107 posts from 2008

In the last two days, our bathroom project has made some gigantic leaps forward.  For one thing, the shower door has been installed.  That actually happened two days ago, but the guy recommended waiting 24 hours before using it, to allow the adhesives to set up.  OK, fine.  But guess what - even though this is supposed to be my bathroom, Brian took the inaugural shower while I was at work!!!  I'm not mad about it.  Actually, I'm glad that he was the one who got the air out of the pipes and figured out how the handle works.  (If you've read Steve's post on selfish wives, for your benefit I will insert an object lesson here regarding how lack of selfishness - i.e. letting the other one do the cool thing like be the first to use the new shower - can actually benefit you!!)

Anyway.  The bathroom is looking fabulouso.  The shower is functional, the built-in linen closet is now built in - complete with doors - and the trim is finished.  I have to touch up the paint and decide what hardware to put on the cabinetry.  (I'm really stressing over this decision!!)  And we're still waiting for the SileStone sink top, but the good part is that they will install it when it comes, along with the sink and the faucet.

Oh yeah, Shower Door Guy knocked $125 off of our price because it took forever for the door to be done, and also because of the rude reciptionist we had to deal with when we went into the store.  We'd almost cancelled our appointment for a measure because she was so unfriendly we weren't sure if we wanted to give this company our business.  But we kept the appointment because we couldn't get what we needed at any of the big-box stores (Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards) and the other glass place in town was more expensive.  Brian told Shower Door Guy how rude she was, and not only did he know exactly who we were talking about, but he must've said something to his boss to get us a discount!  Major points for him and that company (K&M Glass, if you happen to live in the Rochester area.  Ask for Shower Door Guy.)

So now you're at the bottom of this post......were you expecting a picture?  Sorry!  Not gonna happen.  I do have some, but I'm going to wait for the grand reveal until this project is all done.  Sayonara!

What's your definition of home?
Submitted by NayNay72

Home is where you go when you have no place else to go.

OK, I know that sounds a little weird, like going home is your last resort because you have nothing better to do, but think about it.  All day long you run around, doing this, doing that, getting groceries, getting your hair cut, maybe taking the kids to basketball or ballet or whatever, maybe going to work.  After all that is done, and you just want to relax, where do you go?

You go home.

It's not a last resort, it's a treat for getting all your other crap done.  :)

Fall classes start today.

I'm taking Clinical Chemistry Lecutre + Lab and Body Fluids.  Body Fluids - how gross does that sound?  Actually, it might be interesting.  I suppose it'll focus on the various fluids other than blood or urine that you can excise from the body and examine for the presence of various substances, and what that can tell you about disease state.  Now that I state it, that does sound cool.

Clinical Chemistry, on the other hand, makes me want to weep and gnash my teeth.  Acid-base balances, direct vs. indirect bilirubin, AST, ALT.....oh my!  I was able to get a chemistry minor in college only because there was a lot of chemistry required for the track I was going for, but it's been a long time and I was never that great at it the first time around.  As a matter of fact, the thought of all this kind of makes me break out in a cold sweat.  Could be the fear of the unknown....I was also terrified of taking coag and I ended up loving it.  But I like blood so the odds were with me then.  I'm not crazy about chemistry.

I ordered my textbook last week, and as of Friday it hadn't come yet.  I was hoping that would buy me some procrastination time and I wouldn't have to start chemistry today.  However, yesterday (Sunday!) at about 5 pm, Joey went outside to play.  A few minutes later he rang the front doorbell because he'd found a package on the front step.  I haven't even opened it yet but (because?) I know it's my chem book.  Was it actually delivered on a Sunday?  More likely it was dropped off on Saturday but no one used the front door (and our driveway's around the corner).  So since that excuse is gone, I'm probably going to have to bite the bullet and start class tonight.  Wish me luck.

I know, I know, it's still Sunday.  But at the moment I can either: 1) Do laundry, 2) Make supper, or 3) Blog. 

Yeah, me too.

Last weekend at my parents' house I got two good pictures for MAMM.  The prom dress one just had to take precedence because it was so hilarious, but for this week here's one that's a little nicer...Me and My Siblings.

It's a before-and-after of sorts, too, since I'm going to start with a picture of us back when we were young.

Left to right: Moon (3rd oldest), me (2nd oldest), Stevie (baby), Jennifer (oldest).

So fast forward almost 30 years (eek), and here we are again:

L to R: Jennifer, me, Moon, Stephen.  Not pictured: Jennifer's husband Gary & their 4 boys, my husband Brian & our 2 kids, Moon's wife Catherine & baby Maria, and Stephen's wife Melanie and his 2 girls.  (Aside: I just realized that so far anyway, I'm the only one of the four of us who has both a boy and a girl.  Weird.)

