Two of my kids have Jumpstart every morning this week from 8:30 to 9:30, and the Grandparents have been here since last Friday (they leave this Saturday) so things have been a little crazy. But we're all alive and I'll find more time to blog when things slow down. I hope everyone is having a great week!
I, unfortunately, am having major INTERNET WITHDRAWALS!!!
Lara
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Austen on the Brain
Status: Busier than snot. Lots to do! Short post today.
The power went out last night--it was pretty funny, because the kids were in the movie theater in the basement, watching Jurassic Park, and suddenly everything went dark and they all started screaming their lungs out until Hubby (who thankfully was in the office in the basement) went and told them to calm down.
I had just put Thing Four to bed in his room, and I went and grabbed our emergency lamp and flashlight and we got the kids in their PJ's and into bed. Luckily I'm the Candle Queen, all I had to do was wander here and there lighting candles...
The power stayed out for a good hour, and still hadn't come on so I told Hubby to go to bed (it was nearly 11pm) and I decided to watch a movie on our portable dvd player. So I picked Persuasion (the Ciaran Hinds version--delectable!) and watched it until the power snapped back on and I had to go through the house and turn everything off.
Then I dreamed about the movie. I just love Jane's stories. She was the sole motivator for me to write historicals (well, ATTEMPT to write them!)--and I've greedily tried to own every Jane Austen film I can get my hands on--they're just so...fun.
Maybe, whenever the power goes out, and we are magically transported to the 18th century again, I can make it a tradition to either read or watch a Jane Austen story. That would make it fun!
Well, my BOYS might not think so...hmm...better rethink that one.
The power went out last night--it was pretty funny, because the kids were in the movie theater in the basement, watching Jurassic Park, and suddenly everything went dark and they all started screaming their lungs out until Hubby (who thankfully was in the office in the basement) went and told them to calm down.
I had just put Thing Four to bed in his room, and I went and grabbed our emergency lamp and flashlight and we got the kids in their PJ's and into bed. Luckily I'm the Candle Queen, all I had to do was wander here and there lighting candles...
The power stayed out for a good hour, and still hadn't come on so I told Hubby to go to bed (it was nearly 11pm) and I decided to watch a movie on our portable dvd player. So I picked Persuasion (the Ciaran Hinds version--delectable!) and watched it until the power snapped back on and I had to go through the house and turn everything off.
Then I dreamed about the movie. I just love Jane's stories. She was the sole motivator for me to write historicals (well, ATTEMPT to write them!)--and I've greedily tried to own every Jane Austen film I can get my hands on--they're just so...fun.
Maybe, whenever the power goes out, and we are magically transported to the 18th century again, I can make it a tradition to either read or watch a Jane Austen story. That would make it fun!
Well, my BOYS might not think so...hmm...better rethink that one.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Where Does it all Come From???
Status: Intrigued. Came down to the basement this morning and there was a big ole wild turkey having a look into our basement windows:
I know it's not the greatest picture, but I kid you not, he was parked in the flower bed right outside the window, looking earnestly INTO OUR HOUSE. I moved closer to get a better pic of him after this one, and he casually got up and walked away. Maybe the sight of me half-dressed scared him off, or maybe he was just done with his reconnaissance mission. (cue Twighlight Zone music). I'd like to think it wasn't the latter...
I know it's not the greatest picture, but I kid you not, he was parked in the flower bed right outside the window, looking earnestly INTO OUR HOUSE. I moved closer to get a better pic of him after this one, and he casually got up and walked away. Maybe the sight of me half-dressed scared him off, or maybe he was just done with his reconnaissance mission. (cue Twighlight Zone music). I'd like to think it wasn't the latter...Okay, so about the post title. I'm talking about LAUNDRY, here. You know how when you have a nasty head cold, and you blow your nose and blow your nose and you wonder where all the snot comes from?
