Now I Am Getting Suspicious

On top of all the nice things Phone Guy did on Tuesday, he took the boys Christmas shopping last night.  I don't know what is wrong with him?!?!

Usually I end up buying myself some things and making him wrap them so the boys will have something to give me for Christmas.  Yesterday he asked if I had a list of things I wanted so I RAN to my computer and printed out my Amazon.com wishlist for him.  I wasn't going to let that moment pass me by.  Then he rounded up the kids and went out.

Now I would love it if he could actually listen to me and have an original thought about what I might want, but I'll take what I can get.

Now I just have to figure out why he is sucking up....hmmmmmm

I Take Back All the Bad Things I Said About My Hubby

...until the next time he pisses me off anyway.

As I told you, I have been working a lot this month helping my parents relocate their business.  Phone Guy has worked a ton installing Christmas lights and also is doing early mornings at UPS.  We've been so busy we haven't had time to put up our tree, wrap any presents or even keep the house picked up.

I worked late today and on the way home had to stop at the post office and drop of an ebay package.  I called him on my way home and asked if I should pick up dinner.  He said we should take the kids for pizza and told me to swing by the house and pick him up.  He was waiting in the driveway when I got there.

We went to dinner and as we returned home, he asked the kids if they believed in magic.  I walked in the door to find that he had washed dishes, done laundry, picked up the living room AND put up our Christmas tree.  He put the lights on but left the ornaments for the boys and I to put up.  I was so happy and totally in shock!  It's really not typical behavior for him. LOL

Even though he ticks me off once in a while, he is definitely a keeper! 

I'm Not MIA

Unless MIA stand for Moving an Insane Amount of stuff - it doesn't?  Ok, then I'm not MIA.

I don't think I've told you the story of my parents' business getting kicked out of their building and I don't really have time to tell you the whole, very long story right now, but what it boils down to is the landlord (who also happens to be the former owner of the shop my parents now own) is a son of a bitch and a criminal and he filed bankruptcy and the building was repo'd.

To make a long story short, my dad got 3 days notice to get out which, after a few convo's with the attorneys, turned in to 10 days which turned in to 30 days.  Our time is up on the 15th and we finally have a new place and are moving.  So we all are pitching in to get it done so we don't have to hire really expensive movers for anything but the heavy equipment.

Packing a place that has been there over 20 years and is full of crap is soooooo much fun.  I'll check in when I can and return some of those comments soon.
 
Hope your holiday season is going well. 

Blonde Moments

No, I am not referring to myself.  I am talking about my oldest son.  My 10 year old darling boy.  I don't care if his hair is turning brown, he is still having major blonde moments lately and I am about ready to ring his neck over it all.

It all started when his teacher called me Wednesday to tell me that she needed me to send his report card back.  (OK, actually it all started when he started to school 5 years ago - he has lost at least one jacket every year, a few lunchboxes and countless other things.  At least in elementary school his teacher kept up with his school supplies!  Anyway, back to my point...)  Well you see, I gave him his report card on Tuesday morning to put in his backpack.

Soooo, when he got home I made him go through his binder.  When I saw the mess in his binder, I nearly blew my top.  Not only were there 40 billion papers just stuck in there, wrinkled, turned every which way - there was NOT ONE pencil, pen, or colored pencil in his zippered bag.  His ruler was missing.  The 3 hole punch that snaps in his notebook was gone.  He had no scissors.  Mind you, I have replaced pens, pencils, colored pencils and the ruler not once, but twice already this year because he has lost them. (Thanks so much BTW to his Uncle Brad for all those organizational skills he passed down to his nephew! )

As I am steaming about all of this, I also realize that his laminated hall passes for study hall and science club are missing.  He has already had 2 science club passes this year because he lost one of them.  I lectured him when he lost the first one about making sure it went back into his notebook as soon as he used it but apparently whatever I said went in one ear and out the other.  I told him if he lost it again, he was out of science club because there was no sense in going to school early if he couldn't get inside the building. 
After all of this mess, I went on a hunt in his room and we found:  Report card, colored pencils, 4 pencils, 4 red pens, a blue pen, a black pen, a highlighter (that I hadn't even realized was missing) and his scissors.  Later we located the hole punch and the study hall pass.  So basically all he was missing was the science club pass.  I told him he could have one more chance if he could get another pass on Thursday.

