Randomness

It took me far too long to fill this out on Facebook, so I thought it could do double duty.  :)  Things are sort of quieting down here, so I need to get back into the swing of blogging.  

25 Random Things About Me

1.  I truly believe that everything happens for a reason.

2.  I like to laugh until it hurts... or I pee, whichever comes first.

3.  I've only left my time zone twice - both times within the last 5 years.

4.  I love the way a large Dunkin' Donuts' cup of coffee feels in my hands.

5.  I say mean things when I get mad, and I frequently hold grudges.  I have trouble holding my tongue.

6.  I am anal about how my dishwasher is loaded.  People who know me, know not to help with the dishes.

7.  I've lost 17 pounds since August with the help of a Wii Fit.

8.  I have a very low tolerance for ignorance and irresponsibility.

9.  Sometimes I wonder if I'm being a good enough mom.

10.  I occasionally mutilate words, or make up my own, during the course of conversation.

11.  In my head, I often hear moments in my life set to music.

12.  I am a compulsive list maker, yet a terrible procrastinator.

13.  I had a math minor in college, yet I've never been able to balance a checkbook....and I have difficulty calculating percentage-off sales.

14.  I didn't realize I loved my husband's rottweiler until she died.

15.  I've always wished I could sing.  I can't.  And my kids ask me not to.

16.  I have an internet addiction.

17.  I secretly like Britney Spears' music.

18.  I despise being told what to do.

19.  The scariest moment in my life was when my husband was wheeled into brain surgery when I was 3 months pregnant with our second child.

20.  I hate shaving my legs.  I do it reluctantly for my husband's sake.

21.  Children are an amazing gift, but I don't think being a parent is for everyone.

22.  When my time as a stay-at-home mom ends (and my husband assures me it will), I don't know what I want to do next.

23.  My dad's stroke almost 4 years ago taught me that there are no guarantees in life.  You can plan all you want, but life can change drastically in an instant.  

24.  I regret not having my tubes tied during my last c-section.  I now know, I'm done.

25.  I wouldn't trade places with anyone, for anything.

M.I.A.

I've been M.I.A. lately.  Things here have been crazy, and not necessarily in a good way.  I'm used to being thrown curve balls and facing disaster..... perhaps twitching a little, but generally laughing at my luck, or lack of luck.  2009 started off that way.  My garage door opener broke and my TV blew within 2 days of each other.  The garage door itself is new within the last year (since I had backed into the old one and cracked the sucker in half before that).  But now it's the opener itself.  And the TV was only a few years old, yet was 21 days out of warranty....so it would have required a $900 repair (we opted for a new one).  I can laugh at this because it's just so...."us".

However, DH has gotten word that his job is going to formally ask him to relocate.  If at all possible, (meaning, if there is another means for a paycheck) this is not something we want to do at this point.  And, to top it off, DH's mom has been in the hospital for a week...and counting.  

Job stress and parent/health stress are not funny.  There's nothing to laugh about there.  I'm having trouble feeling inspired to write anything.  I'm just feeling overwhelmed and less and less in control.  Hopefully I'll be able to find some humor in the mundane soon.  Until then...

Dear Santa...

My kids started drafting their lists for Santa before Thanksgiving.  DD announced that she doesn't "know words", so she took the toy books and circled what she'd like.  Oh, and she'd also drag us to the TV when a commercial came on for something she thought she wanted.  DS, in all his anality (Is that a word?  Spell checker says no, but it is now!), made a very detailed chart...making categories, and sub-categories for his wished-for items.  DS, I know, doesn't really care about all the "categories".  Most of the time, he only gravitates towards books (reading or puzzle type books), sporting equipment (or just a ball), or video games/computer stuff.  I humor him by acknowledging that he's adding some action figures to his list, knowing darn well he would never play with them.  He is ultra-conservative with his reactions on Christmas morning.  He would never dream of jumping up and down screaming over getting a special gift.  Yet, DH tries.  Every year, DH tries to hone in on the most coveted gift, yearning for that elusive Christmas morning reaction.  It's yet to happen.  And I'm doubting it will happen this year either....and not for lack of trying.

I listened carefully this year to the kids' wishes.  DD talked non-stop about Dora and the Prancing Pegasus, and Bye-Bye Baby Chou Chou.  Her birthday was in November, and she got Dora and the Prancing Pegasus.  She reacts with emotion, whether excitement or disappointment.  She was beyond thrilled and it has been played with daily for the last month.  (However the darn Pegasus is taking a beating....it has one gimpy leg and the wings are temperamental about opening up already.)  Santa scored Bye-Bye Baby Chou Chou at good price!  I was so excited!  DS was exposed to Guitar Hero on a recent trip with friends and that was the item on the top of his list....for the last month or so.  DH and I hunted for the best deal, and tried to decided which "instruments" made the most sense for our house.  We decided on the Guitar Hero World Tour edition with the dual guitars.  Perfect!

