Mellifluous Melons...

I was selfish and bought a cantaloupe a few days ago. I say selfish, because I'm the only one in my family who can eat one. Everyone else is allergic. Not DEATHLY allergic, but everyone gets an itchy throat when they partake. Hubby's lips swell up. So, melons are a purely selfish purchase for me.
Granted I've never liked watermelon and honeydew is "just OK." But Cantaloupe...ah, when it's just the right kind of ripe, there's nothing like it! Mmmmmm!

My friend Aimee, who lives in Istanbul, blogged about how they are giving away melons right now for practically nothing--I still have to pay $2.64 for one of them.

I had a crush on a very nearly perfect guy in high school, and I breathlessly waited as he wrote in my yearbook (his senior year, not mine) and when I got the book back, he'd written a poem about...MELONS. (Because we'd had lunch together a few days before, and I'd had a fruit tray, and told him I really liked melons, because I was a nervous self-concious mess and couldn't think of anything else to talk about...except melons.)

Yep, mortifying, I know. Hey, I was a sophomore. I was completely backwards! For years I wished I had the opportunity to do that lunch "over" with him. I would have actually flirted with him. I would have talked eloquently about books, movies, philosophy, music, and Life in general. NOT... MELONS. WHY COULDN'T I THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY??????!!!!!!

UGH.

I felt better yesterday, but I was at the computer a LOT. Editing and revising. I think it's starting to "get somewhere." I am in debt to my crit partner, who patiently has sifted through my drivel (I have 280+ pages of it!) and she's not blind or complaining, yet. :-) I guess that's a good sign.

I can't believe it's friday--and Labor Day weekend! I hope everyone takes the time to play! Normally, I would remind you all about the "no white shoes after Labor Day" rule, but in today's fashion atmosphere, I think anything goes!

Except black tights with white shoes. Those were a no-no even when they weren't.

Yes, I was guilty of that infraction ONCE, in 9th grade. I wore a black skirt, black nylons, and WHITE shoes, because my sweater had a white stripe on the collar. I needed more white somewhere!

*sigh* And I could only talk about Melons with the guy I adored...

NERVOUS...

Man, yesterday was tough. This cold hit me hard and fast. I spent a lot of the day curled up, achy and feeling like a regurgitated rat turd.

I started feeling more human after I took medicine and a shower and forced myself to take the kids to Open House. I've never seen them so giddy and enthusiastic about school starting. It's a great thing. I am glad they want to learn, and their teachers seem very on-the-ball. I was amazed at the new Smartboards, too. They have them in every classroom, and they look way cool. No more overhead projectors!

I edited chapters last night and chatted online. Hubby went to bed, and I went later, because I'm sleeping in the guest room (my idea) so I won't get him sick, or keep him up snorting. *wink*

Today I feel much better, but my voice sounds like Lucille Ball in her 60's. But hey, the aches are gone!

So, why am I nervous? Because it seems Thing Four is already growing out of his naps. He usually takes them at ten and three o'clock, but lately, he just jibber jabbers and stands up in his crib, and won't go to sleep. So, I'm thinking he's not into naps anymore.This sort of sucks, because when he's down, I can get my writing/editing in. I was counting on it when school starts.I think he'll go for a morning nap at least still, so I'm going to test him the next few days, and see if he'll at least take ONE. Cross your fingers for me!

Okay, seriously, it's Thursday. Why are the weeks just FLYING by??? Can anyone tell me this?

Am I *that* Wimpy?

So, night before last, I LOVED that our room was cold and we were all snuggled up...

...and now I have a sore throat and a stuffy nose.

Am I THAT sensitive to temperature changes? That's just crazy. Maybe I need to take vitamins or something. I am banning myself from kisses and hugs with my kids until this blows over. (Heh heh, I love puns in the morning!) I don't need them starting school with COLDS. I just took some cold medicine for the first time in months, and I'm waiting for the dreaded "medicine head" to kick in.

Had a great editing session last night with my good friend, who is ON FIRE with her writing. I sent her the first few chapters of my story to critique, and she caught my lazy passive voice tendencies. Bad Lara! When I write fast, I write lazy. Bad, bad Lara! I'm revising now.

