No time like knitting time!

It's official!

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:46:14 GMT

We closed on our house today! SO exciting & I am incredibly exhausted after spending close to 6 hours unpacking. Our earnest money will be returned on Monday as the seller's attorney in CA dropped the ball by not sending their paperwork. *sigh*

Our painter's partner quit yesterday so he was alone to do our job today. He still managed to get our bedroom & the bugaboo's bedroom done. Our realtor liked our bedroom color so much (Behr's Witch Hazel) that he took our sample home to show his wife! Bugaboo chose pink for her walls (Behr's Delicate Bloom) & it's very little girl chic as opposed to Pepto-Bismol nightmare. He's coming back tomorrow to do the hallway, guest room & to start the living room. We will probably hire him once we decide on the colors for our bathroom & Bugaboo's. The wallpaper in the house is a little scary.

We've met several of our neighbors so far & they've all been wonderful. I think we're going to be very happy in our new (beautiful!) home!

Oscar Wilde was right

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:40:11 GMT

It's very strange when you're playing tourist in a city where you spent 7 yrs of your life. You know so much about where you're taking your co-travelers (what? It's a word!) but things have changed just enough to keep you on your toes.

It's also very strange (and somewhat disturbing & sad) when you run into old friends & coworkers who tell you that people you've never met asked them about you. "What was she like?" "What is their daughter's name?"

A return trip to VT is in the works, just waiting for the call.

Enough is enough

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:30:07 GMT

I think everyone on here who knows me knows that I was married once before.  We divorced.   At any rate, I moved down here & sometime afterwards the emails started.

I've been called every name in the book & have been made privy to information about my ex & the women in his life that may or not be true. I've ignored it, I've replied to the little troll & I've forwarded the emails onto my ex.

Hunter has been aware of it from day one & we've experienced similar things from his ex and people claiming to be friends of hers.   We're thankful that our phone number is unlisted & unpublished.

Last year I was signed up for a book of the month club. This year I've received religious junk mail (anonymously sent, of course) & have been signed up for a dating service. I received email saying that my ex commented on my paris pics & how it was tragic our plane didn't go down & leave our daughter an orphan.

The reason I'm posting this here as opposed to my regular blog is because I believe the culprit is someone who may or may not still be on his list of friends here on LJ.

So little troll person who has such an interest in my boring little life. Find someone new to annoy. Don't you think that 6 years is long enough?   Tom/Morgan has his own life & honestly I am happy that he has moved on, found peace w/in himself & is at a point in his life where he likes himself. I dont begrudge him that as I too am at a point in my life (and have been for a while) where I truly love myself, who I am & what i have. I'm not jealous of him & I'm sure he's not jealous of me.

Find someone else to stalk.   I'm really not that exciting!

What have you done?

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:14:57 GMT

From Angela

This is a list of 200 things, bold (and put explanation in parenthesis if you want) if you've done them before...

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier (boobs but we get the idea)
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days (that
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Bench pressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records (CDs, actually)
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving (well, the trial run in the hotel pool and then for about 2 minutes in the ocean before I got claustrophobic)
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theatre
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it (and I'd gladly do it again)
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favour of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Sword fought for the honour of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favourite childhood toy
128. Followed your favourite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Member of Congress
132. Had them write back
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ... more than once?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone's heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a TV game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle (ridden on a motorcycle)
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery (C section)
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than US states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name(on October 2, 1999)
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad (didn't finish it)
181. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. ... and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196. Dyed your hair
197. Been a DJ
198. Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199. Written your own role playing game
200. Been arrested

C'est incroyable!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:26:39 GMT

Got in from Paris late Tuesday night---truly incredible! I impressed myself w/ my rusty French (I used to be fluent once upon a time) & was mistaken for a local outside of Notre Dame.

Will post pics etc after we get home (still in VA at the ILS) & I transfer the 500 something pics we took onto my laptop.

sigh

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:56:33 GMT

There's an unofficial date. I say unofficial because nothing is set until he is on the plane & it is in the air. But a DATE!

Flight/hotel in Paris have been booked & paid in full.

