The Babe's 3rd Birthday Part V

I think the big kids had as much fun as the little ones.

The Babe's 3rd Birthday Part IV

Good thing we had big kids to keep up with the little ones! BAM is quite the climber.

The Babe's 3rd Birthday Part III

Even the Toddlers had fun. Lucas was hard to keep up with!

The Babe's 3rd Birthday Part II

Cake and Presents

The Babe's 3rd Birthday Part I

Daddy and the Babe in the Ball Pit

All Pile in!

Friends in the Ball Pit

Daddy at the top of the playground.

What is in the cupboard?

We have run out of room for electronics.

Oreo Madness

Reason number 5 as to why you shouldn't give a toddler mini oreos in the car on a long drive.

How incredible!

This has to be the coolest Wedding March I have ever seen. Hope it makes you smile like it did me.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Today is my friend Carrie's 40th birthday. She is now really old. ;)
2. Lucas is coming to visit in a few weeks. :) I'm all shades of excited and looking forward to having him and his parents here. :D
3. My friend Wendy bailed on me for lunch today. Dave the lawn dude took me out for Chinese/sushi as a consolation prize. He wins the friend award for the day.
4. I hate when I have to evict people. I wish they would just follow the rules.
5. One of the people I am in the process of evicting brought me in a cucumber from her garden this morning. If I eat it is it like taking a bribe?
6. We are getting about a dozen eggs a day from the chickens because the babies started laying. Anybody need eggs? $4 a dozen. Speak up now!
7. This the USDA report on carrot production in the US. It blows me away that people need to know this stuff! Even funnier that I got this from a listserve today that has nothing to do with agriculture.
8. I am in love with a big blue frog. A big blue frog loves me.
9. If I won 100 million dollars in the lottery I'd have a really cool give away on this here blog. I was going to play the lottery numbers on the back of my fortune cookie. Then it occurred to me that I didn't know which lottery the numbers are for. For all I know it is the New Jersey lottery or something. But I know that I have numerous states represented as readers on here so let's try this. Go play these numbers 8 23 30 34 40. I'll cover Nebraska, Iowa, and powerball. If you win you have to send me a finder's fee so I can have a really cool giveaway on this here blog.
10. Anybody know a good way to keep shoes on a little one? BAM refuses to wear them and keeps taking them off. I am at a loss.

Happy last weekend of July! Where is the summer going?

Google Reader and my Free time

I have about 100+ blog subscriptions on my Google Reader feeds. so probably about 25 new blog entries a day.

Today I deleted 768 unread blog entries.

Where did my free time go?

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. My great aunt Dorothy died this week. She was in her 90's. What I remember most about her was her contagious smile. Smile today in honor of my aunt Dorothy.
2. I get to see the boys, 2 of my best friends and my nieces this weekend. I'm WAY excited. Tomorrow can't come soon enough.
3. LOVE this idea from Daily Digi for a Fun Jar. Perfect for the "I'm bored" days.
4. Writing grants is by far not my favorite thing to do. Yet here I am this week yet again putting together a grant.
5. After I wrote that thing about the porch I found this Zen Habits blog entry about life vs. stuff. that should make it easier to purge stuff, right?
6. My dad's facebook addiction has led to finding extended family that we didn't even know we had. He and my mom are going to a family reunion in Minnesota with part of the family this weekend. Adventure!
7. The Babe is getting wood for her birthday. Hopefully it will be enough wood to build the swingset and slide ladder.
8. Baby BAM fell last night. Again. This time it was his forehead square into the corner of the love seat. He looks like a Klingon with the ridge and red mark in the middle of his forehead.
9. I have a kids' church song earworm.
10. I actually hired a babysitter to watch the Babe tomorrow while I clean house and work on the yard. Is that crazy or what?

And there you have it folks. The 10 Random things for Friday July 10th. Hope your day is now complete.

United Breaks Guitars

This would be really funny if it wasn't a true story. What a great way to protest.

The Front Porch

The other night I stood on the front porch and looked at it. This is one of the reasons I fell in love with our house 2 years ago. It was this porch and the cool yellow chair the previous owners left behind. I used to love my porch. I saw huge potential for it. Green plants. A sitting area. A place for the grandkids we didn't have yet to play on cooler days.

The porch is the first thing you see when you want to come into my house. The screen door sticks now. We've kind of fixed it but we really should replace it. Sally tore the screen out one day when she let herself out of the back door and then couldn't get back in. And then it started to rain. So she forced herself in the porch door.

