He's got it

The Christmas spirit that is. This year, after the family came over and the cookies and presents started rolling, Harry was TOTALLY into it. He was just amazed. He still keeps saying, "I can't believe Santa brought this for ME!" So much fun and he loved everything.



And this was our humble Christmas table...thrown together at the last minute, but everyone loved the traditional turkey dinner and we had a lovely Christmas Eve.

Ways in which I am a cheap-o

1) I stalk my library's web site. I put new books on hold and watch and wait for it to be my turn. I just won't buy a book that I'm not sure I will ever read again. (and I already have 5 bookcases full of books)

2) Ditto for Blockbuster and new movies.

3) My thermostat is set at 62 degrees from 5am-8am and 5pm-10pm, but the other hours are set for a *chilly* 58 degrees.

4) I do buy certain things at Wal-Mart even though 95% of my family totally boycotts the place. Must be nice to be rich.

5) I always use less laundry detergent, shampoo, facial cleanser, etc. than recommended. It goes a lot further that way.

6) Alright, this one is hard to admit, but when our nearest thrift store is closed, I drive by and see what people have left outside the back door. This is NOT stealing because they have multiple signs telling people NOT to leave stuff out there when they are closed-that it is considered littering, so I feel no qualms about the wonderfully huge six drawer desk that I got there or the cute wooden bookshelf or the old chair for my daughter's room. I imagine this is gross to some people, but how gross can wooden furniture be? What could be living in or on it? I leave everything in the garage for a couple days to "air" it out and clean/sand/repaint it. Anyway, thanks litterbugs!

7) I won't buy anything for my scrapbook habit unless it is at a discount or on sale or with a coupon, even staples like adhesives and cardstock.

8) I use disposable shavers FAR too many times.

9) When asked what I want for my birthday or christmas, I always ask for something practical and if I get something fun instead, like a Starbucks card or jewelry or a sweater, I feel pretty ungrateful, even though I like those things too.

10) I have never tipped our newspaper delivery people. (at this house) We have so many missed days, wet papers and late days that I just can't give a tip for bad service. I guess maybe if I gave a tip this Christmas, I might get better service, but that just seems SO wrong to me, I can't do it.

There are a lot more, but I think you get the idea already.

I am in "list" mode lately...

here is another one:

5 ODD things about ME:

1) I hate it when toys are missing-I have gotten better now, but I used to count how many of each thing there were and yes, I would TEAR down the house to find it. When Harry was really little he had a Teletubbies puzzle and one of the tubbies went missing and I never found it. (and I still think about it!)

2) I can't leave laundry around....it must be folded and put away RIGHT from the dryer, with no interruption or I get, uh, "testy."

3) This is really awful, but I do almost everything in super-hyper-frenzy mode. Even if it is something enjoyable and I have nothing else to do, I rush-rush-rush through it until it is done. (the one exception is my driving, I am very good about being patient then)

4) Other than when I was very small (too young to remember) I have absolutely refused to try any type of seafood. I don't know why, but I will not touch it at all. (but I eat Starkist tuna once in a while-go figure)

5) I really hate wearing shoes. In the winter I wear slippers and in the summer I go barefoot. No shoes for me!

The A-Z of ME

I am stealing this from Karen, who stole it from someone else! HA!

A-Age: 36
B-Bed size: Queen
C-Chore you hate: scrubbing the tub-don't ask how long I avoid it
D-Dessert you love: a chocolate malt
E-Essential start your day item: coffee & newspaper
F-Favorite actor(s): Gwyneth Paltrow & Colin Firth
G-Gold or Silver: Silver
H-Height: 5'3"
I-Instruments you play: used to play guitar in high school, dabbled with the flute
J-Job title: part time nanny and full time slave at home
K-Kids: 1 girl and 2 boys
L-Living arrangements: Me, husband and three kids
M-Mom's name: Judy
O-Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Nope
P-Phobia: driving-people scare me to death
Q-Quote you like: "Intellect is invisible to the person who hasn't any." Arthur Schopenhauer
R-Right or left handed: right
S-Siblings: 2, I'm the oldest
T-Time you woke up today: 8 am
U-Unique habit: I have to sleep with my hands underneath me somehow or at least under a pillow (under the blanket isn't enough-it has to be something solid)
V-Vegetable you hate: I really hate a lot of them, but cauliflower is so stinky when cooked.
W-Worst habit: eating kid food-spaghettios, pizza, hot dogs, etc.
X-X-rays you've had: teeth, back, neck, head, hands, feet, knees, hips (I have arthritis)
Y-Yummy food you can make: I make VERY good cookies; peanut butter and chocolate chip
Z- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

I was tagged!

