Life is getting away from me

I'm so overwhelmed with how fast this year has gone. It's already November and I'm just floored, what did we do this year? It's been insane. And the truth is we've done SO much.  I'm hoping 2012 will be a quieter year, especially now that we are home, and can visit family more regularly.  We only have one trip planned next year and its for a friends wedding. Otherwise everything should be local. I'm starting a little early reflecting back on 2011 and I have a feeling I'll spend the last few months of it just trying to catch my breath.  Life is moving forward whether I want it to or not.

OJ recently turned herself into a fairy and has yet to convert back. She gets increasingly more distressed every time we get in the car and I tell her they have to come off to put her seat belt on.

The weather has been amazing, either sunny and comfortable or pouring rain (which leads to puddles). Our new backyard is AMAZING. It's completely unlevel but also flat, which means there are LOTS of places to jump in water. Our old backyard slanted downhill, you couldn't even put lawn chairs back there. let alone our grill or fire pit etc etc. I'm fairly certain a night around our fire pit is planned for this weekend. It might be our last chance before cold weather is upon us.

And then this happened.  I'm seriously just an amazing story teller.  I know...I hear it all the time.

Have I mentioned this guy. He's  9 months old and in the last 3 weeks....FOUR teeth.  So you know, that was pleasant. He's standing on his own, without holding on to things...because he's insane. He's growing so fast, I dont remember OJ growing this fast. Maybe I could tether him to the ground and he'll grow slower?


Cuteness:

 Ridiculousness:

Gah annoying cuteness:

OJ had no interest in being seen in her Snow White costume but she has insisted on wearing it almost every day since Halloween so maybe if I EVER update this blog again you'll see that.

On that note, I'm going to shower for the first time in 36 hours...I.AM.SO.EXCITED. I lead a very exciting life.

Peace out dudes.

Yes Dudes......welcome to 1991.

Where I rant and then throw in some cuteness to make up for it.

So let me start out by saying...I had one of those REALLY annoying cute weekends.  I went on a date with my husband which I promise...we never do.  I hate when people exaggerate and they are like...we never see each other we don't do things together and then all you hear about is how Angelina Jolie has no privacy...except she can manage to make it to 2-3 premieres a week and has appropriate outfits for those premiers and has what 6 children...lady..YOU...have a nanny...I do not.

Anyway I'm so fabulous when I'm off topic aren't I?  So we went on a date...and we went to the fancy theaters that have the super crazy lazy boy seats and they bring you blankets and amazing gourmet food.  I had these little spinach and artichoke cheese deep fried balls of goodness...and man...I forgot I was even on a date with Dave...

Dave's friend watched the goobs for us Friday night.  He asked that she be fed and in pj's before we left because his skill set really lies in building massive towers out of alphabet blocks and watching them be destroyed by a 2 year old.  

Saturday...was the magically day though...Saturday...my child let Dave and I stay in our bedroom...undisturbed till 9:15...NINE FREAKIN FIFTEEN....It was almost like we had a teenager who didn't want to hang out with us...she played in her room for almost 3 hours and left us alone.  Now...you can only imagine what we did with that free time...and you'd be totally wrong..because Dave went back to sleep and I tried to concentrate on a book over his snoring...we are SOOOO ROMANTIC...

The rest of the day was spent in true Lindso OCD style....we got the 3rd bedroom straightened up and in organized chaos...there is now a crib and a changing table...and a huge bookshelf full of junk..but it's one step closer to choosing a paint color and being done with all that craziness.  I know I know...I'm like what 5 minutes pregnant (thanks Mary) but really...we find out what we are having in September...and then its football season..and then the holidays and I promise you...I will NOT be pleasant if I have to smell paint fumes in January with no ventilation...and have to take down Christmas decorations 9 months pregnant...PROMISE.  So I may seem OCD but I'm truly defending this mentality...and telling everyone to lovingly shove it! xoxo super smiley face...obnoxiousness.

