Kindle 2 - How Have I Survived Without It

Ok - I have typically been behind on the "latest and greatest" of technology. Partly I guess because I'm 36 and partly I think because it's just not "my thing". But I have never been behind on reading. I love to read - it is my number 1 favorite thing to do in the world. I read every type of book imaginable - just depending on my mood. The main thing I don't like about books is they take up space - LOL. I had always dreamt of having a library, but it is not in the cards (home offices and kids toys took over). So I am constantly stacking books hither and yonder and cluttering up my house. Another problem is when I travel or go somewhere that involves waiting I carry an extra shoulder bag or suitcase full of books so I won't run out. (I speed read.) So I finally decided to splurge and buy myself a Kindle. OM gosh! It is the most amazing thing ever invented. If you don't know what it is - go to Amazon - it's on their front page as they are the developer and exclusive seller. My kindle arrived just in time for me to go to Birmingham for dad's surgery and it was great. It is lightweight (ounces) and just slips in my purse. I read the whole time without having to lug around heavy books.

David thinks it's funny and he thinks it's a computer. He told me the other day, "mommy you already have two computers - why do you need that little one?" Well - I guess I really don't "need" it, but boy I sure did want it and sure do love it LOL.

M

Happy Mardi Gras - It's Fat Tuesday!!

Ok so I think I've told you guys that David is going to school 5 days a week now. Work is getting busier and busier and Dan's acquiring new property right and left so I needed the time to get things done. Well the school morning session ends at 12:30 and that's when I had typically picked David up. However, on random occasions I would leave him for afternoon session. It turns out that my sleep-deprived son who hasn't napped for me in over a year will nap at school. He said "Ms. Vicky says we can sleep in the sun." Which means in the daylight. So I started leaving him more often for nap time. Still niggling guilt at the back of my mind though because I'm away from him all day. But in all actuality if he was here and still napping we'd still be "apart" for the same amount of time. Then yesterday and today when I picked him up in the afternoon he didn't want to leave and this afternoon his teacher pulled me aside to tell me how great he does in the afternoons. Great attitude, receptive to everything they do, etc. Different from how he is in the morning. Well this tells me three things - 1) he is sleep deprived!! (of course I knew that) 2) he loves being at school 3) being happy at school is much better than watching TV here while mommy works.

Today was Fat Tuesday - the final day of Mardi Gras celebration and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Growing up in Mobile and then Montgomery I have experienced my share of Mardi Gras in Mobile. When I was little my grandmother's organization used to do a parade and she rode on a float - it was awesome as a little kid!!!! I haven't celebrated much Mardi Gras since my grandparents and mom passed away and I've gotten older, etc. But today my friend Lauren (who is from Mobile) threw a Mardi Gras party. I went without David because I still love seeing all my mommy friends. It was such a fun gathering. Food served was traditional: King Cake, red beans & rice and shrimp & grits and Krispy Kreme bread pudding and lots of other snacks. There were beads and moon pies and masks for the kids. I am so thankful to have such great friends and I really enjoyed the party today. Aside from the good friends, great food and cute kids, it was a bit nostalgic for me and brought back some great memories. And it seemed appropriate to have some good memories because this Friday is the 10-year-anniversary of my mom's death and she was a Mardi Gras nut!! I need to see if I can find some old pics of her and my dad getting dressed up to go to the balls. If I can find them I'll scan them in so you can see them. So thanks Lauren for helping remember and celebrate and not just be sad this week!!

Tonight was boot camp and boy was Lucy (trainer) kicking butt tonight. We focused on upper body with some abs and cardio thrown in for good measure. My arms are already killing me and I usually don't get sore until the next day. I hope I can move tomorrow :-) because I have a ton of work to do.

Emily is trying out for cheerleader this week at her school. They practice every afternoon from 3:15 - 5:30. She enjoyed it yesterday, but was tired!! I didn't talk to her tonight. The actual try-outs are this Friday afternoon. She's really excited and I am too. I had alot of fun cheerleading and I think it's great exercise and teamwork, etc. She wants to do this instead of softball so I hope it works out. They'll post the results sometime after 7:00 on Friday night.

