Thursday, April 30, 2009

Let them eat Cake

Michelle Obama wore a $500+ pair of shoes to the food bank....

discuss.



I wonder if George Soros sent them?



Reminds me a bit of Madonna cavorting around Africa in her expensive track suit

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

squinting

Let me see....

It has been busy here. The collective are both learning Spanish. PN is right on her Brother's tail, and it was told to me, that she is doing fantastic, and we should be proud. She can even roll her rrr's.

SR, has been sort of roller coaster lately making it through most of the day and then having at least one frustration meltdown a day this week. Monday it was a mathematics problem. His mentor was out ill, so he had regular math with his peers, since he is ahead of them, his teacher gave him a worksheet to keep him busy, as the rest of them were working on adding. He did not like that at all. I am guessing it is because she did not explain it. He can work a+13=26, but he got a sheet that was a+b=26. I am not sure why he was stumped or frustrated, but he was. He was upset, and had to go the the Principals office to settle down.

Oye.....I asked her to send the sheet home, because we would go over it with him, she forgot it today.

Let me see, it is raining, and I will not complain, as I still need to turn on my sprinklers after blowing them out. I also have to WEED something fierce, and finish my pruning. We have mowed, and now will probably mow once per week. I have beautiful purple bud trees up front, and oh my too many things to report. I have lilac bushes right under my bedroom window, they will need to be moved. I also have 5 butterfly bushes in need of pruning of some sort. It is a lot of work.


We got new software at work, which I must say the font is terribly small. I find the headaches are almost daily. I probably need glasses, but seriously the font is nuts. Also the magic new software is not really as uber cool as anyone would have thought. It is currently a pain in the ass.

Tomorrow is only Wednesday.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Green





Camp Ashland is right by the river...it was pretty


My shoes....I think DH inadvertantly took this photo. I ended up with pearl colored shoes, that reminded me of Laura Bush


Last night we had DH had his annual Officers convention.

The night certainly did not go off without a hitch. First a bow tie emergency. My husband came out of his bedroom, with his bow tie untied. Ughhh....For the record I have no idea how to tie a bow tie, at least not one I can guarantee will stay tied all night. He said he did not want to look like Colonel Sanders all night. (I had made him purchase the tie while in DC this past fall) So I had him purchase yet another one, from Men's Warehouse on the way out of town.

I was pleased with my new dress, although i will say I need to get my arms back in shape. I was also having a weird hair night because it was raining and terribly humid. (For the record I have naturally CURLY hair, and spent about 30 minutes, with my fat curling iron putting big loose curls in it....

stupid hair.

Ummmmmmm....It was nice dining with DH, and spending some alone time with him, the chance are rare, and we do appreciate the time alone immensely.


My sister and her Husband came for the weekend to hang out, and watch the kids. and the funniest thing happened this morning before church....

My Sister and I arrived in the living room, looking identical this morning. We both had white shirts on under sea foam green sweaters, brown handbags and brown shoes....It was weird. I went and put a plum sweater on so we would not look like idiots while out shopping, and at church. It was hilarious.

I did manage to find a Spring coverlet for our bed. It is cotton and a lovely shade of green. I noted a lot of the coverlets were dry clean only, which seemed odd to me.

I also managed to get some more dead sea salt body scrub, and body butter...it is summer, and my skin looks dreadful.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Loved reading Romans 12 this morning....

Friday, April 24, 2009

The last honor flight for WWII Veterans from Nebraska

You can read the rest here...

Ranger UP????

I think I found her!!

And an Army Wife, blogger, and a model!

I think Ranger Up, stopped taking entries, but I think they might bend the rules for this beautiful lady.

Let them know you think they should give her a shot!

customerservice@rangerup.com

Thursday, April 23, 2009

He makes me laugh...

This was terrific this morning!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

girls night

So PN and I did chores as soon as we got home, and then we went shopping....

I found a cocktail dress. I did not get a long gown, I found a beautiful shade of blue called Tacoma blue, a simple sheath, satin dress. I do need shoes though. None of mine look right. (Even DH said so....) I also pre shopped for Christmas cocktail events, and found something ON CLEARANCE. It is a set of separates, but very sharp. A long satin skirt, and a red blouse thing that ties at the waist, with blingy buttons. Very festive. I am done shopping for any sort of ball or event for a long while....