Sunday...I had another bout of OCD and was done with my list of activities before 10am....which was awesome...but I was left without a vehicle that housed a car seat so I was unable to free myself from the confines of my home...to forage for nachos...

Lets talk about this for a bit...apparently all I want are nachos...not just any nachos...I don't want to make them from scratch I don't want them as an appetizers at a chain restaurant.  I do not want them from an authentic Mexican hole in the wall fabulous restaurant...no no...I want them from Moe's.  I've now eaten at Moe's a total of 3 times...maybe...maybe only 2?  I don't know...what I do know is that their nachos are heaven on a platter...a plastic platter with a sheet of parchment paper covered in queso...did you hear me NACHOS...oh dear lord...why am I squeezing this into a rant post...these nachos deserve their own pretty bold post dedicated to their fantabulousness.  We went to Moe's last week...and Dave got the nachos...I didn't know about them before this point...I made Dave take me again on Saturday...and then I could barely last 24 hours and I needed them again.  I'm not sure what we are having for dinner but CLEARLY you know what my suggestion will be.  NOM NOM NOM

Okay so I need to get off that topic it's clearly making me wish Moe's was near by...siiiigh

Heres were I usually abruptly end and loose focus and move on to other things...like um...nachos...oooh whatever I give up...

I leave you with this....this happened over the weekend and its ANNOYINGLY cute.  It also has ridiculously bad volume so turn those speakers way up...get ready to hear some mediocre music....and sorry if the video is fuzzy...I'm not a vlogger...mostly cause I hate that word but I also just have my iPhone and its great..but it doesn't translate to this space well.

goodbye forevers....

What does this picture tell you about my life....

1. I took this picture WHILE driving on a bumpy surface...in fairness I was on a clear dry road in the middle of the day with no traffic and approaching a stoplight...so I was driving slow.

2. My vehicle is close to 100,000 miles and it still loves me enough to run everyday.

3. I have a full take of gas thanks to TSC and the BP giftcard.

4. ITS FREAKIN FREEZING IN CHICAGO!

Seriously take me back to London...It was 30 on the coldest day and even that was cozy.  Most days it was 45 with a light chill.  

Or better yet...Bring on Spring!  Seriously!!

I will never complain about 'weather' but am I allowed to complain about temperature?  Cause I'm a freeze baby and I don't handle this crap well!

THE BEST VACATION EVER!

Some of you may know...heard a rumor...that I went on vacation.  Now...the catch here is that Dave and I have never been on a trip...alone...together...yes alone together...it makes sense just roll with it!  We've gone places with family, we've attended a wedding or two with bebes in tow...but we've never gone on vacation together.  No honeymoon, no weekend away...nadda.  

We went to London.  It was fun.  But.  Before we went to London...We went to Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.  We had a layover of about 7 hours...which seems like a long time...but when you have to fly through the Philly airport and all of the lovely shenanigans associated with that....LOVELY airport...it was no time at all.  The other reason I wasn't so worried about a long layover is my very favorite CamieO lives outside of Philadelphia and because I haven't seen her in 3 WHOLE YEARS...I missed her desperately and we were going to get a drink....and some sort of appetizer...and hang out.  OH JOY!

Apparently if your looking for a good time in Philly its bests to leave the entire airport area.  Drive far far away.  The only sit down establishments to get a drink near the airport were a Marriot hotel bar....and a Ruby Tuesdays.  Now...I HATE...Ruby Tuesdays.  I feel bad, I shouldn't...but I've always disliked them.  They really grossed me out as a teenager and I've had no interest in revisiting them.  Now maybe I'm being harsh but this place has done nothing to wooooo me.  Yes woooo me.  So...we are all in agreement that we dislike Ruby Tuesdays but its the only place open and near by that works.  We three begrudgingly (oh rhyming i like it) head to Ruby Tuesdays. 

