School's Out!

A couple of hours ago, I was on a field watching kids drench each other with water. Field Day! I remember it was my favorite day of the year, in elementary school. I don't think much has changed because the kids I was helping seemed to be having the time of their lives. I saw neighbor kids and the kids of old friends, but not once did I see my own. It soon became apparent that the second and third grade classes would be coming out after lunch (long after my shift would end). It was fun, nonetheless.

Tomorrow is Great Dane Day at the Park. It will be interesting trying to get two very large dogs into my new car. Ugh! Old sheets anyone?

It's pretty quiet besides that. No news is good news...Oh! I will be checking out "Ye Old Sluts" this evening with a friend, and dinner afterwards. Should I wear my designer heels when I go? Nah. I think I'll keep it fun and casual.

My Kids are Driving me Crazy!

Most mornings, getting the babe off to school is somewhat of a trial but, today? Oh, I was ready to put her out! Seriously! First, she was acting as if the world revolved around her. Secondly, she was acting as if she wasn't born with listening devices or any sort of comprehension skills. Finally, she was being lazy about her practice test (we do one each morning with her spelling words). I know my blood pressure was probably of the charts. All I could do was calmly take her to school and thank God that there was a place to take her. That reminds me, I gotta start looking at summer placement for her. She can't be hanging out at the neighbor's this summer.

Work has been pretty quiet today. My boss has already left town for the holiday and is spending it with family at the Grand Canyon. Most of the faculty must be gone too because I keep getting "out of office" notifiers when I email them. The emails and phone calls are slow in general and my coworkers aren't instant messaging me like the world is about to end. This is all really great, but I know it means the day will drag and drag. Why didn't I think to take today off as well?

Hubby's show is tomorrow and last night at close to 10, he decided he was restless and needed to go work out. So, off he went. I hate going to sleep without him. I tossed and turned for a while, but finally drifted off. When he came home (not sure when), he cuddled up to me with cold feet. Can't you cuddle without the frozen toes on my legs? Ugh! I kept kicking them off, but kept his arms around me. This morning, I can hear him clearing out the pantry upstairs as I work. He's making room for his binge foods and snacks he's been buying all week (honey buns, vanilla wafers, candy, etc...). I thought it was pretty funny that he found Dark Snickers on sale at the store for $0.25 each and decided to clean them out of their supply, "For the stash," he said to me. Who needs that many Snickers bars and, not to mention, the 6 Heath bars that are already in the stash. Well, I suppose he's earned all the Snickers and Heaths and Honey Buns he can stuff down his gullet after the carb depletion he's gone through this week. I hope he does well at the show. It will be his first time as a pro body builder.

Monday, we'll be at my mother's for BBQ and good company (I hope my sister behaves herself). Hubby is excited about the grub. Interestingly, it's mostly protein, which is what he's been eating for the past several weeks. You'd think he'd be tired of it, but I guess not.

Enjoy your Memorial Day. Any plans?

"He Danced with Me"

The past few weekends have been really busy for us and this last one was no exception. I got up, got the girls fed and began work on the eldest's hair (washing and hot combing). It was not pretty with the crying and screaming. I hate to do it, but I can't perm her hair anymore. Her eczema just won't allow those chemicals on her scalp. It's so drying, the parts turn flaky and snow white. I won't put her through that again. Of course, burnt ears and necks are no fun either...although, I don't burn nearly as much as my mother burned me. The comb I have is electric and doesn't get nearly as hot.

Hair straight and fabulous, we left to run many errands (white tennis shoes for the babe's dance costume pictures, Kiwi inserts for fabulous high heeled sandals, Loreal Super Blue from Sally Beauty and lunch pick up for kiddlings and mom). We came home, ate and I promptly sent the kids off to bed. Indy was not ready. She jumped and talked for an hour in her bed while her sister slipped off to sleep and I colored my hair. By the time I awakened the babe to put on her costume and get ready for pictures, Indy had tired herself out. We left and she whined the entire way in the car.

I think the pictures are going to turn out terrific (the babe is extremely photogenic). She would strike her pose and then...magic. I love working with her as my subject and she's always so eager to take them. Thirty or so minutes later, we headed back home and Indy was put straight back to bed. This time, she slept.

