National Lampoon's Minneapolis Vacation

You know the scene in "Vacation" when the Griswold's end up lost in the ghetto?

It happens. One minute, you're in downtown Minneapolis. Then you go around the building, and you know there could be serious trouble. And I'm not just talking about the guy walking down the street that looked like a zombie. I'm talking about groups of people standing around looking scary, and a paddy wagon stopped in front of one of those groups., which happened to be in front of the Salvation Army. Thankfully, it was still light out and we were able to get out fast. We were able to laugh at it.

We laughed a LOT this weekend. We went to see Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood and it was the FUNNIEST THING EVER. We laughed for 2.5 hours straight, including the intermission. It was worth the 4.5 hour drive...and we're very excited they're going to be in Milwaukee in January. We figure since it's an improv show, seeing them more than once wouldn't be redundant.

Other than that show, dinner at the Loon Cafe, and the hotel we stayed at, Minneapolis was a disaster. The hotel was good because they give turn-down service to "club level" members. We got the club room because it included free room-service breakfast and "high speed" internet. We didn't know about the turn-down serivce though, so when we got back from the show and our bed was made and there were new towels and stuff, it was a bit freaky. My husband went to get ice and when he got to the machine he realized there was ice in the bucket already. We didn't know where it came from.

Anyway, I can not tell you how many times we got lost or turned around in that damn city. On Saturday it was funny. Street names include S 1st St and S 1st Ave. That's not confusing enough. But it was all laughable.

Sunday is a different story. I shit you not, it took us 2 F(*(ING hours to get out of Minneapolis. (I apologize to anyone reading this that enjoys MNPLS...I do NOT. I should have gotten better directions, I suppose). There are a lot of one-way streets in downtown Minneapolis. And when we got lost Saturday, we were seeing a lot of signs for the interstate. We couldn't find them today. We had looked at the map online before we left the hotel, and it looked plain to us. Hwy 55 runs into the interstate. Yes, 94W. We want to go east. And when we FINALLY (after a lot of searching) found an entrance to I94 East, it was under construction. Closed. Ok, there's a detour sign. Never fun, but it's got to take us where we need to be. So we're following this highway, and there's a detour 94E sign pointing up and to the right. So we took the exit. Realizing right away that there must have been another exit right under the bridge that was actually the detour. Shit. We have to get across the highway we were just on, get turned around, and back where we came from. Easy, right? Not so much. I swear to God, the side road ended with no way to get across the highway. We had to take some random way back because part of the side road was one-way, and we finally found our way back onto the highway and to the correct detour. We still have not found 94E, still detouring.

OOH! What's that? A sign for 94E. GET ON! We do that, and are determined to make it out of town without getting off the highway. But we really need gas, and the only places we've seen gas stations were really shady areas. We're trying to find something a little less scary. We see a BP, but we've passed the exit because there wasn't a big blue sign that said "GAS" on it. So we get off at this exit that has "attractions" on the big blue sign. No gas stations. We actually go BACK two exits to the BP. There's a guy washing windshields, and that creeps me out. D can't get the pump to work, so we decide to head across the street to the other gas station. Still not a great area, but dammit, we're down to about 20 miles until we're out of gas, and we haven't even made it to St. Paul yet. We get our gas, get back on 94E and GO GO GO.

Needless to say, it was a LONG day. I cried a little bit, but there was no yelling. I was very glad to know that we could get through that without yelling. A lot of times it would be each person blaming the other, even though it is NO ONE'S fault. We don't do that, and I consider myself very lucky for that.

We finally made it home, and I can tell you I will not be going back to Minneapolis. I'm pretty sure my husband won't be either.

EVER.

Another song...

I don't listen to my old station much anymore...but when I do, I often hear a new song. This one was on while I was sitting in the car with my 6yo niece last night, waiting for the rain to stop so we could watch her sister's soccer game. It caught me instantly, and I can't wait to hear the whole thing.

Find Out Who Your Friends Are by Tracy Lawrence (With Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw)

Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
Get yourself in a bind
lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor
need a couch
need a bus fare
This is where the rubber meets the road
This is where the cream is gonna rise
This is what you really didn't know
This is where the truth don't lie
You find out who you're friends are
Somebody's gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas get there fast
Never stop to think 'what's in it for me' or 'it's way too far'
They just show on up with their big old heart
You find out who you're friends are
Everybody wants to slap your back
wants to shake your hand
when you're up on top of that mountain
But let one of those rocks give way
then you slide back down
look up and see who's around then
This ain't where the road comes to an end
This ain't where the bandwagon stops
This is just one of those times when
A lot of folks jump off
When the water's high
When the weather's not so fair
When the well runs dry
Who's gonna be there

You find out who you're friends are
Somebody's gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas get there fast
Never stop to think 'what's in it for me' or 'it's way too far'
They just show on up with their big old heart
You find out who you're friends are

Pictures!

We have painted the room, and yesterday my friend Mike came over to install the floors. I am so excited! The room looks so much better. Now, if my husband would only start putting the crib and changing table together.

(FYI, when we bought the house, the sellers had a young boy and girl. They shared this bedroom. 2 walls were BRIGHT pink, 2 light blue. we changed them to all light blue, and have since painted again...since we don't know what we're having. the room also used to have some nasty carpet.)

Time is running out (I have just over 10 weeks left) and my temper is running short. I'm crying (or at least choking up) about everything. It's more painful/difficult to move every day.

But it's all gonna be worth it.

That's what they say, anyway!

Why?

I'm watching Cops. This woman got "pulled over" on her bike and they found a bunch of drugs in her backpack. she said she didn't know how it got there. kept claiming innocence.

the cop takes her to an interview/interrogation room and asks her. she finally admits to it, and says she lied because it's too hard to admit to this problem. she starts to cry.

why the HELL am I getting choked up for this woman?

Because I'm pregnant, and that's what we do.

this is fun. seriously.

I get into work at 7am (well, a little after that, since I can't have access to the building until 7) and the 2 people I work directly with come in at 8. I did some work before they got in, and as soon as the first one got here, I said "I have worked on some of these, just waiting for you to look at them and let me know how to proceed."

it's 9:54 people. and i still haven't heard from her that she has time to work with me. (initially she said she just had one thing to wrap up and she'd be good to go).

i know it's stupid, but i don't feel like repeating myself and telling her i need help.

*edit: i did it. i bit the bullet and asked again. and no one said "what have you been doing for the past 2+ hours?"

i wish it were july 13 (my last planned day at work).

oh i know what i can do. look up 3WW on Bone's blog (since TC probably doesn't have it posted yet) and work on that!!!

I know you're dying to know

Madeline Ruth.

Finally, a freakin' name for the poor girl!

Good mother vs. Bad mother

I found this link on a message board I frequent. It really is for all current moms, moms-to-be, and every single one of us that has ever put a mom down for doing something we didn't think was right.

And I think that includes every woman (and some men) that I have ever known.

Article

She Has A Name!

The baby I spoke of yesterday has a name.

I just don't know what it is.

My husband says "T told me the baby's name. It was going to be Reagan or something else. It's not Reagan. I can't remember the other name."

I told him he needs to start writing things down. I need to know what this baby is going to be called. Not what it MIGHT have been called.

Men.

mostly about babies

Some friends of my husband (they're my friends now too, but were his friends first) had their baby last night, a girl weighing in at just over 8#. He started giving me all the stats, and I said "I don't care, what's her name?" (because I want to make sure it's not one we're thinking of...) and he said "She doesn't have one yet."

I would understand if this baby had been born 4 weeks early or something, but she was 8 days LATE. What have you been doing, if not picking a name? I've been thinking names since before we even got married!!!

(Dear T {baby's dad}: I'm sorry. But seriously. Why don't you have a name picked out yet?)

According to the new dad, she's a screamer. My husband said "It's because she found out you're her dad!" How nice.

Our nursery floor is getting installed next Monday (memorial day). Wood laminate. We're so excited!!!! A friend of mine is doing it for free (we just pay for the material), which makes it even better! then we can finally put up the crib!

Tomorrow is our last monthly appointment, and then they start coming every 2 weeks. and then every week. that will be good...at least for me. hardly time to get worked up over nothing in between appointments! 3 weeks from this Thursday we start our parenting classes. Eee gads! There are so many things I hope we learn!

I read the baby his/her first book yesterday, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It's a cute book...I can't say I've read it before. I have another book with nursery rhyme type things in it that I will probably start reading from soon. It's a far cry from the book I'm reading now!

Work is slow.

(I had to put that in so not everything was about babies!)

Famous In A Small Town

I'm not from a small town, and I will probably never know how this feels (but I know people who do!) Unless I move back to the town my husband is from, and in that case, it won't quite be the same. His family practically owns it. And we're practically hermits, so no one would know what we're doing anyway! Oh, and the town isn't big enough! I really wanted to post these for TC because she IS from a small town. Regardless, I love the song!

