broken spring break...

that's all you can say about our spring break thus far. It must be broken. It has been BOOOOOORING. We did have a fun trip to the dermatologist yesterday. Justin had to go with me to get his mole-y noggin checked out so now he's been scarred for life by watching his mama get her whole body skin check up. Not at all fun for the 8 year old crowd in case that's what you were planning for your Spring Break. My skin checks out and I got some new million dollar gel for zapping zits, and he was told to keep a hat on his nog this summer. Lovely!
Let's see, what else have we done that is o-so enjoyable? We did go to Target today! I know, I know, how much more fun can I possibly squeeze into one week? While other children are going to the Jelly Belly factory and visiting the sites of Chicago, my kids are strolling with me in the aisles of Target. Woo. Hoo. We were planning a zoo day, but it seems that while yesterday the weather boy said the weather would be perfection on Friday, now he tells me that it will be raining.
Like I said, this Spring Break appears to be broken.

because there is nothing funnier than jim & dwight...

and i need an office fix. Only 3 more weeks...

eating bon bons...

anyone who has spent any part of their life as a stay at home mama, knows the drill. You tell people, who ask about your occupation, that you're "just a mama" and they tell you how lucky you are. Granted, I know I am lucky. We live a nice life. Not full of luxury and top of the line gadgets, but we are comfortable and happy. And we can live our comfortable, happy life on one salary. I am blessed that we can do that. I have always wanted to be "just a mom". Always. I wanted my mom home for me after school and she had to work. I wanted to be June Cleaver- minus the skirts and heels. So I'm lucky. I didn't think we'd be able to do it when I was pregnant with Justin, but when we did the math it became clear that I was working because I loved being a vet tech, not because I was pulling in the big bucks. So I decided to try the stay at home thing and see if it worked. Then one chiclet, turned into two. Two became three. At that point, if I worked, I couldn't even cover child care. And anyway...I LOVE being home with my kids. I love being able to get homework done and help them with reading and things, and get all of the stuff done at 4 pm that would have to wait until much later in the evening if I had a regular job.
So what is my peeve? People who think because I stay at home, I'm doing NOTHING during the day. People who volunteer me for projects and positions because I don't work, so I must have all the time in the world. Dude...I DO NOT have all the time in the world. People who assume that since Ryan is in preschool, I might as well go back to work. Right, because that 4 hrs a week would allow me a primo job, right? I don't mind volunteering and helping out. In fact I love that I have the freedom to do so most of the time. But seriously??? Stop looking my way every time you need someone to take on a massive project that no one else wants to do. My laundry is out of control and I haven't vacuumed in forever. Because I am over-extended. This is a recurring theme in my life, but I'm working hard on taking a stand. I actually said no OUTLOUD several times last night to people who were glancing in my direction looking for someone to say "I'll do it!!" And it felt GOOD.
I'd love to spend my days lounging and watching Days Of Our Lives while eating bon bons. Well I'd love to at least have the opportunity to do it. I doubt I'd love it long term. But please don't assume, that's what my days are full of. I have a job. It just pays with kisses and hugs from my chiclets instead of dollars.

quick change...

very quick because easter is too flippin' early this year. The almighty and powerful Janet has sent me not just one but TWO new banners. You have to wait for the fun and magical Spring banner until after Sunday.
Enjoy :) For a few days anyway :)

when you're having a bad day...

pray for a telemarketer to call. No, really. Give this a shot. It would make my day and yours :)

what next?

i keep trying to blog something witty and fantastic. Alas...I got nothin'. I believe last weekend's blizzard (20 inches of snow in 24 hrs) sucked my life force away. Mostly because a mere 4 days before the blizzard it was SEVENTY DEGREES. Way to go Mother Nature. Give us a nibble of spring. Let us play outside without down coats, hats, scarves, gloves, boots, and snow pants and then turn around and hand us our asses in the form of snow. Thanks. Love ya. Smooches Mother N.
So anyways...I'm a little weather beaten and bitter and also, word has gotten out around town that I lack the capacity to say no and damn if people aren't using it against me. Bastards! I am an over-committed, sleep deprived moron who STILL can't say no. But, hey! What would I bitch about if I didn't have crappy weather and a cup that runneth over? This blog would be covered by pictures of this..



and this...






