Man, I am dragging today. I went to bed way too late last night, and then had trouble falling asleep. Then, I think I had some kind of nightmare that woke me up. Either that, or I had a nightmare that I had a nightmare that woke me up. Meh. Anyway, my point is... I am wiped out.
I can't believe it's almost November. I'm still wearing sandals, my one act of rebellion against nature. I may have to wear pants and a sweater because it's chilly, but I will not give up my sandals until absolutely necessary.
Woke up on Monday to find my car doors frozen shut. Well, Tony's car doors, actually, since I was taking his car. I couldn't get a single door open. I went inside, spent forever searching for the de-icer, and even that didn't help me. My neighbor across the street, a sweet elderly gentleman, took pity on me, and managed to pry one of my doors open for me. From there, I got in and kicked the rest open from the inside.
Oh, and yesterday? It was in the 70s.
Last night on Jeopardy, there was a category called "Celebs Who Twitter." Oh, Jeopardy, you are so hip and cool.
You know, Vanna White has the best job in the world. I mean, she gets to play dress-up every day. She's probably got a whole crew of people who do her hair and makeup for her. Then all she needs to do is stand there and look pretty. And every now and then, she walks back and forth in front of the board, so she's even getting exercise while she works.
Of course, if you think about it, it's also the most pointless job in the world. I mean, they don't really need her to touch the screens to make the letters appear.
I bought some Vienna Fingers the other day. Mmm, mmm, good. It's been forever since I've had them.
My daughter is just as random as I am sometimes...
Ari: Sometime can we go ride on a pirate ship?
Me: Where are we going to find a pirate ship?
Ari: We can buy one!
Last night when I was getting ready for bed, there was a ladybug in the bathroom. This morning, no sign of the ladybug, but there was a spider. I can't help but wonder if the spider ate the ladybug. Ahh, the circle of life.
"Glee"... I just love that show so much. I mean, what other show can you hear "The Thong Song," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Bust a Move" and "Sweet Caroline" (below), all in the same episode? (Not to mention the break dancing, waltzing, and swing dancing too.)
In my searching for "Glee" videos on YouTube, I came across this one... apparently, it's the same guy, singing all the parts, and then it's all spliced together. Here's his version of Glee's version of "Don't Stop Believin'"...
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
If you want to be me, be me
We watched Extreme Home Makeover this past Sunday--the family was the Hill family, and throughout the episode, the family, as well as the people redoing their house, sometimes chanted, "Whose house? Hill House!" like a cheer or a battle-cry or something. When the house was done, it was spectacular, as always, and included a basketball court out back. They made a point of zooming in on something painted on the pavement, and I was horrified to see that it said, "Who's house? Hill House!" I'm pretty sure I even yelled something out loud. Oh the horror of that typo, forever emblazoned in huge letters on the pavement. *cringe*
I woke up on Wednesday morning to find frost on the ground and on my car. I warmed my car up so that I didn't have to scrape, but I was still annoyed. Frost? Already? Fine, I get that it's officially fall and all, but still. And if that wasn't bad enough, this morning there were flakes of white mixed in with the drizzly rain. Nothing is sticking, but STILL. We should NOT be getting snow yet. That's just wrong.
I think it's time for another Caribbean cruise, like NOW. Who's coming with me?
That reminds me of a joke...
Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella?
Fo' drizzle.
(It's better told aloud, but still funny, right? ...Right?)
Have you seen those commercials for the T-Mobile MyTouch Google phones? The ones with that song, "And if you want to be me, be me, and if you want to be you, be you, 'cause there's a million things to do, you know that there are"? That song is stuck in my head right now.
You want to know how much of a nerd I am? That previous section... instead of writing something like, "Hey, you know that one cell phone commercial..." and then guessing at the song lyrics, I actually googled all that, so that I could get the exact name of the phone and the exact song lyrics. Because otherwise it would have bugged me.
Since I've been working out on the treadmill lately, it's given me some extra time to read. I recently read Sea Glass by Anita Shreve. I'd never even heard of her until a friend gave me this book--it was good, if not a little depressing. I like her writing style, though, so I will probably read her again. Right now, I'm re-reading 1984. At least... I think I'm re-reading it. I mean, I'm pretty sure I've read it before, but it's feeling so unfamiliar to me that now I'm wondering if maybe I just bought it and never read it.