I picked him up a little late on Thursday because Danger Boy had Chess Club and got out at the same time The Pleaser gets out of school.  The first thing I asked him was if he took care of getting his science club pass.  He was so proud that he had.  We got almost home (which is quite a drive) and he realizes he doesn't have the pass. I asked him where he put it when the teacher gave it to him and he says "I laid it on the ground under my lunchbox while I was waiting for you to pick me up and I guess I forgot to pick it back up when you drove up."   I totally lost my cool.  I asked him why he didn't put it in his binder or backpack like we had talked about?  I asked him why he didn't treat that pass like gold?  I was in total disbelief that he could do something so ditsy again!!

So he cried and begged for another chance.  I told him there was no way he was going to school early today.  I told him no more chances.  So now I am the mean old bitch.  I hate being the mean old bitch but GOOD GRIEF!

Please tell me he will grow out of this....

A Hair-Raising Day

OK, this is going to be a long story so grab some popcorn, relax, sit back and listen, er I mean read.
Ever since we got back from our weekend out of town my Exploder, er I mean Explorer, has been making some terrible racket.  Phone Guy looked at it the other day but couldn't really pinpoint anything.  So I have just embarassed myself driving around for the last few days with my loud, grinding, clanging car.
Today we got our tax refund (yes, we just did our taxes...don't worry we had an extension) so we decided to buy a storage building for the back yard.  We clanged and grinded all around town to different stores and finally decided to buy one at Costco.  He went in and paid for it and I pulled up and we got it loaded in the car. 

About 1:45pm I pulled out on to the road and we got half a block before we started smelling this foul, hot car odor.  Simultaneously, we both said, "Is that this car?" and "CLANG, CLING, PING, TING, SLAP" the car answered us.  I immediately lost all power steering.  We pulled over and Phone Guy looked under the hood to find that the serpentine belt was gone along with one of the pulleys.  GREEEEAAAAAT.  He got in to drive and we made it about another block before the car started to majorly overheat so we pulled onto a side street.

Now remember, the storage building is loaded in the back and the tailgate is strapped down so we can't lock it up.  Also remember it is 1:45 and Danger Boy gets out of school at 3:15.  We are probably about 3-4 miles from home.  My dad is at work in Fort Worth.  Mom is at the hospital with my Grandpa in Fort Worth.  Jamie lives too far away.  Lisa is at work.  At this point I am thinking, "I need more friends."    
Before I can go thru anyone else in my cell phone directory, Phone Guy decides he will walk home and get his car and come back and tow me home.  OOOKAY.  After he leaves, I called my dad and he told me to call my brother...he said, "He owes me one" as my mom & dad have had to bail him out of car trouble a few times recently.   So I call - no answer.  I call his girlfriend - no answer.  I wait a few minutes and try him again and he finally answers and agrees to go pick up Danger Boy at school so we can tow the dang car home.

So I wait for Phone Guy and get to watch a forklift driver crossing the street totally lose his load off his lift.  It was pretty funny, although I bet he didn't think so.  Phone Guy finally arrives, hooks up the tow strap and decided I should drive the towing vehicle since there is no power steering in mine.  OH GREAT. 
We have to turn around....goes very smoothly.  SWEET!  We get on to the main road and it goes really well.  Only 2 more turns until we are home!  On the first turn, I hesitated a little and the tow strap jerked really bad.  So I got a little cautious on the second turn and hesitated again and BAM - the strap broke right as we turned onto our street.  Phone Guy yelled at me.  "Way to go ACE," he said and pissed me off.  I told him that I didn't want to drive the tow vehicle in the first place.  It wasn't pretty.  At least he could drive the rest of the way without overheating.  We were only about 5 houses away from our driveway.

So anyway to make a long story even longer.  He went to Auto Zone, got the parts and only had to spend $51 and I'm all fixed up.  It's nice to have a handy husband sometimes!  Even if he does act like a jerk occasionally. 

A Little Less Blubber

As of this morning I am officially down 40 lbs.  I am still having to take pee-pee pills for fluid retention, but whatever works.  If I go off the pills I retain as much as 5 lbs of fluid.  So I guess I'm content to pee every 5 minutes for the rest of my life.

