Happy Two DRJ

xoxo

Lindso

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was born;

O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Family Pictures=Unsmiling Bebes

So for Chrismtas this year the family is getting pictures.  Everyone is getting pictures.  It's what you do when you have a small child.  You take pictures of her and hand them out as gifts.  Because as you know EVERYONE wants pictures of your child.  Its something parents think.  My child is wonderful and everyone wants pictures of her displayed around their homes.  Obviously.  I'm sure you agree.  

Well when picture day came around...the bebes decided...she would take a nap.  We then woke her up from her nap and tried to make her smile.  A classic rookie parenting mistake.  Although in all fairness it was totally not her normal nap time.  So she was tired...not nessesarily cranky...just tired.  

Here we are...staring blankly at the photographer.  She's not really sure what to do...Mommy and Daddy normally take pictures of her on the iPhone.  She knows to smile for the iPhone.

Here's my brave amazing husband trying to make bebes smile.  He knows spending time with tired cranky women in our family is sometimes a tedious task.  Here is is throwing her up in the air and trying to make her throw up.  For some reason the photographer took a picture of this.  We didn't get any prints made of it but the more I look at it...it is kinda nice.  

The one decent family picture.  Note the unsmiling child.  She's so happy to be there can't you tell.  Dave looks awesome though.  I love him in classic blue dress shirts.  (Insert inappropriate comment here...I'm married to him though so it's not that inappropriate).  

Almost...Almost er....almost there....we oh oh is it maybe a smiling child....no no its a half smiling baby.  TSC bought her this sweater and its so freakin cute on her.  

I'm stunned...are you trying to take a picture of me?  Goooooood luck!

Oh look an iPhone!  Huzzah!

These are actually NOT the pictures we had printed just some random ones from the shoot.  Mostly they were the ones I had amusing commentary on...Just being honest.

I'm hoping and praying for a new camera for Christmas this year so that I can take more professional pictures at home of my cute smiling bebes.  This was the first time in about 2 weeks where she wouldn't crack a grin.  She is super happy baby 24/7 and when the camera is pointed at her...she is mute and despondent.  

Oh here's our last one...this is the "smirk grin....you're not getting a smile out of me"....pose.  Lovely.  

P.S. I don't think we are going back to this place.  Boring white backdrops aren't my thing.  Seriously...we need more creativity next time.  

I think I'll start titling my posts! This one is MishMosh.

Yep thats what I said.  Not sure if that is note worthy but heck I'll go with it!

I'm winding down and prepping for Christmas.  The last few presents are getting wrapped tonight and I have to finish packing for our trek to Ohio.  I'm so excited for the bebes first Christmas.  I know she doesn't understand the significane of it but it's nice to go to church with our family and enjoy all the traditions.  The appreciation for Jesus isn't there yet but we'll get around to it.  She is only 8 months old.  She doesn't appreciate much more than a clean diaper and warm fuzzy socks at this point.    

I was writing a note/Christmas card to my friend who watches the bebes when I'm at work and I was thinking about how lucky we really are to have her.  I cannot imagine sending my child to a daycare setting.  Truthfully there's nothing wrong with daycare I worked in daycare.  Although I could never afford to send the bebes to that kind of establishment.  Anyway back to my point.  I love knowing that the bebes is somewhere safe with someone I trust and I truly have no worries.  I'm thankful for people like her in my life.

I was also thinking today how lucky Dave and I are to have our parents around.  This year as we've done in the past we are going back to Ohio back to the homes we grew up in and back to full families.  Our parents are all so involved in our lives....in good ways and in amusingly frusterating ways...But they are there and for that I'm very thankful.  

I have a job.  There are so many people right now in our economy who don't.  There are people who found out right before Christmas that they will be unemployeed.  I am so blessed to have a job that pays our bills and keeps my child in clothes....although she grows too fast and that may not be true for much longer. :)  I'm thankful for stability.  

I am thankful for a roof over my head and a happy family.  I am thankful that my problems are manageable and my faith is strong.   

The silly things:

I'm eternially thankful for Diet Coke...I'm not sure I would make it through the day with out it.

I'm thankful for a husband who shovels the drive and makes me homemade hot coco.

I'm thankful for socks that have stupid holiday decoration on them that luckily no one ever sees.

I'm thankful for my hair dryer for making not look so weird...because it's the only thing I have time to do to it....blow it dry!

I'm thankful for carmex...if you used it you'd know...

I'm thankful for heated seats in my vehicle...because yesterday it was -6.

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I'm thinking tomorrow before I leave work for long and well needed vacation...I should take down my pictures and bring some back that are recent.  The problem with having a small child is she grows WAY too fast to keep up with via 4X6 prints.  My pictures are a few months old and she wasn't even sitting up on her own.  Now shes practially walking.  Am I a bad mother for not keeping up with this?  I need a digital small frame for work so that I can just upload new pictures.  I'm thinking tomorrow before I leave work I should also sterilize my desk.  It's nasty!

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My day is FLYING BY.  

