Jan 4, 2016 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
2016 has been pretty good so far.
In the last few days I spilt coffee on the couch, went to two Sprint stores which ranks right up there with Toys R Us as my least favorite store, and get nail polish remover in a cut, but overall it’s been better than the last few days of 2015. No one’s had a fever, we haven’t been to the doctor yet and the hole in our ceiling is almost fixed. Things have started looking up.
It snowed over the weekend. Annabelle was so excited to try snow. She was less excited about wearing mittens.
She built a snowman then promptly ate him too.
*
I’ve spent some time thinking over my resolutions for the new year. I’m keeping it really simple and hopefully achievable:
+ eat more chocolate
+ take more naps
+ keep the fish alive
+
Dec 30, 2015 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
On Saturday Annabelle woke up with cough and a runny nose. She had a coughing fit every 45 minutes that night. She was so tired she couldn’t even get the pacifier in her mouth without help.
On Sunday she had a fever and I felt like I was simultaneously coming down with ear infections and strep throat. My voice sounded like a cross between a frog and a boy whose voice is changing. No need to point out how attractive that is.
On Monday Sesame’s fever kept going up and she sounded like a seal when she coughed. I almost didn’t want to call the doctor only to be told she had a cold (I always think I’ll be called the hypochondriac mom), but I’m so glad I brought her in. She has an ear infection in one ear, swelling in the other and RSV. Yesterday was HARD. She was so miserable all day. She’d take a break from coughing to cry and pull at her ears. We watched more tv than she’s watched in the last three months. She didn’t want to do anything but moan and cry. My head felt like it was about to explode.
To top it all off, our landlord and his father spent the entire day at our house making a hole in the kitchen ceiling.
On Saturday Christopher’s father noticed the ceiling above the kitchen table was leaking. We (meaning him, I did nothing) turned off the water to the bathroom above the kitchen. Jim Jr. and Jim Sr. arrived on Monday morning and declared that they would need to take the ceiling down to find the source of the leak. What fun! The Jim’s are such nice people and they know much more about home maintenance than I do, but it didn’t inspire a lot of confidence when they said they only know how to take ceilings down, not how to put up a new one. Or when they lost the saw they were using to make the holes. They lost it for a good five hours and finally figured out they had vacuumed it up. We came back from the doctor to find the hole bigger than ever, the upstairs toilet hanging out in the hallway, and half the kitchen furniture in the living room. It wasn’t the most peaceful day.
I got the following text from Jim Jr today. “The guy that’s doing the drywall said I need to remove more. We’ll be by tomorrow.” The fun never ends! I have a feeling I won’t have any ceiling left by tomorrow night.
Send chocolate. Or martinis. Or both.
Dec 23, 2015 | Sesame, Uncategorized, What's going on |
This morning I went downtown to pick up a gift card. I had never been in that part of the city before and I turned around no less than four times in an attempt to park on the street in front of the correct building. When I finally got a spot I was proud of myself for a stellar parallel parking job. (They make such a big deal of parallel parking in drivers ed you’d think it’s a daily activity.) Then I noticed I was in a handicap spot. A good citizen would have moved. Apparently my good citizen days are behind me. I backed up just enough to give myself wiggle room (literally and figuratively) in case I was ticketed for my infraction and needed to defend myself.
This afternoon I finally decorated the dining room for Christmas. I should have done it four weeks ago but I’ve been too busy pining table decor ideas. I almost had a panic attack/OCD meltdown when I was wrapping lights around greenery and the green of the light wires didn’t match the greenery. I stopped short of spray painting the wires to make them match.
Tonight I knocked over a cheese display at the grocery store.
One of my favorite things about this town is the gas station chain where I can vacuum my car for free. The vacuums at the gas station I normally go to were closed so I went to the one up the road. I tried driving around the building thinking the vacuums were in the back but they weren’t. I pulled into a parking spot to back up and leave but I couldn’t because I would have been headed straight into three one-way lanes all going the opposite of the direction I needed to go. I didn’t know what to do so I sat in the car and ate the entire box of crackers I had just bought at the grocery store. Had I been there much longer I would have cracked open the lunch meat and cheese I got. After twenty minutes I decided to make a break for it. I waited until no cars were coming then backed outta there like the speed demon/rule breaker that I never am.