I weigh exactly the same as Phone Guy now.  My #1 goal is to weigh less than him.  Almost there.   I am hoping to be down at least 50 by Christmas although it would be nice to be down that much by Thanksgiving since we are spending it with Phone Guy's family.  I haven't seen most of them since April of 2005 so I know it would be very motivating to have them notice the weight loss.

My Son, the Bra Thief

I got ready to change Danger Boy's sheets last night and started removing the 32 dozen stuffed animals he had amassed up there (he is in a loft bed) only to find the black bra that I had been hunting for over a week.

He had to have put it up there.  I know for certain it wasn't in the sheets when they were put on the bed. 
Now what the heck does a 7 year old do with a bra?   I have come up with 3 possibilities:
1)  He is a fledgling cross-dresser.
2)  He is already becoming a boob man.
3)  He wanted something of his Mommy's to keep him company because he is scared of the dark.

I am going with the 3rd one just to keep my sanity.

To Catch a Thief

The Pleaser's locker has been broken into at least 3 times this year.  It is getting really old. 
The first time the little &**$%# thief stole his gym bag.  Granted it was a $2.49 bag from the Army/Navy store but that's not the point.  They strew his clothes all down the hallway, stole his bag and the book that was in it.  I'm sure the only reason they didn't take his clothes was because his name is written in huge black marker across the front of the shirt.

Last week he realized his Harry Potter watch was missing.   Of course, he left it in his locker which was kind of a bonehead thing to do - especially considering it had been broken into once before - but still.  So he sees a kid wearing the watch at school.  And it is a pretty distinctive looking watch.  So he reported it to the school crimestoppers and they recovered it for him.  The bad thing is he confronted the kid before reporting it so they know who he is and will probably target him now.

Today he comes out telling me that when he got to his locker his backpack, lunchbox and his new gym bag (an ever-so-attractive Wal-mart sack) were strewn all along the hall.  Nothing was missing but the buckle on his backpack is broken and can't be reparied so now I will be out $15 bucks on a new backpack.

I just emailed his teacher and demanded he be assigned a new locker, but I am still seriously going to research some kind of booby trap.  I don't want to blow the kid up but I would like to mark him in some way.   Off to the internet for ideas.   Heh heh heh.

Weight Loss Update

OK all - it's been a while since I updated.  I really haven't been sticking to my diet very well (hangs head in shame).  I haven't gained but I also haven't lost much in the last month or two.  I'm still working out, but not as religiously as I was.  I need to get motivated again.  I don't want to have a setback for sure.  I've come too far.

I've lost a total of 34 pounds since March (39 pounds lighter than I was this time last year).  I have gone from wearing sizes 24 & 26 to wearing 18's & 20's.  My best friend is also dieting (she started in 18's & 20's and is now down to 12's - go Jamie!!) and is starting to hand down clothes to me so it is a great feeling to fit into smaller sizes. 

I need to get back to blogging so I can keep the motivation!  I think it helps to put it in writing.  ;)

I haven't gone AWOL, Just a Little Crazy

You know, every year I look so forward to my kids getting out of school.  I can't wait to have them home, spend more time with them, not worry about a schedule. 

And then it never fails...every year, mid-July, I am ready for school to start back up!  Don't get me wrong, I love my guys more than anything and I love having them home but honestly, we function so much better on a schedule and there is such a thing as too much togetherness I am afraid.  They fight like crazy and get on my nerves.  So I have one and a half more weeks and then things can be back to normal again. 

Let's see, it's been a while since I updated, so here's the latest.  I haven't lost much weight since school was out (see above:  no schedule!) but I have managed to get down to 30 pounds total lost since March.  I am pretty proud of that and the best news is I haven't gained.  I've been having some issues with swelling in my legs though so I have been going to the doc to figure out what the heck my prob is besides that I am fat and getting old.  :)  So far they have ruled out blood clot but I go back in next week for some blood work.  The doc did give me some water pills and I'm here to tell you - don't take them if you are going to the movies!  LOL

I took Danger Boy off his ADHD meds because he had a big meltdown and totally lost his temper.  It was NOT pretty.  So I talked to the doc and he has switched him to Strattera.  We are on day 3 and so far, so good.  His dosage goes up tonight so we'll see how that goes.  But I haven't seen ANY of the negative side-effects he experienced on the stimulants so that is a win in my book.  I can't really tell much about his focus and concentration yet though.  The real test for that will be school starting up!