So Ari got into the stash of Mickey Mouse band-aids a couple days ago...
When Tony asked her where she was bleeding (because our rule is... no blood, no band-aid), she said her knee. Apparently, "knee" means "entire leg" to her. (And for the record, there was no boo-boo.)
We had the guys over a few nights ago, and Ari declared she had to go potty. I followed her, since she usually still needs help pulling her pants back up. She walked in, saw that the seat was up, and declared, in this chipper little voice, "Oh, silly boys, leaving the seat up!"
I don't know why, but lately, Ari has been so excited when I get home from work... her face lights up, she yells "Mommy!" and immediately starts babbling my ear off. If I ask for a hug or kiss, I get one--and sometimes she'll even do that unprompted. She used to be totally indifferent to my homecoming, and I don't know what's changed, but I wish I knew, so I could make it stay like this.
Ari has reached the stage where she will actually sit still and watch an entire movie now. We've been working our way through the Disney classics--so far, we've got Pinocchio, 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, Lilo and Stitch, and Aladdin under our belts. And I will confess that I am not above using my powers of persuasion to get her to watch the movies that I like. For example, the night we watched Aladdin, she initially picked Snow White (which I can't stand, since Snow White's voice annoys me), but I talked her into Aladdin. And once the movie was in, I kept talking it up to her. "Hey, look, Ari, there's a camel! Oops, the camel fell down. Isn't that funny? Isn't this a funny movie?" I know, I am so bad. But hey, she watched the whole thing.
On a more serious Ari-related note, she is a sick little munchkin right now. She woke up with a fever Sunday, which went down on Monday, and she seemed totally fine on Tuesday and Wednesday. She seemed to have a bit of a scratchy throat, but nothing more. But then yesterday she developed this horrible barking cough... it was so painful to hear, and she would cry every time she coughed. It kept waking her up last night, and at one point, I held her and cried with her--that's how bad she sounded. Tony took her to the doctor this morning, and they diagnosed her with croup (which could be unrelated to whatever she had earlier in the week, or it could be that it just took this long to develop the cough). So she's on a 3-day steroid regimen, and we just need to keep an eye on her and make sure it doesn't get any worse. I googled croup (since I really don't know much about it), and it described the symptoms as a "barking" cough--similar to the sound of a seal barking. And that's really a perfect description--that is just what she sounds like.
Anyway, keep her in your thoughts and prayers, if you would. Aside from being more tired and cuddly than usual (which is to be expected when you're sick), she's still her same, goofy self, and she's eating and drinking well, and taking medicine without too much protest--so I'm sure she'll be fine. She's quite a little trooper.
Yes, everyone, it's true... I was the last person on the planet to see the video of the JK Wedding Entrance Dance. You know, I am totally the type of person who gets all teary-eyed at a wedding the moment the bride appears at back door. I don't know--there's just something about the light in her eyes, the gorgeous dress, the entire picture, that brings me to tears. And I have to tell you... despite the "mood" of this video, I totally got all verklempt when the bride appeared. I know, I know--I am such a sap.
I woke up on Wednesday morning to find frost on the ground and on my car. I warmed my car up so that I didn't have to scrape, but I was still annoyed. Frost? Already? Fine, I get that it's officially fall and all, but still. And if that wasn't bad enough, this morning there were flakes of white mixed in with the drizzly rain. Nothing is sticking, but STILL. We should NOT be getting snow yet. That's just wrong.
I think it's time for another Caribbean cruise, like NOW. Who's coming with me?
That reminds me of a joke...
Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella?
Fo' drizzle.
(It's better told aloud, but still funny, right? ...Right?)
Have you seen those commercials for the T-Mobile MyTouch Google phones? The ones with that song, "And if you want to be me, be me, and if you want to be you, be you, 'cause there's a million things to do, you know that there are"? That song is stuck in my head right now.
You want to know how much of a nerd I am? That previous section... instead of writing something like, "Hey, you know that one cell phone commercial..." and then guessing at the song lyrics, I actually googled all that, so that I could get the exact name of the phone and the exact song lyrics. Because otherwise it would have bugged me.