That's how I am feeling about the laundry lately. Okay, sorry, gross analogy, but SERIOUSLY, I used to be in control of the laundry!!! Well, wayyyy back when it was just Hubby and me and Thing One. After Thing Two arrived, things started to slip. Now that we're a family of six, and three of them are two active boys and a baby...well, lets just say I have lost all illusions of control.
I am sort of screwed because my parents are staying in the guest room when they arrive at our house THIS friday, and of course I used the guest room as a "laundry staging area" during "Operation DeTox" last week. I had the kids bring every single dirty article of clothing down from their bedrooms--clothes, towels, etc, and then I made them sort them into piles to be washed. Granted, we don't have "darks lights and whites" anymore. We have Darks, light blues, browns, greens, reds, pinks, khakis, whites, sorta whites, etc. When we were finished I had 14 enormous piles of laundry on the floor.
So, I set about the Herculean task of washing everything. But, I did it all wrong. Instead of folding each load as it came out, I dumped it all on the guest bed, so I could sort it all out by kid later. BZZZZZZZZT. WRONG IDEA. I now currently have Mount Vesuvius residing on the guest bed, and I still haven't had a chance to wash every pile of laundry, because I have been busy running around all week.
A tad overwhelmed? Yes I am. So today is Tackle Mount Vesuvius Day. The kids are going to hate me by the end of this week. Yesterday I made them vacuum and dust and organize the basement and clean up the video gaming area. They told me they wished they were in school.
If only...
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
How Annoying!
Status: Just got back from the foot doctor. Annoyed.
Okay, so my right foot has been hurting me a LOT lately, especially during workouts and walks. So, I went in to see what was wrong, and now, in addition to having Plantar Faciitis in my foot, I now also have Metatarsalgia/Pre-dislocation Syndrome in my second Metatarsal and the doctor told me my foot sucks and I should just cut the damn thing off and throw it in the garbage can.
Okay, he didn't really say that, but I certainly feel like I should just chop it. Time to go and get brand new orthotics for yet ANOTHER foot ailment. My feet SUCK!!! At least my right one does. My left foot is great.
Spent about three hours yesterday writing out the prologue to a novel that will take me years to write, the rate I'm going. But at least I wrote. I am making a conscious effort to balance writing and Motherhood, and doing a bang-up job, frankly, so writing has taken a backseat. But I have so many mental notes and scenarios bouncing around in my brain, I figure when I can't think of much else, it's time to get it all out onto the computer, at least until I can make time to do something about it.
Well, my foot hurts. So I'd better go ice it. I hope everyone is having a better day than me.
Okay, so my right foot has been hurting me a LOT lately, especially during workouts and walks. So, I went in to see what was wrong, and now, in addition to having Plantar Faciitis in my foot, I now also have Metatarsalgia/Pre-dislocation Syndrome in my second Metatarsal and the doctor told me my foot sucks and I should just cut the damn thing off and throw it in the garbage can.
Okay, he didn't really say that, but I certainly feel like I should just chop it. Time to go and get brand new orthotics for yet ANOTHER foot ailment. My feet SUCK!!! At least my right one does. My left foot is great.
Spent about three hours yesterday writing out the prologue to a novel that will take me years to write, the rate I'm going. But at least I wrote. I am making a conscious effort to balance writing and Motherhood, and doing a bang-up job, frankly, so writing has taken a backseat. But I have so many mental notes and scenarios bouncing around in my brain, I figure when I can't think of much else, it's time to get it all out onto the computer, at least until I can make time to do something about it.
Well, my foot hurts. So I'd better go ice it. I hope everyone is having a better day than me.
Monday, July 23, 2007
SOAP, Part II
Status: Finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yesterday after church--and I am proud to say-- I went into this book UNSPOILED! I didn't skip ahead or read the last page (not something I normally do anyway) I read it from cover to cover and I have to say, it was definitely Jo Rowlings best Harry Potter book BY A MILE. I won't post spoilers for those of you who are reading/will read it.
But I WILL say that two of my main theories about the series were SPOT ON and I ROCK!!!
