Thanksgiving

I'm thankful in 2009 for a lot of things:

Jesus' saving grace

Salvation

Prayer

Forgiveness

Hope

Family

Friends

A home

Health insurance

Health

Animals

Warm showers

Air conditioning

Cars

Light

Pictures

Music

Clothing

Airplanes

Mittens

Hair

Sight

Hearing

Legs

Hands

Movies

Money

Medicine

Second chances

Paper shredders

Internet

Printers

Erasers

Yummy food

Vacuums

Elevators

School

Teachers

Doctors

Blankets

Clean water

Soap

Dishwashers

Washing machines

Dryer

Warm coat

Contact lenses

Beds

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Candy

Cheetos

Doritos

Honey Crisp apples

Rice Krispy Treats

Salad

Tomatoes

Nice people

Phones

Cell phones

Coupons

Discounts

Second hand stores

Garage salers

Mail

Oceans

Swimming pools

Underwear

Pianos

Smart people

Clocks

Books

Paintings

Pictures

Smooth-writing pens

Sunglasses

Bandages

Thumb drives

Computers

Pretty earrings

Funny people

External hard drives

Surge protectors

Surgery

Garbage collectors

Electricians

Plumbers

Mechanics

more to come...

Crabby Apples

Well, I'm really not in control of my emotions this week and feel really irritable and crabby. My poor hubby-pal is the front lines victim... so I've had to apologize on more than one occasion. Thankfully we can have our moments of tiff-dom, talk about it and move on. But, I'm still a crazy person on the inside!

Perhaps I'm just in need of a vacation. Or maybe I'm tired of studying. I'm just not sure. But, everyone is bugging me and makes me want to argue with them. That's not very nice. Sheesh.

I need to brush my teeth. I have sweaters on them.

Though I need to point out to whoever cares- I went to the dentist and had no cavities. I'm so glad about that. Cavities are expensive without insurance. Root canals are even worse. Crowns suck massively.

I painted my toes and fingernails. Good times.

Funny things

So the hubby and have a ridiculously good laugh on more than one occasion this week with some stuff on YouTube and the like. Let me explain:

1. A woman comes upstairs using her video camera because she wants to record her kids before and during their Easter egg hunt. So she comes up into the bedroom and says, "Boys are you coming down for the--- hey!! What are you doing up here??!" She pans the room with her camera and her 2 really young sons just stare at her and say, "Mom, look! We found airplane stickers!" So she zooms in on her bedroom windows that are plastered with tons of her winged maxi pads! You could tell even she was laughing.

2. There's a little girl who is standing on a kitchen chair trying to pour her own milk (from a 1 gallon milk jug that's almost as big as her) into her cereal bowl. She's got plenty of milk in her bowl but even then continues pouring ALL of the milk, without aiming at the bowl anymore, onto the kitchen table. Jeff found it hilarious to watch as she very proudly watered the table with milk for about a minute. It was funny. Of course, it wasn't our kitchen either. :)

3. There was a 911 recording that is out there with a young kid calling 911 for help on his math homework. The operator is all confused at first thinking the kid said he needed help on his mouth. Nope, it's his math. So the operator plays along and asks what kind of help he needs with math. "The take-aways" he answers. The operator asks for an example and the kid says, "What's 18 take away 9?" The operator says, "You tell me." The kid says, "I dunno, one?" The operator responds, "How old are you?" The kid says, "I'm 5" or something around that age and just as the operator starts to say something you can hear the kid's mom come downstairs and ask who he's talking to. The boy says he called 911 for math help and his mom starts spazzing. "911?!" The kid yells, "Well, yeah, you told met to call someone if I needed help!!" She yells back, "Well, I didn't mean the police!!" It's hilarious!

Anyway, there's no more this week, that's it. Laughing is good for you. We do it a lot.

Update

Whoa, I'm a lame blogger. I haven't been on here for quite awhile, I know. One of my better excuses is that the 'shift' key on my laptop is on the fritz. Ever since I discovered a large crumb under the key (I removed the crumb) it hasn't been working well. But, I'm scared to mess with it cuz I don't know nothing 'bout fixin' computers.

So, here's an update of the last few months... it's not pretty.

I went to my cousin's wedding in NY and that was nice and all. I came home really sick with what I thought was the flu. Nope. It was Campylobacter Jejuni (Aka: C-Coli, not E-Coli). I was totally ill for almost 2 weeks. It rips apart your intestine, it's a bacteria that is usually food borne, causes terrible cramping and blood loss, fever... it's not pretty. I repeat, NOT. So, I finally gave in at the end of the first week and went to the doctor. I ended up on anti-cramping pills and antibiotics and it still took more than a week to really feel better. It was a little nightmare, I must admit. Then the CDC called wanting a list of every place I'd been in the last month... that was a tad difficult seeing as I can't usually recall what I wore the day before, so why would I remember everything I ate for the last month? I managed to muster up some information, but as far as I'm concerned it's a needle in a haystack and I'm not holding my breath.

What else? Well, I am in my last actual class for my Master's degree and then my thesis begins in the spring. Yay. A giant and unenthusiastic, Yay. I'm on some sort of slide. The kind that begins like, "I don't care anymore.... ". Yeah, I don't. Don't know why, but I don't. And I don't mind saying it either.

There's other news in the works, but that'll have to wait for another day.

Welcome me back Followers!

The woes of Tent Camping

First, let me say that it has been awhile since I've been on here. Sorry for that. But that's all the apologizing I'm going to do. Life has dealt me some swift blows and I just didn't have time until now. Classes are on break for a few weeks, my pills are beginning to settle without making me ill and my internship is still robbing me of my life. But, all in all... it is well. God is good to me everyday, so I shant complain. Except about tent camping, which we mere humans stupidly invented.

