Ode to the P.I.T.A.

Monday was Kaira's (pronounced Chai-ra) 11th birthday. Instead of posting about my love-hate relationship with this particular pet of ours, I chose to moan and whine about the state of my house and my sickly stuffed up sinuses. Today, I will moan and whine about about my dog. :)
You are lucky lucky people.

We often wonder if she would be the way that she is if we had gotten her as a puppy instead of her first owners. We didn't know them, but they had no idea what they were in for when they got (what I can only imagine what was) the cutest little bundle of fur for a WEDDING PRESENT. Why would you give a young couple who is just starting out a puppy, much less a Siberian Husky, who by definition is VERY HIGH MAINTENANCE as a wedding present? Anyway, they decided they couldn't be her owners anymore after a year and a half and we were the suckers that adopted her.

Dave and I had been together for just over a year at this point, were renting a townhouse together and he had always wanted a husky 'cause they were so cool looking. This is NOT a reason to get a dog. We did do the research and thought we knew enough about the breed so we agreed to meet with the couple and Kaira. She seemed sweet, she gave us kisses and was calmly protective of their young baby. We learned that if she got loose she would run, but she did always come back and that she occasionally would try to nab food off of the counters if given the opportunity, but overall she was a good dog. They both worked full time and with a young child, they just felt like they didn't have enough time for her. Blah Blah Blah.

We were suckers and agreed to take her. We quickly learned how manipulative and smart she was. "High energy" has new meaning for us now. Back then Dave used to run on average 5 miles a day. We would take her for a 20-30 minute walk in the morning before work, I would get home and repeat then Dave would take her running with him, and they would be home for 30 minutes or so and she would already be demanding to go out for another walk! She would get another one before bed. Needless to say it wasn't long before we decided we needed to buy a house with a yard.

Three months later we bought our first house. We were not even engaged yet. We bought the house for THE DOG. If that isn't love..... We did learn that if she got loose you had to try to keep sight of her or else she was gone. She is freaking fast. There is no chance of catching her. You have to hope she traps herself or gets suckered into going towards another dog or person, because she isn't coming back to YOU. We went through obedience school and she was the only dog that wasn't allowed off lead. One time she got loose and was gone for over four hours. A neighbor said they thought they saw a white streak chasing some deer in the woods. Yep, that would have been her. She came back home, yiped at the front door, I let her in, and she went straight to the pantry for a treat. I don't think so. Then half an hour later went to the closet door where the leashes were and barked to go for a walk!

She is a classic counter surfer. There was one time we made extra large cinnamon rolls when Dave's parents were in town. I had made 6 and we each had one. I went back into the kitchen to put the other two away but there was only one left, so we all started giving Dave's dad trouble for sneaking and eating another one. He insisted over and over that he hadn't eaten it, but no one believed him until about 45 minutes later, Kaira puked up the entire roll totally intact. She has eaten whole pizzas, batches of cookies, bowls of dips, etc. We have learned over the years that she is not to be trusted in the kitchen unsupervised while there is food out.

She is not content to be outside by herself. She wants YOU to be out there with her. She will refuse to come inside if it is snowing out. She loves to chase cats, but has no idea what to do with them once she gets close. She does however, know how to kill baby bunnies. She LOVES children. She was very protective of the babies. She would get in between the baby and any visitor who came to see them. Her kisses to children (and anyone) are very gentle and must be done before she will leave them alone. Her ears feel like velvet. I vacuum up three canisters of hair every other day from just the living room and kitchen alone. She will bark non stop and feels entitled to a treat anytime we have a visitor and we have to giver her one or she will not shut up. She is a total P.I.T.A. and yet we love her. Happy 11th birthday old girl. I'm "glad?" you still act like a puppy and hope we have many more years with you in our family. We will never get another Siberian Husky however.

Hair from the vacuum


A video of her back talking and demanding nature.

Survival Mode

I'm back among the living....I bet you didn't even know I was near death did you? Oh, I was so sick last week....I stayed home from work the rest of the week after dragging my sorry butt in on Tuesday. I finally went to the Dr. on Thursday to be informed that I had a 101+ fever (no wonder I felt like crap) and was swabbed for the flu and given antibiotics for my sinus infection. How pathetic is it that it didn't even occur to me to take my own freaking temperature? It's the first thing that I do with my kids if they even feel remotely warm.

