Back from Vacation...

and I'll give a full report, once I have a bit more time. Playing the catch-up game at work and I think I'm nearly there.

Banned Books Meme

Ripped from Radio Ventriloquist

This is a list of the top 110 banned books.

Bold the ones you've read completely and italicize the one's you've read at least some of.

(The English Major has read a lot of books!)

#1 The Bible
#2 Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
#3 Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
#4 The Koran
#5 Arabian Nights
#6 Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
#7 Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
#8 Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
#9 Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
#10 Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
#11 Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
#12 Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
#13 Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
#14 Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
#15 Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
#16 Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
#17 Dracula by Bram Stoker
#18 Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin
#19 Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
#20 Essays by Michel de Montaigne
#21 Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
#22 History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
#23 Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
#24 Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
#25 Ulysses by James Joyce
#26 Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
#27 Animal Farm by George Orwell
#28 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
#29 Candide by Voltaire
#30 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
#31 Analects by Confucius
#32 Dubliners by James Joyce
#33 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
#34 Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
#35 Red and the Black by Stendhal
#36 Capital by Karl Marx
#37 Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire
#38 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
#39 Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence
#40 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
#41 Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
#42 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
#43 Jungle by Upton Sinclair
#44 All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
#45 Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
#46 Lord of the Flies by William Golding
#47 Diary by Samuel Pepys
#48 Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
#49 Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
#50 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
#51 Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
#52 Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant
#53 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
#54 Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus
#55 Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
#56 Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
#57 Color Purple by Alice Walker
#58 Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
#59 Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke
#60 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
#61 Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
#62 One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
#63 East of Eden by John Steinbeck
#64 Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
#65 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
#66 Confessions by Jean Jacques Rousseau
#67 Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais
#68 Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
#69 The Talmud
#70 Social Contract by Jean Jacques Rousseau
#71 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
#72 Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence
#73 American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
#74 Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler
#75 A Separate Peace by John Knowles
#76 Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
#77 Red Pony by John Steinbeck
#78 Popol Vuh
#79 Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith
#80 Satyricon by Petronius
#81 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
#82 Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
#83 Black Boy by Richard Wright
#84 Spirit of the Laws by Charles de Secondat Baron de Montesquieu
#85 Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
#86 Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
#87 Metaphysics by Aristotle
#88 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#89 Institutes of the Christian Religion by Jean Calvin
#90 Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
#91 Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
#92 Sanctuary by William Faulkner
#93 As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
#94 Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
#95 Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
#96 Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
#97 General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud
#98 Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
#99 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Alexander Brown
#100 Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
#101 Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines
#102 Émile by Jean Jacques Rousseau
#103 Nana by Émile Zola
#104 Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
#105 Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
#106 Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
#107 Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
#108 Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
#109 Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
#110 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Summer Stuff

My eldest still doesn't have a summer placement, but she seems to be having the time of her life despite a daily place to go. She stayed with the neighbors last week on the two days I came into the office. This week, she's hanging with a friend. Unfortunately, the friend and her siblings got into major trouble while the babe was over there, but I was happy to hear that my own behaved herself appropriately. She even helped with the sweeping and the mopping!

Yesterday was hubby's birthday and we got him Jumper as his gift. We also took him to dinner where he ate a buffet of authentic Mexican cuisine. He was very happy. Afterwards, it was off to Krisp.y Krem.e for treats. The girls had a blast and in the midst, I got a call from my neighbor (the one who kept my eldest, the babe, last week) inviting her over for a sleepover. We got home and quickly packed her backpack with next-day digs and toiletries. Her very first sleepover (the neighbor's daughter's birthday is today). We all walked the babe over, gift in tow and chatted with them while the girls played.

Back home, hubby and I spent quality time together and enjoyed more Krisp.y Kreme.s (I'm feeling it today...even after the workout). This morning, with just me and the baby, we talked about potty training. She was good about taking off her pants quickly, after the accidents, but she still hasn't gone in the pot. We'll continue to try.