Okay at this stage in my FABULOUS story telling Dave, CamieO and the Lindso are all sitting in the restaurant (near the restrooms and an emergency exit...location location location)...we all seem rather exhausted and don't have much to talk about which is okay...we are just soaking in the scenery.  The restaurant isn't full but theres a few people scattered around us.  Theres a table near by with a 'young' mom and her 5 teenage children (assume what you will)...and a nice girl sitting next to us having a glass of wine and reading a book, few guys at the bar...etc etc...its a Friday at 4...not quite happy hour but we're getting there.  Our waitress who I really actually truly liked felt the need to say "Sh**" a good 3 times even before she took our drink order.  This was a colorful experience...I mean really...how generic can you get...But heck I figure I'm leaving the country to go on a big adventure...I can have a mellow drink and snack before I head out...this will be good for us to relax before our long flight.

Thats when the FBI showed up.

I turn to Camie and Dave and mention to them that their happens to be an FBI agent coming into the restaurant, which Dave offhandedly responds: Oh hes probably just getting a drink after work!...Me: In full riot gear?  So moments later 2 mooooore FBI agents come trotting (full on running in) to the Ruby Tuesdays (my favorite restaurant) and then we notice the guys at the bar are plain clothed agents and they all start searching the restaurant.  OF COURSE....the FBI agent behind us in the corner by the bathrooms starts yelling "GUYS GUYS I HAVE ONE BACK HERE NEED BACK UP BRING BACK UP ONE GUY OVER HERE!"  In moments because heck thats what happens in these scenarios the entire parking lot is flooded with FBI cars, trucks, agents, and of course machine guns and they are dragging two guys (one from the bathroom...you know WHERE WE WERE SITTING) out of the restaurant.

Now...the young mother and her multiple offspring that I was talking about earlier... apparently had enough sense to get the heck out of their chairs and get out of the way.  We three (I really like that phrase today) are sitting in our seats... craning our necks to SEE THE ACTION.  Of course the machine guns...those must be toys...no big deal.  Silliness.  

Thankfully our stupidity didn't harm us and the really amazing FBI agents had the place under control the whole time.  Lets be honest...the three of us were apparently going to be the first ones picked off in a fight...for not having the foresight to GET OUT OF THE WAY.  

So the situations under control.  The Drug Enforcement Devision of the FBI has handled the "bust."  Oh now I'm using cool but fake terms for the fancy FBIness....anyway these two guys had been in the restaurant the whole time....and of course there are still gun toting, machine gun happy agents circling the building which I'm VERY okay with seeing as they knew what they were doing.  

I finally turn to Dave, smack him on the shoulder and declare: This is the BEST vacation EVER! To which Camie turns in her classic "Camie can be heard over everyone" voice and says "Welcome to Philadelphia!"  A waiter across the restaurant pipes in to let me know that this is NOT what Philly is like. 

So the FBI is still around and business gets back to normal and the table with my young mother friend who happened to get up from the table and get out of the way with her kids during the whole commotion is now back at her table...eating...and on her cell phone screaming obscenities and creating a bit of a scene.  Apparently the 2 friends of ours that just got dragged out in cuffs by the heavily armed beefy agents were at her house just two days previous.  The drug lords...gang members...drug dealing....hoodlums...were at this womans house...2 DAYS AGO...and APPARENTLY she didn't recognize them in the restaurant?  Now...WHY when it is clear that an ongoing investigation is happening IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE...and the machine guns in the parking lot have not been disengaged (is that what happens...I haven't shot a gun in some 23 years)....are you talking about this?  Do you WANT to get questioned?  AND WHYYYY are you making a scene IN the restaurant talking about being associated with these up-standing probably innocent *cough* men who just got arrested?

I'd never been to Philadelphia and I have to say this was one of the BEST first trips to a city.  I TOTALLY plan on going back.......to visit Camie of course...and maybe something interesting will happen?

Falling in Love

Yes I'm corny and No I don't care! (I also don't make any sense...please read on)

This week wholeheartedly ushered in Fall. I couldn't be more thrilled. This is by far the best season of the year. I don't care if you agree with me...cause this is my square box of the world and I'm rockin it! :)

I've been wearing sweaters and zip up hoodies and casual slightly warm scarves all week. I busted out the argyle the other day...all clear signs that Fall is upon us! Dave has made me hot tea to take to work almost every morning. I've made soup! I'm embracing the season change with everything I have in me. I'm desperate to get my Fall decor out. Pumpkins and Harvest colored wall hangings and creative cream and burnt orange serving bowls. Gah! I love it.

