the strangest date

Last Wednesday I met someone for dinner. Someone I never thought I'd have dinner with... before you get too excited it was a girl.

We were in the same squadron for years but never really talked to each other. I went TDY for five months, came home and heard through the rumor mill that she was dating my "boyfriend". He, of course, denied all allegations and I was left not knowing what to think. Well, I knew what to think but was in deep denial. Anyway, this went on for a long time and for years the other woman and I never spoke to each other. Not because of rage or jealousy, just because it was awkward and uncomfortable. The OPSTEMPO helped, it seemed one of the three of us was always deployed.

She sent me a friend request on FB a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to say the least. Turns out she's in the process of moving back to Omaha and has a three-year-old boy.

As I was getting ready to meet her at the restaurant I felt weird. It felt like I was getting ready for date or something. I wanted to look nice but not like I was trying too hard. Yago laughed at me. But seriously, I had worked that day and didn't want to keep my hair in a bun but if I took it down I had to fix it... I even tried to call Jessica in a panic because I had no idea how it was going to go.

So I had a strangely good time. I hope we get together again.

yesterday's thoughts

Yesterday I was at work talking with someone I knew from the 97th Intel Sq. We were discussing a mutual friend who recently got divorced. The woman I was talking with said something about how you never really know what's going on in someone's personal life. Relationships have their ups and downs, no relationship is perfect. I sat nodding in agreement but really thinking about how I honestly have not a single complaint. I think my marriage is great. I'm still waiting for the struggle.

hey internet

Hey, how you been? I've haven't been around for a while, I've been busy but I still love you. No te preocupes.

Boot camp this morning was fun, there was a camera crew (man) there. That wasn't so fun, you can look forward to seeing my white fleshy belly on youtube somewhere. On the bright side, I won a gift certificate for holding a wall squat the longest.

I started work again and that's been a bit stressful, mostly because I'm a terrible comm officer. I'm supposed to write a CONOP on IT funding prioritization, ick. I'm beyond clueless with composing a CONOP.

Well, I'm going to spend some time with Ralphie before I go in to work today. He's a cute little guy, you've never seen someone so happy about a haircut before!

getting back on the wagon

I blew my diet big time yesterday... Ice cream, blondies, mexican food for dinner. I'm experiencing some remorse today. I need to work out and do a practice pt test to see where I'm at but who knows if I'll I get there today.

After further examination of the new test I don't think I'll have to take it this year, it doesn't start until January and I'm due in December. Whew. I should still be able to rock the 30 push-ups in a minute.

That's another thing, I was reading the website about how they came up with the new standards. It said that they used a study of average Americans and made the 50-60th percentile the standard. I think that's bs. I find it hard to believe that the average American can run 1.5 miles these days. I look around and am astounded.

The midget is demanding something of me but I can't for the life of me understand what he wants...

last day

I joked to Yago yesterday that today was my last day of "summer vacation" because I start working half days tomorrow. I tried on my new ABU pants this morning and they seem to fit okay. I was worried because when they came in last year they tight. Maybe it'll keep me from buying my two bags of Fritos in the afternoon... it became my habit last year.

I also looked at the new PFT requirements, it's going to kick my butt. They changed how they score: the run is 60%, body composition 20%, push-ups 10%, and sit-ups 10%. The age groups don't go in five year increments anymore either: under 30, 30-39, 40-49, etc. That stinks. Also, to max out push-ups I have to do 46. Last year I maxed out at 30 and it about killed me! 46? What girl can do 46 push-ups? I haven't met her. Ever. I'll try timing my run on Saturday but it'll be less than stellar, I've never been very quick.

Boot camp is going great, I wish I knew someone around here that could go with me. Chas is bringing in a camera crew in a couple of weeks to film us. Eww. Who wants to see me at 0600 sweaty with no makeup and unwashed hair? Yago doesn't even want to see that!

Tonight Yago and I are sitting down for our annual budget review. Isn't that funny? He cracks me up. Of course our fiscal year is that same at the military fiscal year. He really is funny.

two thumbs up

That's what I give the movie Eragon for nap quality. Man, that's a great movie to fall asleep to. Schmitty's tried a couple of times to watch it with me but I can't resist the sleepy feeling. Luckily a couple of neighborhood kids stopped by as I was slipping away...

Schmitty's friend from last year was supposed to spend the night tonight but it hasn't worked out. The kid called a couple of weeks ago and asked if he could spend the night, I said I'd pick him up from school on the 25th. Never heard anything from the mother and when I tried to call his new school they didn't have classes today. All the phone numbers I could find have been disconnected so I guess that's that.

We had parent-teacher conferences today, they went well. I took the kids to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, I always forget how expensive it is. Almost $40 including the tip for one adult and two kids, and I ate an appetizer with water to drink. (Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps) I wanted to eat something that wouldn't be too bad for me or my diet.

I start working next week, from about 1030 - 1430. We'll see how that goes, it's hard to believe the new fiscal year is already starting.

I need to get started on the pizza for tonight. I'm making arugula, prosciutto and artichoke pizza (pepperoni for the boys).

my butt

I got my butt kicked at bootcamp this morning. I'm liking it though. It's more interesting than getting on the treadmill downstairs but not as economically sound. At the end of today's session we were told the goal was for everyone to finish the six-week session. Usually there are one or two dropouts. I was thinking, "There's no way Yago would let me drop out after plunking down the money." Not that I want to but it still amused me to think about coming home and telling Yago that I didn't feel like going anymore.

Schmitty's having a tough time with the retainer. It's making his teeth hurt but after just two days you can see a dramatic difference in his gap. He's really not happy with it though. I feel bad for him but it's hard to be sympathetic when he's so darn grumpy! I think I managed to cheer him up this morning.

library

Today Ralphie and I took a trip to the library, actually libraries. I was looking for a book that was recommended at boot camp this morning.

Leaving the base library I was surprised to hear a guy yelling on his cell phone outside. I thought I was going to hear a juicy argument but after a couple of seconds I quickly ascertained he was talking about Kanye and Taylor (and Beyonce). Too funny. This guy was either a contractor or gov't civilian and my age or older. He was dressed in Dockers and a dress shirt yelling about how Kanye had a point. (oh, and he was white) "How can Beyonce win Best Video of the Year and Taylor Swift win Female Video of the Year? It doesn't make any sense!" Too too funny, but I think I already said that.

poor guy

My poor, poor, little guy had two teeth pulled yesterday. They weren't decayed or anything, they were taken out so his adult teeth would come in straighter and not crowd his existing adult teeth.

Yesterday afternoon I felt awful for him. My stomach was seriously in knots on the way home. Just looking at his face. He wasn't crying but I wished he'd cry, it was sadder to see trying to hold it together. He dripped blood on his white uniform shirt after he saturated his gauze.

I'm not sure what's going on lately but I feel like I'm going a little stir-crazy. I want to volunteer here and there but it's too hard with Ralphie. I need to find a mommy and me class or something. Unfortunately, it'll pass soon because I'll begin working in about three weeks. That'll probably satiate my need to go out and do something.

inadvertent farm

We have a small crop growing in our backyard, accidentally. We have a compost bin that we put all our food trash in, not including meat, out by our fence. A few weeks ago we noticed some sprouts from discarded seeds. We waited to see what all it was, it could have been almost anything.

We identified roma tomatoes but still didn't know what the other plants were. Today I discovered several melons! Some of them are quite large and many of them grew through the fence in our neighbor's yard!

yay!

We've had three poops on the potty in two days! Amazing to me, inane to my friends without children...

why

Why am I listening to Hannity? Ick. Because I'm too lazy to get up and turn off the radio.

