Don't get around much...anymore

Because February in all it's glory is crazy....but I am happy to report there are only 3 days left and we are on to March. And with March we have Spring teacher conferences and Spring Break which means the children only attend school a total of 14 days for the month. Which means sleeping in Alot, staying up late Alot, and a lot of relaxing. Throw in Daylight Savings coming early and things look good all over.

This weekend the kids had their first swim meet. It wasn't Dagny's first as she's been doing swim team on and off since she was 5. But it was Jack's. And he hated it. And there are alot of reasons why. He isn't the least bit competitive, he doesn't do well with being in "the spotlight" ( ie 100 parent's screaming as he and some other 10 year old swim 25 meters of breast) and he just can't stand situations like the swim meet. There is one more meet in March and I will not ask him to swim in it. The fact that he shows up for an hour of lap swim twice a week is plenty. However his sister, who is a whole 'nother story, was in all her glory. Besides all of her other strokes, she competed in the 50 meter backstroke and made it down and back before any of the other swimmers had touched the first wall. She is a mad cap swimmer that one.

Dagny and Jenna had tickets to Annie so after her meet, we got her all gussied up for the show. SHe came home all lit up as she always does after attending any sort of theaterical production. She was most impressed with the dog who was apparently quite an actor. Jack had a sleepover and while the two boys were explaining to me the finer details of Lego Star Wars on Jack's PS2, I was able to bid and win via cell phone on a few objects I had been eyeing at our school auction. I felt like a big girl not going and saving my money for our spring trip.







Last week my BFF, mom and I went to Dinner's Ready to prepare dinner's for the month. This is my second time going out and I can not tell you what a wonderful, life saving place this is. I have tried other business's like DR before, but none have come close to comparing for quality and cost. The location is wonderful, they play good LOUD music, they give you wine to drink while you are preparing your meals, and you and your friends suddenly have prepared dinners for the month. Can you think of a better combination? The only difficult part is trying to decide what to eat first.


And how about The Departed last night?? Even I was shocked...

Silly

My girlfriend just called to see how I was feeling

Because she is pretty hungover. I told her I am still in bed and feeling equally as bad. This makes me so sad as it shows how completely old we are. We didn't go out dancing until 3:00 in the morning sucking jello-shots off each other's chests......We sat at her house, drank a few margaritas, played a lot games, and left by 8:00. And BOY! are we feeling it today.

Jesus.


Tonight is date night and Brian will finally get to see The Departed. Can you beleive it? I think he is the last person in America.

Off to eat more red licorice. The known cure for all that ails....

Speaking of America's Ballroom Challenge....

I love the show. I love the dance, the music, the tradition that has been handed down from generation.



I love the passion that oozes from them as they dance (except these two, who are 13, which is kind of creepy)



I love all the rules, how many turn, dips, lifts they must complete




I love watching ( albeit gay) men holding women the way they were meant to be held, swirled, and dipped. It is so romantic to watch....








But as much as I love the tradition, the elegance, the pagentry. As much as I love and appreciate all that Ballroom dancing represents, I have to admit I was completely blown away when these two came out and did the Tango to Nirvana's Teen Spirit.




Completely smashes so many barriers. Beautiful.

Valentine's 2007

Is over.

Thank You God.

There is so much insanity associated with VD.

We played this fantastic game with our 4th graders so I thought it would be fun to bring home. I thought those 4th graders were going to die laughing. It involves a lot of whipping cream and each person searching for an object, without their hands of course.








We had dinner at home, sans daddy. B and I celebrated our Valentine's last weekend by heading over to Cinetopia for a movie and Oba for dinner. We have so many Oba gift certificates and we have yet to use them. The movie theater was great... it'll be hard to see a movie anywhere else. Dinner was good-ish. The service, however, was outstanding.

So the kids and I dined alone and opened gifts....Dagny received Valentine Barbie ( 'natch) and Jack received all things Star Wars



Dagny's class made these lovely candle holder's for their parents...




This arrived for me earlier ....Not sure who I am supposed to wear it for. I will try and wait up for my Valentine.

and it came on the cheap plastic hanger, OK...quit judging, ya'll

However, I am loving having this big bed to myself. It is just me, my glass of chardonnay, and America's Ballroom Challenge on the tube. I love having the night to myself.




Happy Valentine's Day !

Per Miss Dagny....