Famous In A Small Town by Miranda Lambert

They say life is so much sweeter
Through the telephoto lens of fame
Around here you get just as much attention
Cheerin' at the high school football game
I dreamed of going to Nashville
Put my money down and placed my bet
But I just got the first buck of the season
I made the front page of the Turnertown Gazette
Every last one, route one, rural hearts got a story to tell
Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend
Maybe knows us just a little too well
Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail
Hey words gonna get around
Everybody dies famous in a small town
Tyler and Casey broke up
It ended pretty quietly
We heard he was caught red-handed with her mama
That's just what they let us all believe
Every last one, route one, rural hearts got a story to tell
Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend
Maybe knows us just a little too well
Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail
Hey words gonna get around
Everybody dies famous in a small town
Baby who needs their faces in a magazine
Me and you we've been stars of the town since we were 17
Let's go on down to the quick stop
Wear your yellow shades
And I'll put on my tight jeans
And we'll just spend the weekend burnin' rubber
And we'll let em point and stare distantly
Every last one, route one, rural hearts got a story to tell
Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend
Maybe knows us just a little too well
Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail
Hey words gonna get around
Everybody dies famous in a small town

mental health days=best days ever

i didn't go to work today. i just couldn't. i don't enjoy my job. i'm tired a lot (apparently it's normal in the 3rd trimester which starts on saturday). i get frustrated at work and spend a lot of time trying not to cry. that's not good for anyone!

so, today I called in "not feeling so hot". ie: i'm taking a day off and i'm not even sick. i just want to sleep until i feel like waking up, and spend the day doing whatever i want! which is what i did today.

tonight, DC and I watched Grey's Anatomy "together". Ok, she's in DC and I'm not...so we chatted. And that was fun. Check out her blog for a recap. Too bad we waited til the freakin' season finale to chat during the show!

It was a great day. I don't know how I'll get through work tomorrow after having today off!

I haven't mentioned work in a while....

It is still quite boring. I really spend a lot of my day on the internet. And I don't care. SOMEONE must not realize I don't have much to do. Oh well.

Anyway, yesterday I was asked about an item, and I said "I'm working on it. Waiting to hear back." That seemed to satisfy...temporarily.

Today, it was "Why is this item flagged?" and I said "It's the one I'm waiting to hear about." (yes, same as yesterday). "Well maybe we could do this." and I said "already tried that, nothing works." I was then asked "Who did you email?" and I replied "S, who forwarded it to B." I got the OK sign and "That's exactly what you should have done."

Yes, I know this. Because I asked what I should do with it yesterday. So please, don't ask me tomorrow why that item is flagged. I don't think I can go through it again.

Maybe it's just me...

...but this is what you would call fate!!

an email conversation with a co-worker went like this:

me:How come, on the day I forget my lunch, the cafeteria is serving crap?
her: YEAH, THAT'S JUST THE WAY LIFE GOES. MURPHY'S LAW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
me: Murphy’s a bitch! I guess I have to go somewhere else!
her: YES, MURPHY IS. AT LEAST PANERA IS CLOSE
me: My first thought was arby’s and you know what? It’s on Murphy Drive.

Seriously folks...who could pass that up?

I'm goin' to Arby's today.

Could this be the end of an era?

I flipped on ESPN today to see the results of the Bulls/Pistons game, and saw something scroll across the bottom that I could not believe.

THIS story could mean the end is coming. I would think, if Favre was so unhappy with the draft results, he won't stick around after this year. It's been hard for him to decide in the last couple years...I think this might have been a deal breaker.

Enough of that...this was my first (while unofficial) Mother's Day. I got season 2 of 90210. Couldn't be better! Our parents came over for lunch (we grilled out) and it was a nice day. Although halfway through the meal I realized I forgot the asparagus and corn on the cob. Oh well. Pregnancy brain at work!!!

Now it's time for some Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I won't be able to handle the emotion of this show much longer, so I watch while I can!!

Hope you had a great Mother's Day!

I put my yogurt in the fridge

If there's one thing about pregnancy that is annoying on a daily basis, it's EVERYTHING. I have no brain. A very good friend of mine...her birthday is the 28th. I haven't sent her a card. Oh, the 28th of APRIL. I just put pen to paper today to write out a card. When do you think I'll get it to the mailbox?

Everything is irritating. Moreso than normal. The fact that they clean out the fridge here EVERY friday, regardless. I lost a tub of country crock. so my bagel this morning was plain. and most of it is in the garbage.

People drive SO slow during rush hour. doesn't rush mean fast? at LEAST go the required 5-over, dumbass.

And the "little" things. This girl's laugh. This other girl...the way she answers the phone. And the way she sounds like a fog horn on a ship coming in at night when she blows her nose.

Good thing the work week is only 5 days.

They call it Three Word Wednesday

Usually these things are done on Wednesday. three word thursday sounds good enough to me. Go to TC's blog for a bit more info. To put it simply, we're given three words and are asked to create a story. Today's words are: Packed, Cozy, and Anticipation.

Here we go...

It was a chilly October day. She'd had it planned months in advance. The anticipation was killing her. But it would be worth it. All the driving. The unbelivable cost of it all. It was his birthday, though, and unbeknownst to them, the last they would spend together as a family of 2.

It started out rough. The map she'd found online was wrong. It should have been a simple drive..she'd done it many times before. After realizing the map was wrong, they found their way to a cozy town a couple hours northeast of Madison. They stopped at a restaurant very similar to one of his favorites. Dinner was great, and from there they drove to the hotel included in this package deal. She'd finally explained to him what was going on, and he was as excited as she'd hoped he'd be.

They went to the store, needing a marker, a piece of poster board and some stencil letters.

Early the next morning they boarded the bus. It was packed, which put her mind at ease. She wasn't the only one who thought it was all worth it. Some had travelled much farther-Indianapolis and Nashville, for example.

They spent all day in the sun. It had started out cold, but the afternoon was beautiful and there they were, the end of October, outside, in t-shirts. With thousands of other die-hards.

The drive back to the hotel was long...the driver got lost, and the guy from Indianapolis was quite a talker! Poor guy from Nashville was told he had to be at work at bright and early the next morning. He wouldn't get out of town until 5:30 or later, and it would be at least an 11 hour drive for him. But even then, it was all worth it. Because that afternoon, out in the sun, the announcer had told them some great news.

Green Bay Packers, 31
Arizona Cardinals, 14

(by the way...completely true story, if you couldn't tell! when i saw the words on TC's blog, it was the very first thing that came to my mind!)

Who knew?!

Panera Bread (oh YUM!) is very close to my work, and I didn't even know. Needless to say, when I met Amy for lunch today, I was way early. That's ok though...I got my soup and sandwich and read People until she got there. (Rachael Ray is on the cover, by the way). It's always fun meeting blog friends...it's as if I really do know them before we even meet. It was a good lunch...hopefully we'll go again soon! (not that I need to go to Panera every day...but I could....Mediterranean veggie sandwich and a cup of french onion soup, please!)

Went to another (useless) training at work today. That makes 3 of them now. I don't do anything with what they teach me...and if I ever do, I'll have to be trained again anyway. I would say I probably won't use any of it in the next 2 months though. And that's about how long I plan on working. Now, if they gave me official training on the things I actually DO do (yes, I just said doodoo)...well THAT's a concept, huh?

Here's a little bit of TMI/useless info for ya: my friend's 6 year old nephew (her husband's nephew, to be exact) wears pull-ups. In case you didn't know, they are potty-training pants. He's SIX. and he peed right through them the other night. His pants were SOAKED. and his mom let him continue on with the church program he was in.

Remember when?

Remember this post?

I was upset, naturally. Then I realized how little stress there was in my life, compared to the previous 5 years.

Things changed there, and I wanted to be a part of it again, part-time.

Not anymore. The shit just keeps falling. They're making major changes (bad, in my opinion) and I can say for sure that I want no part of it.

Again, I was upset when it happened. But now, I am SO glad I'm not there, in the middle of it all.

There is ONE full-timer there that was full-time when I left. ONE. Out of 7. Ridiculous. I've only been gone 3 months. 6 people fired, quit or demoted in 3 months.

Yikes.

I'm so excited!

When I lived with my cousin in 2003, I heard her say she wanted to sing the National Anthem at a Madison Mallards baseball game someday.

Back in September, I gave my her a wedding shower gift that I knew she'd never forget. I was able (through work) to get her a letter from one of the PR guys for the Mallards inviting her to sing at one of their 2007 games.

I'm excited to say she didn't fail me...she finally set the date, and will be singing the National Anthem at the June 10 Mallards game!!!

Anyone in the area interested in going to a Mallards game this summer...June 10 would be a great time to go!!!

Do you watch Greys Anatomy?

DC usually posts a recap of the previous night's episode, but she wasn't up for it today. So I'll do my "best"...which won't even compare, but I'm gonna try. Just for TC.

WTF? that's the best I can come up with. They previewed this episode as a "2 hour event" and I'm pretty sure they said it would be something "you can't miss". If you did, you weren't really missing anything.

Addison is getting a spinoff, and they shoved it into last nights episode of Grey's. From what I have read, people aren't thrilled, and were upset that it wasn't very much of a Grey's episode. It was Addison at this place in LA that is a co-op. Multiple doctors, doing multiple things. And a young guy at the front desk who likes to go surfing at lunch time.

