Da Vinci and the Mask of Atreus...

Da Vinci Code is out this week! I heard somewhere they were filming the Prequel: Angels and Demons, but I wonder if they have even started. I LOVE those two Dan Brown books. Sheer Entertainment, if you take it all with a grain of salt.

Currently reading THE MASK OF ATREUS by A.J. Hartley and I'm smitten. It has everything I love in it: Adventure, Travel, Mystery, Archaeology, Greek lore and... Treasure. I'm in deep "smit" over this one. But alas I have to put it down because Mondays are a bit errand-heavy.

Okay, I'm a little worried. Thing One is heavily into "Annie" so I bought her the original Broadway Soundtrack (1977--the BEST version, in my opinion) and the movie, and she has been entranced. (Well, she bounces back and forth between that and "High School Musical"--enough to drive even the most patient mother--which I'm not--bonkers.) The cause of the worry? My SONS are now singing "Maybe" under their breath, and "Tomorrow." And listening to my five year old son hum "it's a hard knock life" while putting together a puzzle yesterday inspired me to limit Thing One's viewing/listening of Annie to her bedroom only. Yikes. Where's the Football?

Time to pack lunches. Hopefully I have gotten over the clumsiness of yesterday (see previous post) and will be able to function normally. Although I did drop the toast jam-side-down this morning.

Not a good sign.

I'm a Spaz...

Today was weird. I was totally clumsy and spazzy and...embarrasing at church. I don't know if it's the "pregnant lady = uncoordinated" thing or WHAT.

So, we're in church, taking the Sacrament. I take my piece of bread and unwittingly take another piece with it and it goes flying into the lap of my son next to me. I heard the people in the pew behind me chuckling. Ugh.

Then, about 20 minutes later, I take off my wedding ring because for some reason it's itching my finger, and when I try to put it on it flies out of my hands and bounces on the floor, rolling and finally coming to a stop two pews ahead of us. (Of course I didn't know this, I just assumed it was lost forever and acted accordingly.)
Some poor missionary was at the most emotional part of his "farewell" talk, and I had about six people on their knees searching for the ring right in the middle of the floor for me. I wanted to die. Hubby was completely mortified.

THEN during singing time I clumsily ran into the music stand and scattered about 27892 sheets of paper and instead of just falling, of course they fanned out until they covered the entire front of the room.

To top it off, I rolled my ankle in my spikey black boots as I was going out the concrete steps to the parking lot. A farewell gesture, if you will.

I'm glad I'm home and I'm just sitting still.

At least I didn't burn the lasagna.

No Work Today!! WOO!

Today is weird, because I've gotten so used to flying around on my broomstick every morning, so I can get to work at 8am. I'm off today, and the kids are out of school, and we just had waffles to celebrate. (Poor Hubby. He had Total Raisin Bran before he left.)
I told the kids: "You'd better sleep in today!" Turns out they woke up at their normal time...6:30, but they played quietly in their rooms and let me sleep. Sweethearts.

So BYU SPANKED Wyoming 55-7 last night. We don't get the game here, but we had the realtime scoreboard and while we were sitting around Hubby had the laptop and was giving us a play-by-play. It was hilarious. I was thinking of those poor cheerleaders...all the times they had to do the Fight Song. (hee hee).
I remember a few games in High School, (yes, I admit to being a cheerleader) one football game in particular, we seemed to get a lot of touchdowns. Soon I felt like if I had to do the fight song one more time, my arms would fall off. And of course it didn't help that the band hated us (and us them) and they played the Fight Song at Mach 10 just to piss us off. Ah, those were the days!

Today is "knock out the house" day. I've unpacked everything on the first and second floors, now it's time to organize, clean, set, and finish. The kids are responsible for cleaning their own rooms and making their beds (we have central vac, and they're always begging me to vacuum, so I'll let them) and I'll take care of the Guest room, Kitchen, dining room, formal dining, Great room and entryway and Master. Hmmm, maybe I'll have them help me a little. ;-) I have a lot to do!

This weekend we are finally getting to see "Flushed Away" and next weekend I'll let the kids drag me to "Happy Feet" but only because the trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be debuting before the movie. July can't come soon enough!