PN managed to help me shop, she is fun to shop with, and she got a few sets of summer clothing, and sunglasses.

SR, also got some summer clothing, shorts and polo shirts...

I should not have to shop for a long while.

There are not enough hours in the day, between running here and there, and working out of doors, the inside is suffering.

This is the first mil-blog conference I will miss...I am so sad I will not be seeing so many friends. Maybe next year?

Hee-Haw Hot...

So we managed to go from 39-82 overnight....simply ridiculous

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Back to normal....

I am feeling 100% better.

the kids and I have already been out in the garden.

We managed to trim most of the dead crap away on 2 levels. There was so much brush we have an entire trash can full, and a BIG pile, which I have no clue what we will do with.
And there is more. I went around and pruned the river birch, as I kept getting tangled in them.

DH started a rhubarb patch last night, with PN. I am hoping it takes, if not, my Father will have to bring down some for me to transplant, along with some asparagus.

I am thankful The Collective were so helpful this afternoon, otherwise picking up all of the piles of dead stuff would have taken me hours. No JOKE. they have earned their dinner tonight for sure. There is still some trimming left.....

It was 39 degrees this morning, and is now 70 at least....I am sweating!

Thank you to Grandma for sending gardening gloves for me and the little fuzzers!! They were nice to have!

My Brother in Law is now in Iraq, with his unit.....pray for them all...

Stuck to my guns...

I decided to stick to my guns, and went to bed early although I was not tired. I turned on Top Hat, so I could fall asleep. It must have worked.

I slept, and then was plagued with weird dreams all night about vacationing in Memphis, PN kept wandering off scaring me to bits.

I woke at 3, chilly. I am now sleeping with the heat off, and the windows open. I was chilled. Slept off and on from 3-5.

It seems I do that, and then go back into a deep sleep from 5-6 and then do not want to wake....

Headed to work, a WILD day ahead, as we have changed software, and today is the LIVE date for the change over. CRAP. Should be a flustercluck.

*Just checked the temps, no wonder I was chilled, it was 39 degrees this morning.

Monday, April 20, 2009

I am feeling better...

How do I know this...my love affair with sleep is over. Last night it took me 40 minutes to fall asleep. I woke at 3:30, and then again at 5:00 because of the loverly birds chirping.

Darn, well it was good while it lasted.

In other news, I have to get my garden ready, I am behind. Far to windy and brisk for me to deal with it today. Tomorrow I have choir. I am moving my flowers down to level one, and moving a veggie garden and a sandbox to level 2. I want them contained as well, I am unsure about wooden frames, or tires right now. The garden is not going to be crazy this year, I would like tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans. Perhaps acorn squash, and jalapenos.

SR still likes, sand, and building roads, and his Tonka trucks. So the sand box will be similar.

Seems as though Spring happened overnight, the pear trees are in bloom, I do wish it would warm up. My bones would appreciate a thaw...

PS: Yellow Dog democrat Step FIL is coming for a visit, I adore him, but I am no mood to be called a "dirty teabagger"

Sunday, April 19, 2009

I do not like Easter Grass

It should be banned I tell you, banned!! I am currently finding it in every cranny of the house.

I took The Collective to church this morning, as DH had to work yet another weekend! GO TEAM!

Afterward I noted I was feeling better. So I thought, I could run to the store and do some shopping, etc.

HA, I overestimated how good I was feeling. I really want another nap. And the napping seems to be working to make me feel better. I am sure when I am 80% I will be back to my regular insomniac self.

I thought I would set up the croquet to help the kids keep busy and out of the house. I have too much to catch up on here...and wanted them out. That is what happens when Moms are down with whatever, the fridge empties, the crap piles up....and now I am waiting for them to beat each other to death with mallets...

I napped

WOW, I slept in this morning, and took a nap.

Amazing really.

My head hurt most of the day, but is better now. The nap kicked it.

the cotton balls are drying out...at least I hope.

I heart sleeping.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Seems as though WE are a petrie dish of filth

So everyone who was here over Easter is now ill, with a head cold. This particular head cold/bird flu/ whatever. Makes your skull feel like it is in a vice, and nothing will drain. Imagine someone stuffing wet cotton balls in your skull. Freaking weird.

Hence I am in no mood to be motherly today. I wish I was, but I can't. I do not have it in me. So I am bailing out, and taking my children to the children's museum. They can play there, maybe I can take my crocheting, or a book, or something.

