Blessed With Beautiful Weather

For those of you that do not live around here, you may not be aware of the absolutely beautiful day we had in middle Tennessee yesterday. Even on the plateau, we made it to 62 degrees. MIGHTY FINE! I got off work at three and headed straight home to get the boys out. Outside I mean.....not out of the tiny crate I keep them in when I have to work and there is no school!!!

Just kidding, we had a sitter.......maybe!

First on the agenda was bike riding. Marshall sat in his little seat in front of me on my bike and off we went. Our neighborhood is shaped like a backward letter 'P' and has about 12 houses in it. This is perfect for riding because it is not a thoroughfare and traffic is non-existent. We made 10 loops around with each loop a smidgen shy of 1/2 mile. It was so nice to be outside again, especially on my bike. For those of you new to my blog, I ride my bike to work when it is warm and I miss it terribly. It is great therapy.

Next, we threw the Aerobie. This is the most fun thing to throw to each other. It it like a Frisbee but softer and much easier to catch and aim. Perfect for kids because it does not hurt their hand when they catch it and it will go forever if you throw it hard enough over 100 yards. Seriously, Homer! I included a picture, check it out. They have them at Target.

We ended the evening with the boys on the patio chasing each other on tricycles. For some reason Michael loves to ride Marshall's little toys. They did that while I made yummy burgers on the grill. I decided to be a bad parent and finish watching a movie while we ate dinner. I know thousands of moms have their hands on their hips right now but you know what....bite me!!! :)

We had to finish watching Baby Mama so it could be returned on time. By the way, great flick!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year. Please don't drink and drive or let your friends drink and drive. Even though I get very few comments on my blog, I do have a tracker for visits which average about 13 a day and I want every one of my anonymous people who read my blog alive and well next year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Late Pics of Christmas Decorations

I feel Christmas is like a wedding. You spend tons of time, energy and money on an event that lasts maybe two hours. You turn around.....and it is all over in a blink of an eye. Wow, all of that work!!!!! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas. I love decorating, Santa, and all that crap!!! I love all of it so much, I will continue to FORCE my children to leave cookies and milk for Santa for as long as they live in my home!! I don't care if they are 20 and 14 years old. This will be a non-negotiable. No, I am not controlling!!!!

I did another Goodwill purge today to make room for all of the new stuff...that felt good. Tomorrow, it is off to work....yeah. I wanted to include a couple of much belated Christmas decoration pictures. The one of the front of the house does not do it justice. I don't have some fancy shmancy camera......so low light pics do not fare well. The next pic is of the 'adult' Christmas tree downstairs. Sorry to disappoint many of you but I have to squelch the 'adult' part of your imagination. As my friend Danielle put it....she can just imagine our adult tree. Quite humorous if you ask me. I can see where her mind might have gone. It is actually quite funny. Our tree is very G rated......SORRY!!!!!!! The last pic is of the gingerbread house we made.

Christmas Day

Begrudgingly, I arose on Christmas Day at 5 a.m. I did not want to get up that early but there were camera batteries to charge and a toy not working crisis. After those two issues were rectified we had to figure out how to blow up Marshall's jumpy thing which was from Santa. It is about 6X6X6 but not one of the fancy ones with an external device that blows it up. We scrambled to find the air mattress pump but settled for the hair dryer. This humongous thing now resides in our rec room upstairs. (The jumpy thing, not the hair dryer!) Neither of us are happy about toys all over the house but we have succumbed to the fact that we do have kids and having toys everywhere is just part of it.

The boys woke up around 7 and thank goodness did not head straight downstairs. I like to be ready with the video camera and film them coming down the steps. It is actually kind of cool the way it all works. Our steps exit into the living room in the back of the house instead of greeting you at the front door....I hate that. So, as they come downstairs they descend upon the tree with all of Santa's presents around it. Sounds corny but I like it. What sucks about Michael getting older is 1. This is most likely our last Christmas with 'Santa' because he is asking a boatload of questions. 2. Presents get smaller and more expensive the older kids get....to them it does not seem like they get near as much stuff.

After the boys opened presents, both sets of grandparents came over to visit, eat and watch the boys play. Later that day I decided to tackle dismantling the upstairs tree. This is the artificial one with all of the Peanut ornaments. Marshall was OK with what was happening until I put the tree in the box and started to carry it downstairs. He was crying and saying..."No, my tree." Heartbreaking, I know but if you only knew how many decorations I have to take down......you would understand why I have to do it piecemeal. He was over it quickly.

In closing, I have included some Christmas Day pictures. The first one is at breakfast.....next, Michael throwing the Frisbee upstairs (yes, it is possible to throw a Frisbee inside.....last, the jumpy thing in it's temporary home. We are moving it another part of the room so we can still play pool in the winter. As of now, it is an obstacle for pool playing and to get into the boy's playroom. The sacrifices we make! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Eve

In order to preserve my mom's sanity and at our reluctance, we drove to Nashville to pick up the kids! I am kidding, we did miss them but the break was so nice. The drive down was uneventful. The drive back was Hell. We decided to hit the road at the exact moment a storm was traveling up I-40 in the same direction we were going. The rain was heavy and the wind was blowing it in sheets. Visibility was low but not non-existent....well, for some people it was non-existent. One would have thought it was blizzard conditions. People driving 30 mph, pulled over on the side of the road....we even came to a complete stop three times during our quest. I have no problem with people correcting their speed to their comfort level but GET IN THE SLOW LANE! It took us 1.5 hours to get home. (Usually takes 55 min). We spent the evening at Mike's parents pigging out on amazing hors d'oeuvres and opening presents. The boys were allowed to open one gift a piece of my choosing when we got home. I chose the matching pajamas. Not too exciting for them but I thought they were adorable.

Moviefone

Only Seinfeld junkies will appreciate the title.....................
Anyway, since I could watch a movie every night for the rest of my life, my time alone will be consumed by movies. Tonight we screened Blood Diamond. Let me say, this has to be the most disturbing movie I have watched in a long time. I guess the hardest impact was because it is, for arguments sake, a true story. If you have children, terribly disturbing.....if you don't have children....moderately disturbing only if you have any iota of appreciation for humanity. I had to fast forward through several parts due to the disturbing factor. I am proud to say I am not your typical female lusting after diamonds. I could care less. What does a drawer full of baubles mean anyway? I love you and please refer to all of these marital assets to prove it. PLEASE!!! Could anyone be more shallow? By the way, the Titans rule and now have home advantage for the playoffs....HELL YES!!!

Don't Be Jealous

Well, it is official. As of yesterday at 6:00 p.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday....I am childless. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys very much but the break is going to be lovely. Mike and I were able to watch an entire movie unfettered last night. We were also able to have the surround sound up as loud as we like it, sweet chicken. What is the use of having a 50" plasma and kick ass sound system if you cannot use it to it's full capacity.....I digress. We screened The Dark Knight (Batman) and it was great. I am not a huge superhero movie watcher but this was definitely the exception. Well done, without a lot of hokey crap...if you know what I mean.
I cannot believe I am getting ready to write this but I am already a little bored. We are going shopping a little later for a couple more Wii games but other than that.....what the hell am I supposed to do with all this free time!?!!??
At noon I am going to be watching the Titans play and hopefully kick Pittsburgh's ass. I plan on watching the entire game (in peace and quiet) but with that statement comes stipulations....
#1 If the Steelers are really running away with the game I will have to stop watching it because it will make me mad to continue.
#2 If the Titans are really running away with the game I will have to stop watching it because I will be bored out of my mind! It is the attention deficit.....not me! I have no control over it.

I will be watching the game alone so I can make all the noise and say all the profanity I want. Mike hates football so he drove out to the farm to give the Smith and Wesson some love. I should have gone target practicing too but it is too damn cold for this girl.
YUCK, tomorrow is Monday!

I Hate Having To Title Every Blog Entry!

It has been raining/misting here for the past few days and Marshall is fascinated with rain. Well, he is fascinated with snow too so I guess it is just anything which falls from the sky! I picked him up from daycare on Wednesday and when we got outside he starts this informative dialogue.

Marshall: It's waining (raining)
Me: It is? (said with hyper enthusiasm)
Marshall: Yeah, it wained on my face.
Me: It did? (said with unbridled enthusiasm)
Marshall: Yeah, it wained on my nose.
Me: It did? (said with moderate enthusiasm, I was running low on enthusiasm at this point)
Marshall: Yeah, it wained on the truck.
Me: I know.

By this time we are pulling out the parking lot and he further instructs me on how to get home. "Turn that way", he tells me. He know the way home, granted it is only 1/4 of a mile away and only has two turns......I still think that is pretty darn impressive.
I also realize this little dialogue is not near as cute in typed print.....but....just try to envision it coming out of a two year old mouth with a little lisp! Priceless.

Random Bablings

The past two days have been a whirlwind of activity. I get a tiny reprieve of social activity tonight but that time will be filled with preparations for Michael's cookie decorating party. This is our third annual cookie party. We have 12 or so kids come over and decorate Christmas themed sugar cookies. They get all kinds of icing, sprinkles, etc. I figure this is the last year he will want this so I am taking full advantage of it.
Tuesday night I went to an ornament swap with some girls I attend Bible study with (yes, I go to Bible study). Last night was an all girl party at another friends house. I have never seen so many women in one house in my entire life. There must have been 40 women there. I was excited to go for several reasons. One, it was in a swanky neighborhood and I have been dying to see inside some of the houses. Two, a lot of friends I have not seen in a while were there. The night ended with two separate karaoke session in different parts of the house (this house was huge). Oh, and the pool house was bigger than most people's houses. It was quite the pad I must say.
Anyway, I wanted to write something funny Marshall said yesterday but I have to get to work. I will post it at lunch so be sure to check back.