And while that's funny (isn't it? Or is it just me?) I doubt me posting pictures and videos is all that entertaining. My whining? Oh, VERY entertaining! So for you, my 2 readers, I will continue to over-commit. You're welcome.

how much wood can a woodchuck chuck?

because i am dying from the cuteness of this!

what the...

my brother brought this one to my attention. It is a spoof on David Blaine's Street Magic and it had me in hysterics. There is some significant f-bomb usage, so not one for the chiclets :)
Happy weekend...

eight...

my first born turned eight today. It's crazy to me to think that I went to bed a mere eight years ago, a whale of a human being who was 5 days overdue and cranky, and now I have this boy who calls me mom and rolls his eyes when I make a corny joke. You blink and 8 whole years are GONE. Granted, we've had a busy eight years. 3 states, 4 job changes, 2 more kids, 4 houses...I could go on forever. We've had our share of change. But through all those changes Justin has proved to be the easy-going kid, who rolls with the punches, and accepts change as a part of our life.
I know it's only a matter of time before he stops telling me he loves me every time he gets out of the van to get on the bus, or letting me kiss the top of his head in front of other kids at school, or climbing up to snuggle in my lap. He hardly fits in my lap, but he still wants to try it from time to time. I feel like the next time I blink, all of that will be gone and he'll be a cranky teenager who slams his door in my face when I tell him he can't go somewhere or do something.
In the meantime. I cherish the fact that he still tells me he loves me every day before bed, and still wants birthday cake for breakfast.
Happy Birthday little man. Hope all your wishes come true!

rock the vote...

today was the big primary for the great state of o-hi-o. Along with voting for my candidate of choice (and wondering how much longer Huckabee is going to hang on? Seriously... President Huckabee? Sounds too Andy Griffith for me. Sorry Mike.) I also got to vote on our school levy. We live in one of those booming districts that used to be covered in farmland and is now covered in subdivisons. We've got the old folks not wanting to part with any more tax money for new schools and the younger crowd seeing the need for new schools. I hope us youngun's win out, but I've run into a few ignorants over the past week who think our money would be better spent on portable trailers. Because, you know, they're so much cheaper than a whole new school! Right and they last like 4 years and then we are right back where we are today only with 5 $40,000 trailers that we can't use now. But, I digress. The major bonus for me- aside from the cool "I voted today" sticker I'm currently sporting- is that Matt stopped on the way home and got me a giant Starbucks coffee to reward me for being a responsible voting adult. SWEET! This from the responsible, grown up, voting adult man who voted for one of the county commissioners because he likes his name. I can't make too much fun of him I guess, because I'd have voted for Bill Clinton again before I put someone in office whose last name is Huckabee. Again, sorry Mike. I just can picture other world leaders mocking you behind your back. It's hard to take someone seriously and not call them a Huckleberry. Maybe it's just me.

it's friday, it must be funny...

enjoy :) Jen...this makes me think of John :)

janet is amazing and fabulous once again...

or should i say janet is amazing and fabulous as always? Yep, that's it. As always! I didn't even ask this time, I just received :) Such a fun surprise in my inbox!! Now my blog is all cute and o-so festive!!!

In other news, I tried a new class at the uber-fabulous gym today. Spinning. In the name of all that is holy, do not attempt this class without someone who knows what they are doing. If I had followed the instructor's cues instead of listening to my mother who was 'spinning' along beside me, I would not be walking upright. She kept telling me not to up my resistance every time the guy told us to do it. I consider myself fairly in shape and that class KICKED MY ASS. Literally. I believe my ass is bruised from the bike seat. And I barely raised my resistance. I will feel like I can conquer the world when I can make it through that class and actually follow the resistance cues and remain standing the whole time I'm supposed to. Today I was seriously afraid to get off of the bike when it was over because I was certain my legs (which felt like wet jello) would give way and I'd fall on my face in front of all of those in shape people. I did NOT fall on my face in case you were wondering. But walking down the steps to the locker room was a serious challenge.
But on a bright note, I did not fart. I could have and totally gotten away with it because it isn't quiet like pilates class, but I didn't. I know you're all so proud!

it's friday...

