Blahs

Seriously, what is up with me ... I've just got a case of the blahs.

The kiddos haven't quite taken their naps yet. Wish they would ... and I'm having troubles tearing myself away from the computer. Again. (I really, REALLY should jump on the treadmill. And do, like, a gazillion crunches if I'm going to be in Mer's wedding. ... But I lack motivation.)

I need to unload/reload the dishwasher. I did re-tidy the laundry room. I should fold and put away some laundry. I emptied the cat box (thank goodness. SMELLY cats). I need to pick up (or make the MESSY CHILDREN pick up) the living room. And their bedroom. And I need to clean MY bedroom. 

I'd much rather run a warm bath and read. And maybe watch BOTH versions of Pride and Prejudice that I picked up at the library today. And maybe Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility and Emma ... just for good measure.

Oh, hey. Just so you know ... and you're probably SMARTER than I am ... home-waxing? Rather painful. I've JUST about gotten the lover half of my calves done. And my armpits (is there a DAINTY way of saying that area? No?) are  ... less gross-looking. But it's rather difficult.

It's hilarious in a few ways, though. I bought the box of Nad's. I even have leftover strips of paper/fabric/whatever from the LAST time I've utterly failed at home-waxing. (The first time? I was a teenager. And I tried the COLD WAX STRIPS. ON MY BIKIKI LINE. ... I thought I was GOING TO DIE. Never have tried those since. Just sayin'.)

But, for waxing, you first have to let the hair grow long enough to wax. That is a difficulty for me. I'm OCD about my hair. Michael thinks it's hilarious and strange that I try to shave daily. He thinks it's even MORE hilarious and OCD that I try to shave when we're camping. (This is why *I* get to choose the campgrounds. I choose the ones with running water and showers!)

Michael only noticed a few days ago that I hadn't shaved for a while. When I was complaining that I could see hairy bits around my cap sleeves. (And, really, *I*'m the only one who examines my arms closely enough to see it ... so it's not like random strangers are thinking that I've completely let myself go ... or am European or a hippie (who dresses like a wannabe yuppie.))
And, let me tell you, dear ones, Michael was impressed. As he said, "I didn't think you had it in you."
(Really, I don't. BUT I want perfectly smooth pits/arm recesses/something that doesn't sound gnarly!!! ... DEODERANT RECEPTACLES! THERE! That's better! ... So I have hair happening.)

At least, like I've said, the bottom half of my calves don't look all like teen-boy legs. Ugh *shudders* Hey, it's okay when teenage boys have legs looking like that. It's NOT so okay when it's ME.

And, what's even stranger ... when I was waxing one of my legs, I guess that the hair roots came out ... just not all the way? So one of my legs looks like I had a small area of ... rash? Chicken pox? Infected flea bites? It looks funky, to say the least. BUT It's mostly hairless!

And, gosh, I need to buy another pair of tweezers, I'll tell you. (and I'm SOOOO sure that you wanted to know.)

Michael just looked at me and asked, "And women do this, WHY? It looks painful ... and you have sores."

"And I'll have perfectly smooth legs ... and won't have to do it again for a couple of weeks, at least!"

"How much would it cost for you to have it done professionally?"

"Well, it depends where I have it done. But this little tub of wax-stuff is just $20! If I went to the spa down the street, it'd be $75 for just my legs. I'm saving money! ... Now, can you help me get my armpit? It makes me dizzy to look at it this closely. Please?"

"Um, honey? You're bleeding." 

"Oh, it's just the roots. They're unhappy.  ... Oh, wow. I thought it'd be just a drop. Hmm. Let's give that side a rest and try the other side."

Oh ... also? You'd THINK that you'd just have to apply the wax and the paper strip-thing and you'd get ALL the hair in one spot.

HA!

Not so much.

This is why it's taking me SO LONG to get my legs and armpits de-hairified. Oy.

SO, yeah ... It's supposed to give you up to 8 weeks of not needing to wax/shave/whatever ... I'm hoping that I FINISH before that 8 weeks is up ... *sigh*

But, hey! I blogged. AGAIN! For the second day in a row!

Also, gave Bruise a haircut. He went from resembling Shaggy in Scooby-Doo to looking more like he's getting ready for basic training. He's totally handsome.

Okay, to start ... FIRST, I'm so sorry for not blogging for a while.

Second, I HATE hay fever. I feel like a drippy faucet and the back of my throat is all gnarly and irritated from my stupid post-nasal drip.

And I'm snarly due to wonderful Aunt Flo dropping by. Probably TMI, but you love me anyways, right?

BUT we got our new fridge. And it is BEAUTIFUL. I can barely bring myself to put FOOD in it, it's so pretty. (But I am going to buy ice cream! YES!!)

Pardon me, I had to go fumigate the kidlets' bathroom ... They're doing a really, really great job using the toilet -- I'm not complaining -- but OY! did it stink!!

What do I need to write about ...?

Let's see ...