Taye Diggs and Tim Daly are a couple of the "stars".

She heroically saves a woman giving birth to what she thought was another woman's baby (surrogate) but turns out to be her own. She got implanted, had sex with 3 guys, and the implant didn't take. No one knows who the father is yet. Could be the husband of the woman she was going to be a surrogate for, the ex-husband of that woman, or the man he left her for. (I think I got that straight...)

Then there was the mysterious lady talking to Addison in the elevator...and the kiss in the stairwell.

In between we saw a few shots of Seattle Grace. Meredith's step mom came in with non-stop hiccupping. She had a couple procedures. Thatcher thought she was making it up so Meredith would spend time with him. She had complications, and ended up dying. Meredith's dad slapped her and said "she trusted you!"

cristina's and burke's moms came to help plan the wedding. cristina "asked" callie to be a bridesmaid, as well as izzie and meredith. things looked like they might be going ok between callie and izzie, until izzie and george kissed in the elevator. moments later, the door opened and there was callie, completely blind to what is obviously still going on.

ok, it sucks, i know. i'm not much of a recapper. but last night...well, it wasn't much of a show. i hope next week is back to normal. there are only 2 episodes left of the season. as for addison's spinoff? i doubt it.

"NEWS" of the day...

I sometimes read Fark, and if you haven't you should check it out. It can be VERY funny.

Here's a news story they linked to today:

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2855970&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1

I can't believe it's April 30!

A couple weeks ago I told my husband I wanted to start keeping better track of our finances, and specifically where it all goes. I said "May 1, let's start" and here it is April 30. May 1 is tomorrow, and I have to figure out how to do this budget!!! Good thing all my "fun" spending came before May 1! Wednesday I went to a Pampered Chef party and bought an i-Slice, a chopper, a mix-n-chop, a scraper...i think that's it. Friday was a Tastefully Simple party and i bought all sorts of things there too. Like the Si Si Cilantro Spicy Dip Mix and Some Nana's Apple Cake Mix. I'm a sucker for all that stuff. And thankfully it doesn't have to go on my budget tracker, because i bought it before May 1! :o)
It was a beautiful weekend, but we didn't spend much time outside. We went to home depot to pick up paint (Tinker Bell) on Saturday, but everyone else was already there so we just skipped it. We watched the NFL Draft (YAY Joe Thomas!) grilled out burgers for lunch and brats for dinner (it was a great day, we had to use the grill!) and then went to my brother-in-laws for a fire. Sunday was SO lazy. I made breakfast and was ready to do some shopping, but decided on a 2 hour nap instead. I watched some basketball and didn't even get dressed until 7:30pm. I went to walmart for a few things, and was back in my PJ's to watch Desperate Housewives just after 8!
All-in-all, a great weekend. Next weekend will see paint (in the nursery), a put-together crib, and another bonfire at the brother-in-law's house!
Oh, and I almost forgot. My MIL let us know of a house going up for sale in the next month or so in my husband's hometown (where she and his brother still live). As if being pregnant in the middle of summer isn't enough, now she wants us to MOVE? I guess that's what we get for telling her (just the day before) that we plan on moving back there someday. Meaning: someday when A)I'm not pregnant and B) the work on our current house is done!

Seriously?

Us "temps" got this email this morning:

It was just brought to my attention this morning, per our Facility Manager, that only "COMPANY" employees are allowed access cards to the building, which are the one's I handed out a couple weeks ago. Please put a yellow sticky with your name on the card and turn it in to me by the end of the day today. I apologize! If you need access into the building before 7am, or weekends, please see your manager.

This just kind of makes me sick. I start at 7am. Apparently they want me to be late every day. I said it before, I'm not changing my hours. If you can't "trust" us enough to have access access to the building during "off" hours...that's just too bad.

can you tell i'm not very HAPPY here?

this sucks

most people at my job have 1 specialty. that, or they are a boss that oversees a team. and they get paid as such.

me...i still (after over a month) do "whatever". i work with 2 different departments, doing two totally different things. and you know what? most of the time that "work" consists of waiting for someone to give me something to do. and the chances of me knowing how to do said "work" without asking a billion questions is unlikely.

i'm really starting to wonder if i should be here full-time, if at all. it's making me crazy, and that's not good for anyone. i got chewed out yesterday for not finishing a report before i left monday. HELLO. NO ONE TOLD ME IT WAS PRIORITY. i was told i might need to change my hours because it needs to be done every day. (btw, yesterday's report came "late last night", so i couldn't do it until this morning anyway. good thing i didn't stay late waiting for it!)

i am not changing my hours. no thanks. i chose to work 7-330, i told you that my first week here, and if that's a problem, find someone else. because i'm completely willing to find a job where i actually work. (yesterday, for example: by noon, i had done about 10 minutes worth of work).

sorry...i'm a little irritated.

Buying a crib

Choice 1: out of stock
other stores: nothing desirable/sturdy
back to store 1
choice 2: out of stock
choice 3: in stock, not something i love

FINALLY talk to sales person. choice 2? Nope, out of stock and back-ordered. don't know when it will be ordered. could check another store 70+ miles away. you want me to check choice 1? oh look, it's in stock. delivery? $90 to your house 10 minutes away. would still be $90 from that store 70+ miles away. what's that? you want me to put it in your truck so you can take it home? sounds good.

So there you have it. Lesson learned. ASK someone when you see an "out of stock" sign on something you really want. We got the crib we really wanted. Sturdy, looks good, and inexpensive. As if that part mattered, my mom bought it! But still. The less she pays for this, the more she might buy in the end! She is the grandma after all!

Anyone want to come and paint the baby's room so we can set this crib up?

i knew there was a reason...

i drive 50+ miles to work and back each day. for a temporary job. this morning i was hungry, and wanted to stop at the grocery store for a muffin, but they weren't open yet. so i thought "Ok, I'll do mcdonalds". And then I saw it. A beautiful sight. And the best chocolate creme-filled donut I've had in a long time for $1.

Scott's Pastry Shoppe in Middleton

It's on my way to work, and very convenient.

I might stop in tomorrow and actually browse. This morning I was just so excited to realize it was there that I Just ordered the first thing I saw. And it was delish!

One down...

A million to go!

My cousin had her baby yesterday, about 10 days early. Her mom was supposed to fly down to NC next Tuesday, but got the call that she wouldn't last through the week. So she flew down Tuesday night and Marin Elizabeth (still over 8lb) was born Wednesday morning. Marin joins her 19 month old brother Matthew in what is to be a VERY busy household! (seriously...two kids under 2...i couldn't handle it!)

Congrats to my cousin and her expanding family!

Besides...

Besides:

*one cancelled and one delayed flight on Thursday
*the lady at the madison airport telling me i couldn't use the bathroom, i had to board the cab to milwaukee (my husband convinced them, telling them i'm pregnant. i might use that excuse again someday, even if it isn't true) which got us there before the plane would have, had the flight not been cancelled
*tornado warnings (and a tornado less than 10 miles from us in Haltom City, TX) on Friday
*their McDonald's NOT having Cinnamelts
*40 degree weather (but lots of great free stuff at the baby expo) on Saturday
*and one delayed flight on Monday

my trip was great.

seriously. i have to stop travelling. i'm ruining it for others! :o)

I shouldn't travel

1pm Thursday, checking the weather/flights just before leaving for the airport.

Flight from Madison to Milwaukee: CANCELLED.

WHAT? My flight was "on time" an hour ago (i'd been checking for hours) and now it's CANECLLED?

I get to the airport and walk up to the counter. Lady says "Are you on the 2:20 flight?" and I said "Yes." She said "Go to door 7, there's a cab waiting." Holy crap people, you're sending me on a cab to Milwaukee?

Yes. That is what I did. And then I sat at Milwaukee for an extra hour, because the flight from there to Dallas, scheduled to leave at 3:50, finally boarded around 5pm.

I hope my flight home is a little smoother.

Oh, and the weather here? There was a tornado warning Friday night.

Cleveland so does NOT rock!

What's the deal? The Cleveland Indians haven't been able to play yet this season because of the weather/snow in their area. So the Brewers graciously give up their stadium because it has a roof on it. The Indians played there last night against the Angels and guess what? We're getting slammed with a freakin' WINTER STORM WARNING. And I'm supposed to leave for Texas tomorrow afternoon.
WTF???? Damn you, Cleveland!!!

Oh, and if that wasn't enough...the Brewers were playing in Florida and got RAINED OUT!

You want to borrow my horseradish?

Don't you hate those stupid forwarded emails that say "do this and your life will get so much better"? Here's one with a twist!