I also love my nutcracker collection which spans all seasons. This time of year not only is beautiful it reminds me that right around the corner is Christmas. I start to pull out my Halloween themed nutcrackers and then comes Thanksgiving and ooooooh then comes the Christmas tree. I'm such a sucker for decorating. This time of year is clearly here for my own personal benefit and enjoyment.

I would flat out live every day of my life in a warm sweater comfy shoes and a hot cup of tea in my hand....

This Sunday is one of my favorite parts of Fall. The Apple Festival which we attend almost every year has finally come and I'm so jazzed for apple cider doughnuts and the eclectic group of semi farmers market booths selling everything from jalapeno jams and hot mustard's to bushels of apples and fresh apple cider. We always buy something small from the festival that's normally related to Charlie Brown and Snoopy although that really has nothing to do with anything haha

Regardless I'm just over the moon with this chilly slightly dreary...Fall is here...kind of weather. It gives me full on excuse to be cozy all the time.

*sigh*

I in my kerchief and Dave in his sink....

Happy 6th of July Everyone! I have to be honest...we did little to no celebrating this weekend. The past two weekends have been busy and this upcoming weekend I'll be having fun out of town so we decided to be extremely antisocial and not make any plans for the 4th. I'll be more festive the rest of this week then I was over the weekend.

Last Thursday our new sitter called to let me know that the bebes had a fever. I'll have to comment later in a whole separate ramble on our amazing new sitter...she makes me constantly sing "nobody solves a problem like Maria".........ALL FREAKIN DAY LONG. If I didn't love the Sound of Music so much I would punch myself in the face for how annoying I am. Anyway poor kiddo had a fever of about 100. When I picked her up that afternoon she was a sad little shell of a bebes...She was really not feeling well.

By Friday morning her temp was 102 and by the time we got to the doctor it was 103. I'm rarely in panic mode over sickness (the rest of my life is another story)...but I was really worried about her. Our regular doctor was off on Friday so we met with this new guy and he was ADORABLE...not in the way that I want to divorce Dave and marry a doctor but in a "oh my goodness your this tiny little adorable man and lets be friends"....kinda way. Grace was her normal screaming self. I swear we walk into one of those sterile rooms and the crinkle of the paper they put on the patients bed area thingamagiger...sets my kid off. Poor child spent a good 30 minutes SCREAMING from getting her temperature taken. It was a tiny wand stuck under her arm...WHY is that terrifying...I do not know. So the new guy...gave us WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION on fevers...and told us she was fine but she has Roseola. Which after I googled it means: you get a fever...fever goes away....you get a rash....you are cranky the whole time. I added the "cranky the whole time" thing from personal experience.

The rest of Friday was spent with the bebes running around the caged in family room area. At first I thought her waddling around in circles was endearing and cute...and then I worried she was delirious from fever and walking in circles because one leg is actually shorter than the other and she can't walk a straight line because the muscles in her body are breaking down and shes going to walk slightly to the left for the rest of her life....GAAAAH! Friday night all joking aside ended with me having a panic attack. Please note my child did not have me freaked out...the fever had gone down...she was asleep in her crib peacefully...there was truly no reason for me to have a meltdown...but there I was..melting down. Sweating, heart racing, shortness of breath FREAKIN OUT. It was very unfun. Not sure what that was all about. Glad its over...aaaamen!

Saturday....4th of July. While we had no plans to formally celebrate I did make A TON of delicious food. I took a few tips from The Pioneer Woman and her cooking site. I made a really amazing potato salad which was this funky cross between egg salad and potato salad. Dave who's not mustard's greatest fan didn't LOVE it but he said it wasn't half bad. I really enjoyed it though. In fact I have a smallHUGE container of it for lunch today. Not sad about this...not sad at all. I also made a version of her hot artichoke and olive dip. If you don't like onion this dip may not be for you. I on the other hand LOVED IT. Dave put it on his hot dog. I don't know if I would have gone that far with it but heck...I have that for leftover snacks today too.