I do believe that after a lifetime of tent camping with my family for years and years, I am now done. No longer can I sleep on rocks and pebbles (while the blood flows to my head due to a strange sloping that only appears once inside the tent) disguised as "just little bumps" under a paper thin sleeping pad and sleeping bag. I always did hate my sleeping bag. Green and slippery. Never have I met a sleeping bag with a zipper that doesn't get stuck in the night when you're tired and freezing. Why? Is it that hard to make a snag-free zipper??? So, it's all dark and muggy and at first you're hot and clammy and lie outside of your sleeping bag only to realize that a hundred mosquitoes are now biting your body to shreds, so you retreat into the bag and you feel slightly too warm. But, there's nothing you can do about it... so, you're feeling almost comfortable when a strange and annoying buzzing starts in around your face. It's a stupid mosquito that has found the one and only part of your body that is exposed. You swat and slap and get out the flashlight, but to no avail. In the morning you've got several new bites and itchy places to nurse. You're also very tired because nobody sleeps well with a clump of other people around breathing loudly, smacking their lips, snoring, getting out of bed (unzipping their bag, unzipping the tent door, etc.) to go a mile to the bathroom and then returning only to begin the whole zipper thing and mosquito mania again. If you have a mother like mine, she likes to get up with the friggin' sun and "enjoy the sunrise" so there's the early morning disruption to end an endless night of not-very-good-sleep.

Then in the morning, you're groggy, you feel gross, nothing is easy (getting dressed with your entire family in the same "room" is a little odd, if not difficult). Eating while camping is a pain. Though I'm sure some people like it. Food is rationed for the time you'll be there so you're not really free to eat whatever you want. It's always harder to make something when you have to make a fire, lug water, boil water, live out of a cooler and hide food from animals all the time. Constantly being told to "Close the cooler!" Of course, ice and cold only last so long. I know, I know.

Let me just say that while I think swimming is fun and nice and all. Swimming will never replace showering. It is not a replacement for showering. Having my hair feel gross and not being able to do anything about it makes me crazy. It isn't cool. I don't need to dry it or style it, but I must have shampoo. Must. I always feel dirty and grungy when I'm camping and I don't like it.

Packing up is almost as bad as unpacking. Everything is dirty and sanding and there are squashed bugs everywhere. You're tired and hungry and dirty. Now you have to go home and unpack and clean everything you own. And if you're like us, you've got a lot of stuff to deal with. We had 5 of everything... bikes, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, pillows, etc.. Not to mention the big fat tent and all the components. It was happy times, but I don't need to relive them.

If I have kids, I will send them to camp.

Picnics

Have I mentioned why I do not like picnics, flying in planes and tent camping?

I'll begin with picnics by painting a brief picture of the misery involved with attempting to eat in the outdoors:

So, what a nice sunny day to go on a picnic at the park. Let's take an hour to pack up all sorts of sub-par foods that would ordinarily take a few minutes to grab and eat (chips, potato salad, hot dogs, grapes). But, no. Now we have to carefully find things to put these foods into in order to keep them upright, cold or whatever else they require. We have to find things to sit on, to eat with, to clean up with (just so that when you get home all wind-blown and tired out you can run around trying to clean all of these things to put away).

You get to the park after lugging the coolers and blankets and other crap. You find a picnic table and there's bird poop, sticky spots and spider webs all over it. You put the table cloth down and the wind keeps catching it and blowing it off. Oops, we forgot something to put the hamburgers on and we don't have a spoon for the salad. There's an ant in my soda and my napkin just flew away (for the 3rd time). The wind is blowing hair into my mouth and we forgot the ketchup. I sure wish I could get the dirt off my hotdog bun... since it rolled off the table and into some dirt and soot. I'm a little cool in the wind, but thankfully the sun is shining in my eyes. My pupils are warm, though blind. We have to scarf down the potato salad, since the heat could make it go bad pretty quickly. Oh, did I feel a rain drop? Quick everyone, gather everything up fast and haul it back to the car! It's raining! It sure is a good thing that we dirtied a bunch of extra dishes and took 5 hours to eat what normally could have been a 1-plate, 15 minute process. Why make eating so hard? It's not that fun.

Tune in next time for camping fun and flying fears!

Enough already

Gee whiz, it's so humid. I'm all for sunshine and happy days, but the humidity can give it up already. Man alive it's annoying to walk into the studio where I work and sweat when I'm not even moving. We have a lame air conditioner that cools the air very well... within a 1/2 foot radius. It's terrible at moving the air anywhere.

So, I'm very warm and sweating and my arm is sticking to my desk and I'm becoming drowsy. When I'm drowsy I don't think well and then my boss thinks I'm an airhead (I can tell). I say things I don't mean like, "Yes" when I mean "No."

I hate being tired at work. Everything feels like a chore and I have no energy and minutes tick by like days.

I should be at the beach, I just know it.

Oh my....

classes are getting the best of me. I'm too busy to blog! What's the world coming to??? I'll be back again hopefully, but right now I'm suffering with a subject I hate and a professor I can't stand. 

Pathetically, I got the worst grade of my life on an exam- C+ - and I'm excited because at least I passed! I quit reading the book months ago and feared for my life on this ridiculous exam! So, I'm quite satisfied with my first C. 

Saw a chiropractor for the first time ever and it freaks me out! I feel like they're going to break me. The suspense between adjustments just drives me crazy. Long pauses... then ... CRACK!

Had a nice weekend getaway with 4 girlfriends at a cabin and that was nice. But, then reality is even harder to come back to. 

*Sigh*

Thanks Haren

My friend, Haren Heu, took me out to Culver's for my birthday (early) and that was very nice of her. Thank you, Haren. I appreciated the time and the thought and the friendship. You're the very best and lourve you:) 

Things I thought...

As a kid I thought 3 things: 

1. If you dialed zero for the operator that you were calling a surgeon who was operating on someone. So, when my mom would tell me to call the operator (1980's version of 411), I would avoid it all costs so as to not have to interrupt such an important person doing a very important job. I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me to ask why were calling a surgeon for a phone number. 

