Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition
1 950-3337 1 Year Limited Warranty
1 987-3137 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Initial Year
1 982-4310 Type 3- Third Party At Home Service, 24x7 Technical Support, Initial Year
1 987-6238 No Warranty, Year 2 and 3
1 960-3249 Banctec Service Agreement
1 983-3680 Warranty Support,Initial Year
1 466-7688 Thank you for choosing Dell
1 464-9572 No Preinstalled Software
1 310-8626 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System
1 420-7091 DataSafe Online Dim/Ins/XPS
1 420-7092 DataSafe Online Dim/Ins/XPS 1YR-FREE
1 987-4817 Insp Datasafe 3GB,1YR(Incl in price),DHS
1 988-0099 To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online
WOOOT! WOOOOOOOT!
I am getting a new computer!
I have absolutely NO IDEA what all of that stuff is up there. Our computer tech friend (Hi Mike!) built the thing for me. The only thing I knew from that list was "keyboard" and I know that cause it is currently the thing that catches my crumbs. Low fat crumbs, I should point out.
It's going to be so nice to be able to edit pictures in Photoshop AND listen to iTunes without the system giving up and "encountering an error, would you like to send a report" cause two things at once is just too hard.
Then this computer will become the property of my kids, and then it will really LIVE. Like the last time when I let my boys use the computer and my ten year old googled "big boobs."
I bleached his eyes, and we had ourselves a talk.
Your order placed with Dell on 9/12/07 has been shipped.
1 222-9194 Inspiron 530,Intel Core2 Duo processor E4400 (2.00GHz 800FSB) w/Dual Core Technologyand 2MB cache
1 311-7239 2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
1 310-8025 Dell USB Keyboard
1 310-7966 Dell Optical USB Mouse
1 320-5612 Dell 20in E207WFP Flat Panel Analog and Digital
1 320-5746 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8300GS
1 341-4810 320GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive (7200RPM)
1 341-5008 No Floppy Drive Requested
1 420-6540 Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, English
1 420-5769 Internet Search and Portal
1 420-5924 Icon Consolidation Application
1 463-2282 Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access
1 420-6436 Vista, PC-Restore, Dim/Insp
1 420-6995 DELL SUPPORT 3.4,DIM/INSP
1 313-5582 Dell Resource DVD with Application Backup
1 420-7244 Dell Support Center 1.0
1 310-1966 Mouse included in Dell Wireless or Bluetooth Package
1 430-0412 Integrated NIC card
1 430-2519 Internal PCI 802.11g wireless network card,Full Height
1 412-0914 Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0
1 313-5270 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
1 420-6464 Roxio Creator Basic
1 313-2758 Integrated Audio
1 313-2198 No Speaker Requested
1 412-0940 Security 30-day trial
1 412-0148 No Internet Service Provider Requested
1 420-6585 Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition
1 950-3337 1 Year Limited Warranty
1 987-3137 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Initial Year
1 982-4310 Type 3- Third Party At Home Service, 24x7 Technical Support, Initial Year
1 987-6238 No Warranty, Year 2 and 3
1 960-3249 Banctec Service Agreement
1 983-3680 Warranty Support,Initial Year
1 466-7688 Thank you for choosing Dell
1 464-9572 No Preinstalled Software
1 310-8626 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System
1 420-7091 DataSafe Online Dim/Ins/XPS
1 420-7092 DataSafe Online Dim/Ins/XPS 1YR-FREE
1 987-4817 Insp Datasafe 3GB,1YR(Incl in price),DHS
1 988-0099 To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online
WOOOT! WOOOOOOOT!
I am getting a new computer!
I have absolutely NO IDEA what all of that stuff is up there. Our computer tech friend (Hi Mike!) built the thing for me. The only thing I knew from that list was "keyboard" and I know that cause it is currently the thing that catches my crumbs. Low fat crumbs, I should point out.
It's going to be so nice to be able to edit pictures in Photoshop AND listen to iTunes without the system giving up and "encountering an error, would you like to send a report" cause two things at once is just too hard.
Then this computer will become the property of my kids, and then it will really LIVE. Like the last time when I let my boys use the computer and my ten year old googled "big boobs."
I bleached his eyes, and we had ourselves a talk.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
grateful.
I have been hesitant to blog about this one, I think the mixture of me knowing I am a total and complete IDIOT, and also the cold fear of "What if" has been the reason.
I guess all mom's make mistakes, and maybe my experience can make you a little more careful with your own kids.
I was upstairs working in my studio on some projects, I had the window open, cause we had a heat wave and it felt like it was 100 degrees outside. The breeze felt good.
The kids were gone to school, Mikayla downstairs watching a movie, and freshly fed. I had a good couple of hours to work on stuff.
I cranked the music and dug in.
After a while, not sure how long, I came down to the kitchen to get a drink. I hollered at Mikayla. No answer. So I went to the TV room to check on her, and she was gone. I search the house. Nothing. No big deal, she must have went outside. So I get a drink, and go outside to look for her.
The neighborhood is really quiet. I can't hear any kids playing outside. (Most of them are in school.) So I start at her usual places. The next door neighbor, the neighbor across the street, the one around the corner. Nothing.
I walk across the street to see if I can see her at the school, on the playground.
Nothing.
Now I am starting to worry.
I am calling her, and listening for any sound.
Finally I hear a tiny sound. Almost like a kitten, mewing and muffled. And I look, and see some motion. Mikayla is stuck inside my Suburban! Mind you, it was 100 degrees the window were rolled up, it was like a furnace in that thing.
Her poor little face was beet red, and she was covered in sweat. Her cheeks were tear-stained, but she was so exhausted she had long stopped crying. I brought her in and pumped her full of Gatorade, and just rocked her and hugged her, and of course over and over again berated myself for being such a crappy mom.
It was a rough week, to think about what could have happened.
She went out to get her Polly Pocket dolls she left in the Suburban. The door shut, and she couldn't get it back open. I told her if she ever got stuck in a car again, to crawl into the front seat and honk the horn until someone came.
And we lock up now, so she can't get in herself.
Please sit your kids down and talk to them. Sometimes car doors are heavy for even the older ones. (Especially when they have been slightly munched like mine.)
I guess all mom's make mistakes, and maybe my experience can make you a little more careful with your own kids.
I was upstairs working in my studio on some projects, I had the window open, cause we had a heat wave and it felt like it was 100 degrees outside. The breeze felt good.
The kids were gone to school, Mikayla downstairs watching a movie, and freshly fed. I had a good couple of hours to work on stuff.
I cranked the music and dug in.
After a while, not sure how long, I came down to the kitchen to get a drink. I hollered at Mikayla. No answer. So I went to the TV room to check on her, and she was gone. I search the house. Nothing. No big deal, she must have went outside. So I get a drink, and go outside to look for her.
The neighborhood is really quiet. I can't hear any kids playing outside. (Most of them are in school.) So I start at her usual places. The next door neighbor, the neighbor across the street, the one around the corner. Nothing.
I walk across the street to see if I can see her at the school, on the playground.
Nothing.
Now I am starting to worry.
I am calling her, and listening for any sound.
Finally I hear a tiny sound. Almost like a kitten, mewing and muffled. And I look, and see some motion. Mikayla is stuck inside my Suburban! Mind you, it was 100 degrees the window were rolled up, it was like a furnace in that thing.
Her poor little face was beet red, and she was covered in sweat. Her cheeks were tear-stained, but she was so exhausted she had long stopped crying. I brought her in and pumped her full of Gatorade, and just rocked her and hugged her, and of course over and over again berated myself for being such a crappy mom.
It was a rough week, to think about what could have happened.
She went out to get her Polly Pocket dolls she left in the Suburban. The door shut, and she couldn't get it back open. I told her if she ever got stuck in a car again, to crawl into the front seat and honk the horn until someone came.
And we lock up now, so she can't get in herself.
Please sit your kids down and talk to them. Sometimes car doors are heavy for even the older ones. (Especially when they have been slightly munched like mine.)
Monday, September 10, 2007
whew.
I guess they like me.
My new design team. I did some work, and e-mailed it in late last night. This morning, there was no response from them.
I was imagining the scenario:
"Yeah, this isn't going to work. YOU call her."
"No way, let's draw straws..."
"Are we going to ask for the machine back?"
"Of course we are! That is a $400.00 machine!"
"Okay, I will call her, but YOU have to ask for the machine back."
My new design team?
QuicKutz, and more specifically The Silhouette.
How lucky am I? I didn't want to announce anything until I was sure they were okay with my stuff. They e-mailed back, and said it works for them. YAY!
Karma is starting to make up for my crappy birthday.
My new design team. I did some work, and e-mailed it in late last night. This morning, there was no response from them.
I was imagining the scenario:
"Yeah, this isn't going to work. YOU call her."
"No way, let's draw straws..."
"Are we going to ask for the machine back?"
"Of course we are! That is a $400.00 machine!"
"Okay, I will call her, but YOU have to ask for the machine back."
My new design team?
QuicKutz, and more specifically The Silhouette.
How lucky am I? I didn't want to announce anything until I was sure they were okay with my stuff. They e-mailed back, and said it works for them. YAY!
Karma is starting to make up for my crappy birthday.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
already skinnier.
Saturday I joined Weight Watchers.
I figure I needed to be accountable to someone else for my weight to be successful. I am always too nice to myself...I have a hard day, and have EARNED that chocolate cake. Yes! And as much as you want too, because you gathered alllll the laundry.
So now I have to weigh in every week, and pay my 12 bucks, and wouldn't it be embarrassing and also a waste of money if I didn't lose each week?
I hope it works. I am ready for a change. I wear a size 1-2. Although some folks pronounce that "twelve."
The office is located conveniently in a strip mall right next to Little Caesars Pizza. So sometimes during the meetings, you know, when they are bearing their testimony of the goodness of cabbage with a light and fat-free vinaigrette, the smell of hot pepperoni and cheese laden pizza wafts in through the cracks in the wall. Awesome location for that pizza joint. I think they even have brown bags at the door for your head, if you want to order right after your weigh-in, incognito like.
On the table in the meeting room, they have different convenience foods out on a table that are low in points. We had to laugh a little, cause they are just the boxes or cans, not real food. I am pretty sure in the past they have had some poor lady melt-down right there on the carpet and tear into those uncooked noodles like a starved animal.
After my initial meeting, the instructor left, and there were these fall recipes all around the room. My friend and I were writing the recipes down. I looked around the room to find something to write on, and grabbed this bookmark from a box full of bookmarks off of the desk. I wrote the Pumpkin Spice cookie recipe on it.
Later that evening when I was reading some of the material they gave us, I noticed the rewards and recognition they do at the meetings. When you lose 10 percent of your body weight, you get a brass keyring. Cheesy, but when I think of losing that 10 percent, I bet that keyring will mean something. I WANT THAT KEYRING!
Heck, they even give you a reward for making it ONE WEEK.