So you come in through the screen door that sticks and you find yourself looking at the stuff on the once clean porch. The porch has now become the catch all. I swore that no box would come into the house unless it was put away right away. So several boxes with stuff that never found homes are still sitting on the porch. And other stuff has joined it. Stuff like bulk purchases of diapers, the roll top desk that didn't fit into the 2nd bedroom very well, all of the Partylite stuff that came with the double size kit from when I thought I was going to start selling Partylite again, the baby swing that is waiting for the next grandbaby that will want to swing in it, and everything else that has found it's way there for whatever reason. But where is all of this stuff supposed to go?

It's sad.

I need to reclaim my porch. And then put a cute comfy yellow chair on it. And some green plants. and a toy box for the little ones.

Anybody want to come help?

Questions I'd like answers to

• You know those commercials that say "4 out of 5 dentists recommend...."? How many free samples did they give to the dentists before they said "sure, we'd recommend your product"?
• The instructions on the box say to "pull corner to vent" before you microwave it. How much of a corner is that? 1/2 inch? 1/4 of the package?
• What exactly are "natural flavorings"? I mean, poop would be a "natural flavoring" but I sure wouldn't want it in my soda pop.
• Were the pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked jalapenos, bell, or Italian banana peppers?
• Who the heck ever thought to make gelatin? And did the idea gross them out as much as it does me?
• Whose mom decided what words were curse words?

see. these are the things that just pop in my head sometimes. what are yours?

2 Years, 3000 Visits, and a mind that can't hold a thought

So June 28th was the second birthday of this here blog. I missed it. 3000 visits we just surpassed. I missed that too this week. In the grand scheme of things I know that is only 28 visits a week. But I have to tell you that it still strikes me as funny that 28 people care what I have to say.

Hope your day is more exciting than mine.

• Everyone else in my house has decided that napping sounded like a good idea.
• I should be cleaning house but I can't get up the gumption.
• We should be out doing something fun but there isn't much to do in Omaha on a 4th of July. which is really sad when you give it any thought at all.
• Our thermostat has apparently given up the ghost. Or at least that is what we think the problem is. We'll see on Monday when I dare to call anybody about it. Good thing it's in the 70s and low 80s this weekend.
• I should really get to the birthday planning for little one.
• hubby's bday is Monday. We are celebrating tomorrow. I have no idea what we are doing beyond the chocolate chip cookies and lasagna he has asked for.
• It looks like I could have some red tomatoes in a few days. :)
• I asked hubby to get me a Diet Coke at the store earlier today. He brought back a 44 ounce fountain drink. I laughed. what was I going to do with 44 ounces of Diet Coke? um... it's gone. has been for about 3 hours.

I should really head to the grocery store. I wonder if Baker's is open?

Declaration of Independence

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. I get to see my boys next weekend. :)
2. We went to Base Lake last night with hubby's boss. Best view of the fireworks EVER!
3. My left ankle is swollen and I don't know why.
4. I should sell my extra scrapbooking stuff. I haven't scrapped in way too long and by the time I get to it again, I'll like different cool new stuff I'm sure.
5. I am supposed to have the planning done for a birthday party for Little One next weekend. I should probably get on that. This is FUN why am I not further along?
6. We are going boating Sunday in Super Dave's fast boat.
7. BAM has started running. It's so cute.
8. I have 50 clients in my portfolio at work. There are 28 client files in my office right now. What is wrong with this picture.
9. I won a free whopper in the BK Transformers pull off play and win game. Needless to say, I gave the coupon to someone else.
10. I need new glasses. My eyes are getting worse I do believe.

Off to have a blast this weekend. If you think of it, call hubby and tell him Happy Birthday. email if you need the phone number. :) e-cards are accepted as well.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. The smoke detector in the basement is in need of a new battery. Yet I keep forgetting to get a 9 volt at the store. So in the meantime we are living with a chirp every 34 seconds or so. I really need to just go pull the plug. But then I'll forget about it and I won't get a 9 volt at the store. 34 seconds apart people. every 34 seconds.
2. This weekend is the Omaha Arts Festival. I'm hoping it's cool enough to go walk around downtown. If for no other reason than the fact that the Nebraska craft breweries are serving a few beers. or 24 as the case may be.
3. Baby BAM pulled the C key off of my laptop. Then promptly gave it to Roxanne to chew on. I now have a little rubber nub where my C key should be. It kind of sucks.
4. I REALLY want to go see the new UP movie. wonder if I can get the Babe to sit still long enough.
5. My aunt sent me two aprons that used to be my Grandma's. They still smell like Grandma's house. It made me cry. I really do miss her and my Grandpa.
6. I haven't scrapbooked a single page in nearly a year. Yet I'm still considering going to Scrapfest '09 in Minneapolis again. It's the weekend after my birthday after all. Anybody want to come?
7. Hubby is turning the backyard into a 3 or 4 hole golf course. Seriously. He really is. Reminds me a lot of Hog Lot golf in Keystone. :)
8. I'm sick of Star Trek reruns. Voyager, Next Generation, Enterprise. ALL OF THEM.
9. We are hiring two part time people at work. I have figured out how to get help for everyone but me. Anybody have an extra $15000 laying around?
10. This afternoon will be devoted to good food, good beer, and good company at Granite City. We've earned it.