2. I didn't much care for professional sports. I didn't know anything about them either. I had no brothers. So, quite often I would see kids and others wearing baseball shirts and would always assume the name arched across the back of these shirts was the last name of the person wearing the shirt. I had no concept of putting the name of your sports hero across the back... so I was always thinking to myself, "Man, there's a lot of people with the last name Puckett!"

3. I would see the signs by elevators that said: In Case of Fire Use the Stairs. So, I would think, "Why do they bother having the elevators if we're supposed to use the stairs?" Yup. I read the sign like: There could be a fire, so just in case there is a fire, you should use the stairs. 

So, I wasn't the brightest kid on the block, nor was I the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I was a kid and a perfectly lovely one at that. At this point in my life I would do just about anything to go back and be a (dumb) kid again. 

Updates

Here is a small run down of all the things that really bitten this week. I am not complaining. I am just stating the facts for anyone who wishes to know: 

1. Did not get the job I applied and interviewed for. Bummed, but also sort of relieved because I really didn't want to have to cut back on classes. I want to graduate soon!

2. Did not get approved for health care plan. Jeff was accepted and I was denied because of my retinal disease. Bother. I will probably have to go on the high risk insurance plan through MN, but I'm not able to until Cobra ends. October. 

3. My dad has prostate cancer. He's in Nairobi, Kenya for 5 weeks and I hope he's safe and being well cared for by the university there. He will have surgery when he returns. 

4. Hurt my back. It's always the same place every time, I'm just not sure what set it off this time. 

5. The house is still on the market but with a different realty company. Nice housing market. 

6. This current set of classes... oie. 

This is not to say that I'm not thankful for my family and Haren and for my part time job. I'm very provided for. However even when you're thankful I think it's fair to say that sometimes life really sucks. 

Pet Peeve

When the person in front of you drives so painfully slow that they just make it through the light, but you are forced to miss it. Don't start slowing down 3 minutes before you reach the intersection. Gee whiz. Annoying. 

Interview

Well, I had an interview today for an HR position. I'm very discouraged. I said some of the stupidest things I've ever said. Dumb, dumb, dumb me. Argh. 

I kept thinking, "God, can you please make them not hear what I just said?" "God, can you undo this?" "God, nobody can thwart your will for me, not even me, right?" 

I know that if God's will for me involves working at this company, then all the pieces will fall into place. If not, then I will accept that this isn't where He wants me right now. It's up to Him, not me. 

Now, I must go to bed. I did not sleep well. 

Avocados

So, apparently avocados don't last very long. Picky little things. 

Weird wood-like stone in the middle of them too. They seem almost wood-like enough that you could possibly carve something with them. They are perfectly smooth stones. I wonder if you could use them for decorative wood circles in places that call for decorative wood circles. Like say the end of the curtain rod. 

My Dad

Not very good news today: Dad has prostate cancer. 

But, on the flip side- they caught it really early, it's very small, it's non-aggressive at this point and it's a common cancer that has great rates of success in being taken out. 

They told him to go to Africa as planned and they'll do surgery when he returns. 

So, we will just trust God to carry out His will in Dad's life and feel confident that His will is always going to be the very best outcome. 

Romans 8:28: "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God- those whom he has called according to his plan" 

This has been a difficult few weeks for a variety of reasons but I have found God, as always, to be faithful even when He is silent. I'm very thankful for that:) 

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my mommy:) 

Happy Mother's Day to Haren Heu:) 

I'm sorry I couldn't receive calls this weekend. I was away and forgot my phone... sorry!

Wonderful day spent painting ceilings and walls in my parent's home. 

Speeding tickets

Why is it that Jeff gets stopped for speeding on the same freeway each time (even the same cop twice) and never gets a ticket and I get stopped like once every 5 years and get a ticket every time?  Irritating. SO irritating. ARGHHGHGHGHGHGGH!

Health Insurance

is a racket.  

I'm just so perturbed and irritated that I can't explain. But, someday... I will lay it all out and you'll understand!

Good read

I Peter 1 ... I feel more hopeful knowing that God uses trials to make us stronger in our faith and ability to withstand hard stuff in life. Thank you, God! 

I know He will use all things for good (Romans 8:28). 

Although I'm fighting the urge to be down in the dumpers, I have a lot to be thankful for and lot to do today so I will ignore those feelings. 

Paper Shredders

So I had insomnia last night again. This time I decided to use the time by plucking my eyebrows. 

Today I sorted through papers and sifted out files and started shredding documents I don't need anymore. 

There is something to be said for a good paper shredder. You get what you pay for. I've been through a few of the $20 ones and they always get jammed up and then overheat. It's such a waste of time to try to muddle through a stack of papers that take 4 hours to shred because your shredder sucks. 

Finally a few years ago I decided to invest in a heavy duty good one. I didn't want to spend $60 but it is the best thing ever! It never jams, never over heats and cuts everything into tiny little pieces- including paper clips, staples, credit cards, cd's... whatever. I had a pile over 2 feet high today and it only took me 25 minutes. Well worth it, folks. 

The brand: Fellowes

In-som-nia

I.... cannot.... sleep.... again. 

Vacay Update #2

I'm getting very little accomplished because I can't say no. 

Argh. 

I saw a baby today

I met Michael and Natalie's baby today. She was born 3 weeks ago. She's small. She's cute. She didn't like me much. I was afraid of her. 

Shucks. 

Vacay Update

Just to inform anyone who cares- I have been quite busy on my wonderful vay-cay and haven't been able to blog as regularly. 

Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that I do not have a cold, but I have allergies. I could be wrong. I've been wrong before. 

I had insomnia again last night, but forced myself to stay in bed. However, I tossed and turned and did not sleep well. I suspect that the iced-tea I drank from noon until 2pm yesterday afternoon is the culprit. I don't know. 