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Over the weekend I FINIALLY WON SOMETHING.  See my issues here.  You have no idea how overly misplaced my enthusiasm is for this event.  I won a DVD set of Scholastic Treasury DVD's.  Basically its some of the classic Scholastic books brought to life through song and rhythm and mini movies and actual animation.  I am SO PUMPED.  The bebes is just getting into this stage where educational tv is important because really...being raised by the TV is an important part of a childs development?  Right?  Anyway this has just made my week...obviously Christmas/Anniversary/New Years cannot hold a candle to winning free stuff.  I'm such a fan of free.  Bring on the free!

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Last night Dave moved a HUGE...HEAVY piece of furniture, up the stairs from the garage and then up another flight of stairs into the third bedroom.  I could cry I'm so happy.  It's finally an opportunity to get to work organizing our third bedroom.  Our big dresser is finally out of the garage after living here since September.  This isn't one of those 'I blame Dave he didn't get this done things' it's one of those Huzzah I can organize things!  He also moved our weight bench into the basement...so Operation Lindso.....

I freakin give up I've edited this area almost 10 times now and the formatting keeps trying to insert ms-dos type graphic user interface jargon I don't use or understand from 1988!  I'm just trying say something funny!  I actually have something funny to say dang nab it! -Frustration abounds.

 ***Side story: Anyone who owns a Honda will understand this.  The warning light in your car that looks like this: (!) well my mom is grossed out by this and it gives me the wicked giggles.  

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I have a whole lot of good/bad/ugly to say today don't I....

I think I'm done now...good talk folks.  

My day….till this point:

Me: Gah 1 hour and 45 minutes thank the banana.

TSC: Why are we thanking bananas - have you found a new lord and savior at that church you stopped at last night?

Me: Yes he is filled with foliate and vitamin C…praise the fruit…Ohmmmm.

TSC: Oh holy potassium, you're such a vital suppppppllleeemment…you provide muscle strength and stamina…pooooooooooooo…tasssiummmmmmmmm…yum is in your nammmeeee.

Me: We are really bored aren’t we?

TSC: Oh baaaaaa  naaaaaaaaa naaaaaaaa.

 

Moments later:

Me:  Would you like to be called space cowboy? or scb? or sc?

TSC: hahahaha I could rock that.

TSC:  But then you'd have to admit that someone calls me a space cowboy…because it would be you.

Me:  Yeah but I don’t care in anyone else’s world but my own…my own sad insignificance means the phrase still holds true.

TSC: Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Comments about my wicked abuse of power and control over others….and airports…

Me: I am...I'm trying to usurp her power.

TSC: Yes, but you have a Sarkozy complex.

Me: Are you calling me French???

TSC: French, married to a hot pop singer, with aspirations of having an airport named for you.

Me: http://www.flybranson.com/

 

And then again back to insanity:

Me: I think "The Space Cowboy" is a lot of letters…maybe TSC...so that way if someday you want a sex change you can be the space cowgirl?

 TSC: Oooo Nice but I'm a girl now.

 Me:  Are you sure….check!

 

 

This is me...loooookin for inspiration.  I am tired and sick today.  I'm lacking in anything good to say so ya'll are going to get a heaping helping of Lindso rambling.  Yesterday the family...went to the mall...and got pictures taken...it was amusing.  It really was a great day overall.  The bebes took yesterdays 1st professional photo shoot as an opportunity to not smile.  This was in fact the first time in days where she decided to not be perky fabulous happy bebes and in fact be drama drama no smile from me child.   Regardless I think we got at least one shot of a despondent beatnik poet sort of look.  We'll see tomorrow.  Anyway so we are at the mall and literally we walked around for hours not buying anything and then I swear to you within 15 minutes most of our shopping was done.  Then  a freak after mall trip to Target to pick up milk and pureed baby mush led to finishing the Christmas shopping.  Insanity and stress are now over.  I just have a few little easy things to grab and I'm spending the next couple days wrapping and sorting gifts by family.  

The whole day was happy and healthy and fun...but no joke...I get into the car to head home and BAM I'm sick.  I didn't think you could get sick like that.  At first I thought I was just allergic to something but since I woke up this morning feeling gross and icky all over I think it's safe to conclude that I'm just downright sick with something.  Anyway the cold meds are making life seem fun and happy a little cloudy and overcast but happy over all.  Maybe its not the cold meds but more the fact that I have 7 work days left till our holiday break and I'm just downright giddy about that.  

Hum....lets see what else...I've decided I want to be related to the Coppola family.  I really have done no research to back this decision up for that matter I've never seen any of The Godfathers so the fact that I've decided to be related to the family is really a ignorant and naive attempt at stardom.  Maybe I just want to be related to Nicolas Cage...Not sure if there's much intense fascination with that one though?  Oh well.

Other uninteresting and unrelated news of the day....I have Airport Song by Guster stuck in my head.  Which isn't altogether a bad thing.  My Nalgene is almost empty but it gave me a really cute idea for a Christmas present yesterday so I guess ideas come from everywhere.  Man if ever there was a day for me to have no point today is the day.  Lets see what else can I come up with.....I'm really in the mood for sugar cookie dough but I feel no wanting to make sugar cookies or ingest the calories related to that endeavor.  Maybe a bite but I think I would get sick to my stomach.  I could really go for some MexiCAN food which I've been hinting at to my wonderful Dave for the better part of three days and have yet to partake. 