ONE. Give people a piece of your mind at least once a day - whether they want it or not
TWO. Marry a man or woman – period. Animal marriages will get you nowhere and strain conversations as you grow old together.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear - people are usually full of crap. Give them piece of your mind.
FOUR. When you say, "back off woman!" mean it. FIVE. When you say, "I cheated on you with your best friend," look the person in the eye. SIX. Be engaged at least six times before you get married. Seven’s the charm. SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight, but verify that with a one night stand. EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dream, unless it involves circus folk and antique farm equipment.
NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to feel really good about getting even with the bastard when you break up. TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling unless you thought up a REALLY good one!
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives - judge them by their shoes and car. TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly. If you can’t do this, be with somebody dumber than you.
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and say “you better get outta my face!"
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk, so go ahead and hitch up with that ex-con!
FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze, and “you’re such a pig” when they break wind
SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the chance to accuse someone of cheating. Do it quick! SEVENTEEN. Remember the three T's: tequila for yourself; tequila for others; and tortillas for all!
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship – blow it up into something irrevocable.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to cover it up. TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller won’t expect it when you bitch them out for calling so early.
TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone in the bathroom.

Now, here's the FUN part! Send this to at least 5 people and your life will improve by making theirs worse.
1-4 people: Your life will improve slightly and you’ll get a little laugh.
5-9 people: Your life will improve to your liking the more you see these miserable people.
9-14 people: You will have at least 5 surprises in the next 3 weeks – maybe have a party.
15 and above: Your life will improve drastically and everything you ever dreamed of will begin to take shape.

A true friend is someone who laughs at this. Do not keep this message!

no matter

no matter how bad my day is going

no matter how frustrated i am

no matter how much i want to cry over something small

no matter how scared i am to see my nieces tomorrow and hear their stories

no matter what...


when i feel that baby kick inside of me, it stops me in my tracks and reminds me that NOTHING ELSE MATTERS IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE.

my 3ww

TC does a post every wednesday (or thursday, depending) called Three Word Wednesday. Sometimes I try to use the words and come up with my own story. You can go to her blog for the "real" 3WW. I'm making up my own today. The three words I will use are:

fuckoff
asshole
druggies

two sisters went to stay with their grandma on sunday night, with monday being the first day of spring break. around midnight, gunfire rang out. their uncle was pistol-whipped and robbed. there were bullet holes in every wall except the one of the room they were huddled in. the oldest holding her younger sister, saying "just be quiet!" they were both scared out of their minds, but they stayed together and everyone is alright. the family would later learn that the place they were in used to be full of druggies. asshole druggies, apparently.
those two sisters are traumatized. and they are my 6 and 9 year old nieces.
so to you asshole druggies, all i can say is fuckoff.

I did one of these before...

I made a list of 100 things about me once. Maybe it was 101 things. I wonder how different this one will be than that one.

1. I love surprises...but I don't like to know a surprise is coming
2. I am a lot less stressed at my current job than I was at the last one
3. I miss some of the people I worked with terribly and hope I don't lose contact with them
4. I did not want kids until about 5 years ago
5. I did not take my SATs or ACTs, or the PSAT/PACTs
6. My dad would not let me (or my mom) mow the lawn while I was growing up. It was "man's" work.
7. I will ALWAYS be a Dixie Chicks fan
8. I really like the movie "Where The Heart Is"
9. I walked down the aisle to "I Cross My Heart" by George Strait
10. The recessional was the themes to 90210 and Seinfeld
11. I watch way too much television, and realize this will change when my child is born
12. I have to have the television on to fall asleep 99% of the time, and it needs to be something I'm interested it but have seen before
13. I am all about instant gratification...most of the time
14. I made more as a base salary when I was 21 than I probably ever will again
15. I took a $10,000/year pay cut to get into radio
16. People I know often shock me with their intelligence
17. Some also shock me with their stupidity
18. I am possibly the most impatient person you know. (ie: #1 and #13)
19. I got drunk on a country singer's bus, drinking Jager Bombs with him and some co-workers
20. I've always gotten along with more people older than me than younger
21. There are people in my life I should keep in contact with, but don't really have anything to say to.
22. 99% of the time I'm listening to ESPN Radio in my car
23. I ate SUSHI (the raw stuff!) for the first time at Ace Wasabi's Rock N Roll Sushi in San Francisco in 2003
24. I loved San Francisco
25. I love fruit
26. I hate housework
27. I don't mind grocery shopping...the bigger the store, the better
28. when we were looking for cats names, we came across Chamois (pronounced Shammy) and that's how I came up with Sami
29. Our other cat's name is Blu...don't ask
30. I dated a cop once
31. They say sometimes a woman marries her "dad". My dad's a mechanic, my husband is a computer geek. Couldn't be more different.
32. none of my ex's live in texas, but my oldest friend does
33. her brother surprised me by coming from arizona for my wedding
34. he wore a "Vote For Pedro" t-shirt to my reception
35. my husband and i both worked in government downtown madison for 2 years, and met at a bowling alley 6 years later
36. we actually "met" online
37. we met in Feb '04, moved in together May '04, got engaged in June '04 and married in July '05
38. I have occasional carpal tunnel, and it is aggravated by being pregnant
39. i don't have a favorite anything...it changes all the time. movies, television shows, food, etc
40. i think that makes me indecisive
41. i love small town shops and gourmet stores
42. i considered culinary school, once going on a tour of the culinary and hospitality institute of chicago
43. i didn't have the nerve/money
44. last time i went to illinois i used a friend's IPASS to save toll money
45. i love going to IKEA
46. i've had 12 roommates (not counting my husband)
47. in the (almost) 13 years since i graduated high school, there have only been 7 months i didn't have a car payment
48. in those same years, i have had 6 cars; 4 brand new and 2 used
49. my husband never had a car payment until he met me
50. my husband owns every episode of seinfeld that has been released on dvd
51. we have 3 functioning computers in our house at all times, not including the work laptop my husband is using right now
52. we sat outside best buy this past thanksgiving night for 6 hours to get a good deal on a television and laptop
53. i love to travel...by car or airplane.
54. my longest car ride was madison, wi to san francisco, ca
55. i hate answering unknown calls...i give the phone to my husband
56. i tend to look for the goofs/quirks of movies and tv shows. both sets of stairs on Full House lead to the exact same place...(watch it, you'll understand)
57. for a long time, i've felt Ian Ziering (Steve Sanders on 90210, current partner to Cheryl Burke on Dancing With The Stars) reminds me of my brother
58. I don't like watching characters get embarrassed on tv shows and in movies. i get embarrassed for them.
59. i cry. a lot.
60. i had to stop reading true crime books and watching daytime talk shows for a while. i was having anxiety problems.
61. i read the book on jeffrey dahmer
62. i have a friend that was working in manhattan on 9/11
63. i LOVE visiting big cities
64. i don't spend a lot of money on clothes or shoes
65. i think it is engrained in me to expect the worst
66. i'm trying to move past that
67. i am hoping my baby can teach me patience (among other things)
68. the names we have picked out are the ones on top of my husbands "favorites" list
69. i lost 2 friends in 10 months
70. the song "Wide Open Spaces" helped me get into the radio business
71. In high school, I said (even when I didn't want kids) I wanted my first son's name to be Christopher David
72. That will never happen
73. incense gives me a headache
74. scented candles do not
75. i am very competetive
76. i am a sucker for reality tv, but not Survivor
77. I lost a spelling bee on the word "lens". the judge asked me if i was finished, so i thought i should add something, so i added an "e". WRONG!
78. I grew up not knowing people actually pay money to go to the zoo, since ours is free
79. i went to the bronx zoo this summer, and it is HUGE and costs $14
80. i am right handed
81. my favorite new kid was/is Donnie
82. i thought napoleon dynamite was funny...but not the first time i watched it
83. i also didn't like dirty dancing when i first saw it, and it's one of my *many* favorites now
84. i currently have 771 recipes in my recipe blog
85. one of my favorite holidays is christmas
86. i don't understand the draw of watching a parade (having been in too many of them myself)
87. one of my favorite websites is IMDB
88. i read the gossip, but at the same time "hate" papparazzi
89. i love to watch it snow
90. i love to watch lightning
91. i hate to drive in snow
92. i got hit by the hail storm last year, driving 60mph on the beltline
93. golf-ball sized hail did not crack my windshield
94. i want to learn to golf
95. i worked overnights for almost 5 years
96. i was in radio for 8
97. i don't think i'll work in radio again
98. i love a good iced mocha
99. eating out is like a hobby
100. sometimes people talk and i don't want to listen.

Is anyone watching?

October Road is a new show on Thursdays and I love it! I wasn't sure at first, but last night when I was watching Thursday's episode, I found myself talking to the characters (Don't mess with her Eddie!) and being sad for them (Oh poor little Amanda!) I think it's a good show about a guy who went away for 10 years and is back in town after writing a best-seller based on his life. He's finding out that it's not so easy to go home, and that while some things have changed drastically, some have stayed the same. I hope the show continues, but I sure as heck hope they don't put it on Mondays!!!

the worst dream yet

last night has to be the worst. and it involved people i haven't seen in 10+ years.