We finished up our school shopping yesterday. I know, I was a bad procrastinator this year. In fact, I think I got THE last seven wide-ruled spiral notebooks in the entire store. And I had to DIG for them, let me tell you. Everything else was college ruled. I had to drive to another store, to find a CLEAR protractor, and pink erasers. But I didn't find the erasers.

Why is it that the pink erasers always disappear first? What is up with that? One week before school and you can't find a pink eraser within a 20-mile radius. It's weird. I am making a mental note to myself to buy pink erasers AS SOON as I see them next year. Luckily I overbought last year, and I think I have one or two rattling around in the office somewhere.

Tonight is Open House. My kids are all ready, they have all their stuff sorted into bags and labeled, and they are psyched. My daughter wanted to wear one of her 80's-inspired outfits tonight and I said it looked "Rad." The smile disappeared from her face and she looked at me.

"Mom, what's Rad mean?"

*sigh* I explained it was another word for "awesome." I also told her she needed to start using it at school, and see if she started a trend.

Hey, at least I didn't say "Tubular!"

:-D

*BLISS*

Status: Feeling AWESOME!

Why? Because, the temperature dipped waayyyy down last night, into the 50's. Hubby and I slept with the windows open in our room, and it was cold. We got out the down comforter and duvet, and used them, and we were snug as bugs.

It was the best night's sleep I've had in AGES. I have officially decided that although summer is beautiful and fun, I am a "cooler weather" girl. Seriously. I love fall clothes, and I love the trees, and I love getting a good night's sleep, because I'm not sweltering hot!

It's the WINTER, that gets to me, here. But fall, it's bliss! Fall is definitely in the air! It's only going to be mid to high 70's this week. I am beginning to wonder if my kids will even get to wear their shorts for very long after school starts?!

We were out late last night, getting shoes for all the kids. AACK. All three of the older ones needed a pair for church (of course our girl needed a FEW) a pair that stay at school for Phy Ed, and a few pairs of casual shoes. Do that, times FOUR kids, and, well, it makes the eyes water a little. I don't know how families with seven, eight, or more kids do it. Massive hand-me-downs is all I can think. And it's not like we bought the most expensive shoes ever--we went to Kohl's and took advantage of their sale, and even used our "pick a day" coupon. But it was still an arm and a leg and a few toes, for their shoes.

Okay, I'll stop complaining, but DANG!

The baby had his 15-month checkup yesterday. The Dr. told me congratulations, he's perfect, and he's ENORMOUS. He's the size of a three-year old. Off the charts. And he weighs 28 1/2 pounds. He's so dang cute, though. Not that I'm biased, or anything. ;-)

Today I need to make sure the kids have everything set, tomorrow night is Open House. We get to go meet their teachers and put all their stuff in their desks. Woo! Of course, I wish it was later than 4-6, because Hubby doesn't usually get home from work until 8pm on average, so he won't be there. So it will be me and all the kids pushing a stroller and lugging their stuff. Oh well, happens every year.

I am going to go open the windows. Happy Tuesday Toast Day!!!

My Foot and Other Stupid Things...

Status: Barely here. I had insomnia last night! A true case! You know where you just can't turn your brain off, because the things of the day just run and run through it, and you are making plans and mentally going through everything? AAAAACK! That was me last night. I was sneaky and turned the fan way down and everything. But alas, no sleep.

So I'm beginning to wonder if there's actually a true medical term for my achy foot. I think I'll call it "Soccer Mom Foot," because I think that's what I have. Or maybe just plain ole' "Mom-Who-Lives-In-Her-Car-Foot," because my right instep/ball of my foot is bugging me lately...from driving around in my car so much.

It's different from Plantar problems, because my heel is fine. Maybe it's the pedals in my Expedition. They're a tad high, because it's technically a truck, right? So my foot is tired from being lifted up and shifted constantly from brake to pedal, and vice versa. (And yes, I've adjusted them to be as low as possible.) Maybe it's...tendonitis of the foot?