A Haiku from TSC (Really need a better name for her): 

O Eustation Tubes

Air Trapped inside your spaces

Relieve the Pressure

Maybe tomorrow will lead to more cogent clear thinking and something of purpose although I think Haiku's are always full of purpose...And really any reference to Nicolas Cage should be noted as something of importance?  Yeah maybe not.  At least I didn't quote National Treasure here?  Oh crap I just did.

The bebes is a self proclaimed crawling machine.  She is the Lewis and Clark of exploritory crawling.  She must crawl and discover all new places.......all new places except....hardwood/tile floors.  She's a princess you know and any floor that is not carpeted for her comfort and enjoyment is unfit for her presence.  I feel my child may someday relate to The Princess and the Pea.  Uncharateristic of the bebes....yesterday she did this:

How she got here I do not know.  

And then she did this:

Look how happy she is to be sitting...on the hard cold floor.

Usually when she hits  a hard surface instead of stopping she crawls on her hands and feet (instead of her hands and knees) and tries to wiggle and manuver her way to another area far far away from the discomforts of the tile floors.  

Some would say: Lindsey why do you have pictures of your unsmiling baby.  To them I respond: Why the heck not!

A flash back…to August 21^st….2008?

TSC:  Holy crap it’s Thursday.

Me:  Holy crap…the holiest.

TSC:  The holiest crap ever.

Me:  Blessed be the crap.

TSC:  In nomine poopus, fecal and stinkatum sancti (too far?).

Me:  Crap I can’t beat that you win.  

The other night Dave and I did some spur of the moment Christmas shopping and Cosi consuming.  It was a pretty nice night all around...I must say.  

When I got back into the car Dave had put a bag on my seat for me and this is what I found:  

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I'm lame.....Do you feel the suspense?

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If you don't already know I'm obsessed with the smell of burning wood.  That classic down home on the farm...out in the country smell of a wood burning.  It makes me feel all kinds of wonderful things.  I also am completely lacking any semblance of writing skills today.  My list of acceptable vocabulary words must be short this week....and now I'm not even making sense to myself let alone anyone else.  Back to the point!  Dave bought me this candle.  It doesn't smell exactly like firewood it smells a bit more like Firewood+Aromatherapy=Lindso takes big breaths from the wonderful smell and passes out due to lack of oxygen.  That is a horrible math problem.  

Regardless we got home and I tore open my candle and lit it.  Dave came upstairs and told me the candle wasn't close enough to me.  Well husbando...it was an expensive candle if I can't smell it from 5 feet away...I'm taaaakin it back.  So he disregards and moves it close enough to singe my hair.  If there's something I like more than the smell of burning firewood...It's the smell of burning hair (ewew).  There I am again...off the topic.  So my candle is near me I'm curled up in bed reading a good book and my wonderful husband with the personal qualities I don't feel quite ready to gush about online...comes in with a mug of homemade hot chocolate.  It was suuuuch a good night.  

I want to live in a hamlet.

Look Honey people really like you!  Sorry it wasn't me but if I bought you a cake it would be from Dairy Queen...Yep I got your number.  

Note:  This cake picture was taken 3 days ago and since then I've made it my mission to eat the ladyfingers off the sides...and Dave has made vallent efforts to eat bits of the white chocolate plaque with his name on it.  We work as a team.....

Ode to Christmas Mini York Peppermint Patties 

(Sung to the tune of Oh Christmas Tree)

Peppermint Pattie, Peppermint Pattie,

Oh how I love your flavor.

Oh Pat-tat-tee, Oh Pat-tat-tee,

You are what I savor.

You bring me Joy, in winter time,

When bowls are full of your divine.  

Peppermint Pattie, Peppermint Pattie,

You always leave me wanting.

Oh Pat-tat-tee, Oh Pat-tat-tee,

My dreams of you are taunting.  

Your smooth texture, and  minty taste, 

Make me want to stuff my face.

Peppermint Pattie, Peppermint Pattie,

You are the treat that I adore.

Oh Pat-tat-tee, Oh Pat-tat-tee,

I just want you more and more.

I crave one, and maybe two, 

But after eight I may be through.

Peppermint Pattie, Peppermint Pattie,

I've grown to hate your tastiness.

Oh Pat-tat-tee, Oh Pat-tat-tee,

You are such a temptress.

Too full to eat a healthy meal,

Another patties what I'll steal.

Peppermint Pattie, Peppermint Pattie,

I like the color of your foil.

Oh Pat-tat-tee, Oh Pat-tat-tee, 

Glucose levels 'bout to boil.

Sugar comas, what I'm in.

Hate how I feel but still I grin.

Peppermint Pattie, Peppermint Pattie,

I am now filled with sugar.

Oh Pat-tat-tee, Oh Pat-tat-tee

Wish my resolve was stronger.