Short Picture Update

I was not going to share the website with the last pics of me and the boys with everyone because......well.....because there are many unflattering pictures of me in them. To be frank, I like to screen any takes of me as I do not consider myself to be photogenic. But, for once in my life I am feeling it is not all about me.....GASP! I know, I know.....yes....it is me writing this and yes I am writing under my own name not a pseudonym. If I hear a collective thud in about 12 hours from now, I will know scores of people just fainted from reading this. Ok, Ok...I am digressing, so without further adieu http://amycallahan.zenfolio.com/p322468238. This should take you directly to the gallery, if not the password is ( I am whispering this) a.bregenzer
Please don't give me any feedback regarding anything except the children. Remember, it is always about the children.....except when it has to do with me. JUST KIDDING, maybe! AND I got ready in about 7 minutes in a mad dash after work.

Fast Weekends

I just want everyone to know how tired I am of the weekends going by so damn fast! One second it is Friday, the next it is 5:30 Monday morning. This routine is getting rather old! I have no idea what I did Friday night. I took Michael to a birthday party at the children's museum and the rest is just a blur. Saturday consisted of a huge open house family day (should all this be capitalized?) at the "official ribbon cutting" at the new hospital addition. By the way, the sculpture Brad Sells did for the lobby is UNBELIEVABLE! If you live in Cookeville and have not seen it, you are missing out. This was followed by Santa Claus pics at the Candy Junction in downtown Cookeville. To further pass along my torture and for personal entertainment, I made Mike go to all of it! Was that rude? The remainder of the day consisted of wrapping boatloads of presents and the night was finished with my contract company's Christmas party. The actual party was at Holiday Inn Express in town but the real party started at a karaoke sports bar! Wow, talk about a lot of misinformed people. Misinformed like.....someone told them they could sing!!! It was tons of fun and too many drinks and a headache the next morning later...well...you get it.
Sunday....I decided to torture my husband once again. This consisted of taking the kids to IHOP for breakfast, driving to Hermitage to drop them off, and finishing with shopping in Mt. Juliet. We completed the remainder of the shopping (well almost) but it was kind of sad because it was not that busy at the "shopping area". Sign of the times, I suppose. It is just easier to ignore when it doesn't smack you in the face.
Well, seeing as my social calender is back in full swing.....I must get off of here. I have a function tonight, another tomorrow night and another thing for Michael to plan for Friday. I will keep all of you updated on the goings on as I know you are all waiting with bated breath....please insert sarcastic undertone here!

Land Of The Living

Apparently, I had no idea how much I had ostracized myself from the world over the past four weeks. Tonight was the Open House to my eldest son's school. We arrived on time but due to an impending, accumulating snow(which was already happening, so much for impending) they cut everything off at 6:30. I was able to briefly catch up with boatloads of people. All of whom asked "Is everything OK?". I am sure a contributing factor to this question was my swollen, bloodshot eyes but with everything comes an explanation. (LONG STORY, DON'T ASK). I guess I had absolutely no idea how much I had removed myself from civilization. Sorry about that!
It was nice to see everyone again and as much as I hate to admit it.....feeling uber important and cared about by the masses was nice. I guess I forgot how many wonderful people I knew. I decided to kill two birds and deliver the Cougar Run DVD's to the teacher's mailboxes so I had carte blanche into the "secret teacher's area". ha ha! Have I mentioned how important I am ....... just kidding.
Well, the snow is crazy. Accumulation......definite. The yards and cars are covered and the roads are slushy! SWEET! I guess that means no school tomorrow. I vow to become a school teacher if we get socialized medicine. That would mean I get a day off tomorrow!!!
I am back in full form, I promise. I am focused and hopefully back to my old self in less than a week. Christmas is almost here!!

Christmas Is Upon Us

Ok, so usually I am uber prepared for Christmas but this year it has really snuck in the back door. We have two trees in the house. There is a pre-lighted fakie upstairs with all the kids ornaments and then we have a real one downstairs. Every year I tell myself I am done with real trees. Then every year I succumb to it. I finally finished stringing 1000 lights on the real tree downstairs. Now, I just have to put the 'adult' ornaments on it. Hopefully, Marshall will not find it in himself to take down all the ones he can reach. He has an uncanny knack of making me redo things over and over again. It is quite maddening. Yesterday, he made an attempt to help string up the lights. He actually did a decent job considering he is two.
After I had put up the first 100 lights.....I stopped, stepped back and said...'All done'' Marshall looked at me and said 'You not all done.' He was very concerned I was under the impression of being done seeing as it was very obvious I was not. That is one smart cookie if I do say so myself.
Now, if I could only train him to get my Christmas cards finished and to go buy a few more gifts. I am soooooo far behind. I need a personal assistant!

100 Things About Me

Apparently, it is customary to write 100 things about yourself on your 100th blog. So, in that tradition. Here is my egocentric stab at myself:

1. Scared of the dark and of tornadoes
2. Always use my turn signal (even when turning into the driveway)
3. Horrible road rage
4. Love to clip coupons
5. Have only had 3 headaches in my entire life
6. Never had the flu or a cold
7. Only called in sick 1 day since starting work at age 16
8. Never been in a fist fight
9. I love what I do for a living
10. I have a great memory of useless facts and information
11. Love to read murder mysteries and hate romance novels
12. Love to watch Forensic Files and Snapped
13. Can quote almost every episode of Seinfeld
14. Can perform a one man monologue of the entire 1st vacation movie
15. There are appoximately 24 movies I could watch over and over
16. Cannot go #2 in a public bathroom
17. I always speed....way over the limit
18. I love a good thunderstorm
19. I drink way too much Diet Coke and coffee
20. Too obsessed with my weight
21. Stopped using debit card because could not keep up with spending
22. Love to sell things on Ebay
23. I am an only child and grandchild on my paternal side
24. Only snuck out of the house once growing up.
25. Never took parents car without permission
26. Always threw parties when parents where out of town.
27. I am a social butterfly
28. Unfortunately, I care what people think
29. I have a full gym in my home I have to force myself to use.
30. Love to garden (non-vegetables)
31. Love home improvement stuff and I do it myself
32. Only have a handful of really close girlfriends
33. I try to not worry about things and let the chips fall where they may
34. I was the undefeated raquetball champion on a women's league in Sumner county
35. Love anything that makes me sweat
36. Particularly strong for a girl without being masculine
37. Miss living in a big town
38. Miss rush hour traffic and have no idea why
39. I am semi-addicted to the internet
40. Played the flute for seven years
41. I love gin martini's a little dirty
42. I have way too many shoes, coats and purses
43. I could eat pizza, hamburgers, and fries every day
44. I am scared to fly even though I have done it a thousand times.
45. Bluebird is my favorite avian.
46. Obsessed with my children eating too much sugar.
47. Use my clothes dryer 10 minutes per load, any more than that is a waste of resources
48. Recycle everything and feel guilty when I dont
49. Love Target and hate Walmart
50. Cannot watch scary movies
51. Love to roll loose change
52. Wish I had more money to travel
53. I dont bite my fingernails, I just bite at them
54. Toenails and feet should be kept at all times, even in the winter
55. Love to make people laugh even at my own expense
56. Great confidant even though I love to talk
57. I am extremely close to my mother
58. Spoil my kids with too much stuff
59. Not obsessed with germ free environment
60. Scared to death of any stinging insect (will run and scream)
61. Have a hard time channeling my 'inner child'
62. Always get the same thing at Baskin Robbins(mint chocolate chip and Rocky Road)
63. Low tolerance for stupidity and rudeness
64. Love reading celebrity trash magazines
65. Could never be a stay at home mom
66. Wish I had more patience with my kids
67. Like volunteering at my son's school
68. Could go to the beach for every vacation
69. Believe things happen for a reason (although that reason does not always show)
70. Will always wonder what having a girl would be like
71. Believe spanking does not make a child violent
72. Believe our current violent society is a product of 'time outs'
73. People who work deserve, people who dont work and can, do not deserve
74. Wish I could help every mistreated child
75. Love being part of something big whatever that may be
76. Enjoy listening to different types of music
77. I have become overly obsessed with the show 'Lost'
78. Hate panty lines and muffin tops...buy clothes that fit
79. 'Paris' by Tyler Candle is my favorite scent
80. I have always had a real Christmas tree
81. I love singing jazz music
82. Overdecorate for Christmas and Halloween
83. Must listen to Ipod when I exercise
84. Drink milk for every meal
85. Have reaonable expectations for my kids
86. Love to laugh so hard I cannot breath
87. Love to grill just about anything
88. Love to listen to my kids sing
89. Hit snooze >3 times every morning
90. Unusually high pain tolerance at my convenience
91. Don't like people to blow their noses at the table
92. I am not a tree hugger but I do pet the tree...no full on embrace
93. Love the smell of garlic cooking in anything
94. My towels and hangers have to all be facing the same direction in the closet
95. Love to cook but hate to bake
96. Collector of Peanut (Charlie Brown) Christmas ornaments
97. I do not own a pie pan or a cake pan
98. Love the smell of a campfire
99. As much as I hate to admit it....I love to shop....how girlie.
100. Last but not least, I obviously love to talk about myself...how else could I have made this list.