I have a funny Harry Potter story to tell. My brother, who is "too cool" for Potter (aka he's never read the books and is suffering in ignorance) called me up a few weeks ago and asked me if I could recommend some good reading material. Of course the first words out of my mouth were "Have you read any of the Harry Potter books?" He hemmed and hawed and said he really wasn't "into that sort of stuff," which is EXACTLY what I said four years ago when *I* was "too cool" to read Potter.
I told him to go and buy the first book, and give it 1/2 an hour of reading. If he still wasn't interested, fine. He promised me he would.
So, a week and a half passed by, and I called him, and we made small talk, and I finally asked him, "so, did you try reading the first Harry Potter book?" His response:

"Oh, that. I've already read that and Chamber of Secrets and I'm halfway through Prisoner of Azkaban."

I laughed and laughed and laughed at him. He sheepishly admitted that he was hooked after the first chapter, and he was no longer "embarrassed" to buy the books at the bookstore. As of now he's read all of the first five books and he's "gathering his strength" to read the sixth book.

Another one bites the dust. I knew he'd like it. But I digress.

Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend, and to NaNoer's: keep it up! My hat is off to you guys!

I'M SAVED.

Or rather, my FEET are! I just got home from a seven hour shift, and frankly, even the most comfortable shoes weren't going to save me. I ripped this thing out of it's box as soon as I got in the door and used it, and it's AWESOME. It has two settings, cool and heat. My feet loved it. Whew!

I've had a trying day. I got some really bad news today. We found out my SIL may be losing her baby. She was only five weeks, but that is just terrible. I've been sick all day for her. But she's strong. Stronger than me.

The kids are bringing home all sorts of cute little things. Thanksgiving "turkeys" made from pinecones, turkey picture frames, and pins, everything you can think of that is Turkey themed. So cute. But no idea where I'm going to put all this stuff.

Short post because I have to hobble around and tidy up. Tomorrow I'm off, and the kids are home from school. It should be interesting. I just can't get over this weather. It's 60 degrees outside, but tomorrow, the high is supposed to be 34 or something crazy like that. That's Wisconsin for you!

I'm going to curl up tonight with a friend's WIP, and take it easy. I love my new foot massager! (Thing Two came in from school and asked "Mom, did you buy a new radio?")
*Snort*

Is it Friday yet?

Just finished my 8-12 today. I wore really comfy shoes so all is well. But I am going for a power nap after this post.

Voted yesterday, and I have to say, the results this year are...interesting. And that's all I have to say about that.

I was going to make my yummy scratch Clam Chowder tonight, but it's supposed to be 70 degrees today. It's sunny and hot. IN WISCONSIN. We still haven't sold our house in Denver, and apparently our realtor has been shoveling snow on our driveway himself. What is up with that? Wonky weather, for sure.

Okay, I never get "emotionally involved" in these things, but I had to let out a whoop of joy when I read yesterday that Britney Spears filed for divorce from that blood-sucking overly-fertile leech she called a husband. Good move, girl, you go!

In lighter news, a writer acquaintance of mine just sold a two-book deal for seven figures. WHEW. It was pretty amazing to hear. Stories like that give a writer hope, you know? I had to laugh though. She's going to meet all the cousins she never knew she had, with that kind of money in her bank account. Good for her, I say.

I'm still currently writing novels in my head. Hubby and I sort of got into it last night, when I was talking about my lack of writing time. He was like "why can't you write now?" I looked at him (somewhat incredulously) and asked: "you really wouldn't give me a hard time about writing with half the house still in boxes?"

His response: "You can always make time to write."

I rolled my eyes at him. Yeah. He says that now, but I know myself better. I am not a good juggler. I either write and neglect pretty much everything, or I do everything and writing falls to the wayside. That is it with me. I am not good at balancing.

But I am good at sleeping...nap time!

Happy Voting Day...

Get out and VOTE, Y'all! Let your voice be heard!