What are you doing this weekend?

The things we get in our heads

Little One is STUCK on the idea that we are going to go to the Eiffel Tower. Like tomorrow. We've explained that it is a LONG way away. That we can't drive there. You can't explain any of this to a two year old. So we've spent a lot of time on Google Earth looking at it. There is a webcam that shows you what it looks like right now. It's pretty cool actually. Gives vacation planning a new scope now doesn't it? LOL

Sunday Night Traditions

Where is the Wonderful World of Disney or Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom when you need them? Homemade caramel corn. Dad's bologna and grape jelly sandwiches. Playing Pong until my eyes were crossing.

We spent this Sunday night with peanut butter and jelly and bananas, squeezable yogurt and juice boxes. And the Wiggles.

oh what a difference a few decades makes.

How bout you? How was your Sunday night?

10 Random Things for a Friday

It's Friday. And I am BURIED in work. so this will be short and sweet.

1. Please add Daughter A to your prayer list. She's had a rough week.
2. Facebook will suck your life force right out of you if you let it.
3. For the record... My friends Tammy, and Lanel, and the Tasteful One are WAY more addicted to FarmTown then me.
4. I am enjoying the idea of having a 3 year old's birthday party next month. :)
5. Camping seems like the ideal thing to do this weekend and is completely out of the question.
6. I am going to Project Jason's Keys to Healing Retreat tomorrow.
7. Son2 is looking for a better job. Yell if you know of anything in his area.
8. I turned in $258 worth of mileage for the first 5 months of the year. I really need to do a better job of turning it in more often.
9. My family has been fed way too many convenience type meals this week. But at least it wasn't fast food.
10. Jr. had his teeth pulled last week. When he got in the car at the oral surgeon's the first thing he asked was if he could go fishing.

Have a beautiful weekend! It's supposed to rain here. :(

Today at the Strawberry Patch

Click on the pic to make them bigger. Then you can get the full effect of the cuteness. :)

Portraits of Today

Lucas - 6/01/09

You should have seen him climb to the top of the Tornado slide. You would have thought he had done it 100 times before. The boy is fearless. His Mommy and Daddy are in big trouble.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. don't ask why I am up after midnight writing this.
2. You know that video below with the piano/cello duet? OMG. I am in love with Jon Schmidt's music. So is Little One. We listened to the songs on his site over and over tonight. She pretends to play the different instruments and dances while I do the dishes and pick up the living room. Forgot how much I love this kind of music.
3. Baby BAM is walking. We are up to about 8 steps at a time!
4. BAM's mama is still off work on medical leave. She sees the doc next week. Here's hoping!
5. I'm wishing this weekend was already over. Isn't this supposed to get easier?
6. I need to clean my car.
7. Willy isn't doing so well. We should probably start counting the good days vs the bad days. But I don't want to think about that either. :(
8. Jr has to get 5 teeth pulled on Tuesday. 4 wisdom and 1 other that is cracked. Poor guy.
9. We are going camping tonight. Little One is excited to "go play in the woods and throw rocks in the water."
10. I'm actually going to kill a few vacation days next week.

I know these are short and sweet. and dull. It's been a week like that.

Amazing Music

Found this on another blog. Loving every part of it. Hope you enjoy it as well.

I like to move it move it

we are quite a sight Little One and I. We've been dancing to this song over and over and over and over..... hope it makes you smile as much as it's made us laugh tonight. :)

New Tunes found when I was supposed to be working

Zee Avi - Live from and above the Solar Powered Plastic Plant

I needed a break. It was a good 15 minutes. :)

New Tunes found when I was supposed to be working

Zee Avi - Live from and above the Solar Powered Plastic Plant

I needed a break. It was a good 15 minutes. :)

