I don't usually shop at Target because it is filled with snobs but now that they are all boycotting it and switching to Walmart I guess I can shop there again.
Article
Stay tuned for next week when WalMart is evil again and Target is everyone's favorite uncle who gives out free unicorn rides.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Housekeeping
Remember when Roxann thought she was going to have to make her blog private and we all had to give her our email addresses so that she could invite us to her blog. Well, I might have to do the same thing. I won't go into it, but despite the fact that this blog is only meant for family and a very few select friends someone else read it and was offended. Admittedly, what I said wasn't very nice. We all know that I am not a very nice person anyway. Even though said post was written over a year ago the offended person just read it a few weeks ago. I have removed the offending post and apologized.
So, if you are a member of my family and would like to continue to read my infrequent ramblings please leave me your email address. If you are not a member of my family and your name is:
Gary or Melanie
Heather
Rachel
please leave me your current email address (you might as well be family). I should have most of your addresses already but I just want to make sure.
If I forgot someone I am sorry.
If you read this post and it offended you, maybe we aren't meant to be acquainted. Get over it.
So, if you are a member of my family and would like to continue to read my infrequent ramblings please leave me your email address. If you are not a member of my family and your name is:
Gary or Melanie
Heather
Rachel
please leave me your current email address (you might as well be family). I should have most of your addresses already but I just want to make sure.
If I forgot someone I am sorry.
If you read this post and it offended you, maybe we aren't meant to be acquainted. Get over it.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Brick Gets Lost
As you all know, several years ago I gave birth to what I thought was a regular human child but turned out to be in fact to be some sort of human/animal/robot/stuntman hybrid. This might be one of the sweetest children to ever live, but he is also the toughest, craziest and most ruthless child on the planet. He seems to have been sent here with a special mission to accomplish. That mission: attempt to kill his mother through either psychological or physical means. I assure you that he is slowly accomplishing him mission and doing it with more charm than you would think could be found in a 2 year old. I seriously weep for the girls who will come across him during the dating years.
Brick's normal M.O. is to do something that will make me so angry I want to spank him and then turn around and smile at me as though he has done nothing wrong at all. He specializes in the destruction of everything I own and some of the things other people own. He loves to climb so that almost nothing is out of his reach. The other thing he loves to do is hurt his sister, not because he is mean, but because he thinks it is fun and has a naturally high threshold for pain. If something does not hurt him, he cannot fathom it hurting anyone else. Let me assure you, almost nothing causes him physical pain. Because he is so naturally sweet he almost never understands why he is in trouble and he gets his feelings hurt when he is put into time out for something he just doesn't see as wrong. In short, despite being so ruthless he is entirely without guile. He understands right from wrong and knows what is really , really wrong but has trouble translating that knowledge to all of his actions. For example, in a room full of people and other children, he will wail on everyone in the room with a sword except for the babies. He understands that they are too little to "play" that way, but he does not understand that he is hurting all the people who are bigger than he is.
I live in constant fear that he will find a way to inadvertantly kill himself or send me into early labor. Several months ago he pulled a large knife out of the dishwasher and tried to sword fight Mailee with it. She was not amused. A few weeks ago he climbed on top of the stove and pulled everything out of the cupboard above the microwave, including an entire box of matches which he spilled all over the floor. Last week I had enough with trying to keep him from climbing up the shelves in the pantry and I had Mark install a lock high up on the pantry door. Mark also installed a lock on the door to the garage since I discovered Brick was climbing up on a little railing to reach the garage door opener. Thus brings me to this morning's event.
Mark wakes the kids up in the morning, gets them dressed and then feeds them breakfast. I usually stay in bed for 30-45 minutes after he leaves and then get up to survey the damage. This morning I did as usual, but instead of checking on the kids right when I got up I got straight into the shower. After the shower I headed downstairs in my robe. Mailee was in the office watching Rocky and Bullwinkle and I could hear the computer in the kitchen playing Alvin and the Chipmunks. I assumed Brick was downstairs but he was nowhere to be found. The door to the garage was open but he wasn't in the garage and the van was locked. Mailee said she hadn't seen him since Mark left for work. She and I looked for him around the house but I knew he couldn't be anywhere in the house. He wasn't answering me when I called for him and Brick never does that. I knew the only way he wouldn't answer me if he was in the house is if he had fallen asleep somewhere and I knew he would not have fallen asleep unless he was upset and stuck somewhere and there was nowhere in the house where he could have gotten stuck.
My big fear was that he had somehow gotten outside, maybe when Mark left for work. He could have snuck out and gotten stuck out there when Mark closed the garage door. Other possibilities were that he had opened and then closed the garage door himself or that he opened the door and someone else had closed the door after snatching him. I called Mark and he was fairly sure Brick was in the kitchen when he left for work. Keep in mind that there is heavy construction going on on the hill behind our house. So I opened the garage door and looked down the street. I could see dad out in his yard and I thought maybe Brick had walked down to see him. No such luck. Dad headed up the hill to make sure he hadn't been run over by any trucks and I called mom to come up and help us look.
In the meantime I headed back inside to look again (even though I knew he wasn't in the house) and decided I'd better look in the van again (even though it was locked and I didn't see him when I looked through the windows). As I unlocked the van, the lights came on inside and I could see Brick's legs sticking up from the stroller in the back of the van. I couldn't see his head and he wasn't moving. Filled with absolute terror, I opened the back of the van. His head was under the stroller, his legs and arms out and he was fast asleep. I picked him up and he immediately woke up and started crying. "I stuck, mommy. I stuck," he cried. He told me he had gotten in the van to look for his lunch box because he was going to Parents Day Out with Mailee (Mark had already packed his lunch box and put it in the locked pantry). While he was in there he'd accidently locked himself in the van and then gotten stuck in the back. No one could hear him yelling and he apparently cried himself to sleep. The poor thing was so upset and kept saying over and over that he was stuck and needed his lunch box. Mom walked up about this time and saw that I had found him. We called Dad down off the hill and tried to calm down together.
For the first time in weeks I wasn't mad at Brick for making me crazy. I was just grateful I'd found him and not under the wheels of a bulldozer. I know he will continue to get himself in trouble and I know that someday soon we'll visit an emergency room for more stitches or something, but I'm just glad to have him, craziness and all.
