I'm still here....

In case anyone thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth. Just a lotta stress.

Since most of what's going on in my life is mostly boring AND depressing, I decided to share some random family news in honor of Way Back Wednesday, which is on hiatus this week. My mom called this a.m. to update me on a surgery my dad had and also wanted to tell me that my long lost second cousin called.

If I had a picture in my possession I'd post it, but I don't. Candy and Mandy were my mom's cousin's daughters. But, her cousin lived w/ them from the time he was about 10, so they were a little closer than "regular" second cousins.

Thru a series of issues, including her parent's divorce, a falling out after my grandmother died and just the general realities of life, we hadn't heard from Candy and Mandy since shortly after my grandma died back in 1991. Which is a lot longer ago than I can really accept b/c in a way 1991 sounds like just yesterday. I mean, I just graduated from college a few years ago, back in '92, right?

Anyway, so Candy is doing just great, married, works for Cingulair - the company who my entire family uses for their cell phone service. Coincidence? Maybe. Anyway, it was nice to hear that she's doing well in life. Her sister is doing OK. Divorced w/ kids, but sounds like she's getting thru it all OK.

Really weird to just not hear from someone for 15 years and then they just call outta the blue when you needed a little pick-me-up. Life's funny that way..

It's Friday again....

Stuff Portrait Friday, brought to us once again by the lovely Kristine.

"You've ALL emailed me to have this added to the list for Stuff Portrait Friday and I always pretended I went blind when I read it, but here it is:1. UNDER YOUR BED!2. STEREO (do we still call them that?)3. POTS AND PANSNow this is "in all your glory" week. You're not allowed to go clean under your bed to make it look all nice. You're not allowed to scrap the black crap on the bottom of your pans either. This is about who you REALLY are...in all your glory."

Soo, first, under my bed:

The box contains sweaters I haven't worn in a few years. A book and even more of the kids toys

.
Next, my "stereo:"

Dh has a real one, but I don't know how to make it work w/ all the wires and connections and the surround sound on the TV. So, I just hook up my ipod to these speakers. I keep it between the kitchen and family room so I can control and hear it from both rooms.

Finally, my pots and pans:

It's Emerilware and I like them a lot. I have another set that I hate that sits in the garage b/c I'm too chicken to tell my mom that I hated the ones she got me so we change them out when she visits and I think we'll be cooking....about once a year. Probably time to come clean on that, ya think?

Did you play?

Two days late and a few dollars short...

I know Valentine's Day was a couple of days ago, but someone sent me this and I had to take it and decided to share it since I like my results:

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"

You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love.You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart. Your ideal Valentine's Day date: is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!) Your flirting style: honest and even slightly sarcastic What turns you off: romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays Why you're hot: you don't just play hard to get - you are hard to get

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

Thursday Thirteen

Found this over at E's place and thought it looked like fun. Brought to us by Crib Ceiling.

Thirteen (not really even close to 13) places I've lived. 1. Midland, Texas - lived in the same house from 1970 to 1977. 2. Midland, Texas - new house, same city, all the way until 1988. 3. Waco, Texas - Went off to college, finally escaped - Wooo hooo. Lived in the dorm one year. 4. Waco, Texas - Moved to an off-campus apartment with my friends (hey, it counts. New residence...) Same apt. 1989-1991. 5. Waco, Texas - Ditched those three and moved in w/ some sorority sisters for my senior year. 1991-1992. 6. Washington, DC - only there three months for an internship, but I did have to pay rent on a place... 1992 7. San Angelo, Texas - Moved here for my first "real" job at a newspaper. Lived in an apartment by their only mall for about a year. 1992-1993 8. San Angelo, Texas - got married to my college sweetie, who moved out there and got a job b/c he didn't want to move back to Georgia w/ his family. Moved into a cute little rental house that has since burned to the ground. We lived there less than a year. 1993 9. Austin, Texas - Dh got a new job and we were ready to leave small-town life. Although I think the desire to leave small-town life came first. Anyway, lived in a fourplex in North Austin from 1993-1995. 10. Austin, Texas - moved even farther North in Austin when we bought our first home. Cute little 3-bedroom place w/ absolutely no yard, but nice neighbors and plenty of room for a couple of dinks. 1995-2002 11. Round Rock, Texas - After child #2 arrived we decided it was time for a little more space, so we loaded up the truck and headed North again. 2002-who knows when...

So, I didn't quite make the thirteen on this one and I guess I probably cheated since I've lived in a total of 6 cities.... Maybe it's time to move....