Next door to the aforementioned downtown store is a pasta and cupcake store. We went in for a quick look around and Annabelle was infatuated with the cupcakes in the display. She couldn’t get over them. She especially like the chocolate one with mint green frosting. Unlike some people in this house, I don’t buy her everything she likes and wants. She’s only just starting to understand that items at the store can be bought and I make a big deal out of only looking and not bringing everything home.
However.
When she folded her hands under her chin, swayed back and forth in her little gold and white skirt and said, “You gonna buy a cupcake, Mama?” I caved.
Her cute face deserves all the cupcakes.
Nov 30, 2015 | Friends & Fun, What's going on |
Despite my best efforts, I’ve turned into a once a week blogger. I blame my poorly paying, time-sucking little boss.
 |
| Ya talkin ’bout me? |
Throughout the month we wrote things we’re thankful for on little paper leaves. I hung them on branches I collected in the backyard and made a Thankful Tree. When we asked Sesame what she likes that God gave her, she said “Pasta. Tennessee and Texas. Pasta and sauce. Pasta.” Such a good little Italian.
For the third year in a row we hosted Thanksgiving at our house. Elizabeth came up to visit two weeks prior to Thanksgiving and Dad, Mom and Aaron came up the day before. We cleaned bathrooms, planned menus and sorted out cooking times. I scheduled us to eat at 3 but around 2:15 I noticed someone had turned the oven off. It was barely even warm inside. Cue the despair. I almost ordered pizza. SEVEN HOURS after I put it in the oven the turkey was finally finished.
I took advantage of the 500 hours it took the turkey to cook for a mini photo shot. I bought this 12 months dress in the summer and crossed all my fingers and toes it would fit. I was prepared to squish her in like a sausage but it fit perfectly.
*
Elizabeth always says she only comes to visit so she’ll make an appearance on the blog. Here I was thinking it was because she loves and adores me so. She recently got her permit and begged me to let her drive my car. She mostly did a good job, but I did grab onto the door handle a time or twelve. I got SO irritated when Mom would do that when I was learning to drive yet there I was doing the same thing. She did well except for the time when I had to say, “Let’s have a little less dancing and a little more driving.” She said she was trying to imitate my driving. I can’t be held responsible for what I do when All About that Bass comes on the radio.
We visited a Christmas decor store this afternoon. When we got home I went through some of my Christmas boxes and pulled out some of the 19 snowmen statues we were given last year. I found a gingerbread recipe and my gingerbread cookie cutter. I think I’ll light my fir tree candle. It’s beginning to look like the most wonderful time of the year.
Nov 10, 2015 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
I’m pleased to say Christopher’s birthday party went off without a hitch. Sure, we started eating 14 minutes late but compared to other years it was nearly flawless. I tried two new recipes which both turned out well and Annabelle behaved perfectly. Last year on his birthday I dressed Sesame up in a party hat and dress and stuck her in the swing while I made fried shrimp. Naturally Christopher got delayed at work and by the time he got home AB was falling apart and the shrimp was soggy. We make our party plans but the Army dictates if they actually happen. Two years ago I was pregnant and trying not to throw up. All in all this year was much more enjoyable. I ended up ordering him his favorite German sausage as a gift. Giving meat really felt like a low point in my gift-giving career, but I had literally zero other options.
I honestly can’t remember what we did on Saturday. I remember that Christopher won the sleep-in lottery so I got up with Annabelle but that’s nothing new. I do remember we had the following conversation when discussing the royals:
C: Is she (Kate) still pregnant?
Me: She had the baby in May. YOU DON’T REMEBER?!?!?!
C: No. What was it?
Me: A girl! We wore our tiaras and celebrated!
I guess our celebration wasn’t memorable enough. We’ll have to kick it up a notch for the next royal baby. Tea and crumpets for everyone.
Sunday was a memorable day. We added a new member to the family. Meet Millard T. Fillmore, esteemed Admiral in the Fish Fleet.