I was reading a random blog the other day that was ranting about how upsetting it is that moms don't blog about how hard it is being a parent.  That they sugar coat everything and make it sound easy.  This blog may tick that blogger off.  

This was my evening.  My child had an addiction.  She enjoyed a box of tissues.  A little too much.

I'm teething and I like cardboard.

Look a new vantage point...the bottom of the box.

If only...arg...If only I can get this corner in my mouth...mmmmm.

Mother please note the dissatisfaction on my face and in my posture that should tell you: I want my box of tissues back woman!

My evening was totally lame, extremely enjoyable and relaxing.  With my kid.  No it isn't always like that but last night it was.  

The last few days I've been so preoccupied on my drive to work that I haven't heard a thing on NPR.  I've listened because the radio is on and my ears receive the signal but I haven't really heard anything going on in the world.  I'm not really sure why I'm so preoccupied.  I thankfully have very little going on in my life this week its been almost relaxing.  Maybe I'm too relaxed?  I'm not blissful so it's not like I'm on a cloud of euphoric happiness and love.  I'm just mellow.  

The only thing I can remember happening in the world is Obama appointing Clinton and the big 3 didn't fly their cooperate jets to Washington to ask for money.  Did anything else happen this week?  I mean it is only Wednesday so I guess the week is only half full and we have a few more days left in it but I really am in a blur.  Life is fuzzy but not like last week when I had old contacts in...like truly fuzzy.  

I've used truly a lot today (outside of my blog world).  I should be writing my essay(s) for my grad school application or writing thank you notes to AD and Dave's Aunt Bobbi.  Instead I'm sitting here rambling on about how I have nothing to ramble on about.  Man I can work myself up into quite a blog can't I.  Sad....and Impressive.  

Last night we put the Christmas tree decor up.  That's something of interest and note.  It's the bebes first Christmas and its our first Christmas in our new home with our first Christmas tree.  I'm not painting a very lovely picture here but I can't focus on a monkey's butt today let alone be creative in my writing.  Is monkey's butt creative?  Can we not quote me on that?  Yikes.

I was thinking the other day about having some structure in my blog.  Maybe like having a 'Monday thing' or a 'Saturday something.'  I know that's worked out really well huh?  I'm not sure what my thing or something would even be so maybe someday we'll get there but today...today is not the day.  I can't even structure my day/week let alone my thoughts.  I am however working on a list of goals for the next year and life in general that I hope to post soon in an effort to put it out there cosmically into the world and hope that because its out there...and my 1.5 readers can see it...maaaaybe I'll stick to it and accomplish a few of the things that are important to me.  

I think...possible I've run out of ramble.  It's about time to buck up and write an essay on Facilitating Adult Learning and Literacy.  Fascinating I know.  I sure hope this is what I want to be when I grow up.  Does anyone have a timetable on that?  I need some perspective.

Check out the Dave putting up our discounted last one on the shelf I'm lucky I found it Christmas tree!

Here he is reading the directions.  It's just like on The Walton's; I'm sure John Boy and his father went out into the woods cut down a Silver Fir and the tree came with instructions on how to assemble.  Crap...Silver Fir's are no assembly required.  (I wikipedia'ed that...I know you don't think I could have pulled "Silver Fir" out of my Botany Bible....I don't have it on me today).  

Also I don't think the Botany Bible has anything on fake trees with a base that is not a trunk but actually a 4 pronged foundation.  

The manly man....I loooove it!  

Maybe tomorrow I'll have some pictures of it actually decorated.  I know I know...Crazy!

Heres some pictures from our Thanksgiving weekend.  Note: mostly of my kid.  Daaaang she's cute.  

Hey maaaaan what's up I didn't know yous gonna be here?

Don't you try to feed me that turkey woman....don't even think about it....get that bird away from me.....(don't ask...seriously).

She's going to be a journalist some day or a news broadcaster.  

Note here how shes looking off camera for the telepromter.....Yeah I mostly made that up.  She's probably going to be a United Nations translator...Or a professional basketball player.  

Look folks our favorite pasttime!

Extreme close up of the cheeks...stupid cute squishy cheeks.....dumb dumb dumb.

So I was thinking about my 'about me' section and I always have an 'idea' or a 'title' I want to work towards and it never turns out anywhere near where my thoughts started.  This is what I came up with: a random summation of my life from the start of high school to today.  WHY I decided it was important to document high school....I don't know.  Just be thankful I didn't document the earlier years.    

*1996*  My parents don’t like my current boyfriend.  They call the cops on him.  He does drugs.  Not a soul mate.  I know this.

*1997*  My boyfriend likes to play Army and someday will join it.  I can beat him at Mortal Combat.  It frustrates him.  I’m also in the band...not the cool band.

*1998*  I lie to my parents regularly because my friends are allowed to do things I’m not able to do.  They are so not cool. 

*1999*  My parents don’t like my current boyfriend.  They call the cops on him.  He does drugs.  Not a soul mate.  I know this.

*2000* I’m sitting next to my boyfriend in his old gray pickup truck on the way to the movie theatre 2 towns over.  I’m getting ready for college and itching to get away from everything. 