Disney is booked & paid in full.

Hunter's car will be paid in full on Friday when it arrives from NC.

House is in the process of being cleaned.

Outfits are picked out. Must get mani/pedi & color hair.

Could this tour really be done?

ipod meme

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:45:38 GMT

Okay , you know how to  do this. Select "shuffle songs" & enter the title in the header. No skipping ahead just because the song doesn't fit!

Opening Credits:
Crazy Little Thing Called Love—Queen    Hmmmm, is this an 80’s movie?

Waking Up:
He Went to Paris—Jimmy Buffett.    So apparently he left me? And so soon. What gives?

First Day At School:
Radio Free Europe—REM     Ooh, it’s the late 80’s.

Falling In Love:
Just Go With Her—Toby Keith.    “You dont stay with the one you can live with. It’s the one you can’t live without. . .”

Fight Song:
Rednecks—Randy Newman.       Hahahhaha! Apparently I’m in the South in the 80’s!

Breaking Up:
Many Rivers to Cross—UB40

Prom:
Viva Las Vegas—Elvis. Oooooooooooooooh yeah!

Life:
She’s a Lady—Tom Jones

Driving:
Shambalaya—3 dog night

Flashback:
River of Dreams---Billy Joel

Getting Back Together:
The Kids are All Right—Dropkick Murphys

Wedding:
Underneath the Bottle—Lou Reed.    If I could stop laughing I’d write something cute. “oooh oooh weee, son of a b!”

Birth of Child:
Maggie’s farm---Bob Dylan.   If this was some crazy homebirth in a barn I dont want to know about it!

Final Battle:
We Didn’t Start the Fire---Billy Joel.

Death Scene:

The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes—Elvis Costello. Been my theme song for years.

Funeral Song:
Never Been to Spain—3 dog night. I blame Hunter as he nixed Barcelona on our upcoming trip!

End Credits:
Cadillac Ranch—Bruce Springsteen.

Whatever

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:36:42 GMT

I really hate when groups tell me what to do. Earlier in the year the MOMS club I belong to told us not to consign w/ a certain group in town for their sale b/c 2 members had problems with them. Funny, I've consigned w/ them (as have other friends) several times without incident so it's funny ho w suddenly these 2 people have problems.

I dont believe in strikes so here you go!

The Wee One is painting this morning & I'm taking it easy. I'm getting over a cold & stomach bug so we'll lay low most of today.

We're under 60 days until homecoming! No dates yet, just , big ol' window. Finally, an end is in sight!

For the love of Pete,

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:07:02 GMT

will you just shut the hell up? There's a woman on a message board I frequent who is quite possibly THE most annoying twit on the face of the Earth. (No, fellow Creepies, it's not anyone on our board or nc.com!) She knows everything, has done everything & has seen it all. I'm not saying she isn't intelligent--she is but her know-it-all attitude is so.freakin.annoying. I realize it probably stems from self esteem issues IRL but she really makes viewing this board a labor of love!

I'm sure the fact that I'm sick is only adding to my dislike of this person. On a happy note--the Wee One turns 4 in a couple weeks---HOW is this possible?? What happened to my baby? It's insane how quickly time has passed & what a wonderful girl she's becoming. So amazingly smart, sweet & funny. The other day we were coming home from school & I asked what her little friend Hannah brought for show & tell. From the back seat this little voice says "Mommy, I have food in my mouth. I CANNOT talk to you now!" The look on her face was priceless. She helped me put away laundry & has been quite the little hug monster! She's a riot when she talks to Hunter online, esp on webcam! I cannot wait for him to come home so they can spend some much needed Daddy/Wee One time together.

This past Tues. marked 1 yr since he left for Iraq. The only good thing is that his next paycheck will have an extra 1k which all service members receive when they are deployed for more than 12 months. His will pay for our plane fare to Europe this summer! There IS an end in sight to this suck year!

Getting on my political soap box

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:13:30 GMT

Just for a minute. Humor me.