Enough about the food although that was a major factor for the success of Saturday. Lets talk about THE SINK. So I was peeling potatoes...and I DID NOT break the garbage disposal. Dave did...no he didn't but heck I'm going to blame him for it. So we went to Menard's...I love Menard's...and bought a bunch of stuff....stuff we probably didn't need but whatever I love dates to Menard's....did I mention that? We bought a 'cat door' to devalue our home a little and allow us to FINALLY after 10 months of living in our home...close the basement door. We cut a jumbo size hole in our door, fitted it with a new cat door and now our child won't fall down a flight of stairs...EVERYONE WINS! Oh heck I'm off topic....THE SINK. So we have an ugly boring cheapest sink they could find to fill the hole in the counter top with an ugly faucet and a white ugly sprayer thingy and a water filtration knob that always looks dirty because it is...run-ons that make no sense give me purpose in life...ROLL WITH IT. Anyway the sink was the most generic run of the mill sink they could have installed. It also wasn't very deep. (I'll post pictures soon when I get 5 minutes alone at the computer to chill...heeey I promise). The best part was you couldn't even fill a pitcher of water in this sink and there was no spray handle nozzle thing it was VERY not functional.

So...first trip to Menard's resulted in a clearance steal of a deal brand new faucet with a spray nozzle thing that extends and all that loveliness. We saw a sink there that we liked but didn't have sink measurements with us so we had no idea if it would fit. We had no intention of replacing our sink. We got home from trip #1 and IDAVE broke the garbage disposal. So as he was taking it apart it slowly turned into HECK LETS JUST GO BUY A NEW SINK THIS THING IS STUPID AND I HATE IT AND I LOVE YOU BUT I HATE THIS AND I'M SOOO OVER IT. Back to Menard's we traveled. We got all the fancy new sink accessories (this thing is classier than I am now) and we checked out a few other sinks one we liked a lot but it was on special order and wouldn't be delivered for 22 days. The obvious fact that we had a gaping hole in our counter and would have to wash vegetables in the half bath with the pedestal sink lead us back to the original sink that we liked. It's white which doesn't go well with the stainless steal appliances but does go nicely with our wood work. By golly I'm gonna make this sink work in our space. Have I said yet that it's cast iron. So it was really light to carry around. I mean Dave just tossed it around Menard's and then Bebe Grace picked it up and had fun with it like a toy. Totally normal.

Dave and I came to the realization over the weekend that we are sadly going to be stuck with our counters. Our counters are VERY taste specific. I'm not a huge fan...considering they are the EXACT same counter tops that my parents have. They look pretty nice in my parents house but even my mom doesn't like her laminent (sp?) counter tops. Anyway they are a light speckled green and then there's a terra cotta orangeish red tile back splash so picking a paint color for the kitchen and family room has been a task. I REALLY need my MIL to just come up and tell me what color to paint these rooms. I don't need assistance I need flat out guidance and I want someone to make this decision for me. Oh point being...since we are stuck with our counters for a decently long time or till we move...the sink was an appropriate upgrade. We also got this fancy push button thing to turn our garbage disposal on. Before you had to walk halfway across the kitchen to turn it on so using the disposal and turning it on and off was rather difficult. The whole combo is just downright sexy. Seriously...it's hot. The new sink is 4 inches deeper than the old one which means I can fill up a stock pot now. Even if I couldn't the faucet now has a spray spout thing that moves so heck I could fill up a 10-Gallon bucket. I'm in love...if you couldn't tell!