Do race car drivers get this ailment? Do people who have long commutes? I have to wonder. After a long day of running everywhere and taking the kids to everything, my foot is just wonky and sore. You know how tennis players have their dominant arm bigger than the other one? Well, my driving foot is definitely "buff-er" than my left foot. Okay, I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. I even use cruise control a lot, to rest my foot, but at the end of the day--ouch. Am I just too tense when I'm driving my car? I wonder if there are there exercises I can do. Hmmm. I think I'll do some Googling today.

Stupid, I know.

Everything is stupid right now. I've had no sleep, so I feel stupid. I have been editing my story and I feel like my story is...stupid. I have a stupid obsession with keeping my kitchen clean right now. The amount of dirty laundry that has multiplied in the laundry room in ONLY THREE FREAKING DAYS is stupid.

It is also quite absurd and stupid, how fast this summer went. My kids are starting school next week, and the amount of money I've had to shill out for their impending school experiences is HIGHLY STUPID. (I bought a flute for Thing One yesterday and my wallet actually started weeping.)

So, hopefully, the rest of the day will be LESS stupid. Wish me luck. Happy Monday, everyone.

Sleep Apnea Sucks.

So, the baby is fine. No more crying over phrases. (See previous post.) I still haven't figured out why he reacted that way.

*Cue Twilight Zone Music...*

ANYWAY, I went ahead and DVR'd an episode of "Little Einsteins" and had him watch it, just to be sure. Nada. The kid was fine. *Cue Twilight Zone Music Again*

So, Hubby and I are having a small "dispute." We recently had a ceiling fan installed in our room, and the only way Hubby can sleep, is if the fan is blowing at top speed. Otherwise he is "too hot" and wants to turn the air down to 72 or some other freezing temperature.

Here's the problem. I cannot sleep in a wind tunnel. I am a back sleeper. I sleep like a laid-out corpse. I always have. My roommates in college called it the "vampire pose." I lay on my back, with my hands neatly crossed on my chest. Don't ask me why. But when I'm NOT pregnant, I sleep like that.
So, with the fan blowing on me, apparently, I've gotten a little "dry" in my throat and started snoring. Yes, it's embarrassing to admit, but with the fan going, I snore. And Hubby is always jabbing me and waking me up, several times a night.

I am always tired now. I figured out its because I'm getting jabbed all night. Hubby is tired too. I told him if he wants me to stop snoring, he has to turn the fan down. But he says he can't sleep if he's too hot. I told him he can't sleep anyway because of my snoring, and he said "It's no big deal, I just jab you."
I said it IS a big deal, because he wakes me up when he jabs me, and three or four times a night equals INTERRUPTED SLEEP. And I am tired all the time. So THIS is what Sleep Apnea must feel like. I feel bad for the Sleep Apnea People. It sucks.

So, we have a problem. I told him I would be happy to sleep in the guest room, and he can be in his violent wind tunnel all night long, but he doesn't want to sleep separately. He told me to just turn over and sleep on my side, so I won't snore. But I don't LIKE sleeping on my side.

What to do, what to do. I had a serious discussion with him this morning about it, and he said he's willing to turn the fan down, as long as he has another fan in the room, blowing on him.

Heck, I'll put FIFTEEN fans and point them all at his head, if it will give me a good night's sleep!

It's Friday again. These weeks are FLYING by. We had another playdate yesterday and I was so tired I just let them watch movies. I am a bad mom. But I'm worth nothing when I get no sleep.

Have a good weekend, all! Sleep lots for me! I'm sure all of you sleep just fine. I'm highly jealous.
And if you see a sleeping woman lying on her back in a "Vampire pose" on the grass during soccer practice tonight...don't worry, that's just me.

My Baby is scared of a...PHRASE??

Okay, so the WEIRDEST thing happened yesterday afternoon. I was changing the baby's diaper, and I started singing the theme song of "Little Einsteins" to him while I was changing him.

I sing to him a lot. In fact, he really loves it. So imagine my surprise, when I finish up and zerbert his tummy and notice that he's got his lower lip jutting out and quivering (as it does right before he bursts out crying) and his eyes had filled with tears. I immediately pulled his shorts back off to make sure I hadn't diapered him too tight/pinched something in the process/missed anything. Everything seemed fine. So I started to sing the Little Einsteins theme song to him again, while I pulled his shorts back on.

