one step forward...three steps back

Have you ever had one of those mornings, where it feels like all of your efforts are just straight out the window (I know you know what I mean, Milissa!) I have been wandering around lately, all happy and content, thinking that everything is going pretty good. Our bills are payed, our house is warm and cozy, our truck is payed for....things were going pretty good! So I finally took an opportunity to spoil myself a little (I rarely spend money on myself...usually the boys or Tom get spoiled!!) So I went onto ebay, and bought myself some Coach stuff, and some lululemon clothing. I was happy! Tom was thrilled that I finally got to splurge a little. And with my trip coming up this weekend, everything seemed gravy.
Until this morning.....
Tom woke up this morning to a FREEZING house. The thermostat read a chilly 15 degrees. Why? I have the heat set at 21 for night-time...why so cold? Being 630am, Tom wasn't really thinking clearly. So he lovingly cranked the heat to a balmy 35 degrees, turned on the fireplace and came in to say good-bye. He told me it was chilly, but he had taken precautions to ensure that the three of us at home would be cozy when we woke up. Ya...if only that were true.
Jesse came into my room at 830 (2 hours after Tom had "warmed the house up for us") And he was upset that he was "so cold Mommy, so cold!!" So I let him into bed with me, and we cuddled under the warm feather filled comforter. Finally, he asked for juice, so it was up and out of bed for me. I shivered my ass off as I ran to the kitchen. The floor beneath my feet was like an ice rink. I got him his juice, and ran him into his room. I then proceeded to layer clothing on him like he was headed outdoors. Once he was all bundled up, I layed him in his bed, covered him with 2 blankets, and turned on his movie. He was comfy... Then I ran back to my room, ripped off my pajama shorts and tank top, threw on my trusty russell sweatpants, 2 shirts and a hoodie, and the thickest socks I have. Then into Zack's room....I did the same procedure with him, plus I had to give him some motrin, as he has a fever today (at least one of us was warm!).
After everyone was all cozied into their winter clothing, I checked the thermostat. Nice. 16 degrees, and now 3 hours since Tom turned it up. Something is wrong. So I called our neighbor (who also happens to be Tom's friend) and he came over, just as Tom was coming home from work. Apparently people get concerned when you tell them that you have no heat coming from your furnace, that your furnace has no pilot light lit, and it is -35 outside. Twiddle-dee and Twiddle-dum tried to get the pilot light lit for a good half hour. Finally the fan came on, and started blowing cold air into our already frigid house. "Sorry honey, I know you are handy and all....but we need some professional assistance now!" So I called the furnace repair people. Thankfully, the people who built our house installed a Lennox, so we were put to the top of the list, and the guys came right away (they work for a Lennox distributor) Apparently, our ignitor was broken. So, $80 for the call-out, and a nice $150 for the ignitor...and they were here for less time than Tom and Danny spent on it. So, $246 later, and my house is FINALLY warming up.
So let this be a lesson to you all.....just when you think you are safe, think again! Because you may end up spending a bunch of money on hoodies, and they may look nice, but unless they are in your possession, they won't keep you warm on the days that your furnace decides to pack it in!!!

words to live by

I am a fan of poetry. I do not sit around and read books of it, and I would struggle to name off any famous writers in this area...but I will read it if it is in front of me, and enjoy it. I also have been known to write a poem or two.
This particular one, though, has always been a favorite of mine. It was like my mantra when I was still participating in competetive sports (I really miss those days!) So I thought I'd share...because they're good words to live by.

