The Last word

For 2007...do I have anything of great importance to blog about before this year ends?

• Gee, why start now? As I am the first to admit that while the stuff I blog about is important to me, it isn't really a blog dedicated to really important things. For those types of blogs, well, I wouldn't know where to send you because that sort of stuff just doesn't interest me. I'm more of a fluff blogger/reader.

Hubby is home. Murphy may now leave the premises.

• Shortly after he and his buddy made it down the mountain, the roads leading to the mountains were closed. I think they remain closed as I am writing this. Regardless, I prefer not to go there in terms of the "what ifs" as I understand their drive home was rather risky. He's home, we're happy he's home and all is well with the world once again (although the oven remains broken, we think we've located the part even though the fools at Sears tell us that it is so old they aren't required to keep the replacement piece).

I'm really rambling here, aren't I?

• Oh well...pretty soon we'll fix ourselves a happy hour drink. Big Booze News for me: while I enjoy a glass of wine, the older I've gotten the more trouble wine has given me in terms of headaches and sleepless nights. So, thanks to a couple friends, I've now joined in the Gin and Tonic bunch. YeeHaw: I can get soused with my dad as that is his favorite drink as well. Figure, if I can't beat him, might as well join him. Gin and Tonics must agree with old people: no headaches, no dry mouth and yet you still end up with that overall happy, toasty warm feeling (and given as cold as it has been lately, yes, I've enjoyed several such beverages).

Oh gosh, would she just shut up...at this rate it will be midnight before anyone gets to the end of this posting.

• 3.2.1: I'm DONE....Happy New Year!

(and no, I didn't type this entry while drinking...that's my story and I"m sticking to it!)
The photos shared in this posting are in tribute to JayZ. You'll never snooze alone, friend.

Murphy's Law: the out of town Hubby edition

Hubby is off bonding with his college buddies. He rarely travels which means being home alone has been a bit of a treat for the me. You know: I get to watch all the HGTV I can stand, and fix hot dogs and fries for dinner (OK, so I get to do these things even when he's home, but you get the idea).

But, it seems Old Mr. Murphy has decided to remind me that being home alone isn't always such a good thing.

Day 1: My fancy roller shade in the bedroom freezes. In the UP position. That means instead of falling asleep in a room that is totally dark, I get to drift off to the glow of the grocery store off in the distance. Nothing causes insomnia faster than rolling on your side and being able to watch the stop light change colors.

Day 2: Blockbuster Home Delivery brings me a chick flick. I get the boys all settled in elsewhere in the hosue and figure I'll watch a chic flick stretched out on the couch, using the big TV. Load DVD in and it locks up. Get the Quirky Kid to help me at least get this rental dvd out of the player...but now am too worried to try again.

Day 3: Inspired to make homemade lasagna, using extra cheese (because Hubby isn't so much a fan of cheese, why he married a girl from Wisconsin is beyond me...but there you have it, my chance to go overboard on the cheese). I place said lasagna in the stove and turn around to see fireworks flying inside my oven. I turn everything off and assume I just need to clean off some of the grime from the stove bottom. Reach in and the heating element crumbles. Oh crap: that lasagna wasn't just because I was feeling domestic, but my college buddy and her 3 hearty appetite kids were coming over for lunch in ONE hour. Luckily I've got good friends that let me use their oven, leave their kitchen smelling oh so delicious and yet, leave them not even a morsel to try. Note to self: must make a lasagna for Judy as a thank you.

So, now I"m wondering...what else will bite the dust with Hubby gone?
I think I'm ready for him to come home...

Ordinary Miracles

A friend sent me an email with all sorts of cute sentiments and adorable graphics....so I'm sort of gonna cheat and copy this person's idea. Shh...don't turn me into the plagiarism police, OK?

I wish you a day of ordinary miracles..

A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself (Thanks Colleen)

• An unexpected phone call from an old friend (Nancy and I aren't necessarily old, but we've been friends since 7th grade. Thanks for calling~)




• Green stoplights on your way to work or shop (Or even better, having no where to go and taking all day to get there!)