The eldest came home just a little bit ago and told me about her good time. She wanted to watch the Simp.sons, so I put that in for her. They must have played really hard because she sleeping, sleeping, sleeping (meanwhile, I can hear her sister talking to herself from her crib...silly girl).

Two more days before we're off for vacation. Sleeping in, eating what we like, swimming, playing...can't it start right now?

In the Mood, but Tired

Hubby says that passion and desire will overrule tiredness. I don't know...I've been in the mood for the last few days but sleep has overruled each time. I told him that if we'd stop keeping such late hours, he'd be a much happier hubby. I'm going to make the effort to make sure kids are in bed on time and hubby is ready for couple time earlier rather than later. I hope I succeed. Every time I say I'm going to do something, it usually ends with whatever I've had in mind blowing up in my face.

Speaking of which, I've added to my "wish list to life" again. I'd sort of forgotten about it, but then realized that it's a never ending project that needs attention every once in a while. Some wishes are added or removed, some need appending and some just change their feel entirely. I feel like creating the list makes it real and closer to being a fact than just a wish.

My eldest had her recital last night (third from the last group on the program. Oy!). It was a long night, but she was fabulous. She also received a Student of the Year award from her teacher. She was so thrilled and we were thrilled for her. My coworker came in support (as she did last year). What a peach to drive thirty miles in the rain to support your co worker's daughter's endeavors!

Today, she goes back to the neighbor's house (this is after the incident I described in the last post). She took them her apology letter yesterday and the mother called to tell her that she forgives her and thinks that she's a sweet girl. I hope so. I really do.

The daycare/camp I want to use is still filled and I'm starting to get a little nervous. What will I do next week? Where will she go? I suppose my neighbor would be OK keeping her again, but I really don't want this to become an everyday thing. I don't want to "wear out our welcome" as it were, with our neighbors. Plus, my eldest needs lots of stimulation and things to do. She's a better kid when she's crazy busy. I guess I'll add this to my wish list, too.

Raising Kiddlings the Best Way I Know How

Why is it that when I have my proudest moments around my kids, they go and blow it all up to hell? It just seems to happen in that sequence every time and it really irks me. Yesterday, my beloved eldest had to stay with the neighbors, while I went into town to work (we're on a summer camp waiting list). When I picked her up, we had to hurry to swim lessons, so I couldn't talk to the mom about the girls and their day. Right after swim, it was gymnastics time. The girl is good, I gotta tell you and the teachers felt so too. So, they encouraged me to move her to the intermediate class. Fine. Another fifteen dollars and an additional hour to class time, so that she can possibly get a gold medal some day. Suits me.

I was proud, to say the least, and she was excited to move to the next class level and join her friend, who had already moved up earlier this year. When we got home, I ushered the kids into the shower and started working on dinner. Not two minutes into their shower, I get a phone call from the neighbor. It seems my blessed child, along with the neighbor's daughter, destroyed some moon sand...basically turning it into moon mud. Along with that, the seed of my loins carved her name into their kitchen wall with a knife. What the hell?! Oh! We were livid! She was sobbing by the time we were done with her. Phrases like, "home training" and "destruction of property" and "things you wouldn't do at your own home" were thrown around like crazy last night. I couldn't believe it and, on top of it, I was utterly embarrassed.

The mother kept saying that they had just made bad decisions and it was no big deal. Like hell! It is a big deal when your kid is acting like a hooligan at someone else's house. We've had discussions with her before about how to act away from home and it was if it her memory suddenly disappeared for the day. So, while I work downstairs and her sister enjoys Barney times in the spare bedroom, eldest sister will be cleaning her room and organizing her closet for the first part of the day. It's raining, so there's no going out side and she's also to write an apology letter to the neighbor's. It's a good thing they haven't banned her from their house (which we informed her that they had every right to do).