The Contest
The contest lasts for moments
Though the training's taken years
It wasn't the winning alone
That was worth the work and tears
The applause will be forgotten
The prize will be misplaced
But the long hard hours of practice
Will never be a waste
For in trying to win you build a skill
You learn that winning depends on will
You never grow by how much you win
You only grow by how much you put in
So any new challenge you've just begun
Put forth your best
And you've already won
-Anonymous

outings

You don't know stress and exhaustion until you have singlehandedly taken 2 small boys out for the day, on your own, with no backup! I am in the midst of that exhaustion as I type this....scratch that....as I forcibly push my fingers onto the keys of my keyboard. I went out with a friend of mine today, along with her 2 little boys who are the same age as mine. We thought it would be fun for us to take the boys bowling. All 4 of them. With just the 2 of us. Fun. Riiiiight. Though, I will admit, we did have a good time between the yelling for the kids to get out of other peoples alleys, to not play with the balls, to get away from the ball carousel thing, to not dump all of their juice all over the floor, to not eat the cookie they just dropped on the floor, to not throw their bowling balls into the air...etc. We did manage to have half of one conversation before it was interrupted with some sort of child emergency. It was a good time, and I like getting together with those guys. And, the boys had fun....so who cares about all of the rest of it.
We then took the boys to McDonalds to have some food, and wear off some of their energy in the germ infested cesspool of a play area. They loved it! They played for well over an hour, and my friend and I actually were able to talk!! Of course, my kids were doused with Purell the instant we left that nasty pit of disease.....cuz seriously, GROSS!!
From there, we headed off to Hell-on-Earth (aka. walmart) where I nearly completely lost my mind! I am not saying that it isn't a total blast to chase after one kid, while the other one hides in racks of clothing. Or to have to yell at your kid to come beside you, whilst all of the other parents within earshot have their judging eyes out, drilling their way into your psyche. I don't care who you are, you can't tell me that you haven't had to yell for your kid at least once in a busy store...so put your judging eyes back into their sockets, and mind your own freaking business!!!. (yep, it was one of "those" days) My friend and I parted ways in Walmart, as we decided it was easier to wrangle just our own 2 kids, as opposed to the 4 of them in a group (or herd, as is more appropriate to call them).
My day has mellowed since I left that dump of a hell-hole...but the exhaustion that came with my outing today is still quite present. Right now I would love to turn on my fireplace, curl up in my favorite overstuffed arm chair, have a huge steaming cup of hot chocolate (spiked to death with malibu...thanks Andy!!!) and watch a good movie. But alas, the basis of my exhaustion is still pumped full of piss and vinegar, in the other room, playing wii. So I guess my nice relaxing dream night will have to wait for another.....16 years....give or take.

alone at night...

I don't mind when my husband is away overnight. I get the whole big king bed to myself, I can watch whatever I want, and for the hours between when the boys go to bed, and I go to bed, I can be completely quiet and not have to speak! (which is a nice change from always having to talk to the boys all day long). Last night was supposed to be one of those nice nights....and it just really really wasn't. My parents came to take my oldest to his soccer game, which meant that just me and my youngest would be here. We played cars, he watched some cartoons, and then off to bed. I had a few minutes of peace and quiet, and then the phone rang. It was a call from the past which I tried to block from my mind, but it weaseled its way in there, and screwed up my whole night. Not having anyone to talk to really made it hard for me to ignore, also. I watched a movie, had my supper, tried to chill out.... My parents brought my son back, and I put him right to bed. Again, I had some quiet time....until my husband decided to call and talk about my horrible day/night. Well, all the efforts I had made to remain calm were then out the window. I kinda lost it on him, I'm not going to lie. I talked, I cried, and I tried to refrain from yelling, as both of the boys were sleeping. It was a rough night, I'm telling you right now. So I finally crawled into bed, watched some Back to the Future, and then realized that I forgot my bedtime routine with the boys. So I went into my youngests room, changed him into his goodnight and tucked him in. I was not expecting him to sit up and ask me for some water....but he did!!! So I got him some water, and prayed to everything that he would go back to sleep (as it was 1230am at that point) Then I went into my oldests room, turned off his tv and crept out. Not even 5 minutes later, he was crying and yelling in the bathroom...so I ran in there to check on him, asked him if he had an accident, and he said no. So apparently it was just a crying sort of night (granted, I didn't do it while standing naked in front of the toilet...but to each his own) I finally got him tucked back in, and I got back into bed. I turned off my favorite movie, got snuggled into my awesome bed, and then my idiotic cat started howling! What the hell was wrong with her, I will never know. But she proceeded to sit at the end of my bed and squawk all night.... Luckily, I was so exhausted from my sh*t-ridden day, that I sort of just drifted into a sleep coma.
And so as I sit here today, exhausted, disheveled and puffy, I just hope and pray that today/tonight goes better...because many more of those nights, and my husband will have some serious hell to pay. He was off with his friends laughing, having fun and enjoying their Friday night, as I sit here in my own personal hell. All I can say is, please, please, I hope that while I am away next weekend, he gets a little peek into my "alone at night" world....cuz there is room for two, and I am sick of being the only one there!!!!