Anyway....I could do the really important things like sleep, watch tv, read others' blogs, write my own half-ass posts, pawn off my work onto my co-workers so deadlines could be met, take Olivia to her 3 year old screening (where she scored at a 6 year old level on multiple things, which explains a lot, and tells me I'm in for even more trouble than previously thought) all while my household came to a screeching halt. As of last night there were still piles of folded laundry lined up in the hallway. It just needed to be put away in drawers. It had been there since LAST Monday night. It was already separated by owner and EVERYTHING. I put what was left of it away this morning, and of course laundry needs to be done again.

Our pantry and fridge are quite barren. It's a bleak situation. I really don't feel like going to the store this evening, but if I don't we will be eating all frozen processed food and/or eating out the next three evenings since I will be working the rest of the week . But I was pleased to discover I do have four bottles of wine chilled and ready for consumption at any point .

The carpet has a lovely layer of white fur all over it which will take me several runs of the vacuum to get up since I usually vacuum every other day and it now has not been done for a week, and I won't even gross you out by describing the fur bunnies that are all along the base boards and under the chairs in the kitchen on the hardwood floors.

Now, I give my husband lots of props. Not once did he complain, or ask selfishly if I was feeling better....he played with the kids non stop, he got up with Olivia in the middle of the night, he got up with them in the morning and let me sleep, got them ready for school, cooked themselves dinner, he even did a few things on "his" list around the house. BUT. It really is like the whole house comes to a screeching halt and goes into "survival mode" when momma gets sick. The rec-room is a disaster area. I have a huge stack of receipts to enter into the spreadsheet/checkbook thing (which he knows how to do), I need to vacuum, go to the grocery store, target, do laundry, do dishes, empty dishwasher, the list goes on. I need another week off , to make up for my "week off". I think I'll send Dave to the grocery store tonight. While he is puttering through the aisles, I can mark everything else off the list that needs to be done (except target) all while fielding the 50 phone calls of questions from him.

I am woman, I can multi-task. Hear me roar.

Free Flyin Friday

Watch out X-Games, here comes Jake. He's got air, he's got form and he's got attitude. He just needs a snow board or a skate board to go with it all. Olivia? Perhaps she'll graduate to be BMX biker chick?

Rock On!

I Am Ani Difranco!

Honest, real, and well liked. You're not limited by any boundaries. "And you can call me crazy But I think you're as lazy as white paint on the wall"

Who's Your Inner Rock Chick?

I nabbed this from Our Crooked Tree, of course she is the only red headed goth rocker chick there is. I like the description....and think it fits me, but the choices in music during the questionnaire, left a bit to be desired, at least for me anyway, so I did the best I could. Maybe I should check her out. I don't think I have ever listened to Ani Difranco. That would require me to to step out of the 60's and 70's wouldn't it? Tell me who's your inner rock chick? I really want to know!

Spreadin the love

My sweet friend Natalie of From Here to There gave me this award today:

And since I'm ALL about spreadin the love baby, I'm going to forward it on to these fine babes from Our Crooked Tree, Midwestern Mommy, and to Kim from Parachuting Without A Net.

Our Crooked Tree is a brand spankin new blogger (she just started last week and already has 5 posts!) and is one of my oldest and dearest friends. We created a lot of havoc together (to say the least) in high school and college, then lost touch for a few years after my dad died, and she was moving all over the place. But thanks to a run in with another mutual old friend and the internet, we are back in touch and it's like no time has passed except we are "responsible" mothers and wives now. Check out her blog and show her some love. She is a crazy red head that hasn't let mommyhood sap all her coolness from her, yet.

Midwestern Mommy just amazes me. Even in the midst of facing some heavy stuff with her son, she is always thinking of others and wanting to do such caring, loving projects for them even when her own plate is already so full.

Kim from Parachuting Without A Net is a mom who lost her two eldest daughters in a car accident the day after Thanksgiving. It was just announced today that the state trooper who hit her daughter's car was going 126 mph 2 seconds before he hit her girls. He was traveling 102 mph when he hit their car. They were killed on impact. Kim has been so strong for her other daughter and for herself, and I can't personally imagine all that she has and continues to go through.

Plugged-In Playdates?

Since Christmas, Jacob has had a lot of play dates with new friends, old friends and neighbors. While it has been a wide range of people, there has been one thing in common......everyone has had a Wii, an X-box, or playstation. We have none of these at our house. I know, I know. My poor, poor, deprived children and husband. The reason will become quite clear very soon.