He BURST OUT CRYING. And we're talking FREAKED OUT crying. I scooped him up and soothed him, and it took a good ten minutes of him hysterically sobbing (he even cried himself into spots on his forehead) before he finally calmed down and stopped. He was hiccuping and very very sad.

I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I wracked my brain, trying to figure it out. Was it his teeth? I started singing one of his favorite songs to him, and he wasn't upset, so it wasn't my singing. Then I had a thought. Was it the Little Einsteins theme song?

He had totally calmed down, so I looked at him with a smile and started softly singing the theme song to him for "Little Einsteins."

INSTANT HYSTERICS.

This time, it took a good fifteen minutes to calm him down. He wanted nothing to do with me. Like I was some monster. It's the strangest thing I have ever seen! Scared of a song? He watches Little Einsteins on Disney once in a while. He doesn't burst into hysterics then. So, what was the deal?

Hubby came home and I had to run to a Stampin' Up! party, so I left it to Thing One to tell him what happened.

After I came home, Hubby wanted me to take the baby to the dr. He said the boys were telling him about our "episode" and they said the words "Little Einsteins" and when the baby heard them say THE WORDS, he burst out crying again.

So, apparently my 15-month old has an intense reaction to the phrase "Little Einsteins." He also woke up screaming at 1am this morning, and needed to be rocked back to sleep. (This is not a common thing for him, he usually sleeps very peacefully.)

Luckily he has his well-checkup with his dr. on Monday. So I can ask her if she's ever heard of anything like that in her life.

I am at a loss, here. Anyone have this happen to them? A baby who freaks out over a couple of words? He's had a very good, happy life so far, no trauma, nothing. Thing One and I were theorizing that maybe he had a nightmare at one point that involved the Little Einsteins, but other than that, we're stumped.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Update: I went for broke and started singing the song while I was feeding him his morning Cheerios. He smiled and started singing WITH me! I even said "Little Einsteins" a few times and he didn't act upset at all. Was it just that yesterday was a weird day?

????????????????

Let's just Cram it all IN...

Status: Tired already. Is the day over, yet?

Thing One, who is almost 11, had a sleepover, and they were up at 7am, playing baseball in their jammies and bare feet out in the backyard. Then we made pancakes. Then we went for a long walk. Then they made me play them at pinball. (I lost.)

So, I'm beat. And Thing One has another friend begging to come over. It's like, now that school will be starting soon, all my kids want to fill their days with playdates and sleepovers and craziness. Enjoy it while we still can, right?

WHEW. I did manage to get some editing in last night, when I wasn't helping them bake M&M cookies at ten at night. :-) I am wondering if "fresh eyes" on this story is a good thing. I think it, frankly, sucks. Well, not sucks, but it definitely needs some work. Then again, I wrote 66K in 40 days. It is going to have a few "rough spots."

Today is overcast and cool. I want to get out and do something, so maybe I'll take the kids to Target or Half Price Books. Our Target here has a really great book selection. Only the kids' books and board books' prices at Target are nothing short of Highway Robbery. Eeek.

I can't believe it's Wednesday already! Have a good day, all!

I Need to Have a Rummage Sale.

Status: Thank heaven I'm a morning person--sort of. 'Nuff said.

Okay, Olympics and Revisions don't mix. What was I thinking? Luckily my favorite events ever are water (swimming, diving) and gymnastics, so the "really fun" events are over for me. Beach volleyball is fun (and stressful) and Hubby and I laughed and laughed because we weren't aware that "trampoline" was an Olympic event. Is this a new thing? Dang, those girls were catching MAJOR air. I would have broken both legs. I am NOT trampoline-savvy. (My friend Jenni can attest to this!--remember Thanksgiving at Nan's?)

Anyway, I rewrote the beginning of the opening chapter. So, that's progress. But at 11:30 I had to call it quits.