random

Okay, so I have been a little slack on the posting lately, but I have good reason! My computer is rejecting my efforts! I've had a few posts written up, but are lost in cyberspace when I hit 'publish post'. Perhaps my POS computer is smarter than I give it credit for. Perhaps it is flushing the posts that need not be read. Some things are better left unsaid. And, now they are.
My husband left for his sausage-fest today. They have some fun stuff planned for the weekend. Although, they are taking a minor, so the drinking and "classy bitches" (as so eloquently put by my friend, and the one who planned this whole penis weekend) are out of the question. SHUCKS! Those poor morons.
But I suppose one good thing is coming of him being gone to Calgary this weekend...I was looking at a website for my favorite hoodie place (ya, my hoodie obsession is a whole other story!!) and I noticed that they were having a big warehouse sale in the same area of Calgary that my hubby is going to be at! Ah yes, retribution!! [insert crazy laugh here] So he and his travel buddies have to go to a Lululemon sale for me. SUCKAHS!!!!
I just hope and pray that my kids behave this weekend...I am running out of room on my rapidly freying rope. And my poor best friend will be left to pick up the pieces next weekend. But that's okay...that's what friends are for....to help you re-weave your rope, so you can handle yet another day :)

soooo

My husband was away a lot for work in December. And then he had another overnight last week. I can handle them pretty easily, my boys are old enough now that they help out with a lot of stuff, and are easier to deal with. I don't much care for the loneliness when hubby is gone, but that is just my nature. I actually enjoy some quiet time, and having the king all to myself! (plus, I can watch whatever dorky crap I want on tv, and he isn't here to heckle me!) So after his last overnight, he arranged for me to take a weekend by myself, and go visit my best friend. I was thrilled! I haven't had one of these weekends in soooo long. I adore my kids, don't get me wrong, but some re-charge time is always nice. (plus, Tom really doesn't spend a lot of 1-on-1 time with the boys, so it will be good for them, too) So next weekend I am off to spend some time with my bestest. I am looking forward to it! Do some shopping, go for a run with her, go for lunch, and maybe a movie. It is something I have been looking forward to. (and still am...but....) My husband has decided he is taking this weekend as his fun time...and that really bothers me! I know that all of his overnights have been for work, but come on! Going to a course for a few hours, and then bumming around Vancouver hardly sounds taxing to me! Or his last overnight, a friend of his was with him, and they went for dinner and then watched a movie. OOOH. That poor man, he is just waaay overworked! I can see why he needs a weekend away with his buddy [insert rolling eyes here]. I am just kind of irritated about all of this. We had made a deal, years ago, that the next time he went to this tournament, I was going too (as I have friends in that city that I would like to visit with). But apparently, we can not afford the both of us to go, just him. Not entirely sure where he learned to do math, but I think that place should be torched!!!! Whatever...he can have his sausage-fest weekend. He can go and be an uber-dork and hang out at that paintball tournament and slobber over guns and other incredibly stupid crap. But I just hope he realizes, there is nothing worse than a womans scorn...and I am off to the worlds biggest mall next weekend, with both of my visa's in hand. I don't particularly enjoy shopping (I hate it for the most part) but revenge shopping is something I will revel in.....[insert evil laugh here].