*2001*  I’m at college not caring one bit about the education I’ll later crave because college is just a means of escape not a reason to grow as a person. 

*2002*  I met this guy who lived in my dorm.  This is one of the shortest relationships of my life and one that will shape me and change me more than he will ever know.

*2003*  Football and parties consume my free time which I consider most of my time to be.  I’m very angry and slighted by everyone around me.

*2004*  My on again off again college boyfriend and I call it quits.  I fly to Chicago.  I meet Dave.  I fall in love. 

*2005*  Rewarding work and little pay lead me to less rewarding work and more pay in Chicago….near Dave…I fall even more in love.

*2006*  New town, new friends, new life, same guy.  Engaged and Married.  I fall even more in love.

*2007*  No money, 3 jobs, 2 bedrooms, a few drinks.  I’m pregnant.  I’m anxious, excited and avoiding pastel colors. 

*2008*  No money, 2 jobs, 3 bedrooms.  OGJ and DRJ with me in the new digs...we are overwhelmingly blessed…

 

***to be continued and revised at a future date when the opinions and views of my past are skewed with a new perspective***

My love for NPR is renewed everyday.  I swear today... they did a whole news segment on the new G&R album Chinese Democracy.  

The Chinese government has spoken out against the new album by Guns N' Roses. The rock group calls it Chinese Democracy. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman says, "As far as I know, many people don't like this kind of music."-NPR

The best part was they did a whole segment with actual G&R background music from their new album which is much darker and a bit more heavy metal than their other albums.  I'm not sure how G&R can have something 'a bit more heavy metal' but you know what I mean.  Dang I just references myself.....impressive....and sad.  Anyway they did the whole news segment in their serious 'we are reporting on the news we are not having an opinion on the news and we are staying bipartisan' (that's not the right word but I'm going with it people).  It was just so amusing to hear Steve Inskeep discussing G&R so casually.  The man has covered Afghanistan, Iraq, and post Katrina New Orleans with the same steadfast reporting that he had this morning....about China having a hissy fit over a random albums title.  

In 100-200 years who's going to care about G&R I mean yes...I do have a special place for my high school boyfriend and November Rain.  And of course when I'm lacking a proper lullaby for the bebes I do tend to break out into a little Sweet Child O'Mine but their politics and other random beliefs...well heck I don't care about them now let alone do I plan to...in my lifetime.  

**I have no intention of busting out my MLA format info on how to properly cite a band and album title...soooooo just deal.  

Cute bebes picture....It was about time.  What a thug....

A dying pastime for me.......the telephone.

Seriously folks....whens the last time I called you?  Really other than the 4 "in case of emergency" people in my phonebook....most of the rest of those numbers are there to make it look like I have friends.  Friends I don't call.    I like all of you I really do.  I'm a huge fan of friends.  I know that at a moments notice I could contact almost anyone in my phonebook and they would be there for me.  I have great friends.  Friends...I don't call.  

I knooooow there are people out there that do not believe the Internet to be a true and effective way of communication but seriously just jump on my bandwagon here please.  I sit at a desk on the phone ALL DAY LONG.  When I get off work I pick up the bebes and we sit in the car where I watch her gum up and slobber all over my phone.  My phone, a magical device, called the iPhone does MANY things.  It txts, emails, blogs, surfs, updates, amuses.  Seriously its the multitasker.  While the call feature is a very important one for some people.  I don't always find it necessary.  Yes I could pry the phone away from my child and make some much needed calls to people who think I hate them or that they aren't important to me.  OR I could have 45 minutes of semi blissful happy child while driving in rush hour.  I'll let you all figure out which one of those I choose on a daily basis.

Why is email so bad?  I really don't understand.  I can sit at work/home/in the car on safe days....updating and emailing my friends and family.  I can talk to many of them at one time.  I am in no way pretending to be that super overworked mom who can't manage to get a phone call in.  BUT seriously...I would much rather get home from work and focus on my kid and have a little me time than spending another hour of my day with a phone attached to my head.  I have a pile of books I'm dying to read, recipes I would love to try, and a husband I would also like to see every once and a while....these things....not necessarily possible with someone chatting in my ear.

*Oh also I'm hooooorrible about coming up with witty or snappy things so I like to email cause I can think about my response.  

I do not hate the phone all together.  There is on a rare occasion that I crave verbal contact.  Yes a few of those times related to me calling the husband to pick up milk...buns or something else stereotypical and generic from the grocery store.  I do talk to my mom on the phone...she likes to hear my voice (its a mom thing I get that now).  Overall though I'm not a super social chatty must talk on the phone all day kind of girl.  I did that in high school and a bit in college...and when Dave and I were dating long distance for the 1.5.....

Please email me...message me...comment....but if you call...You maaaay get an email in response.  And REALLY it's nothing personal....MAYBE I'm offended when you don't email me back?  Maaaaaybe your way isn't the 'right' way its just different.    