Guess what it is? A bookmark.
The one I stole.
I figure I needed to be accountable to someone else for my weight to be successful. I am always too nice to myself...I have a hard day, and have EARNED that chocolate cake. Yes! And as much as you want too, because you gathered alllll the laundry.
So now I have to weigh in every week, and pay my 12 bucks, and wouldn't it be embarrassing and also a waste of money if I didn't lose each week?
I hope it works. I am ready for a change. I wear a size 1-2. Although some folks pronounce that "twelve."
The office is located conveniently in a strip mall right next to Little Caesars Pizza. So sometimes during the meetings, you know, when they are bearing their testimony of the goodness of cabbage with a light and fat-free vinaigrette, the smell of hot pepperoni and cheese laden pizza wafts in through the cracks in the wall. Awesome location for that pizza joint. I think they even have brown bags at the door for your head, if you want to order right after your weigh-in, incognito like.
On the table in the meeting room, they have different convenience foods out on a table that are low in points. We had to laugh a little, cause they are just the boxes or cans, not real food. I am pretty sure in the past they have had some poor lady melt-down right there on the carpet and tear into those uncooked noodles like a starved animal.
After my initial meeting, the instructor left, and there were these fall recipes all around the room. My friend and I were writing the recipes down. I looked around the room to find something to write on, and grabbed this bookmark from a box full of bookmarks off of the desk. I wrote the Pumpkin Spice cookie recipe on it.
Later that evening when I was reading some of the material they gave us, I noticed the rewards and recognition they do at the meetings. When you lose 10 percent of your body weight, you get a brass keyring. Cheesy, but when I think of losing that 10 percent, I bet that keyring will mean something. I WANT THAT KEYRING!
Heck, they even give you a reward for making it ONE WEEK.
Guess what it is? A bookmark.
The one I stole.
Friday, September 07, 2007
so glad this week is over.
Whew!
I have been busy.
Here are some numbers:
30- room mom's called by me. 2, I am still waiting to hear back from, but 28 accepted. Some politely declined, so I have made 36 phone calls total.
2-PTA meetings.
13- loads of laundry (and counting...)
5- bathrooms scrubbed.
2- Design team meetings.
1- new design team! (See how I slipped that in there?)
6- trips to the grocery store. (2 of those in the same day...ugh)
4- dinners prepared by me. (unless you count pizza being delivered--I mean I did call it in.)
20- lunches packed. (four kids, five days a week.)
15- layouts and projects finished for the Home Shopping Network for Karen Foster.
4- RAK's mailed out.
1- lunch at BMC West (a lumber supplier) my Dad is a contractor and invited us to come along to their company barbecue as his "crew" I think that is the only place in the world I can turn heads now...and only because I was one of the only women, and quite possibly the only one there wearing a clean shirt. And deoderant.
1- gas tank.
0- naps.
5- kids. (still.)
I have been busy.
Here are some numbers:
30- room mom's called by me. 2, I am still waiting to hear back from, but 28 accepted. Some politely declined, so I have made 36 phone calls total.
2-PTA meetings.
13- loads of laundry (and counting...)
5- bathrooms scrubbed.
2- Design team meetings.
1- new design team! (See how I slipped that in there?)
6- trips to the grocery store. (2 of those in the same day...ugh)
4- dinners prepared by me. (unless you count pizza being delivered--I mean I did call it in.)
20- lunches packed. (four kids, five days a week.)
15- layouts and projects finished for the Home Shopping Network for Karen Foster.
4- RAK's mailed out.
1- lunch at BMC West (a lumber supplier) my Dad is a contractor and invited us to come along to their company barbecue as his "crew" I think that is the only place in the world I can turn heads now...and only because I was one of the only women, and quite possibly the only one there wearing a clean shirt. And deoderant.
1- gas tank.
0- naps.
5- kids. (still.)
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
And also...
...I once broke up with a boy because he had a lot of chest hair.
I was in high school. And chest hair was, well, gross. We went jet-skiing, and he took off his shirt, and I was like: "See ya."
Told you I was kinda mean in my dating years.
I was in high school. And chest hair was, well, gross. We went jet-skiing, and he took off his shirt, and I was like: "See ya."
Told you I was kinda mean in my dating years.
Boys.
My oldest is 11 years old. It seems like he is a teenager sometimes. He is moody. He is really moody. For the most part, he is a good kid, but sometimes I look at him and have to fight the desire to kick him in the face.
Now that I have a pre-teen boy of my own, I remember how mean I was to boys when I was younger.
I grew up in a family of all girls. I had four sisters, so we are all a bit naive in the male department. Not a lot of experience, and less for me, being the oldest.
I remember in particular this boy I dated.
The above photo is of me at that age, but the boy I am with in the photo is Howard Jones...more about that in a later post.
Back then I was working at a credit union as a teller, and my mom called me one day to come home for lunch. "There is the cutest boy here, cleaning the carpets." I am not sure at that age if it was very cool for me to think that my mom was checking guys out. I mean, she married my dad for Pete sake. No teenager thinks that their Dad is hot. He is just a Dad. I was skeptical of my Mom, and her definition of "really cute." So I came home for lunch, more out of curiosity than anything.
Well, she was right--the Nice-N-Clean carpet boy was very good looking.
I made myself a grilled cheese, and then casually asked THE BOY if he would like one.
He said yes. (!) And when he answered yes, HE HAD AN ACCENT!
Ooooo boy. Nothing sexier than an accent. He was English and the mystery of being a foreigner made him all the more appealing.
We talked a bit over our grilled cheese sandwiches, and eventually he asked for my phone number, and that weekend he called and we went out.
He picked me up on a motorcycle. (!) He thoughtfully brought me a helmet and everything, and he wore this leather jacket that smelled so good when I leaned in close to him on the bike.
I thought I might be in love.
That first date, I don't remember what we did. I do remember listening to him talk, just so I could hear him talk, with that beautiful accent.
We dated a few more times. With each passing date I got a little more bored. He didn't have a car, and that motorcycle thing got really old. What was the point of teasing my 80's bangs up only to have them smooshed under a helmet? I don't think he had much money, because we never went anywhere nice. Back to his house to play games with his family, or occasionally out for a burger.
Finally one night he dropped me off, and rode off on his motorcycle. I saw him hit the gravel at the end of my block, and wobble, and then go down. I hurried inside the house and shut the door. I wanted to give him his pride. To let him think I hadn't seen him wreck on the bike. He wasn't going very fast after all, and I was sure he wasn't injured. A few minutes later, he knocked at the door. He had a small scrape on his elbow, and his jeans were dusty. THE BOY was looking for sympathy, and he found me. I was irritated and completely unimpressed. I guess I was looking for a macho guy. A guy who no matter how badly he was injured in this scenario would risk limping home to save their pride. I knew we had to break up.
I turned him down the next time he called. And the next. We never dated again. I still think about him though, especially now that I have boys of my own. I wonder if they will date girls like the young me. Or I wonder if they will find a girl with a little more compassion, maybe less judgmental.
I am glad I have a few years before I have to think about it. The cruelties of dating--from the parent's perspective.
And by the way, I admit my mom does have good taste, my Dad is pretty hot, you know--for a Dad.
Now that I have a pre-teen boy of my own, I remember how mean I was to boys when I was younger.
I grew up in a family of all girls. I had four sisters, so we are all a bit naive in the male department. Not a lot of experience, and less for me, being the oldest.
I remember in particular this boy I dated.
The above photo is of me at that age, but the boy I am with in the photo is Howard Jones...more about that in a later post.
Back then I was working at a credit union as a teller, and my mom called me one day to come home for lunch. "There is the cutest boy here, cleaning the carpets." I am not sure at that age if it was very cool for me to think that my mom was checking guys out. I mean, she married my dad for Pete sake. No teenager thinks that their Dad is hot. He is just a Dad. I was skeptical of my Mom, and her definition of "really cute." So I came home for lunch, more out of curiosity than anything.
Well, she was right--the Nice-N-Clean carpet boy was very good looking.
I made myself a grilled cheese, and then casually asked THE BOY if he would like one.
He said yes. (!) And when he answered yes, HE HAD AN ACCENT!
Ooooo boy. Nothing sexier than an accent. He was English and the mystery of being a foreigner made him all the more appealing.
We talked a bit over our grilled cheese sandwiches, and eventually he asked for my phone number, and that weekend he called and we went out.
He picked me up on a motorcycle. (!) He thoughtfully brought me a helmet and everything, and he wore this leather jacket that smelled so good when I leaned in close to him on the bike.
I thought I might be in love.
That first date, I don't remember what we did. I do remember listening to him talk, just so I could hear him talk, with that beautiful accent.
We dated a few more times. With each passing date I got a little more bored. He didn't have a car, and that motorcycle thing got really old. What was the point of teasing my 80's bangs up only to have them smooshed under a helmet? I don't think he had much money, because we never went anywhere nice. Back to his house to play games with his family, or occasionally out for a burger.
Finally one night he dropped me off, and rode off on his motorcycle. I saw him hit the gravel at the end of my block, and wobble, and then go down. I hurried inside the house and shut the door. I wanted to give him his pride. To let him think I hadn't seen him wreck on the bike. He wasn't going very fast after all, and I was sure he wasn't injured. A few minutes later, he knocked at the door. He had a small scrape on his elbow, and his jeans were dusty. THE BOY was looking for sympathy, and he found me. I was irritated and completely unimpressed. I guess I was looking for a macho guy. A guy who no matter how badly he was injured in this scenario would risk limping home to save their pride. I knew we had to break up.
I turned him down the next time he called. And the next. We never dated again. I still think about him though, especially now that I have boys of my own. I wonder if they will date girls like the young me. Or I wonder if they will find a girl with a little more compassion, maybe less judgmental.
I am glad I have a few years before I have to think about it. The cruelties of dating--from the parent's perspective.
And by the way, I admit my mom does have good taste, my Dad is pretty hot, you know--for a Dad.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Terribly sorry to have made you all wait for the FABULOUS drawing! I know you probably haven't been able to go about your daily business from all the refreshing/checking the blog here. HA!
I ended up just printing the comments, and had Mikayla draw seven of them. Blame her if you are not in the winners circle. I wish I could send you all a little something. I so enjoyed all the comments. You made my crappy day a little less crappy.
So with much anticipation, I give you the random winners! I will need you guys to e-mail me with your addresses, okay?
shauntewadley@gmail.com
Lizzy
Wendy Inman
Calli
All8
Amy B
Jennifer (not Stewart, dang! Although I probably have some rabbit feed to send you ;))
and
Susan Seriously
Thanks again everyone! Maybe this will make up for the non-weiners. A free cell-phone ring tone site. Download a little 80's goodness or something. HERE.
I ended up just printing the comments, and had Mikayla draw seven of them. Blame her if you are not in the winners circle. I wish I could send you all a little something. I so enjoyed all the comments. You made my crappy day a little less crappy.