I think I can say, without argument, that I have a personal interest in the war in Iraq. My husband's winding down his 3rd combat tour (this one our longest---15 months) & I've lost more sleep, acquired more gray hairs, worry lines, upset stomachs (I get physically ill when he goes on a missioin) than anyone I know. Certainly more than the average person who doesn't have a loved one over there.

So as I step up on my soap box I say this to you. Who in their right ever lovin' mind thinks that pulling our troops out of Iraq is a good idea? Oh I know, the Democratic candidates say they will bring the troops home. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

History lesson people. Germany & WWII----we STILL have troops there. The war ended in 1945 & the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. Yes, we are paring down our bases but still have troops there. Korea--that little "police action" that was never declared a war. Again, troops are still being sent there. It's an unaccompanied tour for most. Don't believe me? Ask my friend Melissa whose husband came home from his 2nd combat tour in Iraq this past spring only to go to Korea without his wife, step sons & 2 yr old daughter who has spent a fraction of her life with her daddy. Then of course, there's Bosnia. Our involvement there was a mere drop in the bucket yet we continue to deploy soldiers to good ol' Bosnia.

Yet people actually think that Hillary or Obama will bring the troops home??? Come on people! You're smarter than that! I'm not saying to vote Republican if that's not your political bent. I'm just saying get a freakin grip on reality. STOP telling me that I need to vote for the Dems b/c they'll bring my husbnad home & prevent 3ID from going back in 2010. Pulling the troops would be a big, huge, the biggest, mistake. (bonus points if you get the "big, huge, the biggest" reference!)

The pic that made my husband say WOW!

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:00:38 GMT

The wee one & I had lunch w/ his aunt from Richmond while we were in VA visiting the ILS on our way home from VT.

After being gone for almost 3 weeks, I have to say it's so nice to be home & I cannot wait to climb into my own bed!!

There is a feeling of giddiness

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:53:25 GMT

when you go shopping for pants only to discover you are the same size you were as a sophomore in college. You know, when you had an eating disorder & were taking a couple dance classes a week? Yeah, then! I discovered this Saturday in the fitting room in Macy's while shopping for jeans as my old ones are several sizes too big! YAY me!

Here I am w/ the wee one at our FRG's Halloween Party last week. She's going to wear that costume again next month when we go see Disney on Ice. It's all about the princesses so she will most likely lose her mind when they come out!!

And 18 days later, it was over

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 14:09:00 GMT

R & R that is.

We had a great time which was nice. We had a wonderful time at the beach despite Tropical Depression "10" threatening us & were grateful for 2 semi-sunny days. We want to go back next summer when he comes home----probably after we come home from Europe. It would be a long weeekend trip which would be nice.

The Wee One has already told me this morning that she's "sad" & is "missing my Daddy". Breaks my heart.

I did some retail therapy on the way home from the airport & found the Michael Kors bag I had been looking for! YAY! A stila shadow & lip gloss later & we were on our way home.

I slept well, all things considered & woke up at 4 to a phone call from Hunter saying he was in Ireland & would call when he got back "over there"

The wee one & I are going to run errands this morning (return the other MK purse I bought ---color is my 2nd choice, go pick up my ipod ---the one we bought was defective & they had to get a replacement in from another store, go to the grocery store for milk & a few other things. Maybe pick up The Jungle Book DVD & have a lazy afternoon asit's sprinkling out.

Is it June yet??

R & R is here!

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:20:45 GMT

So happy!!! Off to run a couple errands & enjoy some much needed family time!

RIP Fez

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:10:30 GMT

Please pray for Fez, his family & the soldiers he left behind. I've known about this for a week & was told not to say anything to anyone.

Fez was one of Hunter's medics. He was a good kid---we had him here for Thanksgiving dinner last year. He was the guy that the others ribbed as they would a younger brother.

In my mind's eye I can still see him sitting in the chair in our living room giving as good as he got from the other guy.

Hunter is very torn up by his death & a friend of mine's husband (Fez's boss) blames himself.

RIP Fez. You are missed.

From our local paper:

3rd Brigade medic killed in Baghdad

San Antonio's Spc. Javier Paredes remembered warmly by friends, family
BY MICK WALSH -

Fort Benning's latest victim of the war in Iraq was identified only by his dog tags.

