Today was DEFINITELY a Monday

Definitely. See. I spelled it correctly again! See how cool I am?

OK so today was definitely a Monday. And full of enough Monday carp that it should qualify as TWO Mondays. Does that mean I get a free pass next week?

The whole thing started with the Babe refusing to get ready to go. Flat out refused. I got her dressed after much "discussion". Then went into the bathroom to do something or other that I can't remember now. I think it was to brush my hair. But any way. I came out of the bathroom to find the same little 3 year old that I had just gotten dressed now naked as a jaybird. So the whole "discussion" about getting dressed started. all. over. again. All of this because she thought that we needed another home day. Which overall makes me feel good that the Babe wants to spend the day with me. Which I know won't be true for forever. But at 8:30 on a Monday morning when I should have already been at work, it was NOT quite so good.

So then I got to work. There is a two car spaces wide area of concrete jack hammered up in the driveway to the parking area. Jacked up and taped off with safety tape and cones but jacked up all the same. Went inside and asked about it. No one had any clue. Apparently somebody in an unmarked white truck just drove up and jacked it up. Taped it off and drove off.

Sounds ominous doesn't it? Ok, so not really. It's just concrete after all.

Called the sewer company. They said they have no idea. No work scheduled on our street. Called Digger's Hotline. They say that it is marked as "sewer work". So wouldn't you think that the sewer COMPANY would know that sewer work was being done? yeah, me too. I decided I was tired of dealing with it. Somebody would eventually come back to work on it. Then I got a phone call about 3 hours later. Apparently they were doing work. They just didn't know it.

Yes. I know. You just read this far and it's now apparent that it is non-climactic. lol

Ok, so anyway.... the phone rang off the hook all freakin' day. And then I get a call at about 2:00 wanting to know if somebody could meet with me in "about an hour". Wanted about 1/2 hour of my time. They got there at 3:15. When I walked him out I locked the door behind him. It was 4:30. So much for a 1/2 hour.

I got ZERO done today. Happy Monday.

So how was your Monday?

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Chocolate only grows within 20 degrees of the equator. I learned that on the History Channel. Which is on in my house about 50% of the time the TV is on. Archaeologists found licorice in King Tut's tomb. See what you are missing by not watching the History channel? yeah I know. I'm just too lazy to get up and shut it off most of the time.
   
2. My friend Chris works for Prudential. Investments and Insurance he is. :) He did a new quote for us for Home, Auto, Life insurance. I do believe we are making the switch. Considering we have all 3 at the moment with 3 different companies it sure will make things easier. Need insurance? Let me know. I'll hook you up.
   
3. Pampered Chef really sells itself. It's kind of cool. Now if only I could get some more parties booked. Can you say part time income?
4. The greenhouse is up in the Baker's parking lot. This makes me VERY happy. Which reminds me, I still haven't ordered the chicks. I should probably get on that.
5. BAM stayed at our house last night. I LOVE being a grandma. It is so cool. Spoil them rotten and send them home. You should try it. It's pretty rockin.
6. The hubby fell asleep on the couch at 9:00 last night. He had just finished telling me the things he was going to do before he went to bed. lol. ZERO done.
7. I could actually park my car in the garage if I wanted to. I don't think that's been true since we moved in. I think I might try it tomorrow. But probably not. Because I'm sure Hubby had plans for something else to move into it. That's probably why he cleaned it out.
   
8. I've always wanted to travel to Europe and sleep in a hostel and sleep on a train. To fall sleep in one country and wake up in another. I think that should be on my list of things to do before I die. Do you have a bucket list? #1 on mine is to go get a passport. :)
   
9. Anne Rice has a video on I Am Second. Inspiring. I wish there was a group in Omaha. The whole movement is kind of cool. Movement that I really don't understand? The Tea Party stuff. Seriously? Aren't they just the republicans of the 80's revisited?
   
10. I wrote this on Thursday night. So I really kind of cheated. But "10 Random Things for a Friday that I wrote on Thursday Night" just doesn't seem right.

Kids. It's the downhill slide to the weekend. Are you doing anything fun? You should definitely fit fun into the next few days. You've earned it.

Hey spell check says I spelled "definitely" correctly. That's a first! Oh. Wait. That just made 11. Maybe I should expand this whole 10 thing. Nah. Too much pressure.

Toodles!

The Reason I Started This Blog in the First Place

Blogging was supposed to be a way for me to rant and rave and whine about all of the things that drive me to the edge of crazy. Thus the "lost sanity" part. I am pretty whacked most of the time. Good medication is the only thing between me and cracking this time of year.

The reason for the insanity? Bottom Line. Erin. And the fact that some mean person took her away from us. And now we don't know where she is. And it's been nearly 9 years. And not a day goes by that I don't feel like I could fall apart at any moment. And then I gather myself and look at all the blessings we do have. And then how I'd trade almost all of them to know where she is. It's an endless cycle I tell you. And there is truly no way that anyone can understand without living through it. So I seriously hope that you never understand.

Well a couple of weeks ago, we thought we were going to have a media opportunity that ended up falling through. But I asked the NCMEC if they could update Erin's age progression. And they did. And they sent it to me. And I tried to process it But I couldn't. Until tonight.

I remember feeling sorry for the families who had had age progressions done of their missing children. How when we first started hanging flyers all over the free world that I was at Wal-Mart and they posted Erin's poster on their board for me. I stood there in disbelief. How is it that it is MY kid that is up there? This isn't real. Can't be. Then I saw the kids with age progressions. I felt sorry for their parents. My daughter will be found way before we'll even think about an age progression. How sad for them. But it won't be us.