Phone Guy has been working non-stop, which is great!  He's gotten a couple of pretty big contracts so I know the house payment will be paid for the next couple of months at least.  ;)

And that's about it for our summer.  Hope your summer has been great too!  :)

Oh You Like That? Then Let Me Get Rid of It.

Why is it that whenever I find something I really like, it becomes hard to find or gets discontinued?  This happens all the time with foods, shampoos, jeans.  A few recent examples:

I just found out a few weeks ago that the only deodorant I am not allergic to has been discontinued.  I wrote to the manufacturer to see if they had any old stock and of course they don't.  So now I get to try 42 different kinds to see if I can find one that I'm not allergic to. 

Then yesterday I went to get a new bra and found out that they have discontinued it!  I managed to find one in black and one in pink but after checking online and at 2 different locations I can't find any white or beige.  I have worn this kind for 4 years now and I really like them.  So the quest begins to find a new one that I like.  Again, wasting money on a bunch that I won't like along the way.

So I go to Costco to get my granola bars, which have become a staple of my diet and they are nowhere to be found.  I don't know if they have been discontinued or if Costco just decided not to carry them but they have vanished.

I am beginning to think that the government is spying on me and making companies discontinue every product I ever decide that I like.

*I* Have the Superman Curse

I have been eagerly awaiting the new Superman movie (if you couldn't tell).  I wanted to go opening night but since I have kids and Phone Guy works in the middle of the night, that really wasn't an option.  Thursday I helped my mom with my Grandma's move so unfortunately I had to delay for another day.  We were going to go Friday and time got away from us and we didn't make it again.  So by the time Saturday rolled around, I was more than ready.  We were going to go to the 11:30 show but naturally, Phone Guy was running late doing a bid for a friend of ours.  (Imagine that!)  We ended up going to the 3:00 pm show.  About 2 hours into the 2 1/2 hour movie, a thunderstorm blew through and BAM!  - Power was out to the theater and all surrounding businesses and it stayed out.   So we have rainchecks to see it again.  Of course now I have to sit through the 2 hours I have already seen to get to the part that I haven't seen! 

(WARNING:  if you haven't seen the movie you might want to stop reading now because it may get a little spoilerish)

Now, on the funny side of this power outage - if you've seen the movie - Lex Luthor is causing havoc with his evil plan and power has been going out in Metropolis and all over North America because of it.  We were just at the climax of the movie when Lex's evil plan is taking hold and we are seeing power go out everywhere and general chaos unfolding....then we hear a huge BOOM and total darkness.  Everyone in the theater kind of gasped for a second and I think we all thought it might be part of the show for a moment.  Then we realized what a suck-ass thing had happened.  Phone Guy yelled out, "that damn Lex Luthor" and everyone got a good laugh out of that. 

Where the Hell Are Your Parents?

It is 11:15pm and I sit here listening to kids playing in the street in front of my house.  I'm not talking teenagers, I mean kids - 10 and under.  One is only about 3 years old.  They are running around screaming and there isn't an adult in sight.  My 7 year old is trying to sleep.  My 10 year old isn't here but if he was, he couldn't sleep because they are playing in the street outside his bedroom window.  My neighborhood is pretty safe but that doesn't stop predators from coming and snatching one of them up.  Not to mention that people sometimes drive pretty fast down my street and might not see them in the dark. 

I guess I am getting old but it is really irritating me!  I'm giving them about 15 more minutes, then I am going out to tell them to get in their houses!  I am such a mean old bitch!! (It's official....I have turned into my mother)

Strange Observation

As I have been losing weight, I am noticing the weight loss in the strangest places.  For instance, the elbows.  Why do I have to lose weight in my elbows first?  Nobody notices if you lose weight in your elbow!  Another weird one - feet.  My shoes are too freakin' big?  WTH?  And how about my neck.  I have lost weight in my neck and now I have these weird tan line circles going around a couple of places on my neck.  I didn't realize I had neck fat rolls until I lost them, but apparently I had enough that they kept the sun out of places.  Hello....could we concentrate on areas of LARGER importance....like my ass? 
OK, that was pointless.  But it's been bugging me and I feel better. 