Sunday: I used my new sink...end of story...JUUUUST KIDDING. On Saturday our water filtration system went out. We have well water so the amount of products and filters and do-dads in our basement that I cannot name are overwhelming. Luckily I live with Dave who can jury rig pretty much anything. We were one step away from having to call a repair man to the house and Dave fixed it. It's rather annoying how he does that. The extensive plumbing and water issue repair he did this weekend was among many things IMPRESSIVE. I'm currently renting out his home repair services so if anyone needs something done just let me know. Obviously...he has so much free time...to do other peoples projects.

Anyway Sunday I ran errands with my favorite little lady, the bebes, and then I spent the afternoon in my pajamas on the couch watching some bad TV. Husbando got home from work and we just vegged on the couch. Dave tried out rice pudding and it was pretty tasty. I slept...I woke...I showered...and now here I am.

I think the shredded mini wheat's made me chatty. Although I'm always chatty.

*end rant*

**pictures of home improvement coming soon...not because you care...but because I took these pictures and someone HAS to look at them or else I'll be a sad sad Lindso...bye!

Lights Camera...No action!

Before:

Ahhhhhhh After:

(note my dirty laundry in the basket on the floor. I'm just keepin it real.)

I like to edit stupid pictures:

These are some of the changes going on in our house right now. The new lights are so pretty. Dave has been busy spackling the upstairs and prepping it to paint. When this paint and lighting project is done our entire entryway will be unified and done. It will look pretty....as long as no one looks to the left when they walk in the front door and see the old couch currently being used as a cat scratching post. As long as no one does that my house will look pretty and orderly.....yep....don't look left.

What you cannot see in the above pictures is the 'shiny' icky light those old lights gave off. Maybe I can get a picture of the ones upstairs before they get taken down. The light was harsh and bright and the old fixtures made weird shadows all over the wall. The new lights are soft and flush to the ceiling and they look a little more modern but classic and simple at the same time. They are almost so simple they are boring which is kinda nice because they are in a large area.

This light:

....is coming down very soon. We bought a nice big fantastically reasonably priced chandelier to go in it's place. If you could see the whole area you'd understand how small this light is for our space. It looks rather silly, although it did match all the rest of the ugly in our house. I don't really think any of the fixtures were ugly I just didn't like how shiny the gold was. And I mean....candlesque lanterns are soooo Paul Revere 1775. Now THAT is vintage...and while I love vintage....I can't make an argument for these lights. Bad analogy....moving on....

Dave and I will be spending our weekend and the 4th of July doing work on the house, I asked him if we could go on a date to Menards. It gets me all excited. We've been so busy the last few weekends and the next few weeks are crazy as well so we made plans to not have plans this weekend. That doesn't mean however that I will not be making TONS of food. There are three salads planned, two hot appetizers, hot dogs and hamburgers and I'm thinking light and fruity for desert. For the 2.5 people that currently eat the food in my house, we're going to have a lot of leftovers.

I LOVE HOME REMODEL AND HOLIDAYS!

Recycle...the four letter word.

I'd like to send a big shout out and a thank you to my special friends in the movie theatre over the weekend. I'd like to thank you for bringing your young impressionable tweens to a movie and making sure you allow them to become the most obnoxious careless citizens in a few short years when you are not always available for guidance and counsel. Thank you for guiding them away from throwing trash into the trash can, and recycling their 3D glasses. I appreciate you telling your daughter after she ASKED YOU if she should take her trash with her....to just leave it there. I enjoyed watching the nacho cheese hit the theatre seats and drip down to the floor.

It was also very nice of you to tell your children that they could just keep their 3D glasses....in front of the HUGE SIGN that said RECYCLE YOUR 3D GLASSES HERE!!!!! I'm sure the inner city kids who are missing out on seeing a really cool 3D movie appreciate your blatant consumeristic selfish hording. Or possibly the man or woman who injured themselves; that silly plastic you chose not to recycle wasn't going to make them a cast or brace. It wasn't going to turn into packaging to send needed food and supplies for humanitarian aid. I mean really...there's no reason to recycle? I also know that your trashcan which those glasses will soon be residing in...appreciates the business. I'm pretty sure with the social awareness you displayed today that you do not recycle at home.