door mats

They come in all shapes and sizes...mine is a nice one, I think. It is many different colors, all with different shapes for each color. It is used for decoration, dirty shoes, and to show people who come here that we are "fun loving" people. I used to have one that said "no smoking" but it must have been lost in one of our many moves (or I finally threw it out, because there were so few people in my life who still had that disgusting habit).
Sometimes, door mats take the form of actual human beings. Ya, I said it. Being someone's door mat is no fun. It is not enjoyable to be walked on, or taken for granted. It hurts to be forgotten about, or looked over. It doesn't feel well to be left out by people (any people). I have some experience in this, and let me tell you, it is a horrible, heart-wrenching feeling. I struggle to understand why it happens so often, and so blatantly. But I never seem to find the answer. Of course, I blame myself, figuring I have some huge flaw that I am completely oblivious to. But when asked to pinpoint such a flaw, I wouldn't be able to find one. I don't think I am a particularly heinous person to be around, and I do consider myself a good friend. So I ask you...why? Why is this such a frequent feeling for me to have to bear? I don't know the answer.
My husband is frequently on the floor right along side me. And although it is nice to have the company, it still makes no sense to me. Perhaps we bring it upon ourselves...what with our kind and compassionate nature, our never-ending attempts to help people, our hospitality and warmth....I can see why it would be easy to take advantage of such people.
While listening to a radio show today, they talked about this very thing (probably what sparked all of these thoughts and wonderings) And they said that if you are overly kind, some people just find it easier to take advantage of you. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard! And yet, sadly, it is fairly accurate. How sad is that? How sad is it that we can be so polite and apologize for being in some strangers way in the supermarket, but take for granted a good friend? I see no logic.
So, leave the door mats on the ground for your dirty feet, and hold your friends where they truly deserve to be....in your heart.

not so much

I believe that there is a time and place for everything. I also believe that this can be said for clothing and accessories. I think that some clothing, fads, and accessories should be age appropriate. Just as with most things, there are exceptions to the rule...But for the most part I think that the majority of the population falls in the "age appropriate" category.
What sparked this was a chance encounter with a person in this category, as my son and I were at the drugstore today. If my 2 year old son finds reason to stare and point, perhaps you should be rethinking your choice of "fashion". Let me paint you a picture....a late 40's woman with really poorly dyed, frizzy hair, with sunglasses used as a headband, wearing too tight skinny jeans and a really ugly leather jacket, and high heels that would make a hooker proud. She had on huge gold hoop earrings, and had really really long flashy finger nails. Every finger had a big clunky ring on it, and she was talking into a bedazzled bright pink RAZR. Ummm ya. Not exactly feeling her ensemble.
Little pink bedazzled cell phones are cute, on a 21 year old girl! Skinny jeans can be forgiven, if worn on someone who can pull it off.... All I am saying is, once you hit a certain age, things should be re-thought a little. I think it is more acceptable for a 20-something to get their tongue pierced or get a tattoo than a 38 or 40 year old. Just as I think it is more acceptable for a 40-something to wear huge clunky rings on every finger than a 23 year old. Ya, it is a society thing but also a personal opinion. And you are getting mine! 30-40 somethings should not wear club clothes. 20-somethings should not wear frumpy old lady sweaters or sneakers with velcro! (They have some nice "old lady" sweaters now...I buy one for my Grandma every year. But please, if it is embroidered with flowers and birdies, and has antique door knob buttons....leave it for your Grandma to wear!)
Picture a line drawn between certain generations....picture which side of that line you reside on....and please, dress accordingly. (or I may be making fun of you next time!)
*as a side note, I am in no way trying to prove myself as some fashionista...I am, in fact, quite the opposite. I do not claim to know anything about clothing, trends or "whats in season". I am just saying what I know everyone has thought of at one point or another.*