Well I think that's enough for tonight. I need to go concentrate on the President's speech and Jindal's speech after. I recorded them while at boot camp tonight.

BYL,
Michelle

What a Great Weekend!

There are many ways to define a great weekend. I'm sure if you close your eyes for a minute you can think of your "dream" weekend or you can remember one that was really special. This weekend for me is not one that would exemplify my dream weekend nor was it one with any real special memories. Nonetheless it was a great weekend.

Friday night I cooked Tequila Lime Chicken for Dan and I. David went to bed early and my friend Leslie came over to hang out and to ride with me to Best Buy. You're probably thinking, ok - what's the catch? HA HA - there's not one. It was a great night in it's simplicity. A good meal, a little O'Reilly Factor while we ate, some talking with a dear friend and then a little shopping.

Before I tell you about Saturday let me tell you about our house of chaos and clutter. Dan and I are both notorious pack rats, granted of different type stuff, but we are both guilty of keeping too much and I must admit I like to shop and I pre-buy stuff all the time when I find it on sale. Add to that, we have a 3-year-old and a dog in the house who have many possessions of their own. Combine all this with the fact that we would much rather play and hang out or even work than organize... Don't misunderstand - our house is clean, it's just cluttered! So Dan came up with an idea that we each pick a "corner" per day and organize that area. I thought it was a great idea because it made it seem less overwhelming and more of the "eat the elephant one bite at a time" plan. He came up with this plan towards the end of the week so I piddled at something on Friday, but didn't really "jump in". His whole philosophy is everything needs a "home", which is so simple. Our problem is too much junk so when you bring something else into the house - even groceries - there is no room for it to have a home. Isn't that sad - and we live in a nice-sized-home, like 2500+ sq. ft.

So Saturday we slept late, as we do most weekends. David is such a sweetie now that he's gotten to be a "big boy" in regards to letting us sleep. He wakes around 7:00 or so and as long as you give him chocolate milk and turn on my TV he'll lay here and cuddle and let me sleep or he'll ask me can he play trains in his room. Now that extra few hours of sleep are not undisturbed or terribly peaceful, HA HA, we are talking about a 3 & 1/2-year-old boy, but it is still some great dozing and drifting in and out of sleep. And for the luxury of sleeping in - I'll take it!!

So when we finally got up on Saturday I made whole wheat pancakes for breakfast and then we decided to pick a corner and get started. I'm not great at the corner or the little area concept, I tend to get into it when I start. So, I ended up doing the kitchen and dining room, while Dan worked out in his shop. It took several hours and I filled a large rolling trash can with recycling and another with actual trash. I was so excited and when Dan came in to check it out he was like a little boy at Christmas. For those of you that don't know, we have a small galley style kitchen so space is at a true premium - most of our cabinet space ends up being full of cooking items and small appliances - we love to cook so we have a whole assortment. And the big thing is - we don't have a pantry!! How I missed that when we looked at this house, I'll never know HA HA. But it is quite a challenge. The only way to function is with organization. And since we had been failing at that, everything that didn't fit in the cabinets was piled on my dining room table. You can imagine how "attractive" that was when someone entered my home. Well after hours of working on it and sorting and organizing, etc. It works!! It looks great, everything has a home, you can open cabinets and find things and see what you have and my dining room table is empty except for a flower arrangement!!!!!!

David was such a good kid during all this - he would come in the kitchen periodically and "help me". He loves to take something somewhere - like "David put this in your room, the laundry room, my study", etc. He feels like such a big-boy helper when he gets to do this. He also played trains and cars and watched a movie and went outside to help daddy make fire (Dan was welding) and his favorite thing of the day was digging shells. He found the bucket of shells that he and Emily had picked up at the beach and he took them out to his sandbox and buried them and dug them back up. It doesn't take much to thrill a little boy :-). Despite our kitchen being small it has one redeeming factor in it's view of our backyard. I could watch him playing in the sandbox while I kept at my organizing.