I'm disappointed in the lack of momentum on h/c. What is all the nonsense people are talking about? I'm really (really) not understanding the fear and opposition. How is the argument that the free market works even made with a straight face? It's all very discouraging.

And? Sam didn't watch the presidential address at school. I thought the school had more sense than that. I thought we'd get more sense than that when we decided to send him to an independent school and not a catholic school.

new home

It's nearly 4:00 am and I just finished cleaning a bunch of dog poo. She barked to wake me to take her out to pee but apparently only after she soiled the rug. Did I mention she puked in my car this morning?

sorry snoop, i'm not pimpin'

So I got a tweet for an opportunity to win a free 6-wk session of bootcamp worth $175. I'm planning on signing up for it anyway and when I saw I could win it for free I was definitely interested. Then I saw what you have to do. You have to make the most "noise" on facebook and twitter. I considered for a moment. It seemed a little nebulous. What counts as noise? I don't have a lot of Twitter or FB followers, does it go by how many people you reach or how many times you post nonsense? Or a combination?

When I read on I found out it's not even making noise for the bootcamp, I have to make noise for omaha coupons. (which I suppose I'm inadvertently doing now) That's just a little too lame. Even for me.

early awkward

So Schmitty will be hitting his awkward stage early! He's getting glasses and a retainer! He also has to have a couple of teeth pulled next week. The tooth extractions are just to ensure his adult teeth come in properly...

I think I'm going to the library tomorrow for dog training and potty training books. (not a dog potty training book) The Frog has been driving me and the kids crazy. I can't take much more... I was ready to call The Humane Society yesterday. Really.

I had something interesting to write about earlier but it's escaped me... Sorry.

no in-between

I went to the portal training at Schmitty's school yesterday. I kind of hate doing stuff there. I was the only one who brought a kid, I guess everyone else has nannies or sitters. It was Ralphie and me, I spent a lot of the time trying to get him to stop jingling my keys.

All the other mothers are about 110 lbs, perfect blond hair, and golden tans. It's disgusting really. They all sat together catching up on god knows what. I sat in the back so I could make a quick exit if Ralphie got too rambunctious. Two women sat behind me speaking what I assume was Hindi.

We went to the picnic after school for bbq beef sandwiches and chips. We sat with a couple other boys from Schmitty's class. The mother finished her sandwich and then asked if I'd mind watching her purse while she talked to someone else. Really? sigh

school's in

We had a busy weekend, well a busy Saturday at least. We got up early for the airshow and then had some neighbors over in the evening. I'm not very good at entertaining because I'm too self-conscious. Yago came home early from the base and cleaned the house, bought the food, got the beer cold so everything was taken care of by the time I got home. He's cool like that.

Neighbors A and Neighbors B came over and met each other, it went really well. So well that I was hungover Sunday, that wasn't great. I made pomegranate martinis...

Today was Schmitty's first day of fourth grade... The teacher mailed the parents questionares a couple of weeks ago, she also had questionnares for the kids to fill out this morning. That's one curious teacher. She had the kids prioritize their favorite subjects, Schmitty flew through it. He was on number eight when I pointed out he hadn't marked recess yet. "Oops."

what was i thinking

I'm dreading this weekend. We overbooked ourselves. Maybe I'm making too much of it. But still, I can't wait for it to be over.

20/20

Hindsight... I just connected with someone from high school on FB. We weren't great friends, I don't remember ever hanging out with her but whatever. (Yago has more friends than I do, I'm not about to turn down a solicitation.)

Anyway, this "friend" has a bunch of pictures from high school posted. Again, she's partying with people I knew but never hung out with. ...Mostly because they wouldn't give me the time of day. After looking at those pictures I'm wondering what I found so darn intimidating about those people. Seriously. It's ridiculous. I remember them all being cool and good-looking but that is not evidenced in the photos.

And Schmitty, give me a break will ya? I took him for an annual physical yesterday to find out he can't see out of his right eye. (He's blinder than a Cyclops with an eye patch.) Now I have an appt with an optometrist tomorrow. Today was the dentist and she recommended an orthodontist and possible tooth extraction. So next week an appt with the orthodontist and the following week back to the dentist. It's a full time job with him lately! (Not to mention a paycheck! Glasses and braces?)

thank you

I would like to thank Herman Melville for helping me go to bed early every night, not like that Wally Lamb bastard. Wally kept me up for hours wanting to know more.

I quit reading Moby Dick quite a while ago when he started explaining ad nauseam all the different types of whales, insisting they were fish not mammals. I couldn't take anymore and picked up a couple of different books instead. Now I'm back to Moby Dick and finding it more difficult than ever to continue. The sentences go on forever, to the point that I get bored trying to figure out what he's referring to anymore. I'll finish it but probably not before 2011. (I started it in 2008.)

i'm learning lots

Holy crap!!! Hannity just told me there's a VA Death Book!!! Shit!! I'm a vet, I had no idea I was about to be euthanized!! Page 21 says I have to sign saying my life's not worth living. I think he also just called me old.

my mind can't take it

Sean Hannity is mocking Obama for referencing the Bible. What??? After Bush? Really? Of course now he's bringing up Reverend Wright. ???? This is all because Obama said the right was bearing false witness... He just said the Senate is dropping the "death panel" from the bill; thereby admitting there were death panels! Arghhh!!! I can't take it!

passing by

After the tour Jess and I had a conversation about momentarily wishing we were back in the AF. There was a point in the Senior Scout tour that made us want to jump back in to our flight suits and fly a mission. What they're doing now sounds like so much fun.

FB kind of does the same thing for me sometimes. Everyone moves on but it makes me nostalgic for days when we all hung out in DOT and spoofed for sodas. There were people in the squadron that really made work fun. So many people that I wish I'd gotten to know better too. In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago.

event

I went to the much-discussed reunion. It turned out so much better than I thought it would I can't even express. The only thing that didn't turn out well was my daycare plan, but I digress.

I was nervous about seeing everyone but it was a very friendly atmosphere. It was nice to see people that I hadn't seen in ten years. We toured the RJ and Senior Scout then had a burger burn at the squadron. We sat around and caught up on who got married and how many kids we had. Ted has three boys? Wow.

Then we went to the Det. Det? There wasn't a Det when I was there. That was where we did the dedication and it was SOOO good. I can't overstate how good it was. Tyler got up and talked about Shane, his voice cracked a bit. Hearing Tyler talk about Shane while looking at Tony, Ted, and Scott sitting in front of me was hard because I knew that Shane would have been sitting with them. He introduced Ted and that was very touching also.

I didn't take any pictures, I knew I wouldn't be allowed to take it anywhere. That's disappointing but I'm extremely happy I went.

Oh. And I got to hang out with Jessica. She got to meet Yago and the kids, that's always fun.

anticipating the good and bad...

Poor bloggy blog has been sorely neglected while I obsessed over facebook. I'm twittering, facebooking and blogging but for no one in particular. Whatever.

I'm about 3/4 done mowing the lawn but needed to take a break.

Tomorrow, actually tonight, begins the reunion. I'm VERY ambivalent. I can't wait to see everyone but almost dread it too. I had a complicated relationship with my squadron, mostly because of my complicated relationship.

I'm mad at the family childcare center on base, it's stupid. I went in Monday looking for a home provider. I called back that day and they said they'd lined up Cali for me. She's just coming off maternity leave and looking to get started again. They gave me her number and I've called about three times every day including Monday but can't get a hold of her. I've left messages, I've called the fcc back, nothing. No one ever calls me back, meanwhile the reunion is tomorrow now. It's stressing me out, I don't even know where this chick lives. I always think I have these things taken care of but then it's never as easy as it's supposed to be.