• I wish you a day filled with little things to rejoice in (only, my little Things aren't so little any more)





• I wish you a day of peace, happiness and joy (which we've had, just don't peek at our Wii stats, or you'll figure out how I managed to create that happiness and find peace)

Merry Christmas

Was all set to brag on my amazing parenting skills as I had both Things in bed and asleep by 8:30 p.m. last night. Yep, I'm so great, you can hardly stand to be my friend, right?

Only at 3:43 a.m., Hubby wakes me up to ask if I too can hear the TV going. Um, I was asleep dude, nope, didn't hear anything until you woke me up.

Seems Thing One had awoken earlier and couldn't fall back asleep so he turned on his DVD player....and now he couldn't fall asleep.

Needless to say, it has been a long day for all of us...and well, I shall pass my Perfect Mommy Crown on to someone else! I can get them to bed ok, just can't manage to keep them asleep!

Pictures to follow...Wii have had a rather fun Christmas Day despite our sleep deprived status.

Humming a tune

Christmas Eve: of all the beautiful Christmas carols I could be humming this morning (my personal favorite is O Holy Night in case anyone wondered)...what is it that I've got stuck in my brain? From Nickelodeon, "Santa's Coming tonight tonight".

Sheesh...more coffee and more music because that is just an unacceptable tune to be humming all stinking' day!

Another one for the men are weird file...

My friend Tracey, recently wrote about her latest "weird man" story. So, I thought I'd share mine. And yes I know Thing Two isn't actually a man yet, but sadly he will grow up to be one long before I"m readu to say goodbye to my carefree little boy.

Thing Two is known for just saying what is on his mind. (gee, now where did he pick up this habit types the guilty mom?) Today, as we were returning from our attempts to surprise some friends with some Holiday treats, he started to wonder what it would be like to have two dilly dinks (OK, so he didn't call it a dilly dink, but I want to keep my G-rating/ dilly dink= code for boy part).

Gasp, choke, I start to worry and perhaps wonder exactly where this conversation is going....so I cautiously asked "what would you do with two?"

"Oh easy Mom, I"d tie them together and make a pretzel!"

And thus knowing this is his line of thinking, maybe he won't be too embarrassed when I show this picture to his prom date. And yep, I'm gonna miss this fella when he becomes a man and starts to discover modesty! PS: Blogger tells me this is my 500th posting. My how time flies when you like talking to yourself!

Pictures...as promised

I was trying to be all fancy like some of my other bloggin' mommas....but apparently my computer and SmileBox don't seem to like each other all that much. So, you'll have to accept just the usual, old fashioned boring old photos. No fancy slide shows, with cute backgrounds. I'll leave that stuff to those with more time on their hands. (just kidding, AT!)

'Tis the Season

• For Christmas parties...I had three this week. Pictures to follow but suffice to say, each one filled my heart with happiness as I realized how blessed I am! I gathered with the neighbor ladies and I realized I have way more wonderful friends than one person deserves to have. The Things each had class parties that reflected the talents of their teachers. Sure, they had fun but there was a learning piece to the celebration which makes it a good use of the school day. The boys are blessed with truly gifted teachers this year who approach their profession with passion and dedication. You know: the types of teachers that there just don't seem to be enough of?
• For Germs....I was feeling a bit cocky as first my boss missed work because her daughter was sick. Then my other boss (both hate to be called Boss, but hey, if I'm the aide, who is it I'm assisting?) had an even sicker child that required hospitalization. Both are improving but now my youngest Thing has succumbed to the germs floating around. A trip in to the doctor confirmed he wasn't just being a stinker and waking me up multiple times last night. Otis media.
• For....oh I don't know...I've got a long list of stuff I should be doing and yet the desire is just not there. Could be that between all the parties and the sniffles this week I"m just fresh out of Martha mojo? But, I knew I"d better update the blog before old Lois came over and started fussin' at me!