Not our dagny....the Other Dagny

Rules:Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things/habits about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird habits/things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. I do not turn clothes inside out before I fold them. This drives many people in my family nuts. However, the rule is clearly stated... if you'd like your clothes folded rightside out, please deposi thetm in the hamper that way. Otherwise, I will return them exactly the way I found them ( except they are washed, dried, and folded)

2. I can't stand shitty music.

3. I rarely send things back in a restaurant. People think they are doing the establishment some kind of service. But you're not. You look like an ass who is pretending to know food and just stop. Unless you've ordered veal and they bring you nachos, just shut up.


4. I love, worship and adore Sterling martinis, bone dry with three blue cheese stuffed olives.

5. I don't floss

6. I do fabulous handstands, cartwheels, and round off's


And I am supposed to Tag 6 of you all....so I am tagging Elevated, Dingus, Gazelle, Red, M.I.M. , and Wendy

So all the girls wore heels to the dance

and my daughter and her father had a wonderful time....

Do you know how hard it is to find an "appropriate" pair of shoes for a 10 year old girl to wear to a formal dance? A girl who wears a size 8 women's shoe? They do not make Mary Jane's in a size 8 women's.

Tonight is the night for the daddy daughter dance and d and all of her friends are brimming with excitement. I am sure the daddy's will dance once or twice and then it will be a girl dance party-a-thon.

Can't wait to see her all dolled up :)

so.....

Yesterday I went grocery shopping. I had the usual cart full of a mad-cap minivan driving momma. Miss Checker gets to my mad-cap wine and says " May I see your ID please?"

Yeaaaaaaaaaah Babeeeeeeee......






Today at riding Miss Dagny had her first official fall. She has fallen once before, but she was near the fence and was able to hop off onto the railing. Today she was cantering (riding at a gait between a trot and a gallop), when she rounded a turn, her shoulders weren't back far enough, and off she flew. Have I mentioned here (repeatedly) that for many years I have watched my daughter trot around that damn stable and I can't stand a minute of it? I see her up there and all that comes to mind is Superman Reeves who couldn't be protected from a horse. WTF is my daughter doing up there. Her instructor said the first thing she did when Dags fell was to look over to see if I was in the stable. Cause she knows I can't stand it. I was not in the stable. I was in the car correcting spelling homework. It took Dagny a very, very long time to get back up. You could tell the other riders were watching her out of the corner of their eyes, seeing if she had it, seeing if she'd get back up. Even her instructor's father, who I am sure is the original owner of the stable watched. I guess that makes or breaks them. Her instructor told her to get up and get on...falling off is part of riding....and not a very good part. I could see how she was stalling, pretending to check the girth, the stirrups.....anything to avoid getting back up. But she did, and when she got in the car, she lost it. She wouldn't dare lose it in front of all the riders. The riders she looks up to and admires so. They were all supportive and told her she'd feel it tomorrow. We shall see.


I have successfully completed my first shift of dog walking at the Society. Which was a little over two hours. My right arm is going to look like Popeye after a few more shifts. As will my thighs as I have to walk up and down a hill that is about an 80 degree angle. And there are a lotta pups that need to be walked. It is the most satisfying t hing I have done in a long, long time.....



38 more minutes until a new Lost is on......I can't tell you the last time my husband has stayed up this late on a school night.

You know, it's really really frightening...

Over there on the right, I have funny or silly ways people have found my blog.

But I have to say, about once a week there are some incredibly disturbing ways people come across me. Things like "p!cture$ 0f 6 ye@r olds hav!ng sex"

Now in case you are new to internet searches, one types characters in, or purposefully misspell words to avoid being found by such a combination of words in order to not be found that way. I don't want people typing in "p!cture$ of cummm on d@gny" (which I can not begin to tell you how many times I have been found that way. D@gny is the name of some world famous p*rn st*rI am actually used to those) to find my site.

The ones that really disturb me are the combinations of "7 year olds having h*t s*x" or "ch1ldren hav1ng sex w1th horses"...... and simply because I have typed that combination of words, not you know, in that order...or together....or in the same freaking paragraph, they find me. They stay less than 5 seconds as they quickly realize they aren't going to find what they are looking for here. I am not afraid for the safety of my children, or our privacy. What I am afraid of is all of the websites people can access by typing in those words and finding exactly what they are looking for. Which makes me shudder, because there are some very very disturbing things people are looking for. I have been googled countless times with "J1mmy Neutr0n H@ving S*x" .

Freaks.....

It's gonna be hard....

My first day "at work" and I am head over heels....

If Midas is still there the next day I work, I will have to bring him home. Because Oh. My. God. HTH dogs like that pound is so, so, so beyond me.

