day 7. a photo of someone you love

day 6. a photo that makes you laugh

day 5. a recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.

Fifteen Interesting Facts:

1.  yeah....  I really got nothing.  I'm not even sure why I blog I so have nothing to say.  Um, ok..... let's start again....

1.  I don't watch much tv but I really like "Raising Hope" and that means it will be cancelled soon.... why do shows about babies never last??

2.  Lists.  LOVE lists.  All sorts of lists.

3.  I am a fan of the Miami Dolphins.  My son recently saw a guy in a dolphins beanie and said, "Look mom, there's the other guy that likes your team."  I keep a dolphins sticker on the inside of the most-used kitchen cupboard to remind myself to be faithful and dedicated to what I believe in.

4.  Office supplies.  Love office supplies.... especially binder clips.  SO very useful.  I have a binder clip on the toothpaste, chip bags, charger cords, labeled binder clips marking things on my shelves at work.  Attached to my jump drives so I can clip them in my briefcase. 

5.  I will squeeze a nickel until the buffalo poops.  I don't do debt.  I try to be thrifty but sometimes I'm cheap.  I'm trying to teach my kids to live without.  It ain't a fun lesson.

6.  I drive a minivan and I'm ok with it.  By the way... it has AWD and it will go places you can not go.  Also.... it can haul a lot of hay, it has a good sound system and I let the dog in once a week to eat the stray m&m's and pretzels.  Also... I love heated leather seats.  I think they should be a tax write-off as a theraputic device.

7.  I like Dansko clogs, Smith sunglasses, vintage jewelry & cardigan sweaters.

8.  I have had 6 surgeries.  My knee, my back, my ankle 3 times, my eyes (lasik), my sinuses... oh wait...that's 7.  Surgery sucks.

9.  I am allergic to latex.  (all that surgery)  I have no other allergies.  20 years of claratin for a not-real pine allergy..... I coulda bought a lot of good chocolate and red wine with that money.

10.  I sleep on a buckwheat pillow.

11.  I talk to my sister and/or my mother and/or my mother-in-law several times a week.  I also have two sisters-in-law who pretty much rock.  I have Elle & Kaye.  Other than that I don't maintain a lot of women friends in real life.  Friendship is a lot of work.  I'm ok with it.

12.  I am starting to miss parts of my old self.  The active parts.  Fishing, kayaking, skiing, hiking....  I need these things back in my life.

13.  Until 2011 I had dial-up internet access.  I don't have cell service in my house.  I do not text.  I have a Motorola Barage phone.... we call it the playschool phone.  I keep a paper calendar.  I just (today) learned how to make a ringtone.  And, yes, my job is about 50% information technology.  Does that frighten you?

14.  I like to cook.  I hate to meal plan. 

15.  I've always been a reader.  Love the library.  Subscribe to 4 magazines and would get more if the clutter and cost didn't drive me insane.  I'll read the back of the tylenol bottle if that's all that is available.  I like trashy books.  I like history.  I like fiction, non-fiction, self-help, spirituality, budget.... every category. 

day 4. a photo of the last place you went on vacation

Our last vacation.  May 2005.  Canon Beach.  Really? You want photos? From back in the day? I have the same hair and sweatshirt as this photo from a year ago. How's that?

We used my frequent flyer miles from back when I had a life and flew....  Sweet liked it.

See... same hair, same sweatshirt.

Sweet baby.

Sweet baby with a stick.

I love this one.....

Things I need advice about.....

1.  Having photos and/or negatives scanned.  I have a box of negatives.  Who will do a good job and how much should I expect to pay?  Costco was my first choice but I don't see anything about scanning negatives on their website.... just slides.  Am I missing something?

2.  Vitamix blender.  Anyone?  Opinions?  The old blender (from my sophomore year of college) is starting to die on me.  I've heard vitamix is the way to go but I need someone to justify the price for me.  Oh shit.  I just priced them.  Wow.  Any other recommendations?

