i was doing so well

My Christmas cards went out Decmeber 4th. I was so very proud of myself. It took a little longer than usual because my maililng list seemed out-of-date and incomplete. I swore that I had updated it and fixed it last year, but shrugged it off.  I must have handwritten the corrections and not gotten around to entering them into the computer. I had a few more cards left over than I thought I should but chalked it up to overestimating the size of my list. As some friends began commenting on receiving our card and others on not receiving it, I started to get a little suspicious. Thought I'd check the list one more time. Turns out I had been using the old, out-dated and incomplete list from three years ago. Some of the omissions I caught at the time, most I did not. So, if you happen to recieve two cards from me this year or maybe none at all, sorry. I think I've gotten it all straightened out but can't be sure. Probably, I'll do better next year.

Probably.

the little magic box - thankful

I had no idea how much this little box would make me happy. I don't play the games. I'm just not really that interested. But this little box makes t.v.bearable. We got rid of cable and t.v. channels completely because we can download anything we want to watch through Netflix or Zune. On weekend mornings the boys slip downstairs and Tommy downloads something from the kids folder all by himself while the grown-ups keep sleeping. And Ty does play the games, he plays them with his beloved brothers who live all over the country and they talk and laugh and are together, even when they aren't. Who says electronics are driving humanity apart? This one brings us together.

almost famous

Perhaps you remember this photo. Ty posted it on reddit and it has spread like crazy (150000 +views). Today we found it here. I wonder if I should feel bad that he has no idea that he is currently having his 15 minutes of fame. Ah, well, he has more important things to be doing anyway. People have also had fun with photoshop and sent us the results. Enjoy.

because that's what a scientist does

Today was Career Day at school.

Tommy has obviously chosen well.

it's already written on the calendar and thus, set in stone

Today I took the boys to the dentist. Both of them. Tommy is, and always has been, a super star dental patient. He grins through the entire process. He is mistakenly convinced that he, at some point, "before 1972" he had a cavity. Neither I nor the dentist can convince him otherwise. Johnny was a first-timer. His visits (we tried two different times today) consisted of him frantically and emphatically responding to every request and query directed at him with a definite, "No way!" It's surprising how many people are completely charmed by this outright defiance when it comes from my little blue-eyed boy. They got a quick glance in his mouth and that was all. They will try again in six months. This is where it got weird. When I made the appointments we were booking out in October and I had to consider the fact that Tommy will be in real school all day long and schedule accordingly. I realize that it's possibly a little early to be freaking out about the changes I see coming but you all know how I feel about thinking ahead.

lonely feet

Today I received a comment over on the shoe blog from someone who had just discovered it and was disappointed it wasn't going any longer. Me too. I miss looking at shoes I can't afford for no good reason. I must, however, admit, that I am doing way better on my budget since I stopped shopping for shoes every single day. Obviously, I am faced with a conundrum. But luckily for you, delightful reader, I have a solution. There will now be a section in the sidebar entitled Shoe of the Week. I promise to post a new and delightful shoe each and every week for the life of this blog (I plan for that to be a really long time), I might even post more often than that should inspiration so strike. I'm editing my shoe collection this weekend, you know, just in case, whilst perusing, I really do find something that I can't do without. Hmmm, perhaps like those above. I still haven't found my perfect animal print pump.

*** Only two more days to donate! Check out Shauna's story and help me reach my goal in her honor. There will be a delightful thank you package headed your way if only you click the link in the side bar.

inspired by nyquil

It's late and I am wide awake reading blogs because my throat hurts. I thought, perhaps. I would post some of the things I learned this week along with other ramblings. It's probably the cold medicine typing.

1. It was really smart of us to buy a house three miles away from Ty's office because when his truck starts acting up he can just ride his bike.


2. Johnny is not afraid of strangers who give away free balloons.


3. I am spending too much on groceries, must cut coupons or menu plan or something.


4. You have to have someone to tell or it will eat you up.


5. My sister is a greater advocate for me than I knew and apparently enjoys stroking my ego.


6. I cannot afford all the fabric I want to buy. (See #3)


7. My friends cheer me on when I take on the token thief at Chucky Cheese (and his mom). They are the ones who inspire me to do so.


8. My mother-in-law has a naughty side (just a little).


9. I miss my siblings desperately as we become parents.


10. It only takes 19 hours to drive to DC from my house.


11. When you have strep throat you get little red spots on the back of your throat.


12. You are only supposed to add 10% of your mileage to your weekly total when running-bah.


13. Tommy does not believe me about 17 being an important number to include when counting,


14. I could (and would love to) spend a whole lot of money on heirloom roses and obscure types of raspberry bushes.


15. That stupid hedge in the front yard has roots that stretch to Australia, but I will not be defeated.


16. I DESPISE not seeing results for all my hard work.


17. If you put things out by the curb for the donation truck, your neighbors may come shopping.


18. I cannot force Johnny to eat in his booster-he just moves his place setting while I am fetching his drink. This means he spends his meals dancing around the kitchen with an ear of corn in his hand for occasional bites


19. My heart aches for my Mom and her Dad, I really need my parents to be super healthy so I won't worry.


20. Ikea makes really soft sheets.

chicken little, personified

The other day after playgroup I noticed that Tommy had a new goose egg on his forehead. He hadn't complained of any incidents or accidents during the playgroup , but it certainly hadn't been there earlier in the day and it was a pretty big one. I asked what had happened. "Well," he responded, "there was this giant fireball that came soaring out out of the sky and bounced off the cliff and hit me right in the head!" Oh, I see.