I know kids mess up but I internalize stuff like this so much. Thoughts of, "Am I doing something wrong as a parent?" or "What do they think of us, now?" and "Will the whole neighborhood be buzzing of this after yesterday?" flooded my mind. Is it crazy to be worried? I don't want her ostracized from things because of a mishap like this. We've had troubles with behavior before and I really thought she was out growing this. I could rack my brain all day, but I don't think it's going to get me anywhere but ulcerated and stressed.

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...

It's Funny How People Think

We've been going through some major IT stuff at work. The regular folks who were part of the implementation team performed all this testing and work with inactive data. I guess they all thought that because the testing worked, everything would function with no trouble once the live data was inserted. Isn't it funny how people think?

Many problems later, I'm still running around like a mad woman with apologies dragging behind me. "We're sorry you don't have what you need," "Everything should be up and running again tomorrow," "Can you tell me what you were doing when you got that error?" It's been nothing but good times for two weeks. I need a vacation.

Speaking of vacations, we may have to revisit ours in a couple of weeks if we don't find flights soon. The prices are outrageous and have been for months. They'll go down a bit, then spike up a few days later. I know that the FAA issues have caused a slew of problems but I really hope they also consider slumping sales. Keeping their prices so high is going to deter travelers and summer is coming, after all.

I've been so naughty since my return from Washington. Too much eating out, too many cocktails and too many late nights. I've put on three pounds (ouch!), I'm tired all the time and I'm not feeling my best. I gotta get things back under control. Hubby's been trying to "turn me on" to Isageni.x for months. I've been trying to research, but something always comes up. I've decided today's the day to find out what it's all about and think about using it as a detox (from all the Wendy's and Mexican I've been inhaling as of late...it's just too good!). Everything is still fitting okay, but my goal is to get more of this weight off. As I said, summer is coming. I look okay, but I want to look good.

The Pacific Northwest and Major Bodybuilding Beefcake Pt.2

As the judging progressed, I paid close attention to the look of the competitors. Not their physiques so much as their faces. I can only assume that the "supplements" they use make them look like they look. Some of the women appeared so gaunt and angular, I had to do double-takes for some, just to be sure they were women. Here is the difference between the natural shows; women are sure to look like women in the natural world.

Hubby's class was huge, but he did well. We left after the judging and journeyed to the outskirts of Bellevue to take in the sights. First, we headed over to the Factoria outlet stores which weren't all that exciting. Then, across the street to a local cantina for lunch. It was wonderful! Their strawberry margarita was as big as my plate and my afternoon was quite mellow after that. A discount store was next and their weren't a lot of discounts to be had, although hubby found a nice bottle of cologne for not too expensive.

The snow and rain began to fall (again) so, it was back to town for us. We rested a bit before the show then set out to the events center again. The displays were in full swing and hundreds of people were walking around the booths. Hubby decided he needed to buy more stuff and hung out with me in the audience until show time.

I was pleased with how organized everything was. The host kept the pace and contestants were held to their 60 second routines. I wasn't happy with all the breaks, though. We heard the same announcements about twenty times (this or that show being held in this or that state). I was getting a bit bored about mid-way through. People need to remember to bring their personalities to those performances. Some of them were so dull. I can count on one hand how many actually got some excitement out of people. Maybe it's just that the show is made up of so many out-of-towners that the crowds just don't know who the athletes are.

By the end, I was happy to see hubby and then get out of there. We tried to find a restaurant that was open, but Bellevue is apparently a sleepy town and only the Jack in the Box and the Denny's had bright lights. We ended up at the pre-planned, after party restaurant which turned out to be very good. Hubby and I shared a 25oz. Sangria that made us all warm and toasty. We didn't get back to the hotel till close to 1:00pm (another late night for me).

Up at 5:00am, we finished packing up and headed back to Seattle to return the car (a brand-new Dodge, Caliber) and catch our flights. I was looking forward to getting back and seeing my girls, but also sad that I didn't have more time to spend with hubby alone. We pretty much decided during this trip that separate flights would be something to avoid in the future. It's certainly nice to meet new people on flights (and I did on the flight there - Jo) but it's nice to have the time for bonding with loved ones, too.

