Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Well, I'm off to Books A Million again today. I need new reading material again. I heard about a service online similar to Netflix but for books. That would probably be a lot more cost effective for me. I can't remember the website. Let me know if anyone out there has it!I've really enjoyed reading lately. I enjoy spacing out and getting lost in someone else's world. Probably because I don't overly enjoy my own sometimes. I have always said that I couldn't imagine being a stay at home mom, but I'm beginning to wish that I was. I miss my little boy so much during the day! He's at such a fun age!
I wish I could find a real work at home job that isn't a scam. But, I can't even search online for one because all I get on search returns is a bunch of scams! That should be illegal to even advertise them!!
Work has been so busy this morning. I can't stand when people wait until the last possible second and realize they need something right then and there. That infuriates me!!! This guy in particular is usually good about stuff, so I'm not really mad at him, just the situation in general I guess.
My son has started understanding when to interject certain words into conversation. It's really cute, except that the newest of these is the word "no" which is emphatically inserted into conversation. Sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face!
He's also gotten to the point of throwing tantrums. His little lip pokes out and his eyes well up with tears. I am totally laughing inside while I try to let him know that isn't the proper way to behave. And I swear if someone tells me that I should get down on his level one more time I'm going to scream!!
I also have another little rant. I can't stand it when someone calls (at the last minute mind you, after I have plans for the day) and wants to come over. Since yesterday was a holiday, I reluctantly agreed. This said person was supposed to be there around 3:30. I was running behind on my shopping trip and was frantically trying to get home for this visit, and wouldn't you know it....said person drops by around 4:30 and stays for a whopping 5 minutes! Landon mentioned that Garrison hadn't had a nap all day and was kind of cranky and the visitors said they would go and let him nap. We assured them that no napping was going to take place if they left, but they left anyway. Now tell me why I cut my shopping trip short? For a 5 minute visit in which the people were 1 hour late??? I just don't understand why people don't value my time and think that I have nothing better to do than wait around on them. I made it known that I had to cut my trip short too. I do have a life, and I'm so sick of people not realizing that!!
Here's the most infuriating part. For the last 2 months, every weekend we have pretty much been home lounging around on the weekends and no one ever wants to come over then when I have nothing at all to do and when I could actually visit. Hell no, they come when I get off work and I'm trying to cook, feed a kid, feed my husband, take a bath, prepare for the next day, etc. My lord people! Get a clue!!! And people wonder why I'm a bitch. |
Monday, May 30, 2005
I love holidays, I really do. Not just the day off work (which is nice) but the different reasons for each one. In this day and time, this holiday, Memorial Day, is one that should be especially heavy on our hearts. Take time to remember those who sacrificed so much, so that you and I have the freedom to sit here and post random thoughts on our blogs (and other stuff too). A blog I just visited (sorry, no link) had so many volunteer opportunities, but one seemed easy enough. Visit this website for more info.I finished another book off my list....Can you Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella. I am totally loving her books. I've needed something lighthearted lately, and this has totally fit the bill.
I'm going to make this short and sweet, since it's late and I'm about to climb into bed with my two favorite men. For those dirty minds out there, that would be my husband and my cute little son....not a big love triangle here or anything! I barely have the energy to get into bed much less attempt a feat that requires that much energy.
I am dreading work tomorrow, as I'm sure most of you are. Hope it's better than we think it will be.
Melissa |
Sunday, May 29, 2005
I am participating in a fun game from Xtessa and here are the instructions:1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
So, I picked up the nearest book, Principals of Ecotoxicology (I know...nerd!) and here's the sentence "The degree of tolerance is measured by comparing the response to tolerant plants (from contaminated sites) and expressing this as a percentage of the performance of non-tolerant plants (collected from "clean" areas)."
Oh God, am I really this boring in real life?
So, I'm tagging all of you! Yes, all of you! So, let me know in the comments section if you are going to do this game and I'll check out your answers.
Just for the sake of defending myself, I was in my home office, and my college textbooks are here for decoration. LOL! |
This weekend has been wonderful and has really allowed me to do some thinking and spend some quality time with my two men. It's been wonderful!