Later that afternoon we "called it a day" and then got ready to go out. Our sitter arrived and Dan and I headed out to a party with some friends. We all brought munchies and played Wii and Rummy and visited. It was a really fun time and so nice to be out with all adults. None of our friends in this particular group have small kids - there kids are all grown so we didn't even spend all night talking about kids!! Amazing. Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE talking about David and really enjoy talking with my friends who have small kids too, but Saturday night had a charm all it's own. I think the adult beverages helped too :-). It was 2:00am by the time we got home and the sitter left so we knew we were going to be worn out on Sunday.

I stayed in bed until after 11:00!!! Absolutely sinful and wonderful. Once we got up though and got moving we decided to pick another "corner". Dan headed to the garage and I headed into the master bedroom. I admit - I had a little bit of an ulterior motive in choosing the bedroom because my DVR is in there and I knew I could watch some of my shows while I worked. And boy I worked - so many hours in fact that I watched 8 shows!!!!! But - our bedroom looks great. I have just been sitting here and looking around the room and grinning. Dan kicked butt in the garage and actually in two corners of the Florida room as well. He even organized my stuff from those two rooms and "set-me-up" with a closet all my own for the stuff I pre-buy when I find deals!!! Oddly enough there are closets in our garage, but he's been using them all for "man stuff" - until today. Now one of them is mine - yay!! That's true love!

David was great today as well. Pretty much doing what he did yesterday, with the exception of not going outside today (too cold). His favorite thing of the day was exercising with daddy - it was so cute. Then he picked up my hand weights and said he was doing mommy exercise and he started bouncing around like I do during Step Aerobics on the Wii and pumping his arms up and down. Really cute - should have taken video!!!

Now it's Monday and David's at school and I'm getting the laundry going and then I'll spend the day working. My desk is full again - I swear Dan adds to it when I'm not looking :-)

BYL,
Michelle

A Republican's Rant

I am a Republican and proud of it. I am also a Christian and a conservative. I love God, my family and my country. I believe in church, charity and community service.

So it's probably no surprise that I've been a little ticked off and appalled at some of the happenings coming out of our nation's capital here lately. And since this my blog - I can vent my frustrations here!!!!!!!!!!

First the whole foreclosure/mortgage situation. I don't want to help these people out. And don't bother commenting about catastrophic illness, lay-offs, etc. I'm not a monster - obviously I think these people need help. But that is not the government's job. That's the job of community, charity, family, church. I'm talking about the people that were more worried about "keeping up with the Jones'" and living in "the" neighborhood in their city. So they do a budget and decide they can pay $50 (made up #) a month for a house. They talk to the bank and get pre-approved for a loan. The bank will pre-approve you for more than you need - then you decide you can afford that because the bank said you could. Then you go house hunting and you look at things in a range. That has you looking at houses between $50 a month and $75 a month. Which house do you think "looks" better. Probably the house for 1/3 more money. So you buy it. You are now living at or more than likely above your means. That may mean you can't put any money into savings. Something happens to your car or the kids have a stretch of sickness that has you paying co-pays and buying prescriptions like crazy. You think I'll just put this on the credit card since we're a little tight this month. Then next month you have a higher credit card bill to go along with that mortgage payment and the cycle begins. You've also bought new furniture for this new bigger house so you have a furniture payment. Perhaps a new TV? New decor for the bedrooms? Maybe you have a Starbucks or movie habit... So you are strapped for cash but don't want to change your behavior so you miss a mortgage payment and then another.

And now my tax dollars are going to bail you out? That is the biggest baloney I have ever heard. Our new administration is in essence saying, "Work hard, make responsible decisions and we'll take some of your money to help out this loser over here!" Well - I can assure you I don't want a reward from the government or anyone for that matter for being responsible and living within my means and savings, etc. But I'll be danged if I think someone irresponsible deserves my money. I am steamed!!!!!

Add to this the fact that "theoretically" Emily can go get an abortion at 12 and that's supported by my government. And I don't have to be notified and better yet my tax dollars will help pay for it. So I would be paying to murder innocent children and my immature daughter would have made a horrible decision that she would live with the rest of her life. And I don't understand Christians voting for this administration knowing this would happen.