On the bright side, Jessica's coming to town tonight. I'm excited and hoping not to say anything dumb. We'll see how that goes.

Well, I'd better get back to mowing. I'd hate to not finish before Yago gets home.

it's all perspective

Really? Schmitty is chuckling and cackling out loud at Home Alone 3. Really? I watched the first one and didn't see how anyone, young or old, could find it amusing. It was so ridiculous. And then a sequel? But really, Schmitty is howling watching this, which is making me laugh in spite of myself. He just said, "This kid has really got it going!" Hmph.

yellow

We've had another busy weekend... Friday we had Rana spayed and I shampooed the carpets. Carpet, really. I did the front room but it was more time-intensive than I remembered. Mostly because I'd forgotten how the machine went together and worked. I think I got it right. Plus I mopped the upstairs and downstairs, a task rarely done.

Friday night I was supposed to take Schmitty to Tae Kwon Do and then pick Yago up from a promotion party at a brewery in Papillion. It took a lot longer to get the pup than I had anticipated so we didn't make it to TKD. That was unfortunate. When we went to pick Yago up there was still free food so the kids and I foraged enough to call it dinner. Free dinner!

Saturday morning Schmitty tested for his yellow belt. He passed! He won't be able to continue lessons while school is in session but maybe next summer. We'll see.

Last night we went to an outdoor concert, it was 100 degrees outside. Ick. We brought wine and snacks thinking it'd be like Jazz on the Green but it was not. After we finished our wine we saw the "No Alcohol" sign. The crowd was stuffier than the Jazz on the Green conert too. We still had a good time, the boys got balloon animals and toys.

Today is a study and do housework day I think. Unfortunately.

complex

I have an appointment to get my hair done today and I'm having the same quandry as usual. I want to do something different but am held back by fear of it looking ridiculous or not being able to recreate the hairstyle at home.

I've had the same haircut for about 15 years with the exception of a couple brief interludes with a bob. The bob is definitely out but I'm tired of my style, or lack thereof. I'm too chicken to go really short but want something more modern. I'd like to go to a snooty PTA meeting and feel like I have more style than all those super-tan-and-huge-fake-boob-having-enormous-designer-bag-carrying women. I'm dumb.

Next week is the Beaner Reunion, I wonder if I can lose 10 lbs in a week...

long weekend

Yago got back Friday night and we've been pretty busy every since. It's so good to have him home!

To celebrate our anniversary Saturday night we saw The Hangover, I highly recommend, and then went to a Persian restaurant for dinner in the Old Market. I know we haven't been married that long but I keep waiting for the hard times to hit. They really haven't.

Sunday we went to Mahoney State Park with charcoal and lamb kebobs that Yago made. It was delicious! I mean delicious. We forgot some key utensils: tongs, plates, lighter fluid... but it turned out fine. We were able to borrow what we couldn't do without and then improvised the rest. The boys played some football and went to a nearby playground. It was a lot of fun, I'd like to do it again. Maybe on a day that isn't so hot though. It became miserable in the late afternoon... (I'd post a picture but I can't find my camera right now.)

When I woke up this morning I passed Schmitty's room and saw him with the puppy. I was about to yell at him for being rough with her when I realized he was trying to pick her up and get her on his bed. He finally got her up there and it was cute watching him pet her and snuggle. (Schmitty's is the only bed she's allowed on.) I tiptoed by so as not to disturb the cuteness.

So maybe more work on the OPR today...

help

I need some help from my computer geek/Internet geek friends. I can't get anything to work all of the sudden. Blogger and Google are the only sites I can get to, everything else times out. I got to Twitter but can't sign in. I can't read e-mail (killing me), FB, or even CNN. Earlier nothing was working... How to troubleshoot?

zzzzs

I had a bad night's sleep last night. I fell asleep on the couch watching one of those cable detective shows that I love so much. I was tired but wanted to see who did it so badly... So I fell asleep and then kept waking up every half hour or so procrastinating going upstairs and brushing my teeth. Plus, every time I woke up there was another detective show on. Finally around 4:00 am I gave up and turned off the tv. The dog woke me around 6:00 but I didn't mind.

I've been trying in earnest to teach Rana to go out and get the paper. This morning I was out there at 6:15 with treats trying to get her to mouth the paper. Unbeknownst to me my neighbor was out walking and approached from behind. She commented that if I could do that I could get started with her dogs. I was a little embarrassed. I mean really, I know it's probably futile but worth a shot come November when there's no way I want to wander outside and get the paper.

I was a little tired and exasperated last night, hopefully today will be better. I'm trying to figure out how to clean my shower doors without using harsh chemicals... (Obviously, I'm not trying that hard because I'm on blogger...)

dog days of summer

I am at my wit's end with the puppy lately. She is getting into and chewing everything, including my glasses earlier. Thanks. I'm ticked, feeling helpless and overwhelmed.

I can't invite anyone in or even have a pleasant conversation. I realize she's a puppy and this is in large part my own fault. I'm busy. Very busy. I'm raising my kids, tutoring my niece, trying to write an OPR, enrolled in SOS, and trying to train a dog. Although I don't work outside the house there are times when I think it'd be easier. I need to make more time for the dog but jeezy creezy, there are only so many hours in the day.

She gets in to our compost bin outside, digs holes, I think I caught her eating rabbit poo tonight (which would explain the breath problems), and won't stop nipping at the kids. The nipping causes the kids to scream which causes me to scream at the dog... It's a mess.

All I can see right now is her growing to be the giant dog she will be with all these bad habits and issues. And? Honestly, I don't have the time to dedicate to fixing it right now.

If anyone knows of a Fairy God Pooch, please send her this way.

cutesy

Here's a picture of Ralphie enjoying some juice and playing a little "find the bellybutton."

another summer pic

Here's a snapshot of an unusually quiet moment yesterday. It was so cute I had to run out with the camera despite their protests.

funny

From a conversation just overheard between cousins:

"You're rubbing your tattoos off?! There's no way I'd rub this sweet baby off!"

deadlines

My OPR deadline (imposed by Yago) is quickly approaching and I'm not feeling it. I'm guessing I'll wait until late Thursday night to do it and send it on Friday.

Schmitty's been going to his Tae Kwon Do classes and enjoying it immensely. We had the winning bid at his school fundraiser so we got one month of unlimited classes and a free uniform. He loves his class and teacher. The problem is that it's way the heck away from where we live, when we bid on it we didn't know where it was located. Now Schmitty's qualified to test up to his yellow belt, testing is scheduled Aug 8. Since we won't be able to continue once school starts, there's no point in him testing. (it costs $65 to test) He's very disappointed, very. I feel awful, I wish I hadn't ever bid on the classes now. I'm looking for a place closer to home but he wants to continue at Tiger Rock with his instructor there.

I've promised to go bike riding with the kids so we'd better get the show on the road before naptime.

hospital schmospital

I had an appointment with the VA today trying to get my disability benefits reinstated. I went to the VA Hospital for an evaluation but couldn't find room 5002 in the 5 East wing. I was wandering around and finally asked for help. The lady told me I was, indeed, in the right place and 5 East was just through the doors at the end of the hall. I was confused, "But I thought I saw something about mental..." She looked at my appointment paper and told me that the VA Hospital was across the street, I was in the county hospital. I laughed and thanked her. When I got back in the elevator I saw that I was in the Inpatient Mental Health wing. Whoopsie.

some nerve

Last night I got an email from Schmitty's bio father asking the status on the adoption. I told him I didn't know and had tried contacting my attorney last week to no avail. I woke this morning to an email ending with, "Give him a hug and a kiss from me." I'm very irked by that comment. Seriously? Give the kid you've never interacted with a hug and kiss from you? I don't think so.

wine (no) tasting

Last night the boys and I trekked all over town looking for the free wine tasting at Lauritzen Gardens. Mutual of Omaha is sponsoring a BUNCH of free events this weekend celebrating their 100th anniversary, the tasting was one such event.