I was supposed to paint some windows for my parents today but I guess it's on hold. Bummer. I really wanted to be on a ladder outside with cobwebs and spiders, scraping paint and using a sanding block on my vacay. 

My sister and I recently hijacked my mother's kitchen and re-painted it when she was out getting groceries. It went from a really shiny, pale peach to a nice tan with only a semi-sheen (kitchen paint). It looks so much nicer, cleaner and updated. My mother walked in and looked around - sort of shocked, not quite as impressed as we were- especially with the color, but hasn't really put up any sort of fight over it. So, it's fine I guess. We chose a color that was as bland as possible as she's very much afraid of real color in the house. She claims she chose colors for other rooms, but they are all a subtle variety of white- like eggshell white, slight ivory white, etc..,. basically all the rooms are some kind of white. I think calling any room actual ivory would be a gross exaggeration. 

I'm tired. 

Sick

Shouldn't have stayed up so late. Have a cold starting. Bummed. 

It's junk that I'm getting a cold and I just started my VAYCAY!!!  

Grr. 

I repainted my mom's entire kitchen today. Beautiful tan. Nice and neutral. She didn't really seem so keen on it. Rats. That's junk. It looks really great, I think.

Insomnia

What is wrong with me?? It is 4:05am and I am wired. Since I got out of bed at 12:00am I have sorted through my bags of old papers, balanced our checkbook, paid our bills, loaded the dishwasher, emptied the dishwasher, cut up a pineapple, signed up with Twitter, checked all my accounts (FB, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.) and I'm still wide awake. 

Caffeine + Me = Very bad results

10 signs the golf season is back

10. I'm finding little colored pegs (tees) everywhere. 

9. We're getting paychecks again.

8. Hubby has a golf glove hanging out of his back pocket.

7. Hubby has to get up before 7am.

6. Hubby misses out on events with the family. 

5. Hubby comes home late. 

4. Hubby wears dress pants everyday.

3. Hubby has sunburn on his neck.

2. Hubby has his clubs in the truck 24/7

1. Schmims never sees Schmeffers. 

My husband is:

so sweet...

Though, he does open (and leave open) every cupboard and drawer in the kitchen when he's "cooking." 

Adventures in Babysitting: The Zoo (Part III)

The following morning we, the 3 of us, headed to the zoo for something to do. The zoo is a great place, but quite annoying because they dangle carrots (ice cream) at every turn and for a child who loves ice cream, it's a huge distraction. So, we looked at the monkeys (and ice cream) and the fish (and ice cream) and the seals (and ice cream) and the lions (and ice cream) and the tiger (and ice cream) and the buffalo (and ice cream) and the reindeer (and ice cream) and the giraffe (and ice cream) and the zebras (and ice cream) and the birds (and ice cream) and the goats (and ice cream) and the... wait, there's still ice cream. We should have ice cream. Now. But, we haven't had lunch yet. Let's have it AFTER lunch and not at the zoo. 

Nope. That was not a good idea. Not what she had in mind. 

At this point, nothing matters more than ice cream. Even Sparky, the seal, who hasn't changed his impressive positions (sitting sideways with his nose in the air) for the entire hour that we have been at the zoo, can't distract the ice-cream chasing little girl. She's getting more and more upset about the lack of ice cream and we're getting more and more like "We should go home now." After she has a small, but very public meltdown, Jeff carries her to the car...  I hoped nobody thought we were kidnappers, but she loves Jeff, so it didn't seem to be an issue. 

Once we're in the car, she's like a whole new gal. "I guess I do want to go to McDonald's" (we had promised her McDonald's and ice cream after the zoo, but she insisted she didn't like McDonald's because she wanted pointy ice cream and not flat). Huh, I feel confused. Again. You'd think that because I was once a child, perhaps I could relate or remember these strange, fluctuating emotions, but I couldn't. I guess in a way it's like "out of sight, out of mind." 

Once we got there, she was pleased as punch as she ate her Happy Meal and played in the Playland. She had a grand time meeting other kids and introducing herself. So cute:) In fact, we got an insider's view of childhood friend-making. There were 2 girls her age sitting next to us at the table beside us. She looks over at the older one and says, "Hey, wanna be my friend?" Turned out, the girl did want to be her friend. "Great, let's go to the slide together." And off they went. If only adult relationships were that easy. 

Then, as we left and as promised, we got an ice cream cone (it was even "flat") and she enjoyed it immensely. On the way home she chattered excitedly about her flat ice cream and it was happy times for all. 

Every experience is a learning one. Yup. 

Adventures in Babysitting: Bedtime (Part II)

After returning from the park, making a fort in the living room, playing outside, having a snack, playing house upstairs, playing mom and daughter dog, a lightening quick round of air hockey, some Nintendo Dance, another snack, a tour of her bedroom (approx. 8x9 ft), a game (that I never did find out how to play because she kept "winning" before I got my turn), a discussion about pink sparkly crayons, and a lovely 5 second dance recital (Irish jig) in the living room... the topic turned to Jeff, my husband. "When is Jeff coming?" This question started at about 4pm and continued until he finally showed up at 9:30pm. So, every 10 minutes I was forced to give an update on his status and every 15 minutes she was disappointed. That was until she thought of giving him a surprise. We brainstormed for a few minutes- hmmm a pie? Well, that might be a lot of work (not to mention that I don't know how to make a pie, much less in someone else's kitchen). Perhaps some cake. Probably not the best alternative. Then she suggested we make costumes. Costumes? What kind? Let's get a book to find ideas. 

So, we paged through a book about Audrey Hepburn. Thanks Audrey, for having the most elaborate and detailed dresses ever made. We were nearing the last page of the book when I decided to repeat my prior announcement, "We cannot make costumes." She confidently replies, "Yes we can, we can sew them." *laughing* There are so many reasons why that won't work, where do I start?? 1. I don't sew 2. She doesn't sew 3. We have no fabric 4. We have no pattern 5. Even if we did, we don't have weeks, we have hours. 6. We still don't sew. 