- Michael and I celebrated our eigth anniversary. We went up to OMSI and went to the da Vinci exhibit up there (SO nice, since we could actually take our time. When we have the kidlets with us, Bruise just runs through EVERYTHING ... and we have to speed through all the exhibits to catch up with him.) and to IKEA while my mom watched the munchkin brigade. We spent way too much money at IKEA. But I got so much awesome stuff -- a new computer chair (only $40!!), a silicon-coated whisk (so I can use it with my beautiful pans), an apple corer (SO handy!), a set of storage containers from the "As-Is" bin (so I don't have all the lids ... but still! For just $1, I'm not going to complain!), a shower gift for one of my friends (Sheri, I hope that you and Amelia will like it!), Easter presents for the kiddos, a can-opener for our 72-hour kit in the car ... and, oh, the food!!

Michael got the pasta and meatballs. I got the Swedish meatballs with cream sauce, potatoes, and lingon berries. He got a soda. I had an Elderflower drink (kinda like lemonade ... but mostly not). We also had a slice of the apple cake with vanilla sauce. Oh, it was good. And QUITE affordable. Sure, cafeteria eating isn't the most romantic ... but, the FOOD! Delicious.

We were too tired to go see a movie, so after we drove back to town, we went to dinner (using a gift card from Christmas -- Thanks, T2!!) and headed home where Bruise, Bucket and Mutti had made us cards and cookies.

Mom also helped me clean out the old fridge and save any foods that we could while she was up.

Last weekend, we took the kiddos to A.C. Gilbert House and played. Bucket got a little lost getting up to the HUGE slide ... and I had to wade through the Spring Break crowds of kids to get to her ... and then we went down the slide together. 
Bruise LOVED the big slide (I'd like it more if I didn't bang up my knees.) as he went down it with some random kid. ^_^ If it were up to him, I think he'd play in the play area ALL DAY LONG.

I have been neglecting blogging and reading for computer games. I'm so bad. BUT I have unlocked all the extra characters (just not bought all of them yet) in LEGO: Star Wars (the complete saga) on my DS. (Hey, it was on sale! -- And Michael should be beyond thrilled that I'm getting into Star Wars now. :P) ... Oh well.

I've been so tired, so I'm going to close up. 

"Peace. But not literally." -- Dr. Horible.

If I had a band ...

... this meme would tell me what we should be named. And what our first album should be called.

And, from this, it sounds like I'd kinda into Folk music. Or references to Emerson (which is rather cool. Good ol' Ralph Waldo).

And, yes, I did totally cheat on the picture. Sorry, Bri, but whenever I tried to use the one I was assigned by the meme, it showed up MINISCULELY tiny (total repetition, I know). 

So I chose the one I liked best. I liked that I got a quote by Emerson. That made me happy. And, hey! I got to learn about a Danish poker player ... could be way worse.

So, if anyone wants to do this (since y'all know how I am about tagging people), here are the rules. Just let me know, so I can see everyone's cool album covers!

1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random”

or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations"

or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four or five words of the very last quote on the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”

or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days

Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop or similar (i.e. MSPaint) to put it all together.

And, I'll add that if a picture or something isn't working for you, go ahead and change it. Use that artistic license. I give you total permission. ^_^

We are Family ... I've Got All My Sisters and Me!

Aubri strikes again (not that I'm complaining)!

The rules for accepting the award are as follows:
Put the logo on your blog or post. Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude and/or gratitude. Be sure to link to your nominees in your post. Let your nominees know they have received the award by leaving them a comment on their blog. Be sure to link this post to the person who nominated you for the award.

So, here goes (and don't be offended if I didn't nominate you. You know that I love you):

1. Melissa is full of attitude and always makes me laugh. I find it funny that it took a couple blogs from across the country to bring a couple of Oregonian chickie-poos like us, together. And while you're there, go vote for her on HumorBlogs, since I've voted enough that they reject my votes now. *mutters to self*
   
   
2. "Priss" is one of my dear friends, a whole day older than me (who I don't see often enough because [1] she's so incredibly busy as a teacher, mother, and incubator supreme ... among her other duties and hobbies and [2] I'm a lazy, slightly-agrophobic git). Her blog is usually full of more gratitude than I express. And, golly, but do I miss commuting to college with her. We didn't meet until we were in the University wards in the college town south of our college. But, really, if you need cute Boo stories/videos or great tales about teaching (and some stories of how daunting teaching can be), you should seriously add her to your RSS-feeds.
   
   
3. Heather (of Heather's Happy Heart) has a good blog for gratitute -- She's got her hands full with raising a son with Autism ... and incubating a little baby girl. AND having a husband who's away at work a good deal of the day. She manages to be an awesome parent, work on keeping in shape, and is just awesome ... and so modest about it!
   
   
4. Cristall is my dear artist friend ... and I miss her so much (even though she and her husband abandoned me to go back to Utah. :P). (Yes, yes, it's all about me. :P) She's so fun and sassy and SO dang talented at painting that if I didn't love her so, I'd probably be plotting her demise. Good thing I love her so. ^_^ She and I quote movies back and forth like crazy ... Gosh, I miss her!!
   