Busy day today. Errands, Grocery shopping, Tennis lessons, Dr. appts, and the kids are currently about to tear each other's throats out over taking out the garbage so I'd best intervene! Here is the remainder of my Soap Article:
This Soap Won't Get You Clean, Part II:
And of course there are those typical soap "love triangles" (which soon become love octagons or inverted parallelograms or whatever).
For instance: Muffy is in love with Bill, but Bill is afraid of commitment. So Bill has a one-night stand with Shalene, who becomes psycho-infatuated with him, with a little "Bill Shrine" on a wall in her apartment, and stalks him. However, she ends up having a one-night stand with Bob, who in turn falls in love with her and breaks Muffy's heart (because she went after Bob on the rebound from Bill). Thus, Muffy and Bill reconcile. But their syrupy bliss is short-lived because Bill turns out to be Muffy's long lost brother, Blaine (who everybody thought died in a chemical fire eight years back.) And of course, Blaine and Shalene were ENGAGED when the fire happened...ooops. So there's THAT issue to deal with...
By the end of the show everyone is in therapy, and of course, TV viewers love every minute of it!
Why do we love it? Because it's brainless fare, and it's like watching one of those train wrecks you know are coming but you have to watch it anyway because it's so mortifying.
I'd stick around and complain more, but I have to run home to see my "monthly dose" of Y&R. After all, I'm dying to find out whether Victor really is going to marry that blind girl who stole his heart while he was living on her farm in the middle of nowhere after faking his own death. While there, he's contemplating whether or not to tell his son Cole he is his father. Cole, by the way, unbeknownst to Victor, is about to marry Victor's DAUGHTER...
I HAVE to see this!
It doesn't get any better than that, folks!
But I WILL say that two of my main theories about the series were SPOT ON and I ROCK!!!
Busy day today. Errands, Grocery shopping, Tennis lessons, Dr. appts, and the kids are currently about to tear each other's throats out over taking out the garbage so I'd best intervene! Here is the remainder of my Soap Article:
This Soap Won't Get You Clean, Part II:
And of course there are those typical soap "love triangles" (which soon become love octagons or inverted parallelograms or whatever).
For instance: Muffy is in love with Bill, but Bill is afraid of commitment. So Bill has a one-night stand with Shalene, who becomes psycho-infatuated with him, with a little "Bill Shrine" on a wall in her apartment, and stalks him. However, she ends up having a one-night stand with Bob, who in turn falls in love with her and breaks Muffy's heart (because she went after Bob on the rebound from Bill). Thus, Muffy and Bill reconcile. But their syrupy bliss is short-lived because Bill turns out to be Muffy's long lost brother, Blaine (who everybody thought died in a chemical fire eight years back.) And of course, Blaine and Shalene were ENGAGED when the fire happened...ooops. So there's THAT issue to deal with...
By the end of the show everyone is in therapy, and of course, TV viewers love every minute of it!
Why do we love it? Because it's brainless fare, and it's like watching one of those train wrecks you know are coming but you have to watch it anyway because it's so mortifying.
I'd stick around and complain more, but I have to run home to see my "monthly dose" of Y&R. After all, I'm dying to find out whether Victor really is going to marry that blind girl who stole his heart while he was living on her farm in the middle of nowhere after faking his own death. While there, he's contemplating whether or not to tell his son Cole he is his father. Cole, by the way, unbeknownst to Victor, is about to marry Victor's DAUGHTER...
I HAVE to see this!
It doesn't get any better than that, folks!
Friday, July 20, 2007
This Soap Won't Get You Clean...
Status: Tired--Thing Four decided to only sleep five hours after I put him down at 9pm. About to drive Thing One to her G.S. camp dropoff, getting ready to get school supplies ALREADY because if I don't hurry, all that will be left soon will be unsharpened pencils and paperclips...