Then comes the Gitmo thing - I think that if/when the terrorists are released that one should be hired as a houseman for each member of the administration. Let's see how they like that. And I don't understand military people that voted for this administration knowing this would happen.

Then the fairness doctrine. Give me a break - can I help that the Liberal talk radio shows have failed. They can try again and hope their shows are successful and get syndicated. If they are not successful too bad. Hannity and Rush are successful... But because they are right wing the administration doesn't like it so they are devising a way to get them off the air. I don't know where you grew up, but in my world that is a violation of free speech.

Well, that felt good to get off my chest. I'm going to turn off this computer and say a prayer for our country... Our becoming socialist country - ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out of the Mouth of David

David is constantly entertaining me with the things he says, so I thought I would share some of his statements from today.

His sense of direction is excellent and he often remembers who lives where as we are driving through town. I mess him up though if we go a different way than usual, which is what I did today. We were heading to Leslie's so David and Jace could play this afternoon and since I was already out and about we weren't going the way we normally do. David starts inquiring is this the "path" to Jace's house? Yes I say. But mom this isn't the path to Jace's house - I don't know where this path goes, but it's not to Jace's. Imagine his surprise when we pull up to Jace's house. Then on the way home he's pointing and telling me when to turn left and right on the path to go home.

David is a pretty strong-willed child as most kids are at this age, especially ones who are spoiled as mine is :-). He has mixed emotions when you tell him what to do and threaten to spank him and then actually do spank him. Sometimes he's totally indifferent, sometimes compliant, but often mad. He used to say to me, "I'm the boss of you," and "I'm gonna spank you!". We've gotten past that, so now if he's frustrated by me and the particular order I'm giving him he will turn his head and make a little exasperated sound and say, "but I'm the boss of my trains!!!". And I'll say yes you are, but I'm the boss of David. This afternoon in particular he was in the kitchen with his tricycle and "crashing" Teddy's food bowl. I got on to him and he said, "well, well... I'm the boss of my tricycle!!!". It is so hard not to laugh. Then I realized I must threaten spanking too much (and probably not enough actual doing). Because I was helping him get dressed and I accidentally elbowed him in the lip - not hard enough to cry, but it hurt. He says to me, "mommy you don't hurt lips, if you do that again I'm gonna spank you, do you understand me?!!".

Another thing I must do alot of is tell him "it's ok"... maybe I do this when he's hurt or scared or whatever. Twice today as I was talking to him about something he said, "mommy, it's ok." And the tone of voice he uses is the sweetest and most compassionate thing you've ever heard coming out of a three-year-old boy's mouth.

Last is on manners. Like most Southern girls manners were a MAJOR MAJOR part of my upbringing and of course I want the same for David. At this age and actually for quite a while now, we've been working on please, thank-you, no thank you, yes mam, yes sir, etc. David knows his manners, but is not consistent with all of them. The one he knows the best though is "no thank you". What's sad, in a funny kind of way, is that he used to say "no hank you" and now he says it correctly. I miss the hank way of saying it!!

All for now - I have Bunco tonight and need to go finish Dan's dinner before I head out for a fun night with the girls.

BYL,
Michelle

Facebook, Storms, Friends and Sprite

Say what you want about Facebook - believe me I did :). I used to think it was silly and make fun of people who used it. Then Christy convinced me to join and I love it. A perfect example of why it is so great: tonight I was talking to my best friend from 1st and 2nd grade when I lived in Pass Christian, MS. We've seen each other 2 or 3 times since we were young. But lost touch and haven't seen each other in 20 years. And guess what else - she lives a little over an hour away from me. How cool is that! Thank you facebook! I've also found friends from junior high, high school, college, etc. It is such a great way to have daily contact with people you never get to see and to find out about their lives and their families, etc. It's amazing how once you marry and have kids you become consumed with your own life and you get so busy!! Well facebook gives you the chance to "see" them and if fits into any schedule.