   
5. My Cynthia is my awesome, hilarious friend in Belgium. She is proudly obsessed with Joss Whedon's work (one thing we share). She also has about the bestest job EVER -- She's a librarian! How awesome is that?!? She also is a most excellent and funny friend, a wonderful and loving aunt to two darling little girls. Yes, I adore my Cynthia.
   
   
6. Jenny always makes me laugh. Whether it's us joking about playing with her husband's Wii (It NEVER gets old!) or trading stories about our kids, I always end up laughing until I nearly pee my pants. She is my most-politically active friend. ... And the friend who'd be most likely to make me vote Democrat. :P When she runs for office, she'll get my vote. ^_^
   
   
7. Katie always makes me laugh, she's definitely got attitude. She is a powerhouse -- she quilts, cleans house, feeds her family, surfs the 'net, reads voraciously (maybe even more than I do!), and gardens ... simultaneously, with a hand tied behind her back with a very stylish bow. She's got the crafty-bug and she's a great actress. If we were in competition, I'd make a horrible showing. Good thing she loves me enough to never embarass me like that. ^_^
   
   
8. Xcedra is another bookish, Anime/manga-loving friend of mine. And she loves cats, too. Seriously, I find so many friends that I must have been seperated by birth from. She's hilarious and sweet and the proud-mom-to-be of a much-loved little girl. I love how she refers to annoying people as "hoosers" and how she makes me giggle to the point of hyperventilation.
   
   
9. Dianne is one of those people that manages to be so, so funny and spiritual ... and she's another one of my crafty-crafty friends (Obvioulsly, I know to surround myself with awesome people so that I'm cool by association). She runs a house, redecorates it, scrapbooks, TEACHES CLASSES on scrapping, reads for pleasure, raises three awesome kids, cooks wonderfully ... And plays the piano and sings like a bid. Is there anything she can't do? I've never seen her upset or grumpy, either. 
   
   
10. Last will be Satina, even though her blog's gone private ... and even *I* can't get to it. But she is VERY spiritual ... I don't even try to compete. She manages to raise four kids, is Cubmaster, does Girl Scouts and always looks SO put together. (Yes, I AM jealous, thanks for noticing). And she has excellent taste in television shows, if I may make mention of that. And she finds it funny when I think that I'm threatening MY son, only to find out that it was hers. Heh. Oops. The lights were off!
    But she gets nominated for being grateful and gracious. She originally started blogging when she was on bedrest ... and she's kept it up. She has such great perspective on things that ... Yeah, she's an example. On that I should, you know, actually FOLLOW once in a while. ^_^ (Not that she wouldn't get a nomination based on attitude, she makes me laugh. Don't worry. I don't think I have a single friend that doesn't make me laugh. ^_^)

Okay, there's my list. Now, I'm going to try and remember to comment on everyone's blog to remind them how awesome and amazing they are (and, remember, if I didn't nominate you, it's NOT because you have a lack of awesomeness or amaingality ... It's just that I am not cool enough to realize and appreciate your full potential. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or anything. You can totally kick me in the head when you see me next. Really. If it'll make you feel better).

But first, my darlings, I MUST restart my computer ... poor plodding thing. *sigh*

We Are Family ... I've Got All My Sisters and Me!

Aubri strikes again (not that I'm complaining)!

The rules for accepting the award are as follows:
Put the logo on your blog or post. Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude and/or gratitude. Be sure to link to your nominees in your post. Let your nominees know they have received the award by leaving them a comment on their blog. Be sure to link this post to the person who nominated you for the award.

So, here goes (and don't be offended if I didn't nominate you. You know that I love you):

1. Melissa is full of attitude and always makes me laugh. I find it funny that it took a couple blogs from across the country to bring a couple of Oregonian chickie-poos like us, together.
2. 
   

Music of My Life

Aubri has tagged me ... and, wow, I'm not all that sure WHY, since I'm nowhere as musically inclined (Don't get me wrong. I like songs ... but I'm nowhere the music patron that she is.) ... but here I go:

Pick one album you remember the most about every 5 years of your life and tell us why its important to you.

0 years old - My mom will tell me that when I started crawling, I'd BEE-LINE (is that the right term? Spelling? I don't know) for the television every time the commercial for some country singer's CASSETTE/RECORD would air.

Maybe it wasn't country ... it could have been folksy-type music. But EVERY. TIME., I'd be squirming my way to the television set to gaze and listen in utter rapture.

I wish I could remember who it was supposed to be. I'll have to ask Mom. Or maybe Dad'd remember.