The Weekend

Wow, it is amazing how much one can look forward to a holiday weekend and then watch it go by so fast. I am having a hard time digesting that tomorrow is Monday. It is crazy. One minute I have four days and the next minute I have 12 hours. Again, how is that so? Our Thanksgiving was great. We went to my grandmother's house in Franklin and had the opportunity to see lots of family members that we only see a few times a year. Most of the great-grandchildren are boys so they all went outside and jumped on the trampoline, wrestled and other boy things. The food was great and I personally ate two full plates. I just could not help myself. My weakness is good food and company.
I ended up spending the night at my mom's house on Thursday night and went shopping on Black Friday. As sad as it is to say, this was my first glimpse into the bad economy I have had. We did not get there (Cool Springs Galleria) until after 7 a.m. and we drove right in and got a parking place. I met my friend Jinger and some of her family. It was sad to see such a small crowd but I liked it for my own selfish reasons.
I got back to my mom's house around 4 p.m. What a wonderful day of shopping. I was able to buy most of the boy's clothes. I still have some Santa toys to buy but other than that...I am done! THANK GOODNESS~
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with reflection and thanks. Even if things get rough, I feel they could always be worse.

The Hot Face

My youngest child is extremely animated. He loves to do and will do anything to get a laugh. I just don't know where he gets that from. (ahem) Currently, he has discovered his 'hot face'. This label is self descriptive. He discovered this face after he ate something extremely hot, made a crazy face, and received roars of laughter from us. Now, he does it on command.

Marshall also likes to go where anyone else is going. If he sees you preparing to leave, "I wanna go.", "I want kiss and hug" and he will snuggle up to you like a teddy bear.

I know this post does not give a lot of information about what has been going on. I guess I just needed a break for a while. I have promised myself to become diligent again. It has just been a crazy two weeks and something had to give. I am sure I lost several followers during my hiatus but I am back. I will leave you with a pic of the hot face. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do.

Yeah, It's Friday And Time For Fill Ins

1. Please feel free to always be up front with me.
2. When I open a new bag of charcoal I can't help sniffing it occasionally.
3. My favorite thing to cook is anything on the grill.
4. Spending time with family and friends is something I can't get enough of.
5. That's the thing I love most about life is you never know what is in store or where it may lead you.
6. How my mind works always makes me think to myself, what the heck?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching up with old friends, tomorrow my plans include trying to stay warm and Sunday, I want to recover from the work week.

Things That Hurt

Having children provides the most amazing virtual roller coaster ride one could ever embark upon. I do not mean the actual 'having' of the children...more the 'raising' of the children. I cannot tell you how many times I have thought, "someone is getting ready to get hurt" and it happens. Today, both of my boys received a reality check in mortality.....or something like that.

First, Marshall...my adorable 2 year old, fearless of things that can hurt him and scared to death of things that cannot, weird. The only way to keep him happy while preparing any type of meal is to let him stand on the 2 step ladder we keep in the pantry. Mike had just finished making scrambled eggs for breakfast. He walks to the other side of the kitchen (his back is to the stove) and hears a horrendous scream from behind. I heard it all the way upstairs and when the 'non-breathing' part of the cry/scream came...I knew something horrible had happened. I ran down the stairs fast enough to beat Carl Lewis, I swear. Apparently, Marshall thought the eye on the stove looked pretty cool and decided to put his hand on it. Well, the rest is history. He had to eat his breakfast with his left hand in a bowl of cold water. After he finished breakfast, Mike started to take the burned palm out of the water and Marshall cried, "NOOOOO". It took some convincing but he finally complied. He now has a couple of blisters on his little, baby palm which he does not like anyone to touch. I guess now he has a full understanding of what HOT means. God love him.

Next, Michael...my lovely 8 year old that tends to be a trite melodramatic but I am sure that is my fault and Oprah will hear all about it in a few years. Anyway, if an accident will happen it will happen to him. I am speaking of bizarre accidents!!! We are all upstairs in the family room (rec room) whatever they are calling it now. I am on one end watching TV and the boys proceed to take 2 Little Tykes chairs out of the adjacent playroom. They start to push the plastic chairs around the pool table on the other side of the room, chasing each other. Somehow, the little chair Michael is pushing turns over and one of the plastic legs makes contact with his 'nurts'. Well, significant crying ensued as he limped over to me...funny I did not know it hurt his leg! I began to coddle and kiss his cheek...you're ok.....you're ok....are you feeling sick at your stomach?? No, he says. For some reason I thought nausea followed this type of racking incident. I think I have been given the wrong information. In Marshall's very cute attempt at empathy, he collapses to the floor, starts to cry and drags himself over to me. It is amazing how kids that young learn to care.

Happy Veteran's Day

If by the small chance I have anyone who has served in the military reading this..THANK YOU.
Thank you for sacrificing yourself in any way, big or small. Because of you, I can basically do whatever I want. I can work where I want, drive where I want, live where I want and I even have the right to write this blog and say whatever I want. I think most people have lost sight of this so I just wanted to remind them. My husband served in the military and the companies he has worked for have never let him off for this holiday. I think it is ironic how the state/federal offices close on this day and I venture to guess not even half of them have ever served in any military branch. I personally think this should be a mandatory day off for anybody who has but I am sure that will never happen.

Growing Up Fast

Marshall can officially count to 11! Yes, I know that sounds strange but that is where he stops. When I try to have him count to the next number, he screams NOOO! This is his favorite word. I think he is realizing the power behind it instead of just aping us. This morning he said the longest sentence in the history of his life. "I want to get up on the bed, Mommy." Who could turn down such a request with that sweet little voice. Oh, and did I mention he is quite bossy. He is constantly handing down directives like we are his loyal subjects instead of his family. I just don't know where he gets it! (Actually, I do know but I am not going to tell anyone)
I am also entering uncharted waters with him in regards to temper tantrums. This has become his new M.O. when he does not get what he wants. Even the smallest thing has him collapsing in the floor and letting out this short burst scream. My eldest never put on such displays so this is new to me. I am not sure if I should completely ignore him or swat his butt and then ignore him. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears.

I Am The Worst Blogger In The World

I am officially the worst blogger in the world. I cannot believe it has been almost one week since I had an entry. Time is going so fast. While I am writing this, the family is watching Jeopardy. My 8 year old just questioned the answer (if you know what I mean). I am very impressed. The question was "Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.". I am so proud.
Mike celebrated his last birthday in the 30's last week (Thursday) and my sister in-law has made it safely back to Minnesota.
When we got home this afternoon, I dragged the kids down to the "lower level" so I could work out on the elliptical. Twenty minutes later, Marshall is pissed because he cannot ride one of Michael's old big boy bikes. The training wheels went bye bye a long time ago. I try to entertain him with various Christmas items down there but to no avail. He was not interested. We went out on the patio and the birds are going nutso! Migration is a weird but wonderful thing. I had the bright idea to pull out the Beebe gun (Fairly innocuous) and shoot into the trees. The boys thought this was awesome. You should have heard the oooohs and ahhhs as flocks of birds would light in the tree and then take off in a synchronized blob. Talk about cheap entertainment.
FYI: Christmas is only 45 days away!

Marshall's Big Boy Bed

We are officially experimenting with a big boy bed. Marshall has one of those 3 'n 1 deals and we have removed the bars!! He is now free to get and out of bed at his leisure. So far, so good. (I am knocking on wood while I am typing that...I am very talented). He has spent 3 nights in it and has actually stayed in it. In retrospect, I have a feeling the worst is yet to come. The first night of 'the new bed' we did not get home until 10 pm, so he was exhausted. Sunday night he was medicated with Triaminic because of a runny nose and cough. Monday night he was sick as a dog (see next post) and had no idea where he was sleeping and probably did not care!
For those of you who don't know, Marshall can be quite the turd. This comment is said with love and the utmost truth. He is also smart and tall for his age. He can unlock the doorknob and the bolt lock leading to the outside of the house. That is the last thing any Mom needs to worry about. A two year old wondering aimlessly in the great outdoors sans parents is never a good idea! Because of this, I have a gate posted outside of his door. That way if he gets up in the middle of the night, he cannot exit his room.
So, Monday morning Marshall gets up and proceeds to open his bedroom door. He stands at the gate and yells
Mommy, Mommy, Daddy, Daddy....I wake up...Mommy, Mommy...I wake up. Grinning from ear to ear. Of course this does not have the same weight if you cannot hear it but it was sooo cute.

Family In Town

This week we finally get to see Mike's sister again. It has been since July of 2007 since we have seen her. My husband's family is from Minnesota, for those of you who don't know that. Therefore, all of his family live there except for him. I convinced him to stay in Tennessee after we met with my powers of persuasion and a little Jedi mind trick! Seeing as MN is 1000 miles away, we do not get to see his side of the family much. Thankfully, his parents have become snowbirds and stay in Cookevegas during the winter. We used to make an attempt to fly there once a year but with 4 plane fares to buy along with soaring fuel prices......well....fill in the rest.
Dawn (Mike's sister) loves her nephews very much. She was the first person to go 'camping inside' with my oldest when he was just a tike. Why had I never thought of something that cool. I need to step out of the mom box more but I have grown comfortable with my six sided area.
Anyway, she has become a rock star this week because she has also brought her lab, Sailor. My boys love dogs and Sailor loves kids...PERFECT!
I am sure the visit will fly by. She arrived late Friday night and will begin the arduous ride home early Friday morning. We will certainly hate to see her go.