so let the friday funnies continue. The dogs are feeling slighted, so it's funny dogs this week :)
Enjoy..

gym nirvana...

oh my. I have lived most of my adult life using my local YMCA as my gym. I'm not a gym snob. I only need the bare essentials. I've never seen the need for a big, pretty, expensive gym. I'm not a huge fan of exercise. I make myself do it, and then I feel better, but I still have to make myself. The Y that we used in Michigan was NICE. It was not new, but they had great equipment, a great staff, a super hot trainer...you get the picture. Then we moved to Ohio. We found out they opened a !! NEW Y!! right across the main street that our subdivision runs off of. A mere 3 min drive from my garage. Only, it was not so much a new Y as it was a REALLY old building that they inherited. But it had new equipment. All I need is an elliptical and a treadmill to keep me happy (or so I told myself) because it's so close to home!! So convenient!! Only they were supposed to start renovations last Fall and never did. It is a dump with new equipment and I despise the woman who runs the kid's playroom. She's always late opening it and makes me late for classes. ALWAYS LATE. Major pet peeve for me.
Anyway...our year long commitment with them was coming to a close and I was trying to decide whether I was going to continue to give them my money in hopes that they would somehow, someday have enough to begin renovation and, oh I don't know, start by adding a locker room. Did I mention it was a dump? Then last week my mom mentioned that the uber-fabulous gym she belongs to was running a special where she could add me to her existing membership for only $29 a month. I was wary because I knew it was too good to be true. Except it was true. I joined last weekend and ventured in today for my first workout.
To call it uber-fabulous does not do it justice. They have a cardio cinema. Seriously. An actual movie theater filled with cardio equipment. I worked out for over an hour today on an elliptical machine while watching Ocean's 11. Brad Pitt & George Clooney make you forget that your thighs are burning because you're on an ellitical machine. Because, you know, they make my thighs burn just with their mere presence. And the cardio cinema is only ONE of the 9 million amenities that are now mine to enjoy. One of my favorite things about it is the kid's playroom. It has a climbing gym inside of it. Like McDonalds- only clean. The walls are lined with cool toys and books and paper and crayons and and and....it is perfection :)
It is so wonderful that I keep waiting for someone to walk up to me and say "I'm sorry, maam. There was mix up and you have to go back to the dump you were formerly a member of. Buh-bye" If they do you'll hear my cries of despair from miles away.

if you don't think this is funny...

you need to get your head checked. Friday funnies continues. You have to give this one a minute because the very beginning lacks funny at all. Then the music changes and you'll need to have on your Depends undergarments. Or maybe I'm just a sadistic cat owner. Because I'm dying to see if I can make Pickles fly, by hooking a ball to our ceiling fan.

ain't no other man...

because i can switch from bitch to sweet in 0-6 seconds, I'm switching gears. To wish my man a Happy Birthday :) In his honor, I will list the 36 reasons I love him so good. Since he's 36 and all.

1. He and I don't see eye to eye on music. AT ALL. And yet he rarely whines about having to drive in the car with me listening to country music. Even though it sometimes makes his ears bleed.

2. He can fall asleep in under 5 seconds if he is sitting down.

3. We can carry on an entire conversation around him as he sleeps, with no response until we make fun of him. He always gets us with an "I heard that"

4. He loves giving our kids a bath. I hate it. Enough said.

5. He knows random trivia about everything. He rocks at Trivial Pursuit.

6. Also, he can make Jeopardy! entertaining.

7. He taught my 18 year old brother & his girlfriend that you can't read a fortune cookie without putting "in bed" at the end of the fortune. You have to know my brother to understand why that is so damn funny.

8. He can watch ESPN all day long. Wait, I hate that about him.

9. When he walks into a room and I am watching Sweet Home Alabama for what has to be the 875th time, he might just sit down and watch it with me.

10. Only 10? This is going to take forever! He can listen to me bitch about my mother without ever reminding me that I am JUST LIKE HER.

11. That thing he does when he lifts the lid of every container and says the same stupid phrase to whatever food is inside.

12. That he can't play a video game of ANY KIND without using his tongue.

13. He thinks he's a good dancer.

14. He dances in public.

15. He requires a hug every day when he gets home. Requires it.

16. He also still likes to hold my hand in public. Awwwww....

17. He doesn't roll his eyes at my ignorant ideas. Well almost never.

18. He helps with the massive quantity of dogs at my parent's house. Most husbands would give you a "hell no". He does it, and does it well.