"That's how they confirmed it was him," said Pedro Paredes, the brother of Spc. Javier Paredes, who died Sept. 5 from injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations in Baghdad. "I didn't want to accept it. I never thought that would happen to Javier."

The official release of Paredes' name by the Department of Defense was delayed for several days after they released the name of the other soldier in the attack -- Spc. Keith Nurnberg of McHenry, Ill.

Both were members of Fort Benning's *unit name left out by me* part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, which has been deployed to Iraq since April 1. They were killed when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the Humvee in which they were riding.
Paredes, a 24-year-old medic from San Antonio, enlisted in the Army three years ago. A graduate of Ingram High School, he had worked in construction and as a dishwasher at a local market before joining the Army.

Family and friends were in shock when notified of Paredes' death after gathering at the home of his aunt, Maria Acevedo.
According to the San Antonio Express, Paredes lived much of his life in foster care.
"Javier was a good kid," Acevedo told the newspaper. "His mother would have been proud of him."

She died in 1999.
Paredes, known by his nickname Niño, lived with Acevedo just before he joined the Army in 2004.

The family described Paredes as a proud, strong soldier who loved his job and worked as a medic.
Gonzalo Paredes, 20, said he was going to miss his brother.
Paredes' best friend, Juan Medina, 21, said he worked with Paredes at the Central Market on Broadway in San Antonio for a few years.
Medina said his friend was a hard worker who washed dishes and did other jobs at the store, often volunteering for night and holiday shifts.
"The day he joined the military," he said, "he called me from the recruiter's office. I told him, 'Niño, what are you doing? You know we are at war, right?' But he said he had made his decision, that he was going to do it and I didn't need to worry. But that's the way he was, spontaneous."

Acevedo said she was also worried about her nephew's safety but told him the day he enlisted that he had her support in his decision.
"I told him joining the military was a bad decision," Pedro Paredes said, remembering that his brother also at some point considered college. "But when he makes up his mind about something, he does it, and he does it all the way."

The deaths of the two *again, leaving out unit name* soldiers brings to 10 the number from that battalion to die in the war. The toll in the brigade now stands at 22.

Knitting Survey

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:42:17 GMT

Mark with bold the things you have knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk (if a blend counts)
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns (it's on the needles)
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting (Can't do it--I have to think too much! LOL)
Designing knitted garments (once!)
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca (again, a blend)
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars
Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere (you guessed it---a blend!)
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (no no no no!)
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

The one where I get all introspective on the F word. . .

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:47:16 GMT

Roll your eyes & skip this if you want. Really, I wont be offended!

So I have a big birthday. The F word. People ask me how I feel about it almost daily! I loved my 30's & was really sad to see them end. F word seems old, maybe because when my parents were in their 40's I saw them as old. Most of the time turning F-word doesn't bother me as I really feel that age is just a number. But let's be real, the F word is a lot older than 25. Not that 25 was all that spectacular but the world is still your oyster at 25. By the time the F word rolls around it's expected that you have harvested that oyster already & either have a pearl or have enjoyed the oyster on the half shell. Yum. Oysters on the 1/2 shell. Oysters Rockefeller. Great, now I'm craving oysters. Or mussels at the very least.

*note to self----order mussels next time you see them on the menu. Or oysters.

So back to the F word. No one believes I'm there so why should I own up to it?? I could easily be 36 for the next couple yrs if I wanted to. 36 was nice. I was pregnant w/ the wee one & had her while still 36. It was a very good year.

Really tho, most of them have been good years! I'm very lucky.

So the other night I was putting the wee one to bed & we were having some snuggles after reading our bedtime stories (Meet the Dinosaurs, Snuggle Puppy, The Belly Button Book, Polar Bear, Polar Bear what doyou hear & Goodnight Moon in case you were wondering) & it hit me. What does my age matter if I'm THIS happy?