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Tuesday was my niece Emma's birthday. I can't believe she is 3!! What a miracle.
2. The question of the week is "Wine or Chocolate?"
3. I found THIS BLOG and spent way too much time on it the other night. It makes me want to write a love note on a random wall. Fav - "Just because today is a terrible day doesn't mean that tomorrow won't be the best day of your life. You just have to get there."
4. Sometimes I just feel like doing a somersault. Not that I do. Because it is usually somewhere silly like in Target in the clearance aisle or at work walking through the board room. That and I'm not sure I'm even CAPABLE of doing a somersault anymore.
5. Pepsi Throwback while not a subsitute for Mexican Coca Cola is pretty darn good.
6. My payroll check this week is check number 40646. Said check is already fully obligated.
7. When we ate Chinese on Monday Little One ate all of the fortune cookies. Careful to not eat the paper. When I read her the fortunes she told me, "I already knew that. Maybe you should get a different cookie."
8. My Grandma Rachel died 2 years ago this week. It seems like less than that. But it seems like longer. Amazing how much different things can be 2 years later. I miss her.
9. Did I tell you about the onion rings we made last week? They rivaled the onion rings we use to get at the Ice Cream shop in Monticello. the BOMB!!! Here is the recipe. If I already told you about them... pretend than I owe you another random thing.
10. My home has become appliance hell. Something is wrong with my refridgerator. When I take things out of the freezer and put them in the fridge to thaw... they don't. 3 days later the chicken legs for tonight's supper were still frozen. We've messed with the temp and cleaned the fans and it still doesn't work right. The washing machine is on it's last leg but if you don't do full loads it's ok. That and it's leaking small amounts of water from somewhere. And then the dryer started whining last night. Bearing noise I do believe. I need to call Kurt and see if he'll come fix them all. Me thinks this will be an expensive venture. And just to let you know, we are now accepting Lowe's gift cards. Donations go directly to the appliance hell memorial fund. As you plan your giving keep us in mind. It's a good cause.

Happy Memorial Day weekend. As you enjoy the long weekend, remember why we celebrate it.

First signs of summer

Little One would like you to know that summer is really on it's way.

Sure signs include -- skinned knees

And red slushie tongues

Planting flowers

From a couple of weekends ago

Helping Daddy spread grass seed

Planting Flowers

Sure sign of hard work

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. The daisies finally gave up. no more flowers on my desk. I compensated by buying a flat of annuals to plant in the flower boxes outside my window.
2. I'm barefoot.
3. The water company sent Four O'Clock seeds with last month's water bills. I have more than 1/2 dozen on my desk and no clue where to plant that many Four O'Clocks.
4. I had sushi on Wednesday from Beijing Tokyo. new favorite place for lunch.
5. Still haven't found a playset for the backyard. Which is good because I have no spare cash anyway.
6. I'm trying to decide whether or not to do this Wine and Nine golf event. They say you can go if your are beginner golfer. I don't know if you can call what I know how to do as anything close to golfing, but a walk around the golf course and into the trees and the sand might be a nice change of pace for a day.
7. I bought a cute pair of khaki capris a couple of weeks ago. (thanks mom) But then I realized I have no nice shirt that will go with them. Have I mentioned before how much I despise clothes shopping?
8. I am seriously considering cutting off Dora at my house. Little One has taken to "swiping" and hiding things and saying "You'll never find it now." Whose brilliant idea was this character and why is it that my husband had to be right when he said, "I don't like this Swiper character. Why would you want to teach a kid to swipe. And why does he never have a consequence for it?"
9. I seem to be perpetually tired this week.
10. Sunday will be 9 months since Little One came to live with us. :)

I so want this bike

Check out these bikes!

I love it. I want one. Bad. Can't afford one so I thought maybe I might be able to win one. Then again, I wonder how safe it is to carry your kids in a bucket. .... hmm. Maybe I need to rethink this..

If you want to enter to win too, here is the contest information.

I do need to buy a bike though. Hubby has been riding the one that Son2 left at our house. Hubby's needs a new rim which costs nearly as much as a new bike. The Stamp Pusher's husband said he'd sell us their bike stroller thing. So I guess I really have no excuse. Maybe with hubby's next commission check.....

10 Random Things for a Friday

Two posts in eight days. Are you shocked? Did you just fall out of your chair? Amazing aren't I? But here you go..... I'll try and get some pics posted over the weekend. Unless of course it is sunny and happy out and then you'll probably be on your own...