So with much anticipation, I give you the random winners! I will need you guys to e-mail me with your addresses, okay?
shauntewadley@gmail.com
Lizzy
Wendy Inman
Calli
All8
Amy B
Jennifer (not Stewart, dang! Although I probably have some rabbit feed to send you ;))
and
Susan Seriously
Thanks again everyone! Maybe this will make up for the non-weiners. A free cell-phone ring tone site. Download a little 80's goodness or something. HERE.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
The birthday report.
Big sigh.
Birthdays suck turd, don't they? Unless you are five, or sixteen and dying to get your Drivers' licence( ...except if you are from Idaho, then you have had it ever since the parents could use a phone book for you to reach the pedals on the farm truck DAD!!...but here I am off topic.)
I think the whole thing was just bad timing. I was prepping for the big baptism day for the twins. And very stressed. Which, by the way, did you know that if you are NOT a list maker, and DO NOT write your to-do list down, then quite literally your brain can't stop recycling all your tasks. Therefore, you are unable to relax and shut your brain off? Someone did some study on it. I am not a list maker. But I went straight out and got a planner for my mind-dump. (off topic tidbit number two...if you are keeping track.
So at this juncture...me stressing. The house cleaning, the painting, the planning of the luncheon...Sam decided to volunteer to go into work to make up some time. So, he worked a grave-yard shift the night before my birthday. We made plans for the next day, to go to lunch together, finish up the projects and he offered to help me clean the house. Sounds good, right?
I stayed up late that night, doing stuff to the house. Now before you start thinking, MAN, that lady must live in a pit- remember we took on some new projects. The first of which is the gallery wall.
It doesn't look like much, but this was one of those, "this shouldn't take long" projects that actually drags on and on like a ninja movie with dubbed in sub-titles.
Sam helped me with the first couple of frames, and left me on my own with a couple of levels. I am from the school of "eyeball it til it looks right" I think it looks pretty good.
So fast forward to my birthday.
Sam wakes the kids up, and I am thinking YAY! he is going to let me sleep in. With a naive smile on my face, I roll over. Oh no. He wakes me, so I have the privilege of doing Shiannes hair. So now I am up, and the kids are off, and where is Sam? Oh yeah, back asleep with his pillow wrapped around his head.
So I start in on the painting. There is patching (I know how to use orange-peel spray now) and sanding (my arms still hurt) lots of painting, and putting IKEA furniture together. And taking care of Mikayla in between. Sam is still sleeping.
He slept until 1:19. I know this because I was starving. Cause remember he was taking me to lunch? And I turned down an offer to go with a girl friend of mine, to wait for him. So he started puttering around the house, inspecting my work. And I finished off Mikayla's spaghetti-O's in the kitchen.
I was lit. I am telling you, if that man had a tee-time for 8am, he would have sprung out of bed, and miraculously not been tired, but since it was my dumb old birthday, you know, he was tiiiired.
So now the day is pretty much shot, and the kids are due home in a couple of hours. He knew he was in the dog-house, so he went around silently and did jobs. I had to leave, and pick up some stuff for the next day at Costco, and Walmart. When I came back, that man was cleaning out the garage! Holy crap. And he had also cleaned out the laundry room, and the coat closet. You know CAUSE THOSE ARE PLACES OUR GUESTS WILL SEE! Never mind that the kids rooms needed cleaning beyond straightening up the stuffed animals. The bathrooms needed to be scrubbed. The kitchen wasn't even close to being clean. And that man, honestly thought the garage needed to be spiffed up? It is making me mad again to type it.
So basically I worked like a dog, my whole birthday long, and finally fell into bed exhausted at 2:00 am.
Here are the things I will give him credit for(cause occasionally he reads this):
Taking the kids out to pick me a present.
Picking me up some Cafe Rio Pork Salad for dinner.
Buying me a barbecue grill!
Buying me a new car CD player (which was incidentally purchased before the pole accident, now we are not so sure "Old Blue" is worthy of a new stereo)
Finally pulling it all out in the end. But on his time-table.
Oh and:
The full body massage.
Taking the kids camping, and insisting that I stay home and read my new book.
A day off. No cooking. Getting up to do hair, or homework.
Cause all those are forth-coming, right? Honey? I mean, now that the garage is clean, it should free up some time for him.
About the only thing that made me smile the whole day were the e-mails and blog comments that trickled in. So thanks you guys! For making me happy. I will be doing the drawing tomorrow sometime, and will need to collect the addresses of the winners, so stay tuned for that.
And part-two...The Birthday Report Make-up/ Redemption Day.
Birthdays suck turd, don't they? Unless you are five, or sixteen and dying to get your Drivers' licence( ...except if you are from Idaho, then you have had it ever since the parents could use a phone book for you to reach the pedals on the farm truck DAD!!...but here I am off topic.)
I think the whole thing was just bad timing. I was prepping for the big baptism day for the twins. And very stressed. Which, by the way, did you know that if you are NOT a list maker, and DO NOT write your to-do list down, then quite literally your brain can't stop recycling all your tasks. Therefore, you are unable to relax and shut your brain off? Someone did some study on it. I am not a list maker. But I went straight out and got a planner for my mind-dump. (off topic tidbit number two...if you are keeping track.
So at this juncture...me stressing. The house cleaning, the painting, the planning of the luncheon...Sam decided to volunteer to go into work to make up some time. So, he worked a grave-yard shift the night before my birthday. We made plans for the next day, to go to lunch together, finish up the projects and he offered to help me clean the house. Sounds good, right?
I stayed up late that night, doing stuff to the house. Now before you start thinking, MAN, that lady must live in a pit- remember we took on some new projects. The first of which is the gallery wall.
It doesn't look like much, but this was one of those, "this shouldn't take long" projects that actually drags on and on like a ninja movie with dubbed in sub-titles.
Sam helped me with the first couple of frames, and left me on my own with a couple of levels. I am from the school of "eyeball it til it looks right" I think it looks pretty good.
So fast forward to my birthday.
Sam wakes the kids up, and I am thinking YAY! he is going to let me sleep in. With a naive smile on my face, I roll over. Oh no. He wakes me, so I have the privilege of doing Shiannes hair. So now I am up, and the kids are off, and where is Sam? Oh yeah, back asleep with his pillow wrapped around his head.
So I start in on the painting. There is patching (I know how to use orange-peel spray now) and sanding (my arms still hurt) lots of painting, and putting IKEA furniture together. And taking care of Mikayla in between. Sam is still sleeping.
He slept until 1:19. I know this because I was starving. Cause remember he was taking me to lunch? And I turned down an offer to go with a girl friend of mine, to wait for him. So he started puttering around the house, inspecting my work. And I finished off Mikayla's spaghetti-O's in the kitchen.
I was lit. I am telling you, if that man had a tee-time for 8am, he would have sprung out of bed, and miraculously not been tired, but since it was my dumb old birthday, you know, he was tiiiired.
So now the day is pretty much shot, and the kids are due home in a couple of hours. He knew he was in the dog-house, so he went around silently and did jobs. I had to leave, and pick up some stuff for the next day at Costco, and Walmart. When I came back, that man was cleaning out the garage! Holy crap. And he had also cleaned out the laundry room, and the coat closet. You know CAUSE THOSE ARE PLACES OUR GUESTS WILL SEE! Never mind that the kids rooms needed cleaning beyond straightening up the stuffed animals. The bathrooms needed to be scrubbed. The kitchen wasn't even close to being clean. And that man, honestly thought the garage needed to be spiffed up? It is making me mad again to type it.
So basically I worked like a dog, my whole birthday long, and finally fell into bed exhausted at 2:00 am.
Here are the things I will give him credit for(cause occasionally he reads this):
Taking the kids out to pick me a present.
Picking me up some Cafe Rio Pork Salad for dinner.
Buying me a barbecue grill!
Buying me a new car CD player (which was incidentally purchased before the pole accident, now we are not so sure "Old Blue" is worthy of a new stereo)
Finally pulling it all out in the end. But on his time-table.
Oh and:
The full body massage.
Taking the kids camping, and insisting that I stay home and read my new book.
A day off. No cooking. Getting up to do hair, or homework.
Cause all those are forth-coming, right? Honey? I mean, now that the garage is clean, it should free up some time for him.
About the only thing that made me smile the whole day were the e-mails and blog comments that trickled in. So thanks you guys! For making me happy. I will be doing the drawing tomorrow sometime, and will need to collect the addresses of the winners, so stay tuned for that.
And part-two...The Birthday Report Make-up/ Redemption Day.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
Thirty-five years ago today.
This is me and my cute mom. She was so young when she had me. I was her first. (Sorry about those stretch marks...)
I thought I would GET THIS PARTY STARTED! Early, you know for you east-coasters, since, if all goes well, I am sleeping in tomorrow. Riiiiiiight. I can hope!
If you want to get entered into the prize drawing, leave me a comment. Any old comment, something about how fabulous I am, or funny, or good-looking. Whatever comes to mind.
I will list the weiners of the prizes tomorrow!
Eat some cake for me too, will you? Preferably chocolate.
This is me and my cute mom. She was so young when she had me. I was her first. (Sorry about those stretch marks...)
I thought I would GET THIS PARTY STARTED! Early, you know for you east-coasters, since, if all goes well, I am sleeping in tomorrow. Riiiiiiight. I can hope!
If you want to get entered into the prize drawing, leave me a comment. Any old comment, something about how fabulous I am, or funny, or good-looking. Whatever comes to mind.
I will list the weiners of the prizes tomorrow!
Eat some cake for me too, will you? Preferably chocolate.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Remember how Friday is my birthday? Remember I am going to be doing some give-aways that day. So ya'll come back now, ya hear?
I have decided to give away the items on my "Favorite Things" list from May. So stayed tuned for that one. I am not exactly sure how I am going to send someone a Costco Churro, but I will think of something. There may also be some random scrapbooking goodness. And maybe one of the children- the winner can pick the age.
I am linking some of my favorite older posts, just cause I am too lazy to think of something original and witty tonight. We are still painting the house, and the fumes are making me loopy, and I LIKE IT. I'd would like to bask in the paint-fume fog instead of sitting at the computer. Can't blame a girl for that.
So here are some archived blatherings until Fridays BLOGTASTIC BIRTHDAY BLOGERAMA(!!)
Barbie Mastectomy
On cleaning the pantry/garage
The gym
Enjoy! See you FRIDAY!
I have decided to give away the items on my "Favorite Things" list from May. So stayed tuned for that one. I am not exactly sure how I am going to send someone a Costco Churro, but I will think of something. There may also be some random scrapbooking goodness. And maybe one of the children- the winner can pick the age.
I am linking some of my favorite older posts, just cause I am too lazy to think of something original and witty tonight. We are still painting the house, and the fumes are making me loopy, and I LIKE IT. I'd would like to bask in the paint-fume fog instead of sitting at the computer. Can't blame a girl for that.