Jake first got to experience a Wii over at Slackermommy's house where I had such high hopes of Jake, Connor and Seth (Midwestern mommy's son) getting to know each other and possibly liking each and wanting to play again, so we the mommies, would have an excuse to get together during the day again. What actually happened was, Jake become so obsessed with playing the Wii games, Connor quit and went to play his Nintendo DS, while Seth wanted to play Star Wars with his cool new light saber. We had three boys doing 3 separate things. When I requested that the Wii be turned off, Jake bawled his eyes out for I don't know how long, until we could engage him in another game that all the girls were playing. He never really did play with the boys. He asked everyday for a week when could we go back to the Wii house.

My niece came to stay with us for a few days and brought her Nintendo DS and every waking minute that he wasn't playing it, he was asking when could he play it. It absolutely drove us insane. I told her next time she came in, she could bring it, but she couldn't let him know that she had it.

Over at my aunt's house they have playstation 2 and the minute he walks in the door all he wants to do is go downstairs and start playing. They have a ton of toys and we love to play card games over there which he usually loves to play too. I have to set a timer, and then his session still usually ends in tears and pouting and whining.

We have gone over to a friend's house from school twice now, and he of course has a Wii. The boys played it the entire time we were there. Three plus hours, each time.... At least they played it together. But I still have problems with it.

He went to a neighbor's house last week for like half an hour. It was nice outside and everyone was out playing. It was getting dark and the neighbor kid asked if he could come in and play. Jake usually doesn't play with this child, but he seemed to want to go in so I said ok. Guess why he wanted to go in? Yep, he too had a Wii. I found this out when I went to go get him. I then had to listen to him ask for close to a week when could he go back to N's house to play. I know he doesn't even really like N, he just wants to play the damn Wii. He isn't going. He is clearly a child OBSESSED.

So here are my issues.

1) Obviously we can't get any sort of gaming system in our house. If we were, it would have to be played on such a strict, timed, reward only basis. I giveth only to taketh away. I would have to listen to constant whining and crying and I just don't think it is worth it. (Although the Wii is pretty darn cool, and if we were to get a gaming system in our house, it would be that since it is the most family friendly and family inclusive one)

2) Not that I really care, but will it get to the point that kids won't want to come to our house to play since we don't have all these video games? My aunt says that some kids don't come over to play with her son (10 yrs old) because all they have is a playstation 2. Are you kidding me? Right now they love coming over, since we actually play with them all. Apparently this is a novelty, which is really sad. One little girl asked me what I was doing down in the playroom the other weekend. I said I was down there playing and setting up for a tea party, if that was ok. She said her mom never plays with her and her friends. That is exactly why I don't send my children off to play at others' houses very often, but that is another post.

3) Is this just what playdates for older kids is like? Are the days of trains and cars already long gone? What about other games?

Should I just get a grip, and not worry so much about how plugged in all of the playdates are lately, or should I request ahead of time that the kids not play the video games even though it's not my house? I know it won't be like this in the summer, or at least I assume so....

At least I still have Olivia, who just wants to play baby dolls, tea party, school, doll house and go on bear hunts with Farrell's daughter Sophie who she had a ton of fun with yesterday on their UNPLUGGED playdate.

The Observer

Hey Daddy did you see that silly car?
No, which one?
Oh, you must have skipped it. Boys skip a lot of things, but girls see everything.

Ah, yes we do, don't we? Dave is finishing up painting the basement, which includes the rec room, guest room, bathroom and play room. It looks great, really it does. But where do my eyes instantly go when I get down there? Straight to the few spots that he got on the ceiling, or the one on the base board. He asks me to look over things to make sure he didn't miss anything and my mind instantly go straight to criticism. I hate that about myself. I give him compliments and thank him for working so hard, but only after pointing out what isn't right. But he asked for me to do that, right?, and I wasn't mean or snotty or rude. It just drives ME nuts when I hear others berate their significant others or children and only point out the negatives in what they have done instead of looking at the positive first. So why do I do it too? This is something that I really, really need to work on. Lucky for me, my husband is as much of a perfectionist as I am when it comes to home improvement projects, so I am not pointing anything out he doesn't already know about and wasn't already planning on fixing.

You know what Olivia? You are right, boys do "skip" a lot of things, but they do see a lot more than we girls probably give them credit for.

I want my HGTV!

To preface this post, I am a huge, huge, huge HGTV, and TLC fan. I am seriously addicted to watching decorating shows and wish we lived in LA so we could apply to be on any of them. I will watch any home improvement, decorating, or real estate show over just about anything else given the choice. Except for LOST which starts in two weeks!!!!, but that is off subject. SO......