Brick's normal M.O. is to do something that will make me so angry I want to spank him and then turn around and smile at me as though he has done nothing wrong at all. He specializes in the destruction of everything I own and some of the things other people own. He loves to climb so that almost nothing is out of his reach. The other thing he loves to do is hurt his sister, not because he is mean, but because he thinks it is fun and has a naturally high threshold for pain. If something does not hurt him, he cannot fathom it hurting anyone else. Let me assure you, almost nothing causes him physical pain. Because he is so naturally sweet he almost never understands why he is in trouble and he gets his feelings hurt when he is put into time out for something he just doesn't see as wrong. In short, despite being so ruthless he is entirely without guile. He understands right from wrong and knows what is really , really wrong but has trouble translating that knowledge to all of his actions. For example, in a room full of people and other children, he will wail on everyone in the room with a sword except for the babies. He understands that they are too little to "play" that way, but he does not understand that he is hurting all the people who are bigger than he is.
I live in constant fear that he will find a way to inadvertantly kill himself or send me into early labor. Several months ago he pulled a large knife out of the dishwasher and tried to sword fight Mailee with it. She was not amused. A few weeks ago he climbed on top of the stove and pulled everything out of the cupboard above the microwave, including an entire box of matches which he spilled all over the floor. Last week I had enough with trying to keep him from climbing up the shelves in the pantry and I had Mark install a lock high up on the pantry door. Mark also installed a lock on the door to the garage since I discovered Brick was climbing up on a little railing to reach the garage door opener. Thus brings me to this morning's event.
Mark wakes the kids up in the morning, gets them dressed and then feeds them breakfast. I usually stay in bed for 30-45 minutes after he leaves and then get up to survey the damage. This morning I did as usual, but instead of checking on the kids right when I got up I got straight into the shower. After the shower I headed downstairs in my robe. Mailee was in the office watching Rocky and Bullwinkle and I could hear the computer in the kitchen playing Alvin and the Chipmunks. I assumed Brick was downstairs but he was nowhere to be found. The door to the garage was open but he wasn't in the garage and the van was locked. Mailee said she hadn't seen him since Mark left for work. She and I looked for him around the house but I knew he couldn't be anywhere in the house. He wasn't answering me when I called for him and Brick never does that. I knew the only way he wouldn't answer me if he was in the house is if he had fallen asleep somewhere and I knew he would not have fallen asleep unless he was upset and stuck somewhere and there was nowhere in the house where he could have gotten stuck.
My big fear was that he had somehow gotten outside, maybe when Mark left for work. He could have snuck out and gotten stuck out there when Mark closed the garage door. Other possibilities were that he had opened and then closed the garage door himself or that he opened the door and someone else had closed the door after snatching him. I called Mark and he was fairly sure Brick was in the kitchen when he left for work. Keep in mind that there is heavy construction going on on the hill behind our house. So I opened the garage door and looked down the street. I could see dad out in his yard and I thought maybe Brick had walked down to see him. No such luck. Dad headed up the hill to make sure he hadn't been run over by any trucks and I called mom to come up and help us look.
In the meantime I headed back inside to look again (even though I knew he wasn't in the house) and decided I'd better look in the van again (even though it was locked and I didn't see him when I looked through the windows). As I unlocked the van, the lights came on inside and I could see Brick's legs sticking up from the stroller in the back of the van. I couldn't see his head and he wasn't moving. Filled with absolute terror, I opened the back of the van. His head was under the stroller, his legs and arms out and he was fast asleep. I picked him up and he immediately woke up and started crying. "I stuck, mommy. I stuck," he cried. He told me he had gotten in the van to look for his lunch box because he was going to Parents Day Out with Mailee (Mark had already packed his lunch box and put it in the locked pantry). While he was in there he'd accidently locked himself in the van and then gotten stuck in the back. No one could hear him yelling and he apparently cried himself to sleep. The poor thing was so upset and kept saying over and over that he was stuck and needed his lunch box. Mom walked up about this time and saw that I had found him. We called Dad down off the hill and tried to calm down together.
For the first time in weeks I wasn't mad at Brick for making me crazy. I was just grateful I'd found him and not under the wheels of a bulldozer. I know he will continue to get himself in trouble and I know that someday soon we'll visit an emergency room for more stitches or something, but I'm just glad to have him, craziness and all.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
What's New
I've been horribly negligent about updating my blog, but I haven't really felt like I've had all that much to share. There certainly isn't anything witty to write about and in any case my witticism died many years ago along with my creativity. Nonetheless, I feel the need to do a little writing and maybe just a little venting.
On Monday Mailee had her preschool Christmas concert. She goes to Bethel Baptist preschool on 291. It's a nice preschool, a little religious, of course, but not overly Baptisty and we really like it. She routinely brings home nativity pictures and sheets that say "God created Heaven and Earth," and the Bible verse for the month but she hasn't brought home any crosses, so its actually pretty nice. Anyway, the concert was awesome. It lasted for maybe 20 minutes, which is the perfect length for kids that age and it was only weird when they sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Then yesterday they had their "Jesus Birthday Party" at school. She came home with a lot of stuff, including a slide whistle that says "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it and a jingle bell bracelet that says "Jingle for Jesus." I kid you not. Protestants are weird.
Not that our own ward doesn't get a little protestanty from time to time. They always want Mark to sing in church, which is great, but it is rarely just a straight up song from the hymn book, which bothers him because he prefers hymns. For the Christmas Sacrament Program they were trying to get approval from the stake for Mark to sing and play his classical guitar which he was a little uncomfortable with, but what can he do. Approval did not come through so now he is just singing (thankfully). Now lets just hope it is a nice song from the hymnbook and not a more protestant Christmas song like "Shepherd Boy" or "Mary did you know?" Not that there is anything wrong with that.
In other news, I'm pregnant (like any of you could forget) and I hate it. I complain enough that I don't think anyone could ever forget. I am enormously grateful to be pregnant, I just don't like it. I also feel so tricked. My pregnancy with Brick wasn't the greatest( I had those stomach muscle problems towards the end and then the slight preclampsia), but energy wise I felt like it was just fine. Then I spent the last two years eating right and exercising all in preparation for the next pregnancy. I figured if I really got healthy and strong the next pregnancy would be so much easier. Plus I lost all my extra weight. I had really high hopes. So I got pregnant. The first trimester was hard because I was nauseous and tired and then I thought it would get better. Well, now I'm not nauseous anymore, but I just don't have any energy. It's like my fibromyalgia has come back full strength. Walking across the house wears me out and forget shopping. The baby is already so heavy and I can feel the stress on my muscles. I'm completely useless to my family. Mark has to do literally everything when he gets home and he is so tired. I'm just wondering when it will end and I will be able to pull my weight again. I'm sorry to complain. It is just so emotionally overwhelming. I don't do well mentally when I don't feel well.
Anyway, that is the latest for us.