So here are some archived blatherings until Fridays BLOGTASTIC BIRTHDAY BLOGERAMA(!!)
Barbie Mastectomy
On cleaning the pantry/garage
The gym
Enjoy! See you FRIDAY!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
guess what we did last night?
Sam and I....
(I know what YOU were thinking, stop it!)
We painted the new family room/TV room thingie! We started at 11, and finished up at 1:30, which was pretty dang good considering the size of the room. Sam hates painting. He hates all home projects. Come to think of it, I think the guy just hates manual labor of any kind. But he obliged.
We painted it beige. Oh yeah, baby, lots of creative angles going on here. The actual color...I was looking for something beachy, just like sun-warmed sand. And the paint chip that we decided on was called "Sand between your toes." I am not kidding...you can go to Lowe's and find it, it is in the Seaside Retreat collection. Sam thought the white walls we had already looked fine.
And no. We did not buy the paint at Lowe's. They wanted $30.00 a gallon, so we high-tailed it over to Walmart and got the Kilz brand for $87.00 (five gallon bucket) Sam was thrilled to go back to Wally's after we had just left there to buy all the paint supplies.
I have never used Kilz, and it wasn't bad. That stuff was thick, like pudding. It freaked me out at first, and then, considering what a messy painter I am, I was pleasantly surprised that when I loaded up the roller this time, and trailed across the room to the wall I was working on, I didn't leave a trail of paint dribbles. <---that had to have been the longest run-on sentence ever.
And the best part of the Kilz paint, was that it only required ONE COAT (and a few touch-ups) That was awesome.
I will post some pictures, when we are more done with the room. Going to IKEA tonight to festoon the newly painted walls with some inexpensive Swiss trinkets.
Sam wonders why I am so busting hump getting the house put together.
Well let me tell you, we are having a house full of family and guests coming over for lunch after the twins' baptism this Saturday. Of course all of them have mentioned wanting to see the new addition to the house. I tried to tell them I really haven't done anything with the place yet. And they laughed. And said "You always say that, and then you always have cute stuff."
AAAARRGH. The pressure. Of being a woman. With a house. Please tell me that this would motivate you to decorate too? Yes? Sam thinks I am crazy.
I say, any motivation is good, unless I suppose that motivation requires the husband to paint.
(I know what YOU were thinking, stop it!)
We painted the new family room/TV room thingie! We started at 11, and finished up at 1:30, which was pretty dang good considering the size of the room. Sam hates painting. He hates all home projects. Come to think of it, I think the guy just hates manual labor of any kind. But he obliged.
We painted it beige. Oh yeah, baby, lots of creative angles going on here. The actual color...I was looking for something beachy, just like sun-warmed sand. And the paint chip that we decided on was called "Sand between your toes." I am not kidding...you can go to Lowe's and find it, it is in the Seaside Retreat collection. Sam thought the white walls we had already looked fine.
And no. We did not buy the paint at Lowe's. They wanted $30.00 a gallon, so we high-tailed it over to Walmart and got the Kilz brand for $87.00 (five gallon bucket) Sam was thrilled to go back to Wally's after we had just left there to buy all the paint supplies.
I have never used Kilz, and it wasn't bad. That stuff was thick, like pudding. It freaked me out at first, and then, considering what a messy painter I am, I was pleasantly surprised that when I loaded up the roller this time, and trailed across the room to the wall I was working on, I didn't leave a trail of paint dribbles. <---that had to have been the longest run-on sentence ever.
And the best part of the Kilz paint, was that it only required ONE COAT (and a few touch-ups) That was awesome.
I will post some pictures, when we are more done with the room. Going to IKEA tonight to festoon the newly painted walls with some inexpensive Swiss trinkets.
Sam wonders why I am so busting hump getting the house put together.
Well let me tell you, we are having a house full of family and guests coming over for lunch after the twins' baptism this Saturday. Of course all of them have mentioned wanting to see the new addition to the house. I tried to tell them I really haven't done anything with the place yet. And they laughed. And said "You always say that, and then you always have cute stuff."
AAAARRGH. The pressure. Of being a woman. With a house. Please tell me that this would motivate you to decorate too? Yes? Sam thinks I am crazy.
I say, any motivation is good, unless I suppose that motivation requires the husband to paint.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
This is for Sarah
Good morning!
See if you remember this one.
Now that I am an adult, I am wondering why this Mom sent her five year old to the store? (shrugs shoulders)
Friday, August 24, 2007
photo shoot goodies
From a couple of shoots I did recently.
Miss "S" in her baptism dress. Love those freckles!
I seriously had so much fun with Miss "H", who is drop-dead gorgeous, and that girl can work a camera!
She was very patient with my unprofessionalness. <--which I am pretty sure is not even a word.
Happy weekend! Do something fun! Sam is trying to talk me into going camping...ugh.
Miss "S" in her baptism dress. Love those freckles!
I seriously had so much fun with Miss "H", who is drop-dead gorgeous, and that girl can work a camera!
She was very patient with my unprofessionalness. <--which I am pretty sure is not even a word.
Happy weekend! Do something fun! Sam is trying to talk me into going camping...ugh.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
project closet organization
Yesterday, it was the weirdest thing.
The kids were gone, and I got the whole house cleaned, we are talking vacuumed and everything. And then, I still had like five hours to burn before they came home. I was a little bored. So I decided that I was going to try to deep clean something everyday, at least until the newness of them being gone wears off.
Today I am tackling my closet. Well, our closet. Sam and I share now. I am not so sure how I feel about that. In the old master bedroom, we each had our own closet. When we remodeled, we have a deep utility type closet, and a walk-in clothes closet. The idea was, the utility one was going to be for storage, and have a lock on it so I could use it as a Christmas closet, and collect things throughout the year. I know you are jealous, thinking about that. It must be a woman thing, cause Sam thought that was the stupidest thing ever, so as luck would have it, he took over the utility closet. That thing is packed full. Of his crap.
Now, by crap, I guess I am a little skewed on my opinion.
But let's talk about his trove of trash, shall we?
Sam has stuffed the closet chock full of man treasures, like two years worth of NINJA magazines (87-89). I mean, you never know when you need an article on how to "poison your unsuspecting enemy with a toxic tomato-leaf salad." We have that. June, 1988.
Then there is his plastic cigarette lighter collection. He collected lighters when he was in junior high. I am not sure why, he has never smoked and no one in his family smokes. The box is bigger than a shoe-box, and stuffed full of rusted Bic's. I asked him once if I could just chuck the whole box, and he looked at me as if I had asked him to remove one of his um, man-berries. I never asked again. And so it sits in the closet.
I probably shouldn't even be mentioning the next item, cause I could be setting myself up for a house robbery...but, he has action figures in original boxes, waiting, and waiting, because he is SURE those things are going to fetch us a million dollars on eBay one day. Sure. Just like beanie babies.
Have I ever mentioned that he sometimes metal detects? Yeah, well that is a post for another day, but he has shoe-boxes full of rusty crap, bottle caps, broken earrings, buttons, bent nails. Treasures! TREASURES I TELL YOU!!
Then in the top of the closet are unopened boxes of exercise tapes. One late, night, he got sucked into an infomercial for some type of exercise system. And the tapes started coming faithfully in the mail. You can see, those have really done well for us. Still in the boxes up there on the top shelf.
And the last thing I want to mention are all the wires and electronic things. He has kept every phone charger cord, every cable and speaker wire to every device we have ever owned. Why? I am not sure. But we have enough black plastic coated wires to snake around the whole town and back. All wound up in that closet.
I am not touching his closet.
I am, however, cleaning out the other one. The one with both of our clothes in it. The one that I selfishly store my things in. Taking up good real estate in that closet are things like:
My Wedding Dress
My grandmas jewelry
The kids' blessing outfits
You know, junk.
So I am going to try to de-clutter in there. I am starting with my belt collection. I am not sure why I even have them. I haven't worn a belt since 1995, when I got pregnant with my first child. After that, belts became a mockery of my life when I actually had a waist.
Here are the belts I found buried in the closet:
The blue beauty came with a pair of pants I got a Kohls. Recently too. I didn't ever feel hip enough to pull off the macrame 60's look. With fringe.
The plastic black and white. What do you even say about that, unless you are "Puttin' on the Ritz" and need to polish off your outfit with a belt to match your spats.
The OLE! belt was from my honeymoon to California, and the token trip into Tijuana, where I picked up that belt. It went with everything. And it is for a 26 inch waist. Not sure what type of pipe dream I was trying to hold onto there, by keeping that belt for 13 years.
That brown thing, is actually a purse strap. I haven't owned the purse it went to for years.
And the mango canvas belt? Yeah, I am not sure about that either. It looks like a dog leash.
So there you go. Me, doing my part to purge. I am sure the thrift store is going to be in 7th heaven when they get this bag of goods.
And if they can't use it, I am sure they can just burn in with their new collection of vintage Bic lighters. Heh.
The kids were gone, and I got the whole house cleaned, we are talking vacuumed and everything. And then, I still had like five hours to burn before they came home. I was a little bored. So I decided that I was going to try to deep clean something everyday, at least until the newness of them being gone wears off.
Today I am tackling my closet. Well, our closet. Sam and I share now. I am not so sure how I feel about that. In the old master bedroom, we each had our own closet. When we remodeled, we have a deep utility type closet, and a walk-in clothes closet. The idea was, the utility one was going to be for storage, and have a lock on it so I could use it as a Christmas closet, and collect things throughout the year. I know you are jealous, thinking about that. It must be a woman thing, cause Sam thought that was the stupidest thing ever, so as luck would have it, he took over the utility closet. That thing is packed full. Of his crap.
Now, by crap, I guess I am a little skewed on my opinion.
But let's talk about his trove of trash, shall we?
Sam has stuffed the closet chock full of man treasures, like two years worth of NINJA magazines (87-89). I mean, you never know when you need an article on how to "poison your unsuspecting enemy with a toxic tomato-leaf salad." We have that. June, 1988.
Then there is his plastic cigarette lighter collection. He collected lighters when he was in junior high. I am not sure why, he has never smoked and no one in his family smokes. The box is bigger than a shoe-box, and stuffed full of rusted Bic's. I asked him once if I could just chuck the whole box, and he looked at me as if I had asked him to remove one of his um, man-berries. I never asked again. And so it sits in the closet.
I probably shouldn't even be mentioning the next item, cause I could be setting myself up for a house robbery...but, he has action figures in original boxes, waiting, and waiting, because he is SURE those things are going to fetch us a million dollars on eBay one day. Sure. Just like beanie babies.
Have I ever mentioned that he sometimes metal detects? Yeah, well that is a post for another day, but he has shoe-boxes full of rusty crap, bottle caps, broken earrings, buttons, bent nails. Treasures! TREASURES I TELL YOU!!