I was with my best friend's mother, and we were going around the neighborhood i grew up in and shoveling out people's driveways, just to be nice. (which is funny because of a few things. i can't shovel right now...at least not anything heavy. we haven't had snow in a few weeks. and my friends mom had the worst driveway in the neighborhood...only enough snow removed to get her car into the garage.)

anyway, we were at the end of the driveway of a couple i used to babysit for (their oldest graduated high school a few years ago, if that tells you how long it's been since i babysat). we were shoveling when the dad came out. i don't remember the complete details of what happened, but it seems he had just recently murdered his entire family. and i think i was going to be next. i was trying to get away but it was pretty difficult. i was trying to call the police. just basically trying to not get murdered. at one point i was in my car (which is weird because we walked to the house) trying to get away, and he was reaching in to LOCK it (wouldn't he want to unlock it?). I eventually did get away, but it was disturbing.

it's the first dream i've had since the one about being late for my ultrasound. that one was based on REAL events. i sure as hell hope this one wasn't...

Here you go...

Two profile pictures, and one of a huge foot.

woo

I'm so busy here (so much so that they sent me home at noon with nothing to do yesterday) that there is a new temp starting on monday. I think it's because I keep "complaining" about not having a real desk, and i'm the only one in "temp tunnel", so they're putting someone in here to keep me company!

Have you seen the new Target return policy? It is bad. BAD. I have part of my baby registry on target's website, and I want to take everything off of there. But they have things I want that I can't find somewhere else. Seriously, read up on this. If you shop at Target, you'll need to know. I need to get the word out to anyone buying me a gift off my registry that they MUST give me a gift receipt, and make sure I have the gift within 90 days of purchase! I don't want to seem rude, but I do NOT want to have 2 $200 strollers and not be able to return one!

Beginning THIS SUNDAY - 4-1-07:
Normal Merchandise:
With a receipt - You are still golden! As long as it was dated within 90 days and has not expired (in which, like before, the receipt is useless), you're fine (an expired receipt apparently counts as no receipt)
Without a receipt (but can be looked up via credit card, debit card, or check) - As long as it was purchased in the last 90 days and you have the correct card/check with you, you're also fine.
Without a receipt - You have 2 no receipt ITEMS per year, still starting from the first transaction you use.
Without a receipt - The ITEM you use for a no receipt exchange can not exceed $40! And you may only return 2 no receipt ITEMS. FOR INSTANCE!!! IF YOU BUY 6 HAND TOWELS, AND DECIDE AGAINST THEM OR WHATEVER, YOU MAY ONLY RETURN 2 OF THEM AND THAT COUNTS AS YOUR 2 FOR THE YEAR!! Doesn't matter that you could fit all 6 on one transaction without exceeding the new $40 limit, it now turns into items instead of transactions. You can return 2 ITEMS a year without a receipt.
Store credit may be given if item totals less than $10.
Without a receipt - Exchanges can only be made for the lowest sale price the item has been in the last 90 days. So if that cute outfit was on sale last week for $3.50, and you paid $15.00, sorry, you can only exchange for $3.50.
Merchandise off a Registry
Gift purchase logs may still be used as gift receipts as long as item(s) were taken off the registry.

AND BEWARE BECAUSE AS OF AUGUST 1, 2007:
The limit for no receipt items (still limit of 2 ITEMS per year) drops from $40 each to $20 each!!!)
GIFT PURCHASE LOGS MAY NO LONGER BE USED AS GIFT RECEIPTS!!! NO GIFT RECEIPT (Doesn't matter if you weren't even GIVEN a gift receipt for it) YOU MUST FOLLOW THE NEW NO RECEIPT PROTOCOL!!
So basically - if you get duplicate strollers from target, you're stuck with them both starting August 1. If you didn't register for them or they didn't take them off your registry, you're stuck with them both starting April 1.
If you get 5 pair of shoes, and only like 1 pair, and you paid cash and lost your receipt, you're stuck with at least 2 pair (unless each pair are more than $40/$20- 8/1/07-in which you're stuck with all 5)
The bottom line is: If you have ANYTHING YOU NEED TO RETURN WITHOUT RECEIPTS - DO IT BEFORE THIS SUNDAY!!!!! I want to give you ALL a chance to return without receipts while the policy is still decent before it turns ugly! And urge EVERYONE YOU KNOW to GIVE GIFT RECEIPTS WITH THEIR GIFTS!!! And keep EVERY RECEIPT! Even if you have to make a special pocket in your wallet for just target receipts, don't throw ANY OF THEM OUT!!! Put them RIGHT IN YOUR WALLET for safekeeping!

babyland

all is well with baby. there is still only one, it is growing (11 ounces now, right on target) and heart is beating nice and steady. it wasn't very cooperative for the tech today, so I think it's a boy!!!

I do have pictures, but haven't been to scan them yet. tomorrow night, probably.

They keep getting weirder...

Last night's dream seemed to last forever, so getting out all the details will be nearly impossible. I can give you a basic run-down though.
I was meeting my husband (it wasn't actually him in my dream) to go to our 20 week ultrasound (which is today...) and he was late. And then we went to the wrong place. And then there were 3 other people with us, and we could NOT find where we were going. Even though we were on the correct street and had access to a map and a phone book. We just kept getting delayed, and could not get there in time. When we did, we were VERY late (and it was even another person playing my husband by this time) and they wouldn't take us. So I made him call to reschedule, and they wouldn't find time this week to fit us in. Said we'd have to go to our next monthly visit without ultrasound information. Our monthly visit is this Thursday. Apparently I'm VERY worried about missing this appointment!

In other, non-dream related news...did anyone watch SNL on Saturday? Oh my god, I almost peed my pants. And not because I'm pregnant. There was a skit where Peyton Manning's character went to a party with his wife, and there was a girl there that had to top everything someone said. I swear, it was the girl I work with! I couldn't believe it! I keep looking for the skit to be posted on you tube, but it's not there.

This morning, there was a really annoying driver on my ass on the beltline. And when I moved over, she took WAY too long to pass me, so I had to slow down. Seriously, it was like she just wanted to be on my ass. And you know what? Not only does she work in my building, but in my OFFICE. I had to let her in because she forgot her key card. I hate it when that kind of stuff happens!

Probably no more THAT GIRL updates. She's moved on to a cubicle, and I'm still in the tunnel waiting for a desk. I have nothing to do today except wait for 1:20 so I can leave for my doctor's appointment!

It's how I'll survive

I brought headphones today. I may not have anything to report about HER. But you never know. I'll do my best!

So far, actually, it's almost more irritating. I can just barely hear that SHE is talking, but I don't know about what. I HATE that.

Maybe I'll take the headphones off. Or I'll turn it up so I can't hear her at all...I'll just pretend she's not there.

It will be how I get through the day! :o)

*here's a good one. SHE asked HIM how to send a web page in an email. He told her to copy the whole page and paste it. Um...there's this thing on the toolbar that says "send a page" and you don't have to do any copy or paste crap. I love listening to someone give bad directions and not care enough to correct them!

It's another day

She's doing it again.

One of the women here said "I'm working on a stupid report" and SHE said "Your face is a stupid report."

Is there seriously something wrong with this girl?

SHE told me today she heard a rumor that I will get a cubicle near J (we discussed him yesterday) near the coffee room. I said "I don't drink coffee" and she said "I'll be visiting"

Oh I can't wait.

If you live/work/play in Sun Prairie...

HOLY CRAP!

SUN PRAIRIE - The aisles of the Copps Food Center here were crammed Tuesday with shoppers eager to check out the newest grocery offering in Dane County.
But the 60,000-square-foot store at the corner of highways C and 19 on Sun Prairie's west side may soon have more competition. And for those who shop, a lot more choices.
An official with Janesville- based Woodman's Food Market said this week that the company would bring plans to Sun Prairie officials within the next two months for a 200,000- square-foot store near highways C and 151.
Across the street from the 25- acre Woodman's parcel, Prairie Development is working on a 105-acre project that would include 890,000 square feet of retail (by comparison East Towne Mall has 839,000 square feet) and which might include another large grocery store.
"We are interested in the area," said Joshua Thomas, a spokesman for Target, when asked if a SuperTarget could be coming to Sun Prairie. "However, at this time it would be too soon to say we're coming for certain or to speculate on a possible opening date."
The food business is big business in Dane County.
A SuperTarget, which is a combination Target and grocery store, is scheduled to open in July in Fitchburg. A Wal- Mart Supercenter is slated to open in September in Monona and another is planned for Stoughton.