1. Ever since I read this recipe for the best broccoli of your life I've been wanting to make it. But I keep backing out at the last minute. Falling back to the standard steamed or cooked in a very light cheese sauce versions I'm used to. But I made it this week. Kind of. OK, not really even close. I roasted broccoli with olive oil and salt and pepper. So not really even close to the recipe but the cooking method was the same so that should count for something. I would have made it with the garlic and the lemon and the Parmesan. But I thought I had a three on hand and it turns out the last of last year's garlic was dried out and the lemon looked funny and I have no clue why I thought I had fresh Parmesan because I definitely haven't bought any in a very long while. But it was good. Real good actually. Hubby and the Little One and I ate 2 big heads of broccoli that way.
2. My friend Dea Jo posted this pic on Facebook of the two of us. We looked so darn happy. Either that or we were laughing over something stupid.
3. I am totally in love with Saturday mornings and farmer's markets. Tomorrow I'll be buying some bedding plants for the veggie garden. :) I love spring. :D Have you been to a farmer's market near you yet this season?
4. Little One will do just about anything this week if she is earning a trip to "have coffee and sit in the chairs". No. I don't really give her coffee. It's usually juice or milk for her and tea for me. But you have to be grown up and sit in the chairs. Even if it's just for 5 minutes. And then she's as happy as a bird.
5. We haven't had baby BAM much this week. It's been quiet.
6. Out of 11 appointments I had scheduled for Wednesday, 3 showed up.
7. There is no candy in the candy dish on my desk.
8. The flowers from 2 weeks ago are still looking good. I'm buying daisies more often!
9. I've been watching Craig's list for swing sets and outdoor kid's toys.
10. I haven't had a single morel mushroom this season. That makes me sad.

Happy happy and joy joy! I swear. I'll try and get pics posted this weekend. :)

10 Random Things for a Friday

Man oh man, what a month April was. I could give a hundred reasons why this here blog never got updated but then I’d have to momentarily relive all of them so we’ll pass on that little bit of information. So let’s just return to our regularly scheduled program now shall we….

Um…….wait…drawing a blank. Let’s think for a moment……yeah, I got nothing.

Ok, I got it. Here we go…

1. Facebook is evil. It’s too easy to be mindless. And the “apps”. Between Bejeweled and Farm Town you’d think I had a ton of free time which could have otherwise been used for updating this here blog. Could explain the sleep deprivation though.
2. Why did Healthy Choice take a perfectly good Portabella pasta dish and ruin it by throwing in Chicken? And why didn’t they say “Portabella and Chicken” Pasta on the package? Companies used to hide soy in their products and now they are hiding Chicken?
3. I think I’m going to become a professional wino. I mean, Wine Tasting Consultant. More to follow.
4. I have flowers on my desk that I bought LAST Wednesday and they still look good. Gotta love daisies and carnations!
5. I hate it when I know news that not everybody else knows and I have to keep my mouth shut because it isn’t my news to share with people.
6. Elvis is in Las Vegas. I’m trying to live vicariously through her but she won’t call me back every hour like I asked. Something about show tickets and an ultra-cool suite at the Bellagio and better things to do other than talk on the phone. Gee. You think she’d thinks she’s on vacation or something.
7. I haven’t pulled a single weed in the gardens yet this spring. I’m going to be paying for THAT this weekend.
8. The concert lineup at Stir Concert Cove this summer has me seriously stoked. Now if only I could afford a couple of $600 season tickets and a standing babysitter. At the very least I’m going to attempt the Heart Concert for my birthday. :)
9. I seriously and desperately HATE looking for childcare. And yet here I am again, again looking for childcare.
10. The chiropractor is my friend. Now if only my insurance company liked him a little better.
    
    Ok, kids. There you go. My reentry into life as you know it. We’ll see if we can get May to come out a little more lively than poor completely neglected April did.

kisses ---

Poor Neglected Blog

As a dear friend was kind enough to point out.... I have neglected my blog as of late. But I have good reasons so bear with me. I'll get it together soon enough and post something. Or I'll at least make an attempt to. Let's just say it's been a long couple of weeks. :(

Got any glue?

I think we are going to need it. :(

I shouldn't have turned the channel

I started watching a MSNBC show on Sex Slaves and human trafficking. Now all I want to do is cry. Why do I do this to myself? and yet, I can't bring myself to change the channel.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Have you googled anything today? Check it out! It’s the Very Hungry Catepillar! Happy Birthday Eric Carle!
2. The lack of 10 random things last week is totally the Stamp Pushers fault. She MADE me go eat sushi and drink Kirin Ichiban. She’s bossy like that.
3. I read somewhere that the average American spends 29 hours a week watching TV. If that’s true we spend 11 years watching TV! That’s just nuts.
4. Baby BAM refuses to eat any baby food anymore. He seems to think he should be allowed to eat dog food though.
5. Tutu and Grandpa Doug get to watch Lucas this weekend. I am very jealous.
6. I like this “100 novels everyone should read” I was surprised at how many I had read.
7. The baby of the bigs chopped her hair off this week. I’ll have to get a picture of it this weekend.
8. I realized this week that I can’t do other things and listen to an audio book at the same time. I can’t listen to one thing and be working on another. I lose track of one or the other. I used to be able to. What the heck happened?
9. There is a trip to DSW in my near future. I need new tennis shoes. Hubby needs new shoes worse than I do. I should probably get him to go too.
10. The babe and potty training are failing miserably. Just when I think she’s going to figure it out she starts refusing to go again. We’ve kind of taken the week off. We’ll start again this weekend. I am bound and determined that this will happen SOON!