Then in the top of the closet are unopened boxes of exercise tapes. One late, night, he got sucked into an infomercial for some type of exercise system. And the tapes started coming faithfully in the mail. You can see, those have really done well for us. Still in the boxes up there on the top shelf.
And the last thing I want to mention are all the wires and electronic things. He has kept every phone charger cord, every cable and speaker wire to every device we have ever owned. Why? I am not sure. But we have enough black plastic coated wires to snake around the whole town and back. All wound up in that closet.
I am not touching his closet.
I am, however, cleaning out the other one. The one with both of our clothes in it. The one that I selfishly store my things in. Taking up good real estate in that closet are things like:
My Wedding Dress
My grandmas jewelry
The kids' blessing outfits
You know, junk.
So I am going to try to de-clutter in there. I am starting with my belt collection. I am not sure why I even have them. I haven't worn a belt since 1995, when I got pregnant with my first child. After that, belts became a mockery of my life when I actually had a waist.
Here are the belts I found buried in the closet:
The blue beauty came with a pair of pants I got a Kohls. Recently too. I didn't ever feel hip enough to pull off the macrame 60's look. With fringe.
The plastic black and white. What do you even say about that, unless you are "Puttin' on the Ritz" and need to polish off your outfit with a belt to match your spats.
The OLE! belt was from my honeymoon to California, and the token trip into Tijuana, where I picked up that belt. It went with everything. And it is for a 26 inch waist. Not sure what type of pipe dream I was trying to hold onto there, by keeping that belt for 13 years.
That brown thing, is actually a purse strap. I haven't owned the purse it went to for years.
And the mango canvas belt? Yeah, I am not sure about that either. It looks like a dog leash.
So there you go. Me, doing my part to purge. I am sure the thrift store is going to be in 7th heaven when they get this bag of goods.
And if they can't use it, I am sure they can just burn in with their new collection of vintage Bic lighters. Heh.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
this is what nothing feels like
I know you have all been waiting and waiting to see what I did today to celebrate.
It was sadly, anticlimactic. I did nothing. Yep, that's right. Nothing.
In fact, don't judge me, but after I sent the kids off to school, I WENT BACK TO BED. Yes. I did. And I slept like a baby until 10:00.
I did make baptism invitations for the twins. I was pretty proud of myself, cause I have never put text on anything in photoshop before, and I think I did alright.
Then I piddly-dinked on the internet, read some, ate some, printed out some pre-school "homework" for Mikayla to entertain herself with, and then...all of a sudden, the kids were home again.
So that was it. I have higher hopes for tomorrow.
But my cheeks hurt from smiling all day, and my ears are ringing from the silence, and I do believe the sun shone a little brighter today from the SHEER FREEDOM in the air...
It was sadly, anticlimactic. I did nothing. Yep, that's right. Nothing.
In fact, don't judge me, but after I sent the kids off to school, I WENT BACK TO BED. Yes. I did. And I slept like a baby until 10:00.
I did make baptism invitations for the twins. I was pretty proud of myself, cause I have never put text on anything in photoshop before, and I think I did alright.
Then I piddly-dinked on the internet, read some, ate some, printed out some pre-school "homework" for Mikayla to entertain herself with, and then...all of a sudden, the kids were home again.
So that was it. I have higher hopes for tomorrow.
But my cheeks hurt from smiling all day, and my ears are ringing from the silence, and I do believe the sun shone a little brighter today from the SHEER FREEDOM in the air...
Monday, August 20, 2007
since the last post was so text heavy
A couple layouts I did recently. My scanner is being wonky, so forgive the weird camera angle going on.
a couple layouts I did recently:
a couple layouts I did recently:
lots to look forward to
Tomorrow the public school system will suck up four of my five offspring.
And really, the fifth one is ready...she knows her alphabet, letter sounds, can write every letter on cue, can skip, hop, knows her shapes...I have seriously toyed with the idea of fudging her birth certificate.
I guess it weirds me out a little to think of all of them gone. Maybe I need this next year to adjust, and make plans for a life outside of being mommy all day.
I am ready for order, and a schedule. Don't get me wrong...it has been fabulous to stay up late, and sleep in the next day. We have had fun playing board games all night, and making runs to Arctic Circle at 10:30 for ice cream. We have had a full summer. But I am ready to get going again.
Tonight is the school open house, where we meet the kids' teachers. I am an idiot, and volunteered to be over all the room moms this year. Since I was a room mom to two classes again last year, my thinking was, if I am OVER all the room moms, it will be less pressure for me later on? Now I am thinking, what compels me to do any of it? Anyway, I have sign-up sheets for all the teachers, and hopefully I will get a lot of eager-not-yet-burned-out parent volunteers. Crossing my fingers.
Also coming up:
I have my 35th birthday on the 31st.
I mention this for three reasons. One, because you all still have time to order me something fabulous, and get it mailed. (Heh.) Two, because this year I decided that I was going to tell everyone that I met that it was my birthday. Maybe it would make it more exciting? My kids tell the whole world, and they seem to have fun doing it. I am trying it this year. I am going to tell everyone I see. Costco workers, gas station guys, grocery store checkers...everyone. I will let you know how that goes. Then third, I am going to do a few giveaways on my blog that day. Lets call it a BLOGTACULAR Birthday!! <----ugh, and the only reason I call it that, is cause I hate that crap...sometimes on the radio, it is especially bad "Come to our ROCK-TOBER CELEBRATION EVENT!" Rock-tober. Really?
But I will be hosting giveaways. So stay tuned for that.
And let's not forget tomorrow. When you hear a loud scream of joy, and a "SO LONG SUCKERS!!" echoing off the mountains of northern Utah, you will know that is ME, sending the children into the cold, cruel world. Heh.
And really, the fifth one is ready...she knows her alphabet, letter sounds, can write every letter on cue, can skip, hop, knows her shapes...I have seriously toyed with the idea of fudging her birth certificate.
I guess it weirds me out a little to think of all of them gone. Maybe I need this next year to adjust, and make plans for a life outside of being mommy all day.
I am ready for order, and a schedule. Don't get me wrong...it has been fabulous to stay up late, and sleep in the next day. We have had fun playing board games all night, and making runs to Arctic Circle at 10:30 for ice cream. We have had a full summer. But I am ready to get going again.
Tonight is the school open house, where we meet the kids' teachers. I am an idiot, and volunteered to be over all the room moms this year. Since I was a room mom to two classes again last year, my thinking was, if I am OVER all the room moms, it will be less pressure for me later on? Now I am thinking, what compels me to do any of it? Anyway, I have sign-up sheets for all the teachers, and hopefully I will get a lot of eager-not-yet-burned-out parent volunteers. Crossing my fingers.
Also coming up:
I have my 35th birthday on the 31st.
I mention this for three reasons. One, because you all still have time to order me something fabulous, and get it mailed. (Heh.) Two, because this year I decided that I was going to tell everyone that I met that it was my birthday. Maybe it would make it more exciting? My kids tell the whole world, and they seem to have fun doing it. I am trying it this year. I am going to tell everyone I see. Costco workers, gas station guys, grocery store checkers...everyone. I will let you know how that goes. Then third, I am going to do a few giveaways on my blog that day. Lets call it a BLOGTACULAR Birthday!! <----ugh, and the only reason I call it that, is cause I hate that crap...sometimes on the radio, it is especially bad "Come to our ROCK-TOBER CELEBRATION EVENT!" Rock-tober. Really?
But I will be hosting giveaways. So stay tuned for that.
And let's not forget tomorrow. When you hear a loud scream of joy, and a "SO LONG SUCKERS!!" echoing off the mountains of northern Utah, you will know that is ME, sending the children into the cold, cruel world. Heh.
Friday, August 17, 2007
i married him
Sorry, honey, I lied.
Told Sam that I wanted to get pictures of his new shirt. And I did. But I also wanted some good pictures of him. Something to keep me company while I am home alone while he is working graveyards, and I am curled up in bed with a good vampire book. HA!
I also lied when I told him I wasn't going to blog about him, and his shirt. It's a cool shirt, especially if your name happens to be Sam. But lately I am thinking of calling him by his never used first name, which happens to be Edward.
I am sure all you Stephenie Meyer fans can understand that.
When I try to get a good picture of Sam, I usually get something like this:
Or this, the "I am outta here..."
But really, I think I am pretty lucky. He looks pretty good for a 35 year old. Most of the time I really love this guy.
He is the best hair-dyer that I know of. Miss Clairol ain't got nothin' on him. He is very meticulous about getting good coverage on my long hair, even if the complimentary gloves barely fit his hands.
The other night, he was fresh home from his graveyard shift, and very tired, I am sure...but heard one of the kids vomiting, again, and turned to me and said "I've got this one."
Sometimes when my alter-ego (that-other-lady) threatens to present herself, Sam has been known to gather up all the children and take them all away for a couple of hours. To safety.
He scrubs floors without being asked. I know.
He always, always says "Yes" when I ask him if he wants to see my latest layout, and has been known, upon occasion to comment with surprising accuracy "That upper-right corner needs something, maybe a photo-corner?"
When he gets home from his graveyard shift, he is as quiet as he can be, and uses his cell-phone as a flashlight so he won't wake me. (Little does he know, that moms sleep with one eye open anyway, and subconsciously I am waiting for him to come home, but it is still thoughtful, and I give him full points for the effort)
He always thanks me for dinner. No matter what it is. And every once in a while, will thank me for something out of the blue, like: "Thanks for doing wash" while he is putting on clean socks. (Do men get that it is the LITTLE THINGS like this, that get them a whole lot of mileage?)
When that-other-lady shows up, sometimes he brings me home a drink from the gas station. And a treat. Usually Bit-O-Honey. I am not sure if that is subliminal or not.
He gives me medium-pressure-non-sexual back-rubs, and always finds the knots and works them out. And then, he doesn't even expect me to reciprocate, probably cause I suck at giving back rubs.
He fixes stuff. I don't get how instinctively he knows how all things work, but he does.
He always makes me laugh. Even when I am mad at him, which makes me madder and I have to remind him "I am not laughing cause you are funny, I am laughing cause I am pissed." Which makes no sense, really.
I guess I could go on and on, but really, who likes to read about other peoples' husbands? Especially if you are mad at yours. And this will probably be a good thing for me to review too, when he sneaks off to go golfing next week.
Told Sam that I wanted to get pictures of his new shirt. And I did. But I also wanted some good pictures of him. Something to keep me company while I am home alone while he is working graveyards, and I am curled up in bed with a good vampire book. HA!
I also lied when I told him I wasn't going to blog about him, and his shirt. It's a cool shirt, especially if your name happens to be Sam. But lately I am thinking of calling him by his never used first name, which happens to be Edward.
I am sure all you Stephenie Meyer fans can understand that.
When I try to get a good picture of Sam, I usually get something like this:
Or this, the "I am outta here..."
But really, I think I am pretty lucky. He looks pretty good for a 35 year old. Most of the time I really love this guy.