5 years old - Besides regailing my Nana with loud renditions of "Little Bunny Foo-Foo" and "I Am a Child of God," I remember listening to "Thiller" by Michael Jackson (yes, children, there was a time when he was considered such a talented dancer/singer. There was a time when he was not AT ALL creepy. There was a time he had his original nose. And chin). 
I also loved Cyndi Lauper (c'mon, what girl in the 80s didn't want to BE Cyndi Lauper? "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" always makes me so happy when I hear it.
I also listened to a record (yes, we were OLD SKOOL, people. I STILL listen to cassettes at times.) of Primary songs from church... I think it's entitled "Sing with Me" ... No, that was the OLD Primary songbook ... Blast! I canNOT remember the title! Something about singing together ... and that the main color (besides the image on the record) was a warm brown with yellow sprigs/spots on the record case ... Drat my bad memory.

I bought my first just-for-me tape when I was in second grade -- M.C. Hammer.
I also recall, in thrid grade, choosing out of the prize box, a record of ... classical music. The Skater's Waltz, William Tell Overature ... things like that. Too bad there was a huge scratch on it, it was a great collection.

10 years old - By this time, we had made the BIG move to primarily listening to cassettes (even though the cool kids were buying these new-fangled things called see-dees :P). I would occasionally listen to a couple of my mom's records (West Side Story and Annie), but mostly she and I would listen to Broadway musicals - Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera (which is why I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Michael Crawford -- Sorry, Bri ... but to me his wonderful voice IS the phantom), Evita, Cats ... It'd be a few years before I got into Miss Saigon or Jesus Christ Superstar.

You can imagine how popular this made me at school ... "Do you like Meatloaf?" "My Nana makes a good one." (No, really ... that was a VERBATIM conversation I had with a friend. And that was in JUNIOR HIGH.  ... I've lived a rather sheltered life, no?)

I also liked soundtracks, especially Disney soundtracks. And I had the soundtrack to Ferngully (Hellooooooo Tim Curry! -- No wonder I eventually wound up having such a soft spot for Rocky Horror Picture Show, huh?)

I also started to like Harry Connick, Jr. and Ace of Base "The Sign".

For the record, I was the one girl at my (small) school who hadn't cared for New Kids on the Block. I can sing a couple lines of songs ... mostly to be ironic.

15 years old - By this point, we were starting to buy CDs. And I was gearing up to watch MTV (I watched it near-incessantly during the last couple of summers at home in high school). I still listened a lot to musicals ... started to really get into Swing. I loved No Doubt. I had Alanis Morrisette's CD. And Sarah McLaughlan's "Building a Mystery." I fell for the siren song of the Spice Girls (because they were FUN! They still are. A-zigga-zig-ah!) I bought one Backstreet Boys CD ... and my favorite song wasn't one of the ones that played on the radio (#7 - Hey Mr. DJ, if you really were curious).

Mom and I listened a lot to the soundtrack for Forrest Gump. I loved Bob Dylan's Rainy Day Women ... she didn't care for it much.

Toward the end of high school, I discovered Rammstein.

I loved the soundtrack for Batman Forever ... didn't hurt that it had Chris O'Donnell in it (Oh, I crushed on him a bit <-- Understatement.)
My friends really helped my musical knowledge -- I was treated to The Beatles, Jimi Hendricks, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, The Offspring ... My friends are so very good to me.

Like Damien who made me an AWESOME mixed tape. I only wish that I knew ALL the songs on it, so I could create it perfectly on a CD. ^_^ (He was amazed that I liked reading song lyrics as much as I do.)(I think he was even more amazed that I ADORE Ozzy Osbourne's "I Just Want You." ... I'm complicated.)

I also discovered Cibo Matto -- and am still SO SAD that they've broken up. Because I love me some crazy Japanese-American pop.

20 - By now I was married. Not a whole lot of money for CDs, so I relied on my friends to hook me up with most of the new music I got. I have some great mixed CDs ... and having a computer with a CD-burner meant that I was able to make my own mixed CDs.
Jenny-Boo told me about Shakira ... and I bought her CD, "Laundry Service." I still REALLY like that one.

Shortly before getting married, there was an AWESOME CD shop down the street ... I really SHOULD have bought the soundtrack to Jane Eyre: the Musical ... I still haven't heard any of the songs.
Friends introduced me to the joys of Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies (who are AWESOME) and I got even more into Weird Al and They Might Be Giants. And Barenaked Ladies (Only the second-worst name for a band, according to my mom. The first would be Butthole Surfers ... It's so hilarious when she's all, "Oh, I like this song. Who is it by?" And I tell her ... and then she's shocked and lightly rants about how much she HATES their names! Never gets old. I love my mom.)

25 years old - By this point, Michael's made sure that I've learned to appreciate Elvis (my mom wasn't crazy about him, so we didn't listen to him much. I know! Complete travesty! I still love my mom). 
Since we have added the munchkin brigade to the mix at this point, we have even less money to spend on music ... but I can make a mean mix-CD, if I do say so myself. (Ask Aubri or Sheri! They've each received one ... maybe more than one in Bri's case. 
Since we have broadband internet, I get to listen to lots more music now ... And I'm pretty eclectic. I have found that I rather like Johnny Cash. ... And I find that I'm woefully clueless about music and bands in general. I'm never really going to be cool like Bri about these things ... but I'm happy with what I can get.