On Monday Mailee had her preschool Christmas concert. She goes to Bethel Baptist preschool on 291. It's a nice preschool, a little religious, of course, but not overly Baptisty and we really like it. She routinely brings home nativity pictures and sheets that say "God created Heaven and Earth," and the Bible verse for the month but she hasn't brought home any crosses, so its actually pretty nice. Anyway, the concert was awesome. It lasted for maybe 20 minutes, which is the perfect length for kids that age and it was only weird when they sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Then yesterday they had their "Jesus Birthday Party" at school. She came home with a lot of stuff, including a slide whistle that says "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it and a jingle bell bracelet that says "Jingle for Jesus." I kid you not. Protestants are weird.
Not that our own ward doesn't get a little protestanty from time to time. They always want Mark to sing in church, which is great, but it is rarely just a straight up song from the hymn book, which bothers him because he prefers hymns. For the Christmas Sacrament Program they were trying to get approval from the stake for Mark to sing and play his classical guitar which he was a little uncomfortable with, but what can he do. Approval did not come through so now he is just singing (thankfully). Now lets just hope it is a nice song from the hymnbook and not a more protestant Christmas song like "Shepherd Boy" or "Mary did you know?" Not that there is anything wrong with that.
In other news, I'm pregnant (like any of you could forget) and I hate it. I complain enough that I don't think anyone could ever forget. I am enormously grateful to be pregnant, I just don't like it. I also feel so tricked. My pregnancy with Brick wasn't the greatest( I had those stomach muscle problems towards the end and then the slight preclampsia), but energy wise I felt like it was just fine. Then I spent the last two years eating right and exercising all in preparation for the next pregnancy. I figured if I really got healthy and strong the next pregnancy would be so much easier. Plus I lost all my extra weight. I had really high hopes. So I got pregnant. The first trimester was hard because I was nauseous and tired and then I thought it would get better. Well, now I'm not nauseous anymore, but I just don't have any energy. It's like my fibromyalgia has come back full strength. Walking across the house wears me out and forget shopping. The baby is already so heavy and I can feel the stress on my muscles. I'm completely useless to my family. Mark has to do literally everything when he gets home and he is so tired. I'm just wondering when it will end and I will be able to pull my weight again. I'm sorry to complain. It is just so emotionally overwhelming. I don't do well mentally when I don't feel well.
Anyway, that is the latest for us.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
My Son is Smart
Today is kind of a lazy day. It is cold and wet outside and Brick is congested so we are staying in. I'm trying to catch up on my internet stuff and teach Mailee to sew with a needle and thread. A pretty relaxed day.
Well, I was laying on the couch downstairs reading my book while Mailee sewed, when Brick came up and handed me two trains. "Stay there," he said, and walked off. "Ok. I'll stay here," I said. I thought he wanted me to watch his trains while he went to find more.
A minute later I heard a rustling noise. I sat up and looked into the kitchen and there was Brick with his hand in the Splenda bag! Smart little thing had handed me his trains to distract me while he went for the good stuff! All I could really do was laugh and clean up the mess.
It's when they do stuff like that that I'm reminded of how special they are. It make me love them more. Now, if Mailee had done the same thing I'm not sure I would have found it so funny, but there is a big difference between a two year old tricking you and a 4 and a half year old doing it. In any case, I do love my kids.
Well, I was laying on the couch downstairs reading my book while Mailee sewed, when Brick came up and handed me two trains. "Stay there," he said, and walked off. "Ok. I'll stay here," I said. I thought he wanted me to watch his trains while he went to find more.
A minute later I heard a rustling noise. I sat up and looked into the kitchen and there was Brick with his hand in the Splenda bag! Smart little thing had handed me his trains to distract me while he went for the good stuff! All I could really do was laugh and clean up the mess.
It's when they do stuff like that that I'm reminded of how special they are. It make me love them more. Now, if Mailee had done the same thing I'm not sure I would have found it so funny, but there is a big difference between a two year old tricking you and a 4 and a half year old doing it. In any case, I do love my kids.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Nobel Joke
I got up this morning and poured cereal for the kids then sat down in front of the computer with my own bowl to read Fark and catch up on the world "not news." Imagine my surprise and HORROR when I read that Obama has been awarded the Nobel Prize! For what, I ask. For his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Are you freaking kidding me? I do this everyday when I pull my kids off each other and admonish them to be nice to each other and their friends. I absolutely cannot believe this sack of crap has been given the Nobel prize for incessantly running his gaping hole of a mouth.
The prize committee admits that they gave him the award in hopes that it would encourage him to achieve peace in the Middle East. Again, are you kidding me? Those people have been fighting for thousands of years. I seriously doubt an over-privileged socialist with a horse for a wife is going to achieve what millions of men have struggled for over the centuries. Again, I would like to mention that he has of yet accomplished nothing except for being adept with rhetoric.
The deadline to submit the nominations for the prize was February 1st, not even two weeks after Obama went into office. The committee began accepting nominations back in September of 08. This is completely absurd. The man had done NOTHING when he was nominated.
I think most will agree with me when I say this was the most undeserved award ever awarded. Except maybe for Taylor Swift's VMA because Beyonce had the best video of all time. All time.
The prize committee admits that they gave him the award in hopes that it would encourage him to achieve peace in the Middle East. Again, are you kidding me? Those people have been fighting for thousands of years. I seriously doubt an over-privileged socialist with a horse for a wife is going to achieve what millions of men have struggled for over the centuries. Again, I would like to mention that he has of yet accomplished nothing except for being adept with rhetoric.
The deadline to submit the nominations for the prize was February 1st, not even two weeks after Obama went into office. The committee began accepting nominations back in September of 08. This is completely absurd. The man had done NOTHING when he was nominated.
I think most will agree with me when I say this was the most undeserved award ever awarded. Except maybe for Taylor Swift's VMA because Beyonce had the best video of all time. All time.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Disney is responsible for PETA
Since the kids woke me up before the crack of dawn this morning and I needed to calm my rage, we are watching "Finding Nemo" while I blog. During the scene where they go to the Sharks Anonymous meeting I came to the conclusion that Disney should be held responsible for all the bleeding hearts out there who refuse to eat meat.
Disney takes animals, who in all actuality probably aren't that smart or self aware and gives them human personalities and traits. After 90 minutes of watching this we all get caught up in the poor animal and it's struggle to survive while evil humans everywhere are plotting to destroy it.
Case in point: "Finding Nemo." This has PETA written all over it. First of all, we are supposed to believe that fish live in little families and go to school and purchase real estate. Secondly, we are supposed to buy that it is in any way feasible that a group of sharks would decide to stop eating fish out of some kind of awareness that fish have thoughts and feelings and lives. 1. No they don't, and 2. what else are sharks supposed to eat? Thirdly, the evil human diver takes the fish away from his family and his environment thereby causing heartache. Again, it is a FISH! Some wacko scientists out there (http://www.fishinghurts.com/feat-hiddenfish.asp cut and paste it, okay) say that fish are highly intelligent and that they work well with others, but I just don't think that means they sit around all day analyzing their feelings. I mean, if you put certain ones in a tank with any others they start eating their tank mates!