Since I've been working out on the treadmill lately, it's given me some extra time to read. I recently read Sea Glass by Anita Shreve. I'd never even heard of her until a friend gave me this book--it was good, if not a little depressing. I like her writing style, though, so I will probably read her again. Right now, I'm re-reading 1984. At least... I think I'm re-reading it. I mean, I'm pretty sure I've read it before, but it's feeling so unfamiliar to me that now I'm wondering if maybe I just bought it and never read it.
So Ari got into the stash of Mickey Mouse band-aids a couple days ago...
When Tony asked her where she was bleeding (because our rule is... no blood, no band-aid), she said her knee. Apparently, "knee" means "entire leg" to her. (And for the record, there was no boo-boo.)
We had the guys over a few nights ago, and Ari declared she had to go potty. I followed her, since she usually still needs help pulling her pants back up. She walked in, saw that the seat was up, and declared, in this chipper little voice, "Oh, silly boys, leaving the seat up!"
I don't know why, but lately, Ari has been so excited when I get home from work... her face lights up, she yells "Mommy!" and immediately starts babbling my ear off. If I ask for a hug or kiss, I get one--and sometimes she'll even do that unprompted. She used to be totally indifferent to my homecoming, and I don't know what's changed, but I wish I knew, so I could make it stay like this.
Ari has reached the stage where she will actually sit still and watch an entire movie now. We've been working our way through the Disney classics--so far, we've got Pinocchio, 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, Lilo and Stitch, and Aladdin under our belts. And I will confess that I am not above using my powers of persuasion to get her to watch the movies that I like. For example, the night we watched Aladdin, she initially picked Snow White (which I can't stand, since Snow White's voice annoys me), but I talked her into Aladdin. And once the movie was in, I kept talking it up to her. "Hey, look, Ari, there's a camel! Oops, the camel fell down. Isn't that funny? Isn't this a funny movie?" I know, I am so bad. But hey, she watched the whole thing.
On a more serious Ari-related note, she is a sick little munchkin right now. She woke up with a fever Sunday, which went down on Monday, and she seemed totally fine on Tuesday and Wednesday. She seemed to have a bit of a scratchy throat, but nothing more. But then yesterday she developed this horrible barking cough... it was so painful to hear, and she would cry every time she coughed. It kept waking her up last night, and at one point, I held her and cried with her--that's how bad she sounded. Tony took her to the doctor this morning, and they diagnosed her with croup (which could be unrelated to whatever she had earlier in the week, or it could be that it just took this long to develop the cough). So she's on a 3-day steroid regimen, and we just need to keep an eye on her and make sure it doesn't get any worse. I googled croup (since I really don't know much about it), and it described the symptoms as a "barking" cough--similar to the sound of a seal barking. And that's really a perfect description--that is just what she sounds like.
Anyway, keep her in your thoughts and prayers, if you would. Aside from being more tired and cuddly than usual (which is to be expected when you're sick), she's still her same, goofy self, and she's eating and drinking well, and taking medicine without too much protest--so I'm sure she'll be fine. She's quite a little trooper.
Yes, everyone, it's true... I was the last person on the planet to see the video of the JK Wedding Entrance Dance. You know, I am totally the type of person who gets all teary-eyed at a wedding the moment the bride appears at back door. I don't know--there's just something about the light in her eyes, the gorgeous dress, the entire picture, that brings me to tears. And I have to tell you... despite the "mood" of this video, I totally got all verklempt when the bride appeared. I know, I know--I am such a sap.
Friday, October 9, 2009
"Buy curtains please"
Anyone else here a fan of www.passiveaggressivenotes.com? I was just there a few days ago, and this particular one cracked me up...
If you can't read it, it says: "Attention: I want to let you know to be more private with yourself in your apartment. If not I have 2 call the police. But I'm sorry but if I see it the next time I will call it. BUY CURTAINS PLEASE."
(Why is it that the people who write these kinds of notes have the most horrendous grammar?)
Anyway, it made me laugh because of all the curtainless windows we have in our house. I'm hoping we can get curtains soon--at least for the living room, if nothing else. It drives me CRAZY to have those windows wide open like that, especially at night, when people can see in and you can't see out.