And now it is. We're on our third age progression actually. Kick in the head. This isn't supposed to be us. But it is. My friend Colleen Nick said it best I think. "No parent should have to watch their child grow up on a computer." It sucks I tell you. In ways I can't even explain.

But here it is. Erin, Age progressed to 24 years old. Is that even possible? She's almost 24. Doesn't seem possible. In my head she is still 15. And until I see her again I think that's the only face I'll see. Her at 15.

So what do you think? They used pics of Amber and Jimmy to age it. Those of you that know her. Do you think she'd look anything like this? Like I said. She is still 15 in my head. So I have a hard time seeing her as anything else.

Updated posters to follow. I think I just need to sit with the picture for a few more days. I'll put it together after that.

God, I miss her.

One More Thing for a Friday

11. I chopped my hair off. I am no longer a hippie. I am pretty sure I qualify for the Short Hair Mafia. I'll get somebody to take a picture tomorrow. Have I ever posted my pic on here? I'm not sure I have. hmmmm. Maybe we'll skip it. Only time will tell.

10 Random Things for a Friday

So here we go marching rattley bang.

1. Driving to CR can be accomplished through one viewing each of Princess and the Frog, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and most of Wall-E.
2. Trying to connect your Windows 7 laptop to your dad's wireless router and subsequently somehow setting up a new wireless network and then having to reprogram the router and reconnect all of the wireless devices in the house is NOT the best way to start a visit with your parents.
3. There is a virus going around that walks and talks like strep throat but is not strep throat. I was down for the count from Friday night to Tuesday. Went back to work on Wednesday. Still hurts to swallow and my left ear doesn't feel to happy either. But I haven't had a fever since Tuesday so I'm hoping the rest will go away soon. I'd be happy just to be able to swallow something that doesn't qualify as soft food.
   
4. I have a TON of new followers. New followers -- how did you find me? I don't mind one bit. Just wonder how you got here. lol
5. Somebody pointed out to me that lol looks like a man drowning. See the arms in the air? Now every time I type or read lol I can't help but think about a dying man.
6. I hate that my laptop has no 10 key pad. I need to find a wireless one.
7. We are ordering chicks this week. One of the breeds (amerucanas) we are ordering lays green and blue eggs. The Easter Egg chicken. How cool is that?
8. The Babe is 10 shades of excited about seeing her brothers this weekend. All 5 of them. I'm glad she gets to see the younger 3 as much as she does. I hope that never changes.
9. Clarabelle Cow is one of my favorite Disney characters. She needs more shows of her own.
10. I have my first real live Pampered Chef show on Saturday. Wish me lots of luck. I'll probably need it.

That's about it for today lovely ones. I have a full weekend plan but will do what I can to get on here and update soon. Pictures are in order I've been told. We'll see what we can come up with.

Smooches!

Scholar Ladies (Get An A On It)

This is an incredible video. Let's hear it for the kids at Hope School in Milwaukee!

March Music

if you go down there to the right you'll find the music player. I filled it full of Irish bands in honor of March. :) We'll get you those annoying green beer drinking songs later.

10 Random Things for a Friday

Don't have a heart attack. I'm posting. I know. It's been a while. And I'm sure you've missed me. But I'm sure you really haven't because I'm sure you're probably my friend on Facebook too. If not... go here. My Facebook page Because you should be. Because then you'd know I wasn't dead or holing up somewhere hiding from the world. So here are 10 things I haven't told you on Facebook. :)

1. I am at my wit's end with the Babe and bedtimes. Seriously. Unless YOU are in bed, she refuses to go to bed and/or go to sleep. And yes, I know I am the parent and what I say goes, but it's a battle EVERY night. On the rare occasion that she does fall asleep it is in the middle of the room in a pile of stuffed animals or books or toys. I'm open to any and all ideas that won't bring on visits from CPS.
2. I want this brush. I know it is $90 and I'll never spend that much money on ANY beauty product. But I've read several reviews on it. Just google. "Best hairbrush" and see what you get. It's like 5 of the first 10.
3. Neither Jack the Cat or Sally the Skunk Dog are too happy about the puppy. Oh that's right. I haven't posted in 11 weeks and you who aren't friends with me on Facebook have no CLUE we even had puppies. Roxanne had 3 puppies New Year's Eve. We have one left. I think she has a new home tomorrow. Which is good. Because Sally's little temper tantrums over the puppy are about as annoying as I can handle.
4. I haven't been to Cedar Rapids since Christmas. I think this may be a new record.
   
5. I took on ZERO new clients this tax season. It's been pretty quiet. Which is fine with me.
   
6. My love affair with direct sales has taken a new turn. I signed up last week to be a consultant with The Pampered Chef. Now this brings me full circle in the direct sales world. This was the first DS company I ever looked at signing with. Decided against it for some reason I can't remember. And now here I am with it once again. Let's see where it goes. :) Anybody want to book a show? lol
7. The vet visit last week cost me $160. And I didn't even buy any pet meds to bring home. Which reminds me... I need to go place an order with PetMeds.
8. I need a new spring purse. I need to get a hold of Candice and see if she can hook me up.
9. We REALLY want to buy a Wii. May just do so if this puppy sells tomorrow.
10. My laptop keyboard has 3 keys missing now. Thank you to the baby BAM.

Ok. Now I will make as many efforts as possible to not wait until the 17th of nowhere near this month to post again.

Hugs and big sloppy kisses!