He is the best hair-dyer that I know of. Miss Clairol ain't got nothin' on him. He is very meticulous about getting good coverage on my long hair, even if the complimentary gloves barely fit his hands.
The other night, he was fresh home from his graveyard shift, and very tired, I am sure...but heard one of the kids vomiting, again, and turned to me and said "I've got this one."
Sometimes when my alter-ego (that-other-lady) threatens to present herself, Sam has been known to gather up all the children and take them all away for a couple of hours. To safety.
He scrubs floors without being asked. I know.
He always, always says "Yes" when I ask him if he wants to see my latest layout, and has been known, upon occasion to comment with surprising accuracy "That upper-right corner needs something, maybe a photo-corner?"
When he gets home from his graveyard shift, he is as quiet as he can be, and uses his cell-phone as a flashlight so he won't wake me. (Little does he know, that moms sleep with one eye open anyway, and subconsciously I am waiting for him to come home, but it is still thoughtful, and I give him full points for the effort)
He always thanks me for dinner. No matter what it is. And every once in a while, will thank me for something out of the blue, like: "Thanks for doing wash" while he is putting on clean socks. (Do men get that it is the LITTLE THINGS like this, that get them a whole lot of mileage?)
When that-other-lady shows up, sometimes he brings me home a drink from the gas station. And a treat. Usually Bit-O-Honey. I am not sure if that is subliminal or not.
He gives me medium-pressure-non-sexual back-rubs, and always finds the knots and works them out. And then, he doesn't even expect me to reciprocate, probably cause I suck at giving back rubs.
He fixes stuff. I don't get how instinctively he knows how all things work, but he does.
He always makes me laugh. Even when I am mad at him, which makes me madder and I have to remind him "I am not laughing cause you are funny, I am laughing cause I am pissed." Which makes no sense, really.
I guess I could go on and on, but really, who likes to read about other peoples' husbands? Especially if you are mad at yours. And this will probably be a good thing for me to review too, when he sneaks off to go golfing next week.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
last post of the day
Don't flip out because I have posted twice today.
It couldn't be because I am stuck at home with barfing kids to keep me company...nooooo...
I thought I would post a recipe.
1- because I wanted to prove that I do, indeed cook on occasion and
2- because this is my own recipe, I adapted it from one I found, and it ended up being pretty good with my tweaking. I just entered it into a contest, and if I win I get $500.00.
Thats got to be enough to pay for the broken drivers' side mirror on the suburban. Yes?
I am sure the fame of winning the contest, and the chef hat tiara will suffice for wasting my hard-earned cash on a stupid mirror. (Notice I think I have already won)
(Incidentally, I just ran spell-check, and it said "No miss-spellings found."--GO ME!!)
Lemonade Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ c. sugar
2 (0.15 oz) packages dry unsweetened lemonade mix (Kool-aid etc.)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
finely grated zest from one large lemon
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
Heat the over to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and lemonade mix until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix until smooth. Stir the baking soda into the flour, and add to mixture. Beat until completely combined.
Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll in granulated sugar, and place on greased cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of cookie to slightly flatten.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Cool before moving to a rack. Makes 5 dozen cookies.
Enjoy, without fear, this is NOT what made the kids sick.
It couldn't be because I am stuck at home with barfing kids to keep me company...nooooo...
I thought I would post a recipe.
1- because I wanted to prove that I do, indeed cook on occasion and
2- because this is my own recipe, I adapted it from one I found, and it ended up being pretty good with my tweaking. I just entered it into a contest, and if I win I get $500.00.
Thats got to be enough to pay for the broken drivers' side mirror on the suburban. Yes?
I am sure the fame of winning the contest, and the chef hat tiara will suffice for wasting my hard-earned cash on a stupid mirror. (Notice I think I have already won)
(Incidentally, I just ran spell-check, and it said "No miss-spellings found."--GO ME!!)
Lemonade Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ c. sugar
2 (0.15 oz) packages dry unsweetened lemonade mix (Kool-aid etc.)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
finely grated zest from one large lemon
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
Heat the over to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and lemonade mix until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix until smooth. Stir the baking soda into the flour, and add to mixture. Beat until completely combined.
Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll in granulated sugar, and place on greased cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of cookie to slightly flatten.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Cool before moving to a rack. Makes 5 dozen cookies.
Enjoy, without fear, this is NOT what made the kids sick.
entertaining the sick kids with youtube
A classic from my childhood. Still makes me laugh!
Book. Book. Book.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Been meaning to blog about this for a few days now, but didn't have the heart.
You know how you think to yourself, when something crappy happens, that one of these days "I am going to laugh about this?" Well, I am still not laughing, but it is getting less painful.
I took all the kids with me running errands. That is always fun. I had to go to several places, and they were restless and loud and goofy. Needless to say, I had a headache in about 17 minutes. I completed said errands, and we headed home to browse the cupboards for something quick to throw together for dinner.
It was then that I remembered that I needed to pick up Jayden's grind rail (some skateboard thing) at Walmart. My mother-in-law had me order it for his birthday online, and they delivered it to the store, which incidentally I would not do again, it took forever to ship, and I stood back in the pick-up area for 20 minutes, and finally...I paged someone MYSELF on their stupid loudspeaker system, in fact I paged a MANAGER. (the four months I worked at Walmart paid off, if only for the knowledge of the PAGER system)
Anyhooo, I am getting off topic here.
So we go to pick up the grind rail. I take Jayden with me, and leave the other vermin with Sam at home.
We pull into the parking lot, which is full on a Saturday night (go figure) and I see a parking spot, and I signal, you know--to lay claim on it, and start turning in the aisle. Well, out of NOWHERE comes this pole...and dang if I don't nail it, and skim it alllll the way down the side of the Suburban. It makes this huge loud metal to metal scraping noise, and my heart is pounding more than my head now, and everyone within a twenty mile radius is looking at us.
What do you do?
I park in that $4000.00 parking stall, get out, try to slam the mangled door and head into the store. I can feel the burning heat of embarrassment on my cheeks.
I say to Jayden "Man, everyone is looking at us."
And he says "Correction. Everyone is looking at YOU, I was just the passenger."
Touche.
And yet, it is HIS grind-rail that caused this. Right??
Sigh.
Well, at least I solved the problem of trying to distinguish my blue suburban from the other million blue suburbans in Mormonville, USA. Mine is the one with the custom yellow pin-stripes.
Bad day, eh?
Au contraire, mon freire!
My week gets worse. That next morning, Jayden goes out bright and early to try the grind rail. Slams his head on the sidewalk first run, and gets a concussion, and various bleeding scrapes. Great. So I am watching him, and shining a flash-light in his eyes every five minutes to make sure he isn't going to puke on my new couch, patch up the scrapes, and Mikayla comes in bawling.
She too has smacked her head. Now, she at least manages to produce an impressive purple, pulsing hematoma. It looked like half of a super ball on the back of her head. So now I am watching her too.
I am not kidding, it wasn't 30 minutes later, Shianne comes it. She is holding her head too, but not crying, so she is either a whole lot tougher than the other two nimrods, or she has something else going on entirely.
She managed to get a whole strip of FLY PAPER wrapped around her head, and tangled up in her long hair. It had fly carcasses on it and everything. How do you get that out, you ask? I am not sure. The insanely sticky gummy crap is still in her hair. I figure in a couple of days she will just have some cool dreadlocks. I would have time to work some Un-Du in there, or goo-gone, or something except for the fact that today....
...three of my kids have the FLU, and things are jetting out of both ends...and I AM BUSY!! But, I am grateful for the fact that we have five bathrooms in this house, cause they are all getting some good use, let me tell you.
And it's only Wednesday.
I bet you wish you were me.
You know how you think to yourself, when something crappy happens, that one of these days "I am going to laugh about this?" Well, I am still not laughing, but it is getting less painful.
I took all the kids with me running errands. That is always fun. I had to go to several places, and they were restless and loud and goofy. Needless to say, I had a headache in about 17 minutes. I completed said errands, and we headed home to browse the cupboards for something quick to throw together for dinner.
It was then that I remembered that I needed to pick up Jayden's grind rail (some skateboard thing) at Walmart. My mother-in-law had me order it for his birthday online, and they delivered it to the store, which incidentally I would not do again, it took forever to ship, and I stood back in the pick-up area for 20 minutes, and finally...I paged someone MYSELF on their stupid loudspeaker system, in fact I paged a MANAGER. (the four months I worked at Walmart paid off, if only for the knowledge of the PAGER system)
Anyhooo, I am getting off topic here.
So we go to pick up the grind rail. I take Jayden with me, and leave the other vermin with Sam at home.
We pull into the parking lot, which is full on a Saturday night (go figure) and I see a parking spot, and I signal, you know--to lay claim on it, and start turning in the aisle. Well, out of NOWHERE comes this pole...and dang if I don't nail it, and skim it alllll the way down the side of the Suburban. It makes this huge loud metal to metal scraping noise, and my heart is pounding more than my head now, and everyone within a twenty mile radius is looking at us.
What do you do?
I park in that $4000.00 parking stall, get out, try to slam the mangled door and head into the store. I can feel the burning heat of embarrassment on my cheeks.
I say to Jayden "Man, everyone is looking at us."
And he says "Correction. Everyone is looking at YOU, I was just the passenger."
Touche.
And yet, it is HIS grind-rail that caused this. Right??
Sigh.
Well, at least I solved the problem of trying to distinguish my blue suburban from the other million blue suburbans in Mormonville, USA. Mine is the one with the custom yellow pin-stripes.
Bad day, eh?
Au contraire, mon freire!
My week gets worse. That next morning, Jayden goes out bright and early to try the grind rail. Slams his head on the sidewalk first run, and gets a concussion, and various bleeding scrapes. Great. So I am watching him, and shining a flash-light in his eyes every five minutes to make sure he isn't going to puke on my new couch, patch up the scrapes, and Mikayla comes in bawling.
She too has smacked her head. Now, she at least manages to produce an impressive purple, pulsing hematoma. It looked like half of a super ball on the back of her head. So now I am watching her too.
I am not kidding, it wasn't 30 minutes later, Shianne comes it. She is holding her head too, but not crying, so she is either a whole lot tougher than the other two nimrods, or she has something else going on entirely.
She managed to get a whole strip of FLY PAPER wrapped around her head, and tangled up in her long hair. It had fly carcasses on it and everything. How do you get that out, you ask? I am not sure. The insanely sticky gummy crap is still in her hair. I figure in a couple of days she will just have some cool dreadlocks. I would have time to work some Un-Du in there, or goo-gone, or something except for the fact that today....
...three of my kids have the FLU, and things are jetting out of both ends...and I AM BUSY!! But, I am grateful for the fact that we have five bathrooms in this house, cause they are all getting some good use, let me tell you.
And it's only Wednesday.
I bet you wish you were me.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
finished book two, new moon
It was just as fabulous as book one.