I have a lot to be happy about. I have a husband who loves me & who is healthy & alive & whole. Recent events here hit too close to home & I am counting my blessings that he's not injured, or worse. I have a wonderful little girl who is healthy & sweet & so smart & beautiful. I have a dog who loves me no matter what my breath smells like in the morning! I have a family (parents, brothers, ILS etc) & friends who love me & support me. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, a soft place to lay my head at night & creature comforts. My health isn't perfect but I have legs to carry me, eyes & ears that see & hear, a mouth that can get me into trouble & hands that can knit, throw a ball for my dog or stroke my daughter's cheek. We're not in the same league as Donald Trump but we have enough $$ to live on & some to save.

I know I'm getting all Jimmy Stewart/It's a Wonderful Life here but it's true.

I haven't written the great American novel & I'm not a celebrity w/ a TV show (although I admit, I'd love to have my own talk show!) but I have a great life! I'm not at the place I thought I'd be at when I was 22 & starting out in life but man, getting here's been fun (again, for the most part) & this place is pretty damn good!

So, F-word birthday----bring it on!!

I have to get this off my chest

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:03:11 GMT

or surely I will explode.

If you're a military spouse & your husband goes away for a month & you lose you freakin' mind & have to go home to Mommy & Daddy, YOU ARE A WHINEY ASS!!

I realize that civilian spouses may have a hard time with their loved ones being gone for a week or 2 but we're not talking about civilians here. We're talking about wives of soldiers during wartime. Yes, it's hard to be Mommy & Daddy to your wee ones. Yes, it's hard to be away from your family when your husband is away. And yes, it's hard when you have your first deployment.

BUT.

You really need to grow some & accept the fact that you are married to somone whose job will ask him to go to work on Monday & come home a year & a half later. If you didn't realize that when you married him then obviously you should have sobered up & asked more pertinant questions before saying I do.

There's a blog on another site taht I read periodically. The author is an Army wife whose husband went away for a few weeks. She lost her mind & HAD to go home for support b/c she was overwhelmed by him being gone & her being alone w/ the kids. It was everything I could do not to respond to her post & ask what is she going to do when/if he deploys to a combat zone?? Of course, when you do that you're considered to be mean.

Bite me.

Maybe it's the fact that we've had so many deployments in such a short period of time, maybe it's the fact that I am nothing if not a realist, maybe if's the fact that I know women here whose husbands avoid deployment by faking hearing loss so they have to be reclassed. Maybe it's PMS, i dont know. But for the love of pete, get a grip on your life.

Hmmmmmmm, I feel so much better----off to enjoy a glass of wine & work on my fall felted bag exchange bag.

1st day of school

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:30:16 GMT

3 years ago I had a baby who had started to roll over & was a wiggly giggly little bebe.

Today I have a little girl. Not a toddler, not a baby but a little girl! How is this??!!

She started back to school today & didn't even glance back at me when I left her classroom. She was already playing with 3 kids & having a blast. She was all smiles when I picked her up & was happy that she saw her "best friend" from last year on the playground. They're not in the same class this year but will see one another during "recess".

I'm the mother of a big girl!! Whaaaaa????

Today's the day!

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:42:18 GMT

CT results! Part of me is nervous but part of me says if they had seen something I would have heard before now. We'll see in a few hours.

Meet & Greet for the wee one's school tonight----We know of 1 little girl who will be in her class (they've played together once) & will see who the others are. I'm hoping that a couple of the kids from last yr's class will be in this yr's too. I know it would make things a little easier for her.

R & R is on the horizon & our vacation is booked! It's going to be so nice to have our little family together again!

On the knitting front I finished a kiddie capelet for my friend paige's oldest daughter. Now to do one for her youngest. She made the wee one an adorable outfit (sewn) for her 1st day of school so we're doing a little swap. I realized that I had 2 prs of Addi 9's in 32". How did that happen?? I really need a 9/24". M aybe I can swap for them.

Im also working on the Yoda sweater for BIL & SIL's baby (due in Jan). Ive got the back finished & need to CO for the sleeves. MIL seems to think they're having a girl (they find out next month) & I've made it in boy colors (grass green & a varigated trim) so we'll see if I'm going to finish this one for the next person to have a boy & start a girl version for them. I have a good stash of Plymouth Fantasy Naturale so I'm set.