I heard yesterday that there are plans underway for a Titanic Memorial Cruise, and of course I had to check it out. Tickets are on sale now, and the ship will sail in 2012, the 100-year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. It will follow the same path as the original ship, pausing at the spot it sank for a memorial service, stopping in Halifax, Nova Scotia (where many of the victims are buried), and ending in New York, the Titanic's original final destination.
I get that this is meant to be a memorial and a tribute to the original ship and its tragic story, but am I the only one who finds this a bit creepy? And maybe a bit too much like tempting fate? I think I would be nervous for the entire cruise, and would spend my time counting lifeboats and watching for icebergs.
Ari's new swingset (well, she calls it a "play area") has a sandbox, and my brilliant child has figured out that she can make "snow angels" in the sand. Which of course leaves her caked with sand from her feet up to her curly head of hair. Which is just... ew. I mean, sand is fine at the beach, but I'm not liking the idea of her tracking it all over the house. I need to just get over myself, because she loves that silly sandbox, and she's a kid and she's supposed to get dirty, but still. I am not a big fan of dirt, in general.
I can't even talk about "Glee" or "The Office" because I'm sure I'll unintentionally spoil something. But they were both rather excellent episodes. (And now there's a certain YouTube video I need to look up.) And "Community" was great too. And "Parks and Recreation" is definitely growing on me. And "30 Rock" returns next week!
Oh, and fellow gleeks (AKA "Glee" fans), FYI... the soundtrack, volume 1, is being released on November 3. I know what I'm adding to my birthday wishlist.
All this TV talk. I swear I have a life, honest.
We swiped my parents' treadmill when we moved--they don't really use it, and we finally had room for it. I've been working out on it lately, and I love it. Mostly because I can read as I walk. Can't do that with the Gazelle, unless I want to get beaten up by the swinging handlebar-things. So I get to exercise my body and my brain at the same time--win-win.
Wow, I haven't yet talked about food. That's got to be, like, a record or something. Aren't you proud of me?
Target was out of my usual body wash the other day, so I grabbed a bottle of St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter body wash. And ooh baby, I love it. This might become my new "usual." Don't know why I've never tried it before--as a general rule, I really like St. Ives stuff. Their apricot facial scrub is a long-time fave of mine.
Ari was looking at some of the pictures I've put up, and when she saw one from our wedding day, she declared, "Oh, look, there's Mommy all dressed up like an angel!" A little while later, she saw another wedding picture in our bedroom and said I was dressed up like a ballerina. Either way, it's sweet.
Ari was in our room last night, and she spotted a big fake rose on my dresser...
Ari: Mommy, who gave you that flower?
Me: My friend Dawn.
Ari: Why did she give it to you?
Me: Because she likes me.
Ari: Why does she like you?
Me: I have no idea.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Pictures of most of the rest of the house
OK, ready for more house pictures? Good.
(Pictures of Ari's room are in the previous entry, if you missed them.)
Here's a picture of the outside again, because it's just so pretty. Oh, and that reminds me... I didn't take any pictures of that little sunroom off to the right. There's not much to see, really, and all that's in there are a few miscellaneous outdoor things, like Ari's wagon. Anyway...
When you walk in the front door, the living room is to your left...
View from the opposite side of the room... (The owners left that area rug for us--matches perfectly, no?)
The only thing left to be done in this room is hanging pictures and curtains.
When you go through the living room, on the left is the office... (Please excuse Ari's crazy eyes--I couldn't fix them in my photo-editing program.)
Another view...
Obviously the shelves need a little organization. And we could use some curtains as well (though it's on the side/back of the house, so it's not as much of a priority.) There's also a huge bookcase in there, but it's in dire need of some organization as well, so I didn't take a picture of it.
When you leave the office and head down the hall, you come to the downstairs bathroom (a full bath)... (Yes, Ari insisted on being in these pictures.)
You like the curtains? A friend of the family made them for me years ago, for the window in my classroom, and I almost got rid of them, thinking I would never use them again. But lo and behold, they matched this bathroom perfectly AND fit the window.
Side note: we didn't do any painting in the house. The colors that were already there were all fine with us, and even matched all the stuff we already had. We could paint if we wanted to, but we don't need to.
Then past the bathroom is the kitchen...