The next show? End of May. This one is natural and I'm looking forward to it.

The Pacific Northwest and Major Bodybuilding Beefcake Pt. 1

My trip was lovely...for the most part. Hubby and I awoke at 3:30am Friday morning, got ready and finished packing the car with our luggage. We traveled 30 minutes to the airport and got through security almost flawlessly. If "yours truly" had remembered her Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter was in her carry on, it would have been flawless. So, $16.00 into the trash. I was hot! That stuff ain't cheap and I was so getting used to the way it made my hair feel. I'm not ready to order another jar again. I need to save some allowance, first.

Once we made it through security, we headed to the United terminal to wait for hubby's flight to leave. The attendant came on the loud-speaker to announce that the flight was overbooked (now, we know airlines do this but it always kills me how surprised they sound when they announce it) and would anyone take the next flight in exchange for one, round-trip ticket to anywhere in the continental U.S. Hubby was all about it. It would shorten his layover in San Francisco, and he would get to Seattle at the same time. No one counted on weather issues in San Fran. Ugh!

My flight with Southwest was gone and in the air by 10:00...hubby was still in the airport in Salt Lake. I arrived in Seattle at 11:40 am. Hubby didn't get to San Fran until close to 1:00pm. Ultimately, I was hanging out at the airport for hours waiting for him. When he finally deplaned, he looked like he'd been through the ringer, poor guy. We got our car and left for Bellevue with only an hour to get to the event center for his registration. Talk about hectic! I'm trying to navigate with the rental car map while hubby is steering a car he's not used to through mad, Seattle traffic in the rain. Despite the craziness, we made it to the hotel and then to the event center with minutes to spare.

We spent Friday night taking in the sights of the city. Washington is gorgeous! The green was so spectacular (you forget about green when you live in a desert). Lake Washington?Absolutely beautiful and the skylines? Exquisite. My only gripe was that I could certainly feel the humidity. The wind had a bite to it that I hadn't felt since leaving Nashville. Frigid! Other than that, wine to be purchased at grocery stores (what a novel idea? Get a clue, Utah) and the people were very friendly. We ate dinner at an amazing Thai place (Thai Grille)...a hole in the wall where I could swear I saw some one's grandmother in the kitchen cooking. I had the Samara Noodles (Vermicelli noodles with spinach, tofu and peanut sauce). I ate half and then felt like I needed to be rolled outta there.

Being without the kids was hard, at first, but hubby kept reminding me that it was just us. We could do whatever we wanted and not have to worry about car seats, juice, runny noses, crying and people being tired at 8:00pm. We had a glass of wine at 10:30 and didn't go to sleep till after one (we weren't out anywhere, we just weren't sleeping...draw your own conclusions).

After our night of passion, we arose to go to the prejudging session. The venue was quite large with several vendors stationed in the back selling all kinds of stuff. Supplements, replacement meals, sports wear, posing attire you name it. We spent quite a bit of money and I got an up close and personal look at the items these athletes have to purchase and wear. The judging began and the over 70 category was quite the surprise! How about being a 79 year old bodybuilder? If that's what I've got to look forward to, I will be one happy wife in my old age.

Ready to Go?

Nope, not in the least. Before I go on a trip, I like for my house to be clean (spotless, if possible). If there's one thing I can't deal with is coming home to a trashed house. My house hasn't seen a mop in weeks and it's getting pretty grungee, especially with the new dog in the house (did I mention that Mastiffs tend to slobber? Fun, slimy times). Besides the floors, the bathrooms are gross, my bedroom is a fright and the basement has dust bunnies that kick up every time someone walks around.

Hubby asked me to try and tidy this morning, but of course we were running behind. The eldest decided to do her sloppiest work for her practice spelling test. Mom wasn't having it, so we started over. She was ticked. Oh, well. No sloppy pants in my house (just a sloppy house, right?)