Second case: "Bambi" PETA strikes again. I don't actually care too much for Bambi. I don't know why. Once again we have to watch a bunch of animals frolicking around and being human like. Then the big bad evil hunter who just likes to watch things bleed shoots Bambi's mom for no good reason. It certainly couldn't have been because he and his family were hungry! Now I feel bad because Bambi is an orphan and because I had a hamburger last night (which I know isn't deer meat, but that's not the point). I'm personally convinced that Bambi is responsible for all people who are vegetarians.
This applies to nearly all Disney movies. Even the ones with human main characters follow the formula of giving said human an animal sidekick who acts human. Examples: Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White. And what is the result of all this personification of animals. No kid, after realizing that he is actually eating one of Nemo's friends will ever eat fish again. And they are FISH!
Mission accomplished, PETA.
Disney takes animals, who in all actuality probably aren't that smart or self aware and gives them human personalities and traits. After 90 minutes of watching this we all get caught up in the poor animal and it's struggle to survive while evil humans everywhere are plotting to destroy it.
Case in point: "Finding Nemo." This has PETA written all over it. First of all, we are supposed to believe that fish live in little families and go to school and purchase real estate. Secondly, we are supposed to buy that it is in any way feasible that a group of sharks would decide to stop eating fish out of some kind of awareness that fish have thoughts and feelings and lives. 1. No they don't, and 2. what else are sharks supposed to eat? Thirdly, the evil human diver takes the fish away from his family and his environment thereby causing heartache. Again, it is a FISH! Some wacko scientists out there (http://www.fishinghurts.com/feat-hiddenfish.asp cut and paste it, okay) say that fish are highly intelligent and that they work well with others, but I just don't think that means they sit around all day analyzing their feelings. I mean, if you put certain ones in a tank with any others they start eating their tank mates!
Second case: "Bambi" PETA strikes again. I don't actually care too much for Bambi. I don't know why. Once again we have to watch a bunch of animals frolicking around and being human like. Then the big bad evil hunter who just likes to watch things bleed shoots Bambi's mom for no good reason. It certainly couldn't have been because he and his family were hungry! Now I feel bad because Bambi is an orphan and because I had a hamburger last night (which I know isn't deer meat, but that's not the point). I'm personally convinced that Bambi is responsible for all people who are vegetarians.
This applies to nearly all Disney movies. Even the ones with human main characters follow the formula of giving said human an animal sidekick who acts human. Examples: Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White. And what is the result of all this personification of animals. No kid, after realizing that he is actually eating one of Nemo's friends will ever eat fish again. And they are FISH!
Mission accomplished, PETA.
Mommy Drinks Because of You!
Korynn and I were talking about this the other day after Glenn Beck said it and it is so true.
I don't consider myself a bad person. At least, people keep telling me I'm not a bad person. I try really hard to be a good mom. I love my kids. I want them to be happy. I worry constantly about whether or not I am damaging them psychologically. I really really try.
So, that's why when the kids climbed into my bed at 6:30 this morning and started wrestling I wondered if I was being tested or just punished. If I was being tested I think I failed. No one got beat (yet) so that's good, but I wonder if they will ever recover from the psychological damage inflicted after being told that they were going to have the worst day ever for waking me up.
If I am being punished, I wonder what for. Is it for spanking Mailee yesterday after she woke Brick up early from his nap. I think she totally deserved that.
If I am being tested, then why the constant tests? One of these days I am going to fail miserably and completely destroy the childrens' psyches and then I will really be punished, presumably by never being allowed to sleep again. In any case, I've already popped open a Dr. Pepper, cause you know, that's why mommy drinks.
I don't consider myself a bad person. At least, people keep telling me I'm not a bad person. I try really hard to be a good mom. I love my kids. I want them to be happy. I worry constantly about whether or not I am damaging them psychologically. I really really try.
So, that's why when the kids climbed into my bed at 6:30 this morning and started wrestling I wondered if I was being tested or just punished. If I was being tested I think I failed. No one got beat (yet) so that's good, but I wonder if they will ever recover from the psychological damage inflicted after being told that they were going to have the worst day ever for waking me up.
If I am being punished, I wonder what for. Is it for spanking Mailee yesterday after she woke Brick up early from his nap. I think she totally deserved that.
If I am being tested, then why the constant tests? One of these days I am going to fail miserably and completely destroy the childrens' psyches and then I will really be punished, presumably by never being allowed to sleep again. In any case, I've already popped open a Dr. Pepper, cause you know, that's why mommy drinks.
Monday, August 17, 2009
"Knowing." Dumbest. Movie. Ever.
Mark and I did the redbox thing the other night for the first time and we picked up "Knowing." I knew this was risky since half of Nicholas Cage's movies are good and the other half make starving children in Africa weep at their awfulness. Nonetheless, we got it and settled in for a nice evening of movie watching.
SPOILER ALERT (although, really, if any of you go see this movie after I finish telling you how awful it is than I am going to have to punch you in the face):
The movie starts out in 1959 at an elementary school dedication. This creepy little girl named Lucinda comes up with the idea to bury a time capsule and all the children are supposed to draw a picture of what they think the future will look like. Instead of drawing a picture, Lucinda covers a page with a sequence of numbers and the teacher has to take the page away from her before she is finished. Then Lucinda gets lost and the teacher finds her in a closet at the school scratching numbers on the back of the door. So far so good.
Fast forward 50 years and Nic Cage's kid gets Lucinda's page when they open the time capsule and he starts hearing people whispering. Kinda creepy. Nic Cage is conveniently an astrophysicist who teaches at MIT and doesn't believe that anything happens for a reason. He thinks everything is random, and conveniently, does not believe in God. Also, conveniently, his father is a pastor and they are estranged. He figures out the numbers are dates of a disaster, number of people killed and latitude and longitude of said disaster. There are only 3 disasters left.
He spends the next half hour trying to stop the disasters and it is actually pretty cool. A plane crashes and people stumble around on fire screaming. A train derails and we get to watch it crush a hundred people. Very entertaining. It seems like the rest of the movie will be fairly promising. Nic's son keeps being visited by these creepy guys dressed in black and he starts having visions of things on fire. Cool, right. So wrong.
Turns out, the last date on the list is the end of the world and everyone is going to die. The sun is going to vaporize everything. They start talking about Bible prophesies and Ezekial. Here it starts to get less cool. 1. Nobody knows when the end of the world will be. 2. Isn't this a little convenient since Nic Cage's character doesn't believe in God.
