So my life is pretty calm right now

looking back on the past few weeks i have realized that my life has pretty much calmed down. well that is compared to summer break which was totally over the top so my life is still pretty crazy. i have a dog who itches her ear like crazy. a friend who just transferred to my school. and i just started taking art club and creative writing!!! for creative writing class i have made a few good pieces. one about words and how stuffy some of them are and another on hair. and i just discovered something about myself. i am a terrible story-teller. i truly am, i can never remember what is specifically said or what my friend said and then it always gets all jumbled up with what seems like 6 different endings and by the time i'm at the last sentence my mind is totally fried. so here i am wondering why i signed up for creative writing and how i got myself into this mess and so know i'm open to suggestions. any suggestions you might have i'm open to them. so come on. give me a reply or something to let me know that i'm not the only one out here in the world. so please. give me an answer. any answer. i don't really care.

goodbye for now,
signed,
the writer in distress

Posion Ivy

I have learned quite a few things over the past few days. First of all, don't ever rub your face on a dog. You'll just end up getting poison ivy like me. Second of all, definetly don't rub your face on a dog if your extremely allergic like me. Third of all, when your mom says that you should go to the doctor, you should go to the doctor! Otherwise you'll probably end up like me. With a swollen face and and an itchy neck. You might be wondering what i did wrong.

Well what i did first was rub my face on the dog, then i progressed to refuse medical aide because i believe that it was no big deal. That turned out to be a big mistake.
Then this morning when i woke up i found out that most of the area around my eye was swollen and evidently i looked like a freak. Two hours later i was leaving the emergency medical place with steriods in my system. They had had to give me a shot in the butt. What fun!
P.S. that last sentence was sarcasm

I've had it!

Or I should say, I think my phone has had it.

Stupid phone.

I had a clamshell-type for more than 3 years and put up with its battery cover falling off on a regular basis. It worked fine. I could text with one hand, had speed dials set up for easy-to-remember numbers, had certain ring tones for specific people, different ring tones for people I didn't necessarily want to interrupt a good read to talk to, an excellent ring tone for my family, and probably the best feature - ring + vibrate together!!!

I sacrificed it all for a Blackberry.

The initial purchase was simple, it arrived by mail, I activated it, and got a blue screen of death. For 2 days, roughly 6 phone calls.

I could answer & talk for a few seconds & then zippo. Zilch. Nada.

And it was promptly replaced (with another refurb) by my ever so helpful carrier. Whew! Or at least a temporary reprieve.

That was nearly 18 months ago and all is not well in the Blackberry department. The phone 'hangs' when the phone rings. I'll answer it, and can hear nothing, but the caller can hear me, yet the screen never indicates its been answered! Or I'll go to a website to read someone's blog and have it 'hang' while reading a script on the page. Or it 'hangs' when I open an email. Or read a tweet. Or delete a phone record. And when I say it 'hangs', I mean it gets the nice little rotating hourglass...for seconds, minutes, it could be HOURS at a time! But if I'm not LOOKING at the phone, or it's gone to its 'inactive' screen I have no idea that it's hanging on the hourglass...draining my battery...nixing my ability to receive any email...any phone calls from my precious Chicklets...any texts from my oh-so-romantic Ironman...

And did I mention that I've gone from one 'hard reset' per day, to 3 per day, to 3 before noon!

I've been counting down the months since...um...June? I need this phone to last until Dec 8. Then I can upgrade without commitment.

Help me, people!

I need recommendations on AT&T compatible mobile devices. iPhone, droid, blackberry, tell me what you like. What you hate. Give me the latest & greatest perks & peeves.

I need email access...and text...and phone...and I might perish without Twitter & Facebook, so take those into consideration too, kay? And did I mention I have a budget? The cheaper the better.

Thanks.



Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

So my pants are ballooning around my thighs...

and I say to Crab, 'I think I have a pants problem.'

Scrawny-but-sweet 12-yr-old says, 'No you don't, they look okay.'

Hmm.

'I do, actually, they're threatening to fall off my waist. I think they've stretched out. A lot '

Replying, my skinny little Crabbycat says, 'Its ok, Mom. You can borrow one of my belts.'

Hello? Is anyone there? Or have you fallen on the floor laughing with tears in your eyes?

It was quite possibly the most generous compliment anyone has ever given me.