We got there and waited in a ridiculously long line for admission. Once in, everything had a crazy long line. The first wait was so long I decided we would skip the French region and head somewhere else. We got to the German region for riesling but they were packing up and leaving, no luck. Australia had a mountain of stairs, impossible with the stroller. We continued to Japan... for sake but they were out also, just a couple of women sitting there in kimonos. We got to Italy and waited and waited. Then it started raining. I decided I was going to shell out $5 and buy a glass at that point because it was 10 minutes from closing. I got up there for my taste and chickened out on asking to purchase a glassful.

At this point we'd been walking around for a couple of hours and Schmitty was out of humor. I told him we'd go back and get a complementary dessert sample. That was supposed to start at 9:00. We fought the mosquitos and waited in one last line. Unfortunately, I guess they were out of dessert because I got up there and they gave me a sample of wine but no offer for the dessert that was supposed to be there.

After we finally found our car and called it a night we stopped by Sonic for a snack.

summer

Ah, to be a kid in summer...

what cake?

I didn't do it.

give them cake

We did indeed eat some cake, it's really the anniversary of our family. That means Ralphie didn't go to bed until almost 10:00 but it's summer, what the heck.

Oh, and after blowing out the candles Ralphie tried to eat one. He saw his brother sucking icing off the bottom of a candle and decided to eat one.

three

Three years ago today Yago and I were married. I've been planning for months to write about all his wonderful attributes but then today came and I was busy with all the other things that had to be done. Now Ralphie's in the other room hollering, the dog is wimpering, and I can't think of a single thoughtful thing I was going to tell everyone about. Hmph.

Well, I'm still happy.

I like that he doesn't think it's funny that I startle easily. A lot of people think it's hilarious to make me jump but he always tries to flip the light to let me know he's coming or he walks loudly.

Even though he's not here I was planning to do something special with the boys but that never happened either, unless you call a trip to the commissary special. I made an anniversary cake but it's almost 9:00 and still too warm to frost...

I think we learned that I'm a really good planner.

shark burps

I was running home yesterday to bring more beer over to the neighbor's house when I realized I had shark burps. I thought that was pretty funny. They made shark empanadas that were a-maz-ing. I watched Carlos press the dough, fill them, seal them, and then fry 'em. Yummy.

I thought it was just going to be our two families but they had a BUNCH of people over. It was quite an international affair: Columbians, El Salvadorans, Mexicans, Venezuelans and a Vietnamese guy for good measure. Oh, and some gringos! ;^) They all brought food too... Grilled carne with tortillas warmed on the grill, rice from the Columbians, some avocado sauce from someone else... The Vietnamese family donated the fresh fish. They stuffed it with shrimp, bell pepper, mushrooms and seasoning, then wrapped it in foil and threw it on the grill. Oh my, it was a gastro-paradise.

I heart them. I ate like a queen for free. We brought over butterscotch brownies but that was it.

entertaining

So no need for my worrying yesterday. Neighbor came over and we drank a pitcher of mojitos while the kids played. Her husband went to a baseball game with a supervisor that he couldn't say no to. Just as well.

As usual, I went way overboard in my preparations. I spent a fortune on small wedges of cheese, a baguette, guacamole, blue chips, bottle of white, bottle of red, 12-pack of beer, and bought a cooler. Oh, and let's not forget the ingredients for the mojitos. In the end we drank the mojitos, half the chips, and about half the guacamole. That's it. I hate it when I do that.

She invited us over tonight for homemade empanadas that her father-in-law is making. They're also grilling half a shark. It should be interesting.

tkd

I took Schmitty to his first Tae Kwon Do class this morning, he really looked like he was having a good time. I hung out and talked to another mother there while I entertained the midget.

We got the lessons because we put in the winning bid during the Golden Gala silent auction. I'm just now getting around to taking him for his free month of lessons. I asked the mother next to me how much it normally costs and she said around $120/month. Plus each time you test for a higher belt you have to pay. Holy schmoly. I think Schmitty's going to be pretty disappointed when his last class is August 18th.

The neighbors are coming over for drinks this evening, that means a lot of cleaning but still trying to make it look like I didn't do any special cleaning for them. It's a careful game we play.

I just finished making a pitcher of peach mojitos and want to take a nap!

mixer

Last night we went to the neighbor's house, the neighbor that stood me up last year. (That's right, I still remember.) Her daughter was celebrating her fourth birthday and there were some family and friends in town.

I only intended to go for an hour or so but stayed for dinner and drinks. (Never turn down free food and drinks!) It was an interesting mix of people. Her parents-in-law from Venezuela live with her, her sister-in-law was visiting (she has MD), and then there were neighbors and everyone's kids.

I have been reluctant to talk to her in-laws because my Spanish embarrasses me but last night I let 'er rip. Of course I waited until I was alone with them and then told them that I know a little bit of Spanish. Just saying that to them made their faces light up, it was funny. They started talking to me and things were going well. I do fine with the small talk but when topics get deeper I have trouble. It became apparent when we started talking about immigration. I was trying to explain my view but could only get the first few words out each time. Trying to discuss the theoretical and hypotheticals is beyond my ability at this point. Plus when they began speaking excitedly I had difficulty understanding them, that's when people get head nods and smiles.

Her brother's wife (Dana) is in a wheelchair so I was a rock star when I offered up a ramp. I have one in my garage that belongs to my mother but everyone was impressed. Dana's husband is a EC-130 navigator. He's deployed all the time and I'm still trying to figure out what she does when he's gone so often. She's really pretty and so funny that it seems like she'd be the last person struck by such a disease. (As is true with anyone I suppose.) She travels and told stories about camping, I was really surprised I must say. She also read The Omnivore's Dilemma, loves the cheese counter at Whole Foods, and watches PBS documentaries.

So what I'm saying is I had a really good time last night, too bad Yago wasn't here.

see to believe

I just saw midget run by with Papi's undies in his teeth. He was being chased by Schmitty. ???

tdy

Yesterday morning we took Yago to the airport, he'll be in Biloxi for two and a half weeks.

Schmitty always misses him. I searched On Demand for a movie that we could watch together, The Great Outdoors. The movie started and Schmitty said, "You ever notice how movies don't seem as fun when dad's not here?" I made popcorn and apfelschorle hoping to lift his spirits.

The thing is, evenings are depressing for me when he's not around. I think Schmitty and I were both procrastinating going to bed last night. We stayed up cruising the Internet looking for information on Rick Riordan, Schmitty's favorite author. We watched a movie trailer for a Feb movie release, looked up his new books, and checked his event calendar. Before I knew it, it was 11:39. That's not very responsible of me...

We found out Rick Riordan isn't doing school visits anymore, only events scheduled by his publisher. That disappointed Schmitty immensely. I had to explain that he's too famous and popular now to visit schools and classrooms. That in the interest of money, his publisher wants him to go to the biggest markets where he can have the most impact to make them the most money possible. He does books, movies, and merchandising now. We talked about moving to San Antonio and being his neighbor. Schmitty would bug him all the time asking questions about The Sword of Hades.

That's what we spent out time talking about instead of acknowledging we miss Yago.

walk

Last night we went to the pedestrian bridge that links Omaha, NE, to Council Bluffs, IA. We took the Frog and ate snow cones in IA. It was a nice afternoon/evening. Then we went out to dinner at a local brewery.