Curse them all

Curses on whoever thought it was a good idea to make those lick 'em candies (you know the ones that are kool-aid pouches w/ little sticks to eat them with) into valentines for kids to give to their friends. And even more curses to the 10 moms in my son's class who actually allowed their kids to give them out.

To those 10 moms: I hate you all. Just so we're clear on that. I will be getting even with you at the end of the year party. I haven't decided how yet, but I have a band of evil moms who will help me come up with very special gifts just for your little darlings....

Stuff Portrait Friday

"Welcome to Stuff Portrait Friday, which is usually brought to us by the lovely and talented Kristine, but this week is being babysat by the lovely and talented Kami. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we are going with a love theme this week:

~ What you love most about your home
~ What you love least about your home
~ What you love most about yourself "


Here's what I love most about my house. To be honest, I love my house (despite some decorating challenges) so it was hard to pick just one thing. I love our backyard:

It was like heaven when we first moved in here b/c our last house had a yard the size of a matchbox. This one is nice and big with some trees and space for a playscape for the kids and a nice sized sandbox. Feb. isn't the best month to get a great photo, but this one shows the nice big open space. I also love that you can see most of it thru the windows in the kitchen, family room and from windows upstairs too. So, I can stay inside and get stuff done while the kids play outside and still watch them:

Yes, that's the new paint job in the kitchen. I love it too. There are some before pics here. Much better.

Here's a view of the windows in the family room. They look out into the backyard also:

What I love least about my house would have to be this bathroom:

It has got to be on record somewhere as the world's smallest full bath. I thought it wouldn't matter when we moved in and I'm sure when the boys are older it won't, but right now it drives me nuts. It's sooo hard to give the kids a bath b/c it's so cramped in there.

I've been down on myself lately so I had a hard time w/ #3 - what I love most about ME. Finally decided that, although I'm desperately in need of a good manicure, that I really do like my hands. Always have. They're big, not small and dainty and it makes me feel really capable of taking on the world. Even when they're aren't nicely manicured:

Did you play?

The painters that wouldn't leave

Sooo, they came to paint our kitchen and powder room on Monday and they are still here. I swear for the past 4 hours every time I go in there it *looks* finished. And one of the guys - Juan - keeps going out w/ cans of paint, leading me to believe they are almost done.

But, no, no, no, Pedro is still painting. C'mon Pedro, we're quite the perfectionist aren't we? Your buddy here, Juan, is done. He's ready to go home. I am ready to go make myself a snack in the kitchen w/o worrying about stepping on your stuff or getting in the way. It looks fine. Really. Just great. Now. Leave.

And just how many cans of paint does Juan have in there? Or is he just carrying the same bucket around as part of some sick little joke? There he goes again.

OK, that's it. I'm leaving to pick my son up at school and then, you'll be gone, right? I'll just write a little check and you guys will be on your way. Thanks so much, looks great. Leave. Now. Goodbye.

Tuesday's ramblings

They still aren't finished painting my kitchen. The house stinks and they're coming back tomorrow to finish. It's looking pretty good, though. Just needs a second coat and they're supposed to do the trim. The bathroom is a little yellower than I thought it would be, but I still like it. Anything is better than the grandma wallpaper I've been enduring for the past 3 years.

Superman is about to drive me nuts. I don't know what's happened to the little guy. Before the holidays he was Mr. Fun and independant. Now, he wants me to just walk around holding him all the time and freaks when I leave him anywhere, even at his preschool. He *loved* preschool back in December. Give me a break. I'm so sick of this. Can a 3 1/2 year old suddenly develop separation anxiety? Or do we have some serious disorder and I may as well start his therapy now.

Sunshine had a program at school tonight. The songs were cute, but one of them I *swear* they sang last year when he was in Kindergarten. Aren't they learning anything in music class? The first graders are all so cute, though. It was fun to watch. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera battery so all we got was video. I took the old camera but it's apparently completely broken now. Oh well. Hard to get a good shot in a group of 100 anyway.

Things to do this week:

1. Take pictures for SPF.
2. Charge camera batteries so you can do #1.
3. Go back to Dr. on Thursday.
4. Reschedule hair appointment so you can do #3.
5. Laundry - always.
6. Grocery shopping
7. Plan visit to parents.
8. Look at fabric for new kitchen curtains.
9. Make kitchen curtains.
10. Figure out some project easier and faster than curtains so I'll have something to post Monday.
11. Take pictures of kitchen when it's done.
12. Call for estimates on painting cabinets since dh says he doesn't want to do it himself now.
13. Bathe dog.
14. clean bathrooms.
15. Go thru list and figure out what really needs to be done and what can wait.