3.  George Grill.  I love my george BUT it is the old-school style.  I want the one with removable plates so it is easier to clean.  The old one was a wedding present and is starting to show some wear.  Any opinions on it?  And which one? 

4.  My salad shooter is starting to break.  Don't laugh.  I adore that stupid little thing.  I can shred an entire block of cheddar in no time flat.  We eat tacos weekly so that's an important trick.  I know you can buy it already shredded in the bag but it tastes funny to me.  Ok... now you are watching the video for the salad shooter and wishing you had one, aren't you?  It's ok... I'm a trend setter like that. 

5.  Swimwear.  Currently I'm leaning towards something from Land's End.  The giant baby blue faille suit is so stretched out as to be obscene.  I have a fairly hideous green-print suit from Land's End that at least sort of fits but is really, really ugly on me and it should go away.  And a black Anne Cole one piece that is serviceable but not attractive.  So I'm shopping.  In ten pounds I will be buying.  My arms and legs aren't hideous but my belly goes on for miles.  I'm leaning towards this suggestion from Elle.  Although I can't decide which bottoms would work best.  I would like to try some boy-short ones but they don't really have any.  I was thinking these industrial ones might work best for all-over slimming and muffin top control.  Although I'd be horrified for the neighbors to see them drying on the clothes line.  They also have these with tummy control and these beach living ones with tummy control.  I can't tell what the real differences are.

6.  Leggings.  I need to get on this leggings trend before it fades completely away.  I need leggings and tops.... and the appropriate footwear.

7.  Summer shoes for work.  I need cute, comfortable shoes with decent arch support.  I currently have these Keen sandals and I love them.  If they had my size I would probably just get them again.  I'm eyeballing these Dansko sandals.  I also think these ballet flats are fun.  If you shop Sierra, remember to sign up for their emails....  the discounts are way better than the regular discounts on the site.  The cheapest I've seen the $75 Dansko sandals is $50.  So what shoes?  I'm open to suggestions.

day 3. a photo that makes you happy

I love these pics.  We are out being active and doing fun things we love.  Bugsy is on the shore playing "sand buckets" with my cousin.  This is totally the image I have in my head when I picture us as a happy & healthy family.

day 2. a photo of yourself a year ago

A quick kid photo shoot for Valentine's Day turned into a family protrait on "Pirate Rock" out behind the barn......

Project Couch

This is what my couch looked like a few weeks ago.  Notice the sage green Pottery Barn cover is gone.  I've always hated that cover....ever since I got it (and a chair cover) for a screamin' $80 shipped from Ebay.  It never stayed on quite right and it always looked tired, faded and sad.  This is the couch with the original back cushions replaced.  And the bottom cushion slipcovers have been dyed about a thousand times.... they are worn and frayed.

This is what the couch looked like new.  Ten plus years, three kids and a husband in fire boots ago.

Here's how it looks on any given Saturday.... laundry pile, dog & cat.  Oh... and see my cute new ottoman?  It was one of those buy now, talk later purchases.  $40 on Target clearance online.  My husband hates it.  I like putting my feet on it, the kids love it, and the storage is fantastic.  It stays.  Although the tray on top had to go. 

 Target had RE brand slipcovers on sale for $50.  I figured it couldn't be worse than the stupid sage green one.  So I got chocolate. 

Yes, it shows dog hair.  Yes, I DYSON it every weekend.  Yes, I LOVE it.  It stays tucked and looks nice.... well.... as nice as a couch with a dog on it can look.

Here it is all gussied up.

I also sprang for some clearance nesting tables.  Much loathed and much used by the husband.  Fantastic for the laptop.

Mmmmm.  Do you see my latest "art" project in the background?

Do you know what this fantastically modern piece of art is?  And can you tell I busted out the glass while assembling it?

Bug in the Morning

Daddy says to Bugsy, "Make a Bulldog Face" and you get the following....