Off to get ready for my appt.

Meme from Jenna. . .

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:58:50 GMT

1. Do you still talk to the person you lost your virginity to?
No, I actually haven't seen him in oh, 13? 14 years.

2. Is it harder to be rejected or to reject someone else?
To reject someone else---I hate hurting people

3. What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
Top 40 pop & whatever my brothers listened to that I thought was cool.

4. What is the best thing about your current job?
Seeing my little girl change day by day!

5. Do you wish cell phone etiquette were a required class?
Wouldn't that be nice!!

6. What's the last thing you drank?
diet coke

7. Have you been on a date in the park?
Yes.

8. Where are you going on your next vacation?
Europe after OIF5 is over

9. Have you ever thrown up from working out?
Yes

10. Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
Old.

11. Have you ever gotten so wasted you didn’t know what was going on?
LOL, not recently, but yes.

12. Do you like pulp orange juice?
I dont drink oj.

13. Are you touchy-feely?
It depends on who you are.

14. Did you cry at your high school graduation?
Yes.

15. Do you prefer the tanning bed or the sun?
I love being in the sun at the pool or beach! .

16. What are two of your favorite places to eat?
Buckhead Grill in Columbus & Ken's Pizza in Burlington, VT

17. What could you tolerate, someone who snores or a sleep walker?
I'm married to a man who snores AND grinds his teeth.

18. Do you consider yourself bi-polar?
Nope, pretty mentally stable which is pretty impressive lately!.

19. What's something your friends make fun of you for?
My knitting

20. What's your worst personality flaw?
Im very judgemental

21. Have you ever gone to therapy?
Once. I didn't like hearing that I was a control freak. It was something I couldn't control LOL.

22. Would you ever parachute off of a plane?
Life or death situation, yes.

23. Have you ever ridden an elephant?
No

24. Are you Irish in any way?
100% French baby

25. Have you ever ridden in a U-Haul?
Yes--and driven one, too

26. Do you like to play Scrabble?
I'm not a big board game person (other than Candy land right now)

27. Have you ever been to a nude beach?
No, whatever floats yer boat.

28. Have you ever drank Jack Daniels?
Yes.

29. Have you ever had sex on the beach?
Yes.

30. What are you saving your money up for right now?
Saving our HFP & FSP for Europe & a downpayment on a car for hunter. The rest of our $$ goes into our moneymarket & the wee one's college fund.

31. What was the last gift card you received?
Sephora

Note... I'm not exactly sure what happened to #32, but if </a>jennapeach said "Yes," then "Yeah, sure, why the hell not?" is my answer.
Yes

33. Does the number of people a person's slept with affect your opinion of them?
over a lifetime no. In a day, maybe. WHAT? I told you I was judgemental! Sheesh!

34. Have you ever gone to a party where you were the only sober person?
Yes

35. What do you do when you spot a bug in your house?
Kill it.

Lazy weekends are the best. . .

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:32:36 GMT

Unless you are working on potty training. Then they can be messy. I am convinced that the Army really has it in for me---Hunter wasn't here when I did sleep training in Aug '04 (JRTC for a month), he wasn't here when she got the bulk of her teeth (OIF 3 in '05) & now he's not here for potty training. This is getting to be just a little too convenient dont you think?

PT is going well-- only 1 or 2 accidents a day. I had to buy more M & M's on Friday as we have gone through 3 tubes of the mini's in a week & a half. I give her more than one for each successful trip so that's why. Today we're enjoying our Little Mermaid panties & *knock wood* no accidents yet! She'll get a pull up for rest time but that'll be it.

Tomorrow is my CT scan---hopefully they don't find anything. Bwahahahhaha. Seriously tho, I will be happy if t her are no masses on the reading. I'm not having all the brain tumor symptoms & most likely it's pseudotumor cerebri (intercranial hypertension) but the worry is still there. I'll know more by the end of the week/early next. Then the fun begins (lumbar puncture!). My ILS will be coming down to help me take care of the wee one when that happens. I am crossing my fingers that it'll be next month before she goes back to school & not during Hunter's R & R! I am looking forward to our beach trip----our family needs some time together away from home!