Okay, before I start my little rant, WHAT IS THE DEAL with all those sickos out there, who keep finding my blog by Googling “Naughty Soccer Mom?” Shame on you! I am not in the least bit naughty, so keep on moving, buster!!!
So, now to the title of my post. So, I will freely admit I never watch TV during the day. My kids watch Nicktoons and Disney sometimes, but that’s it. I don’t get caught up in daytime television, because I feel like…well…it’s a complete waste of time. No offense to any soap watchers or talk-show watchers, but it just isn’t my cup of tea.
However, I will admit I used to be highly addicted to soap operas as a teen. In fact, I wrote an article for my college newspaper about it. I dug it up the other day, and brushed it off. To my amazement I discovered I was actually witty in college—believe it or not. Here’s the article, unedited and it its entirety. Enjoy!
(disclaimer—it was written circa 1990, so it’s a bid dated!)
THIS SOAP WON'T GET YOU CLEAN
Television is a powerful tool. It makes us jump for joy, tear our hair out in frustration, and scream at the screen in anguish. It hypes us up and stresses us out. And the beauty of it all: it’s available without a prescription.
This is why college students find time in their busy schedules to crash in front of the tube. Anyone who says we watch TV to be educated needs to drop a bowling ball on his head…again.
We are at college to be educated. Students who plant themselves in front of the TV are either A) searching for a mindless escape from their dreary existence or B) so completely bored that watching TV barely outrules calling up Aunt Bertha and listening to her rattle on about her latest kidney stone.
Among the plethora of brainless TV fare are talk shows, comedy, game shows, and of course the big “goober” of them all—soap operas.
I used to be a soap fan, but I’ve long since weaned myself from my show, The Young and the Restless. I am proud to announce that I am now down to seeing it once a month.
It’s sad but true. In general, college students become addicted to 1.5 soap operas a year. (I read this somewhere…really!)
There needs to be some sort of “Soap Anon” for these unfortunate people, whose very emotional stability hinges on whether Jill gets together with Jack, or Christian really DOES get revived from the dead.
The reason soaps are so appealing is simple: our own lives are The Lawrence Welk Show compared to a soap character’s life. After all, how many of us can claim we’ve been sent to rehab, shot, drowned, brought back to life (twice!) hit by a car, kidnapped, married, divorced, married again and hospitalized four times…all in the past year?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay...this is getting a tad long. I will post the second part on Monday.
Have a fabulous weekend everyone, and to all those Harry Potter fans out there: Happy Reading! May you remain spoil-free until you start page one! I still can't believe this is the last time I'll eagerly await a book for so long, only to read it in one or two days!
:-)
Okay, before I start my little rant, WHAT IS THE DEAL with all those sickos out there, who keep finding my blog by Googling “Naughty Soccer Mom?” Shame on you! I am not in the least bit naughty, so keep on moving, buster!!!
So, now to the title of my post. So, I will freely admit I never watch TV during the day. My kids watch Nicktoons and Disney sometimes, but that’s it. I don’t get caught up in daytime television, because I feel like…well…it’s a complete waste of time. No offense to any soap watchers or talk-show watchers, but it just isn’t my cup of tea.
However, I will admit I used to be highly addicted to soap operas as a teen. In fact, I wrote an article for my college newspaper about it. I dug it up the other day, and brushed it off. To my amazement I discovered I was actually witty in college—believe it or not. Here’s the article, unedited and it its entirety. Enjoy!
(disclaimer—it was written circa 1990, so it’s a bid dated!)
THIS SOAP WON'T GET YOU CLEAN
Television is a powerful tool. It makes us jump for joy, tear our hair out in frustration, and scream at the screen in anguish. It hypes us up and stresses us out. And the beauty of it all: it’s available without a prescription.
This is why college students find time in their busy schedules to crash in front of the tube. Anyone who says we watch TV to be educated needs to drop a bowling ball on his head…again.
We are at college to be educated. Students who plant themselves in front of the TV are either A) searching for a mindless escape from their dreary existence or B) so completely bored that watching TV barely outrules calling up Aunt Bertha and listening to her rattle on about her latest kidney stone.