I wanted to work on my yard, but that is not going to happen, as it is raining, and I have a hitch in my giddy-up

Thursday, April 16, 2009

CNN did not show you....



Go to 1:49 if you want to see the rest.

One more thing...

Go over to Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion, and read his take on what the DHS, thinks about The Constitution.

More strange appointments by Obama

Rosa Brooks??

In what has to be one of the most extreme appointments yet by the Obama Administration, ex-Los Angeles Times columnist and Georgetown law professor Rosa Brooks has just been made an adviser to Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michelle Fluornoy - a move Brooks describes as "my personal government bailout." (Click on that link, it will make your head explode)

Bailout is certainly the right word for someone who appears to have no relevant national security qualifications for the position. She does though have experience working as Special Counsel for George Soros's Open Society Institute in New York, and as a former adviser to Harold Koh, the hugely controversial nominee for Legal Adviser to the State Department.


Continue to read here...

I must be sick, I actually slept...

Do not worry I am headed to bed as I promised.

I have already been there and took a nap.

The one good thing about not feeling well, I actually sleep, the insomniac sleeps. Ahhhh I love sleeping.

I only wish I could breath out of my left nostril.

My Sister called tonight, and said one of the pictures she took while here I look like my Mother. Almost exactly, down to the look I am giving the camera.

It is strange resembling a dead parent. There are times I see myself in photos and see her, speak and hear her. I also move like my Mother, walk like her, carry my handbags like her. It is eerie some days when I see my reflection in store windows. I wonder if my Father notices, and i wonder if it bothers him....

OK off to a hot tub to soak, and then bed.

I am hoping they send me home...

I feel like crap...

I am shakey, legs and arms feel as though they weigh 50 pounds, my head is stuffed...and I am headed to work.

I am guessing influenza. Crap.

I wanna stay in bed

*I made it through the day....

I fell like crap, but I made it.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Illness reigns

Right now my head feels like it needs to be removed from my body and drained.

I had to leave work early to pick up PN from school. She was running a temp of 102, after I gave her Tylenol this am. I took her to the Dr. She has bronchitis, and a right ear infection....

DH had this for 2 weeks. SR has it too..

Sick of being sick.

Some things piss me off...

like this...


and THIS

piss poor planning.

here is the video

I am not amused. Locking family out of a going away event?

to my Brother In Law headed out...

Prayers daily, we are proud of you.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Happy Anniversary



*picture taken 18 years ago by DH's Grandfather....


Today we celebrate 18 years of marriage.

That seems like a long time.....

last night we talked about this...

AWTM: "Does it feel like 18 years?"

DH: "I no longer have any concept of time."

AWTM: "It feels like 10 or so to me."

DH: "some days"

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Easter Celebration






We had a small Easter celebration today.

The oddest part of the day was SR announcing he found dead rats while in the play hut out back, while searching for an egg....

Upon closer inspection I noted 5 very young bunnies, hairless. The Mother had made a nest in the play hut out back...and never returned. I am going to guess, a car, or coyote got her....poor things either froze or starved....or maybe both. Not exactly what you want to explain to the kids, after "The Easter Bunny visited".....

Also 3 children can find 84 eggs quickly. VERY QUICKLY.

All was delicious and yummy, and I did not even eat dinner tonight, as I was stuffed....

You should hear The Collective sing this....

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Good Friday....



h/t to XTN Yoda

I missed my Birthday...


My blog is now 4....I just received an email from a friend reminding me that I missed my blogoversary...

It was supposed to be March 9, or something...

It does not feel like 4 years until i look at the pictures of the children....

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Spring?

Or just another tease?

I hope not, last weekend we had horrific winds, and COLD, and snow and sleet.

Ick, I am done with this. Winter has been cold. I WANT SUN.

The past two days have been lovely, until the sun goes down. I feel as if I am in the desert.

The past two days have been so lovely though, after school I have taken the kids to the park to play, today it was so AWESOME we had no coats! So strange after wearing boots, wool socks, hats, scarves, and what not through the winter.

The collective need sun, and fresh air.

I need the house power washed, check the gutters, clean out the back flower beds, pull weeds which seemed to thrive in the snow...figures.

I want to try and get a small garden ready. I also have to re-mulch a ton, as the wind has blown away all of the current mulch. Let me say we need a lot of mulch. A lot. I also want to build The Collective a sandbox.