We have a FRG picnic this weekend---should be fun. A few of my girlfriends are going & I'll have Ginger's baby pressies done by then (kimono, hat, 2 bibs & possibly booties).

Off to grab some lunch. Hope everyone has a good week! and Angela---happy birthday to Emma!!!

Forget Army Wives on Lifetime. . .

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:26:00 GMT

we've got our own drama going on right here!

So last Friday night was Spouse's Night Out. Six of us agree to meet for dinner (basically the same group of us that goes out every month!). While we're at dinner we start talking about some of the other girls in our group. Have you seen X? Have you seen Y? Yes, I've talked to X. you get the idea.

Well one of the girls names pops up---we all love her to pieces! She's been having a rough time lately & I say that her husband has been going to talk to Hunter a lot. Part of it is medical advice, part of it is personal. So the decision is made to go visit her at the bar where she works on post.

If we're going to be true to Army Wives she would be called Roxy. LOL

So we get to the bar & find her, actually she finds me & Kim first. Soon the other 4 girls arrive & we're out on the deck having drinks (diet coke, thank you very much). After about 1/2 an hour I realize I need to go get the wee one at the child care center as their free sitting ends at 1030.

The girls stay & close the bar at 1 at which point Roxy suggests they go back to her house b/c the MP's are now telling them they have to move off the deck of the bar & go home. The guys they've been sitting with all get up to leave

Let's just note that our heroine is home, in bed & far away from the drama that will soon follow!

So the girls pile into their car & follow Roxy home. As they drive over to her car they see her putting 5 soldiers in her car.

Let's repeat that, shall we? 5 soldiers in her car.

The girls drive to Roxy's house only to discover that she is home w/ the 5 guys. One of whom has taken up residence in her bed! Another, on the couch. They're all incredibly intoxicated & one of them spills his beer on girl #3s leg & dress.

The girls assess the situation, have a quick after hours beverage & decide that the setting is grossly inappropriate, say their good byes & high tail it out of there.

One of the girls proclaims "this is going to be all over *insert FOB name here* by the time we wake up!" since girl#3 was on the phone w/ her husband while everything was going down.

Sure enough, Saturday afternoon proclamation girl is IM'ing her husband who is asking her very direct questions about the evening. Proc. girl mentioned to her hubby that our heroine was wise enough to go home & next time she will follow our heroine's lead! PG's husband then tells her that Roxy's hubby is in his office & is the one asking the questions that he's typing.

Monday Roxy's hubby asks her point blank if there is anything she needs to tell him. She says "no".   WTF?! No? How 'bout "yeah, Friday night the girls came out to see me & we went back to the house for an after hours w/ some guys we were talking to " But no, just a "no" from Ol Roxy.

Shit, meet fan, fan, shit. Let's just say that R & R isn't going to be fun!

And on a side note, the wee one has an ear infection. She was up during the night crying & miserable & wound up coming in my bed to sleep around 3. A trip to the dr & a z pack later we're on the mend.

Stupid asshat

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:30:15 GMT

I would personally like to thank the asshat who enrolled me in the Doubleday Book Club. They are currently doing an IP search to find out who did this. Obviously it was someone who knew my address & cleverly chose the "bill me" option.

You really are a sad little person, aren't you?!

How is it?

Tue, 29 May 2007 16:17:33 GMT

That people think Memorial Day is a day to honor the LIVING? I got pissy with someone on a message board yesterday over acknowleging a living Vet on Memorial Day. Sorry but when your husband is in combat for the 3rd time you ARE hypersensitive to things like this.

Memorial Day---honors those who gave the ultimate sacrifice & those who have gone.

Veterans Day---honors the Veterans. No apostrophe between the n & s either.

Tonight is MOMS Night Out. Kelli is watching the wee one so I can go. I am watching her son today while she takes the baby to the urologist in ATL. Right now her son is asleep in the wee one's bed---he had 2 melt downs after she left (which he never does here) & then fell asleep in my arms. Poor little guy.