Changes... in the face of Strangers ch ch changes

A certain someone has a new job and can't control the volume on their computer. So I've disabled the music autoplay. Now you'll have to actually go over there ----->> to the player and push play. Which is probably what I should have been doing all along.

So there sushi killer... I fixed it for you.

side note -- what the heck makes your eye twitch? My eye has been twitching intermittently for two days and it's driving me crazy.

crazy. no comments from the peanut gallery thank you very much.

Here Sharon ... watch this one too.

Same director as the last one.

Please accept my apologies

Sorry, I can't take it anymore. That green beer drinking music was a lot bit obnoxious. We'll put our favorite Irish bands back in the rotation instead. No more beer guzzling music.

Again, I'm sorry. That was too much.

Signed she who can taste the food coloring in green beer.

Validation

Have you seen this yet? It's 16 minutes well spent.

Music for the Green Beer Drinking Fest

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and all of the green beer it's known for.....

Irish Drinking Music!

I promise..... it's only for a few days. :)

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. The Krispy Kreme next to the babysitter closed. I am sad. No more payday donut days.
2. Baby BAM isn't getting tubes today after all. Insurance approval hasn't come in yet so he has to wait. Good thing it isn't anything acute.
3. I miss the boys in CR already. And it's only been 5 days since I saw them. :(
4. I think I'm mostly through my 80's punk thing. I'm sure it will be replaced by something equally crazy soon.
5. Guido is being called back in from retirement.
6. I am back in my office at work but still haven't found places to put all of the carp back into.
7. The last album I bought was No Line on the Horizon by U2. :)
8. I have lost sleep this week because I had to stay up until the end of Letterman to watch U2. Wonder how many other people are sleep deprived for the same reason?
9. The last ringtone I downloaded was Beautiful Day by U2. Not new but they sang in on Letterman and I was reminded of how much I LOVE that song.
10. I need to go the grocery store. Went the other day but Little One had a meltdown in aisle 3 over a bag of Hostess Donuts and we had to cut the trip short. Tomorrow maybe. Maybe not.

Hope your weekend is a beautiful one. Me.... I'll be at the Stamp pusher's house eating dip.

Little One and the Grandparents Make Cookies

Baby Chickens

Aren't they cute? :)

New Month New Music

These should get you through until the green beer drinking fest music.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. I'm still stuck in 80's punk. I've ventured into 80's metal every once in a while this week but I'm still stuck in Ramone's land.
2. I have a date for a great sushi afternoon! 2 weeks and my Tasteful friend and I are heading out! Anybody want to volunteer to be the designated driver?
3. I have 1203 entries on my google reader. I think I need to clean that sucker out.
4. I decided last weekend that I needed to lay off the caffeine. So I gave up diet coke last weekend. It lasted all of 5 days. I broke down yesterday and bought a 12 pack.
5. Mammograms aren't as bad as everyone would have led be to believe. Except Elvis. She told me they were no big deal and it wasn't. So if you haven't had yours recently, go call and schedule it!
6. The Economic Stimulus plan and the new proposed budget deficit have me freaked out a little. That's an awful lot of money for our grandkids and great grandkids to be paying back.
7. I get to see Lucas this weekend!
8. Baby BAM is having tubes put in his ears next Friday.
9. Little One is being a jealous terror this week. Anytime I pick up BAM or talk to him she starts acting up.
10. Is there a Facebook Fanatics Anonymous?

First Thought in the Morning

Little one gets up each morning talking. Usually it is things like "I'm firsty", "Mom? Mom? Where you at?", "Is Daddy home?", or my personal favorite, "I don't know what happened." which is usually followed by "I really need changed."

This morning it was "I need tawbewies." Strawberries. Who wakes up thinking of strawberries?