An interesting thing happened a few days ago, I was contacted via email by HGTV to possibly be on one of their new shows. Only, I didn't believe it at first. I'm not a very trusting person to be honest with you, and I could get into the whole history of why I'm not, but that is a very long story. So when I got this email last Friday I wasn't quite sure what to make of it:

Subject: Rate my Space!
Hi Bunslife, (they had my real name)

My name is Ruth XXXXX, I am the Inspiration Location Producer for HGTV's new show "Rate My Space." This show is based on the website, which I know you are already familiar with. We found your room a good possibility for an Inspiration Location, or in other words, someone who got it right!! The show will be a complete makeover of an unsuccessful design from ratemyspace.hgtv.com, inspired by three successful rooms from the website. I am hoping that you might be interested in being one of our "successful room" homeowners. If so, please write me back or call me at (213)xxx-xxxx.

Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
Ruth xxxxxx
Inspiration Location Producer
HGTV
(818)xxx-xxxx

I did submit a bunch of pics of various rooms in our house to the website just to see what others thought of how we had designed the rooms and to get advice on some rooms I was having problems finishing. This was back in May and June. I got some good ideas from the responses and haven't gone back. I sat on this email all weekend. I wasn't sure if it was real, or a practical joke or what. I googled the lady and didn't come up with anything confirming or denying who she said she was, so I emailed her back and said we were interested in learning more and asked her what room was going to be the inspiration room? She got right back to me.

Hi Bunslife,
Thanks for getting back to me! I'm glad to hear you might be interested. The room we are interested in is your Master Bedroom. In order to tell you more about this opportunity, I need your permission to give your contact information to the production company that will be producing this new show, Pie Town Productions. You can check them out at www.pietownprods.com. From there you will be contacted by Dan xxxxxx and he can tell you more about the details of how to proceed. Please let me know if you would like me to pass your info on to Dan. If you'd like to talk to me more about it first, please feel free to call me at (818) xxx-xxxx. If you'd rather I call you, please e-mail me your number and I'd be happy to give you a ring at your convenience.
Take care,
Ruth xxxxxx
Inspiration Location Producer
HGTV
(818) xxx-xxxx

This gave me a little more information to go off of to see if this was legit or not. I didn't want to give any personal info out or have some random people traipsing through my house pretending to be with a show only to rob me blind. I go to hgtv, and sure enough there is a new show with Rate my Space, the phone numbers match up, the producer's name matches up, so I send her my cell phone number and she gives me a call. We chat for a bit and she forwards my info to the producer. This is what I got.

Hi Bunslife,
I just got your contact information as we finished casting for the episode we were considering you for. I am so sorry! I would love to keep your space on file and give you a call if we can use you in a future episode! Again I apologize for the miscommunication!

Best, --
Dan xxxxxxx
Field Producer
Rate My Space
O: 818-xxx-xxxx
F: 818-xxx-xxx

All of this took place from the time she sent the original email on Friday through yesterday afternoon. I am so bummed! Sob! My distrust and paranoia (not that I would have handled this any other way) caused us to miss out on a fun opportunity to showcase our bedroom design. O'well. Would you like to see it? Ignore the white fridge, that is for milk in the morning and the ugly dog beds. Also, the white fan will be replaced at some point with a wrought iron looking one when I feel like spending the $$.

I told you I was a nerd

I don't talk about my job or what do at all on here, since that isn't my focus of this blog, but I am a scientist, or more specifically a biologist that has specialized in genetic research the last 11 years of my life and has turned to bioinformatics (research with a ton of programming and software manipulation of data) the last 5+ years in an even more specialized area of genetics. That said, I can't suppress all of my geekiness no matter how many times I dye my hair, buy cute clothes, or wear my contacts. Here is a prime example. I fully expect to lose all but 2 of you. My friend Amy at work has probably already seen this, and Jaelithe, I'm sure will "get" it. I showed this to my husband (who still has NO clue what it is that I do for a living) and he just looked at me and walked away shaking his head as I was LMAO, once again proving to me, that yep, even though I don't fit the typical stereotype, I'm still a science nerd.

For Better or For Worse

This was us yesterday, except I never verbalize it, and I don't sew. (Yet)

***BTW the Princess has deemed raspberries as too "hairy" and now refuses to eat them despite the fact that she insisted on getting them at the store and of she doesn't appreciate that they cost $3.50 for a tiny 6 oz. container. She better still love her strawberries......I about had a coronary when I saw that our 2lb container was $7.88!!!!!