I am metal

Thought this was fun:

Your Element is Metal

Your power colors: white, gold, and silver Your energy: contracting Your season: fall You are persistent (and maybe even a little bit stubborn).If you see something you want, you go for it.You have a lot of strength, and it's difficult to get you down.Very logical, you tend to analyze everything going on in your life.

What Element Are You?

Just like Martha Monday

Here we are again, it's Monday and I'm feeling just like Martha. Except I don't think Martha is on high power cough medicine. Nor does she have two screaming kids.

I didn't get out much this week, but I did manage to go to the store and get some flowers to repot. I really wanted to try a cool look I saw in a magazine with some bulbs. I found these tulips:

To repot them this way, buy a cheap pot of bulb - tulips, daffodils, etc. (I got a set that had 3 in it for $1.23, but the third was kind of crooked and didn't really work. I stuck it in a "regular" pot). Lay out an old newspaper on the counter and take the bulbs out. Shake off all the dirt you can onto the newspaper, then rinse the roots and bulb. Put in a glass container and cover the roots and enough of the bulb to hold it steady w/ marbles or rocks. Fill the container w/ water and you're done.

I also got this nice little pot of flowers and stuck it in a nicer pot I already had:

Feels really nice after a week of the sickies and ickies to have some fresh color in the house.

Speaking of which, the painters are coming today! The painters are coming today! They're only doing the kitchen and bathroom walls so we'll still have the ugly cabinets, but by Wed. or so the wallpaper in both the bathroom and kitchen will be gone and painted! Woohoo! I'll have to take a before of the bathroom to post before they fix it all up.

One more project this week. I've been hating these shelves

for months now. So cluttered and messy. So, I did a quick rearrange on it. Here's the after look:

Note here that I have no say on where that little speaker goes. Trust me. I've tried throwing it away....

Thanks for humoring and inspiring me once again.

New Look

Not sure why, but I decided it'd be fun to change my "template". I think I like it. May try to change it up more later.

Anyone else miffed that Desperate Housewives isn't on b/c of the Super Bowl?

Excuse me?

Sunshine has filed a formal complaint about the promptness of his breakfast. Yes, that's right. Here's the conversation hubby reported to me last night:

Sunshine: Daddy, I'm upset about how breakfast is going lately.
Dh: What do you mean? You don't like what Mommy is cooking?
Sunshine: I like what she makes, but lately she hasn't been having it ready when I get downstairs in the morning.
Dh: Huh?
Sunshine: I like my breakfast waiting on the table when I come down in the mornings.
Dh: Um, OK.
Sunshine: Can you talk to her about it?
Dh: I'll see what I can do.

He's kidding, right? The kid is downstairs waiting for breakfast at 6:45 a.m. every single morning. I make him good breakfasts - omelets, pancakes, etc. So I think I can have a little leeway here on the time. I mean, hello, I have strep throat and pneumonia. Cut me a little slack here guys.

Remember Aspergum? I could really use some right now.

Way Back Wednesday

Time for Way Back Wednesday, once again brought to us by the Kept Woman.

Here's my bling:

The case and it's contents were my grandmothers. I remember playing in it when I was a kid so it's not only bling, it's sentimental bling.

The bad, the badder and the baddest....

And it's only Wed. a.m. Not sure I can make it thru the rest of the week. Didn't mean to start a blog and be such a downer. Life has to get better from here, right.

First, I'm sick. Been running 102 since yesterday a.m. Had some kind of problem with the insurance and doctor thinking they don't take it. Although they are on the list and are located right next to the major employer who offers our insurance so it would be *stupid* for them not to. I think the receptionist lady was too lazy to call on it and my throat is killing me so I could only yell in a whisper. That didn't really have much effect.

Spent an hour or so calling people, whispering angrily, crying to dh and finally got an appointment with a different doctor for this a.m. I feel terrible. Oh, and according to the insurance, I *am* covered and the first doctor *does* take them. ARGH! Curses on the evil receptionist.

On to why I'm really doing the post - I didn't mean to mention my Dad and not get around to explaining. Just been too tired. He's still in ICU in the hospital in my hometown. Has some kind of liver infection and is severely anemic. They've given him 3 units of blood to try to help w/ that and are running tests today to try to figure out why and how to treat it.

You've gotta love my Dad, though. The dr. asks if he's ever had a blood transfusion and Mom said he rolled his eyes and said "I *give* blood, I don't *get* it." Yeah, he's still himself, at least. : )

Tomorrow I will not post unless I can be more upbeat.