You may resume laughing now.

Surprise!

Last weekend Ironman and I went to his high school reunion. The Chicklets went to their cousins' house for a sleepover. Dixie had her own sleepover at my parents' house.

When we went to get Dixie-the-wonder-pup, we found a surprise in the back yard.

Can you believe it?

Reunion

I grew up in a small town. And I live in a small town.

Just kidding. Kind of. Thanks John Mellencamp :)

I grew up in the same city where I currently live. But it was a lot different 'back then'.

Way back when...I lived in a big 'ol farmhouse in a neighborhood on the north side. My parents bought the house for a song (because it lacked some basics -- electricity, plumbing, kitchen) and we grew up in the fixer upper.

Random memories...

• leaning against the screens to watch the rain puddle under the downspouts
  
• swinging on the front porch swing during thunderstorms - and when the wind blew really hard we'd cuddle under a blanket while we felt safe swinging next to Dad
  
• 'helping' Mom paint the fence in the backyard (by dropping our paintbrushes into the dirt)
  
• Dad climbing up to the attic via a very tall step ladder and then his head, shoulders, waist, legs...disappearing into the nothingness of my bedroom ceiling
  
• having to wear slippers in the summertime because the wooden floors gave us splinters if we didn't
  
• Dad cutting off the legs of a table to make us one we could play at in the playroom
  
• dinner on the blue willow plates
  
• how patient Mom was when we begged for a sheet/rag so we could make a 'tent' in the corner of the fenced-in-yard
  
• Dad building us a sandbox that was half the length of our barn

But a lot has changed since then. I got married and moved south. I had kids. My siblings moved out. My parents sold the house and moved further north. And the neighborhood where my house was has become renter's central. It's still a hubbub of activity, but it's for a younger generation. Gone are the people I knew and loved: the older neighbors who watched out for the little ones riding bikes down the sidewalks; the helpful ones who corrected you for a transgression; the young families; the babysitters; the parents and children; all have made way for the hip, the young, the transient.

It's sad that my neighborhood has changed in such a major way. I look back at that house, that neighborhood, those families, with such fondness. It's going to be an interesting reunion. I'm sure there's a funny factor to be found.

Somewhere.

8 Things...

I found this on the Cobia Family blog and decided to borrow - why not? it's cute!

8 Things I'm looking forward to...

1. going to bed

2.chicklets going to their Safe Sitter course

3.Crab's kickball tryouts

4.getting the fundraising check from Chick-Fil-A for FTSC

5. getting Ironman a treadmill for his birthday

6.fall leaves starting to change

7. going to the lake house with the M family again!

8. possibly having Niece-ling & Scooby overnight this month :)

8 Things I did yesterday...

1. went to church

2. had lunch with high school friend's of Ironman's

3. got to visit with my in-laws

4. made fun of my nephew's Facebook profile pic (it's truly horrible)

5. picked up Dixie-the-wonder-pup from my parents' house

6. got to visit with L & A (a welcome surprise)

7. made a video of a cicada walking up a tree

8.watched a balloon touch down in my parents' back yard!

8 Things I wish I could do...

1. run

2. kneel (stupid knees)

3. find a better paying job

4. understand powerpoint

5. understand sharepoint

6. learn Excel (got this one, though, just got a book from the library tonight!)

7. have more patience with my kids

8. get my house clean & KEEP IT THAT WAY!

8 Things I enjoy...

1. ice cream

2. reading to the chix before bed

3. playing with computer software

4. libraries

5. cuddling with Ironman

6. sleeping on my stomach (which hurts my back, so I can't do it)

7. a reallllly good lasagna

8. reading - blogs, books, newspapers...just about anything that'll sit still!

Some Things I've Been Wondering

Link up (if ya like it)!

...it's just Thursday

Outside my window...it is dark, cool, zero humidity, and perfect sleeping weather!

The time is...10:33pm

Today I feel...busy

I am thinking...I should really stop eating these Girl Scout Thin Mints

At the moment, I am thankful...I found the freaking Thin Mints!

I am going...to hell in a handbasket

I am wearing...khaki pants, brown patterned button down, no shoes, no socks - perfect attire for driving a kid to cross country practice - not so perfect attire for cutting the grass (which I just finished)

I wish...the toad hadn't committed suicide while I was watching  ::pouty lip::

I am reading...websites comparing hosting packages

I am working on...stripping the deck

I am hoping...the deck decides to strip itself!