Between these two Stephenie Meyer books, which were around 500 pages each, and then the new Harry Potter book, I have read over 1700 pages in the past week.
I can smell the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink all the way upstairs.
Between these two Stephenie Meyer books, which were around 500 pages each, and then the new Harry Potter book, I have read over 1700 pages in the past week.
I can smell the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink all the way upstairs.
Monday, August 13, 2007
plugging an awesome book.
Twilight.
By Stephenie Meyer
I started this book on loan from my friend Laura at about 12:30 last night. I so COULD NOT put this book down. I finally finished it at about 5:30 this morning. Sigh....
I slept for a few hours, my sleep punctuated by visions of hot vampire love. (LOVE! I said, the books were written for teenagers, so it's all clean)
I highly recommend this book.
And the best part, it is the first in a series! Like a heroin addict, I must have the other two books.
NOW! (ahem, Laura...)
Go find them. You will not be disappointed.
Then shoot me an e-mail and we will talk.
By Stephenie Meyer
I started this book on loan from my friend Laura at about 12:30 last night. I so COULD NOT put this book down. I finally finished it at about 5:30 this morning. Sigh....
I slept for a few hours, my sleep punctuated by visions of hot vampire love. (LOVE! I said, the books were written for teenagers, so it's all clean)
I highly recommend this book.
And the best part, it is the first in a series! Like a heroin addict, I must have the other two books.
NOW! (ahem, Laura...)
Go find them. You will not be disappointed.
Then shoot me an e-mail and we will talk.
Friday, August 10, 2007
867-5309
Yesterday, I got up and went walking with the walking group again.
I was feeling like I could get a jump on my day when I came back and the whole rest of the house was asleep, so I tip-toed around my sleeping darlings and gathered up some laundry. Man! I am a front-runner for Mother of the Year I am sure. I was even so efficient, I threw in the very shorts that I went walking in that morning.
I put the load in the dryer a bit later, and heard the ever-so-familiar "clunk-clunk-clunk" of something in a pocket that shouldn't be there. I checked all of Shayne's shorts. He is my rock collector, and that is what the clunk sounded like. I am a master of the clunks. I can tell in the other room what the object is. "Oooh, mama's got some change...sounds like a quarter, and two nickels..." Shayne's pockets were clean. Whoa, I was way off! I kept digging, until I came reluctantly to my own gym shorts, and pulled out my cell phone. Freshly bleached and oxy-cleaned.
So later that evening, we took a trip to the big city--to THE MALL. To replace the cell phones. Now, the amazing part here, is that this all happened in a timely manner. Normally, with Wadley luck, the whole washing of the phone thing would have happened the day after I got a new cell phone. Our contract goes two years, and it just so happened that the two years are NOW, and I was due for a new phone. SO TAKE THAT, FATE!
While at the mall. With all the kids. We walked around a bit. With all the kids. Everything has changed, of course since I used to go there quite a bit as a teen. And yet, oddly enough, THE CLOTHES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!
It was like I never left.
They are bringing the 80's back.
I had heard this, and knew this in the back of my head, but to see it...was weird.
I was sort-of excited to see the leggings and long shirts, thinking I could finally wear something besides the horrible combo of low-rise pants, and too-short shirts. I have had such a frustrating past few years tugging and pulling as to not expose to the world my fluffy muffin-top that spills out over my pants where my waist used to be.
Then I got a good look at the leggings and long shirts of today. Leggings, okay. Tight, capri length, (no stir-ups yet). Check. Long shirts...um...also skin tight, and form fitting. Those ain't no 80's shirts. And they certainly aren't going to do a whole lot for hiding the flab-belt I have.
So yet again, it's a skinny girls world. Crap.
And I had to laugh too, cause I guess they brought back the whole turn-your-polo-shirt-collar-up thing too. I painfully remember that. I remember my grandma always folding it down for me, when she saw me with it up. And my aunts, and strangers on the street. I remember begging my mom to please, please just turn your collar up, you are wearing a polo shirt already, and just make it be cool. And I remember her telling me she thought it looked stupid that way, and mom's don't have to be cool.
It does look stupid.
And I had to physically step away from the teenagers with their collars up, cause I just wanted to go over and fold their collars down for them. It was like a compulsive reflex that I couldn't control. Like when you see a crooked picture in a strangers house, and you just want to FIX IT.
I guess I have become my mother. But with a new cell phone.
I was feeling like I could get a jump on my day when I came back and the whole rest of the house was asleep, so I tip-toed around my sleeping darlings and gathered up some laundry. Man! I am a front-runner for Mother of the Year I am sure. I was even so efficient, I threw in the very shorts that I went walking in that morning.
I put the load in the dryer a bit later, and heard the ever-so-familiar "clunk-clunk-clunk" of something in a pocket that shouldn't be there. I checked all of Shayne's shorts. He is my rock collector, and that is what the clunk sounded like. I am a master of the clunks. I can tell in the other room what the object is. "Oooh, mama's got some change...sounds like a quarter, and two nickels..." Shayne's pockets were clean. Whoa, I was way off! I kept digging, until I came reluctantly to my own gym shorts, and pulled out my cell phone. Freshly bleached and oxy-cleaned.
So later that evening, we took a trip to the big city--to THE MALL. To replace the cell phones. Now, the amazing part here, is that this all happened in a timely manner. Normally, with Wadley luck, the whole washing of the phone thing would have happened the day after I got a new cell phone. Our contract goes two years, and it just so happened that the two years are NOW, and I was due for a new phone. SO TAKE THAT, FATE!
While at the mall. With all the kids. We walked around a bit. With all the kids. Everything has changed, of course since I used to go there quite a bit as a teen. And yet, oddly enough, THE CLOTHES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!
It was like I never left.
They are bringing the 80's back.
I had heard this, and knew this in the back of my head, but to see it...was weird.
I was sort-of excited to see the leggings and long shirts, thinking I could finally wear something besides the horrible combo of low-rise pants, and too-short shirts. I have had such a frustrating past few years tugging and pulling as to not expose to the world my fluffy muffin-top that spills out over my pants where my waist used to be.
Then I got a good look at the leggings and long shirts of today. Leggings, okay. Tight, capri length, (no stir-ups yet). Check. Long shirts...um...also skin tight, and form fitting. Those ain't no 80's shirts. And they certainly aren't going to do a whole lot for hiding the flab-belt I have.
So yet again, it's a skinny girls world. Crap.
And I had to laugh too, cause I guess they brought back the whole turn-your-polo-shirt-collar-up thing too. I painfully remember that. I remember my grandma always folding it down for me, when she saw me with it up. And my aunts, and strangers on the street. I remember begging my mom to please, please just turn your collar up, you are wearing a polo shirt already, and just make it be cool. And I remember her telling me she thought it looked stupid that way, and mom's don't have to be cool.
It does look stupid.
And I had to physically step away from the teenagers with their collars up, cause I just wanted to go over and fold their collars down for them. It was like a compulsive reflex that I couldn't control. Like when you see a crooked picture in a strangers house, and you just want to FIX IT.
I guess I have become my mother. But with a new cell phone.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
been editing.
I found this gem.
You can crack any cheeky jokes you want, I know I have been laughing my butt off at it....<----(har har)
Then, I just discovered FILTERS in photo-shop.
Shush! I know it takes me a long time to figure stuff out, like the time I realized my oven was self-cleaning, and I didn't have to erode my skin, nor gas myself cleaning it with toxic foam sprays.
Or when I started buying paper lunch sacks, instead of washing out stinky lunchboxes every single day.
Or that they had cheese. Pre-sliced!
Sometimes I don't notice these things, okay? Sometimes I am not aware that there is a life-changing substitute for one of my everyday tasks.
So here is a photo from Maui, SOOC (straight out of camera)
And the same photo with a cooling filter:
a warming filter:
and for that "natural" cheap hotel wall art look, a violet filter:
Photoshop is amazing. And addicting.
So, which shot do you like the best?
(Besides Brendan's fanny)
Monday, August 06, 2007
why all kids should share the same birthday
Said Mikayla, pointing to Shianne's birthday stash:
"Mom, this is the bestest day for Shy-shy, but I am so sad. Mostly cause I want all of those things."
"Mom, this is the bestest day for Shy-shy, but I am so sad. Mostly cause I want all of those things."
Saturday, August 04, 2007
randomness.
(1) This week is mardi gras at our house.
Jayden, our oldest had his 11th birthday (on the 27th) while we were in Maui. What other eleven-year-old blew his candles out with white sands and palm trees in the background?
Spoiled.
Then tomorrow, the twins turn eight.
We are all going to be in a costco-cake sugar induced comas.
(2) I bought a blender.
Sam wanted something to mix up his awful smelling protein shakes. That was the beginning. Now I have a freezer full of frozen berries, and vanilla yogurt.
This is good though:
Shaunte's Smoothie
1 ripe nectarine
2 heaping tablespoons vanilla yogurt
1 cup crushed ice
1 packet French Vanilla Carnation Instant Breakfast
1/4 t. almond extract
1/4 c. (or so) milk
Blend well. Add milk to be able to drink it down. Yummy breakfast goodness. Or whenever you deserve a treat.
(3) I got all the laundry done. Knocking on wood.
(4) Working on stuff for HSN, airing August 9th. My stuff, not me.
(5) Both sad and excited that school starts up again in three weeks.
Went shopping and got all the school supplies the kids need. Bought a few clothes, still need a bunch of stuff. Been thinking about all the things I wanted to do with the kids this summer, and how many things we haven't scratched off the list...in fact, we were always going to sit down together and MAKE THE LIST. Sigh.
Not excited to make lunches and get up early and do homework and support fundraisers and attend parent teacher conferences and generally live our lives on a schedule imposed by school bells.
But.
The children will be gone for six hours.
Every.
Single.
Weekday.
I could drink a smoothie to that.
Jayden, our oldest had his 11th birthday (on the 27th) while we were in Maui. What other eleven-year-old blew his candles out with white sands and palm trees in the background?
Spoiled.
Then tomorrow, the twins turn eight.
We are all going to be in a costco-cake sugar induced comas.
(2) I bought a blender.
Sam wanted something to mix up his awful smelling protein shakes. That was the beginning. Now I have a freezer full of frozen berries, and vanilla yogurt.
This is good though:
Shaunte's Smoothie
1 ripe nectarine
2 heaping tablespoons vanilla yogurt
1 cup crushed ice
1 packet French Vanilla Carnation Instant Breakfast
1/4 t. almond extract
1/4 c. (or so) milk
Blend well. Add milk to be able to drink it down. Yummy breakfast goodness. Or whenever you deserve a treat.
(3) I got all the laundry done. Knocking on wood.
(4) Working on stuff for HSN, airing August 9th. My stuff, not me.
(5) Both sad and excited that school starts up again in three weeks.