I’ve wanted a fish for a while and now that we don’t have plans to move for the next few years it seemed like a good time. It was not my intention to name him after a president. I picked out the name Fillmore but couldn’t decide on a first name. I considered Frederick, Richard and Norman but none were right. The merry go round to pick his perfect first name was similar to the merry go round we went on while picking Annabelle’s name. Her name was decided last minute as I was being rolled off to the operating room. (I most graciously allowed Christopher his chosen name which has given me naming rights to any and all future children.) Admiral Fillmore’s name was finalized in the pet store parking lot. If Millard Fillmore was a good enough name for a president, it’s a good enough name for a fish.
I have a long history of giving my pets lengthy names. When I was young I had a rabbit named Lance Corporal Brigadier General Bomber, or LCBG Bomber for short. I made up an elaborate story about how he was a decorated war hero from the Bunny Corps. When he died, my siblings
grudgingly willingly attended his military funeral complete with American flags. It was very dramatic.
Because I love a good comparison, here are Fillmore the man and Fillmore the (grumpy) fish. They do bear a slight resemblance in the hair/fin areas.
Nov 5, 2015 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
+ Last night I was so worked up about something I saw on facebook that I couldn’t sleep for ages. When I finally fell asleep I dreamt I was wearing hearing aids that looked like contact lenses. I popped them in and one could tell I was wearing them. I’d recording this now in the event contact hearing aids become a thing in the future. You heard about them here first. Twelve years ago I invented Skype but didn’t patent it. Lets just say I’d be a lot richer if I had.
+ I made myself wait until November to buy AB any Christmas pajamas. It’s no exaggeration that I believe she needs one pair for each night in December. I LOVE Christmas clothes. The more wintery and Christmasy the better. When I went to Target last week to buy diapers I almost passed out from all the Christmas jammie options. I wanted to buy them all then go home and drink hot chocolate by the fire.
+ Speaking of Target, I think I’m the only white girl in America who doesn’t love that store. On a scale of one to ten I’m very meh about it. I hear that people like shopping while drinking the PSL they bought from the in-store Starbucks but that doesn’t work for me. I can’t shop and drink at the same time. The drink is sure to spill on whatever is in the cart. When I go to clean it up I’m sure to knock over a rack of hats. What if there’s no place to put the drink when I need two hands to look at something? There are too many ways for things to end up terribly.
+ I’d like to make a small adjustment to the calendar. Can the powers that be please switch Thanksgiving to the beginning of October? I understand that it’s an important holiday, but it really gets in the way of my Christmas decorating. I can’t make myself decorate with reindeer and candles until after Thanksgiving but that only gives me a month to enjoy it. I want all the time I can get to soak up the Christmas lights and decorate trees. I want to hang our stockings and decorate the mantle with little houses. I need time to carefully craft paper snowflakes. If the government can dictate what time we set our clocks surely they can do something about this Thanksgiving situation.
+ Tomorrow is Christopher’s birthday. I am all about a birthday. I love a good theme and fancy straws that match the table décor. The more festive the better. Christopher is not into birthdays. He’d be perfectly fine with a nice dinner and nothing more. I brought up having a Minnie Mouse theme because I know AB would love it, but he said no self respecting 33 year old man wants a Minnie party. Having previously said he doesn’t care if there’s a theme I think he lost the privilege of vetoing my ideas. Yesterday Sesame and I went to the dollar store for balloons. It should come as no surprise that they are for the benefit of the ladies in the family. Tomorrow we’ll decorate a banner. It will be a very classy banner made from construction paper with an assortment of animal and Sophia the First stickers. It will be perfect for a manly man. This is the first birthday Annabelle will be aware of and I want her to learn how fun they can be. I’ll probably break out the fancy straw so she can get the full experience.
I have THE HARDEST time finding gifts for him. He’s so difficult to shop for. It was hard enough finding birthday and Christmas gifts but now I need to add Father’s Day gifts to the mix and it’s a million times harder. He had mentioned that he wanted a Texas flag to hang in the basement with his confederate and early American flags. Annabelle volunteered pennies from her turtle bank for the purchase. Last week I noticed all the flags were off the wall and when I asked why, he said they “looked silly”. I’m not returning the Texas flag so tomorrow night he’ll be getting more silly in a gift bag.
+ I introduced Christopher to Dubsmash. There’s no more festive way to ring in his year age than lip syncing songs from the by gone days of his youth.