Hang in there

Someone sent me one of those spam emails today that actually hit me just right so I thought I'd post it here so I can read it when I need a pick me up.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute J
eremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer...
AND Lazarus was dead!

Way Back Wednesday

I'm so excited I can participate in this with the alternate assignment. Thanks TKW! I don't have a scanner, so you can expect my future WBW submissions to be few and far between.

So, here's a pic of my kitchen.

One day soon, the cabinets will be white and the walls will be "cappucino bombe". Yes, I realize there is stuff out on the counter. I was in the midst of cooking when I took it. I'm always in the middle of cooking something around here. I feel like I run an all-you-can-eat buffet.

The cabinets are wood and they are stained a really ugly color not of my choosing. The countertops are the cheap laminate stuff, whatever it is called. It's actually pretty sturdy and looks fine after being there about 10 or so years.

To go along with that photo, here are the boys working on the science project.

As you can see, the hardest part of participating in a science project is keeping the 3-year-old sibling from helping. Here is the most fascinating find from the project:

The dark brown blob is a chocolate chip. If you drop a chocolate chip in 7-Up it will dance up and down. Sunshine was really excited about this factoid.

MM

4 Things

I wanna play this one too. Got it from MOAC.

FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE:
1. Copy Editor
2. Newspaper reporter
3. Program administrator (Hey - I worked for the state of TX. That's about as descriptive as it gets...)
4. Cashier at Burger King

FOUR PLACES THAT YOU HAVE LIVED:
1. Austin, TX
2. Round Rock, TX
3. Washington D.C.
4. San Angelo, TX

FOUR TV SHOWS THAT YOU WATCH:
1. Desperate Housewives
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. News
4. Nothing

FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:
1. Jamaica
2. Paris
3. Cozumel
4. New York City

FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY:
1. myfamily.com
2. yahoo email and groups
3. cnn.com
4. news8austin.com

FOUR FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Chocolate
2. Chocolate
3. Chocolate
4. Chocolate

FOUR PLACES THAT YOU WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. In bed
2. Jamaica
3. Italy
4. hiking anywhere

This is a test....

Yes, this is a picture of my dog, Oil, eating his dinner. I posted it partly b/c it was easy to find and I'm testing my ability to post photos on blogger and partly b/c I was in the mood to talk about him.

Tonight, he is dining on Kibbles and Bits, with a can of Alpo poured over it. This is his usual meal, although he's been known to dine on baked potatoes, Kraft cheese slices (but only Kraft and NOT lowfat), Jif peanut butter (and no other brand), leftover chicken, beef, gravy or green beans and waffles or pancakes. Do not lecture me about how that is not the proper diet for a dog and you would only ever allow your dog to eat Science Diet lowfat and no table food ever. You can tell me all about it when *your* dog surpasses the average lifespan for his breed by 5 years. Thank you.

Oil celebrated his 14th birthday in November. We had a small celebration with family, including his dog-cousin Scamp and his real-life cousins and grandparents. He received a couple of balls, a chew rope and had steak on his kibbles for dinner.

Despite now being classified as an "elderly" dog, he can still catch frisbees in his mouth and climb the stairs to sleep on my bed. Thank you Rick's Cleaners for cheaply and expertly getting the doggie smell out of my comforter. Oil sheds too much and since his hearing went has been barking a little to loudly and too often. But, all in all he's a good dog and we love him.

Car fever

Yes, the hubster has new car fever. We just got me a new Volkswagen Passat back in October for those not in the know. I love it.

Sooo, now he's off this afternoon buying himself a new Nissan Xterra? Why? I dunno. Because he can, I guess. I just told him I didn't want any kind of talk about how I needed to be cutting back our grocery bill if he got it. He said OK and left. Can't wait to see it. I have to admit while I was out w/ my girlfriend this a.m. I parked next to an Xterra and yes, our cars will look mighty nice parked next to each other in the driveway up here in fantasy land. Ooooh yeah. Here's to more debt.

Spent the morning w/ my girlfriend who I haven't seen in about 6 months. Hubster thinks I'm nuts b/c she calls, we decide to go out and I'm immediately putting her to work. Yes. I "made" (his word) her meet up at Lowe's to look at paint for my kitchen and bathroom. To be fair to me, we picked out paint for her house also. I think that's a great girlfriend "date". Lowe's for some decorating playtime then Red Robin for lunch. I think I'll be doing "Shiny silk" in the downstairs powder room and "Cappucino Bombe" in the kitchen. And I am painting my ugly kitchen cabinets white. I am not restaining them in the icky whitewash finish they currently have. Apologies to anyone who has that same finish and loves it, but I HATE it.

Have a nice day. I'm done for now.