Yesterday afternoon, we aired up Garrison's new pool. That thing is neat! I'll post pics when I'm back at work with my DSL connection or if I get some free time today to let them download into photobucket. The files are so huge since my camera has such a high resolution, and I'm not sure how to fix that problem and make them download more quickly. I might try resizing them in Ifranview and then loading. Anyway the pool was only about $30 at Wal Mart and has a mini pool inside the big pool, a slide, a couple of blow up games, and a palm tree sprinkler. I love this thing!!
We went to eat at a wonderful Mexican restaraunt last night. I was sooo craving a margarita!! Garrison found it to be his job to entertain the entire group of diners in the area we sat in. He definitely has a future in the entertainment industry. He also cracked me up with his affinity for limes and lemons. The child LOVES them and gobbles them down!
We then bought groceries and started our journey home. It rained all the way home, which is good because I don't think it's rained here in over a month. The temps have been around 90 degrees every day, so we really needed the rain. My flowers were getting parched and our little garden was having to be hand watered every day.
I just finished a book on my reading list. It was Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. This book was GREAT !! I really look forward to the other ones in the series. I totally appreciate the referral from whoever told me to check it out!!
I've also done some cleaning this weekend. I have a whole lot of baby cereal (rice and oatmeal) and baby food (jars and the other packs) as well as some Gerber Graduates meals that are no longer needed here. I also have some Alimentum Advance formuula (which is ultra expensive). I'm gonna put them up on ebay if I don't find something else to do with them I guess, but if any of you faithful readers are interested, e-mail me. I don't want a ton of money for them or anything, just enough for the trouble of getting them together and shipping them, except for the Alimentum, which I'm going to ask at least 1/2 of retail for. Anyway, if interested, let me know. I'd rather not go through the hassle of ebay if I don't have to. I'm not very good at all of that!
My cousin Hannah, aka Hooker, got a new car yesterday. She got an awesome 2005 yellow mustang with black racing striped and a scooped hood (is that what they are called?). It sure is nice. Lucky little girl!
I smell a poopy diaper and I need to get dressed to take Garrison to visit my papaw, so until tomorrow, have a lovely weekend and a Happy Memorial Day! |
Saturday, May 28, 2005
I'm so glad that Saturday has found its way into my little world. Work has become so horrible lately that a 3 day weekend is exactly what I need. Well, actually a permanent vacation from that place would be nice, but I'll take what I can get.When I got home yesterday, we took Garrison to "ride" my dad's horses. He's not scared of anything! He absolutely loved it. I'll have to upload pics later.
Then we went to the Chinese restaraunt and pigged out. I love Chinese lately. I'm a pretty picky eater, so there's only 2 dishes that I even touch, but I can eat my weight in both of them!
We then went to some friends' house and hung out for a while. They had the coolest little toy. It is a little game like 20 questions. It's the size of an easter egg and you think of something, it asks you questions that you answer, and by the time the 20 questions are up, it tells you what you were thinking of. I was amazed!
I hope today is a quiet and relaxing day. I need to buy a few groceries (yuck!) and we plan on inflating Garrison's little pool and letting him play outside this afternoon. That should be fun.
On a final note, please keep a couple of people in your thoughts this weekend. Cheeky is having some health issues and I'm sure she could use a few cheery thoughts and Maria's grandmother isn't doing well, so keep her in mind.
Also, don't forget the vetrans this weekend.
I'll be back soon with some cool pics.
Have a great weekend!
Melissa |
Friday, May 27, 2005
Well, there are so many things I’ve thought about in the last 24 hours to share, but miraculously I am blank and can’t remember.For those of you who know me IRL, you will know that it is a rare occurrence that I don’t have something to say, even if it’s just a snide little comment laced with foul language (my one bad habit).
So, I’ll try to remember all the ultra-important things I wanted to discuss with my loyal readers.
While it’s fresh on my mind, I’ll discuss something that Julie made me think of earlier with her post. Why is it that people see a baby as an open to nose into your life. As I was checking out my diaper rash cream at Wal Mart last night (along with some awesome new Almond Joy cookies), the cashier must have asked me a million questions. “Where does he get his beautiful eyes?” (Was she implying that mine were anything less than beautiful?) “What’s his name?” “That’s an unusual name” (This was said with a face that would lead you to believe that I had named my child something along the lines of Gynoherpasyphilles Lemonjello Orangello Smith or something) “How did you come up with that name?” (I should have told her that his real dad who I was having an affair with picked it out and I named him that so that his real father could feel like he had a connection since everyone thinks my husband is the father…lol…wonder how long it would take for that rumor to circulate Mayberry) “How old is he?” “He sure is big for his age!” (No he isn’t. He doesn’t even weigh 21 pounds! Have you ever had children? I mean, really!!)