I want to take this one more opportunity to thank you for the continued effort it will now take me, my husband and the rest of my environmentally conscience family to clean up after you and your slobtastic children. What I most enjoyed about this entire interaction was the fact that your daughter asked if she should do the right thing and you told her not to bother.

Thanks for that...go pour some oil on wildlife!

Swings: Epilogue

We were out and about all day and of course the pictures of my child having a fantabulously good time were caught on my iPhone not my camera. Maybe we'll go to a park tomorrow or Sunday and try these pictures again but check out the 180 on the bebes and her new love of swinging...crazy child.

She's like "Mom why would you think I wouldnt like this? Was it because I was screaming about it less than a week ago....oh it was....okay well WHAAATEVER MOM!"

Detestable Fun

Please try very hard to appreciate these pictures for their 'artistic value.'

I hate swings

I hate swinging.

My mom is a bad photographer...and I hate swings that can swing or that are swinging.

Mother Vow: I promise to never try and force you to ever in your life never ever to have fun ever...I promise never will I make you have fun...promise...

Until I drag you back to that playground and try to swing you in a swing again...then you might be forced to try this 'fun' thing all over again.....detestable isn't it!

Honk Shooooo Toooooo

I was going to just post this picture and then I glanced at my blog....apparently all about the sleepin bebes this week? This one was particularly adorable rarely does she sleep on us. We are never lucky enough to get sleep and snuggle at the same time. She woke up shortly after this because we were heading into Cheesecake Factory and heck...I would wake up to eat stuffed dates and tuna tar tar too.

We went and saw a reopening of an Apple store near by today, it smelled new which I believe was worth the remodel. I then went to store where I had recently shopped.....and had a snit with a manager. To sound as snotty as humanly possibly...I got my way, which was nice but DAAAANG the lady was really rude. I didn't feel bad at all asking the woman to honor a 14 day policy on the 16th day. Normally I would but the situation truly warranted it. I am NOOOOT the person that would do something like that but I saved 54 dollars... FIFTY FOUR DOLLARS. I think that was worth getting a lecture from a tall skinny meticulously dressed manicured woman on how she shouldn't be doing this because you know....the economy is bad. Did I mention she was well dressed...the economy was probably not affecting this woman...just being honest. Well keeping my business by working a customer service mentality might be better for the economy than you think...mostly because your rude behavior wasn't going to keep me shopping in your store. I know I sound like a snobby brat but I promise it was a very valid and justifiable argument made today. I got a store credit which I then turned around and used in the store. I count it as a win win. Although I'm pretty sure I didn't make any new friends today...that's for sure.

We meandered home this afternoon and we ALL took a 3 hour nap...talk about productivity I think it might have been the wisest use of our time all day. We got up and Dave started to finish our semi small painting project....4 hours later we have the downstairs hallway, half the entryway and the short wall(s) in the living room painted. They look AWESOME. To finish the hallways and the entryway and the living room we need either scaffolding or a super amazing tall ladder. Both of which we could borrow from our parents who have offered to lend us...if only we could find a way to get the supplies here...FROM OHIO...(I really like CAPSLOCK TODAY). Oh and we need at least 5 more cans of paint...silly details. Anyway we got as much done as we/he physically can without my constant help of holding a ladder...a shorter ladder of course. The main reason we need a tall ladder isn't for the walls but to repaint the ceiling. Our house as a bad case of the uglies when it comes to previous paint colors and no one really took care of the walls and ceilings so they are all dinged up. Lets not talk about the baseboards either...that's a whole other ramble....

Anyway we are now chilling on the couch...two pieces of cheesecake (only one for me...I'm not THAT hungry lol) and a coke zero.....there might be some rum in my coke...noooot gonna lie. Watching our normal run of geektv...they should create a network called that. All the SciFi and geek humor all wrapped up in one station...that would be lovely.

This is the first weekend of Dave's new schedule and I'm a huge fan. This is the first Saturday we've had off together without requesting it off in probably a year...maybe longer? His schedule is changed officially now and it looks like we'll be spending time together from now on...we haven't had that kind of time since we lived in the apartment...back in September. Silly quality time...so overrated!