muck and yuck

So, my parents are in Arizona right now. And all I can say is "they suck". There is snow on the ground here which is nasty. And the hideous wind that is blowing is causing the snow to get all mucky, which I LOATHE ENTIRELY!!! There is nothing worse than dirty mucky nasty footprints tracked all through the house. But I guess I should be happy, only 4 more months of this crap...WOO HOO!!! Then the 2 1/2 blessed months of summer, and we are back into fall, with all the wind and muck. Gotta love this country :)
My super awesome garbage dudes were kind enough to dump my crap today, and then, with great force I might add, SHOVED my grey rubbermaid bin into the heap of snow that has been collecting at the end of my driveway. I can't even begin to tell you how happy that made me as I went out in the 300km/h wind tonight, in the dark, to dig it out of my front yard. So it was pretty fantastic to come back into the house with my shoes, and the bottom 2 inches of my jeans all soaked in muck and yuck. Stupid garbage dudes...but I guess I should thank them...without the bin-shoving, my rubberbaid garbage can would have ended up in Edmonton (stupid wind). So they suck, but they saved me 20 bucks! And, I guess my jeans are washable, so perhaps I can forgive them. (unfortunately the same can not be said for my beloved adidas sneakers!)

battles

This one is gonna be a little less "ha ha" and a bit more "ra ra". I am going through a few personal battles right now, and it is something that is really really hard for me. I have to admit, though, my friends and family are a wonderful support system, and I wouldn't be where I am without them. I am sure that everyone has some sort of battle going on, so I wanted to say something about it.
Humans are amazing creatures. We can overcome obstacles, illnesses, deaths, years and years of torturous schooling... We can find love, hate, happiness, joy, hope... It is really easy for us to look at someone, and see all of their positive attributes, and everything we wish we had. Yet we think of ourselves, or look in the mirror and sometimes all we can see is the negative. That isn't fair. It isn't fair to our friends and family, and it certainly isn't fair to ourselves! We are so much stronger than we ever give ourselves credit for. We never would have had FRIENDS (yes, I am referencing them, again!!) if those actors had taken to heart their first bit of negative criticism. We never would have had people on the moon if nasa had believed that it can't be done. And where would we all be if Thomas Edison quit before he ever began? Ya, we'd all be sitting in the dark!
If those people can rise above their negativity and succeed at such amazing things, then I sure as hell can lose a couple of pounds and let go of some rotten past memories that may be hindering my success.
We are all capable of more than our brains let us think. If your brain says stop, keep on pushing. If your body says stop, give it one more try. When you fall down into a pile on the floor, with the chunks rising in your throat....that may be your sign to take a breather =)

friends

Friend~ definition: A person whom one knows, likes and trusts.
My definition: someone who makes my world a better place. Simply put, someone I want around. People end up with many different kinds of friends. The lifelong friends, the aquaintance friends, the work friends, the school friends, the family friends, the internet buddy friends, the work out friends, the "we share an interest in a particular hobby/sport" friends, etc.
Friends are a blessing, and you should be thankful for every one that you have. Someone who makes you feel better about things, brings on happy feelings, and helps you through your days is a wonderful thing to have. So the next time you feel sad, lonely, upset, confused, irritated or fed-up with someone (or something) find one of the three-zillion channels that repeats FRIENDS on a daily basis, watch the hijinx ensue, think of me and smile. Cuz where would any of us be without our Friends?