Halloween Holiday With Decor Sidebar

Ok, so I am a total loser. I have so many blog entries in my head from over the weekend but I waited. Now, I have 3 blogs to enter on the same day which occurred over a span of time plus a new happening for today!! Sorry! I may even wait until tomorrow to finish. I am a constant procrastinator.
So, Halloween was wonderful. I got lazy and decided not to cook for the next door get together. Instead, I had Mike pick up 4 orders of Southwestern Egg Rolls from Chili's.......YUUUMMYYY! Put those bad boys on a holiday appropriate plate....bammo...you have instant happiness. There were tons of people attending. Most of them were from church or school. I was able to socialize some but with the pool still open...well I have a two year old....do the math! Their pool is heated so those lucky fellas are able to keep it open later than normal.....I am jealous!
My crew went trick or treating around our neighborhood first. This entourage included my husband, kids, and mom. As I mentioned two posts ago, only a handful of houses in our neighborhood participate in this holiday. Seeing as there are only 14 houses, it does not take long. Mom, Marshall, and I abandoned ship at that point and Mike took Michael to the adjacent neighborhood. Mom and I stayed behind to give out candy. Although our area is small, people flock here. I went through 2 bags of candy from Sam's Club which is over 250 pieces of the good stuff. Apparently, big houses equal good candy in some people's minds because we had over 1o0 trick or treaters. In the end, I was going through Michael's candy and pulling out things he cannot eat (braces) like Tootsie Rolls, bubble gum and Laffy Taffy in order to keep up. Our last trick or treater came at 8:43 p.m. Thank goodness. I was tired and ready for bed!! I am so old!
By the way, I found out at Michael's class party that he received the student of the week. I just had to brag a minute. Last but not least, feast your eyes on these gorgeous pumpkin topiaries. I know everyone has been waiting with bated breath.

Friday Fill-lns

1. My favorite food seasoning is salt.

2. My children playing and singing is music to my ears.

3. Lucky is having my life run smooth and everything falling into place.

4. Shopping is something I take very seriously!

5. Many people have become extremely narcissistic.

6. Queso dip and Christmas ribbon was the last thing I bought at the store.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to weenie roast with neighbors and trick or treating, tomorrow my plans include haircuts for the boys, a soccer game and a trip to Franklin to visit family and Sunday, I want to do nothing but drink coffee and read!

It's Almost The Weekend!!

Hooray, it is almost Friday. Tomorrow is going to be such a big day! I love all aspects of Halloween..dressing up, candy, trick or treating, and parties. It is going to be a play day from beginning to end. Even though I do have to work, we practically play all day ( I LOVE MY JOB) and get paid great money to do so. I organized a pot luck at work for the therapy staff. We are going to have chili, potato soup, yummy rotel dip (has bunches of extras, not the generic kind), chicken casserole and various other hors devours. If you know me even remotely, you know how much I love to eat.....very hearty appetite. Then it is pumpkin carving time with the Occupational Therapists. At 1:3o, I will be at Michael's school for his Halloween party. I love getting goody bags together for all the kids. I will be putting them together tonight.
At 6 o'clock, we are heading next door for fellowship with other families and a hot dog roast for the kids. Then all the families are going trick or treating together. My neighborhood does not have a lot of houses in it, 14 in all, so we usually migrate to adjacent neighborhoods with lots and lots of houses. One of us will have to stay home because people come into our neighborhood by the truckload, literally. No candy may equal angry children.
Tomorrow will be fun from sun up to after sun down. My excitement can hardly be contained. To top it all off, my mom will be here to help with the festivities. Life is so much easier with her here. She brings a level of patience to the house like one has never seen.
Anyway, more updates later. I may even treat you all with a pic of the front porch and all of it's decorated glory!! Try to contain your excitement!!!! The pumpkin topiaries are a sight to behold!

The Bacchanal

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending my first Bacchanal event. Now, if you Googled the definition of this word you may be raising your eyebrows! "A drunken or righteous celebration". It was a celebration and yes some people were drinking heavily. This event is held in town at Spankies. It is an auction to support the Appalachian Craft Center which is an extension of TTU. The students of the center auction their wares for big...big bucks and the money goes directly back into the art portion of the school. Although I did not buy anything (too rich for my blood) it was very entertaining to watch some of the wealthiest people in this town bid against each other. A local artist who lives in Cookeville donated one if his carved and sand blasted (very interesting) wooden bowls. Brad has already been 'discovered' if you will. He even has a piece in the Smithsonian! This particular bowl went for $3100!
They had free food and drink. I did imbibe too much Cabernet but not so much to bid on a necklace I loved that went for $275.
If you do appreciate talent and art please visit Brad's website. You will definitely be impressed with what he does with wood. His wife is also a good friend of mine and is preggers with baby #3. If you visit the site, please let me know what you think of his work. www.bradsells.com

The End of Another Weekend

Yes, another weekend has come to a close. How quick does time go? Friday night was uneventful, Saturday night we went to the Nashville Zoo for a hay ride and trick or treat. We had a wonderful time. Marshall did not go, it was just Michael and I with another friend of mine and her kids. I must admit, although there were a boatload of kids there, it was very organized. You could tell the zoo had done this a few times before. The hayride was a little scary but appropriate..we had the Ice Queen from Narnia as our chaperon. The carousel was great and I rode the tiger which seems fairly apropos since I was dressed as a tiger! All and all, it was a wonderful evening. Michael's soccer game was cancelled so no cold weather for us, therefore, we tortured ourselves with the cold at the zoo! I decided to dress up! Granted, this was an impromptu costume borrowed from a friend of mine,Michael enoyed it. I have included a pic of us. I think we look rather fetching at grandma's house!

Friday Fill-lns

1. Right now, I'm feeling happy my busy week is over and excited about the weekend.

2. Going somewhere fun with my family is where I want to be.

3. How does one juggle so many things and remain calm and sane?

4. Being headstrong keeps me on track.

5. Please don't act like you like me if you don't.

6. My children and my beautiful world fill me with joy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to listening to the rain and staying home, tomorrow my plans include going to the Nashville Zoo for Boo Night and Sunday, I want to piddle around the house.

I Will Survive

I made it. I survived my stomach plague and off to the next stage of my crazy, ridiculous, too much on my plate, life. At this point, I am on two separate committees at my son's school. One...I am in charge of the Cougar Run Photography which will help with part of the 60 thousand dollars we raise annually at our 'private' public school running event. This fundraiser is astounding in what is does for the school. We have so many dedicated and involved parents. It would blow your mind to know the true capacity of this. Only 5% of the children at our school ride the bus, the rest are car riders. These are the parents that are the heartbeat of our school, always there, always willing to lend a hand. We have over 500 students, so this is a really big deal. Working and non-working mom...always there!
I am also on the family involvement committee. (should that be capitalized?? who cares!!) We are holding an Olympic style theme in February. The kids will participate in 5 "Olympic Type" activities and then get to design their own medal. This is where yours truly gets involved. I am in charge of the medals...which by the way is going to eat almost all of the budget for this entire event. We are going to order almost 1000 'make your own' medals. The kids participate in 5 events and then make their own medals. I get to call hundreds of moms, coordinate 2 shifts of 4 within 5 separate grades.....whoooopeeee!!! The meeting on that was today at 8:15a.m. Off to work at 8:45 a.m., my children's pics for Christmas at 3:45 p.m. with a local photography ( Amy Callahan) who is awesome and I love.
After that, off to Crawdaddy's to celebrate my eldest son's good grades. 4 A's and 2 B's. I'll take it. Crawdaddy's is a wonderful Cajun restaurant in this town...hard to believe....if you are ever here, this is a must. Michael loves this place. He gets Gator Bites for an appetizer, shrimp n fries for entree, and today he ordered a cheesecake with raspberry drizzle for dessert. I personally got 2 glasses of house Cabernet because I felt like I deserved it!!! CHEERS!!!!

Perfect Timing, My Personal Trifecta

You have all heard someone say the perfect trifecta. Usually it is in reference to something good like a horse race. My personal one is not so good. I woke up this morning around 1a.m. feeling 'weird'. You know, the weird...oh, crap...I am getting sick weird!! My stomach felt horrible but when the alarm went off I drudged into the bathroom to start getting ready. That is the first of the perfect three, me feeling like death on a stick!
I had to go to work today...HAD TO. No I am not so narcissistic to believe it can't run without me but Tuesdays are different. This is the day we evaluate all aspects of every patient to give report to the doctor on Wednesday. Oh, and we were also going live with our computer documentation. This is the second of my 'perfect storm'.
Mike informs me half way through my day that he has the same sickness. It hard enough to run a household with one sick parent.....try two sick parents! This is my third.
I have been home in bed since 1:00 pm and starting to feel better. I am starving, which is always a good sign but my head is killing me. The kids are in the tub which is virtually free entertainment and off to an early bed time they go. I am ready to start tomorrow anew!

Weekend Update

Well, it is Monday and the first day back to school after fall break. I am relieved Michael is ready to go back. Unfortunately, I think he is excited to see Natalie again as opposed to getting back to the daily grind of learning. The weekend went by fast as usual and I was not excited about getting up this morning. It was cold outside and cold in the house (I refuse to turn my heat on yet!) but not cold under the covers.
Friday night we had my in-laws and another family over for chili, hush puppies, and S'mores. It was very lively in the house and outside seeing as there were 5 kids total running around. As usual, Marshall was the youngest but did his best to jump in there with the big kids. Everything was yummy and the conversation was great. I already mentioned my new purchase on Saturday and Michael's big win on the soccer field. Yesterday was low key, also. I took Michael to get his costume for Halloween (S.W.A.T. team guy) and he was so excited. As soon as we got home, he had to put it on. Marshall is going to be Barney and so I put his on, too. We had a little pre-Halloween fashion show. Lot's of fun.
Marshall is really starting to develop such a personality. I love it when he says "Watch this, mom" and proceeds to dance around. His new thing is singing the "I Like To Move It" song from Madagascar II. Shaking his booty and singing that song is hilarious. Speaking of 'booty', that is another thing he likes to say when dancing. "I shake my booty, Mommy!" You sure do, son.