I am hearing...two chicklets (who should be unconscious) chattering away despite the fact that they need to get up at 5:30am for work tomorrow

Around the house...is a giant mess - that's what happens when you go out of town for three days & then dh asks you to accompany him to a conference for three days immediately thereafter!

I bet you didn't know...I've submitted press releases across the state of Indiana this week, and submitted writing samples to two different online zines (yeek!)

One of my favorite...treats in the world is a white mocha from Starbucks & I'd LOVE to have one in the morning

Join the Fun! Copy & Paste and fill it out on your blog!

*Make sure to LINK UP

oops

I am terribly sorry for the miscalculations of my name it is really and truly Yell, sorry for the inconvenience.

Absent

hellllllllloooooooooooooo, people of earth!!!! It is me Jelly Belly speaking and I have never posted before. It has been too long since I have been here!!!!! I hope that you all welcome me!!!!

From the mouth of...Crab

While at church today, Crab leaned over and said, 

"Hey, Mom, that guy looks like Jimmy Buffett..."

(she was right)

and the Race Day I can't remember

Race Day 2010 dawned bright and clear.  Wahoo!  I woke up at 6am, 6:20am, 6:40am...every time I opened my eyes it was with a little bit more excitement - it's RACE DAY!!

Ironman and I got showers, got the car packed...chairs, grill, coolers, cheese, buns, condiments, grilling tools, water, soft drinks, beer...stopped for ice...repacked the coolers...and made it to our parking area by 8:45am.

Should I mention at this point that it was hot outside?

Patti had brought her sun shelter -- we've grown in wisdom over the years -- and we used the 'quote sheet' as a curtain.  Thank GOD for that sun shelter!  Before we even left for the parade laps, traditional songs, and general joy of the stands, I had consumed one traditional Race Day mimosa and 3 ten ounce bottles of water.  And I relieved my brother of a sixteen ounce bottle before we crossed 30th Street.

I broke down and drank a beer on the hike in to our seats with the National Guard.  Then I relieved Ironman of a bottle of water between the gate and our seat.  That's about the point where everything starts to get fuzzy.

I got really cold when we walked under the stands.  I kept shivering when I felt a breeze.  My foot kept feeling like it was on fire.  So I put more sunscreen on so I wouldn't have a burn on my foot.  I felt sick to my stomach.  Jim Nabors sang and the race started; I felt uncomfortably hot. 

Ironman told me to go relax on the golf course (for those unfamiliar with the track, there's a pro-level golf course inside & around parts of the course, perfect for relaxing when you've had a little too much to drink, when you'd like to get away from the noise of the engines, or escape from the 'interesting' strangers who happen to be seated next to you).  And the next thing I know, I'm sitting against a fence under the bleachers, there's a guy in a yellow shirt identifying himself as Carl, and he's offering to get me a wet paper towel.

Hmm.  Lost a little bit of time there.

And then there's this-woman-whose-name-I-can't-remember who is an EMS person who used to be in the National Guard unit Ironman was in who tells me I need to go to the infield hospital because she thinks my skin is too hot.  And Carl took my can of Cherry Coke, but I don't remember drinking Cherry Coke, but I must have gotten it from Ironman at some point because I know I had at least two in our cooler.

And then I'm in the ambulance praying not to get sick because it feels like we're driving 400 miles an hour and I'm facing backward which isn't a good thing in the past few years.  And then I see RG (guy from high school)(which totally shocks the heck out of me, what the heck is HE doing here? what's more, I have a can coozie hanging from my neck, I look like such a drunk!) in the hospital and they want to give me an i.v. but instead I suck down five glasses of water and they let me go and somehow Ironman is waiting for me outside.

What I can remember of the day is stretched thin and very surreal.

Poo.

I missed the whole dang race. Suckage supreme.





Oh, but I did see Elvis. In full 70s regalia. Surely that wasn't a hallucination? Wasn't it a scavenger hunt item??? Anyone???

I miss blogging

Truly.

But between work, volunteer stuff for IFMOTC, volunteer stuff for SSPOM, volunteer stuff for FTSC, the girls' swim practices/kickball practices/kickball games/and my everyday mom duties, I'm freaking exhausted.