I walked a few dogs, I picked up a lot of poop. I got to sit in the kennels with the ones I fell in love with and groom them, give them treats, put festive 'kerchifs on them. The way people respond to the dogs is so amazing. For example, take Michelle here. Michelle looked like so many of the other dogs there. However, I crawl in there with her and she crawls on my lap and licks me all over....People walk by and it's all "ohhhhhh.....mommy...look how sweet she is.....look how cute, how good..." It's amazing.

Superbowl.... The girls didn't watch. I did see Billy Joel. And about 10 minutes of the second quarter. But after that my butt was parked in front of the fire. With food and wine and giggling. Apparently there was some guy named Peyton something or other who was great. But besides that, I can tell you little about the game...but I do know a. who played and b. who won. Which is pretty freakin' good. It is so warm and wonderful out, we are sleeping with our windows open. The kids spent most of the time they were here playing outside, harasing the neighbors, and walking up to the school to play....while again, the adults sat, ate, drank, and watched tv.


And apparently I have been outvoted on our Fall adult getaway which what-the-fuck-ever. I did get to pick our family's summer vacations so I guess I should let the other 3 people have some say once in a while. I just know that Barry will miss me very, very much this November. Whatever

The kids and I spent the day together.

We managed to get Jack's haircut, dine at our favorite Chinese buffet, hit Target, and go swimming. After swimming for an hour, I was exhausted. We ame home and pumped out all of our Valentine's and get the house partially picked up for tomorrow's festivities. My BFF and her family are coming over to watch the games and get all lubricated. However, my eldest will not be around as she has her own Superbowl party to go to. And her eldest may not come either...You know, cause she has her own Superbowl Party invite.

God.

Anyhoo, can't wait for The Big Game tomorrow, mostly cause I can't wait to find out who's playing....

Day off

I finally have time to sit down and write. I usually blog first thing in the AM after the kids go to school, however, this week, I have had to be up and out the door every morning so I have been a blacker slogger. I have had to say no to a birthday party and a playdate in order to have one day alone with my children. They get one day of rest.

So, I shall update.....

B's birthday weekend was wonderful and romantic. We spent three days napping, eating, drinking, cruising book stores, and seeing movies. Always a wonderful re-charge after the utter madness of October, November and December. We dined at Gen0a one night and opted for the 7 course meal along with the 7 accompanying wines. It was good, but it is so hard to live up to the hype that proceeds it.

Afterwards, we headed to the Benson which we end up doing about once a year. Our wedding reception was help in the Crystal Ballroom and we love to go back and get all nostalgic. We managed to snap a photo and the photographer was sober, so go figure....


The children's winter schedule is in full swing. Both are doing swim team twice a week which makes scheduling wonderful. In addition, it gives me an hour to sit, read the paper and catch my breath. D is still riding and taking a dance class once a week. The entire class is made up of girls from school which is fun for all of them. Can't wait to see their recital in the spring. One of Dagny's friends is moving this summer and the girls are busy trying to plan a "surprise" going away party. Between the 5 of them, it will be a miracle if they can keep it a surprise. She has birthday parties every weekend and I have had to start saying no so I can a. see her occasionally and b. not go broke on gifts. Tomorrow she has to leave one party early in order to get over to her friends "Superbowl Party". I fear middle school.


I have been keeping busy with my Humane S0ciety training which boy-oh-boy do you have to do a lot of. I had my interview last week and was able to get my security badges, kennel key, leash and apron. I have more training this week and the week after, I will start. I have been working out 3-4 times a week which has mentally been great but physically hurts. Especially weights. Man does weigh lifting hurt. In addition, M and I are working on the 4th grade auction project, along with their Valentines Day party. This year we let them vote on their party. We figured they are old enough to start making their own decisions. Lucy, Dagny ( when she's not birthday parties, which means she's gone twice) and I are taking an obedience class on Sundays. She has got to be the best in her class. And I am not saying that just because I am her momma. I may put her in the pet therapy class at the HS, but I am going to wait until the next session. We have enough going on right now.

So today will be a jammie day. We will have to go out and get our wiggles out at some point. Maybe walk, maybe swim, definitely hit the store for Super Bowl snacks and birthday presents. And then back home for pizza, hot tubbing and movies. Can't wait to actually be with my kids today :)


And to the greatest man in the world, the one I married, the guy who patiently helps with spelling homework every night because I can't stand to, to the greatest cook, the guy who makes me breakfast every Sunday and brings me coffee every morning, you know while I am still in bed of course....to the man who puts in 60 hours a week so I can stay home with our children, to the man who month after month puts up with PMS, To the best decision I ever made......

Happy Birthday