You know that I don't tag ... but if you want to, just comment and let me know that you've done it. I like to read responses ... I just feel demanding if I do the tagging.

No love ...

I don't know how many of you have heard about this ... kerfluffle going on with a certain HBO show. One show that is about polygamy and people who practice a religion like unto my own (or our own, for you fellow LDS-ers out there).

Well, if you haven't heard, there's an episode planned (and, apparently, already filmed) which is ... less than full of win.

The Church (of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) has released an official statement, "The Publicity Dilemma," if you care to read it.

I don't watch Big Love. I never have really had the urge (and this is coming from the girl who watched an episode of Dexter ... Hey, I LOVE the book series. Well, not the cussin' so much ... but it's SO well written! ... And the series appears to follow the book pretty well. I can't say that I'm completely in love with the casting for the sister ... but I think that the dude playing Dexter does REALLY well).

I don't plan on watching the episode where they are going to show some semblance of an excommunication and temple ceremonies. I don't think that it's right or classy for them to do this. Especially since they're getting the information from someone who has left the church.
(I mean, really ... does a person seriously investigating and considering an unbiased view of a religion primarily rely on accounts given by people who obviously have issues with said sect? If I were trying to find out about, say, Catholocism, would I take all information given to me from someone who's left that religion without a grain of salt? Wouldn't it be better to discuss doctrine with a contented member of that church? ... It seems like common sense to me ... I don't know, though. I mean, it takes all kinds, right?)

I think that The Church has responded very well in their statement. Yes, because we are a "peculiar people" there will always be some who don't get us, who will rely on stereotypes or caricatures, who will think of "those blankity-blank Mormons" as a bunch of self-righteous, narrow-minded, homely teetotalers.

And they'll be just as mistaken (and, dare I say, a wee bit hypocritical? Yeah, I dare. And I'm a wee bit hypocritical, myself. I try not to be ... but I do try working to be a little more accepting of everyone and their ... quirks, for lack of a better term. ^_^) as people who think that a person's character can be defined solely (or primarily) by their race, nationality, hair color, athletic prowess, or ... shoe size or something.

I'm a bit more of the belief that "pretty is as pretty does." ... Or that one's actions do speak on a level that one's words may not reach. It is ... less than kind/sensitive/compassionate/humane for the writers to SAY that they wouldn't make it about members of The Church ... it appears that they have planned to go ahead and DO just that.

I do, myself, doubt that these writers would try something like this if it were a different sect -- like Catholocism, per se.

I don't think it's classy. Or the wisest of choices.

I could threaten to boycott HBO. ... But I'd have to, first, actually patronize their company. I could write an email to Time-Warner ... but at the same time, I almost wonder if this issue is WORTH making an issue about. How many people WATCH Big Love? How many people really think that it's about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? How many of the people who DO think that are ... well ... I don't mean to be catty, but (as anyone who says that, I'm immediately following up with, "I'm going to be") how many of those people who actually believe that members of The Church ARE like that ... are really that ... intellegent?
I mean, have they met many Latter-Day Saints?

I have to think that it's a credit to my/our church that whenever people learn that I'm a member of the LDS Church, they are rather effusive about other Latter-Day Saints that they know.

I hope that by not making a huge deal about this (other than letting you know about it) I'm not burying my head in the sand about this. I just really think that if people have any sense, they'll judge/consider/whatever The Church based on their experience with its members, rather than by a show that's not affiliated (at ALL) by the church.

At least I can hope that people still have sense, right? I'm rather optimistic.

Or I, at least, TRY to be. :P

Randomness

Conversation that just took place -- Bruise and Bucket are running around chasing each other. Bruise is apparantly a ghost. Bruise falls to the floor (on purpose).
Bucket: He died.
Bruise, on floor: I dead.

This morning, Bruise was in the windowsill in the dining area ... and somehow turned on the treadmill (I was alerted to this by the hum of the treadmill on low). And he starts SCREAMING, since he can't get out of the window with the treadmill on.
I go to rescue him. He is half-sobbing and CLINGING to my neck. I'm TRYING not to totally crack up at this ... and then he says, shakily, "It a TWAP!"
Then I nearly totally lost my crap, giggling over how the treadmill is a trap.

Also this morning, Bruise wakes up at an ungodly hour (it's still ungodly early when Michael leaves for work) crying that he's peed his bed. Remarkably, it was JUST the sheet. So I strip the bed and the boy, get him a clean pull-up, put a blanket on his matress, and tuck him in until it get lighter.

YESTERDAY, as we are coming up the sidewalk to walk into the church building, Bruise trips and EATS IT on the sidewalk. He's got himself a scrape on his forehead ... and miniscule little scrapes on the palms of his hands. Thank heavens for Dianne, who (1) opened the door for us, (2) enlisted Bucket to get supplies with her while I changed Bruise's dirty diaper (hey, we're in the midst of potty-training. We still have some off-days), and (3) brought me band-aids and an ice pack. I rocked the boy and sang to him in the mother's lounge ... and he's doing fine. He's actually REALLY verbal about it. Sis. P, one of the Nursery class leaders, asked me about his bandage ... asking if it were from at church. ... Because Bruise was telling her about it. 
(YES! My son is finally getting some words in edgewise around his extremely verbal sister.)