Having no Internet for the past week was less than ideal, too.

On that note, though I've lots to say, it's time for bed. Another workday tomorrow - and the chix are requesting their nightly book!

Saving Money & Winning Stuff

This week I've been reallllllly concentrating on saving money on the stuff we need and use on a regular basis. Cutting coupons, checking ads, checking what BargainBriana has to say, and...not eating.

Because I've had this stomach bug since last Friday. It was painful, had Sapper worried about me (while he was out of town), and has resolved itself into leftover diarrhea (blah) and a nasty head cold. But yesterday I couldn't bring myself to eat the banana I had brought for breakfast. The thought of it made me feel all gaggy. Blech. I have enough sinus drainage filling me, so I skipped breakfast. Then lunchtime came & went. I couldn't bring myself to eat yogurt - thinking dairy could upset my stomach AGAIN - so I skipped it. Then dinner was a major rush because the chicklets went to a friend's house to practice for a music presentation & I was all

• lets rush to get an eBay auction sent
• lets get the Kroger list/coupons ready
• lets put away all the stuff we just got at CVS (where I saved $11.26 using coupons AND got $16 extra care bucks, woot!)
• lets give the girls leftovers because Lord knows there are enough of them in the fridge to feed half of Kenya
• lets get out the door quickly because these grumpy kids need their sleep so I'll have to pick them up in about an hour
• bye love you, see you in an hour
• Kroger Kroger Kroger Kroger (where I saved $27 using coupons/Cellfire/Shortcut$)
• come on, we've got to go, Mattie needs to go to bed, stop singing, I heard you from downstairs, get your shoes on, lets go!
• unload the car, put away the groceries, put the bags back in the car
• Whew!

so in case you were wondering, I never had dinner.

Maybe that's why I had such an atrocious dream about one of my cousins last night? Or why I totally forgot about my chiropractor's appointment this morning? I have no idea. But I did eat my banana this morning. And I found a second one in my purse courtesy of my little Yellybird. I may eat the yogurt for lunch, but I may have the banana instead. My stomach still feels queasy, but the diarrhea hasn't come back so far today. So maybe the day off from food did the trick?

Who knows.

Also this week, I won a giveaway from TwinHappy where I participated in the weekly TwinTuesday by blogging about our choice of names for the twins. Go me!

Last, but definitely not least, today I found out I won a What's In The Bible giveaway from Mami and the Multiples. I'm thinking I may have a really cool video to share with Scooby and Niece-ling on their next visit. Shazam!

Though I still have a nagging cough and my eyes look like I've been punched in the face, I'm feeling better about life in general. Not too shabby a week (if you exclude the part where I've been working on our taxes...oi...lets just skip that conversation).

What do you think? Is the week looking better or what?

Laundry Lessons

Apparently I've been washing too much laundry.

Or too little laundry?

Any way you look at it, I haven't been to the bottom of the laundry pile in quite a while.

I was folding some, straight out of the nice, warm, toasty dryer when I picked up a pair of little pink underpants.  I shook them out, laid them on top of the chix' pile, and thought,

"Wow, how on earth does Yell get those on her little fanny?"

I picked them up again and thought,

"Geez, these suckers wouldn't even fit on my leg!"

And then I opened the waistband.

Ah.

2T

Nope, these wouldn't fit on my leg, nor would they fit on Yell's fanny.  Apparently I should investigate the bottom of the laundry pile a little more frequently.

The little pink panties belong to my niece.

Who was last at my house on December 26.  Doh!

::banging my head on my washer::

*HELLO*

Hellllloooooo people of earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have this full-time job

As a taxi driver.

Seriously.

In order, today I have visited:
School
School newspaper bin
Cardboard recycling
McDonald's (had to get breakfast somewhere!)
Glass/metal recycling
Credit union (which wasn't open, so I cleaned out my car...and found these...