I Am Not Bragging Just Informing

Today has been your average day. I woke up at 5 a.m. watched a little CNN (although I prefer FoxNews so not sure why I chose that channel), and hopped on the computer. I had a wonderful cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee as a perused the inbox of my email. At this point, I am pissed that I am all the way on the other side of the house, upstairs, in my son's playroom, using his computer. After filtering myself through Webkinz and Nick.com, I had it. First and foremost for the day....buy a new laptop. As most of you know, my old laptop has been giving me fits. It was like working with a Commodore 64...then the power cord copped an attitude. This is the reason I was on my son's computer. Yeah, Mommy gets a new toy.
At first, I was going to just get my old one fixed. But, it took just a little of cajoling from my Mom to talk me into a new one. Plus, she contributed as an early Christmas present. THANKS MOM!! I am typing on it right now. It is lighter and quieter. The fan on my old one was on all the time. It was like working with a hair dryer running in your ear, annoying.
The other informing I am doing is.....my son won his soccer game, YEAH. 4 to 1
Michael was the goalie during one quarter which I hate. I get so nervous for him. Notice I said 'for him'. Michael does not get nervous at all and this particular day he allowed ZERO balls to pass. I am so proud of him. He is becoming much more assertive on the field and not afraid to get bumped around a little. That a boy!!

Face It, I'm Old

OK, so as much as I hate to say it....I think I am getting addicted to Facebook. No, I am not pathetic but it is interesting to catch up with people. Especially the ones I graduated high school with. It's funny, I don't feel much older than I was almost 20 years ago but pictures don't lie. I have never been hit with such a reality check in my life. Looking through pictures, we are almost 40 years old people. When our parents where that age we were wondering how they were able to get around and form a lucid thought!! Now , I think I have come to terms with my age, maybe. I should embrace getting older because you only have one other choice!!
Back to Facebook......I love updating it and keeping up with my small circle of friends. I am sure it is like everything else, cool when it is new; boring after that wears off. We shall see.

Friday Fill-Ins Posted On Saturday!!!!

Sorry I am late on these. I am sure everyone thought about it all night long. Kept you awake, even! Yesterday was busy getting the porch Halloween ready and getting chili ready for some friends coming over. (More about that in next post.)

1. Follow the first thought, it is usually correct.

2. A crime novel is something I always take with me on vacation.

3. To achieve your goals, you must set smaller goals which lead up to them.

4. I love to be part of something big is something I'd like you to know about me.

5. I have a full gym on the 'lower level' of my home, I have to force myself to use.

6. Winning bars of soap float.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a chili pigout with some friends, tomorrow my plans include soccer, costume shopping, buying a new charger for my laptop and Sunday, I want to read and play!

The Spreading Of The Plague

I will learn one of these days to stop bragging and/or complaining. Last week I was complaining about the ride to Florida, which in hindsight was pretty spectacular. (And as one of my patients told me one time...."Hindsight is 50/50!" REALLY!! That is a new one one me. I was actually able to control my laughter.)
Sunday I was bragging to Michael about how Marshall has never thrown up! Big Mistake. Last night Marshall woke up around 11:30 a little whiny. I thought he could not find his paci so I went in, patted his butt a few times, and gave him his paci. No problem.
About 30 minutes later, he started whining again. I went back into his room but this time as soon as his paci touched his lips.....BLAAAAAACCCHHH! The dinner he ate 6 hours ago was in one large food bolus on his pillow. It was quite disgusting. Of course, he immediately started screaming bloody murder because he was scared half to death. I picked him and carried him into our room so I could get a towel. Mike was awake by now (about time) and took him from me so I could clean up little bit's bed. About the time I got his bed cleaned up... I hear it again. This time it was caught in a towel. Two huge vomiting episodes in under 5 minutes! Hooray! I promise I am going to learn to keep my mouth shut!

I Hate My Computer!

As you have read on my previous entries, my laptop has had a serious attitude problem. Granted it is over four years old, weighs 50 pounds and is 12 inches thick, it still meets my needs so why spend the money on a new one. I just use is to do stuff like this. The only thing is doesn't have that I wish it did was a DVD burner. I would love to compile all my DVDs from my video camera thingie. Those DVDs only hold 30 minutes of material and they pile up fast.
My battery charger attachment decided to jump on the attitude bandwagon while we where in Florida. No problem, I thought, I will just buy a new one when I get back. Yeah Right! I just got off the phone with Radio Shack. Did you know a new charger thingie cost 100 dollars!!!!!! Who knew? I about choked! My whole damn computer is not worth 100 dollars! Needless to say, forget it. I am getting a new one. Since all I really need on my laptop is a wireless card and a DVD burner, I can get a new one for 600 dollars or so....SOLD. I am so tired of brain damage!!!

The Ride Home

OK, so I take back any complaint I had in regards to the trip to Florida. I had no idea how bad travel life could be until the trip back. "Dear Lord, please forgive me for not appreciating the little things in life."
Of course, the sun had not shone as bright as it did the morning we left. It was such a nice morning the boys wanted to get a little more pool time in. Off we went, sans timepiece, to the pool. After what felt like an eternity, I went to the room to make sure Mike was still intact. Holy Crappie, it was 10:45, check out in 15 minutes and not one thing was packed! Where did the time go. It was suddenly a mad rush to get everything together. The clothes and other ancillary things were not hard to pack. It was the fridge stuff that was difficult. It is so hard for Mike and I to throw things away and we were strategically trying to preserve it all. The milk, cheese and sandwich meat.
We finally got it all together and as if on cue the boys came back up to room to help bring it down. Such big helpers they were. As we were loading things up, Michael complained of feeling sick. Seeing as he just went swimming, I figured he was just hungry. I gave him a fruit bar and a Capri Sun.
Off we go.......maybe about 45 minutes into the trip Michael says he feels sick. We pull over and he pukes his guts out!! Afterwards, he says he feels better and has something to drink. We then stop at McDonald's just north of Montgomery. As we are approaching the door, Michael pukes again in the parking lot for all of the patrons to see! Lovely...now he is starving and wants to eat. What am I supposed to do, tell him NO! So he pokes at his Happy Meal and drinks his Sprite.
About half way between Montgomery and Birmingham (traveling 80 mph) Michael reports needing to throw up again. I could not get stopped and pulled over in time.....you guessed it...all over the floorboard and all over the door. This happened in an attempt to open it while puking. Let me put it this way, I got to sop up vomit with a towel from my little storage area in the door. "Happy place, Happy place" Partially digested chicken nuggets and fries, anyone? I did not think so! Right before we crossed into Tennessee, Marshall had managed to lose both of his pacifiers. He was screaming bloody murder and I thought, "Hey, this won't last long. He will be asleep in to time." YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!! Almost an hour and a half later...still crying. Mike finally pulled over and said he is finding his paci come hell or high water! Found it, deposited it, and finished the drive. Nine and 1/2 hours later, we finally pulled into our driveway. The Holy Land!! Granted this is a drive that usually takes less than 8 hours. I do want pity, give me all you have!

Our Last Full Day In Florida

As goes the week....this morning started off cloudy. Cloudy until almost 2 p.m. So cloudy, I did not even have to put sunscreen on the boys when they went swimming. Before the boys went swimming, we loaded up the Tahoe and went to IHOP for breakfast. We have been eating breakfast in every morning and Mom figured they could use the change up.

Sidenote: I used to get so mad at my mom and dad when I was little and we would vacation and they would not eat out every meal. It is amazing how valuable a dollar is when it is your dollar. I guess mom and dad had a brain after all. WHO KNEW!

The boys ate a humongous breakfast. Ben ordered a chocolate pancake...I have never in my life seen such a thing..no kidding, this pancake was as big as a dinner plate and 1/4 inch thick. I believe he put a gallon of syrup on it but I am bad with volume so that may not be right. Michael had his usual...the Rooty, Jr. Eggs, bacon, pancakes....GONE! Marshall helped me with mine. Is it possible for a kid to pop after eating too much? I guess Violet Beauregarde would say, YES!!
Afterwards, Marshall took a power nap and the boys went swimming. After he woke up, we fed everyone and rode bikes to the beach. That was super cool. Especially since a tunnel runs under Hwy 98 and there is no dangerous crossing. This was Marshall first official trip to the ocean. He has been twice before but he was either way too young or way too sick to remember or have a good time. The waves did not scare him at all. Even the one that flipped him. I wonder how much water he drank??? I guess the subsequent diarrhea over the next few days will be my clue!
The sun decided to make it's grand entrance about 2p.m. so the boys were slathered with sunscreen. Unfortunately, I guess I missed Ben's eyelids (like you would put sunscreen there). Needless to say, that is the only place he got burned. Everyone else escaped the sun's rays.
Currently, I am waiting for Mike to get back with a pizza. After everyone chows, we are going to take the ferry across the bay to nosh on ice cream!! Fun, Fun!