Among the plethora of brainless TV fare are talk shows, comedy, game shows, and of course the big “goober” of them all—soap operas.
I used to be a soap fan, but I’ve long since weaned myself from my show, The Young and the Restless. I am proud to announce that I am now down to seeing it once a month.
It’s sad but true. In general, college students become addicted to 1.5 soap operas a year. (I read this somewhere…really!)
There needs to be some sort of “Soap Anon” for these unfortunate people, whose very emotional stability hinges on whether Jill gets together with Jack, or Christian really DOES get revived from the dead.
The reason soaps are so appealing is simple: our own lives are The Lawrence Welk Show compared to a soap character’s life. After all, how many of us can claim we’ve been sent to rehab, shot, drowned, brought back to life (twice!) hit by a car, kidnapped, married, divorced, married again and hospitalized four times…all in the past year?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay...this is getting a tad long. I will post the second part on Monday.
Have a fabulous weekend everyone, and to all those Harry Potter fans out there: Happy Reading! May you remain spoil-free until you start page one! I still can't believe this is the last time I'll eagerly await a book for so long, only to read it in one or two days!
:-)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I'M BAAAAAAACK...(Sort Of)
Well, things have calmed down somewhat on the home front. Thing Four is sleeping about seven hours a night, and so my "Zombie Days" are generally over. Which means I'm more awake now. Which means I have more energy. Which means I have more time to do things like...blog.
And I'm sure all of you are thrilled to bits. I mean, who wouldn't want to hear about the eating habits of a two-month old? Or how my plantar fasciitis is acting up? Or how I actually went three weeks without cleaning the basement toilet once? (I swear, in my defense, it was a complete fluke, and perfectly explainable...yet I wouldn't subject you all to a description of that event, I do have SOME tact.)
I do have a few things rolling around in my head at the moment...I am very excited about the release of DEATHLY HALLOWS in a couple of days, and I am steaming mad that people out there got their books early and are determined to spoil it for other readers (hence I won't be spending much time online until Saturday)--and I am really sad that Mandy Patinkin left Criminal Minds, and DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED on "Posh" Beckham coming to America...because I'm determined to say nice things in my blog...generally...and I could go on for a while but I won't.
Instead, here's a picture of Thing Four: (Taken a few weeks ago when he first started smiling)
And yes, I absolutely loathe that tacky doorknob-thingy sticking out of his mouth-- but he absolutely lurves it, and I don't have the heart to take it away from him. And it is kinda cute--you can see into his mouth if you look in that little hole in the middle. Oh well.
And I'm sure all of you are thrilled to bits. I mean, who wouldn't want to hear about the eating habits of a two-month old? Or how my plantar fasciitis is acting up? Or how I actually went three weeks without cleaning the basement toilet once? (I swear, in my defense, it was a complete fluke, and perfectly explainable...yet I wouldn't subject you all to a description of that event, I do have SOME tact.)
I do have a few things rolling around in my head at the moment...I am very excited about the release of DEATHLY HALLOWS in a couple of days, and I am steaming mad that people out there got their books early and are determined to spoil it for other readers (hence I won't be spending much time online until Saturday)--and I am really sad that Mandy Patinkin left Criminal Minds, and DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED on "Posh" Beckham coming to America...because I'm determined to say nice things in my blog...generally...and I could go on for a while but I won't.
Instead, here's a picture of Thing Four: (Taken a few weeks ago when he first started smiling)
And yes, I absolutely loathe that tacky doorknob-thingy sticking out of his mouth-- but he absolutely lurves it, and I don't have the heart to take it away from him. And it is kinda cute--you can see into his mouth if you look in that little hole in the middle. Oh well. So, yes, it may be anticlimactic, but I am back. I missed the blog. And unless we have a Thing Five (Oh who said that!) I shouldn't be shutting down any time soon...
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