Tonight I've been asked (again) to fill in and teach Cub scouts for the Bears. Last time it was knots. I am actually quite adept at a few of them now, I'm proud to say. Especially my Slip Knot. But I need to figure something else out. It should be LOADS of fun with a 15-month old, especially when his sister will be doing her own thing with the other girls and won't be able to watch him.

So, yesterday, I was cleaning out the closets and getting ready to rotate the summer clothes out, and the winter clothes in. And I realized I still have clothes from the 90's. A LOT of them. I just can't bear to part with some of them! Sweaters especially. Those really never go out of style.

I know, I know...

I have also realized for the umpteenth time, that I am a pack rat. Like a little squirrel, dutifully storing up nuts for the winter, I have boxes of birthday cards, trinkets the kids made in school, pictures, and boxes of other "sentimental" junk.

I know. I KNOW!!!

But I don't want to spend the rest of summer cleaning out my basement storage area. I want to ENJOY these last few weeks. So I'll commence Operation Sentimental Junk Sift-Through when it gets too cold to go outside. I love being in that back portion of the basement. It wraps around and goes for days, and I can't hear children calling my name (or Hubby, for that matter) or a phone ringing. In fact, whenever I'm back there, I have to take a walkie talkie, so I can get "paged."

Except the spiders get to me. I don't do spiders. Blech.

Happy Tuesday! (It's Tuesday Toast Day at our house, yum!)

EDITLAND. REVISIONLAND. MACHETE-LAND.

Yes, the time has come. It has been nearly two weeks since I finished the rough draft of my novel. Now comes the fun part. I've written out the bare bones of the story, now I need to go back and add depth, details, color, etc. I need to look at every instance of the word "said" and see if I can change it. I need to SHOW and not tell.

Just "little" things. Heh heh.

My house is CLEAN, thanks to the event we had this weekend. I did ALL the laundry, and made my kids put it away. We cleaned/organized rooms and closets, and detailed everything. And it STAYED that way over the weekend, because we lived in the basement, watching the Olympics.

So, I don't have to clean today. Just run to the dry cleaners, grocery store, Home Depot (is it pathetic that I am actually EXCITED to do a Home Depot run?) and Soccer practice.

So, a quiet day. ;-) Happy Monday!

OH NO THEY DIDN'T...

Well, Greedy Warner Brothers is at it again. Remember how "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" was scheduled for a November 2008 release?

They've moved the release date. Harry Potter and the HBP won't be in Theatres until...wait for it...

JULY 2009.

WTH??? Their reasoning? They feel it will make more money as a summer blockbuster than a holiday release. Yep, it's all about the money. I get it, but I don't like it. The movie is in freaking POST production! The trailers are in theatres already!

So, instead of waiting three months, we get to wait an ENTIRE YEAR now, before it comes out.

Bad move, Warner Brothers. You're going to upset lots of people, if you haven't already...

SOCCER!!!

Soccer practices started last night--nothing new to tell. Same old same old. But it's starting to seem like Fall! School starts in a couple of weeks, everything is ready!

This is my favorite time of year--the months of September to end of December. Fall is fun, and the holidays are even...funner. *wink* Yes, I know that's not a proper word.

I need to just breathe. I figured that out recently. I had a HUGE list of things to do yesterday, and I was a sweaty housecleaning mess, looking at my piles of laundry, and I got a phone call from a new friend who moved into our church ward, who happens to live only five minutes away. She invited us over for lunch and swimming. I looked at my mess, I thought about it, and I decided TO HECK WITH IT I wanted to have some fun! So I dumped the boys in the car (Thing One was already over at the house swimming, she'd had a sleepover there) and we went and had fun.

Well, the kids had fun. I tried to. But wrangling a 15-month old who constantly wants "DOWN" and wants to stick his chubby fingers in things and head straight for the open water and crawl up the stairs and pull things out of cupboards and be going going going all the time kind of saps the "fun" part of things. We put him in the water with his own seat/floaty thingy, but he decided it would be fun to pitch forward and nearly drown himself--twice. So we gave up.

But hey, the kids had fun. That's what matters most, right? And we got to chat and wrangle kids. Although I was tempted to hog-tie one of them. ;-)

It's Friday! I hope everyone has a good weekend! The Olympics last night were AWESOME and I actually stayed up for all of them. YAY!

