A Little Visitor

Realized just now, while I was mopping the kitchen floor

I've often felt, I don't know, guilty or silly or lazy or lame that I didn't go to college right out of high school. I could have been DONE by the time I got married, but I let various things get in the way - moving in the middle of Junior year and no longer caring about school once we moved, boys, not caring enough to figure out the money, etc. But here's the thing about waiting until now to go to school - I know what I want to be when I grow up. I guess it's fairly likely that I would have figured it out and changed my major, but do you know what I probably would have majored in if we hadn't moved and I'd gone to college right away?

Technical Theatre.

And what would I have done with this degree? Probably the same thing I did with no degree - had kids and worked mostly part-time in various retail and clerical and childcare and healthcare type jobs.

The moral of the story is NOT don't go to college right out of high school. It's that sometimes things happen for a reason. I wouldn't say EVERYTHING happens for a reason and I'm pretty sure that hearing crap like that wouldn't have mattered a bit to my 16-year-old self who was pretty ticked that we moved in the middle of Junior year, but I think I'll let go of that not-going-to-college-sooner regret. It's not doing me any good anyway.

Hopefully if/when we decide to move (it's planned, but not decided, if that makes sense), my daughter, who is already pretty ticked about the idea and it's still 3 years off, will someday forgive us when she meets her soulmate/figures out it was the right thing to do/lives happily ever after. Of course, I really hope that she will be pleasantly surprised and delighted by our new home, but if not, then someday forgiving will have to do.

My bad

Oh m'gosh y'all. Obviously I was so, so wrong about the crazy Bumpits. They must be totally cool; Paula Abdul is so rockin' the big HAPPIE hair tonight. Got mine ordered just in the nick o' time.

Will I go to he@k if my kids are watching Men in Tights? Not that they are, but if they were?

Really? Really?

I'm trying to work here and so I have the TV on, of course, (remember, it's cold and lonely working at night boohoo), and from over there I hear this. Wait for it.

Flat hair is so last year? Oh no, what am I going to do? I just barely got a straightener.

Please, please, please tell me that this is one case where they are the ones out of touch and not me. Or at least tell me that this ad only runs in Texas, where big hair really, really didn't go out of style. Please tell me that women don't really want a big bump on the back of their heads. Why would anyone want that? Cone head is sexy.

Oooh, they have a mini Bumpit. I remember the tragic old days when you had to get that look the old fashioned way with layers of ozone-killing aerosol spray.

I wonder if I can get just the big Bumpit. Cuz I need a REALLY BIG thing on top of my head. Gag a maggot. Cone head is sexy.

Hey look, they also own the domain names http://www.bighappyhair.com/ AND http://www.bighappiehair.com/. BIG HAPPIE HAIR.



BIG HAPPIE BALD.



BIG HAPPIE HAIR!
Cone head is sexy.

Wahoooo!

The Queen won her first acting award tonight. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical, along with the other 2 girls that played her sisters in the Christmas show, which they all lost to the lead from the adult musical. But the director likes to give awards to the kids (keep them coming back!) and the 3 sisters had a surprise nomination for Best Ensemble. They were up against the Winter Wind (OTG was a WW), the Jitterbugs, the Toy Soldiers, the Toys (Vatican was a toy), and the cast of In Sam's Head. The 3 sisters won, which is a good thing - they really were spectacular (ahem, better than the grownup who won. I'm biased, of course, but I'm also right.) So, anyway, it was a lovely evening - SE's ex-boss made the usual "traitor" dig, all of the volunteers were awarded, OTR fell asleep in SE's arms, and the Colonel was a pain in the butt until I decided to sing The Wheels on the Bus with him, which was MAGIC. I'll be whippin' that one out again, you can bet on that.

Fetch in a handbasket, I just realized that I have an essay due by midnight. Fortunately, it's about 2/3 done, but um, I'm supposed to be working right now. Ack.

Weirdo Wednesday: The Contents

Yes, I stole this from one or more other people, but after reading theirs and in light of the fact that a new purse is en route to me and it had to be done anyway, I present the contents of my purse, freshly dumped:

and sorted:

and listed:

1. 3 yearbook forms that need to be filled out this week

2. 4 toys - a taxicab (from NYC!!), a tractor, a motorcycle, and the giraffe from Madagascar 2

3. 3 loose "extra" keys, one of which fits a car we have not owned for nearly a year

4. my actual keys with pink and brown keychain

5. cellphone

6. 2 prescription bottles containing hubby's emergency meds (one is laying on its side by the junk mail)

7. baby nail clippers

8. 4 Benadryl allergy/sinus/headache

9. splinter removal kit

10. needles, in case the splinter removal kit doesn't work

11. hairbrush

12. this semester's report cards for the girls

13. my VT list

14. 2 paint samples

15. 4 $1 off gas or groceries for Brookshire's coupons and one GM cereals coupon (huh, not even expired yet)

16. health insurance information for the kids

17. about 10 pieces of trash, mostly wrappers, but including a tiny piece of a french fry

18. 6 paper stars labeled "I am Thankful to be Me because I can:"

19. a semi-crunched liquid medicine cup

20. a hospital wristband (from SPY's echo)

21. 3 appointment cards, 2 of which have already happened

22. 14 receipts, none important

23. 1 piece of junk mail

24. 2 pens

25. an empty bottle of lotion

26. mascara

27. a mint

28. a single die

29. 2 checkbooks for our account, 1 empty checkbook cover (with old checkbook inside), 1 checkbook for an account that is not mine, and a book of deposit slips

30. 2009 Dallas temple schedule

31. my wallet

32. the headphones to my MP3 player

33. an empty snack-size baggie (I think it used to hold my blush, but I don't know where the blush went?????????!?)