Another view (notice the fridge is already covered with Ari's magnets)...
Those 2 little white cabinets on the right used to be in our bathroom, but we didn't need them for storage here. So they became a small pantry.
I didn't take any pictures of the dining room, since that's the "staging area" right now for all the boxes we still need to go through. And there's really not much in there--just a table and chairs and a big bookcase.
OK, let's head upstairs. But before we do, Ari wants to pose near the messiest spot in the house. And of course this is the moment she gives me her best smile.
All right, upstairs. On the left is our bedroom. This is the view as you first look in the door. This is the only room where the walls don't match perfectly--they're the same pale green as Ari's room, and our bedspread is obviously not green. But they don't clash horribly either, so we won't bother painting.
And looking off to the left, our dressers. (I'll let you guess whose is whose.)
The only other thing in the room is the closet, which is boring (and small--Tony's clothes are all in the closet downstairs in the office because there was no room up here).
Then the upstairs bathroom... looking off to the left... You can't really see the color in these pics, but it's a nice sunny yellow--which coordinates nicely with the bathroom accessories we already had.
Another angle... (I'll go right ahead and confess that I need a stool to reach that top shelf... and I almost need to stand on my tiptoes to reach the lower one.)
And the shower curtain and the curtain on the window. Yes, this is the only room we have curtains in, because there were no blinds or shades or anything to cover that window. The only way you could really see in would be if you were standing in our backyard, but still. Putting up a curtain was a priority.
Speaking of the backyard... We're hoping to put in an invisible fence for the dogs, so for now, they are on leashes.
And the best part of all (at least, in a certain 3-year-old's opinion)... the swingset! She loves this thing. She's a little wary of the ladder on the back (Tony's going to install a couple handles to help her when she gets to the top), and she's not too sure about the slide (it's a little fast for her taste), but she loves the swings. She is just learning how to propel herself on the swings, too, which is so cute. Hmm, I think I took a video of her on the swings. I'll have to look for that later.
And that's all. Oh, wait, one last picture...
If I remember, I'll post pics of the dining room once it's cleared out. My parents are coming over for lunch on Saturday, so hopefully that will motivate us to get it done. All that's really left to be done is the finishing touches--putting pictures on the walls, getting curtains (for at least the living and dining room for now, since they're on the front of the house), and filling in the bookcases in the office and dining room. Oh, then we'll need to reorganize all the crap that got relocated to the basement, but that will get done eventually. At least the main living portion of the house is almost done. I'm really impressed with us, and how quickly we've gotten unpacked. And yes, in case you're wondering, I love love LOVE this house.
(Pictures of Ari's room are in the previous entry, if you missed them.)
Here's a picture of the outside again, because it's just so pretty. Oh, and that reminds me... I didn't take any pictures of that little sunroom off to the right. There's not much to see, really, and all that's in there are a few miscellaneous outdoor things, like Ari's wagon. Anyway...
When you walk in the front door, the living room is to your left...
View from the opposite side of the room... (The owners left that area rug for us--matches perfectly, no?)
The only thing left to be done in this room is hanging pictures and curtains.
When you go through the living room, on the left is the office... (Please excuse Ari's crazy eyes--I couldn't fix them in my photo-editing program.)
Another view...
Obviously the shelves need a little organization. And we could use some curtains as well (though it's on the side/back of the house, so it's not as much of a priority.) There's also a huge bookcase in there, but it's in dire need of some organization as well, so I didn't take a picture of it.
When you leave the office and head down the hall, you come to the downstairs bathroom (a full bath)... (Yes, Ari insisted on being in these pictures.)
You like the curtains? A friend of the family made them for me years ago, for the window in my classroom, and I almost got rid of them, thinking I would never use them again. But lo and behold, they matched this bathroom perfectly AND fit the window.
Side note: we didn't do any painting in the house. The colors that were already there were all fine with us, and even matched all the stuff we already had. We could paint if we wanted to, but we don't need to.
Then past the bathroom is the kitchen...
Another view (notice the fridge is already covered with Ari's magnets)...
Those 2 little white cabinets on the right used to be in our bathroom, but we didn't need them for storage here. So they became a small pantry.