1. Starbucks gift card!!!
2. sharpie
3. lid to my lip gloss
4. bottle of motrin
5. zillions of pennies - all in the first 5 minutes (& under drivers seat)!
6. Crab's lip gloss
7. Yell's church nametag
8. sunglasses
9. chopsticks
10. Niece-ling's juice cup
11. tictacs
12. bookmarks
13. 1 swim fin
14. gloves
15. frisbee
16. Christmas church bulletin
17. sidewalk chalk
18. index cards
19. blue clip-on hair streaks
20. 1st communion necklace
21. socks
22. magnet
23. batteries
24. Empty shoe box
25. drawings
26. backpack
27. & I admit to spilling the pennies 

Bank (for volunteer stuff of course)
School
Library
Orthopedist
Home (forgot the checkbook)(and the phone charger)
Mcdonalds (chicklet needed lunch)
School
Credit union (found part of more than $28 in change in my car!)
Credit union (forgot to ask some research questions)
Chick-Fil-A (cuz I *needed* a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake)
Bank (research)
Bank (more research)
Physical therapy
Tire place
Post office
School
Orthodontist
Sam's Club
*HOME* for a full 90 minutes!

And yet on the agenda were:
Pool
Chhhhhooooiiirrr-la la la la! (the one thing I truly love about Wednesdays, going to choir practice)
And home again, home again, jiggety jig.

Is it any wonder I took the day off from work? Where on earth would I have crammed it into this ridiculous schedule?

I'm wondering, in all seriousness, what it would take to get a chauffeur's license. I'm sure it would pay better than being the designated TaxiMom.


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Playing with Food

is not optional.

When it's string cheese.

It's required.


Which is why I like it.

Alternative Sleeping Quarters

Here's the thing.  My family is pretty small.  I'm not talking about the family I have with Sapper + twins.  I know that's small in comparison to MANY families.  I'm talking about the family I grew up with.  Mom, Dad, me, T (aka Uncle Ralph), Kake, Nacho, and Bundles.

Since we've all aged (I can't say grown up, because that implies maturity.  And I can't say matured, as none of us are mature.  I'll probably tell Race Day stories sometime to illustrate my point.), we've acquired significant others and kids, etc.  So anyway, to my point.  The accumulated spouses, children, and paraphernalia that deluge my parents' now-small house at holiday time makes the walls tremble in terror.  Shinessite only does day visits - thank heavens - there's no room in the inn! - and we're only a 45 minute drive.

However...

there are the Ohio contingent - Kake, Helmet, Scoobie, & Niece-ling

there are the California contingent - Nacho, Carnie, JJ, and Junior.

and there are the unmarried brothers - T & Bundles.

Those are ten bodies being added to the normally quiet confines of my parents' downsized house.  Not the house with five bedrooms and 1.5 baths -- the house with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.  But not exactly enough room for 12 people to sleep comfortably.  Of course, there is the Christmas their furnace went out and we ALL stayed in ONE room (minus 2 kids, they weren't in the world yet).  That was pretty darned cozy.  Anyway, there is a point to my story.  Truly.  I promise!

Over the weekend my parents came up with this fantastical idea to borrow our camper so they'd have a 'spare bedroom' at their house.  Not a bad idea.  They don't need to de-winterize the camper as the 3 bathrooms at their house are adequate.  It will give them a break from the madness & hilarity that only their kids can provide while playing Mad Gab.  Even better?  They'll be able to go to bed WHEN they want and not have their rest interrupted (providing we don't go out and start a car or four while they're sleeping).  They have plenty of yard available and electrical hookup so they'll have heat.  Hmmmm.  Sapper ok'd the idea and I thought things would roll into place later this week.

Wrong.

Dad emailed yesterday at 2pm asking when he could pick up the camper.  "Dad, I'm at work."

"That's ok, what time will be good."

"I'll be home at 5:30, but if we wait longer it will be dark and that would suck for camper packing."

"That's a little late.  Can I come earlier?"

"That's fine.  I don't care.  You have a key.  I'll be home to help you at 5:30."


Fast forward to 4:30 when I get in touch with my dad.  Not only has he found the keys to the camper (in our kitchen), he's jacked the trailer up off of the blocks, removed the wheel chocks, hitched up the camper, completely ignored the sway bars, and has the camper out of our yard, IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE with the lights on, ready to go.  ::okay, deep breath::  "Dad, you did that all by yourself?!"  "Yep!  I may be 75, but I'm spry and get the job done!"

Well.  Since he didn't need me after all, I ran errands after picking up the chicklets from school & we got home at 6:30.  This is what we found.

Yep.  We found an open garage door.  Apparently he's spry, but a little forgetful.