Potty Talk

Last night while Jake and Daddy were in the bathroom together this conversation took place (as relayed to me by Dave):

Daddy, you're a lot bigger than I am. (yippee for me!)
Well buddy, I'm a big guy and I'm a lot older than you.
So, on my birthday mine will grow?
(Dave is fighting back the laughter) Yep, as your whole body grows and you get older you will grow there too.
And then I'll be as big as you?
If your lucky buddy, if your lucky. (WHATEVER!!!!)

And on a related note, Olivia is back on her penis envy kick. The other night she threw a tantrum because I wouldn't let her pee standing up. I should have let her, and then had her clean up the mess, but I was tired and didn't feel like following up behind her cleaning up urine. She also has told Dave multiple times that she has a penis. When he disagrees, she says I know, I'm just pretending I have one. If she wasn't so dang girlie, I would be worried about her being transgendered or something.

I have to let you all know, that today was a fabulous day with Olivia. The princess did not rear her ugly face once. We went to the chiropractor and waited for quite a while and she played so nicely. Multiple people commented on how cute and precious she was. She was very well behaved while I had my adjustment. Then we went to the store and she listened, was a good helper and I was just very proud of her behavior and let her know multiple times throughout the day how happy I was with her. I just kept reinforcing each time she followed directions, and if I said no to something and she accepted it, I gave her positive reinforcement as well. We really needed a good day like today. So far, both kids' boards are free of X's which equates to one happy momma, and that is nice for a change!

What a coincidence!

According to Marriage-101, who links to someone else, who probably links to someone else as well, says that today is De-Lurking Day! After my profuse round of thanks yesterday for the increase in my comments, now here is your official opportunity if there are any of you left, that read but still haven't left me a lovely little morsel that you exist. My ego is as easily pumped up as it is deflated....You know what to do.

Thanks to Aimee of Greeblemonkey for the great button!

I will return to my regularly scheduled whining/complaining/kvetching most likely tomorrow.

Spreadin the Love

I just wanted to say thank you. I have really felt the love from you all lately. Either you made resolutions to comment more, visit new blogs and comment, or my posts have just been so witty lately that they have compelled you to comment (not likely). Whatever the reason, it doesn't really matter to me. I just like it! I know you've been reading because my daily hits go up and up, and when I think about it, I check sitemeter so I know I have readers from there too, but it is still nice to get the written commiseration that I am not alone in the mamma drama. I visit every single new person who comments and so far I like you all and will be back! Now,

Creative Spiritz

Word to the Princess

4:45 A. freaking M. is not an appropriate wake up time. Especially on mommy's first day back to work after being off for over two weeks. You will be going to bed at 7:00 tonight. I hope to be in bed shortly thereafter.

The end.

Calgon, Take me away!

I swear, if either one of them come down those stairs at any point in the next two hours I will really give them something to cry about. Growl. I better vent quick so I can chipper up and get my patience back before they wake up from their naps.

The princess started the day off all wrong......morning routine is, since she wakes up at the butt crack of dawn, for her to get a cup of milk, get into bed with us and watch a video while we continue to sleep for another 1/2 hour or so. (We even have a mini fridge in our room so we don't have to go downstairs to get her milk, we are that lazy/tired) She threw a fit about the cup the milk was in, (fine, don't drink it then) she then threw a fit about the new sheets on the bed (If you don't like my sheets, go back to your room and get back in your bed.) I don't know about you, but I don't appreciate being woken up by a three year old throwing absurd temper tantrums especially about things that I question whether or not we should even be letting her do in the first place! It makes me want to say, you don't get to have milk first thing in the morning anymore (this is not the first time this tantrum over a cup has happened) and you don't get to watch tv in bed in the mornings.

Then, she refused to go to the bathroom before it was time to go gymnastics, she finally went when I said we would not go if she didn't go potty, but pulled attitude about putting her shoes on. Are you freaking kidding me? I should have just nipped it there and made her stay home, but dang it I paid for the class. So we go, she has fun, then she asks for ice cream after class and I said no. Full on hysteria ensues. For like 10 minutes. She has earned 5 X's on her board by this point in the day. We go to get Jake from school, and one of our friends asks us to come over to play but we have to say no because Olivia has not been cooperative, or a good listener today. She understood it was because of her actions that we didn't get to go. Do you think that stopped her from acting up further????