The house is cleaner. And I need to read one book (well, really, more like seven ... but I'm just gonna cut my losses and turn in books and check them out later ... when I have more time [Ha!].) today ... and two more before Thursday. 
One of the fridges isn't being cold. Good thing we don't have a lot of food in that one. I'm going to try and pull it out and run a hairdryer in the back ... and dust it and whatnot. At least the freezer portion is working. Or I'd be SO torqued off.

I also need to do about two loads of dishes. Then I'll be CAUGHT. UP.  ... for, like five minutes.

And I have a veritably MOUNTAIN of clean laundry to fold. At least it's CLEAN, right?
But I'm going to concentrate on dishes and reading. And making the munchkin brigade clean up after themselves.

Perhaps that was a little premature ...

Okay, so naptime hasn't been any easier since that ONE TIME. *sigh*

Oh well.

We went to the zoo yesterday. We asked Bucket, on the way home, what part of the zoo was her favorite. "The animals."

She was able to narrow it down to the hippos (since she sleeps with her stuffed hippo, Carl. And we have NO idea why his name is Carl. No idea. I asked her once what her hippo's name was ... and it is Carl.) and the Zebras ... mostly due to the Z in "zebra." Those of you who know Bucket will know WHY it's so special.

Bruise liked the birds. We actually forked over some cash to buy the little juice/sugar water/whatever cups to feed the Lorikeets. Bucket FREAKED THE CHICKEN OUT when one of the birds shook some of the juice (for lack of a more specific term. Since I didn't drink any of it, I really don't know what it is) over her head.

I did get nipped by one Lorikeet. Not a big deal. Bucket kissed it better for me.
I did get some nice pictures of the birds. That made me happy. Bruise thought it was HILARIOUS to be surrounded by screaming birds.

And, dude, lorikeets have such a WEIRD tongue(via WikiBooks). It looks like a little BRUSH on the end. I mean, I understand that it'd help them eat the juice ... and whatever they eat in the wild. Nectar, I guess. But, land sakes y'all, it looks a bit strange.

I think that Bruise likes the birds since he's started to let me do his hair in a faux-mohawk. He calls it "up hair" or, as Bucket calls it, "birdie hair" since it makes him look like a little boy crossed with a Cockatoo. It's even funnier (at least to me) when he's sporting his "birdie hair" and Bucket is all glammed out with a conservatice, little-girl updo and a dress ... and he's looking like he belongs to a whole 'nother household.

I need a good, strong gel so that it'd last all day. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong: I wet his hair, apply gel, and comb the center into the middle for the wanna-be mohawk. 
Yes, I really let him go out in public with his hair like this. It makes up for all the whining I put up with. And he looks SOOOOO CUUUUUUTE!!

My mom's always after me to spike his hair. If I find a good gel, I think I will. He's getting to where he's letting me DO stuff to his hair, instead of always having it combed into the default Young Republican (not anything wrong with that, since I am a R, myself :P) ... It's nice to switch it up.

I'm almost caught up with the dishes. Maybe one BIG handwash load and I'll be DONE!!
And then I'll rope Michael into helping me fold Mt. Laundry on our bed.

After a couple more loads go through the washer and dryer.

I meant to finish raking the front yard today ... not gonna happen, with how dang COLD and wet it is outside. Although I MAY go out and give the Japanese Maple a bit of a trim.

And then I should read at least two books. We'll see how that goes. But, hey! At least the house is LOTS cleaner (thanks to the awesome motivation of my husband.) ... I mean, I did manage to clean up the junk counter and my desk ... But, oh, there's always SO much more to be done. And I never want to do it.

Holy duke ... I think that the kids might just be asleep. Which is much better than it was about twenty minutes or so ago ... when I was all pissy about maybe losing an earring (of one of my FAVORITE pairs of earrings ... but I found it a minute later) and, as I walked by their bedroom where they STILL hadn't fallen asleep, but were up talking and PLAYING, I just screeched, "JUST GET IN YOUR DAMN BEDS!!!" at their door. Then Michael talked to them ... and they CRIED because they "not WANT to go to bed" (But they're sure cranky enough to NEED to, iykwim, aityd). Then, later, as they played again, I just opened the door, stood there and said in my dangerous-low-slow-don't-mess-with-me voice, "This is your last warning. Do you want me to come in here again? NOW, get in your bed. Pull up your covers. Close your eyes and shut your mouth. Go. To. Sleep." ... And, since I don't hear them right now .... I think they might have actually followed my instructions. WOW.