19. He lets me hog the bed AND the covers.

20. He scratches my back whenever I ask.

21. I have used 'The Promise' on him more times than I care to admit and it still works. I guess he always can hope?

22. He gets up first almost every morning and gets the house running so I can have a few minutes extra sleep. Back off girls. He's mine. You can't have him.

23. He never says "spaghetti again?"

24. He goes to the store for me. At 11:30 pm when I remember we have no milk for tomorrow morning.

25. If I am craving wings at 10 pm he can also be persuaded to get them for me. See #21.

26. Yes. He spoils me. It's one of the things I love :)

27. 2006 Valentine's Day gift. It was one for the husband of the year record books. I wish I had blogged it so that I could share it now, but it was gooood.

28. He accepts my family. No really.

29. He thinks his mom likes me.

30. He tries to be open-minded everytime I decide on the spur of the moment to paint/rearrange/redecorate any given room in our house.

31. He lets me think I'm right. Even when I know I'm wrong and don't want to admit it.

32. He has not one time looked at my pile o' scrapbooking equipment and said "seriously? What else could you possibly need?"

33. Same goes for shoes.

34. He understands my need for 20 minutes of alone time at night and usually wrangles the kids so I can have it.

35. He has never given me shit for telling him before we were married that I needed a clause written into the contract. 'If and when Tom Cruise came to sweep me off my feet, our marriage contract was null and void'. Seriously, Amy? Tom Cruise? I was so young and naive. **I** give **myself** shit about it, he never has.

36. He still needs me to match his pants/shirt/shoes at least 3 times a week.

and one to grow on....

*****He is the world's greatest husband/daddy/person that I know and I am so glad I got talked into dating him.

If there are 57 heinous spelling errors in this post, it's blgger's fault. The spell check isn't working :)

life on the tundra- day 11,510 give or take....

to quote my husband's favorite comedian ever (chris farley) "holy schnikeys" it's cold out there today.
I shouldn't complain outloud since a couple of my loyal readers reside in Minnesota where the term "freeze your ass off" doesn't begin to describe the tundra they are currently in. However, I'm in my own frozen wasteland, so bitch away I will. It is COLD. DAMN COLD. It seems like we always hit this run of freeze in February. Where it's so freakin' cold you think you might just succumb to hyperthermia before spring rears it's glorious head. I haven't succumbed yet. But I do bitch about it. Because have I mentioned it's coooold?

In other news, the chiclets are all fighting off a dread virus. Because they love me best, they decided to share it with me. Awwww.. thanks guys! So sweet! The snot here in this house is copious. And we all know how fun it is when the snot in your nose freezes because it's so DAMN COLD OUTSIDE? Oh, the joys of winter!

friday funnies...

because my day has SUCKED so far, i need something funny. I found this youtube clip on another blog I read and had to share, because it had me rolling. I love me some kitty outtakes :)

jammie day...

it's a blah, yucko, rainy day here. The kind that always makes me want to forego the shower and stay in my jammies all day watching chic flicks on TBS. Except that when you have 3 kids, that is somewhat impossible. I can forego the shower and stay in my jammies if I want to get weird looks from the neighbors at the bus stop, but staying in bed all day and watching movies? Not gonna happen.
Today Ryan is giving me a little of my rainy day wish. He is sick, so he stayed home from school. His only request besides pancakes, was that we stay in our jammies and watch movies. Never one to deny a sick child, we are making our movie list for the day :) I doubt I'll get to watch chic flicks, but if I'm lucky his entire list won't be comprised of Star Wars episodes and Hot Wheels movies.

let the music continue....

o.k. I'm starting to get addicted to searching youtube. Whatever will I do when Jen returns and takes over the music world again?? Kidding.
This one is posted for your listening pleasure because it's FEBRUARY! The month of LOOOOOOOOOVE.....
While this isn't our official "song", or maybe it is??? Matt??? Is this our song??? Whatever, I can't even hear the opening notes of this song without being immediately transported back to the summer of '94. Steamy summer nights in the frat house.....