The rest of the movie consists of Nic Cage and this woman he picked up (cause you have to have a love interest even if they don't get to any loving) trying to figure out where they can go to escape the burning of the earth. In the end he gets his son and her daughter to this place that is supposed to be safe and the men dressed in black show up. Here is where it gets really stupid. The creepy guys are aliens. Not angels. Not demons. Not the four horseman of the Apocalypse. Aliens. They take the two kids up in their space ship and deposit them on a new world along with a pair of bunnies so they can start all over. Nic Cage and the rest of the world, including his pastor father are incinerated by the rays of the sun.
Now I want my dollar and the last two hours of my life back.
Peace. 90210 is on and Brandon and Donna are just about to blow the whistle on a sweatshop Steve's father is involved with!
SPOILER ALERT (although, really, if any of you go see this movie after I finish telling you how awful it is than I am going to have to punch you in the face):
The movie starts out in 1959 at an elementary school dedication. This creepy little girl named Lucinda comes up with the idea to bury a time capsule and all the children are supposed to draw a picture of what they think the future will look like. Instead of drawing a picture, Lucinda covers a page with a sequence of numbers and the teacher has to take the page away from her before she is finished. Then Lucinda gets lost and the teacher finds her in a closet at the school scratching numbers on the back of the door. So far so good.
Fast forward 50 years and Nic Cage's kid gets Lucinda's page when they open the time capsule and he starts hearing people whispering. Kinda creepy. Nic Cage is conveniently an astrophysicist who teaches at MIT and doesn't believe that anything happens for a reason. He thinks everything is random, and conveniently, does not believe in God. Also, conveniently, his father is a pastor and they are estranged. He figures out the numbers are dates of a disaster, number of people killed and latitude and longitude of said disaster. There are only 3 disasters left.
He spends the next half hour trying to stop the disasters and it is actually pretty cool. A plane crashes and people stumble around on fire screaming. A train derails and we get to watch it crush a hundred people. Very entertaining. It seems like the rest of the movie will be fairly promising. Nic's son keeps being visited by these creepy guys dressed in black and he starts having visions of things on fire. Cool, right. So wrong.
Turns out, the last date on the list is the end of the world and everyone is going to die. The sun is going to vaporize everything. They start talking about Bible prophesies and Ezekial. Here it starts to get less cool. 1. Nobody knows when the end of the world will be. 2. Isn't this a little convenient since Nic Cage's character doesn't believe in God.
The rest of the movie consists of Nic Cage and this woman he picked up (cause you have to have a love interest even if they don't get to any loving) trying to figure out where they can go to escape the burning of the earth. In the end he gets his son and her daughter to this place that is supposed to be safe and the men dressed in black show up. Here is where it gets really stupid. The creepy guys are aliens. Not angels. Not demons. Not the four horseman of the Apocalypse. Aliens. They take the two kids up in their space ship and deposit them on a new world along with a pair of bunnies so they can start all over. Nic Cage and the rest of the world, including his pastor father are incinerated by the rays of the sun.
Now I want my dollar and the last two hours of my life back.
Peace. 90210 is on and Brandon and Donna are just about to blow the whistle on a sweatshop Steve's father is involved with!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
An Open Letter
Dear Cyclists on Necessary and RD Mize Rds,
I've been searching my soul for awhile and I have come to a decision. I hate you. I hate your shiny little outfits that you zip half way down in front so I can see your sweaty chests. I hate your tight shiny pants (to be fair, some of you actually have nice legs, but some of you should not be wearing them). I hate your helmets with rear view mirror attached, your built in fanny packs and your fancy bicycles. But most of all, I hate that you insist on riding in packs of twenty down a two lane road with no shoulder.
You are always making me late for ballet as I am forced to crawl behind you at 15 miles per hour until I can safely pass you. I think I hate you more than that idiot who drives the Smartcar and refuses to accelerate past 25. I hate the smug looks you give me as you cycle by, secure in the belief that you have reduced your carbon footprint by parking your car at the Methodist church and cycling to the hallowed ground of Casey's General Store where your friends will give you a lift back to your SUV. If you are exceptionally self-righteous you will cycle all the way to the new golf course and the Blue Springs city limit. You look at me with disdain in your eyes, but I would like to see you transport 65 lbs worth of children with just your bicycle.
Bravo! Your recreational cycling is saving the fragile environment while I drive by glibly in my gas guzzling earth killer. Good for you! Your $1000 hobby puts the hardcore hippies of San Francisco to shame. You should all be given medals for your selfless examples.
You may be training for some sort of marathon, but you would not dream of cycling down the fine gravel path of the 11 mile Little Blue Trace. That would be an insult to the great sport of cycling.
In short, I hate you. I've tried to be civil and share the road with you, but after 12 months of co-existing with you I have had enough. Please DIAF, or at least find a road with a bike path to cycle on.
Sincerely,
Merilee
I've been searching my soul for awhile and I have come to a decision. I hate you. I hate your shiny little outfits that you zip half way down in front so I can see your sweaty chests. I hate your tight shiny pants (to be fair, some of you actually have nice legs, but some of you should not be wearing them). I hate your helmets with rear view mirror attached, your built in fanny packs and your fancy bicycles. But most of all, I hate that you insist on riding in packs of twenty down a two lane road with no shoulder.
You are always making me late for ballet as I am forced to crawl behind you at 15 miles per hour until I can safely pass you. I think I hate you more than that idiot who drives the Smartcar and refuses to accelerate past 25. I hate the smug looks you give me as you cycle by, secure in the belief that you have reduced your carbon footprint by parking your car at the Methodist church and cycling to the hallowed ground of Casey's General Store where your friends will give you a lift back to your SUV. If you are exceptionally self-righteous you will cycle all the way to the new golf course and the Blue Springs city limit. You look at me with disdain in your eyes, but I would like to see you transport 65 lbs worth of children with just your bicycle.
Bravo! Your recreational cycling is saving the fragile environment while I drive by glibly in my gas guzzling earth killer. Good for you! Your $1000 hobby puts the hardcore hippies of San Francisco to shame. You should all be given medals for your selfless examples.
You may be training for some sort of marathon, but you would not dream of cycling down the fine gravel path of the 11 mile Little Blue Trace. That would be an insult to the great sport of cycling.
In short, I hate you. I've tried to be civil and share the road with you, but after 12 months of co-existing with you I have had enough. Please DIAF, or at least find a road with a bike path to cycle on.
Sincerely,
Merilee
Friday, June 26, 2009
Whenever I lick myself...
So we are looking out the window and a bird flies by and Mailee says, "Is that a hawk?"
Me: "I don't know."
Mailee: "I think it was. Hawks just eat little kids but they don't eat mommies and daddies."
Okay. Me: "What do little kids taste like?"
Mailee: "Sour."
Me: "Sour?"