Sun Prairie is a prime example of the growth.
In 1980, this city known for its sweet-corn festival and Jimmy the Groundhog, had about 13,000 people. Today, it's just over 25,000 and some predict it will be home to 40,000 in the next 10 to 15 years.
Residents of the Sun Prairie School District are debating whether to build a second high school while a second fire and police station recently opened on the west side of Highway 151, where much of the growth is occurring.
Until Tuesday, a Pick 'n Save and Conrad's Sentry, which has been family owned for 60 years, were the two main grocery stores in the city. The addition of Copps and the potential for additional grocery stores could also help keep more of the grocery dollars in Sun Prairie, instead of forcing shoppers to travel to Madison.
The Woodman's store would also pull people from Madison and other outlying areas.
"It's a great location to capture all of the north side of Madison," said Woodman's vice president Clint Woodman. "That area is growing out there and Sun Prairie is a great community."
Woodman's has 11 stores and is building its 12th store in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek. The Sun Prairie store would employ about 200 people and could open by the fall of 2009, Woodman said.
Joe and Carl Conrad opened Conrad's Supermarket in 1947 after they returned home from World War II. Originally located in downtown Sun Prairie, the store has migrated to 1052 W. Main St. and has 50,000 square feet of space. Several of the employees have been with the store for 15 to 20 years and this year two employees celebrated more than 30 years with the store, said Nate Pederson, the grandson of Joe Conrad.
"We are going to do what we do best. And that's good customer service," Pederson said. "We've been in town for a long time and have some pretty loyal customers. We hope to keep them and gain some new business. I see us doing just fine."
At the Copps store on Tuesday, the talk was all about freshness. The store employs about 220 people and features larger produce, bakery, deli and seafood sections than regular Copps stores. It also has a sushi bar, salad bar, coffee shop and smoothie counter.
"I don't think we need two big stores like this," said shopper Barb Justl, 61, of Sun Prairie, when told of the Woodman's plan. "It certainly would hurt the smaller grocery stores."
The 99-cents-a-pound strawberries were popular, and so, too was the $4.99-a-pound fresh, farm-raised salmon. Copps seafood manager Randy Schultz said he may be selling 1,000 pounds of the fish per day by week's end. A former chef, Schultz's department also had on hand octopus salad, stone crab claws and whole trout raised at Rushing Waters Fisheries in Palmyra in southern Jefferson County.
"To have a background in how to prepare it goes a long way here," Schultz said.
Karen Flemal, 63, has lived in Sun Prairie for more than 30 years. She had her first taste of sushi Tuesday and her cart included green and white asparagus and oranges. Flemal said she won't abandon her shopping trips to the other stores and if more grocery stores come, it will mean more selection.
"Now, I don't know if we'll really need all of those, but I'll probably shop at all of them," she said.

about last night

here's another dream for you to analyze.

i was holding my cousin's son (he's 19 months and i've only met him a handful of times) while sitting in a chair at easter. i DROPPED him. literally on his head. no one really said anything. i just picked him up and continued to hold him. at one point he was actually talking to me. like a grownup. and he said something about the badgers being full of white guys. at that point he didn't really look like himself. But i dropped him two more times while holding him.

what the hell does that say about me becoming a mom????

i just gotta say

ok, it's my first real complaint about the new job. i finally have something to DO, which is really good. BUT, there are some strange people here.

the guy that works in our area, we'll call him J (just because. his name doesn't start with J). he's a different sort. i think he has something for one of the girls here. there are 4 girls and that one guy. he walks through our area this morning, and doesn't say anything (she was on the phone). when he came back, he said "Hi, B." As if she was the ONLY one here. Ok, that's real nice.

Then, B asked a question, and my answer was (she wasn't REALLY talking to me, but no one else was answering so I thought I would) "The kit is probably the dough and the sauce and stuff" and she said...get this..."I think your face looks like dough and sauce."

Seriously people. I'm 31 years old. And she's got to be in her 20's. But what the hell? Is she 6?

That's not the only thing she does either. She one of those "I can do you one better" kind of people. If I am telling a story, she's got one that's just a LITTLE bit better. And her comment when she opened her email this morning..."I have SO many emails from people asking me to do all this stuff" as if she's the most important person around. Get this in your head pretty lady. You're a temp, just like the rest of us. SO get off your damn soap box.

Ok, I'm done. For today.

*ok, just one more. everything with her is SO dramatic. everything she does wrong is going to delete the whole company. and it seems like she can't do what she's supposed to do. she always needs HIS help. it's getting more annoying as the day goes on. and it's only 9:47am. at least i have this outlet...

*i'm going to continue because it never ends. she told me that she normally stares at J while she eats her lunch (instead of going to the lunch room, of course, which is on the other side of the wall. since he's not around, she informed me she will be staring in my general direction. great.
then she said something about wishing she would have heard me on the radio to see if she could have picked out my voice. i said "My husband says i have two voices, a normal one and a radio one." and you know what? she, of course, has a roommate who has a voiceover voice, and it's pretty cool.

seriously. i'm going to strangle her. except that this is making for some pretty interesting blogging!

Oh What A Night!

I'm going to start documenting my dreams. They have become outrageous since I got pregnant. Apparently this happens to a lot of women. Now, they might not seem weird to you, but I hardly EVER remembered a dream before. I can't get through a night without a dream lately!

I went shopping w/my friend Julie. When I was done checking out, I went to get the car. I couldn't find mine, so I just started hitting the button on my remote clicker thing, and when I saw the car w/the flashing lights, I assumed it was mine. But other people were getting into it. It looked like my car, but apparently it wasn't, because these people were driving away. And I had the keys. So I got in the car with this other guy who was going to the same place as these people. He had a baby with him, and was holding it on his lap as he drove. So I yelled at him, and put the baby in the car seat.
When we got where we were going, I tried out my remote again, and it still worked...but so did the other key the people used to drive it home. Suddenly Julie appeared out of nowhere....I'd left her at the store and she walked to where we were. So I exchanged remotes with some guy, assuming that we must have mixed them up at the store or something. Julie and I headed back to the store, but still couldn't find my car. I did, however, see other cars that went along with the remote I had.
I went inside to call the police because obviously something had happened to my car. And while I was in there, we found my car, right outside the store. Where it should have been (and probably was) the whole time.

*anyone have a book to analyze THAT dream?

Nesting

It's like moving, but almost worse. I have packed up/thrown out so much crap. Stuff I haven't used in forever and is taking up space in my house. It's an obsession. As I am typing, I'm looking at all the unnecessary clutter surrounding this computer. I'm impatient for repairs to get done on my house. We need new base boards, we need a wall repaired, we'd like to fix the bathroom downstairs. I want it done NOW. Not so I can sell the house and buy a new one, but because once this baby comes, we wont' have the time OR money to get it done.

It's a strange feeling. Packing all your stuff and not going anywhere. It's almost as if part of my identity (the messy, cluttered part of it) is FINALLY being put away. I am becoming more organized. I should have done it long ago, for myself. But none of this is for me. It's so this baby can live comfortably. Maybe it's because I know we're going to start having more visitors in a few months, and the house needs to be kept up.

I hear it's something every new mom goes through. But seriously. If you saw my house before and came back to see it now, you'd wonder who moved in.

I think it's driving my husband crazy. I'm making him put his dirty clothes in a hamper and his clean ones in the dresser. Not both of them on the floor. I'm "making" him become a neater, more organized person too. I'm pretty sure he understands what I'm going through. He knew what a planner I was long before we got pregnant....he HAD to realize what this kind of life changing event was going to do to me! It's taken all my strength not to go buy the crib yet and put it up in the baby's room. I did pick out colors today. We're going to do the main color a sage-ish green, and accent in either blue or pink.

Hey, at least I'm not getting crazy yelling at him or crying over every little thing. Maybe that's because he does what I ask him to without much pushing. He must know better...

Woo!

I gots me a job! I start on Thursday in a business-casual (JEANS!) environment working in a call center but not having to actually talk on the phone.

It's temporary, and I'm very excited about that! I also get to start early if I want (to avoid rush hour and all). And did I mention I get to wear JEANS? YAY!

absenteeism

i've felt "away" for a while now. i find myself trying to come up with things to do that don't cost money or involve housework. there isn't much left, so i've seen a lot of tv. i have been reading your blogs, too. i just haven't done much commenting or posting of my own.

i made chili today. i started with a base recipe and then made it my own. i was pretty happy, cuz it turned out good!

PLEASE root for the Northwestern men's basketball team on Thursday. If they beat Michigan State, then we play Northwestern on Friday. Otherwise we have to play Michigan State again. For the 3rd time since February 20. Seeing Drew Neitzel and Tom Izzo 3 times in 17 days is not my cup of tea. However, I'd rather see them every day than ever see Greg Oden again. I really hope he goes NBA after this season.

I referred to my baby as a boy for the first time tonight. We don't know what it is and aren't going to find out. Up until now, I referred to it as "she". Tonight, I said "he hasn't grown past..." So a mother's instinct can be SO off. Because I'm only having one...there can't be a boy and a girl in there.

It's.Just.A.Game

Holy crap. Did anyone see that Wisconsin/Michigan State game yesterday? It was a hard game to watch. Well, at least for me. Being pregnant and unemployed, I am very emotional. So during the last 5 minutes on the clock, everything hit me. As if any of it matters in my life. You know, it being Tucker, Taylor and Chappel's last game at the Kohl Center. And seeing Tucker and Taylor's moms in the stands. And it being such a close game. I swear it's the truth when I say I cried the last 5 minutes of the game. Which felt more like 20 minutes in the real world. I closed my eyes right before Taylor hit the winning shot. I just couldn't stand to look. And then I had to calm myself down by saying "it's just a freakin' game!"

And now I feel completely stupid telling you this!