I've come to realize that Google runs my online my world....and I own none of their stock.  Let it be noted that Google stock is at 273 a share, we are in a self denial recession and I still can't afford one share.  It peaked at what like 700 dollars....goodness.  Although I heard that Ford or GM are at like 1.25 a share....not sure if I really want to jump on that one right this moment.  Silly CEO's flying their private jets to Washington asking for handouts.  Tomorrow I plan on putting on my most expensive ball gown and standing at the corner of Michigan and Adams asking for spare change.  

Anyway back to my point...if there is one.  Google is fabulous, I've tried sometimes in vain to convert everyone I know over to Gmail.  I like all the personal links I have programed onto my iGoogle.  I love the insane amounts of storage available to me and the fact that I can search 'ghetto' and find EVERY SINGLE time I used that word in my email/chat/correspondence....simply spectacular.

I also LOVE that I can link my Gmail/google account to almost anything.  Picasa Web (which I don't really use but thats mostly out of ignorance and not really out of dislike for the product).  I log into my blog via my Gmail info too (www.blogger.com created by Pyra Labs now owned/associated with Google) .  Seriously crazy.

Google and his trust sidekick Mac are going to change the world for better.  They are superheros in geek disguise...They do not wear capes.....in public.  

Since starting this blog I've been stalking a few other blogs.  I'm hoping this isn't just a fad for me like the color teal or my seasonal obsession with scarves.  I'm so engrossed by others lives.  Being a mother I'm naturally drawn to reading about other mothers and those mothers constantly site other mothers work.  Its this freaky network of moms just trying to get their voices heard.  I vowed a long time ago not to be overtaken by motherhood.  Mark my words here when I look back on this 1-5-10-20 years from now and laugh at myself.  Heck even today I'm being joyfully sucked into motherhood....seriously folks...it blows! :)

I know its cliche but the Internet has really allowed stay at home moms, single mothers, (moms bored at work), to connect to one another and feel like there actually is someone out there feeling guilty that their kid is at the sitters and that the hour long car ride home from work sucks when your child is SCREAMING.  It's ok and its laughable (mostly the poop stories).  I read so many stories from woman everyday who make motherhood sound amusing and funny and yes sometimes its boring but most of the time if your creative enough you can make it into something hysterical.  

I give a lot of credit to these woman who put their lives and a decent amount of their parenting skills out there for the world to see and judge on a regular basis.  I'm not sure I'm that brave.  I'd like to think that I am but I know me and I'm not.  Maybe someday....

Anyway I stalk a lot of blogs.  Although I guess if they are blogging on the Internet I'm not really stalking them.  If I showed up at their houses...that would be creepy.  I would name drop and quote them but they are my blogs to stalk...go find your own! :)  (and now I'm a childish petty little person.....) 

Oh...my points: 

Being a mom is fun.  Being a mom doesn't mean you just have to be a mom.  A lot of the people I read are cool and have interesting lives.  Most of them are more interesting than mine.

Lindso out.

This building is stalking me...it follows me everywhere. I wish I was

kidding!

And I have to speculate that God himself

Did make us into corresponding shapes like

Puzzle pieces from the clay

Paula Poundstone today on NPR:

People still seem full of hope after the historic election of Barack Obama. This is America, though, it can't last. Pleased and proud as we are, Obama hasn't been on American Idol, so we're bound to lose interest soon.

That's why President-elect Obama needs to waste no time in harnessing this feeling and ask something of us. We'll spend. We'll save. We'll do laps. We'll wear sweaters.

My parents are a part of the "Greatest Generation." They pulled our nation through the Depression and World War II, and when they heard the call, they collected rubber.

My generation rode out the Beanie Baby crash, ran up both credit card debt and the nation's weight, and brought us reality TV and the SUV, but it's not all we can do. We've grown up collecting box tops and shoes. We've earned free doughnuts by getting our cards punched with every dozen purchased. We're the "a-thon" generation. We've jogged, walked and pedaled thousands of miles because someone said it would cure cancer.

It's our turn now. Just ask us. We've adopted freeways and been up all night with night feedings. We'll bring an unwrapped gift. We'll bring canned goods. We'll collect flip-tops. Yes, we will.

What do you need us to do, President-elect Obama? We could form a bucket brigade to bail out the banks. We could collect Band-Aids, not the useless little ones, for the health care system. We could take shifts forming human pyramids to hold up our crumbling bridges.

The entire country could hold a progressive dinner party to feed the homeless. We could all commit to wearing the same clothes two days in a row to save water, energy and time. I'll go three, because I care more than the others. We can carry road-mending materials in our cars and fill pot holes during traffic jams. We can put a wishing well on Wall Street.

Our leadership has told us that we have a long, hard climb before us, which I would welcome, because I love the outdoors, and I could use the weight loss, but I have a bad feeling it has nothing to do with climbing.

I'm waiting. I'm punching my glove. It's oiled and ready. Pitch it in here, sir.

I've spent the better part of my morning combining my schedule with Dave's and the bebes.  Between the three of us I have 5 different highlighter colors?  How is that even possible?  This is of course necessary to attempt even the slightest grasp of understanding for the next 2 months.  