And no, we didn't have any in the house. Haven't bought any in a few months due to they are just too darn expensive. Guess I'll be rethinking that.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Larabars ROCK!! And would be my "splurge" snack of choice right now. Their website leaves a little to be desired though. It's Sssslloooow. And what I can buy in the grocery store for $1.50 (splurge) are $2.00 from them directly.
2. I ended up with a full week of governmental agency review this week. My financial audit takes less time! Very happy with the results though!
3. I am stuck on 80s punk music at the moment.
4. Facebook is costing me sleep. But I'm realizing what a small world it really is.
5. Next weekend I get to see the boys in CR! and my friends and my parents... not that they are any less important. :)
6. I am looking for more tax clients. Anybody need help?
7. The skunks are back. My house stunk so bad last night I thought we'd need to go to a hotel. The porch and little one's room still stunk this morning. What useful purpose to skunks really serve? And does anyone know how to REALLY get rid of them?
8. The dogs are due for shots. Which I can't seem to fit into the schedule or the budget.
9. When people ask you, "how are you" how many do you think really want to know?
10. I need sushi. And sake bombs. :) bet you thought I forgot about those didn't you?

Happy Friday!

Jump On My Worry Raft

If the problem can be solved, there is no use worrying about it...If it can't be solved, worrying will do no good. -Buddha

Worrying about something that hasn't happened yet is like paying interest on a loan you haven't taken out yet. - Don't know who wrote that. It might have been me but I think I heard it somewhere.

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. ~Mark Twain

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. ~Benjamin Franklin

If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep. ~Dale Carnegie

So I know all of these things. Why is it I can't keep them in my head when the worry shows up?

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. It's snowing. There are about 4 inches on the ground already in the last 3 hours. We're supposed to get up to 9 inches. I closed the office. So at least we all get a day off out of the deal.
2. I keep picking up an Adware program off some site. It's driving me NUTS!
3. My dad was giving me a hard time for not updating my facebook page. So I did.
4. Little one is down for a nap. I hoping for an hour of quiet time to clean the kitchen. :) (says she who is instead sitting here playing on the computer)
5. I never did get valentines made or mailed. Sorry!
6. We have baby BAM for the weekend.
7. When you are eating a lemon bar with powdered sugar on the top it's a bad idea to breathe out through your nose.
8. Paraskevidekatriaphobia roots itself back to a dinner party of the gods. If you believe that version.
9. I am out of butter. Now I can't make mac and cheese. :(
10. I wrote this on Friday in the middle of the snowstorm and then never hit the publish button. It is now really Tuesday. :)

I Lost My Right Click

Any Excel Gurus out there?

I lost my right click in Excel. You know how you can right click on a cell and it gives you a shortcut menu of options? It's gone. I think it happened when I opened a certain macro inlayed spreadsheet that I had to use to submit to a government agency that shall remain nameless but that oftens issues spreadsheets that make me crazy. I got the toolbars back and the other toolbar issues that it caused. But I lost my right click.

Can you help me?

Edited 2:54 pm
fixed it! gotta love google.

typed in "excel right click not working" got this page http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/29685542/cannot-rightclick-a-shor.aspx

I tried the second solution and it fixed the problem!

I'm Past My Prime [from LI'L ABNER]

I can't go to sleep yet. Li'l Abner is on TMC! I'd forgotten how much I like this movie!

Lemonade Award

Thanks Harmony for giving me the Lemonade Award for showing gratitude or a good attitude (from "if life hands you lemons, make lemonade"). She says I have a good attitude and cute pics of little ones. The pics I'll have to agree with. :) They are pretty cute.

Here are the rules:Put the logo on your blog or post. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude! Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

1. Mahala makes me laugh every day.
2. Sarah's playlist music makes me happy.
3. I'd love to nominate Misty over at Bug and the Bees. But her blog is a sad state of affairs with nothing more than a title page. It's a travesty I tell you. A true traversty. :) If she'd only post a SINGLE post we could comment and tell her as such.
4. Sophia at Sentiments by Sophia. Even when things have been trying she has kept her virtual smile. And she let me steal her bigs and babes references regarding age spans in our kids. That in and of itself is worth a thank you award.
5. Madelyn over at Karma Free Cooking. I love her recipes and inspiration.

I know I'm supposed to do 10. But it's late and i need to hit the hay. Check out the blog roll on the left. They all make me happy. They all deserve recognition.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. I tend to steep tea perpetually. Like I leave the tea bag in the whole time I am drinking a cup of tea.
2. I have to go get new furniture for my office at work. I hate shopping. Especially for furniture.
3. One more hurdle down. At least two more to go.
4. We've been house shopping at work to buy new properties. You'd be surprised at how some people leave their house when they have a showing. It's darn right funny in a sad kind of way.
5. On Wednesday I ate Gerber Hawaiian Delight baby food for a snack.
6. I haven't had sushi in so long I should be fired from the sushi fan club.
7. My friend Super Dave has 70's era Ethan Allen furniture holding tools and chemicals in his garage. It made me cry a little.
8. Baby BAM's momma is looking for a new car.
9. I have been trying to fix the same problem at work for 3 days. It's REALLY annoying.
10. I used to run home from school so that I could watch the Dr Max show. The guy that played Mombo was the grandfather of my friend Kay.