I didn't take any pictures of the dining room, since that's the "staging area" right now for all the boxes we still need to go through. And there's really not much in there--just a table and chairs and a big bookcase.
OK, let's head upstairs. But before we do, Ari wants to pose near the messiest spot in the house. And of course this is the moment she gives me her best smile.
All right, upstairs. On the left is our bedroom. This is the view as you first look in the door. This is the only room where the walls don't match perfectly--they're the same pale green as Ari's room, and our bedspread is obviously not green. But they don't clash horribly either, so we won't bother painting.
And looking off to the left, our dressers. (I'll let you guess whose is whose.)
The only other thing in the room is the closet, which is boring (and small--Tony's clothes are all in the closet downstairs in the office because there was no room up here).
Then the upstairs bathroom... looking off to the left... You can't really see the color in these pics, but it's a nice sunny yellow--which coordinates nicely with the bathroom accessories we already had.
Another angle... (I'll go right ahead and confess that I need a stool to reach that top shelf... and I almost need to stand on my tiptoes to reach the lower one.)
And the shower curtain and the curtain on the window. Yes, this is the only room we have curtains in, because there were no blinds or shades or anything to cover that window. The only way you could really see in would be if you were standing in our backyard, but still. Putting up a curtain was a priority.
Speaking of the backyard... We're hoping to put in an invisible fence for the dogs, so for now, they are on leashes.
And the best part of all (at least, in a certain 3-year-old's opinion)... the swingset! She loves this thing. She's a little wary of the ladder on the back (Tony's going to install a couple handles to help her when she gets to the top), and she's not too sure about the slide (it's a little fast for her taste), but she loves the swings. She is just learning how to propel herself on the swings, too, which is so cute. Hmm, I think I took a video of her on the swings. I'll have to look for that later.
And that's all. Oh, wait, one last picture...
If I remember, I'll post pics of the dining room once it's cleared out. My parents are coming over for lunch on Saturday, so hopefully that will motivate us to get it done. All that's really left to be done is the finishing touches--putting pictures on the walls, getting curtains (for at least the living and dining room for now, since they're on the front of the house), and filling in the bookcases in the office and dining room. Oh, then we'll need to reorganize all the crap that got relocated to the basement, but that will get done eventually. At least the main living portion of the house is almost done. I'm really impressed with us, and how quickly we've gotten unpacked. And yes, in case you're wondering, I love love LOVE this house.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Ari's new room
Drum roll, please... we have pictures!
I'll start with Ari's room, since that might just be my favorite room. I told Tony today that I want to kick her out of it so I can live in it.
What you see when you first walk in the door... her dresser and her big-girl bed...
Looking off to the right... her toy box, the rocking chair, and the bookcase with her huge collection of books...
The gable, with her shelves and her little princess table...
And past that, more bookcases (for toys) and her closet. And to the right of this is the door again, so we've come full-circle...
And here's a better shot of her big-girl bed, which we got for free from a friend of a friend...
She insisted that I take a picture of her sitting at her table...
Me reading her a bedtime story before bed that night...
And getting ready to go to sleep in her big-girl bed for the first time! (Yes, we're lame and had to take a picture of this moment.)
And that's all for now. More pictures to come in a future entry--probably tomorrow. I've taken pictures of all of the rest of the house (and the yard) except for the dining room, since that's where all the miscellaneous boxes are residing. So stay tuned...
I'll start with Ari's room, since that might just be my favorite room. I told Tony today that I want to kick her out of it so I can live in it.
What you see when you first walk in the door... her dresser and her big-girl bed...
Looking off to the right... her toy box, the rocking chair, and the bookcase with her huge collection of books...
The gable, with her shelves and her little princess table...
And past that, more bookcases (for toys) and her closet. And to the right of this is the door again, so we've come full-circle...
And here's a better shot of her big-girl bed, which we got for free from a friend of a friend...
She insisted that I take a picture of her sitting at her table...
Me reading her a bedtime story before bed that night...
And getting ready to go to sleep in her big-girl bed for the first time! (Yes, we're lame and had to take a picture of this moment.)
And that's all for now. More pictures to come in a future entry--probably tomorrow. I've taken pictures of all of the rest of the house (and the yard) except for the dining room, since that's where all the miscellaneous boxes are residing. So stay tuned...
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