ALL  of our family lives out of town.  That being said we are being visited by a lot of people in November.  They all aren't necessarily visiting 'us' but they will be in the area and we want to see them and I would imagine they may want to see us too.  Dave's schedule is a mess because he works retail during the holidays.  The bebes of course has a full agenda of her own social engagements.  Almost every weekend between now and 2009 is filled with something.  

Somewhere in all of this 'we' as a family have a lot to do.  The three of us do not have a day off together till November 30th.  After that who knows.  INSANE.  Seriously.  

**Correction we have Thanksgiving off....but nothing productive other than being thankful and consuming large quantities of food can be done on that day...

Dear Bissell SpotBot,

You effortlessly clean up essence of prune.  You faithfully scub the same spot more than once.  Your work ethic is unquestionable.  Your sleek design and easy push button use makes me tingle.  Ain't no mountain high enough for you blessed SpotBot.  You have my eternal and unending love.

XOXO

Lindso

I am ADDICTED to entering contests and collecting points.  Every single bookmark in my Google Chrome sends me to an online promotion or an ultimate kitchen giveaway or a free trip to Paris...I collect Coke Rewards...I earn points by reading health and fitness articles through my health insurance company....I'm a spaz.

This all started when I went on maternity leave.  While I love my daughter so much it hurts...it can get a little....boring....watching her eat and especially in the beginning when she wouldn't sleep unless she was held.  Yes its endearing and adorable but after 3 hours.....anyway.  I would have the laptop next to me and I would surf the Internet.  I started entering HGTV sweepstakes because I was obsessed with that channel for 3 months (and going through withdrawals now without cable at the house).  Slowly this has developed into what we have today....15 bookmarks that lead me to 24 different contests I enter every single morning.  I'm also constantly surfing the Internet to find new sweepstakes to replace the ones that have expired.  

The reason I feel the need to tell you this...is simple put as: I HAVEN'T WON A FREAKIN THING.  6 months of this....no prizes....just a stronger addiction to the cause.  I AM AWESOME....in case you were wondering.  

Tid bits of yesterday I enjoyed:

**Sarah Palin voting in Alaska in a Carhartt jacket and jeans.  

This woman has stayed true to herself the entire campaign.  She and her family remained a unified cohesive group from the very moment she was chosen as John McCain's running mate.  Her unending persistence to help people, run government and make changes for Alaska and our country cannot be overlooked.  I don't share the same political beliefs as Sarah Palin but her spirit is inspiring and she was very close yesterday to becoming the first woman to take the office of Vice President of the United States of America.  As a country that is something to be proud of.  We've come a long way.  

The reason I noted her voting apparel was simply this....John McCain, Barrack Obama, The Clinton's, John Kerry every stinkin politician was in a suit yesterday to cast their ballots.  Seriously folks don't you get a little tired of that power suit and necktie.  It was nice to see Sarah Palin comfortable and being herself.

**John McCains concession speech

This man who I also do not agree with on political matters gave a dignified concession speech noting that while he and Barrack Obama still remain divided in there politics they are both Americans and as such need to work together to fix our country and the problems we all face.  McCain stayed true to himself (even in his power suit) and showed a great deal of respect for Obama and congratulating his supports for a hard campaign.  

I realize that politicians always have to have their game face on but McCain could have really been sour last night.  Not because he was beaten but because his battle was so hard.  President Bush's approval ratings are extremely low and McCain fought an uphill battle from day one.  I'm not sure if I had lost that race last night if I would have remained so cool and collected.  Had the problems with our current system not been present I think last nights race would have been much closer.  I think McCain should be proud of his campaign, he worked harder than most to fight a battle that looking back many would say was un-win-able.  

I really enjoyed the elections yesterday.  I have this really idealistic belief that our country runs on this magical political system of honor and respect and I don't necessarily want that belief shattered.  I will continue looking for the best in people and hoping that all the changes they promise will in some shape come to fruition.  

"Democracy is...the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people."

~Harry Emerson Fosdick in Harper's Monthly Magazine (November 1925)

I'm not an obnoxious 'Patriot'...I'm not the guy who wears the American Flag t-shirt but I am very proud to live in America and I'm very proud that I have the privilege to vote.  I'm lucky to be able to sit here and say whatever I want about the current administration and the upcoming administration without retribution.  I can agree or disagree with anything my government says. 

I vote because my voice is heard.  I vote because it's part of what makes living in this country so wonderful.  I vote because in the next 4-8 years my daughter will visit the Dr. at least 100 times.  Her health care is on the ballot.  She will enter school.  Her school funding is on the ballot.  I vote because I care how my country is run.  I choose to take a part in my future.

People who don't have an opinion on our country and choose not to vote because they are ignorant or lazy make me sick.  People who are selfish and care only for themselves and let others make decisions that effect all of us make me sad.  I cannot understand how a person can sit by passively and let others make decisions for them.  

That being said.  I'm a Democrat.  I do not vote down party lines I look at each individual person and make a decision based on the issues and how they pertain to my own life.  In the past I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans.  Every vote counts regardless of who or what it supports.  I support voters not Democrats not Republicans....voters.  We have the power to change anything.