But of course, throughout this interrogation that the dude on Meet the Fockers would have been proud of, I just smiled, politely came up with an answer that didn’t have the phrase, “you stupid bitch” attached to the end, and went on my merry way.
After telling you all about the trashy trailer people in our town, I thought I’d share a few more quirky stories from Hicksville. We have many strange characters that are a fixture of our town, much like a “Welcome to (insert town’s name here)” sign or the local Wal Mart.
The first of these characters (and my absolute favorite) is James. James was a really nice hard working husband and father of two (I think) girls who lived close to where I live now about 30 years ago. He was in a bad car accident which destroyed a large portion of his brain and he had to have metal plates inserted. Now before you start telling me what a bad person I am for making fun, that’s not the case at all. I like James. I treat him with respect, but can’t help but laugh at some of his antics.
You see, James believes he is the next best thing to Elvis where dancing is concerned. Picture a 70-something year old man in tattered clothes, a jagged toothed smile, and dark blue house shoes doing a little dance I like to call “stomping the ants”. He taps his foot around in a circle in front of him, similar to that of a 3 year old child, with a huge smile on his face and a cup of coffee in each hand.
Coffee it seems, is one of the few joys in James’ life. Anywhere that there is free coffee, you can bet you’ll see James. He’s been known to go to the local sheriff’s office and fill 2 cups halfway full for each of his pants pockets, and get 2 full cups for each of his hands and take them to his car where he savors each sip of coffee until it’s all gone and he starts the process over again.
Once, while at a high school fundraiser in which an aspiring country music artist put on a small concert, James decided to stand in front of the stage and dance. The principal (also the musician’s father) asked James to sit down or leave. James told ms and my cousin Michael, “Elvis stole the show from everyone else and he came up dead. If something happens to me tonight and I die, you’ll know who did it”, and he pointed to the principal.
Another fixture, or fixtures I should say, of our town are the "Smith" family. There were 4 or 5 brothers and a sister. Sadly, I think only 3 of the brothers, and the sister, L, are left. They are all in their 70s or 80s I guess, and their parents were double first cousins. Only one of the children was "normal", all the rest were deaf mutes.
I've often found that people with disabilities bring out the best in other people. Maybe that's their purpose in life. That is definitely the case with this family. My neighbor, S, lives beside the brothers' trailer. I'm not sure if the brothers own the land or he allows them to use it. I would bet on the latter of the two. Anyway, the 3 brothers I know, C, S, and B (not sure if he's still alive) lived in the trailer and eventually one of them ended up in the nursing home. So, I'm not sure if C lives there by himself now or with just one of the brothers. L lives in a nursing home.
The community I live in is small and very backwards and frustrating most of the time, but sometimes surprises me and makes me proud. The whole community has developed their own little way of communicating with this family. Through a mixture of facial expressions and hand motions, we have developed our own little sign language. The boys (men I guess) have always been valued members of the morning coffee club and L used to sew for the neighborhood families when I was little. I think she even sewed some dresses for me. She also makes the most beautiful quilts I've ever seen! Anytime the brothers are out and about, they are greeted so warmly that an outsider might think that they were some overly important person. In a way, I guess they are, especially to Garrison. C communicates with a series of grunts and squeals which have excited Garrison to no end. He loves C and C's face lights up at the sight of Garrison. They seem to communicate in their own little language which leaves both of them smiling "like a possum eating briars".
In a society where children are quickly ushered away from those with disabilities for fear that they may say something inappropriate or be scared or where people try not to make eye contact for fear that they might not know how to interact with those less fortunate, I'm very proud that my son, and our whole community, takes the time to interact with the "Smiths". I think that things like that teach tolerance alot better than any classroom or instructional video can.
Well, I think I’ll leave on that note today. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend. Don’t forget to take a moment to remember all those who have made our freedom possible.