Deck the Halls

While I should be swabbing the deck (company coming tomorrow evening for dinner), instead, I'll share a picture of the boys decking the halls.

I hear it is the season for procrastination...why not join in the fun?

What's my problem? The battery has been kaput on my camera for a week now...and yet I can't motivate myself to put it in the charger. These pictures? I took them 2 weeks ago, with Hubby's camera. And, here we are, entering the 3rd week of December, and I just now made a photo file for Dec 07 pictures? And let's not even mention the fact that I've taken the boys sledding three times and yet not snapped a single photo of them having a blast flying down the hills at the school yard. And one of those days even had perfect lighting!

Oh my....they are going to take away my paparazzi card soon! I'm becoming one of those moms....next thing you know I"ll show up at the school party without a camera! Please rescue me before I get this bad

Another overheard remark...

Thing One talks to himself (he gets this from me, I fear). Last night he was playing some sort of online game and he managed to get a high score. Not only did he shout out in cheer, he talked to the computer as if it could hear him (another habit he gets from his mother, and well, probably his maternal grandmother who had the habit of spending her Saturday afternoons hollering at the tv to get those Georgia 'dawgs to get their head into the game). ..."How dumb do you think I am? I didn't leave my brain in Nebraska!".

Ok, I know that Virginia is supposed to be for lovers, and that what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay there, but Nebraska and left behind brains? Hmmm...good thing he's good at math because I think we can safely strike slogan writer from his list of possible career options.

A morning chuckle

With the recent string of winter weather, we're working hard here to not get cabin fever. So the other night, the guys decide to do some elfing.

Check out the "And Baby Makes Three" clip.

There ought to be a law...

That a restaurant's food should not smell better than it actually tastes....
(reference: Jim 'n Nicks)

Oh please be tuned out...

Thing One was watching Modern Marvels just now. He's very into the show: commenting on things from the '80s as if it was the stone age. Gee thanks son, Mom remembers the 80s with mostly fond memories. Anyway, time for commercial...and while I'm relieved they weren't hawking some toy or candy, I cringed when I realized it was one of THOSE commercials. You know: for the men with "issues".

I patiently waited for him to comment on something that he was hearing. Hoping it would be something I could ignore and move on (and while I could have hit mute, I think that would have only raised the curiosity alarm). As the commercial winds to an end, noting this product works for 36 hrs...he finally opted to comment "wow, that's like way longer than 30 minutes".

Oh thank you sweet TV commercial gods...yes, the time difference between 36 hrs and 30 minutes is so within my comfort discussion zone!

Good Stuff...

So, I've had the sniffles since Saturday. Doing OK, trying to just use whatever I've had here at home. Today, I thought my head was gonna explode so I figured "maybe, I should get the good stuff"....you know the sudafed you used to be able to just pick up whenever/wherever until the meth heads started causing problems and now you've got to sign your life away to the teenager at Target pharmacy. Yeah, that stuff...you know what I"m talkin' about...

YOWZA: what a difference that little extra chemical makes in terms of feeling good...
Sort of like Rum and Coke...without Barcardi, it doesn't have quite the same effect!

Baby who?

As is the custom, when I set up the nativity scene, I hid the babe that goes in the manger on Christmas. The boys were looking for something and discovered my hiding place. Thing One immediately asked me "what is Baby Moses doing in the drawer?"

Uh oh...but it does sort of go along with his excitement when he realized that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence...giving him, Thing One, freedom from religion

Yeah, church isn't really his thing is it?

Murphy and Me...

Murphy's Law seems to have found me. All week, I secretly prayed one of my boys would develop an illness that required my skills as a mom to trump those as a teacher's aide. Nope, they both stayed healthy. And still are..thank heavens.

But me? That headache I had all week, figured it was stress...has now added some sinus congestion, drainage and the sore throat that means I'm the one about to get sick.

Yep, a week too late and a few sudafeds short...There really ought to be a law!