On a related but separate note:

Obama is not a Muslim.  To defend this point I don't feel the need to tell you that he is Christian what I would like to say is: What is wrong with being Muslim?  Nothing.  Muslims are not terrorists.  Terrorists are terrorists.  Stop being ignorant.  Study learn and grow.  Know your facts.  

Random...yes.

I am a horrible speller.  I spell check everything and I'm definitely a work in progress when it comes to my writing skills so while I may sound judgemental trust me I'm judging myself more than anyone else.

Grammatical/Spelling/Basic English Skills that DRIVE ME INSANE:

Than: Use when comparing one thing to another.

Then: Use when discussing time.

Affect and Effect:  When you affect the situation you have an effect on it.  

And so help me A LOT is TWO WORDS PEOPLE!

Thanks...have a good day.

It's snowing!!!

Last night there was a poodlechilapomadoodledoberdoodle in my backyard eating the stale bread I left for the little Cinderella-like singing birds...a family tradition of mine past on by generations of cheap family members who refuse to throw old food down the garbage disposal and insist that the furry creatures of the world would appreciate it more...a mentality that I do not necessarily disagree with.

I sat on our back stoop wanting to say "Hey punk get outta my yard and stay away from my ghetto bird food" instead I thought I would try to make friends with the pup.   "Helloooooo little fuzzy one come here" (insert annoying kissy pursing lip sounds). What does this ferocious beast do? He yips at me like I'm invading HIS space! Seriously he's like get away from my stale bread and off my grass. I tried to reason with him, I encouraged him to let me pet him and renew my faith in small ugly dogs but no he stuck his butt up in the air walked a few feet away and then POOPED on my bread.  He has made it very clear that I may pay a mortgage for the privilege of owning a backyard but it is not my backyard it's HIS.

At this point I calmly walked back into my house closed the screen door and secured the lock because I fear that dog may try to take over my house.  He may attach an annex to his territory and claim my house as Petoria or JOEhio.

Polka Dot Death

This weekend the bebes sprouted her first tooth!  Bust out the Orajel it was a frustrating weekend.  This weekend I wondered how parents make it through this time called 'teething' because so help me that child just SCREAMED at me and then for no reason what so ever would stop and give me the biggest teary eyed smile you'd ever seen..........and then SCREAM at me some more.   Two straight days of a screaming child.  Nothing I did could alleviate her pain.  I bribed her?  I offered her the equivalent cash value to her pain?  Nothing worked.....

Now we have probably 25-30 pacifiers....3-5 teething rings and I swear to you the only thing that calms this child down is Dave's thumb.  Maybe its a texture thing or a unique shape I don't know but his thumb is the best investment thus far.....I suppose its a good thing I married him...hes contractually obligated to keep his thumb around for our child's easement of pain.  

On occasion my thumb or finger(s) can be used as a substitution but only if Dave is not present.  I have substandard fingers.  I am in no way complaining about this because on a rare occasion I actually like to paint my nails and I'm not really thinking that nail polish is good for the bebes digestion?

Ok where was I going with this...Ah so....her one singular tooth that is just starting to show....is SHARP.  Holy Chimichanga it hurts when she bites down now.  Dave and I are going to need stitches soon at the rate she is whittling our fingers down with her one ravenous tooth.  

"Slice like a ninja cut like a razor blade"  Yep...I went there....

Doubtful...

A decently long time ago I was in 10th grade and I had a teacher who taught us that to be an effective speaker you needed to be clear and concise.  We had to practice our speeches and presentations over and over again and we were given negative marks for using 'um' as a space filler.  We were discouraged from having empty space and stuttering was also frowned upon.  Also in high school I was part of our TV productions group (yes yes AV nerd I get it) and we would put out daily announcements throughout the school and I happened to be the one making the announcements.  In the lamest of terms I was a TV news anchor..........for my school district?  Which dare I say was actually really cool and fun.  I had to be well structured and to the point at all times.  That is what we were taught.  While I may joke that I grew up in a town with 2 1/2 stop lights I did go to a really good high school.  So why is it when I listen to political speakers during the debates and Nobel Peace winners on NPR that none of them can string together an intelligent well thought out sentence without stuttering and inserting um...uh...eh...er...

In the past few years I've worked with and taken classes with people who are not the cleanest speakers.  They repeat syllables and struggle through their thoughts and it makes me wonder if what I was taught was incorrect.  I don't disagree that when trying to prove a point you should be as focused and crisp with your speech but there's something to be said about a person who manages to do great things in their life regardless of their less than attractive language skills.   Obviously these people have a certain presence or aspect to them that is desirable to others.  Given the fact that a politician can sit in office term after term with a shady past and a sad understanding of how the world actually works based solely on the fact that they have charisma.  

Maybe I should focus more on what I say not so much in how understandable I'm trying to be to my audience.  The whole package is not necessary and for years I've worked mostly on thinking through my thoughts and presenting a clear straight forward argument when its possible that I should just shoot from the hip say what I think and offend people arbitrarily and maybe I'll win some friends? :)