But, yeah. I looked up a series of church books for the kids. I like the three that we have so far. There's another three that I want to get (out of five available). Me? Want to buy more books? Pshaw! 
Yes, I know that I have a problem. But I can't help that I love books so much. They make me happy!! And they don't make me as fat as my love for food ... of course, it'd be really nice if I had a little shelf for books or magazines on my treadmill. If I did, I might be about twenty pounds lighter ... and that'd be very good for my mental health number. ^_^

Okay, to read!! I hear the siren call of written language.

Oh. Em. GOSH.

It's taken three years, one month, and thirty-two days ... but I might have just figured out the secret to nap time.

Leave the damn door open.

My house is really rather in shambles. The new library is open, I'm trying to finish reading books helter-skelter, and I'm semi-addicted to Vampire Wars on Facebook (my clan is nine mebers big [read: kinda small] but I'm up to level 23. I tried Fashion Wars, but it was kinda dumb. And I didn't care for Dragon Wars much. But Vampires?? I like it.

Still ...  So, I'm getting the kids ready for storytime this morning. Rox calls. Yes, we'll get together while we're up north to go to the zoo. We get it so that I have directions. I have maps (so there will not be a repeat of LAST Friday where Michael and I were driving around Salem ... me driving, him navigating, me FREAKING THE CHICKEN OUT BECAUSE I DRIVE CRAP IN BIG CITIES). ... and I notice that it's just about time for storytime to start ... and we're still in the house.

So I hustle the munchkin brigade out the door, in the van, drive down the street (well, practically) to the NEW! AMAZING! LIBRARY! and we have fun at storytime ... except for the part where Bucket trips coming in and scrapes her knee.

Bruise gets to play with the train table (which was remarkably NOT crowded today. Crazy.) while Bucket and I sit and read Chickerella about three times. (Obviously, I know how to pick a book.) Then I load everybody back into the van (After we ride the elevator over and over again. And Bruise about pokes some poor old man in the testes as he [Bruise] isn't looking where he's going [the poor elderly chap was ENTIRELY TOO AWARE of this happenstance. Oh, but I couldn't help but laugh. Can you really blame me??] as he's trying to run up the stairs.

(Note to self: Next house = Must have stairs and elevator. Or at least a dumbwaiter. Keep dreaming.)) and we go to Costco and get gas. And bananas, potatoes, tangerines/mandarins/whatever-the-H-you-want-to-call-them, gravy mix, and a package of those chocolate muffins that are about half the size of your head.

Then, as we've gotten home and are heading to the street to check the mail (or, as we call it, "checka mail" -- Oh, how my Toddler-ese vocabulary has GROWN!!), Bucket runs down the driveway and scrapes her OTHER knee! 

And oh!! The screaming!! The agony!! The minute possibility of blood!! (Okay, so there was some visible blood ... but it's not like it even shows up on a napkin or anything.) So we grab the mail, I carry in the food while Bucket screams and shrieks, and I patch up her knee.

Talk to Mom on the phone. Talk to Dad on the phone. (For two people who haven't been together in YEARS, they sure called in sequence. Why is that?) Bucket's band-aid came off while I was chatting with my dad ... SCREAMING. (Whereas, before that, the children were quite peacefully communing with the siren vocal stylings of Disney's Snow White. And had each worked on eating a muffin as large as their HEADS.) So I took care of that. This is why I really SHOULD remember to pick up a ginormous package of Band-Aids at Costco next time.

But the kids wanted a bath. So a bath they got. And then I instituted reading time ... and I read them two books (I know, how awesome am I? I actually LEFT THE COMPUTER and SPENT TIME WITH MY OFFSPRING. I should get, like, a friggin' Nobel Prize or something. *rolls eyes*). And I told them that it was nap time. And Bucket asked me to leave the door open ... and I said, "Okay, as long as you stay in bed. If you get out of bed, I have to close the door, since I need to work at cleaning up the house." And they agreed. So, the door is open. I ran a load of laundry, cleaned off my crap from the small counter (it still needs work, but it's WAY better) ... and am taking a break before I think about cleaning off my disaster area of a desk and doing another load of dishes and folding some laundry and reading another book (or two, since I have a metric crapload of literature due back at the library in the next week. *sigh*).
Bruise did play in his bed for a while ... but last I looked, he got bored and, since he was (noticeably) tired, he's asleep.

In other news, we've gotten ourselves a membership (which explains the trip to Salem) at the A.C. Gilbert House (and, via that, OMSI and a few other Science Museums. Hey, with a membership at these places, it came with a coupon sheet for a few other museums -- There's a two-for-one coupon for the Portland Children's Museum. Cool, cool. I think the kidlets would like to go there sometime.) So, Saturday, we went to OMSI with bil (brother-in-law) J and Mom and Dad C. The kids had a great time ... Bucket even conked out in the car on the way home.

Sometime, Michael and I will ditch the kids and go up ourselves to check out the DaVinci exhibit. (And, crappit, I totally forgot my camera this time!! Grr. Oh well. I still had a great time.)

Bucket looked at the fetal development exhibit with me. She's rather amazed that she was ever so small. Come to think of it, so am I.