Melissa |
Thursday, May 26, 2005
I just need to get this out...."I HATE MY JOB!!!! I HATE MY JOB!!!! I HATE MY HORRIBLE, BORING, USELESS, PIECE OF SHIT OF A JOB!!!!!"
Thank you! Continue on your regularly scheduled day. |
Okay, first of all, I have new blogs linked up on the side. Enjoy!!! Heather B-are you happy now? LOL!
Onto my daily dose of excitement for my blog stalkers….
American Idol:
I was wrong on this one! I just new Bo was going to be the clear winner! I honestly didn’t care either way, but I just thought Bo had more stage presence; although I like Carrie as well (Underwood and blogger Carrie!).
But, then again, stage presence isn’t everything I guess. Some people have very successful careers that involve sitting on a stool and just singing. Good luck to Carrie and Bo both!!
My Challenge:
The funny thing that makes you laugh every day. The following picture does not do justice to the thing I find hilarious. We live in a very beautiful community that is fairly expensive to buy land in, but there are people who have always had land here (which is how I ended up here). Those people don’t always try to carry the torch where the beauty of our community is concerned. Here are a few pics and then I’ll tell you what I was unable to capture in the picture.
This is the view out my front door:
This is the view of my nearest neighbor’s yard:
This is some land my family owns that is just down the road:
This is the lake which adjoins the back portion of the property where I live:
This is a picture of the place which totally cracks me up:
Okay, what this picture doesn’t show is the large hound dog who suns himself on the roof of a car which usually has a drivers side door open at all times. There are approximately 10 or so dogs in the yard, which is the reason this picture isn’t any better than it is. When I slowed down to take it, they rushed at my car and I didn’t want any scratches.
Also, when it gets hot outside (even at night), all the windows and doors are opened and anyone passing by can see in. When it gets really, really hot outside, they hang their laundry on hangers from the gutters along the roof to dry.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against trailer life. Because of issues with land ownership, I live in one temporarily, but this is ridiculous!
I am in a picture sharing mood today, so here are a few more:
The rose my husband picked for me out of our garden and brought in for me a few days ago:
The Biedenharn Gardens where I took Garrison and Scuba Steve on Saturday:
The 5 cent coke machine from the Gardens-This family was the family who originally bottled coke in the 1800s, and you can get one 5 cent coke per person when you visit the gardens!
My son being his normal cheerful self while eating supper the other night: (not edited for red eye…sorry!)
That about wraps it up for today. I might come back this afternoon with some overly intellectual thoughts, but I wouldn’t stick around waiting for them!
Melissa |
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
I can't get any of the ones I like to work. So, I guess it will we awhile, if ever, that I get a new skin :( |Well, I'm in a much better mood today...I had a long talk with myself yesterday (yes, I typed that correctly) and realized that sometimes the benefits of a situation aren't worth the stress and the mood that they put you in. Sorry to talk in riddles, but lots of people read this blog and until I've made my final decision (which I think I have) I don't want to let the cat out of the bag. And for those of you with red lights going off in your heads, no, I'm not leaving my husband, getting a divorce, or anything to do with a second child. It's nothing that drastic!
Onto other things..........
Q tips
Why, why, oh why is it so satisfying to clean your ears with them if that isn't what they are meant for? That is what they are meant for. That's why they are shaped that way! I guess the package says not to use them for that purpose to avoid the lawsuit of the idiot who tries to stick it in one ear and let it come out the other.
American Idol
I think Bo will win, but Carrie will still get a deal. Heather is right though, they will be doing "Where are they now" on VH1 in a couple of years. **Edited to add** Check out my "Who Will Win?" poll in the sidebar
Adobe Elements 3.0
Slowly but surely I'm learning. Maybe after my long weekend I'll actually have something to show off!
Trivia
I host a daily trivia tournament for my office. If anyone is interested in getting one going for our little blog community, let me know. I'd be glad to get it up and running, but I need to know that there are people interested.
Blog Skins
I found a few that I totally LOVE and e-mailed one of the creators asking a question (totally not expecting a response) but I got one! What a very, very nice girl. If you are looking for a new blog skin, go here for some awesome new ones!! I hope to have my new one up and going soon. :)
My readers
I am totally loving the whole blog community and appreciate each of you stopping by and leaving your comments. You bring a little sunshine to my otherwise fairly dismal life. Thanks!