Spring overwhelms me, it always does, the lists go on for days, and days.

It does not help things when Winter seems to last from October-May. That is over half a year for those of you keeping track.

I used to love winters, and maybe I can learne to again, but right now....well...

I want SUN.

In good news SR gets to open a savings account at the bank tomorrow. He never spends his $$$. He wants a Nintendo, and I told him i would not buy it. He must do this himself.

He did manage an almost perfect report card today, and the report from his Mentors were outstanding. Today he started learning about Aristotle, he was excited. I also got several of his projects he has been working on at school. He has been writing research reports on animals, songs, poems, and stories....

My Sissy is here visiting and is going to go to school with PN tomorrow. This should be fun!!

drama island...

I am just wondering if I am biased, but I am going to ask people a question...

We all know people that like drama. What I mean by drama, is not real drama either, it is drama that seems to be made drama.

Does anyone think this is a generational issue?

I am becoming more zen like in my age...no drama is good.

I do not like every conversation I have to be a dramatic one.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009


PN polishing the dining room table






The kids took apart a dead DVD player, this was good for about 3 hours of fun.

breaking the law



SR, starved and bored out of his wits.


While at the Saudi student dinner the other night, The Collective were quite good. They were really good considering they had to wait a while for dinner, and listen to several speeches.

After dinner, I thought I might take The Collective to the Art Gallery, as they were having a walk thru, with fruit and chocolate. However, PN was waering her Easter shoes from last year, and learned her first lesson in "do not wear those, your feet will hurt by the end of the night."

So after dinner, we walked through the student union, for a short tour. SR loved it. And then we went outside, so they could run. In front of the student union, there is a fountain that is empty right now. It has large stone boulders in it, so The Collective were climbing. It seemed harmless, until about 30 minutes into it, when SR tells me there is a sign that says, "no climbing or wading". I could not read the sign from where I was sitting.

About that time, we heard police sirens going off somewhere downtown. I swear I have never seen my children move so quick in their lives. They seriously thought the police were coming to arrest them.

Monday, April 06, 2009

lists of things to do

Contest...

The University of Nebraska is having a contest...


Colorful Creature Contest
What Color is Your Creature?

All submitted artwork goes on exhibit in Morrill Hall this spring!

Eligibility:
Children in the following Age Groups are eligible to participate:
Preschool or younger
Grades K-1
Grades 2-3
Grades 4-5






Creature Categories:
1. General - any creature, ancient or modern
(i.e. tigers, bugs, lizards, dinosaur, birds, etc.)
2. Mammoth - depictions of Mammoths only
Children may submit one entry per category.


Guidelines:
1. Coloring must be the exclusive work of the child, without the assistance of others.
2. Contestants may submit one entry per Creature Category: General and Mammoth.
3. A separate Entry Form must be attached to each piece of submitted artwork.
4. All artwork must be on white, 8 1/2 x 11 size paper.
5. Contestants may use any kind of art medium to generate their creatures. Use of vibrant color is strongly encouraged.
6. Entries must be received by Saturday, April 18th 2009. Completed artwork, and corresponding Entry Forms, may be dropped-off or mailed to: University of Nebraska State Museum, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0338.
7. All entries will be displayed at the museum as part of a temporary exhibit in May.
8. All entries become property of the University of Nebraska State Museum at the time they are turned in (though if you stop into Morrill Hall within a month of the exhibit's end we will do our best to find and return your child's image).
9. There is no purchase necessary, nor any cost to enter the contest.
10. Families who drop off their artwork may also visit the museum for half price that day.

This looks like another fun activity for The Collective, we also LOVE this museum!!

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Preparing for Easter





These are the eggs we made with the silk ties. I had as much fun as The Collective!

PS* Follow the directions, and let the eggs cool, as the print will probably be more pronounced...we are an impatient bunch. Yes even me, the Mom.

The case of the flat size 12 1/2 Easter shoes solved.

Easter shoes obtained. They are not exactly what I was hoping for, but whatever...done. Sometimes it is about getting things done. We were looking for white, and ended up with pink. Pink Ninja has a size 12/12 shoe, she has big feet.

We also decided to go out for lunch today after church, and went to Culver's because it is SR favorite restaurant. I ordered fried chicken, because I have not had any in a long time. I also ordered onion rings...I needed neither, but whatever.

We have had difficulty finding any place to eat here. Seriously.