I haven't even begun to pack. The girls aren't packed either, so that will be priority task one when I get home, since they're leaving for their grandmother's this evening. The other trick is how do we get two, massive dogs into our sedan to transport to the baby sitter's? Hubby thinks everyone will be able to fit, including the dogs. I think he's smoking crack.

The weather this weekend in Salt Lake will be in the 70s. Too bad where we're going, it will be in the 40's in Washington. Rats! I'm still convinced will have a good time, despite the frosty temps. There are quite a few places within walking distance of where we'll be staying. Hubby thought ahead and rented a car which I thoroughly relieved about. Now, we can travel around the city and beyond (without getting rained on). I'm really intrigued because this is one of the places we've thought about moving to in the future. I love the west and embrace it's mentality completely. Utah has been good, but there's a lot my kids can't experience here because of the culture. I'm hoping to get a nice enough "sample" of Washington so that we can make a possible decision for our future.

Right now, I'm eating subway sandwiches from our performance lunch. I did get an oatmeal cookie and half of a chocolate chip cookie. My Fresca is bubbling and all is right with the world.

A New Dog and He Paces

We drove nearly an hour south of home to pick up our new dog, yesterday. He's gorgeous! Friendly, obedient, lovable and playful our current dog has definitely found a new friend. Unfortunately, our new addition was having a time adjusting to his new surroundings last night, so he paced and paced and paced. It's not cool to wake up several times a night to the sound of huge feet trotting along through your house sounding like a big-butt horse. Hubby and I also weren't thrilled to wake up to big Mastiff eyes bearing down upon us as if to say, "Where's my mommy?" He should settle in, I hope, over the next few days.

In other news, hubby isn't nearly as nervous about his up coming show as he was the last show. He's low carbing, but not insanely like last time. His temper is more even and he doesn't seem to have the ego that came with the last time (not sure what that was about). I checked the weather and it's supposed to be snowing in Tacoma this weekend. So much for looking like "spring youth" when we go. I'll probably have to pack my snow boots and trench coat. So sexy! I so wanted to wear my cute duds, but I don't do the "cute and cold" bit anymore. Gone are my college days.

I'm getting anxious about what may happen with my work situation. I'm hoping I'll get approved for full-time telecommuting at the end of the month. My boss's new boss, however, doesn't seem like the understanding "family friendly" type and I'm hoping I don't have to go back to the office. I think I may have to leave my job if that happens, not because of the work itself, but because (after all this time) my own boss may not fight for me to have this opportunity. I wouldn't be able to stand that. Pray for me!

How I Spent My Day Off

After we got up and took the oldest to school and the youngest to the neighbor's (and the dog to the vet for a teeth cleaning), we journeyed up the highway to the next largest city, Ogden. We hit a couple of discount stores first and picked up a few things. I was starving by the time we were done, so we hit up Taco Bell (talk about lovely breakfast food). It was surprisingly good, or I was incredibly hungry. Hubby agreed that it was the cleanest Taco Bell we'd ever been too and the food was really that good. After we left Taco Bell, we hit up a video arcade and played, and played and played. We one oodles of tickets that we spent on the girls (well, got them the cheap stuff that you get with tickets).

We went to lunch after this and it was lovely and romantic, until the school principle called. Ugh! I guess it couldn't be perfect. The eldest was caught trying to pet horses over the school fence (nice one). I let her know, once I got her home, that horses are easily spooked and will buck and kick on a whim. She had no idea and seemed to get the point pretty fast. Hubby thinks that our discussion of anniversary time off must have subconsciously bothered the eldest (attention turned away from her and onto me). She's not used to it because our family usually does everything together. Hubby made a point to say that we have to spend more time on our own, so that the disturbance in schedule won't cause these kinds of problems in the future with her.

So, all in all, it was a great day together. Hubby and I really do enjoy the quality time that we have and again we are trying to make an effort to have more. I'm really looking forward to next weekend when we go out of town. I know I'll miss the girls, but it's definitely what he's talking about; shaking up the schedule.