We abandon the idea as quickly as we came up with it. (So glad) We eat dinner and then begin the 3 hour countdown to Jeff's arrival. The time in between is a blur, but eventually she ends up in her pajamas with her teeth brushed. About half an hour before Jeff comes, she decides she wants to water paint. I didn't think that was the wisest project to begin, but she was dead set on making Jeff a picture. So, the paintings were a success and finally Jeff arrived.  Woohoo! 

So, once she ended up in bed, we said our prayers, recited a Bible verse and read a book. She was quite crafty with the book since I told her we were only reading 1 book. We were 3/4 through the book when she announced she that she didn't like this book and we had to start a new one. Sneaky!! She got almost 2 books out of the deal... I was snowed!

We turned off the light, closed the door and I went back down stairs. Three minutes later I hear some noise and head back upstairs. I open the door and there she is in bed, with a flurry of books around her. She's pretending to sleep. "What are all these books doing on your bed?" "I was sleeping and all these books fell on me." *laughing* She was especially endearing when I would say "No, I think we should...." and she was accepting my "suggestion" because she would say, "Well, that's a pretty good idea." (Tehehe) Ah, kids. 

It took a few more rounds, but she finally fell asleep. I knew she was tired, we had a long day. She had been quite concerned earlier that she might not be able to fall asleep. I, however, was not feeling at all concerned for myself and my own ability to sleep. I was exhausted! 

Adventures in Babysitting: The Park (Part I)

So, as some of you might know. I spend Monday and Tuesday of this week babysitting for some friends. This little girl is 5 and is the daughter of some of our friends from church. They have 3 other kids, but they're all in high school/college. I thought I should chronicle my experience in my blog... partly because I want to and partly because I want to make it up to you for missing a day. 

Monday I was on my own, Tuesday my husband was with us because he didn't have to work that day. Monday I picked her up from preschool. We drove home to her house nearby. We went outside in the yard and tried to think of something to do. We decided to go to the park. 

She wanted to drive to the park. But I said that wasn't happening since the park was only a few blocks away. But, she tried her best to get us into the car to drive to the park. I won. She agreed to go to the park without the car. But, she didn't want to ride her bike and didn't want to walk. So, we opted for me to pull her in the big red wagon. This was an okay idea to me (until I realized how heavy the wagon was with her in it).

So, we unlock the gate, being very careful not to let the dog out of the yard. We're on our way. We maneuver around the construction going on directly across the street and head down the sidewalk. I was very careful not to let the wagon flip over when we hit bumps and cracks and even used my rarely used arm muscle to prevent the wagon from hurling down the small slope at the next block. Things are coming along quite impressively, when I turn around and see a brown dog. A dog that looks suspiciously similar to the one that we just locked in the yard. But, it can't be.... we locked the gate. So I ask my little friend, "Is that your dog??" "Yup!" She replied. "She can get out by herself through the fence." Me, not wanting to be responsible for the road death of their dog, began to panic inside- should we go back or try to take her with, what should we do? I ask, "Does she need a leash?" "Yes." Ah, great. We're half way to the park and we don't have a leash. So, I say, "We'll have to go home to get a leash." My friend says, "I can just put her in the wagon with me." That worked for an impressive 5 minutes before the dog had had enough of the constant jossling of the wagon and leaped out. 

Finally we get back to the house, she runs into the house for the leash and we start out to the park.... again. 

When we finally get there- the wagon, the child, the dog and me- my arm is throbbing, but it's a nice day so I sit down and watch while the cute little girl and her dog begin playing on the giant playground. Up the steps, down the steps, up the ladder, down the slide (girl and dog), over the bridge, off the bridge (just the dog) and then- we make an amazing discovery in the sand. 

An old green stocking cap. Yay. For the next hour we played house, I was Mrs. Alligator and she was also Mrs. Alligator. Two generations perhaps. We took turns making different "pies" in the green cap. Then when the pies were "baked" we took turns delivering them to one another in our "houses." So, toward the end of my stay at her "house" she tells me we should go out and look for "blueberries" (rocks) in the "bushes" (sand). So, I'm just locating my first "blueberry" when she screams bloody murder and begins crying. At first I'm confused. She hasn't moved from her "house" and I can't see anything wrong. At this point she is bawling and creating her own version of panic. I step over and see that she's got her finger stuck in a hole in the playground. The playground equipment has a waffle looking floor with little holes. She's jumping around in a panic and bawling so that I begin feeling a little worried that someone might think I'm trying to kidnap her in the park. "Shh, stop crying and calm down, if you're patient you can wiggle your finger out." *3 seconds of silence* "IT HURTS, NO I CAN'T!!!" Then she pauses and manages to sniffle, "Could you go up top and push out my finger?" I tell her I can try, but I'm not sure that's the best way. "GO PUSH IT!" I take 2 steps toward the stairs and "NO!!! DON'T!!! IT HURTS!" So, I retreat and try to discuss with her that she can't pull her finger, she has to wiggle it out. But, the fat keeps bunching up and not letting it out. She has just told me to go get her brother (who is back at the house that is 4 blocks away) and I have just told her I'm not going back to the house without her when her finger drops out. Huh. Thank you, Lord! I wasn't panicking yet myself, but wasn't exactly sure what we were going to do if her finger wouldn't come out and she continued to scream. 

After some long hugs and mutual congratulations for a rescue well done, we were finished at the park... the dog, the wagon, the child and me. 

Happy Easter 2009

Lovely day spent at the aunt and uncle's place in Mankato. I never really realized just how easy it is to get there. I was asked to bring a few vegetables... just a few. I brought a sickening amount of carrots and broccoli. 