Mailee: "Yeah, whenever I lick myself I taste sour. Just lick yourself." Then she starts licking herself.
Me: "I don't know."
Mailee: "I think it was. Hawks just eat little kids but they don't eat mommies and daddies."
Okay. Me: "What do little kids taste like?"
Mailee: "Sour."
Me: "Sour?"
Mailee: "Yeah, whenever I lick myself I taste sour. Just lick yourself." Then she starts licking herself.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Rantings
So, I have recently been sucked into the world of facebook and have been sharing all my stupid thoughts there. However, this morning I was up at an unholy hour after almost no sleep and therefore feel like ranting where there is a little more privacy.
First up, I haven't slept well in weeks and I am pissed off. I need sleep, and a lot of it, to function like a regular person, and I haven't been getting it. No sleep turns me into a homicidal maniac. I'm so sleep deprived that I can't even think of anything clever to say.
Secondly, I can't stand watching the news anymore because it is pissing me off. I know I should become informed like a responsible citizen and then go out and protest or something but I'm too ticked off. I can't even listen to Glenn Beck for more than five minutes. Everything is so messed up.
Thirdly, I am trying to save money to send Mailee to preschool by not eating out, but I think today is a day for comfort eating. I need a big plate of greasy, cheesy Mexican food that can only be found down at Rainbow and Southwest. But, if we go out for lunch then that will be less money I can save toward preschool. Mailee has to go to preschool for several reasons, like she and I need some time apart during the day and I think I will lose my mind if we don't get it.
In short, I am in a bad mood and if anyone wants to take my kids today then they are welcome to them.
First up, I haven't slept well in weeks and I am pissed off. I need sleep, and a lot of it, to function like a regular person, and I haven't been getting it. No sleep turns me into a homicidal maniac. I'm so sleep deprived that I can't even think of anything clever to say.
Secondly, I can't stand watching the news anymore because it is pissing me off. I know I should become informed like a responsible citizen and then go out and protest or something but I'm too ticked off. I can't even listen to Glenn Beck for more than five minutes. Everything is so messed up.
Thirdly, I am trying to save money to send Mailee to preschool by not eating out, but I think today is a day for comfort eating. I need a big plate of greasy, cheesy Mexican food that can only be found down at Rainbow and Southwest. But, if we go out for lunch then that will be less money I can save toward preschool. Mailee has to go to preschool for several reasons, like she and I need some time apart during the day and I think I will lose my mind if we don't get it.
In short, I am in a bad mood and if anyone wants to take my kids today then they are welcome to them.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Thoughts and Facebook
Sometimes I can hardly believe Mark is married to such a tech- idiot. I never post pictures here because it takes me like 10 minutes to post a picture.
I just signed up for facebook because someone convinced me that it would be a good way to stay in touch with people who live far away. I have this blog, but I guess there are certain people who I just don't want to see it. The thing is that I don't really know how to use facebook and I haven't put any pictures up yet, because as I said, it takes me forever to do it and Mark always has to walk me through. So frustrating.
Anyway, the kids are fine, even though Brick locked himself in the van last week and Mark had to come home from work to unlock it. That was fun. We switched him to a toddler bed last week and that has been okay, except that he keeps climbing into Mailee's very small bed with her and waking her up.
Ummm...Mark and I are starting to lose our vacation weight. Pants are fitting again.
That's about it for us right now.
I just signed up for facebook because someone convinced me that it would be a good way to stay in touch with people who live far away. I have this blog, but I guess there are certain people who I just don't want to see it. The thing is that I don't really know how to use facebook and I haven't put any pictures up yet, because as I said, it takes me forever to do it and Mark always has to walk me through. So frustrating.
Anyway, the kids are fine, even though Brick locked himself in the van last week and Mark had to come home from work to unlock it. That was fun. We switched him to a toddler bed last week and that has been okay, except that he keeps climbing into Mailee's very small bed with her and waking her up.
Ummm...Mark and I are starting to lose our vacation weight. Pants are fitting again.
That's about it for us right now.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Nothing Exciting Part Deux
1. Mark and I saw Star Trek while we were in St. George. I liked it, but admit that may be because I am too cool to know any Star Trek background. The new Kirk is hot.
2. Mark discovered the D.I. while we were in Utah and fell in love. He's already drawn up divorce papers and as soon as we can work out a custody arrangement he is moving back to shack up with his new lover.
3. I gained so much weight on our trip that I can't get the top button buttoned on most of my pants. Tonight I plan on turning to that good old stand-by, bulimia, to drop those extra pounds. Kidneys be damned! I want to be thin.
4. I am out of Dr. Pepper and don't feel like going to the store, so it looks like I am trying to quit again.
5. Korynn has been admitted to the hospital. I really hope they can keep the baby in for at least another week.
6. Uncle Scott actually seems kind of mellow. He might even be a nice guy now. And I think he is going deaf.
7. Mailee can swim all by herself if she wears her water wings. She's getting so big.
2. Mark discovered the D.I. while we were in Utah and fell in love. He's already drawn up divorce papers and as soon as we can work out a custody arrangement he is moving back to shack up with his new lover.
3. I gained so much weight on our trip that I can't get the top button buttoned on most of my pants. Tonight I plan on turning to that good old stand-by, bulimia, to drop those extra pounds. Kidneys be damned! I want to be thin.
4. I am out of Dr. Pepper and don't feel like going to the store, so it looks like I am trying to quit again.
5. Korynn has been admitted to the hospital. I really hope they can keep the baby in for at least another week.
6. Uncle Scott actually seems kind of mellow. He might even be a nice guy now. And I think he is going deaf.
7. Mailee can swim all by herself if she wears her water wings. She's getting so big.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Nothing Exciting
I was just sitting here thinking that my life is pretty boring and that nothing exciting ever happens to me and then I realized that isn't really true. Following is a list of 10 things that are either exciting or just out of the normal routine.
1. I got to perform in my first ballet show last Saturday and Sunday and although I am 27 years old and recovering from fibromyalgia I don't hurt any more than I do after a normal workout session in which my sister-in-law and I try to kill each other with squats, lunges, dips and pushups.
2. The strap on my leotard broke Sunday while I was getting dressed at the Civic Center and one of the moms had to sew it up for me while I sat there partially dressed.
3. Mark broke a tooth yesterday and he had a root canal this morning. The tooth has been bothering him for awhile. That's pretty exciting.
4. I got new luggage for Mother's Day. I've been carrying around my old carry-on suitcase for 12 years now and it is pretty beat up. Now I have a nice 4 piece set. I feel so grown up.
5. We are leaving tomorrow for a 10 day vacation to Utah and California. It will be the first time the kids have ever flown. I hope everything works out ok.