Karen Carter sent me this quiz, so here goes!

2-names you go by: Mommy and my husband calls me Babe
2-parts of your heritage: German on my dad's side and Norwegian & Irish on mom's side side
2-things that scare you: mountain driving-it can actually make me hysterical and becoming homeless (we have been close a couple times-not fun!)
2-everyday essentials: a large cup of decaf (so boring I know, but I'm hypertensive) and a very large bottle of sparkling water.
2-favorite bands or musical artists: Weezer & Toad the Wet Sprocket
2-favorite songs: Wherever you Will Go by the Calling (makes me cry-what a sap!) and Buddy Holly by Weezer
2- things you want in a relationship (other than real love): twice-a-week sex (at least) and patience with my moods
2-physical things that appeal to you in the opposite sex: bare chests (no hair, I mean) and no skinny-mini's
2-of your favorite hobbies: scrapbooking and reading
2-things you really want badly: a huge dining table and a new fridge
2-places you want to go on vacation: Hawaii and Europe (a multi-city tour)
2-things you want to do before you die: build my own home and write a book
2-ways that you are stereotypically a chick: I won't kill spiders if Brian is around to do it and I love hot bubble baths
2-things you are thinking about now: after tomorrow I have the rest of the week off & we have absolutely no money!
2-stores you shop at: Scrapbooks Atelier and Target
3-people I would like to see take this quiz: no fair! I'm such a dork that I have no one left to tag!

chirp.....chirp.....chirp.....chirp.....

This is what woke me up today. I guess I knew that it would happen-the batteries in one of the SIX smoke detectors in our house would get low when Brian wasn't home.

I am.... ah-hum.....vertically challenged. Armed with a step stool, I still had to S - T - R - E - T - C - H as much as I could on tiptoes to get the damn things down. (we do NOT have high ceilings, by the way) This after standing in the hallway for a good half hour because I was completely stumped as to which one was doing the chirping. I tried closing doors and standing in different places, to no avail. Finally, I just took three of them down and replaced all the batteries.

My question is, if they want people to replace those batteries so bad, why the hell do they make it so difficult to do so? Why do you have to take the whole thing off the ceiling, unplug the wiring and pry up the battery compartment with a screwdriver to accomplish this task? Why not one easy flip-down compartment on the thing so you can just GET THE JOB DONE?

There's some product designer/engineer out there that I'd like to kick in the ass right now.

Humdrum Halloween

This year's festivities didn't really do much for me or my family. I can't say why...nothing went wrong or anything, no one was sick, but we just weren't that into it. These pics kind of sum it up.

Sierra Scrap Escape

This past weekend, we were lucky enough to be invited up to Sierra Scrap Escape by Donna Ramirez. Even though I didn't have time to prepare a project or class, I got to bring my whole family and we spent time sightseeing together and took our christmas picture up there in the Pines. The resort was just lovely, with a Starbucks in the lobby. Even more improvements will be made by spring, so check it out!

It Doesn't Translate

I get lots of ideas....so many ideas and almost none of them come to fruition.

I love to lay in bed and think of things to do, but the next day, when I could possibly try to DO something, I either blank out or the thought of it just exhausts me. I'm not terribly lazy. I have a job, three kids, two cats and a very distracted husband to deal with everyday and I manage most of the time.

I want to be SUPERWOMAN and like, be creative when I'm making dinner, or stay up all night working on projects, or dictate ideas into a recorder, but I know I'm never going to do that. I say that I will have time "someday..."

Oh well.

The tacky stuff I notice.

I don't know why, but on my drive home, I drive past a semi-rural neighborhood that actually gets to have the curbside mailboxes. How quaint, right? Anyway, there is one that just make me "tsk" everyday. It is white with heart-shaped flags on it and silhouettes of desert quail running across the top. I don't get the whole make a flag into another shape thing and c'mon desert quail are so damn ugly and really stupid to boot. I mean, they take their whole brood (which can be DOZENS) running across the road and unlike ducks, they don't even go in a straight line in a calm manner....the dumb quail zig zag across the road like they are blind and their feet are on fire. I kind of like thinking of them as coyote chow.

10 Great Movie Lines

I can't even say that these are my top ten, there are so many great movies lines out there...this is just off the top.