starbucks

I like starbucks, regardless of their tainted rap. I drink their egg nog lattes at Christmas, and their frappucino's and passion tea lemonade during the summer. I enjoy the atmosphere in their stores (especially the ones with the cozy fireplaces). It is a nice meeting place, and usually child free (which is a huge plus for someone who deals with 2 small kids on an hourly basis)
I had a nice coffee date with 2 of my friends today. We sat and talked about husbands, mother-in-laws, dinner, weddings, guitar hero and strangely enough...poop. It was nice and relaxing, and I wish I could do it more often. It is nice to be amongst adults, talking about things other than diego and the backyardigans. I know our conversation focused mainly on kids, family and the nasty brown stuff...but having new voices added to the usual conversations is a nice change.
And you hear some really interesting things when you sit amongst the adults in starbucks. Today I heard a story of a woman who just discovered her boyfriends torrid affair. I then heard the woman she sat with rant about how all men suck. You can't help but raise an eyebrow. And don't judge me for listening (I tried really hard not to) because if they didn't want people to hear, talk somewhere else, or talk quieter!
You get all sorts at these meeting places. The fat women complaining about their weight as they mindlessly shovel a brownie or cookie into their face, washing it down with a full fat latte. The hippie sorts who sit and read. The self-important ones who sit on their laptops, trying to look intelligent, but we all know they are just playing solitaire or looking at porn. The groups of women who talk about husbands and poop, and laugh maybe a bit too loud (this is my group!!). The ones who sit quietly, sipping their green tea or venti half fat decaf carmel macchiato's, while they ponder life and people watch. Of course, then there are the mothers, who take their 2 year old son to starbucks to buy their friends travel mugs for Christmas....the ones who are kindly offered a chocolate milk for the sobbing 2 year old who just bonked his head on the counter.....the ones who stare in horror as their 2 year old throws his chocolate milk on the floor.....the ones who watch the chocolate milk come shooting out of the lid, and the whipping cream come slopping onto the floor in a goopy glob.....the ones who nearly burst into tears while trying to juggle their egg nog latte, the tantrumous 2 year old, the bags of coffee mugs and scones, and the goopy creamy chocolatey mess that just happened to miss her foot by inches. There is always those people....but luckily for starbucks, I swore I would only ever take my 2 year old through the drive through after that incident....at least if he has a fit and spills his milk, it is easy to wipe off leather, and there are no eyes judging me and my kid.....just the smell of fermenting milk in the months to come.

fluidity

Some time before Christmas, my sister was over one night, visiting. While talking, she briefly mentioned this thing called a Fluidity Bar. Not being big on infomercials, I had no clue what she was referring to. So I, being the computer savy person I am, googled it. What I found was nothing short of COOL! It is this new-fangled sort of ballet bar, that you can fold up and use in your own home! (who hasn't always dreamed of having a dancers body?!?!?!)
So I ordered it after saving my birthday and Christmas money. Well, it arrived on Tuesday (much to the dismay of the woman at Canada Post who had to drag it off of the top shelf and help me haul it to my truck). I am in awe of this thing. Fear also? Um, yes. I can only imagine the injuries that will ensue as I try to manipulate myself on this collapsable bar! But it's all for the cause. As long as noone is watching me, I think I will be okay. But all I can imagine happening is, me, trying to be all bendy and doing the workouts that were sent with it, getting entangled in a monsterous mess of limbs and bar, screaming for help, and my husband laughing himself silly. I can see it happening, because that is just how I roll!! I, the one who sprained her ankle at strip aerobics class. I, the one who nearly broke her ankle whilst jumping on our trampoline in my rollerblades (yes, you read that right....oh the look of horror on my er doctors face when I told him the story, as he stared dumbfounded at my enormous purple ankle). I, the one who managed to sprain my finger as I fell down the stairs at my Moms house. I, the one who fell on my face as I got out of my truck one day. Yes, I the one. Oh good God- what have I gotten myself into!
Perhaps I should watch the infomercials tonight, and order myself one of those "help, I've fallen and I can't get up" pager necklaces (oh so stylish, too!) Because God-willing, some day, I guarantee I will need that sucker!
So one day, if you hear a sobbing scream echoing through the sky, fear not- for it is just me, entangled in my fluidity bar....but like I said.....it's all for the cause.