 Separated at birth?  That's Cousin Olive there on the right.

And then, of course, there is the "bantam rooster" look:

day 1. your facebook profile photo

Photo Challenge: The Rules

Heather posted a blogger photo challenge.  Elle played along.  I thought I'd pick and do a few....
day 1. your facebook profile photo

day 2. a photo of yourself a year ago

day 3. a photo that makes you happy

day 4. a photo of the last place you went on vacation

day 5. a recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.

day 6. a photo that makes you laugh

day 7. a photo of someone you love

day 8. a picture of something you dislike.

day 9. a photo of your family

day 10. a photo of you as a baby

day 11. a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.

day 12. a picture from your day.

day 13. a photo of your best friend(s)

day 14. a photo of one of your favorite family members

day 15. a photo of you and someone you love

day 16. a photo of you at the last party you went to

day 17. a picture of something you cannot live without.

day 18. a photo of one of your classes

day 19. a picture of your room & don’t cheat by cleaning it.

day 20. a photo of something you enjoy doing

day 21. a photo of you standing up

day 22. a photo of your town

day 23. a photo of your friend as a baby

day 24. a photo of you that your hair looks nice in

day 25. a photo of a night you loved

day 26. a photo of your favorite weekend

day 27. a photo of last summer

day 28. a photo of what you ate today

day 29. a photo of someone you find attractive

day 30. a photo of you when you were happy.

My favorite Christmas Gift.

I'm going to talk about something hideous and unsavory in our house.... the carpet.  Here's a (slightly dark) shot of the PEACH carpet upstairs.  Oh, how I hate this carpet.  This photo, in all it's awfulness, doesn't even do it justice.  Cheap, faded in spots, peach.  IS there anything worse?  There are lovely hardwoods underneath but do you think my husband will let me rip it up?  No.  So a random mystery stain was discovered.... cue evil background music:

To the rescue.... SPOTBOT. 

It cleans those spots right up.  I think that particular spot was apple-juice-attracting-dirt or maybe something worse.... I'm not going to lie... it could be something worse.

The only challenge is "feathering" it so there isn't one clean spot in a sea of dirty carpet.  Seriously.  I've cleaned a thousand messes.  

Flower's Party

Getting Stylish

Wednesday I had to pull out the stops and be cute for work. 

Ugh.

I opted for my very professional Tribal black sheath dress and jacket.  I love that jacket so much it is the only dry-clean only piece of clothing that survived the great closet clean out of 2008.

I also went with the classic heeled penny-loafer style mules and true stockings.  I couldn't find anything thigh high (in the depths of my closet in the dark) so I went with regular hose.  Ugh.  Which required a Spanx garment to prevent bulges at the waistband.  This was getting complicated.  It was so much easier to dress when I was skinny. 

Full makeup, hair up in a clippy (seriously... the effort to style it would have put me over the edge) and cute black briefcase bag.  Simple silver hoops, plain silver cuff bracelet and long 3-strand silver chain. 

I don't know how professionals do it dressed like that all day.  I was ok at my desk but very uncomfortable sitting in meetings with my above-the-knee dress creeping up.  Then I snagged my hose on my cute black briefcase bag.  And I almost launched down a set of marble steps in my cute heels.  Then a woman came around the corner off kilter (behind me as I was sitting) and whacked me in the head... knocking out my cute black clippy.  Then I had to pee.  In Spanx. 

I got myself home and peeled out of my clothes and into my jammies in record time.  My feet were cramping that night... I'm not kidding.

I was thinking it was time to take my style level up a notch but now I'm not so sure.  I was thinking leggings and boots (or capri leggings and ballet flats) with tunics/dresses.  And the perfect knit-but-dressy black pants.  But now I'm not so sure.

Different Expectations

Is it wrong that I send my 6-year-old out to start the car?

Are you horrified?  Speed-dialing Child Services?