After I finished my nails, hubby arrived and we began to dress. I had a choice between two dresses and he had already decided a few weeks prior that the floor length was his favorite. To be certain, I tried on both dresses again and that day, he was feeling the knee length with the asymmetrical hem (looks similar to the picture, but mine is not a halter). So, that it is what I wore with my rhinestone silver sandals and my rhinestone shoulder duster earrings. Not too shabby. Hubby said I looked great. We left and dropped the kiddlings off at their grandmother's.

The ball was wonderful and the dinner was amazing. Unfortunately, hubby has another show and couldn't eat the rice or the fabulous chocolate cake for the desert (he was starving by the evening's end). The presentation of the chapter's history was nice, then the dancing began. It's amazing the sort of personality that appears from people when they get out on the floor to "shake their grove things". Hubby is super silly, but a great dancer. Others had obviously had too much to drink and would probably get talked about at church the next day. I wasn't concerned about any of it. I just had fun and with hubby. It was certainly a great time.

We left around 10:30 and picked up our overly tired kids from their grandmother's, stopping a couple of times for hubby to check the grocery store for protein sources. He ended up purchasing some party wings to nibble on before bed (poor guy). We talked about what a great time we'd had and how we have to make sure to do things like it again. Normally when we go somewhere, I ask what his favorite part was. This time, he asked me. I thought the whole evening was great. His favorite part? Our slow dance at the end. Yeah, that was pretty good. A slow dance with your sweetheart is always good.

No Flights? Plan B

Hubby and I made arrangements months ago to go to Florida for our vacation this summer. We booked our room and all that was left to do was find a decent round trip flight for four folks. I guess decent came and went back in December because the rates have steadily climbed ever since. Our booking to be canceled "free and clear" would have to take place today, otherwise we risk loss (and none of us needs to loose anything else these days). So, we started thinking and came up with a plan B; drive. No, not to Florida, but driving would need to be our mode of transportation for wherever we end up going.

I spent a big chunk of yesterday afternoon canceling our current booking and arranging a new one. We spent a lot of money in just a few minutes time, and we haven't even gone anywhere yet! How does that work? It's all for the greater good, though. It will give me a chance to practice having a decent time away from work without having a stick up my butt the entire time. It will also give me, hubby and my girls great memories to take with us for the rest of their lives...although, Indy would have an equally good time playing at the park. She won't remember a thing (or at least, I don't think that she will).

In other news, my mother resigned from her job of 20+ years because of her new "not too bright/big idiot" boss. He doesn't even supervise her in the same state, and everyone thinks he's the biggest jerk ever. She discussed early retirement and lawsuits with me, yesterday. It was one of the strangest conversations I've ever had with my mother. I hope all of this works out in her favor.

I was talking to my neighbor the other day and we were talking about how quickly summer was approaching and how weird it was that school would be out soon. She said that hers is the "house of summer" where everyone seems to send their kid. I thought that funny because she doesn't see to pay much attention to what her own kids are doing. I guess the neighborhood must trust her enough, though, to send their kids over there (she works from home and that's probably the biggest reason). I can't handle my own, much less everyone else's. I'm glad that there are people in the world who have the patience to deal with mountains of kids.

Potty Training Blues

That's what I've got. My youngest, Indy, seems to have lost interest in the potty. Woe is me! I really wanted her to be trained by summer, but I'm guessing it will be fall before she's made any attempts at going in the pot. The daycare ladies are working with her too, but where she once searched out the potty, she's now trying to avoid it completely.

I know kids have to do this in their own time. My oldest learned fairly quickly with few accidents, my youngest is having accidents all the time (simply because she no longer tells me when she has to go anymore). I don't want to thwart her progress by pressuring and I've read that kids can have overzealous interest that can just disappear but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

Driving Along in my Automobile

Monday was the big day! After work, we went over to the credit union to sign our papers (after arranging with the dealer to take the car over there, earlier, for inspection). Our loan officer who approved us for our loan was off-site for a meeting, so we worked with someone totally different. She was great, however, and the dealer told me that she fell in love with my car during the inspection. At the time of signing, she mentioned again what a great little car I'd chosen and how she might consider a purchase as well.

Around 2:45, we left the credit union and spoke to the dealer's wife about meeting us at the lot. She had to pick up her kids and we did the same. To pass a bit more time, we stopped at the Big Lots in the area and picked up supplies for the new car (Wheel and Rim wipes, stain removers, vinyl cleanser and snacks for the kids). More signing at the dealership, an exchange of keys and the check and it was a done deal.