Went shopping and got all the school supplies the kids need. Bought a few clothes, still need a bunch of stuff. Been thinking about all the things I wanted to do with the kids this summer, and how many things we haven't scratched off the list...in fact, we were always going to sit down together and MAKE THE LIST. Sigh.
Not excited to make lunches and get up early and do homework and support fundraisers and attend parent teacher conferences and generally live our lives on a schedule imposed by school bells.
But.
The children will be gone for six hours.
Every.
Single.
Weekday.
I could drink a smoothie to that.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Blog-tag.
I was tagged by Laura.
And apparently nominated for "Rockin' Blogger" whatever that is. I had to copy and paste the little tag thingie up there.
Here goes the question answering part.
1. your entire family has gone away for the weekend. the house is all yours. what are the first three things you do? Oooo gosh. That sounds FABULOUS after the family vacation I just survived. I would probably pick up the house a little, make a batch of carmel popcorn, and settle into a book. Oh wait, I would take my bra off first thing, and ceremonially throw it across the room, but that probably goes without saying, right?
2. your bankbook is looking healthy, you have a four-day weekend ahead. what sounds good? Check flights, see what looks good and fairly close, and take off.
3. what do you do while waiting in the doctors office? Thumb through magazines, and sometimes if I see a good recipe or some layout inspiration, I discreetly tear it out of the magazine. Yep. I am that guy.
4. would you rather spend an afternoon alone in a book store, a mall, napping in the hammock? Do I have money? Then the mall.
5. you have an unexpected 48 hour stay in the hospital. you're coherent and not in pain. how do you spend the time? reading? channel Surfing? laptop surfing? calling your friends to come visit? ringing for a nurse every five minutes? sleeping? Wow. Well, I dunno. If I am coherent and not in pain, why am I in the hospital? I think I would check myself out.
6. you have a nine hour trans-continental flight. get excited about finishing a hot novel? watch the in-flight movies? become best friends with the stranger seated next to you? take three valium and sleep the time away? I would commit suicide. I have a six hour flight max...that is all I can take. I get claustrophobic.
7. you have a seven hour layover in chicago o'hare airport. do you wear down your cellphone battery calling friends? read a book? people watch? shop every store in the airport? take a taxi and see the city? I would catch another flight and get out of there! (Remember Sam works for Delta)
8. what do you do when you're bored stiff? Eat. Surf the net while eating.
9. work first, play later? OR play while you can, the work will still be there when you get home? Work first, play later. Sam is the opposite, it has been a real thorn in our marriage.
10. list three times that you are easily bored. Church. Watching any kind of sports, especially golf. Sams family parties. Heh.
So now I am supposed to tag five people.
So if you are reading this...yes! YOU! Consider yourself tagged. Copy and paste the questions, and the little tag thingie and go post!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
back.
You know how when someone goes on vacation, and you ask them "How was your trip?" And they go on and on about how wonderful it was.....and how much fun they had....and how you neeeeed to go there too.
Don't get me wrong. It beats the crud out of being home, and engaging myself in the stimulating SAHM mom life of laundry and home-cooked meals, but it really wasn't my favorite vacation.
Maybe we should have seen it coming. You know when you are reading a novel, and you sense the foreshadowing of a tragedy- the author uses some out of place detail or text, that eventually ties back into the plot later?
Well, the vacation started with my Mom stepping into a big, sticky, sun-warmed glob of green Extra gum, and spent the whole ride up to the airport digging it out of the bottom of her shoes. We were laughing, anxiously checking off things we may have forgotten to pack, and fresh with excitement!
That was right before my Mom had her wallet ripped off while on the airplane. Her money and drivers' license and debit card. Gone.
Then the vacation turned into this:
Brendan got the flu, we think. He carried around a much used vomit bucket that we aptly named "Ralphie." Then, lucky for us, two more kids got car-sick on one of the lovely, winding and narrow roads that Maui is famous for. The kind carved out of sheer cliffed lava-rock mountains by the minions of Satan. Terrible for driving a car on, and almost torturous when driven while crammed into a mini-van. Nine people, all trying to see out the tinted windows, and subsiding on airline peanuts. "Ralphie" got to spend a lot of quality time with each of the gurgling children.
And this:
Because sometimes Coppertone Water-Babies SPF 50 Total Sun Eclipse For Melting White Folks Sunblock just isn't enough.
By the way, she is fine now. We didn't have to leave her in the leprosy unit. But we are all itching that drive-you-insane-and-cannot-sleep post-burn itch. And the flakes. In the scalp. That make you look like a walking infomercial for Dandruff shampoo.
We almost lost Brendan and Shianne. Yep. For real. They almost drown. All of a sudden, from the beach we could see Shianne struggling, being pulled out deeper than she could reach with her feet, and Sam ran, and I ran, down the beach, and into the water. She was sputtering, and Brendan was trying so hard to help her, him going under too. Sam reached them first, and they climbed up him like he was driftwood, and he went under. "Help me!" Brendan was screaming, and the terror...the terror in both of their eyes, and probably Sam's too, although he was underneath the water, holding the kids up over his head like the statue of liberty. So, I made Shianne come to me, me--who can't swim, to take the weight off of Sam, and somehow, we all reached the sand. Shaken up, and humbled by the sea.
How quickly things can change in an instant.
Then there was the time that our van got broken into, the thief somehow got in without showing any signs of anything? Gone was my Dad's wallet- with all of his money, credit cards and identification. Gone were all of our snorkel masks and fins. Gone were my Dad ridiculously hideous plaid lounging pants! (which incidentally makes me think of when the Grinch sneaks back into Cindy-Lou-Who's house, after he raided everything to steal the candy cane from her fist while she slept.)All gone. And apparently, the locals know NEVER to rent a vehicle, because rental car theft is such a huge problem. Who knew? I guess us, now. Hang Loose.
So my parents were paupers in Maui. I thought maybe that could be another one of those foreshadowing things, where one day, I will be taking care of them, when they are old(er) and senile(er). Heh.
Even the kids said, "next time let's just go on vacation back to Denver."
Hmmm....Denver? Hawaii? Oooookay. I see the comparison. Hey, at least they are being honest.
Don't get me wrong, it was a breathtakingly beautiful place. There were some good times. The kids will treasure the time they spent with their penniless grandparents. Heh.
I just wanted to get the honest-ness out here, before I permanently record it as being the most fabulous summer vacation WE HAVE EVER HAD. In the scrapbook. So the kids can fondly REMEMBER later how much fun it was.
The brainwashing....so good at the brain-washing!
There was this:
And this:
And this:
And when I get over the jet-lag and sleep deprivation of the time changes I am sure I will remember the vacation as being wonderful. At the very least memorable.
Don't get me wrong. It beats the crud out of being home, and engaging myself in the stimulating SAHM mom life of laundry and home-cooked meals, but it really wasn't my favorite vacation.
Maybe we should have seen it coming. You know when you are reading a novel, and you sense the foreshadowing of a tragedy- the author uses some out of place detail or text, that eventually ties back into the plot later?
Well, the vacation started with my Mom stepping into a big, sticky, sun-warmed glob of green Extra gum, and spent the whole ride up to the airport digging it out of the bottom of her shoes. We were laughing, anxiously checking off things we may have forgotten to pack, and fresh with excitement!
That was right before my Mom had her wallet ripped off while on the airplane. Her money and drivers' license and debit card. Gone.
Then the vacation turned into this:
Brendan got the flu, we think. He carried around a much used vomit bucket that we aptly named "Ralphie." Then, lucky for us, two more kids got car-sick on one of the lovely, winding and narrow roads that Maui is famous for. The kind carved out of sheer cliffed lava-rock mountains by the minions of Satan. Terrible for driving a car on, and almost torturous when driven while crammed into a mini-van. Nine people, all trying to see out the tinted windows, and subsiding on airline peanuts. "Ralphie" got to spend a lot of quality time with each of the gurgling children.
And this:
Because sometimes Coppertone Water-Babies SPF 50 Total Sun Eclipse For Melting White Folks Sunblock just isn't enough.
By the way, she is fine now. We didn't have to leave her in the leprosy unit. But we are all itching that drive-you-insane-and-cannot-sleep post-burn itch. And the flakes. In the scalp. That make you look like a walking infomercial for Dandruff shampoo.
We almost lost Brendan and Shianne. Yep. For real. They almost drown. All of a sudden, from the beach we could see Shianne struggling, being pulled out deeper than she could reach with her feet, and Sam ran, and I ran, down the beach, and into the water. She was sputtering, and Brendan was trying so hard to help her, him going under too. Sam reached them first, and they climbed up him like he was driftwood, and he went under. "Help me!" Brendan was screaming, and the terror...the terror in both of their eyes, and probably Sam's too, although he was underneath the water, holding the kids up over his head like the statue of liberty. So, I made Shianne come to me, me--who can't swim, to take the weight off of Sam, and somehow, we all reached the sand. Shaken up, and humbled by the sea.
How quickly things can change in an instant.
Then there was the time that our van got broken into, the thief somehow got in without showing any signs of anything? Gone was my Dad's wallet- with all of his money, credit cards and identification. Gone were all of our snorkel masks and fins. Gone were my Dad ridiculously hideous plaid lounging pants! (which incidentally makes me think of when the Grinch sneaks back into Cindy-Lou-Who's house, after he raided everything to steal the candy cane from her fist while she slept.)All gone. And apparently, the locals know NEVER to rent a vehicle, because rental car theft is such a huge problem. Who knew? I guess us, now. Hang Loose.
So my parents were paupers in Maui. I thought maybe that could be another one of those foreshadowing things, where one day, I will be taking care of them, when they are old(er) and senile(er). Heh.
Even the kids said, "next time let's just go on vacation back to Denver."
Hmmm....Denver? Hawaii? Oooookay. I see the comparison. Hey, at least they are being honest.
Don't get me wrong, it was a breathtakingly beautiful place. There were some good times. The kids will treasure the time they spent with their penniless grandparents. Heh.
I just wanted to get the honest-ness out here, before I permanently record it as being the most fabulous summer vacation WE HAVE EVER HAD. In the scrapbook. So the kids can fondly REMEMBER later how much fun it was.
The brainwashing....so good at the brain-washing!
There was this:
And this:
And this:
And when I get over the jet-lag and sleep deprivation of the time changes I am sure I will remember the vacation as being wonderful. At the very least memorable.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
some trade-show layouts
Just a quick post, sharing some of the new stuff from Karen Foster Design. This is debuting, well, right now...at CHA. Some fun stuff, I really liked working with all the new lines this time.
Except the Bird Hunting line (not shown). Dead birds really aren't my thing. But it is a really good Dead Bird line, if you have dead bird pictures kicking around dying to be scrapbooked...<----really bad humor, so with that...I am off to take a nap.
Except the Bird Hunting line (not shown). Dead birds really aren't my thing. But it is a really good Dead Bird line, if you have dead bird pictures kicking around dying to be scrapbooked...<----really bad humor, so with that...I am off to take a nap.
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