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to the beaner reunion this year. I see the list of people and nobody that I actually hung out with is going. But then, I didn't hang out with too many people. I feel like I didn't really fit in anywhere. I don't know...

were they always this bad?

Hangovers? I remember them sucking but it seems like in recent years it takes less alcohol to get one.

Last night Yago and I got a babysitter and went to a sports bar around the corner for a couple of hours. We had a few beers, split some wings and called it a night. We had one more drink after we ran in to our neighbors. It wasn't a night of marathon drinking by any means but I spent most of today trying to sleep and nurse a hangover.

Ick.

wiggle it

The Wiggles are going on tour. Schmitty used to LOVE The Wiggles and I know Ralphie would like them. When I looked up the tour schedule I saw that they'll be in Lincoln this summer, jackpot. I clicked on the ticketmaster link to check cost/availability, $40 a darn ticket! Can you believe that baloney? $120 for three tickets?! To see Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog?? Someone must have been smoking crack.

We went to Jazz on the Green last night at The Joslyn Art Museum. We brought a bottle of wine, Yoohoo, cheese and other snacks to enjoy while listening to some live jazz music. I was happy to see a lot of families there, it was a real nice relaxed atmosphere. Whole Foods provides snacks for purchase. We didn't check out what they were selling but I'm sure it was scrumptious (and expensive). I think we'll go again when Yago gets back from his TDY.

pucker face

When we were in Oklahoma the funniest thing happened. Yago, Ralph, Aunt Meaghan and I were all riding in the car going to a geocache sight. Yago flipped through the radio stations and we caught the end of the song Poker Face. Ralph started screaming shortly afterward, we couldn't figure out what was wrong. Eventually we deciphered his hollering, he was yelling "Poker Face!" He wanted to hear the song again. I had to put in the Timbaland cd to cheer him up.

Last night Yago broke down and bought Poker Face on iTunes. Ralph and Schmitty loved it, danced and spun around the living room. We made homemade limeade too. Ralphie took his first sip and puckered while listening to the song for the 10th time which prompted a chorus of pa-pa-pa-pucker face from me.

Fresh, hand-squeezed limeade is pretty refreshing.

freedom

Last night was an experiment.

Rana wakes us up by barking every morning between 5:35 and 5:45, very irritating. (We kennel her at night.) One of us gets up because we don't want her waking the kids and we want our spouse to be able to sleep a little longer in peace. Yesterday Yago and I were talking about it. We both felt like we were reinforcing Rana's bad behavior by trying to be thoughtful. Yago asked what I thought about just leaving her out at night. I was afraid she'd chew up a bunch of stuff while we slept (she's still teething).

We agreed to put her in the kennel but leave the door open. I heard her get out in the wee hours last night but she let me sleep until 6:30 or so. At that point she stuck her wet nose on me and woke me up. That's progress. Also, she didn't destroy anything with chewing.

I took her to get licensed a couple of days ago and the lady asked if her name was a Star Trek reference. ??? I explained that she had the name when we got her and I didn't know where it came from. Maybe Jessica could explain the Star Trek thing...

cars

Schmitty and I like to look at cars while we drive about town. He picks out cool Mustangs and old Chevelles. If I happen to see a Porsche or even the occasional Ferrari I'll point it out to him. We also look at detailing and after-market accessories, he loves those big spoilers.

The other day I was waiting at a red light near our house. When the light turned green the lady in front of me wasn't paying attention and didn't go. We wound up sitting through another red light, I was annoyed. When we were sitting through the second light Schmitty asked me which car was the Broad. "What?" "Which one of the cars in front of us is called a Broad?" Then I realized I had called the lady in front of me a dumb broad and he thought I was talking about a car. I had to explain what a broad was and apologize for my language.

Whoopsie.

frog boarding

We're heading to Oklahoma again Wednesday night for the Fourth of July weekend. The kids had a lot of fun last year so we're looking forward to going again.

I waited until the end of last week to try to find a kennel for Rana. Needless to say, I didn't have any luck. I didn't know there was such demand for pet boarding services. One place said they didn't have to interview her. ??? I guess that's a good idea but it sounds funny. What kind of loser would I feel like if my puppy failed the interview. Luckily, Mistress of Moomoo is willing to save the day (or the weekend) by taking care of her. I'll know better and start early next time.

I should do some housework before Ralphie wakes up. I'm trying to decide what to do this afternoon, Yago will be working late and Schmitty's at his grandparents' house tonight. Maybe we'll stop by the pool for a bit. I have to get my money's worth from our passes.

how stupid can you be?

I just read this article, I'm appalled. This woman is a complete idiot and shouldn't get custody back. Ever.

ambivalent

That's how I feel about MJ dying. In elementary school I had this poster over my bed, Mistress of Moo had another. I was a huge fan but then he became too kooky and started messing around with little boys. I can't say I think he had anything else to contibute to the world.

so silly

The boys went outside to play in the rain during a pretty good storm a few days ago. I saw neighbors peeking out from around curtains but that wasn't going to stop them from having a good time.

argh

If I don't have a drinking/drug problem by the end of the summer it'll be a miracle. There's a reason why Yago had a vasectomy after the second kid.

regrettable

Yago and I mowed the lawn last night. When he was done he told me the bunny died. I feel bad, like maybe there was something else we could have done. I was rooting for that little guy (or gal).

is anyone else hungry?

I was out mowing the backyard to surprise Yago, he plans on doing it all when he gets home. While mowing (and sweating my buns off) I occupied my thoughts with our upcoming anniversary dinner. It's a month away but we agreed to tighten our belts this month so we could go to Sullivan's again. I was dreaming of getting the bone-in ribeye this time, it's what Yago ordered on Valentine's Day. I was imagining the creamy texture of the creme brulee on my tongue when I realized Yago isn't going to be in town on our anniversary! He's going to Keesler for a couple of weeks in July for ACOT. I don't think he knows he'll be gone for the big day yet. It's not that big of a deal, just funny that we didn't realize it sooner. At least this time he won't be in Iraq.

moved on

I discovered the other day that most all the blogs I used to read when I was in Germany are gone. It's like finding out that some people you used to hang out with up and moved, never to be heard from again.

I'd quit checking most of them because they'd quit making regular entries. The other day I decided to go check on them when I discovered they no longer exist. Now I wonder what and how they're doing.

This week is supposed to be awful weather here, close to 100 degrees with a lot of humidity. Miserable. I had my plan to go swimming but the pools aren't cooperating. The pools open at 12:00, that's when we're wrapping up lunch and starting the midget's nap. We're going to have to readjust the study sessions, lunch and nap to accommodate the recreation.

Yago's brother and his wife came up here to see some College World Series game last weekend. Aah, to be young without kids. Those two slept until 9:00 every morning. That seems strange to me now. On Saturdays I usually lay in bed until 8:00 but I can't remember the last 9:00 morning I had. It certainly predates Ralphie.

Bug and Schmitty are trying to convince me that they both read five hours over the weekend. I find that hard to believe. I believe they read but I think they're fudging their sheets for free loot from the library. Can I prove they're lying? No.

Well I have some worksheets to put together...

nest

This morning the puppies (my brother and sister-in-law are visiting) dug up a bunny nest in our yard. Around 7:00 this morning I heard them barking ferociously at something, ran out, and heard a bunny screaming. Really not a good sound. It fit in my palm and was completely defenseless about six feet out of it's nest.

I brought the dogs in and then did some quick research on what the heck I was supposed to. Touch the bunny? Don't touch the bunny? According to what I read I was supposed to gently put the bunny back, the momma rabbit wouldn't be back until nightfall.