*ahem* I'm glad I'm not alone in the disgust I voiced over yesterday's post. As for the Movies, we never got to see "Flushed Away" last weekend because of sick kids. We are planning on it this weekend. I think I'm as excited to see it as the kids! ;-)

I have to work again today, 11-3. I like the short shifts. Just enough to where my feet are screaming in their shoes by the last hour. I am SO not used to being on my feet for hours on end anymore. But it builds character, right? I'm off tomorrow, so I will definitely be doing house unpacking stuff. Eating the Elephant One Bite At A Time.

I am miffed. Our house came with a 50-inch plasma TV, set into the wall (and they very cleverly put an ornate picture frame around it, to make it look like a large mirror in the Great Room) and Hubby was just watching the TV on Sunday and it winked out. We couldn't get it to turn back on. Just a little blinking red light. We tried the breaker switches, then unplugging it and plugging it back in. Nothing. So I get to call and find out what's wrong, with this basically BRAND NEW TV. Is Mercury still Retrograde? Because I was enjoying a bath with the jets on and when I reached over to turn them off on Sunday the jets wouldn't turn off. Hubby had to pop the breaker switch in the master closet to turn the jets off. LAME.

So, it would seem my brand-new house is tempermental. Or at least the electrical stuff in it!

Well, time to run errands. Vote, Kinko's, store, then work, then run the kids to their DR's appts after school. Oh, and I have to squeeze in a Dry Cleaning drop-off somewhere in there.

Ah, yes, my life is full right now. Full of crappy errands! ;-)

Sickie Weekend...

Well, that was one weekend I could have done without. The boys and I had sore throats and stuffy noses (and thing Two had a fever and a wonky pink eye) all of Saturday and Sunay. And Hubby and Thing One spent the weekend staying away from us, so they wouldn't get sick.
At least the boys could take Motrin and cold medicine. I couldn't take anything, because of the baby. And I am not exactly a "tough" sick person. I did my share of whining this weekend.

Hubby just left for NYC. He'll be there until the end of the week. Yes, he was just in L.A. Don't worry, he's got a trip next week too. But it's only three days, instead of five.

I have to work every day this week except Wednesday. Wow. It must be the holidays again! I'll have to resurrect my "Retail Woes" blogs from a couple of years ago one of these days. Maybe I'll post them on my website for your reading enjoyment. Few people realize the hell retail people go through during the Holiday Rush. It's indescribable. It's like being in a SAW Movie, and nearly twice as painful.

Speaking of the SAW movies, my daughter was telling me about one of her friends at school, a boy; and he was asking her if she'd seen SAW III yet. She told him she wasn't allowed to watch rated R movies, and he replied: "I just saw it with my parents. It was SOOO cool!"

Okay. This boy is eight years old. I have read about the SAW movies, and frankly, it makes me sick. And this young kid is watching them? Shame on his parents. I'm sorry, but I would never let my kids watch a movie where some deranged butcher named Jigsaw tortures/mutilates/chops up people for the sheer enjoyment of it. NO SIR.

I told Thing One to be wary of this boy. I'm sure he's a nice kid, but if he is so desensitized as to think a movie like that is "cool," well, I worry for him.

And yes, I'm overprotective. It's my right as a parent.

Well, time to go have some lemon herbal tea with honey and get the kids off to school! I hope I don't have this cold for long.

*sniff*

FRIDAY.

Short post today, I just got called in to work. Wasn't expecting it, but I am a sucker and can't say no. It's only 9-3. But it's the longest shift I've worked yet. I'll just have to pack a really nutritious lunch. Being on my feet for six hours will be interesting...;-)

We're taking the kids to see "Flushed Away" this Saturday, Hubby gets home from L.A. and it should be a relaxing weekend. We have to stop going to the Original Pancake House every Saturday morning though. Or I'm going to blow up like a balloon. There is nothing like their Buckwheat pancakes. To DIE for. And their bacon. Don't even get me started on their potatoes and omelettes. MMM.

Okay, time to get my bowl of Grape Nuts and shut up. Have a good weekend, all, and be good!

Arrrrrgggghhhh!!!!