Hubby just told me he invited his co-workers (and their kids) over to our house for a grill party tomorrow night. It was nice that he asked me if it was OK first, but what was I gonna say? NO?

Time to run to the store!

TWO Weeks...

...and my kiddos go back to school. We've registered, we've bought the clothes (can you say hello 80's all over again?) and although I love them dearly, and will miss the constant chaos...

I am SO ready for school to start! I want the house to stay clean for more than one hour. I want to hear the sound of silence once in a while. I want to be able to do what *I* want when the baby naps, as opposed to "Oh, the baby is asleep, Mom, do you want to (insert activity here) with me?"

I know, enjoy these years while I can. I agree wholeheartedly. But it will be nice to just have me and the little guy rattling around in the house 8 hours a day. My toilets will stay cleaner. That in itself is a GREAT thing...

I figured out why I'm such a zombie (thanks to a suggestion from Mik, another Olympics Enthusiast). It's because I'm staying up late watching the Olympics every night, and getting up early when Hubby wakes up at 5:45. So, we're talking under 5 hours of sleep a night. (Hubby gets home around 8pm at night lately, so we record the Olympics and in some cases, we don't even start watching them until 8:30 or 9:00. Hence the staying up until 1am or later...)

Last night, I had a hunch we wouldn't do well in the Men's Gymnastics all-around--so I went to bed "early" at 11:30. Hubby looked at me like I was crazy. (Hubby is OBSESSED with the Olympics.) But after four and a half hours, I'd had enough. I needed my sleep. So I went to bed. *BLISS*

This week has FLOWN by. Crazy. Thing One got invited to an impromptu sleepover last night, so I let her.

Oh, and SOCCER PRACTICE starts tonight! I got really lucky. The practices fell on Tues/Thurs/Friday, so on Monday and Wednesday nights, we're free and clear. Until Basketball starts up. Then I have no idea. But I'll cross that bridge...well, you know.

Happy Thursday! It's been one week exactly since I finished my story! I think I am going to start editing at the week and a half mark. I just can't wait!

Stating the Obvious.

It's Wednesday.

It's raining.

My house is messy.

I am antsy.

My to-do list is longer than my arm.

My kids need to make their beds.

I want to go back to bed.

I'm not a very good blogger today.

Why Am I Even Blogging...

I can hardly keep one eye open.

We watched the Olympics until 1am (I know, we're dumdums) and were SO excited about Men's Gymnastics until they hit the Pommel Horse and TANKED (boo!) But at least they held on to the Bronze.

But THEN, at 3am, the baby decided to wake up sobbing, from a bad dream. I held him and rocked him, and tried to lay him back down and he said "no, no," like I would break his heart so OF COURSE I ended up holding him until he fell back asleep.

But then he woke up again at 4:30 and decided to recite a monologue from his crib, at the top of his lungs. I am not sure which Shakespeare work it was from, but he did a fantastic job. Although it was in his own language, which resembles English/Hindu/Chinese.

*sigh*

So I'm tired. I'm registering the kids for school today, and they're getting their pictures taken too, so, that's stressful. Thing Two has been smiling the last few years like he's in a Grimace of Pain, and Thing Three has the CHEESIEST grin ever. But what can you do? Threaten them?

I still haven't written or edited anything, and I am beginning to feel it. I miss it. I miss having an active brain. Soon, I will start again. Soon.

Would it be bad if I let Thing One watch the baby and went back to bed?

Can One be Jealous of a Blackberry?

Status: Elated. Why? The Olympics! Or more specifically: The Men's 4x100m free relay. 'Nuff said.

Okay, well, maybe I'll elaborate. Hubby and I were jumping up and down cheering Lezak so loudly we woke up all the kids. The look on the faces of the French team was PRICELESS at the end. Utter shock and disbelief.

WOO!!

So, is it possible for a human being to be jealous of a Blackberry? Especially if maybe that person's spouse spends more time with the Blackberry than, say, anyone or anything?
I guess it wouldn't be so frustrating if Hubby wasn't such a fan of the meticulously clean inbox. Or if his co-workers didn't email him every minute. OR if he didn't tune everyone out while he was on the Blackberry. But he does, and therein lies the problem. He loves the CRACKberry.