My challenge from yesterday
I have my picture already scoped out. I'm gonna go take it this afternoon and try and load it up. I have dialup at home, so I might have to wait and use the DSL at work. We'll see what happens! Happy hunting for the rest of you!
My hair
I'm considering cutting my hair off again. I finally grew it out to a respectable length. I can even wear a ponytail now! But, I really don't think it's me. It reminds me somewhat of a bad 80s do. LOL
Well, I must get back to work. Hope you all have a wonderful day. What are your plans for the Memorial Day weekend? I need to plan something, so give me some ideas!!
Melissa |
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Every day I see things that make me laugh in my little town. Take a pic of what cracks you up and let me know when you add it to your blog. I'll be finding mine soon! |As I sit here at my desk this morning, after polishing off an awesome pastry and a coke, I find myself very, very frustrated about so many different things.
The first of these I realize is pretty petty, but it bothers me nontheless. My son's first word was "mama" and I was so proud. I tried so hard not to rub it in to my husband and practiced saying "dada" with him so that pretty soon, my husband could have the same elated feeling. Of course, a couple of weeks later, my expert tutorial worked, and my husband joined the ranks of the parents all over the world whose heart swells with pride at the mere mention of a word sounding like their name.
I've been anxiously awaiting a time when my son would use these words to actually mean "mama" and "dada" and not just because he is rambling off the words he is accustomed to. This time came last week with him starting to say "dada" to actually refer to my husband. He also started saying "papaw" to refer to my father, and "nana" to refer to my aunt. I am very excited at this cognitive achievement, but slightly felt left out of the experience. This wasn't really a big problem for me until yesterday.
Garrison and I are usually already home when my husband comes home from work. Yesterday, Garrison was chowing down in his high chair on some carrots and raisins, when he heard the door being unlocked. His face instantly lit up and he screamed "DADA!!". For the rest of the night, anytime Landon left the room, Garrison toddled behind him chiming "dada, dada".
I always thought as the person who feeds, changes, bathes, and for the most part handles all the aspects of caring for this child, I would be the person he became excited to see every day and that I would be the person he called after. I guess I was wrong. I'm sure the allure of my husband vastly lies in the fact that he is the person who gets to play with Garrison all the time and I am the primary disciplinarian who makes him go to bed, take a nap, get his hand out of the heater...you get the picture. It still bothers me though....
Another thing I'm disgruntled about is Garrison's sleeping habits. For a few months, I was able to put him down in his crib without much of a fuss and it was off to sleepyland. This allowed me to be able to catch up on dishes, laundry, cleaning, reading, internet, etc. Well, he was in the hospital for a few days after his first birthday and we had to sleep together. This totally ruined all my hard work. He was still sick when we brought him home and we made the HUGE mistake of allowing him to sleep with us. Big mistake....he loved it! Last week, I set out on my quest to get things "back to normal". The first 2 nights weren't bad at all, the 3rd night was rough and my husband couldn't take it. Thus, Garrison was back in the big bed. Last night, in an effort to regain a small portion of sanity, I set out on the course to yet again instill good sleeping habits in my child. Five minutes into my quest, while I was in the bathroom getting ready for bed, my husband went and got the child. So, I spend 45 minutes putting him to sleep last night (with us of course) and being beat to death all night by a restless toddler. All this while my husband slept.
I am also in the process of changing the layout of my blog. I'm pretty excited about the whole thing, so look for some drastic changes!!
Until tomorrow (or until I find another rant)~
Melissa |
Monday, May 23, 2005
I'm back from a successful shopping trip at Books A Million. I picked up the book Photoshop Elements 3 in a Snap. It's pretty large, so I hope it's full of great tips!! I also picked up Confessions of a Shopaholic and Can you Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella. I hope these live up to the hype!I looked for a book on HTML for blogging, but our little redneck Books A Million of course had no idea what I was talking about, so amazon.com here I come!! |
After my post about groceries yesterday, I settled in for a fun filled evening of food and television (my favorite 2 vices!!). When Landon got home, it became apparent that we are too hot natured for this heat wave we've been having. The temperatures topped out at 93 degrees yesterday!! So, we decided to take a quick trip to Wal Mart for some oscillating fans to help out so that our electricity bill won't kill us this summer and to also buy a new computer chair. We got some kick ass tower fans and now its cool as can be in our home.