Must See TV

When I talk about a show I like, it's usually because there's a lot of laughter (Two and a half Men) or drama (Grey's Anatomy) or hot guys with guns (24) but this time it's totally different. I think it's a show everyone should see.
It's called "My Life As A Child" and it's on TLC Mondays at 6pm central. This week was the first episode, and I wasn't sure about it. But I fell in love with these kids. Basically, they give kids a video camera and they record their lives.
There was a 7 year old boy living with his mom and sister in an apartment in a bad neighborhood in Baltimore. He talked about murders in his neighborhood, and how all he wanted to do was be able to play outside. He lived with his grandmother during the week to go to a good school, and he walked up to her one day while she was cooking and thanked her for everything. He also told the camera that he thinks she is so strong and confident, and he wants to be like her.
There was another boy, living in LA, who had cerebral palsy. He was taking karate classes, and at the end of the episode, during his karate-themed birthday party, he was given his yellow belt. He talked about just wishing he could walk. His service dog was his dog slash brother. And his parents...he couldn't say enough good things about them.
It really is a fantastic show. Seeing life through the eyes of a child...it doesn't get any better than that. So if you get a chance, check it out.

The Good Stuff

I guess it all started when Rob & John moved to Australia, and sold us their snowblower for VERY cheap. We needed it today. We've gotten probably 13" of snow in the last two days.

It continued today when I opened the door to talk to my husband who was trying to shovel out the end of the driveway because the little (but much loved) snowblower we have couldn't stand up to what the plows had put there. I found an envelope in between the doors, and in that envelope was a beautiful mother/child necklace from Lisa. Thank you!

It "ended" when our neighbor came across the street with his heavy-duty blower and got us out of the end of our driveway.

It restores a little bit of faith in humanity, and I think we all need that sometimes!

complete randomness

i have a lot of time to think lately...what, without a job and all. don't worry, i'm looking. just maybe not really hard....

our garbage man rocks. we put out so much CRAP last night, and he took every last piece of it. even the suitcase that showed up out of nowhere...that wasn't ours. i was afraid there was going to be body pieces in it or something. yes, i watch to much crime tv.

all of that crap (besides the suitcase of course because it wasn't ours) came from what my friend referred to as "nesting". yes, i am nesting. and i didn't even know it until someone said "you should be nesting". we have thrown out so much stuff that we dont need to make room for the baby. and that, my friends, is nesting. it feels damn good too.

i think i'm going to have sushi for lunch today. not the raw-fish kind, because that is a no-no, but the cooked stuff. i'm dying for it.
*the sushi was fantastic! i think i mostly like the wasabi and pickled ginger!

i have a new resume that looks really great, thanks to a friend of my husband. if you know anyone who needs temporary office work in my area (i'll do anything. filing, answering phones, stapling, whatever) i'll do it. or a decent way to do computer work from home. i can be counted on up until around august 1st. i don't need a lot of money, i just need a reason to get out of the house. and i can't go shopping. cuz that's just silly.

i'm going away this weekend on the yearly trip with the AWOL group. all the women in my husband's family (I'm the youngest by 10+ years), including relatives from texas and elsewhere, get together once a year for a weekend of fun. we don't go far away, and we don't really do much, but it's time away from the men and kids, and that's what matters. i've already been assigned as designated driver...by my husband's 71 year old mother!

Thank you to the neighbor who brought back our Wisconsin Badgers yard flag. It flew off at some point a few weeks ago, and someone was kind enough to put it in our mailbox. It didn't help having it up last night, but we do appreciate having it back!

ok, i think that's it for now. i need to go get my sushi. which means i must get dressed. being unemployed, i don't do that much anymore!

I'm gonna miss it

While I won't miss some parts of my job, there are MANY parts I will miss. A LOT. I watched an interview with Kenny Chesney online this morning, and realized I'll probably never see a concert of his again. If I do, I'll probably have to pay for the tickets. I've only had to pay for 1 of the 5 or 6 of his I've seen. It'll be sad to be out of the loop. I've seen a lot of up-and-coming artists before they were stars. And I've seen a lot of stars. I got to hang out with Darryl Worley after one of his shows, listening to him talk about the civil war. I sat on a bus and talked with Shelly Fairchild and Steve Azar. I picked Trent Tomlinson up at his hotel and drove him to a show. I took Emerson Drive to their hotel to shower, and back to their show. I stood ON STAGE while Tracy Lawrence sang. I sang WITH Phil Vassar during "Piano Man". I helped choose winners of backstage passes to huge concerts. I got to introduce Kenny Chesney on stage before he really hit it big. I got to hear a song live before it hit the radio. I got to hear stories that I could never repeat. I got to take friends to concerts they never would have gone to. I got to dress up once a year and present awards to local artists. I got to eat dinner with Carolyn Dawn Johnson. I got to sell merchandise for artists like Jennifer Hanson, Josh Turner, and Bomshel while they performed. I chatted with Joe Diffie's merchandise girl while he was on stage. I got to help set up the stage for a Sugarland performance.

It was a wild ride. I'm gonna miss it. But, I have to remember that things are going to change for me in less than 6 months, and I'll have many more memories to make!

Are you SERIOUS?

That's my best blog-style Dick Vitale.

Vanderbilt BEAT #1 ranked Florida today! That, and the fact that I AM eligible for unemployment make me VERY VERY happy!

(I didn't do anything that means "misconduct" at work, I just had bad judgement! yay!)

Happy weekend to all!

i got fired today

i was going to leave anyway. i just wanted it to be on my terms.

Ready to make nice? Did she really say that?

The Grammy's were on tonight. I flipped it on in the beginning because there was nothing else on. I was happy to see the Dixie Chicks' performance. I am one of those "true fans" that have stayed a fan through all of the crap from the last nearly 4 years. And finally, tonight, it seems they are getting some of the respect back that they lost from the industry.

They sounded FANTASTIC. And what else? Oh yeah, they won ALL FIVE GRAMMYS THEY WERE NOMINATED FOR. That's pretty amazing.

The last one of the night had them all choked up, as well it should. And Natalie Maines said "I'm ready to make nice!"

People are coming around. "They say time heals everything..." It's about damn time.

GO Kentucky!

The Kentucky men's basketball team needs to be ON FIRE tonight. They need to upset Florida. So please, if you have it in you, pray to the basketball Gods real quick. Thank you! Bucky won again today, and UCLA lost, so things are looking good.

Ok, enough of that. I have a feeling major changes are in the VERY near future (like Monday) so keep your fingers crossed.

I know it's a lot to ask (the praying and the finger crossing) but all I ask is do what you can!

WHAT?

Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Prince Frederick von Anhalt, says he may be the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby.

Seriously, this is a news headline on yahoo's front page.

this is going to get ugly/interesting/sordid REAL fast.

i can't think of a title. seriously.

nothing is going on with me. i'm seriously bored. i didn't do TC's 3 word wednesday yesterday...i spent most of my time working on my taxes. the only "exciting" thing was that yesterday was the 3rd anniversary of when my husband and i met. he brought home dinner and dessert, and then we watched the badgers beat penn state. and then lost returned.

i'm not only bored, i'm boring.

sorry 'bout that.

Knocked OFF

You were right "up there" at the top of my totem pole. you were a rock star. and then you treated me like crap.

now you're







down here.



thanks for the realization.

I love pictures!

"Hey...what is the ball doing over there?"

Doesn't this just about sum up the Superbowl?

*edit: This poll is on CBS Sportsline
Who's your pick for the Colts' MVP of Super Bowl XLI?
Joseph Addai
Rex Grossman
Dominic Rhodes
Peyton Manning

That cracks me up!

I almost felt bad

For the Bears. ALMOST. The way they started....I really thought the Colts were screwed. But, as luck would have it, Rex Grossman sucked and the Colts pulled it out. I'm not a "fan" of the Colts, just a Bear Hater (as a Packer fan, you have to be!)

It was nice to see Manning get that monkey off his back. With the Bears' defense as good as it was this past season, they'll have more opportunities.

did anyone else notice the commercials really got crappy after halftime?

I don't wanna wait for our lives to be over...

Yes, my friends, I have been watching Dawson's Creek lately. A lot. It's on at 3am weekday mornings on "The N" (I think it's called Noggin during the day). I record it and watch at my leisure. Recently they went back to DAY ONE on Dawson's Creek...so it has been kind of fun. I didn't realize Ali Larter was on the show. Or Tamara Taylor, who played Grace (charlie's girlfriend at one time) on Party Of Five. I like going back and watching shows from days-gone-by!

Thursday, thanks to TC, I got to try MAC & CHEESE PIZZA. And let me tell you, it was darn tasty! There's this little place downtown called Ian's, and while their music is a bit off (loud or quiet? on or off? YOU decide!) the pizza was good. And I plan on going back! Plus, it's right next door to a long "lost" favorite, Dotty Dumpling's Dowry. I say "lost" because it used to be in a different location, and I wasn't sure where it moved to. Just know that I tend to not pay attention to my surroundings much. Unless I'm on a road trip...then I'll read all the signs out loud to you, knowing full-well you can read just fine on your own.

Anyway, thanks TC for the pizza!!

I won't be speaking for a while...