But he's in the business where you can be a Peacock one hour and the next hour, you're in danger of becoming a feather-duster. So he's constantly glued to the little offensive thing.

Granted, I've put my foot down during mealtimes, dates, movies, or basically anything that involves quality time with the family. And he's pretty good about it. It's plugged in on the table by the back door leading to the garage, and whenever we can't find Hubby, we know he's probably back there, frantically texting or emailing.

I bet he'd sleep with it, if I let him.

*Sigh*

I gave myself a writing break. I plan on easing into other things, but for now, I'm giving myself a good long break before I begin my edits. Although, I'm antsy to begin them. I really want to get this thing submitted. But I realize that rushing it will resolve in sloppy editing, and I don't want that. So I will probably start this weekend.

That's it for me--weekend was good--now it's time to run around!

The Incredible Shrinking Products...

Status: Neck and shoulder are fine after a break at the computer. I didn't write ONE word yesterday. And I probably won't today. I want to start edits on the story with fresh eyes this weekend.

Okay, so, I've noticed this, and if *I* have noticed it, other moms probably have too.

Product packaging is getting smaller. For instance, the Cheerios boxes aren't as big as they used to be. Edy's icecream cartons are WAY smaller. Extra Gum packs have been restyled, but they don't hold as much. Little things, but the problem I have: They're still charging the same price for less product.

Then, yesterday, I stumbled on an article that basically said the food companies ARE doing this, for a reason. Rather than raise prices on their foods, they are opting to "skimp" on them, and use smaller packaging, and keep the prices the same.

For instance, Tropicana Orange Juice now has a few ounces less in their orange juice. Frito Lay is going to put less chips in their bags. Kellog's cereals is putting in less cereal. Even Hellman's mayonnaise has jumped on the "downsizing" bandwagon. And Country Crock. You know those large tubs of margarine? They're smaller now, too.

I think it's deceptive. I makes me feel cheated. I'd rather they were just honest and raised the prices.

What's next? A "slimmed down" 3/4 Gallon Milk Jug?

The article mentioned something interesting. Wev'e all been ranting and raving about gas prices, they were the headliners of 2008. Well, apparently, next year, in 2009, the headliners will be steak and bacon prices.

If you're the average red-meat eating American, enjoy your steak and bacon while you can. Heck, I'm going to Sam's club and buy it while it's cheap and freeze it.

We're going school clothes shopping tonight. FUN. My boys are growing like weeds, so I told Hubby we either have to buy A) very little or B) a size up from where they are.

Have a happy weekend, everyone! Opening Ceremonies are tonight!!! WOOO! Viva la Olympics!

I FINISHED THE NOVEL!

Yes, at 1:40 a.m. this morning, I wrote "The End." I was sore and in pain and tired, but it was a GREAT feeling!

I wrote 6000 words last night, in four hours. I wanted to give in around 11pm, but then I just kept on going. Scenes I had played out in my head for weeks just slid out, and two of my characters surprised me a bit (so I had to come to a compromise with them.) But all is well.

Final word count: 66,171.

I slept like a baby.

Hubby comes home today, and the house is...well...I won't describe it. The words "Level 1 Cyclone" come to mind...

Hey, I was writing! Now I get to take the Writing Hat off and put on the Cleaning Hat...my least favorite...

PAIN.

Short post this morning, as I can't move my neck (I did the neck rolls, Dev!) and shoulder and neck are in...shall I say excruciating pain?

I got 3020 words in last night. I've beaten my goal. But the story isn't finished. I still probably have about 5k worth of story. SO, I'm excited I reached my 60K goal, but I'm not finished.

I just took some massive painkillers that I had left over from the last time I screwed up my shoulder, so before I get loopy, I'd better sign off.

Mutiny.

My 14-month old has decided that baby food is no longer for him. R.I.P., pureed food.