The Peace is Over...and other Random Thoughts

Danger Boy went to stay with the grandparents for a week.  The Pleaser was with his dad for 3 days.  I had glorious peace for 3 whole days.  Everyone's home now.  The Gamecube is blaring, they are fighting over who gets to play and all is back to normal on the homefront.  But I am glad to have them home. Of course, what did I do while my kids were gone?  I spent all of Saturday evening with my next door neighbors playing with babies.  They have been trying to adopt and have decided to become foster parents.  They have a brother and sister 10 months and 20 months right now.  The cutest things you have ever seen!  The 20 month old little girl took to me right away, which is strange because as much as I want them to, girls never take to me.  When it was time for her to go upstairs to bed, she grabbed my hand and said "Go".  She wanted me to come with her.  She was just so sweet!  They are hurricane evacuees and their mom abandoned them.  Thank goodness for wonderful people like my neighbors.  There is so much joy in their house right now.  I hope the mom stays out of the picture so my neighbors can adopt these precious babies.  They would give them such a loving home. 

Weight loss report:  As of today, the plateau is over.  I have lost another 2 lbs since Friday making the grand total (drumroll please)......
22 pounds!

The Dreaded Plateau

I have reached it - The Dreaded Plateau.  You know the one when you diet and you stop losing weight.  UGH it is really frustrating me. I haven't lost anything in two weeks.  It makes it really hard to keep motivated.  It's bad enough that I still look like a fat ass and nobody has noticed the weight loss but now I am not losing.  Someone slap me and keep me motivated.  I am seriously wanting to bake some Snickerdoodles and eat until I puke.  Well, not really the last part so much...but you know what I mean. 
In other news, Danger Boy is in Oklahoma with the grandparents.  As much as he drives me crazy, I miss the little dude.  It is too quiet around here.  Almost creepy.  The Pleaser is still around but he'll be going to his dad's for the weekend so I might actually have some grown up time this weekend.  Ahhhhhh. 

Sometimes You Feel Like a Bitch, Sometimes You Don't

I am just pissed at all of the "men" in my life right now, so ignore me....

GRIPE #1:
OK, you know how men are always blaming our bad moods on PMS....well what the hell causes their bad moods?!?  Phone Guy has been on the rag now for 3 days.  Everything he says is some smartass comment and it's pissing me off!  For example:  I washed the towels he uses in the garage.  I ask, "Where do you want me to put these?"  He looks at me and very sarcastically says, "the garage." (Oh no you di-nt....)  So I calmly turn around, walk to the garage door and throw the stack of nicely folded towels into the garage to land where they may. 

GRIPE #2:
I am tired of being woken up in the middle of the night for stupid crap.  The kids are on summer break now.  The first day of summer break, Danger Boy wakes me up at 1:30, 4:30 and 6:30 - each time asking the burning question, "Is it time to get up yet?"  HELLO!  It is summer vacation.  It is NOT time to get up at any of those ungodly hours!  You have a freakin' clock in your room, look at it.  You know I wake you at 7:00 am for school.  Don't get up any earlier than that.  Then the last 3 nights he has woken me between 11:30 and 1:30 to tell me he has a nosebleed, which would be fine if he actually HAD a nosebleed.  He has 2 microscopic drops of blood on a tissue...and do you want to know why?  Because he lies in bed and picks his nose.  GROSS!  He is just nasty. 

GRIPE #3:
And this morning was even more enjoyable.  At 3:30 Phone Guy wakes me to ask where my car keys are so he can leave for work.  My sleepy mind starts thinking....and I realize I never drove yesterday.  So I get up to look for them.  He says, "I got the spare key, never mind."  I then remember that I sent The Pleaser to the car yesterday for something.  I have a psychic vision and call to Phone Guy to tell him to check the rear bumper.  Sure enough, there sit my keys on the rear bumper...in the driveway...with my house key on the ring....in front of the house.  OOOOOH BOY is that child going to hear from me when he wakes up. 
I need some sleep.   (can you tell)

Milestone

As of this morning I am down 20 pounds.  It has taken me about 11 weeks to lose that much but I guess that is the "healthy" way - or so they say (whoever *they* are).