We've had storms in our area this evening and tonight. Tornado warnings, thunderstorm warnings... The latest one ended about 1/2 an hour ago. I truly hope that's it for the night. I hate being woken by tornado sirens. The first round we all got in the hallway - even the dog LOL. The second round was too late and the storm moving too fast so everybody stayed where they were. I guess I've lived here long enough I don't want to say I'm complacent, I just know the drill and this last one was such a fast mover it would (and was) be gone before I could even get David situated.

Today has been a good day. I worked on paperwork this morning, picked up Emily from school (seeing her during the week is always a nice surprise!), came home and started dinner and then moved in the hallway HA HA. Thankfully dinner was not ruined and when we came out of the hallway we sat down and had dinner. David was thrilled that Emily was here. Everyday he tells me he misses her :(.

After dinner Kim came over and rode with me to take Emily back. Then she and I rode around and looked at houses and chatted. So nice to have conversations without our kids around. We LOVE our kids, but sometimes you just need girl time!!

I'm reading the best book, Rescuing Sprite. It was recommended by my high school Assistant Principal (thanks again facebook!). If you are a dog lover this is the best book you will ever read. I can't wait to pass it on to dad and Barbara and my brother and Leslie!!

BYL,
Michelle

Sleep Eludes Me Tonight

Well it's the wee morning hours of Tuesday night / Wednesday morning and I am having a hard time getting "settled". Of course this happens when I have a busy day planned tomorrow. The paperwork is piled on my desk and I have to finish the tax stuff and get it off the the accountant. And yes, I know, this sleeplessness happens because I have that type of day coming up tomorrow; and I'm thinking about it rather than sleeping. Combine this with thoughts of my dad's upcoming cancer surgery and the 10-year-anniversary of my mom's death by cancer, which are going to be on the same day... So, I'm just having a reflective night.

On a lighter note David just cracks me up. He is truly an interesting kid. This morning he wanted his Leapster in the car on the way to school. He starts playing it in the house and carries it outside. It's in his hands as I'm maneuvering the straps on his car seat (still in 5-point-harness) and since he's trying to concentrate on his game I'm kind of in the way. Nevertheless, I think he's indifferent to me. Wrong... He turns to me and says to me in a mildly exasperated tone, "Goodness gracious, mommy. You're driving me crazy!". I just had to laugh. I mean what do you say to that. I know he got it from me - they repeat EVERYTHING you say!! David had a fun day at school today - this week is "R". Rockets and robots abound... Since he inherited his dad's love of rockets and Wall-E is his favorite movie right now - this is a big week for him. Other than his true love of trains - this stuff is his favorite.

Emily is having a good week too. She's gearing up for cheer and dance try-outs next week. This past Saturday we went shopping for white tennis shoes and black shorts. You have to wear a "uniform" each day. Her favorite thing of this week though is a new phone. Hers is horrible - will not hold a charge at all. And in her opinion OLD because it doesn't have a camera and other fun features and it is "old-style" texting. So for Valentine's her mom and step-dad got her a LG Scoop. She is thrilled!! We get to see her tomorrow and have her through dinner. She called yesterday and asked would I pick her up after school one day this week and let her come over for a little while.

I'm watching American Idol from earlier tonight - the first 12 of the 36 are performing tonight. I must say this has been a disappointing night to me. I like two of the guys and that's it. Hopefully the other 24 will be better - otherwise it's going to be a long season.

On a rambly note tonight I have a little something to vent about. Or maybe a few little somethings. Actually as I'm typing this I'm deciding maybe I'll just do a little list of things that irritate me.

• making a commitment and then breaking it at the last minute without a "real" reason
• complaining about something over and over, but doing NOTHING to fix it
• deciding to not be friends with someone over their political views
• demeaning southern culture - you can think it's different, interesting, etc. but don't demean it
• not listening when someone is talking to you - especially when they are telling you of something important to them - pretending you're listening is just as bad - you can always tell
• not taking care of your family in regards to the little things; learn their love language and perform according
• negativity
• a sense of entitlement
• biased media (I'm a mass comm major so this really gets me)
• talking to people in a condescending manner
• lack of empathy

Well I guess that's enough venting for one night. Sorry to be so blah tonight, it's just one of those times.

BYL,

Michelle