That's what I get for giving him normal food. The pureed bananas and squash he basically loved up until LAST WEEK, will have to be "sneaked" into his diet somehow, because he won't eat them. Anything that is pureed is not acceptable anymore. He wants to eat chunky food. He wants to pick it up with his fingers, or chew it.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he officially has a full set of teeth, including molars.

He is usually very nice about it. He puts his arm in front of his mouth. That means "no more, mom." Sometimes I'll try to trick him. Nope. Choo choo train and plane noises will NOT make the spoon go into his mouth. He simply looks at me as if I've gone a little funny in the head. And if I do manage to get a spoonful in, politeness goes out the window, and he SPITS IT OUT.

Oh well, he warned me with the arm, right?

*sigh* My baby has become a toddler. I am sad!

On the Writing front, I got my 2800 words in last night. I am hoping I can wrap this all up in 60K, but it might end up being a tad longer. I don't want the ending to feel rushed, so I need to plant some red herrings more towards the beginning, and stick some additional scenes in, so that when the ending does come, it won't seem abrupt. That will be tricky. But that is an editing job. For now, I'm just letting the fingers fly and the story come out. I'll go back and make it cohesive later.

I'm nervous about tonight. I'm supposed to go and teach a bunch of Cub Scouts how to tie assorted knots. (I'm filling in for a den mom on vacation) The only knot I can tie, is a square knot. And the tie-your-shoes knot. Does it have a name? A bow?

Heaven help me.

AND ON THE FIFTH DAY...

...I tanked.

I only got 1900 words in. 900 words short of my goal. But it wasn't because I got stuck, or blocked, or tired.

My shoulder pain is back. With Interest. I couldn't stand sitting in front of the computer anymore last night. I called it quits. I woke up in the wee hours this morning because my shoulder hurt so much. I had to take one of my big prescription pills. When I finally fell back asleep, Thing One came running down because she'd had a bad dream. UGH. Very tedious.

I'm not used to writing this much. OR I'm sitting wrong in front of the computer. I am averaging about three hours straight a night, to get my word quotas in.

I am frustrated. My good friend Devon said I'd hit a wall, and I did, but I pushed through. That was Saturday. I'm still determined to get my goal in tonight. But I'll have to ice my shoulder and take anti-infammatory meds. But I WILL do it.

Hubby is in New York. We should have a quiet week, though. No sports to go to. I have a feeling we're going to be using the "I'M BORED" jar quite a bit this week....

ON THE FOURTH DAY...

...I created 2912 words!!!

My goal was 2800, and I got STUCK--something I wanted to use ended up sounding dorky once I wrote it out--so I had to really push to get that 2912 in. It was midnight before I finally finished, but I DID IT!!!

Day Three.

Writing Goal: 2800 Words

Actual: 3020

Go Me.

Thing Four is a Jibber-Jabberer.

FIRST OFF--My good friend, Devon Ellington, has her new novel, HEX BREAKER out today! You can go here to purchase it. You can also go here, for the website. I've already bought mine!

Writing Status for Day Two: Goal: 2800 words. Actual: 3002, baby! Yeah!

I got a late start last night on the writing, I took some medicine that made me WOOZY. But when I sat down, I was determined to get out some key scenes. And frankly, they came out effortlessly. Probably because I'd already written them in my head. I'm beginning to worry that this story will be rubbish, because it's coming out so easily...and quickly. Eeek!

So, Thing Four, who is 14 months, is a Jibber Jabberer. All the time. He of course speaks a language that sounds part Chinese, part Hindu, part English, but it's cute. And he's started saying phrases. And he's obsessed with Apples. He sees them everywhere. He was looking down the barrel of the Nerf Gun Thing Two has, and saying "apple" the other day, and I looked down in the barrel, and the balls in the gun were a nice "Granny Apple" shade, so of course they looked like apples. It was funny.

I just wish he would jibber jabber on the phone. Or in front of people. If he thinks he has an audience, he gets this bashful look on his face and clams right up. NO jibber jabbering at all.

That's quite typical, though. I'm just glad he talks. I'm especially proud when he pulls a book out of his box, opens it up, and starts "reading" to himself. In Chinese/Hindu/English, of course.

:-)

Happy Friday, everyone! I can't believe it's August already!