6. I have no idea how we are going to pay the sales tax on our new van and get it licensed. We planned the trip and bought our plane tickets before we decided to buy the van. Not sure how we are going to swing that but I'm sure it will be an adventurous process.
7. Our mortgage went up $150. We now pay an unholy amount of money to live and I have to stop eating out. My jacuzzi tub makes it totally worth it.
8. Brick said, "Book of Mormon" yesterday. Actually he sang it. We've been listening to a primary cd in the car and I am really getting tired of it.
9. I took the kids to the Health Department yesterday to get their birth certificates and they behaved the whole time. No screaming or fighting at all. I was so proud.
10. I've been mom-sitting Korynn while she is on bed rest. The kids and I are trying to go over everyday around lunch time to feed her. Brick and Sally have become best friends. They love chasing each other around.
Some of that is pretty lame.
1. I got to perform in my first ballet show last Saturday and Sunday and although I am 27 years old and recovering from fibromyalgia I don't hurt any more than I do after a normal workout session in which my sister-in-law and I try to kill each other with squats, lunges, dips and pushups.
2. The strap on my leotard broke Sunday while I was getting dressed at the Civic Center and one of the moms had to sew it up for me while I sat there partially dressed.
3. Mark broke a tooth yesterday and he had a root canal this morning. The tooth has been bothering him for awhile. That's pretty exciting.
4. I got new luggage for Mother's Day. I've been carrying around my old carry-on suitcase for 12 years now and it is pretty beat up. Now I have a nice 4 piece set. I feel so grown up.
5. We are leaving tomorrow for a 10 day vacation to Utah and California. It will be the first time the kids have ever flown. I hope everything works out ok.
6. I have no idea how we are going to pay the sales tax on our new van and get it licensed. We planned the trip and bought our plane tickets before we decided to buy the van. Not sure how we are going to swing that but I'm sure it will be an adventurous process.
7. Our mortgage went up $150. We now pay an unholy amount of money to live and I have to stop eating out. My jacuzzi tub makes it totally worth it.
8. Brick said, "Book of Mormon" yesterday. Actually he sang it. We've been listening to a primary cd in the car and I am really getting tired of it.
9. I took the kids to the Health Department yesterday to get their birth certificates and they behaved the whole time. No screaming or fighting at all. I was so proud.
10. I've been mom-sitting Korynn while she is on bed rest. The kids and I are trying to go over everyday around lunch time to feed her. Brick and Sally have become best friends. They love chasing each other around.
Some of that is pretty lame.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
I May Have Made a Mistake
In 10 days I will be on stage in my first ever ballet performance. As the time nears I realize I may have made a mistake. What made me think I could do this? I am a 27 year old woman dancing at an 11 year old level with a bunch of 11 year olds and by the end of the dance I just can't seem to keep up with their energy level. Sure my breathing is fine, but my legs are like jelly. I fear I have set myself up for ultimate humiliation. On the other hand, you have all met my mother in law, so a case could be made for having already experienced ultimate humiliation at her hands.
Anyway, wish me luck, because I am terrified and I feel like an over the hill moron.
Anyway, wish me luck, because I am terrified and I feel like an over the hill moron.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Today I Buried My Youth
Mark and I bought our first minivan today. It's a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country Touring with 50k miles on it. It has stow and go seating and electric doors. We shopped around and got it for the same price as we were quoted elsewhere for a Dodge SXT. I'm pretty jazzed about it, but I can't help but mourn for the loss of my hipness, my mojo, my coolness. As I drove it off the lot I had mixed feelings. It's a pretty nice vehicle, way better than our Malibu. It's newer, has less miles, more features, the brakes don't squeak, etc. But, it's a minivan and I am now officially on my way to becoming the stereotypical Mormon mom complete with 12 kids (one for each tribe) and a permanently stained shirt.
Maybe we should have waited until we were older to have kids.
Sigh.
Oh, well, at least there is room in the floor to stow all the bodies. If you cut them up first, of course.
Maybe we should have waited until we were older to have kids.
Sigh.
Oh, well, at least there is room in the floor to stow all the bodies. If you cut them up first, of course.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Back in the Land of the Sane
So, I have been M.I.A for awhile, partly because when I sit down at the computer little people start crawling on me and partly because I have been obsessively focused on the tornado.
I now feel like I have been liberated at least from my tornado obsession. Brick is downstairs playing, but I know that any minute he is going to come up and start crawling and banging around.
The trip down to Tennessee with mom and dad and Danny was nice and I feel like we got a lot done down there, but it also feels like we barely scratched the surface. We were able to get Spencer and Roxann moved into the new house with some of the basic necessities. We got the kids' beds assembled and shelf paper in the kitchen and were able to start unpacking and washing some of their dishes.
Almost nothing can be just moved into the house. Everything is covered in glass and wood splinters and puffs of fluffy white fiberglass that looks like cotton and so it all has to be washed down first. I wish I could have stayed longer to help Roxann deal with all of that.
Going down there was very therapeutic for me. I feel really selfish for even feeling like I had anything to heal from since I am not the one who lost their house and many belongings. Still, I spent the last week trying to put myself in there places and feel what they must have been feeling and I felt so useless being up here and unable to help. I think it is really true that when we serve others it often benefits us as much as or more than it benefits them. I know that the situation must have been very difficult and traumatic for the people who were there to help clean up and I am grateful to all of them for being there for Spencer and Roxann who felt the most and felt it the hardest.
Mostly I am so so grateful that everyone is okay. I don't know if I will ever be able to express in words how thankful I am to our Heavenly Father for keeping them safe. I am so grateful that Spencer and Roxann (whether they realize it or not) listened to the promptings of the Spirit and left town that morning. I know we are all so blessed for our relationships with our Heavenly Father and for the Gospel and for having each other as family. I love all you guys.
Okay. I'm sorry for being so serious. When I get a chance I will try to post pictures or a link to pictures that I took of Spencer and Roxann's new house and the kids and maybe some of what is left of the old neighborhood.
For now I am just glad to be back to working on being sane.
I now feel like I have been liberated at least from my tornado obsession. Brick is downstairs playing, but I know that any minute he is going to come up and start crawling and banging around.
The trip down to Tennessee with mom and dad and Danny was nice and I feel like we got a lot done down there, but it also feels like we barely scratched the surface. We were able to get Spencer and Roxann moved into the new house with some of the basic necessities. We got the kids' beds assembled and shelf paper in the kitchen and were able to start unpacking and washing some of their dishes.
Almost nothing can be just moved into the house. Everything is covered in glass and wood splinters and puffs of fluffy white fiberglass that looks like cotton and so it all has to be washed down first. I wish I could have stayed longer to help Roxann deal with all of that.