And no, I'm not practicing to be a pirate. It's called FRUSTRATION with moving, yet again.
Case in point: I have a big-screen TV in the basement with all sorts of stereo equipment and surround sound system, etc etc and I don't have the foggiest idea how to set it all up. So I called Flanners and they were to send a couple of guys out to hook it all up for me, and get it all set. So, I find the box that says "Basement Entertainment/Stereo Components" on it, and think I'm ready for them.

Well, pregnant lady that I am, I totally spaced the appointment, so when they arrived on my doorstep I wondered who the heck they were until I saw one of them had "Flanners" on his shirt. So we went down to the basement (I prefer to call it the "Graveyard of unpacked boxes) and I showed them where all the speakers were and where I wanted everything and opened up the box with all the stuff in it.

What was in the box? A pinball machine, workout room towels, and a half-empty bottle of water.

"Um...excuse me for a moment guys, I apparently have the wrong box."

They were super nice. They admired my stuff while I frantically searched the description of every box, and found nothing that said "Stereo stuff." After about five minutes I started ripping open boxes. And we're talking these HUGE dish-pack boxes. I had about 15 of them, and the intall guys were soon breaking out their pocket knives and helping me open up boxes. 10 minutes and 15 searched boxes later, we were still out of luck. I was starting to get pissed off. I excused myself and went into the back storage room, where I kid you not, the movers put every box that didn't have a place. We're talking about 100+ boxes in there. I looked through about five of them, and they were stacked three high, and about six deep. There was no way.

I went back out and apologized to the guys for coming all the way out, but I couldn't find my stuff. They volunteered to bring in their own stuff, but I wasn't born yesterday. I wasn't going to pay for wires and components when I had it all, already. So I told them I was sorry but I would have to reschedule.

They left, and I became a Madwoman Possessed. I pulled every single box out of the stack and looked at them. No Stereo stuff. Not even a box that said "Pinball Machine." I worked my way to the boxes down the hall, and in the other storage room. Finally, I got to the other end of the basement, cursing and sweaty, and saw one huge box sitting by itself by the sump pump. It was the VERY last box that was untouched. I walked over to it, and read the description:

"Pinball Machine, Towels, etc. Basement."

I tore it open and there it all was: the receiver, the mass of wires, the DVD player, etc. It was all there. I hurried up to the phone and called and rescheduled the hookup for today. Thank heaven they were nice and didn't charge me the $79 trip fee for yesterday.

But I'm sure they had a good laugh about it. I'm not exactly laughing. I HATE moving!

Ready, Set, GO!!!

A Shout Out to all you NaNoers out there, Good Luck!

I have always admired the drive NaNoers have...one day I will do NaNo too.

I forgot I had to work yesterday, and I was tired when I got home. Hubby has a huge meeting with the CEO of the company today, he wore a suit to work and I have to say, they have to love his presentation based on the suit and tie alone. He looked pretty dang hot. (Hey, I can say that about my own hubby!) Power suits look good on him.
Then he's off to California tomorrow. Next week, it's NYC. The week after that, it's Minneapolis. Then, he travels the week after that, but I've lost track of where he'll be.

At least he'll be home for Thanksgiving. And he'll be home for the day AFTER, which I will have to work. It's mandatory. That's the only thing that sucks about working a retail job during the Holidays, even if it's WAY part time. I still am required to work the day after Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas. But its ok, we aren't going anywhere this year, family is coming to us.
The only downer is Hubby wanted me to go to New York with him in December--I've never seen Times Square at Christmas, and he's going to be there an entire week. I was all for it until I realized I had to work. D'OH!!!
And yes, I could quit, but that would nullify my credibility with my employers. I told them I was a hard worker and dependable, and I am. I'm not a flake who doesn't show up or shows up and talks the whole time and can't be bothered to work, like SOME people at that store. Besides, it's been nice to get out of the house. It forces me to stay active, as this baby grows. And I need that. Oh, and this store is fun, it gets all the celebrity visits. Last week it was Vera Wang. Next week it will be...oops, I almost spilled the beans! I'll tell later, after she's visited.

Happy Hump Day (Wednesday), everyone!
(Why does that sound faintly vulgar?)