Anyway, my darling husband couldn't attend because he was work. He had to be at the golf course since they are short staffed until the kids get out of school for the summer. That made me sad. 

Tomorrow is my babysitting stint from Monday to Tuesday. Looking forward to it.... 

I'm quite tired, so I'll sign off now. But, I would like to say that I am very humbled by Jesus' sacrifice for me. Today's truth is tomorrow's hope. Thank you! 

Until next time. 

The night before Easter...

I want to mention that I didn't sleep well last night. At all. We stayed at the brother-in-law's place and his venting system is really loud and then deathly quiet. During the quiet I could hear Jeffrey's breathing and eventual snoring. I had to push him over onto his side like 20 times. I got up at 4am and wandered around, got bored and came back. Then I was able to sleep until 10. Man. 

Anyway, I am very well aware of what this week means in light of Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. I'm so thankful for that grace because without it I know I'd be destined for hell. When He took my sins on Maundy Thursday, died on Good Friday and rose again 3 days later on Easter Sunday so many years ago, He was preparing a way for me to be released of my sin through His own sacrifice. Amazing. Grace is amazing. 

Tomorrow I'm going to Mankato to spend time with my aunt and uncle and their family. It's always a nice time- partly because they have kids (grandkids) to keep us entertained. Hmm, why don't the Peterson's have any grandkids? (Don't look at me!) I get my baby fix every Sunday in the nursery and that is simply grand. Somebody once told me that God made babies cute so they wouldn't be ignored... certainly could be true, they are cute. Noisy too. Maybe He made them noisy for a not-to-be-ignored reason as well. Always thinking... always thinking. 

Anyway, Happy Easter to my 2 Followers and anyone else who might happen upon this Easter posting. 

  

Super glue fiasco

So at work I had to assemble some magnets that we sell. They are pewter pieces and I super glue tiny little magnets to the back of each one. These are not normal magnets. These are extra powerful magnets that can hold a lot of weight even though they are only the size of an eraser head. 

I put a dab of glue on the back of some pieces and proceeded to drop a magnet onto each one... I had 55 to assemble. Then, the hand that was holding the roll of magnets got too close to the other magnets and all of sudden I saw a flurry of tiny magnets flying past me- all in a mad scramble to attach to each other. I tried to get them off each other - they were all super glued to each other- but my fingers were super glued to each other... Every time I tried to grab a magnet to keep it from latching onto another one, it would stick to my gluey finger and end up attracting another magnet. Hopeless. In the end all the magnets found each other and my fingers were still glued to each other... nice.

Another adventure at work. 

Crap.

So, a few weeks ago we invested in a Cub Foods $300 gift card because they were handing out an extra $30 if you bought one. Well, it's worth it since we buy groceries anyway. 

Today I'm running errands and I'm gathering groceries in my cart... lalalalala... milk.....dumdeedum....butter.....hmmmhmmmhmmm....cereal.....dooteedoo...bananas. 

Crap. 

I'm in Rainbow Foods. Crap, crap,crap,crap. Crap. Crapp-o. 

I can be flakey when I'm avoiding homework apparently. Crap. This day is junk.

I love the post office

I love the post office. I don't know why. I just feel hugely interested in all the things they have to offer. It's amazing. Big padded envelopes and tape, special forms to fill out for mailing certain things to certain places. There are all kinds of stamps with little pictures and they're self-stick. What a great invention. Self-stick. I love stickers. 

Remember scratch-n-sniff stickers? My favorite stickers, in my sticker book (a must-have in 1982) were Dill Pickle, Gasoline, Bubble Gum, Skunk, Lilac. 

Anyway, the post office has so many interesting little processes and procedures. I always feel so satisfied when I buy a stamp. Pens that are attached to the counter with a ball chain, USPS tape, they even do passport stuff there. They weigh things and then print out perfect little stickers and slap it onto the packages. It looks so fun. Fun. 

Fun like I used to think it would be to be a librarian. In elementary school the librarian would open each book, take the card out, stamp the date, put the card back, flip the book closed. Such a neat, tidy little procedure. Now they scan books. Not as much fun. 

I would like to work at the post office some day. I hope I don't go postal. That could ruin my perception of the post office. 

It's only 42 cents to mail a letter down the hall or across the country. Pretty impressive. I should mail letters to all of my floor neighbors. They would be pleased. 

An ode to a friend...

For anybody who thinks I only have 1 Follower... they're wrong. I actually have 2. To protect the identity of the 2nd Follower, who chooses not to identify themselves, I will use an alias to write my ode. Note to the 1st Follower "Carrie": This does not in any way devalue your position as 1st Follower, in fact, the fact that you were the 1st Follower holds a place in my heart that can never be replaced...  

So, an ode to my friend, *Haren Heu...

Haren is a wonderful friend and I am honored to know her. 

Haren is an amazing friend, who could be my mother. 

Haren is always in-the-know and that is impressive. 

I hope when I'm in my 60's that I am as "with it" as her. 

Haren knows so many things and knows how to go with the flow. 

Haren is funny and amuses me, Haren is very special.

Haren and I like to take field trips in order to grace the world with our presence!

Haren and I are like world travelers, who never set foot on a plane. 

Haren is a smart little cookie... she's also a baker of them. 

Haren is just so swell and I appreciate her. 

Haren is on my phone as one of my Fave 5. 

Not everyone is on my phone as a Fave 5. 

Haren and I have experienced some things together that nobody should have to endure. 

Thankfully we're doing better now and that loser place is all just a blur... 

The end. 

Casino

Well, we're either the strongest or the lamest people in the world, but the hubby and I spent the entire afternoon in a casino and didn't spend a penny. 

We had a coupon for a free buffet meal and arrived almost 2 hours early so we wandered around, had some free beverages, took a little snooze, watched a little TV and talked on the phone. Then we had a nice free meal and then we left:) 

I will say this. There are some frightening people there at the casino. Some very large people at the buffet. Some very rough people at the slots. Some very lonely people everywhere. Interesting place, the casino. 