The really depressing thing is not one person, aside from my Mom and Phone Guy, has even remarked that I have lost anything.  And they only say it because they know I am working really hard and they are stroking my ego.  I mean, I know I am fat but damn....you would think 20 pounds would be noticeable.  I hadn't been at my kids school much in months and I went in there and spent lots of time over the last couple of weeks and nobody....NOBODY....noticed. 

I had The Pleaser take my photo today for my weight loss scrapbook and I compared it with a photo taken at my best friend's baby shower in October and I can't see a difference either.  IT SUCKS!
Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled with my results but it would be nice to get a little recognition.

No the 4th Graders Didn't Kill Me

I just realized I never updated after my long (and temporarily insane) trip with the 4th graders.  We all survived and I made it back in one piece. 

It's yearbook time and since I volunteer to put together the school's yearbook (remember - temporary insanity), I have been working non-stop for the last 2 1/2 weeks on that.  Now, if I wasn't such a big procrastinator I would have already had a bunch of it done.  But I work best under pressure - riiiiight.
Two more weeks until school is out.  The last 3 weeks are so hectic that I will be glad when it is over.....for about 3 days.  Then my kids will be driving me crazy and I will be looking forward to the middle of August.

Weight Loss Update:  Due to my hectic schedule, my exercise dropped off a little and I've been eating like shit, BUT I have still managed to lose weight!  I am sitting at 18 POUNDS LOST now!  WooHoo!!

Heaven Help Me

When you become a parent, you become temporarily insane (for at least 15-18 years) and do things you never thought you would ever do like cleaning up other people's vomit, wiping other people's butts, cutting other people's toenails and most of all making the conscious choice to ride on a school bus filled with screaming kids to visit museums, zoos and other various attractions.
So this time the parental temporary insanity drove me to volunteer to be a chaperone for tomorrow's 4th grade field trip.  Now this isn't just any field trip.  This is a 3 hour drive (one way) to the state capitol.  With about 60 kids.  On a bus.  Now my one salvation is that this will be a charter bus so we will have a bathroom, a tv and comfy seats.  That doesn't change the fact that the trip will be a total of 6 hours....on a bus.....with 60 kids.  But I will make the sacrifice for my kid.  Because that's how the temporary insanity works.  Oh and it's supposed to rain tomorrow...of course. 

And for my weight loss update of the week - I have now lost 15 pounds! 

Wish me luck tomorrow.  By the way, did I mention the trip is 6 hours on a bus with 60 kids.  EEEK! 

Short and Sweet!

I have lost 12 pounds. 
That is all.

A Sure-fire Way to Lose a Few Pounds in 1 Day...

Get a freakin' stomach bug.    Danger Boy came down with the bug on Sunday night.  I was up all night with him and felt like crap all day Monday.  Well I got my turn yesterday afternoon.  Ran fever and everything.  It's been like 5 years since I have run a fever!  So needless to say, I lost a few pounds yesterday, but I'm sure with one good meal and some fluids in me I'll gain them back (unfortunately).

The Pants Fit and My Funny Danger Boy

Oh yeah.....the pants fit.  That is, the capris I bought to wear to Phone Guy's class reunion last summer.  I bought them without trying them on (I know, stupid) at Wal-mart and got home to find they didn't come anywhere close to fitting.  Couldn't dream of buttoning them.  And you know I wasn't going to take them back to Wal-mart....they only cost 11.00 and by God it's worth 11.00 not to have to return something at Wal-mart.  I know you know what I am talking about.     So today I was cleaning out my cabinet of misc. junk and I ran across the pants.  I just tried them on and BAM they fit!!  I could button them and everything.  10 lbs gone for good now!  Woohoo!  I'm walking about 7/10 of a mile on the treadmill every day and today I walked to get my kids at school....that's 6/10 of a mile each way.  Of course I did eat at Campo Verde for lunch but I tried not to pig out. 
And for your entertainment, a comedy break featuring Danger Boy:
"Mom I found some sequins on the playground today  (digging in his tiny carpenter pocket on the side of his jean shorts).......can you hold me upside down and shake me so it will come out of my pocket."  And he was serious! 