I purchased wire garden border stuff to put around the nest in hopes of keeping the dogs out while keeping it accessible for momma. We'll see what happens. They're really too cute.

they do something right

So there is ONE thing I like about W-mart, their site-to-store shipping. It's free and if you're not in a hurry it's great. Why can't all stores do that? I purchase whatever item that they don't have in stock online and then they send it to a local store of my choosing. They're sending trucks full of merchandise anyway, so they add the item I've paid for to the load then send me an email when it gets to the store.

I wish more stores would offer that option.

teletown hall meeting

The other day I got a phone call (which I'd assumed was a telemarketer) inviting me to join a telecon town hall meeting with my congressman. After I realized what it was I stayed on the line and listened, it was one of the most interesting things I've participated in. The topic was healthcare and if I wanted to comment or ask the congressman a question I would be put in the queue. I got to hear some ridiculous rants that had nothing to do with healthcare but it was worthwhile.

We have Yago's bother and sister-in-law coming to town today for some College World Series games. We'll have a good time.

tick tock... or just tick

We are STILL picking ticks off the dog. I found one yesterday while giving her a bath and Yago found another one this morning. Gross gross gross. Everytime I think they're gone we find more. At least they're not on me. Another good thing about NY state, I never saw a tick there. Of course, I didn't spend a whole lot of time walking in the woods back then.

Bug has been banging on the piano trying to write songs and sing. Since Schmitty had his lesson yesterday morning I went ahead and let her have a lesson too. I thought at least it would give her something to practice that didn't make me long for peaceful sound of falling cats. Let's just say things haven't improved the way I'd hoped. Maybe next week it'll sound better.

I'm itching everywhere and all I can think is that it's a tick. Ick.

whew

Well our vacation is over! It had some really great moments peppered with some less than great moments. I guess that's always true. I'm just happy to be home.

We went to see a cave, a natural spring, and spent a couple of days canoeing down the Buffalo River. I was fun and I got a couple of good pictures.

vacation preparation

We're leaving Sunday for a week in Arkansas. I found a cabin in the middle of some woods and that's where we're going. Bird watching and hiking are the activities listed on the website. There's a tv but Yago wants us to spend a week in the woods sans tv, we'll see how it goes. We'll take lots of books and we'll have Ralph and the puppy with us so we shouldn't have a problem staying occupied.

We have a lot to do to prepare. I still have to buy a collapsable crate for the pooch. I always forget stuff, I wonder what it'll be on this trip.

busy summer

Did you see what happened on Oprah yesterday? Me neither!! I've been too busy! That stinks, at least they're all reruns now.

summer lessons

Tomorrow is Schmitty's last day of school. I'm watching my niece, we'll call her Bug, while Mistress of MooMoo is at work over the summer. My goal is to avoid the summer brain drain. Since Bug is already out of school we went to the public library and checked out some books. We're enrolled in the library's summer reading program.

I think I may get more of a lesson than the kids. A puppy, a Ralph, a Bug and a Schmitty? Am I crazy?

Schmitty's been going through a stage that I'm afraid is going to last in to his mid-twenties. He'd rather be holed up in his room than hang out with the family. Really? At eight years old? I expected it when he turned 14. I sense he thinks I'm an idiot that just drones on and on about meaningless crap. It's quite annoying.

nightmares past

I had the worst nightmare last night and thinking about it this morning I don't know why I was so bothered by it. I had a dream I was flying in the RJ again. That alone is enough to make my stomach turn...

I'd forgotten a lot about flying, like I have to take a Dramamine. We'd just taken off and I was nauseous looking at my checklist which didn't bode well for the rest of the flight. Then we had to turn around and come back for something so I ran off the plane to get something I'd forgotten. I was wearing a three quarter coat with a belt instead of my flight jacket. I returned to the plane to a failure letter that the pilot had written when he saw me running across the flight line in a dress coat instead of my flight jacket. The letter didn't just state that I'd failed my eval, it was malicious.

I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep for quite a while. I was thinking about how he'd written it'd been six years since my last flight and after doing the math it'd been nine years. How dumb is that?

yago came back...

Thank goodness, Yago's back! We went to Schmitty's music festival on Saturday and he did very well, he got a little music medal. He made a couple of mistakes but overall did great. He's never been judged or graded before. I asked him if he wanted me to check to see if I was allowed to go in with him. He said no. Hmph.

Sunday afternoon we went for a family bike ride on a local trail. I drove Schmitty's and my bike on the car while Yago rode his to the trail entry point. After the ride we realized we didn't have any wine for dinner and since I didn't bring my wallet Yago had to stop on the way home. He had a backpack he put it in and it reminded me of when Mickity used to ride over to my house at Laughlin with wine in her backpack.

Rana got her haircut today, I think she looks a little funny. She's super fuzzy, still cute.

Rana!

For God's sake, you've only lived here two and a half weeks! Why have I given you your fourth bath already?! Stay out of the soil, will ya? And Ralph... please don't let her in when she's black and covered in dirt. You two are quite a pair.

Yago comes home tonight! I can't wait to drink the Spanish wine Mickity brought us with the cheese and walnuts. If he gets in late we'll have to do it tomorrow night. He's not supposed to get in until around midnight but he'll try to leave earlier.

Tomorrow Schmitty will be playing at a music festival held at UNO. He'll take a written test, a listening test and then play two pieces. They'll judge him give their feedback. That should be interesting.

kids

A while back I read a blog entry written by a man in his 50s about how he liked his kids. He wrote that he didn't think most families felt that way, I think I agree.

I genuinely like my children, that's not to say that I don't frequently feel like pulling out every strand on my head. That said, I do really think my kids are funny and interesting people that I would rather be with than without. I think some people just don't really enjoy being with their kids and that's sad. It makes me wonder why, I don't get it. I love the conversations I have with Schmitty and Ralph does the most unexpected things that make me laugh.

If I had a traditional custody arrangement with Schmitty's biological father I would be climbing the walls. I couldn't stand it if he was gone every other weekend with an extended stretch over the summer. (Luckily, I won't have to worry about that!) It'd be lonely and quiet around here, I don't even like when the school year starts. I'll be heartbroken on his thirtieth birthday when he moves out! Maybe when they're teenagers I'll change my tune and become one of those, "When you turn 18 you're on your own" parents but I doubt it. Even with the midget.

a big step forward

The biological signed the consent form for termination of parental rights and the adoption!! Yippee. I'm still counting on my lawyer to file the case and request a court date but YAY!!! Please happen soon, please happen soon...

I went to the country club where I sat at a table with ladies that belonged to the club and who owned acreages. Apparently life is pretty tough when you live on an acreage, the recycling truck only comes once a month. Total bummer. I forgot my orange arm band.

bye new sam

I was super excited yesterday when I met the kids that live right behind us. I was walking with Ralph and Rana (Schmitty took off ahead on his bike) when a kid approached and asked if I was Schmitty's mom. Apparently he knows Schmitty and wanted to meet him at the park. His mom wouldn't let him go so he asked if Schmitty could come over and play.

I thought, "Finally! We found a kid the right age nearby, it'll be great for the summer." But then, before bed Schmitty told me they were moving in a couple of weeks. I think I was more disappointed than he was. It would have been perfect.

blind goldendoodle drama

I was irritated this afternoon. I drove across town to have some blinds fixed and when I got there the girl working had no idea how to help me. "I wish Brian was here..." Of course I talked to Brian on the phone a few days ago when he told me to stop by and he'd fix them free of charge. (It was the least he could do because he just fixed them a few weeks ago before they broke again.) I pressed Brian to set up a time because it's about a half hour drive out there. He said to just stop by whenever. Grrr.