The first time I ever visited a casino I had no idea what went on there. I went with a friend who goes every year. I was all stupid and just sat down at a machine. I didn't know anything about the 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 cent machines. So, I was at a 25 cent machine. That was 25 cents every time I hit Spin. Well, after a few times, a bunch of fun music started playing and the screen was all fun and lit up. My friend comes running up and wants to know what I'm doing at a 25 cent machine. Then she grabs me and says, "cash out, now!" I said, "Why? There's a show going on on the screen." She said, "you just won $600!" "Really? Gosh, I only put like a dollar in." She was really annoyed with me. I don't know why. 

Anyway, I'm too cheap for such things. I can't stand to lose money, so I just go when the coupons come out for the free food:) Like I said, I'm either strong or lame. 

Have I mentioned that my hair is too short? It is. That's rotten. This day is junk.

Got a haircut

It's kinda short. Too short. I'm going to have to grow it out again. I look like a boy. A boy with a flair. I'm annoyed that my neck looks funny. Crumb. This day is junk.

I would pay money...

to not be in my classes anymore, but ironically, I'm paying money to be in them. 

How ironical. 

Aren't words that aren't words fun to use?  Speaking words that aren't words. 

How ironical. 

I am a stickler for proper word usage and I'm using a non-word. 

How ironical.

It's Friday night and I'm doing homework for tomorrow's class. School on Saturday?!

How ironical. 

I think non-words are allowed to have whatever improper usage they want. 

Actually, I don't care. Why am I'm blogging this? Bother.

God, are you there, it's me Schmims?

I feel... "down... down... down... down in a ring of fire..."

It's not a good feeling to know that I need (want) an internship. 

It's not a good feeling to know that I hate the classes I'm in. 

It's not a good feeling to know that school politics are discouraging me.

It's not a good feeling to know that the economy bites. 

It's not a good feeling to know that a certain population of people are frustrating me. 

It's not a good feeling to know that I have a bunch-o-work to do for school. 

God always reminds me that I have to keep things in perspective and I'm cheered when I remember that He is able to provide me with all the perseverance I need, but sometimes I forget.... 

Online job ads

I would like to share a pet peeve. Applying for jobs online really sucks. For several reasons that I will type out below: 

1. When it says you can upload or copy/paste your resume and then it makes you retype everything again anyway. WHY?!

2. When you're filling out all of the spaces and click enter and then need to fix something and it makes you retype the entire page again instead of just letting you edit. ARGH.

3. When it uploads your resume and formats it into its own thing, thus making me look like I don't know about spacing and punctuation and presentation. PITOOEY!

4. When the site is lame and has a glitch, but you don't find out until after you've gone to the trouble of filling out EVERYTHING. ACK!

I really try not to get annoyed. But... it's JUST. SO. HARD. 

Family Ties

Well, we've been watching re-runs of Family Ties (Netflix) at night. Half an hour per night as a little treat for bothering to get out of bed that morning... or something like that. 

So, all that to say, that show isn't as good as I remembered it. It's actually sort of lame. I was disappointed. I mean, cutting in on a real baby and panning out on a doll, come on. We can tell! 

And Skippy. There just aren't words.... 

Down the bunny trail (and off in another direction)...

So tonight I was reading my dry "HR Scorecard" book and decided I needed to take a potty break. It was supposed to be a 5 minute break. 

Ultimately, I ended up plucking my eye brows, picking dead skin, brushing my teeth, washing and touching up parts of the paint on the wall around the sink and unclogging a spray bottle that has been bothering me for months. Then I ate 4 Starburst that I swore I would never eat (I don't eat the yellow and orange ones). 

What is wrong with me??? I can't stay focused to save my life. I'm on the path and then before I know it, I'm off on another bunny trail so far from the main road that I can't find my way back. Sad, sad, sad. Very sad. Pathetic. I think I'm in a real funk.

Um.... now I can't find my book.  

Ahh, kids...

So, kids around age, say 5 or maybe 6 are really sweetly naive and gullible. The innocence is so endearing. They believe whatever you say. They don't doubt anything. It's great. 

Kid: When's my mom coming back? 

Me: In a little while. 

Kid: How long is that? 

Me: Until tomorrow. 

Kid: But I want her back now. 

Me: Me too. Probably more than you do. 

Kid: What? 

Me: Nothing.

Kid: Where is she? 

Me: Somewhere far away... on the moon, I think.

Kid: The moon? 

Me: Yup. I've been there before, so I gave her the chance. 

Kid: Is she really on the moon? 

Me: Yup. There are places to shop and eat there that you can't go here. 

Kid: Like what? 

Me: Moondonald's and Moonmacy's, I don't know, I haven't been there in awhile. 

Kid: Tell me when she's coming home. 

Me: If you let me watch TV, I'm sure she'll let me know. 

I hope the parents of the little girl I'm babysitting in 2 weeks isn't reading this. 

 

Trish & Swish Fish

Those were the names of my goldfish 8 years ago. Happy couple. Until Trish, or was it Swish (who can tell?) died. So, I replaced who I thought was Trish, with Tish. She also died. That was puzzling. Then I thought,"Maybe Gail the snail is hogging all the algae and food." So, I added some algae. But alas, Gail died. "Why?" I was so confused. Anyway, I'd like to make a list of all the pets I've ever had (due to the fact that I'd really like a dog) to commemorate the memory of the Fishes: 

Pester Paws (cat)

Gail (snail)

Trish (fish)

Tish (fish)

Swish (fish)

Scooter (hamster)

Tango Purr (cat)

Tabby-Jo Gurr (cat)

Janel Janine Whiskerson (cat) - not actually mine

Cricket (cat) - not actually mine

Coco Riley (cat) - not actually mine

Daphne (mean parakeet)

Fred (other mean parakeet)

Gary (Beta fish)

Buttons (gold fish)

Button's roommate (golf fish)

Babies

Well (I start every blog with that), we just got back from church. We team lead a nursery full of 13-17 month old kids. Usually it's okay, most of them know us. But, we've got some newbies and it wasn't pretty. Two of the kids were unwilling to sit with the hubby without squalling and bawling their eyes out. Even bubbles wouldn't appease them. Bubbles appease EVERYONE. Argh.