Going down there was very therapeutic for me. I feel really selfish for even feeling like I had anything to heal from since I am not the one who lost their house and many belongings. Still, I spent the last week trying to put myself in there places and feel what they must have been feeling and I felt so useless being up here and unable to help. I think it is really true that when we serve others it often benefits us as much as or more than it benefits them. I know that the situation must have been very difficult and traumatic for the people who were there to help clean up and I am grateful to all of them for being there for Spencer and Roxann who felt the most and felt it the hardest.
Mostly I am so so grateful that everyone is okay. I don't know if I will ever be able to express in words how thankful I am to our Heavenly Father for keeping them safe. I am so grateful that Spencer and Roxann (whether they realize it or not) listened to the promptings of the Spirit and left town that morning. I know we are all so blessed for our relationships with our Heavenly Father and for the Gospel and for having each other as family. I love all you guys.
Okay. I'm sorry for being so serious. When I get a chance I will try to post pictures or a link to pictures that I took of Spencer and Roxann's new house and the kids and maybe some of what is left of the old neighborhood.
For now I am just glad to be back to working on being sane.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Where Does She Come Up With This Stuff
I've been so upset lately by the events in our country that I have been purposefully ignoring them. Hence, no political wisdom from me. Instead I will share a very funny story from Mailee, everyone's favorite lady.
Last Saturday was a busy day for us. Mailee and I had ballet class in the morning and then Mark had rehearsal. After that we ran home and quickly ate lunch and then it was off to Mark's sister's house for a 1pm birthday party for their 4 year old. It was great. The kids ran around like crazy people and played with toys and ate cake and candy. Very laid back and awesome.
Then we rushed home to pick up the truck and it was off to birthday party number 2 which started at 3pm. This party, also for a 4 year old, was held at GAGE gymnastics, a HUGE indoor gymnastics gym. Essentially, what we had was 13 kids under the age of four, including 2 just barely under 2 running around on mats and trampolines designed for kids over the age of 8. Total chaos. It was especially difficult to keep track of Brick who seems to have inherited the curse of the Olsen short legs and kept getting lost in the depths of the foam pit. After about 30 minutes Mark had to leave (hence picking up the truck) to go to a welfare training meeting so I was on my own.
Somewhere in the middle of all of this Mailee had to go to the bathroom, so I took her to the gym's unisex bathroom and she hopped up. While in there she started pooping, and just like Rachel she also feels the need to pep talk her poops. Not wanting to be disturbed, I locked the door.
"Mom, why did you lock the door?"
"So no one will come in while you are going potty."
"Oh. They might come in and not see me and sit on me and squish me down into the potty and then I'd be all dirty." I'm holding back the laughter.
"I'm sure they'd see you if they came in honey."
"Oh." And then she laid it on me. "They might see me and see that I'm so beautiful and then they'd sit on me and it would make their butt beautiful."
Priceless.
Last Saturday was a busy day for us. Mailee and I had ballet class in the morning and then Mark had rehearsal. After that we ran home and quickly ate lunch and then it was off to Mark's sister's house for a 1pm birthday party for their 4 year old. It was great. The kids ran around like crazy people and played with toys and ate cake and candy. Very laid back and awesome.
Then we rushed home to pick up the truck and it was off to birthday party number 2 which started at 3pm. This party, also for a 4 year old, was held at GAGE gymnastics, a HUGE indoor gymnastics gym. Essentially, what we had was 13 kids under the age of four, including 2 just barely under 2 running around on mats and trampolines designed for kids over the age of 8. Total chaos. It was especially difficult to keep track of Brick who seems to have inherited the curse of the Olsen short legs and kept getting lost in the depths of the foam pit. After about 30 minutes Mark had to leave (hence picking up the truck) to go to a welfare training meeting so I was on my own.
Somewhere in the middle of all of this Mailee had to go to the bathroom, so I took her to the gym's unisex bathroom and she hopped up. While in there she started pooping, and just like Rachel she also feels the need to pep talk her poops. Not wanting to be disturbed, I locked the door.
"Mom, why did you lock the door?"
"So no one will come in while you are going potty."
"Oh. They might come in and not see me and sit on me and squish me down into the potty and then I'd be all dirty." I'm holding back the laughter.
"I'm sure they'd see you if they came in honey."
"Oh." And then she laid it on me. "They might see me and see that I'm so beautiful and then they'd sit on me and it would make their butt beautiful."
Priceless.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Pictures
Here are some pictures we have taken recently.
First up: San Francisco pictures.
We climbed a whole bunch of stairs like these to the top of Telegraph Hill where Coit Tower sits.
This is Coit Tower. We got some really great shots of the city and of Alcatraz from up here.
A great one of Mark in the shade of the foliage on Telegraph Hill.
Mark and this really funny street performer we saw on Pier 39.
Me on the pier with Alcatraz in the background.
Mark got too close to the binocular thingies and bumped his nose.
On the ferry to Alcatraz. I like this one because I am in so much awe that it looks like I might crap my pants any minute.
The requisite "I'm in jail!" pictures. Whereas I am relatively at ease with being behind bars, Mark looks a little more apprehensive, perhaps because he knows what happens to good looking guys like him in prison.
It seemed like nothing was free in San Francisco, so we were pleased to find that the Cable Car Museum was.
This is the cable car we rode from the Cable Car Museum down to Fisherman's Wharf.
Here is the submarine we got to tour: the Pampanito. Very very cool.
This guy was a crazy homeless man (or street performer) we saw on two separate occasions. He liked to hide behind branches and jump out at people as they walked by. Totally hilarious.
That's all I have time for for now. Stay tuned for more pictures and more posts.
First up: San Francisco pictures.
We climbed a whole bunch of stairs like these to the top of Telegraph Hill where Coit Tower sits.
This is Coit Tower. We got some really great shots of the city and of Alcatraz from up here.
A great one of Mark in the shade of the foliage on Telegraph Hill.
Mark and this really funny street performer we saw on Pier 39.
Me on the pier with Alcatraz in the background.
Mark got too close to the binocular thingies and bumped his nose.
On the ferry to Alcatraz. I like this one because I am in so much awe that it looks like I might crap my pants any minute.
The requisite "I'm in jail!" pictures. Whereas I am relatively at ease with being behind bars, Mark looks a little more apprehensive, perhaps because he knows what happens to good looking guys like him in prison.
It seemed like nothing was free in San Francisco, so we were pleased to find that the Cable Car Museum was.
This is the cable car we rode from the Cable Car Museum down to Fisherman's Wharf.
Here is the submarine we got to tour: the Pampanito. Very very cool.
This guy was a crazy homeless man (or street performer) we saw on two separate occasions. He liked to hide behind branches and jump out at people as they walked by. Totally hilarious.
That's all I have time for for now. Stay tuned for more pictures and more posts.
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