Then I got home and let the dog out because she'd been in her crate for hours. I opened the door to let her in and her muzzle and legs were covered in black. Crap. She dug up some daffodils that Yago planted in a container. Now it'll smell like wet dog all night. What was I thinking trying to juggle a Ralph and a puppy? I've given that darn dog more baths than my child in the last couple of weeks.

Tomorrow is the PTA luncheon at the country club, I have no idea what I'm going to wear. All my clothes are too tight and I can't lose 10 lbs overnight. That means I'll have to squish myself in to some faded jeans and figure it out. Whatever.

yago come back...

Yago is in Tampa until late Friday night for a conference. It stinks when he's not here, I don't really know what else to say. I bought Marie Callendar's pot pies for dinner which I would never do if he were here. Now I feel bloated and disgusting. I eat better when he's here.

The house a couple of doors down sold which makes me happy. It's the same layout as ours but the basement isn't finished. It wasn't on the market too long so I'm hoping that translates to a positive selling experience on our part in a couple of years.

Ralph says his first German word now. Nein. It's funny because Ralph says "nein" and Schmitty says "doch". It's the equivalent of nuh-uh, yah-huh.

The pup is doing pretty well with the training. She's had a couple of minor accidents but now she seems to sniff near the door and then sit down when she wants to go out. I still don't let her out of my sight outside of the crate because I'm not THAT confident (plus she chews EVERYTHING).

I gotta go watch The Biggest Loser finale. I hope Tara wins. BTW, we were totally bummed that Margie and Luke didn't win The Amazing Race. They were Schmitty's favorite team, that made them my favorite team.

my happy day

Yesterday was Mother's Day and although it was busy I had a good day. I really try not to let a day pass without thinking about how good my life is. I have a great husband (even if Mickity thinks he has a mean streak) that makes me laugh regularly. My two boys are SOOO very different but they both make me smile every day.

Mickity wasn't kidding about all the wine and cheese we consumed, I haven't eaten that much cheese in the past year. And wine? I don't even know how many bottles we consumed. She watched the boys while Yago and I went to the Gala. I actually had fun, it was neat. (The open bar didn't hurt!) I thought I would feel out of place and self-conscious but didn't. It was interesting walking around and looking at all the items up for auction. We had winning bids for the Overnight Bash hosted at the school for third and fourth graders, a month of Tae Kwon Do lessons for Schmitty, and an 11x14 family portrait.

I went to the doctor for chronic neck and back pain that I've had every single day since November. He gave me a prescription (for basically Aleve), exercises and exercise bands. They took x-rays but I haven't heard anything on those which means they're probably normal. If it's not better in 6-8 wks I need to go back. I was optomistic because the pain subsided shortly after I started the medication but it's back with a vengeance so I guess it'll take some time.

I'm going to go work off some of the cheese from over the weekend...

my place

Today I drove to the recycling center and saw I place I hadn't seen before. I took a different way because the easy way to get there has been torn up since we moved here. Every time I go I think, "They've GOT to be done with that dumb construction by now!" but they're not. Then I get confused and take a different way every single time. Today I drove down Q St and saw Waldo's Pub. It made me laugh a little. It didn't look like a classy place...

a pain

Schmitty's biological father is being a pain about the adoption. I shouldn't name call but I'm tempted. He's making it far more difficult than it would be if he just came out and contested it. If he contested it we could move forward but instead he's not signing anything, he's making it impossible to be served, and he's being hostile to everyone. I wished I were surprised. Everyone looks back on exes and says, "What on earth was I thinking?" but this has really made me wonder. What was I thinking?

Mickity will be here later this week, that'll be fun. She's always good for some entertainment. I wish she could stay longer.

We have the Golden Gala at Schmitty's school Friday night, that's been a big deal for a while. I'm curious about how it'll turn out. I've never been to a gala before!

Cinco de Mayo was a bust yesterday. I guess I should have known but I was hoping for a lot of good food and drinks that weren't there. The dog came back so dirty I had to give her a bath. Wet dog.

I can't believe school's almost over, I'm excited.

ads

I don't know why but I just clicked on monetize on blogger. I could post advertisements and every time one of them was clicked on I could make money. (Fat chance with the whopping three readers I have... no offense.) It said the ads would be chosen based on my blog content. Now I'm curious. What company would read my content and decide this was the platform they wanted to use to get their company's name out there? Really.

calgon take me away...

I'm a grouch today. I tried to go to Schmitty's May Day event at school but it was apparently rained out, a complete waste of my morning. Then I came home and started dinner (I'm making a time-consuming dish for my parents) while cranky Ralph was crying and whining most of the time. Throw in a puppy that's not house trained yet and you have my day. I hope it gets better.

I have to go pick Schmitty up from school... Where the heck did the day go? My house is still a disaster and I've been busy all darn day. I really don't like that, if I'm busy all day my house should be clean.

lord help me

We got a goldendoodle pup.

jiggles

I had been doing so well with the exercise routine... I was doing something four or five times a week, taking weekends off. This past week has been busy and I'm creeping up on a week of not doing anything. That makes it harder and harder to start again because I know it won't feel good and I'll be sore afterward.

In related news, I've been wanting KFC for weeks now. This afternoon while out running errands I finally broke down and went. It was scrumptious. I read that KFC is the worst fast food you can eat, Taco Bell follows close behind. Luckily I only eat there once every year or two.

Friday's the French Market. I'm seriously trying to talk Schmitty in to smuggling a nutella crepe home in his pocket!

back to moby...

Yesterday afternoon I finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I had been reading Moby Dick when Edgar Sawtelle arrived so I started reading Edgar and couldn't put it down. It was such a great book but I must say I found the end disappointing. You want all the loose ends wrapped up and the good guy to win but it wasn't like that. Now I have to go back to Moby Dick tonight. sigh

short trip

I'm going to drive Yago crazy, I know it. I won't mean to but it will happen. I talked to him last week about something giving him the opportunity to squash the issue once and for all but he gave me a teensy bit of encouragement. That was all I needed. (I can't get specific, sorry.)

Now I'm obsessed and researching like crazy. He's giving me eyerolls and I can see he regrets being open to the idea.

I feel sorry for him. He really shouldn't have married such a crazy lady.

peas

Ralphie just started saying, "Please." It's so funny, it sounds like "peas" and I don't think he has exactly put together what it means but it is the cutest thing. After a two-day battle trying to get him to say it, he now says it all the time because of the big response it gets. He just walked over in front of me, jumped and said, "Peas!" Cute as can be.

Schmitty begged me not to go on his choir field trip today, even though I had no intention of going. They are going to sing at an old folks home and at a city garden. He informed me that my attendance would embarrass him. I asked what would be embarrassing and he replied, "Your appearance." I'm not sure how to take that. I didn't ask any follow-up questions because I wasn't sure I wanted the answers. So soon? Really? I didn't think my presence would be humiliating for another three or four years.

post 9/11

I think I might be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill! Yippee!

As a dumb 19-yr-old in Basic Training I turned it down. When your base pay is about $600/month and they want you to give away $100/month, it seems like a lot. Especially when you're miserable and in day three of training. I was still wondering what the heck I was thinking signing up for the military! I thought there was no way I was going to be IN the Air Force for a year. I planned out separating as soon as I got out of basic training. (I'd considered drinking shampoo during training but our TI said it would just keep us in San Antonio longer because of the mental evaluation.)

But it looks like even if you've turned it down in the past you'll be eligible! That'd be great. I could take classes when the midget starts school and still be able to pay the kids' tuition! It looks like the VA will start taking applications next month, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

gabby-gab give a midget the keys

That's what Yago calls it.