They all rolled their eyes when I said I wanted a picture of the 4 of us.  But I think they secretly didn't think it was that dumb.  Really, though, we hadn't taken one of just the 4 kids in a long time.

 

Sigh....why is that whenever someone has success, someone else has to go and try to shoot them down?  It's so indicative of the society we live in today.

On mornings when I walk/run on the treadmill, I watch the rebroadcast of the previous evening's O'Reilly Factor.  I love Bill O'Relly but today Laura Ingraham was filling in.  I'm not a big fan of Laura because she doesn't interview her guests, she lambasts them...which defeats the purpose of even having a guest on the show.  O'Reilly interrupts his guests but at least the interview ends and they've gotten a word in edgewise.  But I digress.

One of the segments on the show today featured some lady that came from some anti-childhood obesity group.  I guess several of these types of groups are mad (or "concerned") because Michael Phelps has appeared on the front of boxes of Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes, rather than Wheaties or something else.  And while this lady agreed with Laura that it's ultimately the parents' decision as to what kinds of cereal are purchased at the grocery store, she's worried that kids will pressure their parents to buy Corn Flakes instead of something with more fiber in it.

This is laughable!  If my kids actually asked for Corn Flakes, I'd buy ten boxes!!!  Usually they want Cocoa Puffs or Golden Grahams or something equally sugar-coated.  Now, if Michael Phelps were to appear on the front of a box of Fiber One, that would be great...but given his association with Kelloggs, I doubt that will happen.  My kids wouldn't eat it anyway.  I'm just hoping Michael doesn't show up on a box of Pop Tarts, because that might be an uphill swim for Mom.

But now that I think about it, my kids pretty much want the cereal they want, regardless of who or what is on the front.  My kids have minds of their own!  Yay!  Half of my mission as a mother has been accomplished (well, provided their brains don't turn to mush during those teenage years).

Oh yeah, this lady was also horrified that Michael was seen leading a group of Chinese kids into McDonald's.  Because they'd never set foot in the door if not for his rotten influence.  She thought that Michael could use his celebrity in a much more positive way if he used that incredible body of his as a model for Abercrombie & Fitch.  Because that's wholesome.

Anyway, the point of all this is, leave Michael Phelps alone!  The guy JUST WON EIGHT GOLD MEDALS!  How many of us can do that? 

Am I the only one who's annoyed that Obama and McCain won't just announce their VP candidates already?  I heard this morning that Obama hasn't even made up his own mind yet, but I don't believe it for a second.  I think they've both known for a long time who they're going to take, and that the potential VP has known it for weeks too.  The one entertaining part of this whole thing, though, that they're both playing the media like a harp.

I wonder if any of these guys who are swearing up & down that they're not in the running and wouldn't say yes even if they were asked will miraculously turn up as the VP candidate.  "What, me?  Oh, I'm flattered!  How could I say no?"  Liars.

I don't know enough about the lesser-known players within the Democratic Party to talk much about them.  But I can't imagine Obama would pick Hillary as his running mate.  And if he did, I couldn't imagine that Hillary would say yes.  She played second fiddle to Bill for 8 years; I think at this point she wants it all or nothing at all.  I've heard some scuttlebutt that she might try to plan a coup at the DNC next week; that would be hilarious.  Hilarious for me because I'm a Republican.

On the Republican side, I think Condoleezza Rice would be an ideal choice.  She's a good conservative and would appeal to those voters who are/were into Obama and Clinton based strictly on the fact that they're black/female.  Rice is both (obviously, LOL), although she is tied to the current administration pretty tightly so that strategy could backfire.  No matter, she says she's done with politics after this.  Romney is another name that keeps coming up, but I don't see it happening.  For one thing, it was widely reported during the primaries that he & McCain don't get along, and how do you have a VP that you don't even like?  Romney would provide economic creds, though, and he might appeal to the religious right (even though he's a Mormon...from what I know of Mormonism, they're socially pretty conservative).  But still, I'd be surprised if Romney was it. 

So speaking realistically, I like Tim Pawlenty and it seems as though he might be McCain's guy.  I've seen him interviewed a couple of times now and he has never done that "I'm not in the running" song and dance.  When Sean Hannity talked to him a few weeks ago, he just flat-out refused to discuss the VP race.  So while that isn't being too coy, I respect it a whole heck of a lot more than the out & out lying.  Pawlenty is a little more to the center than I am on some issues, but he's pro-life and supports education and economic growth.  On the state website, he's listed as an Evangelical Christian.  I have never heard him talk about his faith so I have no reason to disbelieve this, but then again I don't know how devout he is.  But that label would help him appeal to the religious right who seems to be anti-McCain. 