We normally go out to eat one meal a week, sometimes 1 meal every 2 weeks depending how frugal, or exhausted I am feeling.

So far service everywhere has been fantastic, but the food is either not that great, or not what I had heard from others. Do people care if the food is actually good when they go out? I keep hearing people rave on about food, only to show up excited, and leave sort of disappointed.

We have found one excellent Mexican restaurant, which is actually in the back of a grocery store, the food is delicious. Lincoln used to have great Vietnamese places, but the last 2 I walked in smelled so bad, and had flies, we left promptly.
There is supposedly a good Thai place downtown, I have heard rave reviews, but then again I have been going to recommended restaurants since we returned, and only have a handful of places I would return to. We went to a new Indian place in town, and the food was actually almost Pakastani, spicier than normal Indian food which did not bother me, but the prices were high for what was served, and we were sat right by the door on a COLD and WINDY day, we about got blown out of there, and it made for horrid dining.

So I continue to look for wonderful food here. My Husband says there is an Iraqi restaurant that is quite good, I have eaten their food, and it is tasty, but only at catered events.

OK I am off to vacuum, and dust, and CLEAN toilets! The Collective are busy cleaning as well, the money per core thing is working out wonderfully. And I note they are more likely to do more if I pay for each task. A nickle for this, a dime for that, a quarter for the other. Free enterprise works. SR even cleaned his Sisters room to get her money, because she did not want any money....she changed her mond, and is nw cleaning a bathroom with VIGOR.

I am tired of pee, and fart, and toot jokes. Seriously.

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Laundry list...

PN haircut X

grocery store X

Spring Shoes for PN (could not find any shoe for a 5 year old, with a closed toe, WITHOUT a HEEL)

Easter clothes for SR (there was nothing cute for boys anywhere, enough with the skulls)

dye eggs (in process)

clean my house (uhhhhh?)

wash linens (uhhhh?)

do laundry (hey, I am working on it)

pay bills X (done, but made me grumpy)

mail them (will do after church in the morning)

*I am also making homemade pizza tonight, well except for the crust, HY-Vee, had the little store brand bags of them for 39 cents. I tried it last week, and it was not bad at all, this is a good way to get everyone to eat veggies...



uckkkkk

also a blizzard is supposed to be headed this way. Right now the wind is gusting about 45 mph...

Friday, April 03, 2009

Out on the town...

Tonight our family is attending this event. We were invited to a dinner tonight.

WE are going to take The Collective. I am not quite sure about this decision, as DH is attending on behalf of work, however with SR continuing to have a week that is complicated....well unless you have been there you have no idea. I am hoping they find dinner fascinating. There is a fashion show, so PN might like.

The week has been a complicated one, and I have had several heart to hearts with SR....

He is trying, he really is.

But in my brain, he is capable of sooo much. And I think there lies part of our issue.

This weekend I am missing SpouseBuzz Live in Virgina. I always come away from these events with such energy, and feel refreshed. I wish I could have attended, as I have friends, that really could use, girl time, support, and an ear...

Wish us luck tonight.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

And today was better...

except for the pharmaceutical rep who said..."well you are Valerie Bertinelli's age" uuuhhhhh...no I am not.

Sweet Mother Of Jesus.

While I will say congratulations to Ms. Bertonelli, I will also add that if someone paid me that sort of change, I could be in a bikini too...(any takers? cash only...)

I am just sic of seeing her before and after everywhere I turn around, and I live in a world with very little pop culture.

Yesterday sucked, it was a SR issue. I am not going into details here, he was naughty, and should know better...ughhhh. Consequences have been dealt, and etc etc etc. I did want to poke forks into my eyes from 3-6 yesterday. I managed a bath, and a small drink, and did nothing but over think. Which just seems to leave me spinning.

Work is work, and I wish I could blog about it...maybe soon.

PN now has a bad cold. Yeah I am serious. The petrie dish of filth which is daycare...is making her immune system work overtime.

I will add here, I am tired of the cold, and WIND. I am ready for sun, and fresh air. I am about as cabin fevered as I have been in years. I want flowers, and sunshine. The birds know it is coming, and I hear them all morning.

Tonights dinner? Hamburgers on the grill, with onions, and mushrooms.

I am not really hungry at all...

If I could pick a them song for the day it would be this...



And while I am escaping...if I were Emma Peel I would love this pink top!