Friday and Saturday I made 20 minutes / 1/2 mile on the ol' treadmill.  A real accomplishment considering Monday I could only do 5. I took today off but will start back up in the morning.  I didn't lose any weight this week though.    So after 3 full weeks of dieting I have lost 5 lbs. total.  Kind of discouraging but I'm still plugging along. 
In other news, I had a kid free day from about 4:00pm Saturday until about 4:30pm today.  Brian and I hit the sports bar for trivia and appetizers.  We were going to go out to a bar and hear a band we like but decided we would go rent some stupid movies and come back home.  So we watched the Dukes of Hazzard movie (which I give 2 thumbs down) and I fell asleep before it was over.  Partay-animal!     We spent the morning being lazy, went to lunch and came home to do laundry and chores without any interruptions from fighting, whiny children.  It was heaven.  But I was glad to get them back home this evening. 
Of course it wouldn't be complete without some small tragedy....They spent the day outside helping Nanny & Papa plant flowers and peppers and now Daniel's eye has almost swollen shut.....so we are doing the benadryl, patanol, cold compress thing as I speak.  This happens to him at least once every spring.  But Daniel thinks it's cool.  He told me he looks like Mad-eye Moody from Harry Potter. 

3 Days in a Row Now!

I have walked the treadmill 3 days in a row.  5 minutes the first night and 12 minutes yesterday and today. That's respectible, right?  Of course then I sat on my ass and watched 3 episodes of Moonlighting on DVD.  The DVDs were my birthday present from Brian.  Can you believe he actually bought me a birthday present?    He's usually not so thoughtful   but he won a few brownie points with that.  He's also being very supportive with my dieting.  Which is not so easy for a man whose religion is worshipping all-you-can-eat buffets.

Random Funny Things My Kids Said

Daniel (as I ate a Weight Watchers hot pocket-type sandwich):  "What is that you're eating?"  Me:  "A diet sandwich."  Daniel (looks down at his mac & cheese disgustedly):  "How come all the good food is diet?  I want to eat that!"
Justin (standing at the car as I walked out of the garage):  "Mom you looked thin when you were walking out."  (See the man suck-up, lying thing starts young)
Daniel (when told he needed to take 2 ADHD pills this morning):  "Why do I have to take 2?"  Me:  "Because the doctor said you need to take 2 now."  Daniel (sings to the tune of '5 Little Monkeys'):  "Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, 'Take 2 pills cuz 1 didn't work.'" 

Caution: Fat Lady on a Treadmill

So, as I told you, I am starting my new "healthy lifestyle".  (Stop laughing)  So my mom gave me her treadmill.  It was at their shop collecting dust for the last few years.  I had to kill a few spiders and destroy their homes and *something* had chewed the rubber off the buttons.  I washed off the hanta virus so it's all good.  And it works...and it was free...and after all, free IS my favorite color.  So I got on it for the first time in like 9 years.  I was gung ho.  15 minutes...yeah I'll walk 15 minutes!  I was psyched.  So I'm walking....and walking some more.  I'm gettin' down with my bad self.  1 minute.  Oh yeah.  I'm an exercising machine.  Energizer bunny got nothin on me.  2 minutes.  Gettin a little hot in here.  3 minutes.  Could someone dial 9-1 and get ready cuz my heart is beating reallllly fast right now.  4 minutes.  Starting to wheeze.  Sweating.  Feeling faint.  Legs are kinda wobbly.  If...I...can...just...make....it...to...5...........5 MINUTES!  I did 5 minutes.  Is that not the saddest thing you have ever heard in your life?  But I lived.  I will live to see another day.  So I guess tomorrow I will do 7 minutes.  As a wise man once said, "Can we do it?  Yes, we can!"

Adventures in Dieting

OK, so I am dieting.  Seriously.  For the first time in like 6 years I am on a real diet.  It's been two weeks.  I am doing OK.  Lost 5 lbs so far.  A drop in the bucket, but it's a start.  So far no terrible setbacks.  It would be easier to go get some of this fat sucked out but I don't like pain or spending tons of money so I guess I'll just go with the slowly but surely way.