Okay, I've got to close this up. My house isn't going to clean itself. Even though I really, really, really, RILLY wish it would. (Oh, my dears, I DO so wish it would. But it never does. And I don't think it ever will.)

So ... yeah.

And, hey, if you want me to make you something crafty-crafty ... or maybe just half-crafty, since I'm not all that crafty (Hey, just keeping it real.), you should sign up on the previous post. There are three spaces left! You know that you want to make me wrack my brain to figure out something that I feel talented enough at to DO for someone else! Or, hey, you could just NOT ... and let me be all lazy. I'm pretty easily pleased.

Crafty Tag

So, I've signed up for my Bri-Bri's tag (and, dudes and dudettes, if you hurry, you can get cool stuff from my Bri. Seriously ... she's a busy girl ... and wonderfully creative. You should totally make her head "asplode" by having her tag list filled. Hurry! Three spots left!)

I really almost didn't sign up for it myself. NOT because I don't LOVE AND ADORE her ... but because I'm a lazy git. I NEVER know what to do that is creative and fun and whatever ... (which explains to the rest of my dear, sweet, BELOVED, dear and wonderful friends why I haven't signed up to yours recently. No offense, y'all. It's just that I have NO clue what to do for anyone else who signs up.)

And, really, the last time that I signed up (from my dear Dianne's blog), NOT A SOUL took me up on the pass-it-on bit.
So, yes, I got a wonderful CD from Dianne ... and I didn't have to do a gol-durned thing. I totally lucked out on that, huh?

BUT I'm willing to work at it this time. And, like Aubri, I'm going to post my little addendums, my quid-pro-quos up front.

So, the main gist is that the FIRST FIVE (if I even get that many. Just keepin' it realz, here) commenters to this post will get something that I've made. 
If you comment, you need to post this on your blog (or what's the fun in that? Hey, maybe less than five people will take you up? Maybe, if you're really crafty or into this, you can shoose to do MORE than five! Rules, schmules!) and be willing to pass the crafty-whatever luff on.

So, yeah, if you want to make me work at this, comment away.

Here's the list of limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year. (Sometime during 2009)
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

Yeah, I get to choose what I make. If you're local and I know you and all, I could -maybe, I'm not promising anything!- invite you over for dinner or bring you a dessert. If you're farther away ... well, that's not quite so much of an option.

I will allow you to make requests ... I don't promise to honor the request. But if you're REALLY jonesing for a mixed-CD of what I currently listen to in the car ... or a fun Christmas mix ... or something, let me know.
If you have a FAVORITE above all other favorites color, I wouldn't mind you passing on that info.

If you have allergies? That'd be good to know. Especially since I live in a two-cat house. (As opposed to a cathouse. That'd be bad. Real bad.)

And I refuse to listen to any whining for what I've done. Compliments only, please. :P
I've already been totally upfront that I don't consider myself all that hand-crafty or creative. So, in the words of stereotypical moms everywhere, "You're gonna like what you get, whether you like it or not!"

And ... yeah, I think that covers it.
And, if you want crafts by some of my other friends that are doing the tag, here's a list of some whose lists aren't completely full (as of March 1, 9 AM):

• Bri's mom, who is FAB-U-LOUS! (And, I should totally jump on her list, since she loves me anyways. ^_^)
• Lacy - Her list is only for three. Still, she's amazing and darling. And expecting her third child. (Two left, since *I* just signed up for it! HA! ... and it's probably cheating. Like double-dipping. But I DON'T CARE! So, ha-HA!)
• Bri-Bri still has three spots left on her post ... better hurry!
  
• My friend, Nicole, whose blog is private (so you might not be able to hop on this one, but still!) is offering the same Pay-it-forward-to-five tag. If you can get to her blog, you should -- She's got just the one spot left! I might just triple-dip (since I'm feeling TERRIBLY REBELLIOUS today) and nab THAT spot, too. :P
   If you can't get to her blog, then you could order something from her shop. (Nursing wraps, blankets, burp cloths, wash cloths, and those cool pockets for diapers and wipes.)
  (Seriously, I need to order one of those pocket-things. I have about three diapers swimming randomly in my purse. And I'll pull them out and they're all wonky ... like there's a ghost/debris baby somewhere in my purse, since they're all curved and wrinkled. And I didn't know disposable diapers COULD get all wrinkled and odd like that.)
• Bri's friend, Lisa, is who got Bri (and therefore, ME) on this tag ... So, you have options.

 And, hey, if you get to a list and it's all full? Then you should totally follow the links of the people who've signed up. you might get a new friend or something.

And, I agree with Lisa, Bri, and Bri's mom: You should totally post pictures of what you get. Sharing is caring and all that jazz.

So ... yeah. Sign up if you want. And, hey, if you're getting all ticked about my double-dipping, if you ask nicely, I might just extend my generosity and pass-it-on to a few more people. ^_^
I'm cool with trying to make it fair.

And, hey, if you want me to be lazy and all ... I'm down with that, too. Since I'm so GOOD at it and all. :P