"Put the candle back!" -- Young Frankenstein

"Excuse me, do I have 'fuck me' written on my forehead?" -- Cocktail

"Do or do not; there is no try." - Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back

"Half the time I'm with you, I'm thinking about something else."--Say Anything

"Why don'tcha put her in charge?" -- Aliens

"We're gonna need a bigger boat" -- Jaws

"Because I just went gay all of a sudden!" -- Bringing Up Baby

"All-righty then!" Ace Ventura

"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night." --All About Eve

"I'll have what she's having." -- When Harry Met Sally

I Love Being a GIRL!

Well, some of the time! Getting all dressed up, having my first manicure and pedicure and getting my hair styled for my sister's wedding was FUN! In order to make myself more comfortable and interested in doing the girly stuff at home, I am in the process of arranging a vanity in my bedroom. So far, I just have an antique sewing table, mirror and chair, but I plan on getting some kind of lighting and all the fun stuff, jars & bottles to make everything look pretty. It is much more relaxing to do my hair at my vanity instead of leaning over the bathroom sink!

What's the point?

I have been running across more and more password protected blogs. I don't get it. If you just want your little sorority to know you, then why don't you just send out a group email? If you don't want comments, turn them off. If you want to be anonymous, do that.

I know if I felt invaded and persecuted by the "icky" people who might read my blog, I would realize that it is time to QUIT.

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

I was watching this cartoon with Harry today and one of the characters, Bloo, " got away" while they were shopping and found himself in a gift shop. When he saw some dancing catci, he got a great idea. He asked another customer to hold it against his back and he started singing...

"BLATTY-BLATTY-BLATTY"

so the cactus would scratch his back.

Then he said,

"Do you think you could hold TWO?

and the guy did.

Then he said,

"Do you have any friends?"

and then they cut to three people, holding two cacti against his back each, while he's singing,

"BLATTY-BLATTY-BLATTY"

with his tongue hanging out.


While I'm laughing my butt off, Harry says, "I don't see what's so funny to you.."

Oh well, you had to be there.

My 10 Scrapbooking Mantras

1) Do it because you want to. If I start thinking "I have to get this done." then I stop. I am not going to turn this fun hobby into a job.

2) I am never going to be "done." I take far too many photos and have ideas and memories that pop up every day. Until my brain stops churning, I'm not going to be done.

3) I don't "need" that. This one is hard, but just because some new product is the hottest thing, that doesn't mean I NEED it. When I think that, it's time for a reality check.

4) I'm doing this for me, not for my kids or their kids. If they enjoy looking at them, then great, but I'm not so naive to think that all these scrapbooks are going to be kept forever.

5) Use what you've got. I've got a lot less than some, but still far too many supplies. I will paint, dye or cut up what I've already got before I run out to get something to coordinate.

6) Pictures are not always worth a 1000 words. The story behind the photos is just as important.

7) Inspiration is great, imitation is kinda dull. I have tried to scraplift and for whatever reason, it just takes the fun out of my pages. I'd rather have a crummy page that is all my own, than a bunch of copied stuff. It's the creative part that is fun for me (though sometimes very hard!) I guess if I wanted to follow a pattern, I'd learn to knit, or cross stitch or something.

8) None of this applies if you need to make a handmade gift, quick, easy and copied or from a kit is the way to go!

9) I try to follow that jewelry rule about taking one thing back off. I don't glue anything down until I know I'm done because with all the cool stuff out there, it is way too easy to load it all on.

10) Change is good. I'm not going to say never anymore, I might change sizes, I might go digital, you never know!

Love for my friend Kathy

Lots of love for a GREAT mom raising a lovely, smart little girl. You work so hard and do it all by yourself. Thinking of you today!

Angel in Repose

When my sister and I were very little, we had a Little Golden Book about a little girl...it went something like this: "There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad she was horrid." That little rhyme completely and accurately describes Kate. She can be so loving and sweet and wonderful, but if she gets an idea in her head and someone tries to stop her, look out!

Tough Guy

At 15 months, Pete has already mastered his tough guy look. It's the same look you see in the linebacker's eye. A slow, serious assessment. What exactly is a toddler working out in his little mind?

Little Monkeys

My brother's twins have turned into little monkeys.

When they want something now, they go uh-uh-uh-uh or ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh. Not just once or twice, but at least four times in a row.

They didn't do this until after they went to the Seattle Zoo...

cute little monkeys!

Sudoku makes me feel veeeeeeerrrrry dumb!

If you haven't heard of it, these puzzle books are actually making the bestseller list. My husband picked one up for me and I have to admit, it is extremely addictive. I kind of have to "cheat" to do them. After I get my whole first row or column done, I check in the back to see if I'm right, otherwise the whole damn grid is screwed. These make me feel oh so stupid and I can remember why I hated my Logic course in college so much. If you've got plenty of time to kill, check 'em out.