A bit ago I realized Hot was sending him out and I figured out what was going on.... so now he's starting my car as well if it is parked in the yard and not the garage.  He does a great job... never grinds the starter. 

He will also be spending significant time at the farm this summer (he will be 7) learing how to harvest and haul bales.  How old were you when you first drove a bale truck?  Is it scary that he may be driving the same truck I drove when I was his age??

I Do love a good schedule.

I just realized our week day evening schedule.

It goes like this.

Monday:  Watch Chuck on tv.  Chase around the house like spies.  Sweet sometimes plays Transformers.  The "spy gear" comes out of the dining room drawer.  Spy gear is.... mini note pads, pedometers, mini flashlights and tape measures, badge clips, flashing lights that clip on things and anything mama may have gotten as a freebie at a conference.

Tuesday:  Watch that obstacle course tv show.  Seriously.  I think I'm in early menopause.  I can't remember the name.  I can't even think of enough about it to google it.  The kids love it.  And then we... you guessed it... act it out.

Wednesday:  Gymnastics.  Daddy makes dinner.

Thursday:  Reading.  We read. 

Friday:  Movie Night.

That's it.  We are simple people.

We've got a new category here....

I think I will call it "Celebrating the Sticky" for now.

I'm trying to take the small, inconsequential and sometimes frustrating moments and LIVE them in all their sticky, juicy, messy glory.

Join me.

Monday Monday

Ugh.  It is that odd changing-of-the-month time again.

The good news?  We survived February, yall!!!  Yes.  I think it is always a good sign to survive February intact.

Also... new month... check the air pressure in your tires.

I don't process any sort of budget stuff until mid-month so that's all good as well.

March goals: 

1.  Buy a safe file storage box. 

2.  Buy a carbon monoxide detector. 

3.  Change out the curtains in the kid bedroom. 

4.  Take spare bedding and aluminum cans to the Humane Society.

5.  Decide paint color for bathroom (currently Martha Stewart "Mushroom" is in the lead.)

6.  Paint window trim in kitchen and door window trim in dining room.

So that's easy, right?  6 things in 4 weeks? 

Yesterday kicked off with me dropping one kid at school, two kids at daycare and heading to the doctor.  Flu test was negative but she suggested mucinex because I'm rattly.  The big complaint is aches and pains in muscles and joints and a deep, hacking cough.  Like.... it hurts to hold the steering wheel. 

I had to go to work for a few hours and I survived.  Left a little after 1 because I was just zoning out.  Made it into my comfy giant purple sweats and a sweatshirt before collapsing on the couch.  Hot promised to pick up Sweet from school at 3.  At 3:30 he called asking me to call the school to tell them he was on the way.  WTF?  Thanks... that's relaxing.... knowing the school is well within their rights to sell my child because my husband is late for pickup.  (Also note:  The sickness of last week prevented pickup of cookie dough fundraiser for delivery.... tried to do that Tuesday am and OUR ORDER ISN'T THERE... shit.... why is nothing easy???)

Hot and the kids decided to hit Pizza Hut so I could rest in peace.  Little did they know when no one is home the cats chase each other around the house... loudly.  I was entertained.  I drank a lot of tea and ate a slice of pizza (mmmmm.... mushroom) and some wheat thins.  We played a couple rousing rounds of Sequence and read a few "VS" books.  Sweet did homework.  We played some itunes clips trying to find some good new music to download.  Bugsy showed us her bad-ass breakdancing moves.  We watched Chuck.  Bugsy got clotheslined by the footrest on the recliner.  Flattened her.  She didn't even cry. 

The kids went to bed and I realized the details of the day don't do themselves.  I emptied lunch boxes and loaded/ran the dishwasher.  Washed some water bottles and coffee cups.  Drank more tea.  Folded a little laundry.  Put out money for Sweet's field trip, thought about stuff to donate for the "pets" theme basket for the silent auction, checked homework. 

Did all those stupid-ass things that have to be done every day and went to BED.