I drove home with the kids, who are still completely in love with the sun roof (did I mention the signature comes with a sun roof? Love it!) and later to the gas station to fill up and wash the car (as I said, we got a storm so the dealer's detailing was completely lost). I spruced her up and picked up some Indian food for dinner (chicken saag, basmati rice, garlic naan and chicken samosas). On initial observation, I've determined that I am not lost in the crowd anymore. Being in a grey Sentra for nearly ten years has made me blend with the road. Big trucks are not my friends because they just can't see me. My anxiety for driving has been inched up year after year with the amount of 18-wheeler near misses I've had. For the first time in a long time, people can see me and they actually look with a bit of wonder in their eyes. How curious!

The kids ate and went to bed. Hubby and I sat up to eat our international delights and talk a bit more. He's not going to do his last show (he just informed me) because we have pressing relationship matters. Man, I hope we can get through these.

I know a lot of it comes down to me getting the stick out of my butt and letting things ride. I'm looking back now and it seems I find reasons to argue. Why am I doing that? Nothing good can come of it and it isn't productive. Pick your battles, right? Also, I want to be on a more friendly level with my hubby. We focus so much on tasks that we don't spend enough time developing our friendship. Another goal I'd like to see accomplished. There's also the matter of support in family interests. He's huge on the yard development, while I'm the cultural princess. If I can help him more with the landscaping goals, he'll be there for me when it's time to go to the ballet (hopefully!)

Finally, can we please find airline rates for a vacation this year that won't send us into the poor house? And, whenever we do find said rates, have a vacation free from drama and unnecessary stress. I don't feel that I'm asking for too much. Not at all. We can have these things because we work hard and deserve them. My hubby is the most wonderful man I know and I'm not going to sacrifice that to trivial things. We will have what we want. Amen.

Mother's Day Weekend '08

Thursday, hubby brought home flowers (which was really sweet) and the babe brought one of her own home on Friday. This one is alive and will need to be planted (it's sitting on the kitchen sink and yesterday, the babe and dad were in the yard...a perfect time to plant, but I forgot about it). The weekend was mostly pleasant. I'm in the market for a new car and, although we made the road trip to hang out as a family, we also did a lot of car shopping.

First, we went to a lone dealership in the Brigham City (and we weren't even sure where we were at the time) after seeing a couple of the cars I liked. This really became the start of it all, since hubby got to get into the cars and see why I was so smitten. The dealer was like any other, promising us the world if we stayed and purchased with him. We've already been pre-approved for an amount by our credit union, so we weren't really able to spend what he was asking. One of the cars, a cute little red PT Cruiser (rated a "best buy" by Consumer Reports, believe it or not) was newer and had more miles than my little Sentra! (about 147,000 for a 2003. The previous owner must have gone everywhere!)

After our stop, we continued to Logan. It was a nice drive, accept for the babe asking every few minutes, "Where are we going?" Hubby wanted to see the quaint college town, since he'd never been there in the entire time we've lived in Utah. I told him it would remind him of Clarksville (where we went to school) and it does. After driving down the main drag, we saw the Cache Valley Mall and saw that several dealerships were renting mall parking spaces for a big sale. We looked at a lot of cars. These are the two that I love (again, Consumer Reports Best Buys):





Hubby and I are convinced that something happens to the wiring in your head, after you've had kids. We would never have thought twice about a wagon as a possible vehicle choice before having them. Anyway, I thought both were cute and after he had me researching best buys at the library, I was convinced that I'd have one of these.

We stopped to buy an auto trader and made a call to a guy who had an HHR. Turns out, he was not a private seller so much as a small dealer. We got his information and headed back in the direction of our city. Making a few more calls, I discovered that rental places were selling the cars but again, out of our price range. We found the small dealer and noted that he had a few PT Cruisers on his lot, but took his HHR for a test drive. Oh, so cute on first appearance...oh so crappy on test drive. My little Sentra is a '99 with a smaller engine and has way more "get up and go" than the HHR. True, the Chevy has space and cargo room for days, lots of little extras and touches, but it just wasn't a very smooth ride. It handles big and heavy for a not-so heavy vehicle. When going up a hill, I had visions of The Little Engine that Could. This engine just couldn't. Hubby was messing around with all the controls and was not impressed. He indicated that the children seemed "lost" in the back with no way to reach them (not good if you have to play sheriff to out-of-control kiddlings). He also remarked about the sucky sound system; not important to some, very important to someone with a commute like mine.