Manah Manah

You'll have to go over there ----->>>> to pause the music first but thought you might enjoy a giggle.

Happy Wednesday!

Compromising Standards

“If you set standards, you’re going to fall short on occasion and you’re going to have to compromise on occasion, but you’re probably also going to get more done.”

Jody Powell (Jimmy Carter's press secretary)

Your thoughts?

Once upon a time

Once upon a time in a land far far away, there was a not so little girl who went to bed at a decent hour. She knew she'd feel better the next day if she went to bed when the rest of the house did. There really wasn't a good reason for staying up. So she went to bed. Quietly. And slept like a rock.

Oh to live a fairytale.

Music Professor!

New music for a new month. Hope you enjoy it. This is your fair warning that if you get to Prince's "Let's Pretend We're Married" you might want to turn the volume way down or skip the song if you are at work or have little ears around. It's got some "bad words mommy". Can you relate? ;)

Recognition

My sister has been "published" on a blog. :) She has been doing digital scrapbooking for about a year. She's created some pretty neat stuff! Her most recent is the "Marker Mayhem" page on this blog post: http://thedailydigi.com/one-month/ She has some other pages on her galleries at Two Peas and GottaPixel. Isn't Emma just adorable?

Now if only I could get past how to do the basics in PS Elements, I might just start doing the "digital thing".

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Lucas' birthday is Tomorrow!! Happy 1st birthday little man!
2. I am sick of the ExtenZe commercials.
3. If you buy Coke in the glass bottles imported from Mexico you get REAL Coke flavor with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. And they just started selling it at the gas station on the way to work. I need to stick with pay at the pump.
4. I still haven't bought snow boots for Little One. I'm thinking that it is probably now pointless. It's too freakin cold to play outside, the groundhog should be showing up next week and she refuses to wear mittens so playing in the snow is kind of out don't you think?
5. We cleaned the carpets last weekend.
6. The annual ice fishing tournament at Lake Manawa is tomorrow. I will NOT be sitting on the ice freezing myself this year. OK, Probably not. Never mind. Little One might need boots after all.
7. I just added Free To Be You and Me to my Amazon wish list.
8. I stayed up too late on Wednesday night watching Starsky & Hutch. What was I thinking? And how did that show win any awards?
9. Not one but TWO different seed catalogs came in the mail this week. My wish list is up to about $400. I should probably scale it down a little.
10. I want my MTV!

My week so far in a nutshell

Sunday a pipe burst at the office. Nobody was there. We've closed the office until next Monday. Air movers and industrial size dehumidifiers are really loud. It makes it hard to think let alone work. I was already so far behind it was nuts. Now it is insane.

I'm ready to move to that bar on the beach right about now.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Baby BAM is crawling!
2. Temperature at which I was complaining that it was too darn cold and started wearing my winter coat -- 47 degrees
3. Temperature at which I commented that it was sure nice that it was warm out and ran errands with no coat on -- 34 degrees
4. Temperature at which I opened the sunroof -- 48 degrees
5. I can't find the Zooey Deschanel version of "Dream a Little Dream" on a downloadable MP3. Only the online version that is on the player. Which is harvested from some odd posting on a random site somewhere. But I do now know that the original version of the song was written in 1931 by Gus Kahn, Wilbur Schwandt, and Fabian Andre. How's that for a random fact?
6. I've listened/watched/read the Inauguration speech at least 8 times in 3 days. It isn't the MOST powerful speech ever but it sure is moving.
7. I've pretty much sustained myself on popcorn this week. I know, not so balanced. But it's Vic's Popcorn. Who can really blame me?
8. My friend Janelle Lauer has her new album available on iTunes. Loving it!
9. I found a bunch of old slides at my dad's a few weeks ago. I can't wait to get back there to look through more.
10. Nickelback's "Gotta Be Somebody" is the main ringer on my phone right now.

And now you know all there is to know this happy Friday.

I found what I needed

Found an awesome self help line. It's like that old ask a nurse phone system where you push the record number of the recording you want. You should check it out!

413-497-0025

So if you are feeling a little off today... call..... record "1169" was pretty good. I'd start there.

Professional What?

Today. You have enough cash to hire one professional. You get their services one day or weekend a month for the rest of the year. What professional would you hire?


Me..... I think I might get someone willing to clean my house.