As usual...I have no interest in 'ending' this post...I'm so bad at that anyway...I can't wrap up a thought if my life depends on it.

*bye*

Family Cuteness in Overload

We got our family pictures taken a few weeks ago with Karin: http://karinobrienphotography.com/.  She is a Rockstar or a Ninja oooor...a Ninja Rockstar.  Regardless I'm really happy with how our pictures turned out, we managed to have a BEAUTIFUL day downtown and Karin is a kick to hang out with.  She is by far one of the most pleasant pregnant ladies I've been around recently.  She also showed me that I had this super amazing weather resistant cover on my camera bag that is so freakin convenient and hidden I had no clue it was even there!  Whoever invented pregnancy brain did not know Karin, that woman knows her stuff.  I'm scared to know what shes like 'not' pregnant.  Considering the three times I've met with her only once was she bebe-less.  

Anyway here are a few of the shots.  Or like 80% of the shots...I have no understanding of numbers/ratios/percentages...except for that one semester in college when I was a math major.  What can I say I'm a sucker for the quadratic equation.  I am also SKILLED at topic changing.  I'm so good at it rarely do I know I'm doing it.  

Bebe behind bars....or walls...breaking down walls and barriers.  This is a deeply profound shot, symbolic of the struggles women face in the world...man cold meds make me funny.  At least I think I'm funny?

Freeeeeeeze....Everybody clap your hands.....

Hammy cute shot

Illegally placed on grass....Look at all the damage that was done.  Little did she know she was going to be busted by the cops just moments later...

Awe it almost looks like we like each other, good job Karin!

Okay no more sarcasm...I LOVE this picture.  LOOOOVE it.  So glad we got a shot like this.  

Check me out man...I can do this on my own Dad...baaack off...no wait I love you hold on to me!

Evil plans....evil plans are in the works....eeeevil.....snicker....but wait I'm cute.

You're so vain...you probably think this song is about you you're so vaaaain....

And that is all for today....at least until later...I usually post amusing things when I'm on cold meds and guess what folks its your luuuucky week!  

Oh...and...Er-dogg...thanks for the dress it looks so stinkin cute on her :)

I want to be a doctor!

Life

I think I always lost this game because I had 2 huge cars filled with children...they were all twins and triplets.  I hope I'm not turning into that kid obsessed octuplet lady......

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.

Doubtful...

It's officially Fall and the leaves are changing and while I lack the correct 'lexicon' to describe it there is something so poetic about Fall.  I wish I was one of those awe inspired writers who doesn't have to use the thesaurus on Microsoft Word to figure out what they are trying to say...the words just create themselves.  

My favorite part of Fall hands down has to be the smell of burning wood.  Maybe because I grew up with cows near by or the fact that bonfires were a staple weekend activity but I don't understand why anyone would have any other favorite smell; and if you do I don't want to hear about it! :)  Every time I smell it I just want to grab a big blanket and curl up on a big comfy chair and read a good book (optional glass of red wine).

I now live far enough away from the city to see stars and if I'm fortunate enough I get a hint of the scent on my drive home most days.  None of my family back home would describe PB as country considering where we all grew up...but given the fact that we are in the Chicago area but the stars are visible at night; I would imagine some people would call where I live: country.  At least those die hard city dwellers would.  

So this morning on the drive to work...sitting in traffic at the corner of Rand and Lake-Cook....I reflected back...to 1Am when I was sitting at that light and there was NO ONE around...ahem...because it was 1Am....dur

I am soooooooo sleeepy today....I'm working on less than 3 hours of sleep and our whole life is now packed into our garage.  I do have to say I've got so much less stress now that we have one residence not two.  

I'm hoping to find our camera charger soon to take pictures of the insanity.  I'm endlessly amused by how much stuff we have.  I moved to Chicago in my car...with my cat and now we have enough stuff to fill at least 1/4 of a house....how did that happen?  I blame Dave! :)