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.

Working

Yesterday we went and saw the upper school's presentation of the musical Working. Sam insisted on wearing his suit, sans dress shirt and tie--he replaced them with his argyle sweater. He really loves "that look." He stood in front of the mirror looking at himself, pushing up his sleeves. He would have been a huge fan of Miami Vice and the 80s in general.

We bought a bunch of things to begin a modest garden. Although we're excited to garden we're reluctant to dig up the yard when we'll be selling in a couple of years. Not to mention the fact we'd like to enjoy the tiny fortune we spent last year getting the grass purty. We bought a bunch of herbs, a rose bush, berry bushes, hanging tomatoes and hanging strawberries. It'll be cool. We plan on buying more once the weather gets better, it's still early to do much here.

Yago had his "procedure" done Friday, I'm proud of the lil' buckaroo. That's all I'll really say about that.

Church didn't go well this morning. Schmitty and I got in to at the end of mass. It started with the nonstop tinkering of his velcro watch and snakeskin bracelet. After two warnings I demanded both items, he wasn't a happy camper. He tossed the bracelet at me which I wasn't happy about. I followed him up to receive the Eucharist and he was just leisurely strolling back to the pew swinging his arms like he owned the place. I told him his hands were supposed to be folded but apparently he didn't hear me. I won't even talk about the kneeler. By the time I got to the car I was pretty annoyed. I threatened him with staying for the 1100 mass that started in 25 mins. He threw a fit worthy of Ralph! I found it interesting that staying for the second mass was apparently viewed as a punishment worse than... Well anything else I can think of. I'll have to file that away in the ol' brain.

conquest

Ralph figured out how to open his bedroom door this afternoon while he was supposed to be napping. I'm less than thrilled. There was no nap today, needless to say.

I was flipping through channels this today and found a Gordon Ramsay show I hadn't seen before. (He's not yelling and cursing.) He's raising two pigs on his property with the intent to eat them. He showed us their pens and what they eat, then they showed industrial pigs. It was basically what I read about in The Omnivore's Dilemma but on film. They showed the pens, filth, tail-docking and castration. It was disgusting. I'm glad we don't eat as much meat anymore.

(I don't have a problem eating meat but eating animals raised in decent conditions.)

shy?

So I don't know why but I've been avoiding talking to people I used to work with. I see random people and try to ignore them or avoid eye contact. I saw Dudley and Purdy at the promotion party Friday and didn't say, "Hi." I did see Luz at Baker's and said, "Hello," but he didn't react at all. He just said, "Hi" and went about his shopping.

i'm it

I discovered something Sunday: Playing tag is hard, playing tag at 36 in sand is just begging to be humiliated. My eight-year-old tagged me and I wasn't ever letting him win. Just to make sure I knew he yelled, "I got your left cheek!!" at the playground. Not cool.

How do kids spend hours playing tag?