Either way, I voted for Pawlenty twice as governor of Minnesota and I'd vote for him again as VP.

I loathe:

• Bickering with my husband.  I don't know why I'm crabby this afternoon, but time without kids is supposed to be idyllic & sweet.  I'll work on that.
• The fact that in a week I have to start Clinical Chemistry class.  Acid-base balance, bilirubins, AST/ALT, all that junk.  Gag.  And a lab experience that consists of pushing buttons on an analyzer.  Can't wait.
• Being bored at work.

I love:

• Facebook.  In one day I have 24 friends, mostly family members and Voxers, but some other friends too.  I tracked down my two best friends from high school.  We've been messaging a lot.  It's been so awesome to get in touch with them again and catch up!  They're both doing well.
• That somehow with all my horrible eating over the last couple of weeks, I've managed to not really gain any weight except maybe a pound or two.  Nothing noticeable, though - that is the advantage of being tall.
• Doing things at work that make me feel useful.
• That NASCAR has added a Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway to next year's schedule.  I'm so there!

Are you ready for this????

 

OK, but first I have to tell the back story.  We spent the weekend at my parents' house, and it so happens that my mother has stuck all of our old formals into the guest room closet.  The temptation to dig through was just too great.  Remember that old commercial about the woman who wanted to know if she still fit into her wedding dress?  Forget that.  I wanted to see if I could still fit into the prom dress I wore when I was 16.

Check it out!

 

Me And My Prom Dress

It's like, sooooo totally awesome!  So pink and shiny.  And I'm looking for an excuse to wear it again.  '80's prom party, anyone?

I just joined Facebook at the request of my mother-in-law and I just don't get it.  What am I supposed to do besides post a picture of myself and say where I went to school?  Do I just talk or do I put information about myself out there?  How do I communicate with people?

Because it was brief.  Even Joey said so, when I asked him if he had fun with his friends.  His response? "Yeah, but it just went by so fast!"  Indeed.

Heather is also writing an account of the weekend on her blog, so you know it started with her and Le-Ann's family meeting in Minneapolis for supper.  We joined them the next morning at the Mall of America.

 

 

We spent most of the day at Nickelodeon Universe.  I think we could've spent another day there just shopping too - or at least several more hours -  but the kids didn't last that long.  We did make it to the Nordstrom outlet where Le-Ann and I both scored some awesome shoes.  After we were done at the mall, we drove down to Rochester to my house, where we hung out for the rest of the evening, ate a bunch, and watched the Olympics.

The next morning, we slept in and had a big pancake breakfast.  I made way too many pancakes but they did taste good!  :)  We had butter, 4 kinds of syrup and fresh berries on top, and bacon & sausage on the side.  I think we were all sufficiently stuffed.  The kids played afterward, while the adults planned our day.  We decided to visit the local winery first.  We first visited the tasting room and then got a tour of the vineyard.  I thought it was fun to learn about the kinds of grapes that can be grown in Minnesota - some of which I'd heard of before, some of which I hadn't.  This is just a little start-up winery, but he does a really good job. 

 

 

Befoe we'd left the house the kids had asked if they could go go-karting.  We thought that they probably deserved it after putting up with the winery.

 

Then we decided we needed a group picture.  This is everyone who came to Rochester, which included my whole family (obviously), Heather's whole family, and Le-Ann with her middle son Jared.  Le-Ann's husband Rob stayed in Minneapolis with her other two sons.

After the winery I thought I'd show everyone a little bit of downtown Rochester, particularly the Mayo buildings.  I know it's kind of corny to show off your workplace, but they really do have some beautiful buildings, and the city has made some very nice green spaces & plazas over the last year or so, which makes for some nice strolling.  We also have an extremely cool Barnes & Noble that I thought they'd like.  It's a converted theater with a castle theme.

 

 

 

By then it was getting to be pretty late in the afternoon so we headed back to my house.  Heather and her family were leaving after supper so we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for them to eat.  We made kabobs on the grill for supper. 

Right before Heather left, we got some pictures of our 8-year-olds.

 

Then after Heather left, Le-Ann, Brian and I hung out some more and watched the Olympics.  We saw the men's 4 x 200m relay just barely beat the French trash-talkers....man, was that great!  Go Michael Phelps!  The next morning I had to go in to work for a while but got home in time to see Le-Ann off on her return trip home.

Here's one more picture of the three of us.

It was a great weekend, but it just wasn't enough time!