Friday Fill Ins

Ok, so I am copying a friend's blog once again and starting Friday Fill Ins. I know I don't get a lot of comments on my entries but I am watching. I see all of you that look at my blog everyday!! Maybe not a name but a body, so beware I know you are out there! So here we go:

1. One of the best concerts/plays/movies I ever saw that I really didn't think I'd like was Counting Crows.

2. Shrimp and grits with a side of fried okra is a recipe I recently ordered that was delicious!

3. It's time for packing up the vacation and heading home.

4. Silence is quite refreshing.

5. If I never hear the word stock portfolio again, it'll be too soon.

6. To one side of the curving road was a scary drop off, and on the other was a scary drop off.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to riding the ferry to take the kids for ice cream in the village, tomorrow my plans include saying good bye to the pool and the beach followed by a long drive home and Sunday, I want to DO NOTHING!

Almost Over

I cannot believe our vacation is almost over. Why does time go so fast yet so slow? My work days do not go this fast, this is so not fair.
Ben (Michael's friend) had finally collapsed. No worry, this is just from multiple late nights and early mornings with (Marshall and my slightly hard of hearing parents....they don't realize how loud they can be.) I finally manhandled him into taking a nap in our bedroom so he could have sleep sans Marshall. He is still asleep despite the fact it is 7 central. I am not waking him up, we have food for him when he does wake up and Mike and I will sleep on the fold out couch in the living room if we need to. Poor guy needs to sleep.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

The second day in Florida started and ended in rain. I was watching the radar this morning and it looked like it would pass by noon. However, it was one of those growing, stationary storms if you know what I mean. Long story short, it lasted the entire day!!
The big boys (8 & 9 yrs old) woke up around 8:30 and started their day with a cup of coffee. That still cracks me up to watch them drink coffee and have small talk on the balcony first thing in the morning. It is almost like seeing in the future of two old men shooting the shit at a general store someday! Whatever, at least it keeps them out of trouble.
I talked the boys into going swimming in the rain (no thunder or lightening). Don't worry, we could see them from the balcony but they still felt a little freedom. This swimming fiesta lasted about 2 hours and then........a rumble of thunder!!! Out of the pool, per me, and the boys headed back upstairs. After they changed into dry clothes, Mike took all of them to the arcade to placate them for a while.

Mom and I took this opportunity to escape and go shopping. There is a huge outlet mall called Silver Sands just 1 mile down the road. This mall is humongous. To get a taste of what it has to offer....visit this site....http://www.silversandsoutlet.com/ and check it out. Hog Heaven would be a proper description of how we felt. Stride Rite shoes for 29.00, Bass and Geoffrey Beane had everything 70% off. No, that is not a typo!!! We are going back tomorrow to visit more stores. Discounts galore....Nirvana!!! Ok, Ok I am digressing. I would stutter if I knew how to type that!
When we returned from the mall, Mike had all the boys bike riding. They came back , watched TV for a while and then went swimming again. This was finished with salad, grilled grouper (fish) and rosemary potatoes. The boys ate hearty and then headed down to the movie theater to screen SpyKids 3D. Marshall is asleep and the boys are watching the movie. Mom and I are watching Doctor 90210!! What a bunch of narcissistic people!! How hypocritical of a statement is that!!

End Of The First Full Day

What a wonderful first, full day in FL. After the boys enjoyed their 'cup of coffee' this morning we walked (they rode) to the wharf to play on yet another playground. A stand up game of checkers and a walk around the bay later......we decided to get back to the condo and swim for a while. The only problem was, the pools were freezing. I convinced the maintenance man to turn the heaters on which killed the chill after about an hour. By this time it is after 1:00 and the big boys are begging to go to the beach. I continued to lounge in the sun with my ipod (Deep Forest and The Art of Noise) while Mike took the kids to the beach. This was cut short by a Normandy type invasion of jellyfish on the shore. Luckily, the boys were able to play for about an hour before the attack.
They came home, ate lunch, and headed to the arcade. This area is totally happening since it takes 0 (zero) quarters to operate any of the games or air hockey. Also totally cool for adults. Either that or I am easily entertained!!!
The condo we stay in has a movie theater on the first floor and you can request movies to be seen. The theater has a huge screen and seats 50. We decided to screen Open Season. I have never seen this movie and admit to laughing way loud at certain points of the movie. Too funny if yo have never watched it. The finale included spaghetti with garlic bread f0r dinner.

This Is A First

Happy Monday....for me anyway because I am not at work! Don't get me wrong, I love my job but everyone needs to get away.
Mom and I enjoyed our morning cup of coffee on the balcony overlooking the bay while the kids slept in. Lovely, darling. Afterwards, Mom took Marshall for a walk and a romp on one of the many playgrounds. While they were gone, the boys were sitting on the balcony and both requested a cup of coffee! Ben's mom warned me about his request for coffee in the morning but it is still weird to see an eight and nine year old sitting outside enjoying cups of coffee! Their actual ages crept back to reality when the coffee was followed by heaping bowls of Cocoa Pebbles.

We Made It

Safe and sound we arrived in Sandestin at about 2:30 p.m. just shy of 8 hours. Not too shabby considering we had 3 kids in tow. I woke everyone about 5:30 a.m. and no one slept the entire way here. Holy Crap, I just wanted my name to not be spoken from mouths of babes for at least 98 seconds. Mrs. Bregenzer this, Angela that, Mom and/or Mommy this and that....
AAARRGGGHHH.!!!!! Could everyone just pretend I am invisible?? This was topped off with Michael spilling an almost entire can of V8 juice in the truck. Now, answer me this....I have a brand new Tahoe with at least 10 cup holders...why in the hell was that can not in at least one of them??? After biting my tongue until it bled and cleaning up the mess, I carefully and patiently (as I could possibly muster) pointed out some empty cup holders that needed love!!
Needless to say, seeing the Publix on HWY 98 is like the gate to glory land. I know it is only one mile away from the resort and I swear it waves to me as I pass!! How can a grocery store possibly excite some one that much? Who cares, I just know I love to see it. Sidenote: They have the best horseradish cheddar by Boar's Head you have ever tasted. REGROUP>
I unpacked all the suitcases and separated everything into the drawers. This has to happen as soon as I get anywhere. I cannot stand the feeling of living out of a suitcase. We then changed clothes and headed to the pool. After an hour or so of swimming, Mom and I went to the grocery store (Publix, woo hoo) and stocked up the condo. We chowed on grilled hamburgers and french fries. Yummy!! Marshall has finally gone to sleep in the playpen beside me and I am exhausted. For some reason I could not sleep last night and finally dozed off at midnight, only to get up at four this morning. I feel like an old hag settling in at 8:30 but I don't care. I will be refreshed and renewed in the morning in order to hit the gym. Fitness never sleeps.

And We're Off

So, as if no one knows....we are off to Sandestin tomorrow EARLY. I am so excited I could just poot! Just kidding. I'm ready, Mike is ready, Michael is ready the only problem is not one thing has been packed! I get off on these cleaning tangents at times and today's tangent was cleaning the windows on the first floor! BOTH SIDES! It is not my fault that I started this. It is the sun's fault. I was up extra early this morning and when the sun shone through the windows I was mortified. So, off the clean I went and let me tell you it was worth every minute. I think is is brighter downstairs today!! Just so you know, this is not a small feat to perform. The first floor has just shy of two dozen windows (22 to be exact) and despite my best efforts to stay in shape, my arm is already killing me. What a loser!! Maybe I should work out a little harder.
I guess I should not dilly dally anymore with the blog and get my butt in gear to pack. I hate to pack. While we are gone, I will try to keep the blog updated of our Florida adventure but no promises. If you check my blog daily, don't get frustrated, I will be having a too good time!

First Day Of Fall

Yes, I know. Today is not the official first day of fall but for me it is. I love to decorate for Halloween. I buy lots of mums and make real pumpkin topiaries in the planters on the front porch. We have all kinds of lighted decorations (much to my neighbor's dismay, I'm sure), fake tombstones, and ghosts. What can I say, I love Halloween. However, I do have a modicum of decorum. (Did I just cuss?) I will only start decorating after October 1st, just like I don't start decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving....sorry different blog, different time.
I cannot wait to get the boxes out. I would start now if is was not so cold outside! Tonight's low is in the 40's....buuurrrhhhhh!
I would then put it off until tomorrow but we have Girl's Night Out (Darn It All) to celebrate September birthdays. I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!! OMG I still need to buy gifts...damn it I hate waiting until the last minute.
I welcomed the first day of MY fall with a pedicure and a highlight. Must get ready for Florida, ya know. I wish I had time for a Botox injection but I don't, oh well!! I will wait until spring.
Did I mention only 3 more days until Florida? Did I mention my parents are going so Mike and I will actually get a night of married going out to eat without food left on the floor/table after we leave (sans children if you need a hint). Very excited about that.
This day also marks another momentous event. My Mom and Dad's anniversary is today!
Thirty-One years today! For those of you who know me and can subtract...this is a second marriage! However, this is such a part of my life, I truly have two Dads.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!!!

Check Up

Marshall went for his two year check up today. I know it is over a month late but his 18 month was a month late and so the story goes. What a boy he is. Weighs in at a smidgen under 35 pounds and almost 3 feet tall. Did I mention he can do a chin up? Or hang from his swing set with his elbows slightly bent and support all his weight with his biceps? I don't mean to brag, but you get the point! Oh, did I mention he giggled when the nurse stuck the needle into his meaty quadriceps?? LAUGHED....AS IN THAT TICKLES!!! What the hell is that about? If that one statement does not give you any insight into my life with Marshall then nothing will!! The doc said he is not worried about his weight (I am) as long as he is eating healthy food. We told him we could make a bowl of green olives, tomatoes and green beans and he would think we served him a bowl of candy! I am so thankful both of my kids are not picky eaters.