adventures in potty training

My oldest son, Zack, was super easy to train. Zack is a very meticulous little child. For example, on his first birthday I put a little dab of icing on his nose, and he screamed like a banchee!!! So understandably, he didn't enjoy the feeling of wet diaper. Thus, easy peasy training.
My baby, Jesse....NOT SO MUCH!!! He will do everything in his power to avoid the toilet (even the sweet little Pooh Bear training potty that we have). He will yell and scream, thrash around like a crazy person, kick, throw things, etc...just to keep away from the potty and his new Diego underwear! He has also been known to take his pull-up off, and "go" on whatever patch of floor that happens to be the closest.
I am at my wits end! I just don't know what to do anymore. He has started getting rashes that clearly hurt him (you can tell by the way he walks) and he has a fit every time we have to change him.
I just wish he would listen to us, and go on his pooh potty! But I mean really, who has EVER been able to rationalize with a 2 year old? I just hope he isn't wearing his Lightning McQueen pull-ups at his high school grad. Even his Diego underwear would be better than that!!!

the bank, picture id, and a perfect world

I recently went to the registry to get a new license. I moved a few months ago, and never got around to changing my address on my license. So, I finally bit the bullet and went to do it. My hesitation came in the form of not wanting that stupid piece of paper to serve as my id for the following 2 weeks. Nowadays, you need your picture id for everything from using your credit card, to using public washrooms! (ok, so that last one is not true, but I felt that a little exaggeration would push my point across) I have already stated how highly I think of Wal-mart...I was asked for my picture id when I was paying for my crap yesterday...when I grumbled about only having that dumb-ass piece of paper, the woman let me use my costco card (personally, I think she just wanted to get me out of there, so that she was saved from the howling that was echoing from my cart aka. my children...they like wal-mart too, LOL) So you can imagine how pleased I was when the snarky wench at the bank asked, cross that, snarled for my picture id when I went in to buy a money order. I have an account there, mutual funds, a line of credit, and I had a mortgage and a vehicle loan. So you can imagine how pleased I was when I had that snarling hag of a woman across the counter from me. At that point, Jesse was crawling over a chair to get at a jar of suckers, I was trying to keep him from toppling over their computer monitor, and consequently harming himself (damned important sucker!!!). So I threw my bank card on the counter, said "just use this, please. I really don't have time to sit here and nit-pick over photo id". Luckily the woman beside the hag said that my bank card was sufficient, and I was on my way. What if I went in there to deposit money? Would they ask me for a pile of id, blood and urine samples or a dna test? NOOOO!!! No one cares if you want to put money into an account. Rarely are you asked for any id, or ANYTHING, to deposit. But I have to hand over my first born and a little cup of pee to withdraw my own money. MA-LAR-KY!!!! I guess at this point, all I can hope for is someone to walk in there with a wad of money, a screaming kid, and the imbecile that was standing behind the counter today to accidentally deposit it into my account......Only in a perfect world!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hell on earth

In the Bible, it states that the devil can take on many different forms. I believe that today, it took the form of Wal-mart!! That can be the only explanation for how torterous and sickening that whole experience is. The aisles are full of crap, the shelves are never stocked, their employees have better things to do (or so it seems), and the people who go there are always in such foul moods (probably for the same reasons I am). I could probably learn to grin and bear it (with the assistance of Malibu and Captain Morgans) but when you have to take two less than perfect children there, it just perptuates the nastiness!! It just seems to bring out the worst in everyone....which just solidifies my initial outlook.....Wal-mart is the devil!! Next time I go, I will bring a priest, a Bible, a cross, some holy water, and some garlic for good measure!

the two coreys

I have been watching "The Two Coreys" on tv recently...and it has brought upon a real 80's flashback for me (granted I was just a small child in the 80's). Blessed were the days I sat in front of the tv and watched "The Goonies", "License to Drive", "The Burbs" and other random "corey" movies. It has started drudging up some old memories I had forgotten about....such as Corey Haim being my first 'famous person' crush, ha ha ha. Times were so much simpler back then. People grow up, times change, things change, and things get more complex. But when I turn on my cheesy 80's shows, I have a chance to sit down and have a little walk down memory lane. I can spend some time reminiscing about popples, pop tarts, original nintendo and Haim and Feldman.....and all is right with the world :)