Except, it's not.  DD was playing with a little girl recently who had Baby Alive Baby Go Bye Bye.  A much cheesier option, I'll add.  And as we trekked through Target's toy department recently, she pointed to Baby Alive Baby Go Bye Bye and said that was the doll she wanted!  I showed her Baby Chou Chou and told her this was the one she asked for.  "I don't want THAT one, I want THIS one!"  Damn.  

At dinner last night, DS was counting down the days till Christmas.  DH asked him what he was most hoping to get.  His response....Madden '09 for the Playstation!!!!  What happened to Guitar Hero???  Needless, to say, the shopping is finished and neither child will be getting their "revised" top pick.  The whole point of the list is to stick to it!!

Champagne with that caviar?

We have snow!  And it's a beautiful thing.....except for one (ok, maybe more, but one I'll mention) side effect.  The rabbits that are still lurking in my yard are unseen, except for the poop that rests on top of the snow.  Tiny dark balls are scattered all over.  Gross enough.  But my dog seems to think these are delicacies.  I can not get her to stop eating them!!  This morning I was gagging as I watched her nibble them up on her morning outing.  She seems to think they're doggie caviar!  I need to make sure she doesn't lick my face anymore!

I'm a Junkie

My name is Beth, and I am an addict.  It doesn't seem to matter to what....I have realized that I get hooked, very easily, on a lot of things.  To name a few: coffee, wine (not to problematic levels, but I do enjoy it), facebook, The Weather Channel, the internet, and lately, and most dangerously, online shopping.  I obsess.  I can't think of anything else.  And if I don't get a fix, well, it's just not pretty.  

I always thought I was normal.  Easy going, laid back....but I'm seeing myself lately as obsessive.  What's wrong with me?  I check the hourly weather forecast numerous times a day.  Is that necessary?  I hit refresh on my email homepage more times than I'd like to admit.  And facebook....forget about it.  I'm not even going to go there.  Not helping matters is the fact that I keep my laptop in my kitchen.  Every time I walk by, I'm sucked in.  DH has thought about limiting the amount of time I have access to the internet, but isn't that treating me like a child?  Like how I limit the amount of time DS plays his video games.  I'm an adult.  I should be able to get a handle on this.  

I realize the season isn't helping the shopping problem.  So, hopefully, it will come to an end shortly.  But I did stumble upon a blog that tracks sales (wantnot.net).  It is updated a number of times a day....so I check even more frequently.  I'd hate to miss a great deal!  (In my defense, I have managed to score the Leap Frog learning globe for $49, a Melissa & Doug easel for $29, and I am diligently tracking price adjustments at Target...so far they've refunded me $36.)  Perhaps my obsessions aren't really hurting anyone, but actually helping!!

Crazy Eyes

DH took the kids to the pet store the other night.  We can't seem to keep fish alive in our tank, so we just keep replenishing them.  He made the mistake of letting them each pick out 3 specific fish each....as "pets".  So, now, when they kick the bucket, which we know they will, we'll have to deal with the kids crying over the death of a pet again.  DS, in particular, is very sensitive, so he'll surely take it hard.  

One of the fish that DS picked is unlike anything I've noticed in the pet store before.  We've affectionately dubbed it "Crazy Eyes".  I don't think this picture does him justice, but his eyes are, in fact, crazy.  They are on top of his head, not on the side like normal fish.  They look up, and he almost has a cross eyed look to him.  DS said the pet store had this fish in a tank all by itself and he thought the fish would like to come home and have some friends.  DS has empathy for the crazy eyed fish.  I thought it might be a deformity and signal impending death...and tears.  DH says it's an actual type of fish.  Have you ever seen a fish like this?

'Tis the Season

I bought my kids Advent calendars this week.  Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared on December 1st, so when we got them on Wednesday, we had to open up 3 windows at once.  Much to my kids' delight, they got to enjoy 3 chocolates at once.  Last night, DH was on duty, and forgot to do the calendar.  So, tonight, after dinner, I went to help the kids open two windows...and enjoy two chocolate treats.  I hadn't labeled the calendars with their names since they were identical and would be eaten at the same pace.  I had "stored" them on my kitchen counter, standing upright, in a corner.  I grabbed them both and noticed that the front calendar had a number of windows flapping open.  At first, I thought we got jipped...that maybe they were empty when I bought them.  Then I remembered the cellophane wrapper and ruled that out.  As I was figuring out what was going on, DD ran and hid.  That's when I knew.....

My DD stole candies out of the Advent calendar!  The thief!  Somehow, she must've climbed/reached the calendars and cracked open 5 extra days!  And even the special, larger, Christmas Eve candy is gone!  Isn't that like, sacrilege or something?  So typical....