Only Four More Days

Holy cow, we only have 4 more days until our vacation. I love vacationing to Florida in the fall. The crowds are low, along with the humidity and temperatures. The days heat up enough to make your skin warm but the nights get crisp and the mornings are chilly. Just chilly enough to want to sit on the balcony with a cup of coffee and your most broken in sweatshirt.
It is funny what little things make you happy and bring such joy. Sipping coffee on a cool morning is virtually free but is so enjoyable. Be ready, I will be wearing this subject out until it is time to go. If that sort of thing bothers you, then you may not want to tune in over the next few days.

Growing Up Fast....A Bragging Paragraph

Even though my 'Little Bit' (Marshall) can be quite spirited, to put it lightly...he can also be so loving and funny. He loves to act like he is falling toward you and saying...WHHHOOOAAA! When you catch him, you MUST fall back as if he just knocked you down. Not only is this incredibly entertaining for him....it is quite the abdominal workout. Two birds!!
He is also starting to talk like no one's business. He says big things like..."I want to push the button, mommy" referring to his car seat. He says little things, "My food", "My baby", "My Mommy!", "I want a cookie". He can also kick a soccer ball like nobody's business and throw any object with remarkable accuracy and speed. He loves to sleep with his Barney doll and is orally fixated with his pacifier. He has an infectious laugh, the cutest right dimple, and the cutest, curly, blond locks.
Anyway, I just thought I would mention a few things about him since my last two posts had to do with Michael! Must always be fair!!! YEAH RIGHT!

Mother-Son Dance

Saturday night Michael and I went to our first Mother-Son dance. Don't ask me why but tears have just started to well up in my eyes, weird! Moving on.......It was a luau theme so we arrived in our closest luau attire without spending money on something new only to wear it once. It was a cute and non-pretentious affair. They did not serve any type of Hawaiian food which I thought was a little odd. I did not particularly expect a pig rotating an a stick, char siu, or haupia for dessert. However, I felt one chunk of pineapple was not too much to ask! Instead we had turkey or ham sandwiches, assorted chips, cookies and either sweet, sweet, sweet tea or orange drink (McDonalds). Side note: I may be a Southern Girl but I abhor sweet tea, GACK!!
Moving on from the food (I have an unhealthy obsession with food).....they did have a DJ and face painting which was fun. After everyone finished eating, the music was playing but akin to most dances.....everyone was milling around and no one was dancing.
The DJ was smart and really got the party to started with the Chicken Dance!!! It was ingenious. How can anyone not throw caution to the wind when that song starts up. I surprised myself and let go of my inhibitions and joined in the fun! (Normally this cannot be accomplished without imbibing an adult beverage) I was so proud, new territory. This song was followed by YMCA and other classics like the Electric Slide and the Macarena. Unfortunately, the latter was resurrected. Never been a big fan. So into the night we go, getting buzzed on snow cones and cookies. It was truly a good time.

That Is What Bragging Will Do

As you have read in previous posts, Michael's soccer team is kick ass!! For the first three games his team won and they had not given up any points. I have not been bragging, per se, I was just extremely proud. You see, this is what no one understands...Michael is usually on the losing team not the winning team. This new territory was rather exciting and mystical!! That was until this past Saturday. Can you say 'stacked team'! No I am not bitter.....highly competitive....NO!
To start with, several of the boys heights on the opposing team came up to the chin of their coach. Secondly, they had nary a girl....ok...ok...maybe 2 girls! WHOOOPPPEEE!!
We have 5 girls on our team and only one is worth her weight. The other 4 would most likely play better if they walked on their hands. They definitely could not play any worse.
How horrible I must sound....this is a non-competitive children's league at the YMCA. Let's see how non-competitive you are when every time the other team scored you felt like Brandi Chastain must be taking her shirt off somewhere!
Getting to the point....was there a point!?!? Oh yeah, we were slaughtered. I forgot for a minute. Usually we are doing the beating, this time we were beat 8-0. It was awful, I have never wanted to skulk off of a soccer field so quickly. Michael was pretty bummed but is was nothing a Happy Meal would not fix. Happiness in a box.....so it can be bought after all!

What A Big Boy

I know this may be a strange thing to write about. However, Marshall has the best balance of any just turned 2 year old I have ever seen. (Granted my exposure has been low) He is already walking up and down our steps (16 of them) without holding on to anything and he loves jumping up, down, and off of the bleachers at the soccer field without a fall. I am sure that will happen soon but for now, I am impressed (Doesn't take much, obviously!).
He is also talking like crazy and getting quite bossy. I don't know where that comes from! For example, I have been reading this book titled 'Happiest Toddler on the Block'. It is a great book on how to manage temper tantrums and any other ill will your 1-4 year old decides to dole out. The only thing I do not agree with is all the talk about no spanking....spanking makes kids violent...blah blah blah. Midnote: The first time out chair generation is officially grown up and we live in the most violent time ever!!! But, that is another blog at another time, I think my head just started to spin.
Back on track....one of the suggestions for derailing a tantrum is mimicking their anger. Say they are screaming for a cookie and you know damn well they don't need another one. Instead of just saying no, you should say....
"Marshall wants a cookie, he wants a cookie NOOOOWWWWW!!!"(said emphatically and repeatedly. After the child starts to calm down and look at you like you have 3 heads you say..
"But no cookie right now, maybe after dinner"
Believe it or not, this works about 80% of the time. I think it renders the child speechless to see their parent put on in such a display.
Back to the bossiness.......Because I have been doing this and because my child is extremely intelligent (ha ha) he is now piecing things together and it goes something like this.

Marshall: Mommy, I want cookie. (no tantrum)
Me: You can't have cookie, you already had two! (Still no tantrum)
Marshall: I want cookie NNOOOOWWWW!!

Now, he is mimicking me, mimicking him!! Talk about a total backfire. He even raised his voice and furrows his brow. This is quite hilarious in a child his age and I am sure my laughing is not helping the situation.

New Dancing Shoes

Well, I finally broke down and bought Marshall his first pair of really good shoes. He has the fattest, flattest feet you have ever seen and it is so hard to find shoes that fit in a regular store like Kohls, for example. Off we go to this little children's boutique in town. It is kinda pricey but I know it will have Stride Rites in wide sizes. Marshall is already in a size 8. I could not believe it when the lady told me that. (How horrible of a mother I am. I have been cramming his feet into size 7 hand me downs for 3 weeks...BAD.....BAD). We pick out this cute little brown pair called Root Beer....appropriate. Marshall puts them on and is so proud of them, he goes around the store showing everyone his new shoes. It is so amazing how children learn this type of behavior without anyone telling them.
Of course, everyone in the store ooohhhed and aaahhhed which fueled his little fashion show. While he was strutting his stuff, I decided to look through the sale rack since it has the only clothes I could possibly afford. I found the cutest shirt that is so apropos. It is a light mint green, long sleeved shirt which reads 'Lock up your daughters' on it. I laughed out loud and had to buy it. I then decided to venture out into the non-sale racks and saw the cutest Halloween overall outfit. The salesperson was telling me how it was reversible. Wow, I thought, 2 outfits in one. I was actually considering a purchase until I got a look see at the price. $65.00!!!! Looks like I will stick with the sale racks where I belong.

2 and 0

Michael's soccer team is quite impressive this year. Yes, I know it is a little early in the season to brag but you should see them. He is in the U10 league...the kids are between 8-10 years old. This makes Michael one of the youngest on the team. It has been so enjoyable to watch these kids mature in their game. Most of them I have watched grow up since Michael started to play here at 4 years old. The kids are actually listening to the coach and doing plays. I know this sounds silly but they look like little adults out there now. Michael's game has really stepped up since last soccer season. He is being a lot more aggressive with the ball and using his body to block big kicks. This past game he played goalie and defense. Only one ball got by him which the goalie had to block. We are so incredibly proud of him. Michael's team has won their first two games. The first game was 5-0 and this last game was 10-0. Now, because I have been bragging, they will get their butts kicked next week. Even if they do, it won't be because of lack of effort or teamwork. GO TEAM!!!!!

First Real Haircut

Well, I finally did it. The cute, blond, curly locks have made their final appearance. This past Thursday the kids and I went to get haircuts. I hated to cut Marshall's hair but he is a little boy so he should look like one. My hairstylist about died when she learned what her job was going to be. "I cannot believe you are going to make me cut off those beautiful curls", she said.

Just do it!!! Marshall lasted about 6 minutes before getting tired of sitting in the chair. The remainder of the time was him squealing because I was holding his head still. Here is a picture of his cute little boy face, luckily he is still chubby so he still has some of a baby face. Someone at work told me he could be Toby Keith's son. I am not for sure of what he looks like but everyone seemed to agree. Who knows, maybe he is and that is my little secret!!!! JK

I was next to get my hair cut which involves not one iota of relaxation when a two year old is systematically dismantling the place. I could tell the other lady was getting aggravated and I told my stylist how sorry I was. She said it was not a big deal. I then told her it was very obvious of how the other lady felt about my child. Apparently, older people forget that kids are kids. Especially when they are only 2! That totally pissed me off. I wish I could afford a nanny to watch the kids while I went to the salon but that is a fantasy and my life is reality!!!!!

I Feel Like Crap

Just a quick evening note, I feel like total crap. I have no idea what is wrong with me. If it was a different time of year, I would almost think I have the flu. No fever just sore throat (no cough or congestion) and my entire body aches. My neck, between my shoulder blades and low back are eternally sore. The big sign is my skin hurts. You all know what I mean. When you change clothes or go to the bathroom......just the feeling of your clothes scraping your body is brutal. Luckily, I bought some Advil PM to take after I put the kids to bed. Hopefully, this will do the trick.