At least not about college basketball. Or sports in general.

Except to say "Go Colts".

What's with all the news?

Seriously. How often do we need to see the news on TV? Well, if you're in the Madison area, you have LOTS of choices.

We start out the day with the 5am local morning shows
cbs, nbc, abc all have two hours, and then go to the national shows for the next 2 hours. except for NBC which goes 3. CBS then goes back to local news for another 1/2 hour.
the CW has "the daily buzz" that lasts 3 hours

NBC and ABC local have another 1/2 hour news at 11. CBS has local at noon.

NBC local has a 1/2 hour at 4

NBC, CBS and ABC locals have 1/2 hour at 5, followed by 1/2 hour national news on each station at 530, not to mention BBC news on PBS.

at 6, there's more local news on ABC, CBS and NBC for 1/2 hour, and the Jim Lehrer news hour on PBS.

ABC actually has ANOTHER local news cast for 1/2 hour at 630.

There's a bit of a break for prime time television, and it starts over at 9.

Fox and MyTV14 both have 1/2 hour 9pm news.

At 10pm, we have the local NBC, ABC and CBS 1/2 hour news.
At 11:05, it's nightline on ABC.

Are you KIDDING ME? this city does NOT have that much to talk about. That is (if I counted correctly, and I don't feel like counting again), TWENTY SIX HOURS OF NEWS in a matter of 18.5 hours.

And that DOESN'T include the actual news channels, like CNN.

Good for TWO!

Up until this point, Bucky has been "sharing" the number 2 spot with UCLA. Bucky was #2 in one poll, #3 in another.

NOT ANYMORE!

It's not "official" that they'll be number 2 all alone yet, but the chances are good, considering UCLA LOST! And Bucky WON! That is so great...now if Florida would just lose a game, we'd be number 1!

Do you know the ABBA song Fernando? Go to this page, scroll down to the "links" box and take a listen to the lyrics. It was done by a local morning show, and is actually being featured in Sports Illustrated!

Can I get that AND that?

I took my nieces (5 and 9) shopping today. We gave them homemade giftcards for Christmas, and today was the day to cash them in. It was a pretty simple day, except trying to explain to a 5 year old that two items costing $8 and $20 is more than the $25 you have. I guess we learn/teach new things every day!

I came home after that and needed a bit of a rest. Napping is commonplace in my house these days. After what was way too short of a nap, I decided to run to the grocery store. That's when I got the call.

Our only available part-timer (who was working at the time) was sick. She needed someone to cover. And since the boss is out of town and the guy in charge is doing mornings this week...well, that meant I got to come to work. It's been a while since I was awake, and not laying in bed, at 10pm. We'll see how tonight works!

Some GA and a little GP

Grey's Anatomy...can this show BE any better? Man, I just love it. I didn't sob like a maniac last night, but I think that was more about my state of mind (a little more stable) than anything. How long did it take YOU to figure out how the free clinic would be funded? And the proposalS at the end. What's up with THAT????? Ah...we wait til next week. Again.

Much to my delight (I love Nick At Nite, thankyouverymuch) starting February 12 they are bringing us the fabulousness that is Growing Pains! Let me tell you, if ever I had a crush on a tv star, it was Kirk Cameron. I can't wait til the marathon starts!

Ok, that's it for now. Big(ger) news coming. As soon as I can get it out properly!!!

Does it make me crazy?

If you're a follower of Grey's Anatomy, and you watched tonight's episode, you will understand.

I laughed for the first five minutes. Meredith and her snoring. I can completely relate to McDreamy. When I met my husband, he snored BAD. I used those damn wax ear plugs. Then with George freaking out because Izzy's check was missing. He cracks me up SO much.

I laughed and/or teared up for the next 40 minutes. You know, when Christina tried to keep food from Burke. And when Addison told Callie about her past. Just general ups and downs. It's why I love this show.

And then I cried for the rest of the show. Not just tears, but actual sobbing. From the point where George and his family were at the table for the 2nd time, deciding what to do...up until the bar scene at the end with Addison and Karev. It wasn't all bad tears. There was the good tears when Burke told Derrick, with Christina in the room, that he hadn't had any tremors.

Know what? I don't even care if it makes me crazy. I still can't wait until next week.

Movin' On Up...

...to the SUV side!




The dealership called yesterday afternoon and said "We have a 2006 Hyundai Tucson for $$" so we went to look at it. And we drove it. And then we bought it. For $6000 less than the 2007 we'd seen last week and found we couldn't afford.
It has 4WD, which is nice. While it doesn't have ALL the options we wanted, but the best thing about it is the monthly payment. It's less than I was paying for my 2002 Dodge Neon. And the insurance is less, too. Oh yeah, and the Tucson has airbags-a-plenty. In places I didn't know you could put airbags. And it's the first V6 I've ever had. It's very exciting...while watching "24" last night I said to my husband "Can we go for a drive?" He just laughed at me.

I gotta get this out there...

I am really sorry that you have to leave your car outside when it snows. I had to for years. However, if you are over the age of 17, you should know that cleaning your car off COMPLETELY (not just half of each of the windows) is not just for YOUR safety, but for the safety of others as well. It REALLY sucks to have a sheet of snow come from the car in front of you going 60+mph. So please, just take an extra minute and get the extra snow off. thankyouverymuch.

Ok, now that that's done, I can proceed w/a weekend wrapup. Or more likely a "these are the weird things that happened to me during the weekend..."

-You can be driving on the interstate in Illinois and see snow in your headlights, but NOT have it actually hit your windshield. I'm pretty sure that's ONLY in Illinois.

-Small hotel bottles of lotion can look VERY VERY similar (i would bet "the same" would work here) as a bottle of conditioner. Please read the label carefully before putting it in your hair.

-When you google Holiday Inn Evanston IL and Best Western Evanston IL, you get the SAME results. Same address, same phone number. It's a bit confusing. We thought, up until a week before we went, we were staying at the Holiday Inn. Apparently it is no longer (if it ever was) a Holiday Inn, but a Best Western.

-It is always the day you wear your old t-shirt and don't do anything with your hair that you get to work and find out a hot country artist is in the building. (Ok, maybe this only happens in radio or television, but still.) It happened to me when Lila McCann visited...that time I didn't even have my contacts in, and of course the boss wanted me to take a picture with her. Today, Chris Young from Nashville Star is here. And I look like I got 4 hours of sleep and had to shovel before leaving the house.

Pre-birthday fun

My husband and I drove to Evanston, IL last night...and of course yesterday we had freezing rain. Fortunately, our drive was VERY uneventful. That's always a good thing. We got into Evanston last night and promptly found our hotel room. We didn't do much. It was late, we just chilled. This morning I walked to Dunkin' Donuts and got breakfast. After breakfast, we got the train to Northwestern and found Welsh-Ryan arena...to see Wisconsin take on Northwestern. I could not believe how many Wisconsin fans were there! It was awesome.
If you watched the game, you know it was ugly!!! But hey, a win is a win, right? That's what I thought! We got the train back to the area our hotel was in, and headed out. We stopped at BD's in Naperville for dinner. We then headed to Waukegan and found our next hotel. This one was my idea. I figured hey, we're out of town already, why not stay an extra night. Plus, we're pretty close to Gurnee Mills Mall! We found the Walmart Supercenter, got some ice cream, and are in our room for the night. My husband is reading TV guide...it's got a big article on 24...which starts TOMORROW! Oh, the commercial is on right now too! :o)
Anyway, this was my birthday weekend, and I can tell you it's been wonderful so far. who cares if my birthday isn't til Friday?

Why?

Why, when I have plans to drive 2+ hours away from home, does it decide to start this freezing rain crap? that's kind of annoying. Of course I feel worse for a friend of mine. She's in VEGAS for her first vacation without the child...and it's THIRTY SEVEN DEGREES. With a chance of snow.

Why, when you drive a particular car, does your license plate have to tell us what kind of car it is? Like the PT Cruiser I saw whose license plate said something like PT CRUSR. Seriously. I kinda had it figured out.

Ok, that's all I have. Wish me luck on my drive tonight. We're going to see the Badgers take on Northwestern. It's my birthday present from my husband. We HAVE to make it!

Needin'/Wantin' A New Car

So we went and test drove a couple vehicles last night. First, it was the Hyundai Tucson:

I work with a guy who has one, and he really likes it. So, why not. Doesn't hurt to try. But the real reason I went to that particular dealership was because of the Nissan Murano:

I love the looks of this vehicle. I have for a long time. And I haven't wanted to drive one, because I figured if I did, I'd REALLY want one bad.

We drove them both and you know what? I liked the Hyundai a LOT better.

Go figure.

More test drives in the near future. I'll keep ya posted.

Yay me!

I just paid off my student loans! It's been like 100 years (ok, maybe only 8) since I graduated, but they're finally GONE! It was never a huge amount, but it always got put on the back burner as something I could pay later.

Now I don't ever have to pay it again!

Yay!!!

Happy New Year

Here's to a fabulous 2006, and an even better 2007. Lots of excitement as the new year starts, and I can't wait to share it with you!