Back at the lot, I asked to take the PT Cruiser out (since we'd only seem them on the surface and hadn't taken any on an actual drive yet.) We took a silver, Touring-Signature Series edition. As soon as I sat down...I knew. Lots of pep, great traction in the breaks, the air and engine were seamless without any tugging (something I've never experienced), a great sound system, power everything and space, space, space. Hubby and I were happy. The price was good, the mileage wasn't as super as we would have liked, but it wasn't horrible either. We told the dealer we had one more to look at, but we would call and let him know our decision either way.

Off to a different city to see a private seller's base-model PT Cruiser. It was silver as well with lower miles and a lower price. You'd think hubby and I would have been all about it, but our hearts just weren't there. We knew where our car was; on a small lot with two other cruisers, a couple of trucks and an HHR. We phoned the dealer at dinner to let him know of our decision.

~SUNDAY~

We headed to church and enjoyed a fairly short service. After which, we headed to what we thought would be a nice breakfast in the canyons. Not so, unless you don't mind an hour and a half wait with a two-year old and seven-year old. Off to Wendy's - cheap, but decent. After which, we journeyed to Red Butte gardens and enjoyed the flowers, trees and sun. I was out of sorts, and so was hubby after a bit of a spiff in the car. We didn't say much, but I did enjoy my time there with the girls, taking a few shots and shooting some video of them playing.

We left the gardens, stopped only once for slurpees and arrived home. Hubby and I talked at length about the day, trying to figure out why it is we always seem to scuffle on days that should be momentous and wonderful. I chalked it up to stress and a serious case of OCD; you can't be a perfectionist about moments, Enchantress. It just doesn't happen that way. Hubby said that I take too much of the blame on myself, but I know that he's not a raving OCD-head like me. I used to take many more things with stride and I've got to start doing that again.

Later, to distract my mind and pass the time, I started cleaning my Sentra like a maniac! Vacuuming, destickying, polishing, freshening every aspect of that car. Knowing that it won't be in the garage and a storm was coming, I didn't wash the outside (I'll do that later). Hubby laid sod down (also to distract the mind) and did a bit of landscaping with the babe. We ate a late dinner and went to bed, still not in the best of moods (but we were, at least, productive).

Life is Pretty Hectic these Days

We're still fighting with our systems at work (only some things are operational, which makes it crazy difficult to get anything done). On the home front, hubby and I are out of sorts; not arguing so much as just not talking. We got into it on Saturday and by Sunday afternoon, the words were few. Things have been that way ever since. I'm just so tired of fussing about things and then having it turn into a world crisis with him. I'm just trying to stay low key in hopes that the little things don't become monumental again. It's exhausting.

The babe is winding down her school year. When did four weeks away from summer vacation happen? I'm really thrilled about not having to drill on homework once a week, but we are going to do some prep work for third grade. I want her to get a jump on things, since she is usually the youngest in her class and the one most likely to be behind mentally and physically. I've also decided that gymnastics will break and we'll do swim for the summer. I think she'll benefit from one-on-one lessons, rather than the group lessons she has been taking the past few years.

Indy is really making strides with potty-training. She'll sit on the pot for a while now and attempt to wipe herself. She still hasn't actually done anything in the pot, but it will happen. Her teacher has asked me to bring lots of clothes and under pants. She believes we can have her all trained sooner rather than later. I hope so. It would be so great to be done with diapers and pull ups once and for all.

I am doing well on my plan again. After our Washington trip, I put on a couple of pounds and have managed to work them off. I'm motivated to keep going and have a strategy planned for my pre-TOM time (that seems to be when things fall apart).

April Showers Bring May Snow?!

Our forecast today:

Current Conditions

Salt Lake City

34° F

Light Snow

High so far:

37° F

Low so far:

32° F

Visibility:

8 miles

Wind:

Variable 3 mph

Humidity:

67%

Dewpoint:

24° F

Outlook

Ah May... Flowers blooming, trees budding, and snow on the ground! A very cold start to the month as a low pressure passes to the east. North winds should make it feel colder. Partly cloudy with scattered snow showers most of the day- then tapering off. Warmer tomorrow. -Grant Weyman, Live 5 Weather HD

What happened to the sun? Of course, this has nothing to do with global warming. No, not at all...