34. 2 gift cards, each empty or with less than $2 left (should have been above, but I missed them and I'm not renumbering)

Phew.

Bleh.

Mild stomach bug, writing the Primary program, assorted other Primary-related tasks, wanting to sleep instead of do anything.

I made it to about page 30 of Twilight over the weekend. I've re-cast the movie. So far, Bella will be played by Ellen Page or Alexis Bledel and Edward will be played by Marcel Vigneron from Season 2 of Top Chef, aka Wolverine Chef, who it turns out is from Bainbridge, so he won't mind the dreary rain. Of course, at page 30 Edward has only made 3 appearances: lunch, bio, and the office - so that casting is subject to change. I picked Marcel because he is easier for me to picture than whatever that other guy's name is that really got the job. Also, he has that weird look AND he's funny. Because I see the movie posters/trailers and it makes me want to read the book less, because dark and dangerous guys are kind of a big turn-off for me. Seriously, no hotness factor there. Now, if Edward were preppy....... re-cast: Mark Paul Gosselaar as Edward. C'mon, let's set it at Bayside!! I've lived in the gray, it's super depressing, and moving during high school sucks but you might meet your soulmate, I get that part, but if Bella is going to fall for the dark and dangerous guy (and I'm thinking she might), she loses me there.

Oh well. I'm still hoping to be pleasantly surprised (not really, I know how the last book ends).

Weirdo Wednesday, Holiday Style

When I was in junior high, I was obsessed with the blender and would have eggnog (or orange julius) every morning for breakfast. I think this was before smoothies existed.

That's all I have time for today. Working, finish cleaning the hall (the downstairs is almost company-ready, as long as no one opens the closets or the office), goodie-making, Christmas tree putting up, laundry putting-awaying, dessert-making.

Love, peace, and joy to everyone!

Weirdo Wednesday

My brain is a bit fried tonight and I know that last week I had other Weirdo Wednesdays in my head, ready to go this week, but they have been replaced by weariness. I'm beginning to see why playpens used to be so popular as kid watchers. Every waking moment (his, not mine thankfully) SPY is into something, climbing something, wanting up, wanting down, wanting to nurse, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. We've gotten to the point where when I say his name in a certain tone he says "No?" because that's what usually follows. (He is now chuckIing things off3
thede3s2k and hitting random keys.) It sounds like he's my first but either I don't remember or he's more AAAAAAAAAH or I was younger.... or I was working outside the house and let me tell you working outside the house is so much easier than chasing an 18-month-old. Ironically, when I worked in childcare I worked mostly in the 18-month-old room. But the thing about childcare is that they have each other and other things to entertain themselves and you have backup.

BTW, my cell phone works - THANK YOU Brilliant Rice Recommender (Recommendor?)

The story of how my cell phone got washed is a story for Weirdo Wednesday. Usually my cell lives in my purse, because it is safest there, I don't lose it as often, though I do miss about half my calls because I can't hear it - but that is fewer than missing all of my calls because it is somewhere missing with the battery dead. Anyway, for whatever reason, my cell was in my pocket.

Hub was off to take the girls to rehearsal and I walked them to the door where he gave me a hug.

I said "Don't squeeze, I have to pee." I'm an idiot. He can't resist that kind of thing. So, he squoze (that looks wrong, squoze??). And I peed.

He was like, "I didn't think you really would."

"I've had 5 babies."

"I thought you were doing those exercises or something."

"Yeah, but I'm still dead inside. Besides, you'd know if I was." (if you know what I mean, wink, wink)

"Oh, sorry."

Ha on him, I was wearing his sweatpants. But I did go directly to the washing machine with them. So, it's his fault that my cell phone got washed (see that logic, eh?)

So, fun fact for Weirdo Wednesday: I pee at the drop of a hat.

Anyone want to guess how many cups of water Sam dumped out while I was typing this? Three.

Yay, hub is home and I'm going to a meeting WITHOUT the kids.

A bit ew

So, sometimes I do surveys online for fun and a little tiny bit of profit. Every once in a while, I get surveys that ask if I want to test a product. Last week, I had one that asked if my 8-year-old would like to test a new cereal. We said sure. It arrived on Tuesday and Bailey tried and really, really liked it. I'm contractually forbidden from telling you the name/details, but it wasn't really a new cereal, but a new and improved version of a cereal already loved at our house. Wonderful! It really was improved in texture and some other things. We all tried it. Today, I was completing the related survey and it kept asking me if I would like to buy this type of cereal if it contained more fiber, if I would pay more for it. Hmm, I guess that explains it. And by IT, I mean the not-so-nice side effect of cereals with lots of fiber. The kind of thing that other fiber-rich cereals warn you about right on the labeling - but of course, survey cereal has no labels (seriously, a pure-white cereal box, it's pretty cool unless you need some kind of warning). So, if you see a kid-friendly cereal touting it's extra fiber on the shelves at your supermarket, it WORKS. Which could be a good thing if you need to trick a child into eating more fiber. Or not if you don't.