nintendo, fat and 2am

You know that something is horribly addictive when you can force yourself to stay up until hideous hours of the night, just to play! Such is the case with guitar hero. My husband grumbled when I mentioned I wanted to get it for him for Christmas, thus calling off my search. (he hadn't ever played it at that point) Well, we played it on New Years Eve..... And now...he has me checking ebay, calling best buy, doing google searches, putting our name on waiting lists, he even has people back home looking for it. This is all fine and dandy (as I happen to enjoy that addiction, also) but at this point in time, our precious Wii is in a box, on it's way to Nintendo headquarters in BC. So why the insane search for a game we can't play right now? I am thinking it is like when an overweight person holds on to those "skinny jeans" in hopes of one day fitting into them again. We know that losing weight is a struggle....but apparently so is the wait for our Wii to be repaired! I not only have my husband impatiently awaiting the return of our console, but my children also whine for it on a daily basis. So please, Nintendo, get that freaking thing back to me asap. And while you're at it, can you help me get back into my skinny jeans? Thanks!

bad tv juju

Our tried and true tv bit the dust today. It is a sad sad day in the house of Four!! It was my me and my husbands first big purchase together (back when we were first living together, some 8 years ago) It started making a high pitched squeal back in October, and then magically healed itself! We were so pleased with our apparent magic tv. And then today, the squeal returned. And with the way that electronics go, our old reliable tv has now become obsolete, creating a problem with the acquiration of the part we need to de-squakafy our old trusty tube!! So off to Future Shop we went. We may seem hasty, but the Boxing Day sale ends tonight, thus bringing all of the tv's back up to their high price!! So we ran there to take advantage of the 400 dollar off tv that I had eyeballed on the internet this afternoon.
This is our second tv that we had to replace this year! Our big screen crapped out on us in July. I am thinking I have some sort of electronic death ring around me. Yep, that's me. The bearer of Bad Tv Juju.

New Year; New Me!!!

Everyone knows the routine....January 1st rolls around, and we make all these grand plans to “be better, kinder, funnier, thinner, fitter, more patient, more organized” and the list goes on and on. And like most grand plans, they fall by the wayside once the appeal has worn off (or the Baileys!). I am guilty of such behavior. I, too, make mental notes of what I can do to better myself each year. But why? What is the importance of changing, just because we are getting a new calendar? Who knows! Some barbaric custom that stuck (and one of the better ones to stick, I might add). So although this ritual may be antiquated and ridiculous, I am going to hop on the proverbial bandwagon. I have plans for myself this year. And, although I may have had these very plans for years, I hope to stick to them this year. Not because it is expected of me because it is January, not because I am trying to out-do all of the wagon-faller-offers, but because I owe it to myself to be the best I can. And because the people around me deserve the very best Me I can muster. So there you have it! Now if I can only figure out a way to make chocolate a weight loss tool, I’d be set (and probably subsequently quite wealthy!)

The story...so far....

So here is a bit about me (for those of you who don’t already know all of the nitty-gritty) I am 27 years old *shudder*. My birthday just passed, so I am still adjusting to that number. I am married, to a wonderful guy. We have been together since I was 15; I have never known anything else, nor do I care to. We have been married since May of 2002. In March of 2003, we were blessed with our first son, Zack. He is a wonderfully expressive kid, with more energy than I know what to do with! In June of 2005 we got another little boy, Jesse. He is the opposite of Zack, and yet so very similar it is frightening. The 4 of us live in a small city in Canada, in a nice house, with our 2 pets. We are a happy family, with lots of growing still to do. (my husband just peered over my shoulder and read this....adding his two cents “we aspire to be millionaires!!” ya, and that’s why I love him!!)
Every day is a battle of wits and elements. And every night, when I lay my disheveled, throbbing head on my pillow, I quietly snicker to myself and announce that I, once again, have managed to survive another day, alive and unscathed! Take that, elements!!! It will take a lot more than poo, grilled cheese and spilled juice to knock me over!! HA HA!!! But then that is just my perspective today....I have 2 kids, everything can change in the blink of an eye. But I think as long as the poo stays off the grilled cheese, we are laughing :)