NO!!! We get home, I make the kids lunch and then I have to go the bathroom. I'm the middle of "going" and the kids are arguing. It is escalating higher and higher. Jake is screaming at her and she is screaming back. I'm kind of still in the middle of going. I holler for Jake to come here to me, hoping to separate them. He ignores or he can't hear me. Full on nonstop screaming from both of them and Maggie is now barking. OMG. I'm not really done yet, but if I don't get up and deal with this someone is going to get hurt. A quick wipe, my underwear and pants down around my ankles I shuffle out to the living room and holler louder than them for Jake to get up to his room right now and pick out his books for nap. I'll be in to talk to him after I put Olivia to bed. Olivia, follow me to the bathroom now. Jake goes upstairs sobbing, Olivia follows me, and asks, Mommy, why do you have your pants down? Because I can't even go poopy in peace. That's why.

I am so ready to go back to work tomorrow. At least there I can go the bathroom and do what I have to do without interruption. hmmph.

**UPDATE** Both children are up, Olivia did nap albeit a short one, Jake did not. We are off to Michaels and Target. Wish me luck. I am a total idiot for thinking that this even has a chance of going well.

Warm Lovin

While my hubby and I were having a quick morning "date" I refused to get completely neked 'cause it is freaking cold. I keep turning the heat up (literally, the furnace) but we are in a real cold spell here and I just can't seem to get/stay warm. He came up with a great idea in midst of my protests......are you ready? Crotchless (or ones with an opening of some sort) flannel or fleece pajamas. How many wives would go for that? Count me in! Then I wouldn't even have to worry about shaving my legs or my lower half freezing during those quickie dates! He's always thinking....anything to get him some extra lovin!

I don't wanna think of any.......

Oh no, Mommy! I see a problem here!

What's the matter Olivia?

You're too big for those pants!

Damn, I wasn't even going to put lose a few on my meaningless list of resolutions. I'm actually pretty happy with what the scale says. I need to firm up, but after having two children and more pregnancies than that, I'm happy that I'm hovering just under 110. Before you all want to stomp all over me, I'm just a hair over 5' and I can seriously grab a thick roll on my tummy and my butt runs into a lovely ledge just before my legs start, so when I say I need to firm up, I mean I really need to firm up. Thank GOD clothes hide a lot. ANYWAY, I didn't mean to get into all that. I don't know what Olivia was talking about, because I was wearing baggy fleece pants. The only thing I can think of, is that I was bending over when she said it, so maybe my butt looked even bigger to her that way in her 3 year old eyes. Sigh.

So, here is my less than ambitious resolution list.

workout- I refuse to say how often, if I do it even once then I met my resolution.
read more- I didn't get to read as much as I would have liked to this year. These are the good reads I got through, it is a small list. Middlesex, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, The Glass Castle, The Secret Life of Bees, I think there may be a few more I just can't think of them now.
cook more- Since we have moved (that would be over 7 months ago) I have not gotten back into the swing of planning and cooking at least 5 nights a week. We don't eat out that often, but it is more of a fly by the seat of your pants dinner instead of me (or my husband) knowing what we are cooking for the night, which irritates us both. The kids therefore are usually eating something different than us, which has re-introduced some bad habits that we were working hard on breaking.
more quality time with my kids- since I work from home a few days a week it is really easy to get caught up in it all and I can't tell you how many times I have told them just give me minute to finish this or hold on a sec because I am on this computer. I am going to work on having a better "work schedule" at home and make my self stay away from the computer in the evenings until they are in bed.
go on dates with my husband- just what it says.

There's five less than ambitious, but highly obtainable resolutions. Phew, I'm spent already, guess I'm not working out today!

MIZZOU COTTON BOWL CHAMPS!!! 38-7

I am so happy that my husband could go down to Dallas and be at the game. I am even happier that we kicked Arkansas' butt. Not that I have anything against Arkansas, but everyone doubted our prior #1 ranking after our performance against OK in the Big 12 Championship game (where we did lose) and caused the BCS to snub us even though we only slipped to #6. They thought #8 KU and #13 IL, who we both beat, should go to BCS bowls instead. I'll be rooting against IL this evening, (as a matter of principle) and more passionately with all my being against KU on Thursday. For those interested I will post pics from Dave's trip tomorrow when he gets home. All our years as "suffering season ticket holders" is finally paying off. I'm almost feeling guilty that I have 5 gallons of paint sitting in the basement waiting for him when he gets home. Those white walls down there have been driving me nutso. Do you think he will go for the "Celebration Painting Party of One?"

**UPDATE** Illinois lost to USC 49-17.