SO, I held the 2 criers, but I had to prepare the snack and change diapers and it ended up being a bit of a sidaster (disaster). SO, we sent one back to her mother. Pagers are lovely little things. 

The other guy we held on to. Cute, but so tear-prone. We're guilty of leaving one of our cute little charges to herself most of the time because she adores playing with the bubbles in the rocking chair. So, in the chair she stays. The whole time. It's love really. We want her to be happy. If she wanted to quit with the bubbles and get down, we would help her. But, she's content. So we are too. 

Snacks. Snacks (graham crackers) are terrific little appeasers. We start snack pretty much immediately if there are criers. Nothing like feeding criers to silence. It didn't work today. Of course when the first crier's mother came to take her that was when she happily chomped down on her cracker. Her mother seemed confused about why we would call her down. It was like she didn't totally believe that 3 minutes ago her daughter was crying her eyes out. 

But, all in all, it was successful day in the nursery. Nobody tripped and fell. Nobody had trouble sharing. Nobody pooped. Nobody wiped out on the slide (we don't know how it happens on a slide that is less than 2 feet from the ground). 

Bless the kids. They're cuties. To commemorate the occasion, I've written a short poem. 

"Cute Kids" by: Schmims

We watch tiny tots. 

We wipe their face,

We wipe their snots.

We think they're very cute. 

He's a hunk, 

I'm a beaut.

Watch the babies very close,

Every Sunday, 

Just one dose!

Saturday....

Well, it's Saturday (finally)! I really have a great opportunity to do a lot today and plan on it. So, it's almost 2:30. I slept until noon. That has not been done in quite a long time. I was tired. I just had an enormous salad. Enormous. Rabbits would be jealous. I just ate as many vegetables as a family of rabbits could eat in a year. I suppose that was a little bit hoardish. I mean, there a lot of rabbits around the world who would never have the opportunity to eat that much lettuce, carrots and celery. 

Oh, I should mention that I turned on the oven at noon to make banana bread. Oops. 

I love rabbits. Did I ever mention that Mr. Whiskers, my friend's dead bunny, was great for carrots and other nibbles? He had some sort of tumor in his eye. He died on the operating table. We, or rather, I was devastated.

Anyway. I'm in the mood to go to Saint's North. I want to go rollerskating. 

Okay, there was something I was going to discuss today. I can't remember what it was. Shoot. I'll be back later. 

Blogging

At first I didn't see the point of blogs. It's basically an open journal to the world. It's freeing to express myself here and I can type away all of my pent up creativeness. Tehehe. I was a psych major. So appropriate, I feel. 

So, all that to say, I still don't see the point of blogs. 

But I wanted to have one and I'm taking the responsibility very seriously. 

Distracted

For my 3rd blog I have decided to take a break from studying in the library near my home and discuss distractions. I came to the library to study and avoid the distractions at home. It's very hard to stay focused at home. I'm like a strobe light with a million thoughts a minute. 

Yesterday I got up at 9am determined to sit down and study with my computer and books... but oh, wait. I must first check my email, after all, someone very important might have contacted me. So, I check all 4 email addresses and then Facebook. Wowzers, interesting place FB is. Lotsa people and lotsa stuff to read. So, at noon, I feel ready to study. I open my book and turn to page 320. Hey! That's like the first 3 numbers of my phone number! What do ya know? Wow. I haven't checked my phone in like 15 minutes. I should do that. I go and listen... "No new messages". Huh. I don't really like the way my voice sounds on my phone. I should record it again. 

So, at 1:30pm I think, "That's great. I have a nice new voice on my phone. Refreshing!" What should I do now? I'm starving! I'll find something to eat. I don't see anything very interesting. Old banana, some string cheese, spaghetti, turkey. I'll have turkey. I'll have a turkey sandwich. No bread. No problem. I'll look in the freezer. Wow, there are fish sticks in the freezer! I should make some of those. What can I bake them on? The other little convection oven pan is in the dishwasher. Oh! I can make my own "pan" from tinfoil. So, at 3pm I'm eating some fish sticks and admiring the "pan" that I made. Dandy little thing. Too bad I have to throw it out. Now, I should really study. I head back to the computer and realize that the screensaver pictures have started up. Ah! I remember that day! And that time! And those people! I love pictures. So, I decided it would be good for the spirit to watch the whole slide show. 1063 pictures later, I'm ready to study. But, it's time for dinner, I don't have time to study right now. Silly me. I have to make dinner for my dear husband. I'll look for recipes online. First, I'll check the pantry to see what we have. 

The pantry is filled with good prospects. But, it's missing some key ingredients. I should really make a shopping list. I made a terrific shopping list. I should have coupons. Where's the paper? Did I recycle the paper? Shoot, I can't go to the store without saving 58 cents!?! Oh, there it is underneath my jeans. My jeans look sort of dirty. I should wash them. What else could I wash with them? Should I just do all the laundry? Yes, how productive of me. I'll start separating darks from lights.... what is gray? 

So, at 9pm I'm all tuckered out and think I should really rest after all of the stuff I've done today. I'm literally exhausted. I'll work on getting into bed as soon as I check my email.... 

I have a follower! (2nd Blog)

Well, it's official. I have a follower. I don't know who it is, but she's there and she LOVES my blog... I can tell. 

Until tomorrow. Or whenever I remember to do this again!

First Blog

Looky, looky.... I'ma bloggin'! I have absolutely nothing to say. Huh. Yeah.