In addition to that, I have to address the fact that Michael pulled 3 cards today (something you do when acting up) and he made 2 D's on his work. One was in Math of all things, he currently has an A in that subject. Talk about some hellacious timing. Lord help me!!!!

The Purge

Oh, how much great satisfaction I get from a good purge. No I am not talking about the second act of the binge/purge eating play...I am speaking of purging my house of a ton of unwanted stuff. I get this strange thrill watching Mike take garbage bag after garbage bag down the steps to be carted away to Goodwill. And make note, I don't send crap. If I would not let my kids wear it, then it shall not go.
Overall, we sent 5 garbage bags full of women's, men's, boys and toddler clothes to the local site, yesterday. I feel cleansed by the powers, if you know what I mean in a non-blaspheme way. Now I need to tackle the clothes I want to sell on ebay, holy crap!! Believe it or not I also enjoy this in a sick twisted kind of way. Yes, I know I have issues but accepting them is the first step.....or is it changing them???? I forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fall Fest On The Town Square

Fall Fest is an annual event in Cookeville which encompasses about 3 square blocks. They have 2 separate live music venues, lots of jumpy things and rock climbing walls for the kids, carnival food, BBQ, and artsy craftsy things you can buy. Plus, it is free to roam, watch and listen. For the past few years, Fall Fest has been a hot, humid, grueling event which usually leaves all of us tired and sweaty.
This year we had a welcomed new experience. It was in the upper sixties with virtually zero humidity. We bought the kids some tickets so they could do some of the kids things. All of the jumpy things were manned by college kids who were all super cool. Marshall went into Toddler Town (2 tickets) and had a wonderful time. Since there was not a line, the guy let him jump for 20 minutes. He even got out a couple of times but immediately wanted back in. I tried to give the guy more tickets but he said don't worry about it. The same was true for everything Michael did. The ticket taker person would let him slide down or jump forever and never make him give more tickets. It was sweet.
The most expensive play thing was the rock climbing wall. (5 tickets) It was about 30 feet high and we could hardly get Michael off of it. It took him several attempts but he finally made it to the top. The sad thing is he was one of very few that made it to the top. Some of those kids could barely make it 10 feet before they would let go saying they were too tired. WOW!!!
O.K. maybe I am bragging just a bit but this is my blog you know.

Jets Are Scary When Water Is Low

Marshall has taken a bath in the master bath since virtually the day he was born. He and Michael have their own bathroom but it is so much easier to get things done (and still keep an eye on the kids) when he is taking a bath in my tub. For the longest time, the jacuzzi was only filled about 1/3 of the way, for obvious reasons, when Marshall was bathing. Which means the jets were never turned on.
Now that he is older......when Michael is in the tub with him.....I have been filling the tub up all the way so they could turn the jets on. As anyone who has any type of jet tub knows.....turning them on with bubble bath...accelerates the bubble making productivity by a nano level. It is 'Wild and Crazy Bubble Time.' Marshall has not only gotten used to this bubble making machine.. he has also learned which button to push to turn them on.
So, this evening after Fall Fest (please see next entry) I put Marshall in the tub. Since it is so late, I only fill it up 1/3 of the way full. If you have been paying attention....you know what comes next. As a sidebar for anyone who has never had a jacuzzi tub....if all the jets aren't covered when the on button is depressed....whichever jets are not covered with water will spew like 'Ol Faithful.' While I was washing my face I hear a mechanical noise and a scream. Marshall had taken it upon himself to turn the jets on. Not knowing he would be pummelled by the uncovered jets like a fire hose.
Guess what.....this scared the ever loving crap out of him and up, up up.....was all I heard after that. Lesson learned!

Michael Sings To Relax

For anyone who reads this next entry, you must promise to never mention it to Michael. If you don't think you can trust yourself, close this immediately! I know certain things my children do are not as cute and funny to the world proper as it is to me. However, this is funny.
When most people go poo (#2 for those who don't know what pooing is) they need something to relax during this event. Some people read. Some people play electronic Yahtzee. Some people just stare at the wall (which is the weirdest choice of all). I bet no one does what my son does......he sings! I know it is strange to quietly sneak up to the outside of the door when Michael is pooing but the entertainment factor is way up there.
For example, today's a capella performance was 'Don't You Forget About Me' by Simple Minds. This has an exceptionally deep meaning for my generation as it conjures images of Judd Nelson walking across the football field with his fist pumped in the air. (For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, you are too young to read this blog!) Ahhhh, the memories.

I have seriously digressed...........

Anyway, it is weird but comical to hear your 8 year old resurrecting this song. Especially on the toilet! But he totally ruined my walk down memory lane when he concluded his rendition
with........the remainder of the J.C. Penney commercial!!! Those kids today!!!

Cougar Run

Today is the big day for the annual Cougar Run at my son's school. This is the big fundraiser. Did I say big? I mean HUGE. The school averages between 50K and 60K every year. This money goes directly to the school, 100%. I like this type of fundraiser 10 times better than selling crap and the school gets maybe 50% of money earned. The run works like the multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy runs I participated in as a child. You find people to sponsor an amount of money per lap or a one time donation. I usually just write a check for $200 or so because I hate to have my son out begging for money. His school is k-4th and is a public school. However, the type of teaching and scores that are in that school......it is often called the private public school. The school is good because it is loaded with caring teachers and attentive parents.
I am excited about today because I know how excited Michael is. I get to watch him run then it is off to the picnic to take pictures. A local photographer (Amy Callahan) and I are in charge of taking pics and showing them on a slide show during awards night in November. Since she cannot be two places at once ( I don't know why?), she is taking pics of the running and I am taking pics of the picnic since they happen concurrently depending on your grade. I love being a part of something so big and rewarding for the school. Hopefully we will raise lots and lots of money.

Communication Is Key

It is so neat to experience the budding language of a toddler. I know this can be very frustrating, too. However, I am now starting to get in tune with what Marshall asks for and it is the coolest thing to see the look on his face when I actually do what he asks.
I know when he wants to go swing or slide, he asks to take a bath and at times asks to go 'night, night.' (My personal favorite). This morning I was getting dressed and Marshall is already put together for the day. He comes to me with his pajama bottoms on and says, "pajamas on, please." I put them on over his clothes and he was as content as can be. As a matter of fact, he is rolling/lounging in the floor beside me this very minute in his pajama bottoms and letting me type this entry. That is a rarity. I wonder how many times in the past he has asked such a simple thing and I did not comply because I had no idea what he was saying? These past occurrence almost always ended up in a total meltdown, of course.

I'll Take Cheese With My Whine

If anyone knows me well enough...they know I am scared of the dark. I am O.K. if Mike is in bed with me (most of the time) but when he gets up super early and leaves me alone.....let us say I revert to my 10 year old self and start to see things that aren't there. NO I AM NOT MENTAL!! So, whenever he gets up and it is still dark, I have him turn the recessed light over the shower on. Last Sunday I get a wild hair that turning the light on is a waste of electricity but I needed it, desperately!
I decided to install a cool dimmer switch to use less electricity. You know the one with the little slide thingie by the toggle! Try and stay with me, I know these are technical terms. I turn off the breaker and begin my own personal DIYTV. Although I can feel slight tingles of current from the wires (leftover current?) I forge on hoping I have enough life insurance for my family.
Dimmer switch wired, breaker turned back on, Houston...we have power. I was so proud of myself that I felt I deserved a bath in the Jacuzzi. I don't usually take baths in the summer because it is so damn hot/humid but today was special. I had accomplished something.
I put Marshall to bed for a nap and Mike took Michael swimming.
Ahhhhhh, a quiet house. I begin to to fill the tub. I docked my ipod and turned it to the 'bathtime' heading. (Deep Forest, Portishead, Enigma, Dead Can Dance). I lay out my towel, bath salts, and Yahtzee game. I then go downstairs and pour me a glass of wine.
As I sink slowly into my bath, I lazily reach over to push the jet button. Instead of getting pummeled by 10 jets to relax away my every stress.......I GET NOTHING! I was upset but handled it like a big girl. I calmed myself with reason after I did the math to either buy and install a new tub or pay someone to fix this one. I went ahead and took my bath and rationalized that people take baths all the time without jets and love it. That was my solace after deciding to not spend any money.
I finish my bath, get dressed, and know a jet tub cannot hold a candle to a no jet tub. Now, I am upset all over again. I hate spending money.....first our irrigation guy says we need to move 4 heads and now the tub!!! I felt I was systematically getting nickel and dimed by an inanimate object. Suck it up, I tell myself. Some people don't have the luxury of a nice bath and green grass during an entire hot summer. I then tell myself to 'Shut The Hell Up'. I am going to feel sorry for myself if I want to. Free Country.
Then it dawns on me. "Hey, Angela. You are fairly handy, especially for a girl. Why don't you extend your electrical prowess and check out the underbelly of the hot tub."
On my hands and knees, I open the main access door to the tub. Hey, what do you know....there is a GFI plug under there with the right light taunting me......'You are an idiot!' Why did I not know the tub plugged into something. Don't they hard wire those things in or something? So much for my electrical prowess!!! I guess I tripped the outlet when I turned off the juice to install the dimmer. I reset the button, pushed the jet button, and heard the beautiful harmony of 10 super power jets. They were taunting me, you know. Damn those jets....they knew all along.