I was at football practice yesterday with Ralph. I was talking to another mother when Ralph saw the car key tied to my sneaker. He started pulling and screaming so I gave it to him. I have a strict rule that he's not allowed to play with my keys but Yago always lets him play with his. Since it was Yago's key and he was throwing a fit I decided to just let him have it.

About fifteen minutes later I realized Ralph didn't have the key in his hand anymore, I looked at my feet to make sure I hadn't taken it back. I asked Ralph, "Where are the keys?" He just looked at me until I got up and asked again. Then he waddled over to the manhole cover where he'd been playing. No no no. There were little cut outs just big enough to fit adult fingers. (no, please no) Sure enough, he pointed to one of the holes.

Some guys lifted the cover and the thing was full of water and cabling. That's how we lost a set of Yago's keys.

Replacement cost? About $200.

here comes waldo cottontail...

I was a complete idiot yesterday.

Schmitty and I had just finished up some calligraphy and he was putting the kit away, it was an Easter present. He closed the kit and said, "What do ya know, the Easter bunny spent $19.95 on my calligraphy kit!" I asked him where he saw that, because I knew I had taken the sticker off. He pointed to where it was printed on the back. I said something and he replied smiling, "Or maybe you did!" I smiled back at him and replied, "Maybe I did." I immediately knew I had made a mistake, his face turned red and his smile vanished.

I felt sooo bad. I thought he knew because the day before Easter he reminded me that I needed to buy Peeps.

He started crying and I started apologizing, profusely. I hugged him and told him that I was sorry, I thought he knew. I said, "You kind of knew, didn't you?" I felt him nod against my ribs. When he stepped away to get a tissue I told him I was going to change Ralph's diaper. I called him over after a couple minutes and asked if he wanted to talk about it or pretend it never happened and he chose the latter. I high-fived him and we haven't mentioned it since.

I took him to Sonic and bought him some ink.

jelly bellies

I left a trail of jellybeans from Ralph's bed to his Easter basket. Unfortunately, the only jellybeans at the grocery store were Jelly Belly. He hopped out of bed, tossed the first one in his mouth and promptly spit it out. From there on he just fed them to Yago and me. Turns out, the one he spit out was pina colada flavor.

I'm a little disappointed that his glider bike is a bit big for him, his feet don't touch the ground which really defeats the purpose. He is growing fast though so maybe it won't be too long.

Yago and Ralph went to the grocery store, nice and early on Easter morning. It was Yago's idea. I'll take this time to finish up some menu items and clean in peace.

the fat machine

That's what they should call The Pizza Machine. They have a buffet (to include a pizza bar) that was less than tasty. Luckily, I was starving so I ate a ton food that was not only really bad for me but didn't taste very good. We left and Yago said it was everything that is wrong with America, I found that comment apropos. It was like a casino for kids. It had the awful carpeting and games games games. There was non-stop noise, blinking lights, and kids running around. It would have been okay if they didn't have a different song blaring at each game or booth and if there weren't a bunch of loser adults there playing.

I made two pies today and it's taking everything I have in me to wait until tomorrow to cut them. It's torture looking at them all beautiful on the counter. I made sure I had the ingredients for the pies everyone else likes. I wanted a pecan pie but I don't have the corn syrup, that's a bummer.

I bought some $4.50 wine today and it tastes like $4.50 wine. I'm a trooper though, I'll drink it anyway!

Schmitty's spending the night at his friend's house. It's a little weird to spend Easter Eve at someone's house but he was invited and he wanted to go... That'll take the pressure off my preparations tonight. The midget doesn't even know that Easter is coming. I don't do a good job of building such things up. It always sneaks up on me.

Yago's bathing the midget right now. Those two are cute together. Yago just told me that the midget is in the tub sticking his penis in his bellybutton. That's funny. I don't care who you are.

We got midgy a glider bike for Easter. It's basically a little bike with no pedals. He just uses his feet and hopefully learns a little balance. It what the Europeans use. I was amazed in Germany, kids that lookes like babies could ride bicycles without training wheels. In fact, they don't even have training wheels over there. But seriously, four-year-old Schmitty looked like a little retarded kid riding a bike with training wheels because kids there rode bikes without training wheels when they were two.

I don't have much else to post. Waldo out.

Good Friday

I've horked down a bunch of meat on Good Friday, oh well. We went to Runza for lunch and we're meeting some of Yago's family at The Pizza Machine tonight. At least I got a little workout in today.

After lunch, Schmitty and I made pierogies. I can't wait to eat them Sunday. It's not my grandma's recipe but I thought it would be bad form to call my aunt while her husband is dying. I found a recipe on the Internet and gave it try, it's so time consuming. It was two hours work for three dozen pierogies, and that's with the filling prepared ahead of time. At least I had good company helping me.

I'm going to work on taking a shower, I'd love to squeeze in a nap afterward but that's asking the impossible. Ralphie's already up from his nap. (sigh)

spring break

Schmitty's spring break began today. So far we've spent the morning bickering over the television. I like watching The Golden Girls in the morning even though I've seen every episode a thousand times. There's just something about it I find amusing and relaxing.

It's supposed to be nice out today but so far it's just been dull and gray outside. I hope it gets more cheery, it's hard to summon up the motivation to do anything.

I'll enjoy one more cup of coffee then get ready to go to my parents for a bit.

friends

I just heard that the average person has 100 friends on facebook. Are you kidding me? Maybe it's because I can count mine on one hand but I think that's stupid. Just stupid. I could solicit a bunch but for what?

Schmitty WON the mini Battle of the Books contest. To clarify, his team did. But he was the only kid in his class on that team so he feels pretty special. The winning team gets treated to a pizza party.

I think I found a cabin in the Ozarks for our vacation. Not Yosemite or Yellowstone but still has potential.

stocked pantry

Mickity pointed out that I didn't post about Schmitty and me working at the food pantry. Let me preface by saying I called the daycare to see if they had space available for Ralph that day but they did not so I took him with us.

When we got there the volunteer coordinator didn't want Ralph near anything for his own safety. Therefore, Ralph and I stood off to the side while Schmitty sorted boxes full of canned goods. He worked alongside some old fellas from the Kiwanis and younger guys that were apparently doing community service.

It wasn't what I had in mind. One black guy kept asking me why Schmitty was there. Was he being punished? Was he bad? I kept saying no. I recounted the story to Schmitty and he said, "Yeah, I heard. He kept asking me too." We stayed for two hours and then I took him out to lunch. We went to Runza, yummy. I should eat there more often.

sprinkler

This morning I sat Ralph on the toilet and he let out the littlest sprinkle. I was thrilled! I'm hoping this leads to something!

Schmitty's school is putting on a French market that will be fifth graders working as vendors to the lower school French students. Only French will be spoken and they'll use poker chips as Euro. We got the flier yesterday soliciting donations from parents: Gruyere, brie, cream puffs... Yum. They'll have a crepe station and a chocolate-dipping station for strawberries and other fruit. I would give anything to be a French student that day.

sans screaming midget

I was trying to research a vacation to a national park over the summer to go camping and hiking. I was looking at the big ones, like Yosemite or Yellowstone. I think we're going to shelf those plans this year though. It's torture driving the 8 hrs to OKC, I can't imagine a minimum of a 16 hr drive with Ralph. We don't have a big enough budget to fly anywhere and a long drive is out of the question... Maybe we'll just wind up seeing what Wayne Newton is up to in Branson, Missouri. sigh

Tomorrow Schmitty is off from school due to parent-teacher conferences so we're going to spend the morning volunteering at the local food bank. I'm excited, hopefully it will interest Schmitty too.

Yago and Schmitty planted to herbs last night. That should save us a bundle over the summer. I can't wait.