So, onto the food. Since some asked what a muffalletta is, I'll try and describe it. Our grocery store sells muffalletta bread which is kinda like french bread, but in a big roll shape. Think Subway deli rolls, but not as crusty. Anyway, I slice them in half and pile on the toppings according to preference. Mustard, cheddar cheese, tons of mozzerella cheese, ham, turkey, pepperoni, olives, pizza sauce, lettuce, and tomato...just whatever the person wants. I put all the ingredients except for the lettuce and tomato on and broil in the oven to melt the cheese and toast the bread and then take out and add the lettuce and tomato. They are so yummy! (And easy, which is sooo important!!).
Onto the finales. I was fairly certain that Zack was Mike's kid. And we still aren't overly certain on that. I figured Zack had been stolen, but him being sold was quite the shocker. I figured Paul was behind the killing and never dreamed that it was Mary Alice/Angela. I'm glad that Lynette is going back to work. I think that will be a cool angle and it's about time a woman on that street works!! I felt really bad for Bree, but I'm wondering if the death of her husband wasn't faked to see if she tried to kill him. Maybe I'm wrong. I can't believe that the hottie gardener told Gabrielle's husband what was up. Oh my Goodness!!!! And finally, how crappy was the ending? Too many things left hanging I think. They better redeem themselves next season and very quickly I might add. Oh, I almost forgot, how awesome was it when Gabrielle laid down the law to her husband about baby care. I laughed so hard at that.
Then there was Grey's Anatomy. I love this show. When George got the "rash" I like to have died. And in the end to find out that it came from that other guy.....that was great! I thought it was very unlikely that Izzy and the other girl wouldn't have gotten in trouble over the unauthorized autopsy and the cliffhanger at the end...whoa...but I kinda saw it coming. Maybe they are separated or something. I mean, he had the trailer and he practically lives with Meredith (isn't that her name) so wouldn't the wife know something was up? I am ready for this to start back up too!! Overall, television rocked last night!!
I'm ready for a fun-filled day at work (not!). I feel so unmotivated. Sometimes I wonder if this is really what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Photoshop Elements is coming along slowly but surely. I found an online class for $79 and I'm considering signing up. If I knew that I could get the same from the book, I would do that, but I'm not sure. The internet class might teach me some cool stuff!! |
Sunday, May 22, 2005
I've noticed that my adorable little son is an eating machine lately! I think he eats more than I do (and still gets comments on how small he is...**sigh**). Anyway, I went and bought groceries today. That is my absolute least favorite chore. When I got home to unpack them, it seems that 75% of them are for him! Since when do kids eat this much?I try to feed him healthy foods, so that's even more expensive. On the way home, I realized that things I would never even THINK of putting into his body, I gladly devour and then go on looking for the next thing to graze on. Why is it that as mommies, we always put our health and well-being last? I don't always particularly want the things I scarf down, but I eat them because they are easy and allow me to do whatever it is that the prince wants me to do next.
On another note, did I mention how totally psyched I am about the Desperate Housewives finale tonight? I am so praying that all of our questions are unanswered, but somehow I doubt it. The show came dangerously close to having so many underdeveloped plots going on at one time that I was annoyed, but after the hiatus, they came back with more wonderfully developed plotlines, and reeled me in a little further.
I guess I should go and make something to eat for my husband who should be home from work in about 30 minutes. Tonight is easy night (so I can have everything done in time for Desperate Housewives) and we are having muffalettas. Yummy. Also a bonus that Garrison can eat them too and loves them. I'll be serving his with a side order of Cheetos Puffs. Mine will be served with the wonderfully yummy Ranch flavored Wavy Lays....yum! My mouth is watering right now.
For all of you that have to go back into the working world tomorrow, I hope the rest of your weekend is great. For those of you who never stop working....I hope your day is a little more relaxed than normal.
Have a great night and tune in to Desperate Housewives tonight so we'll have something to talk about tomorrow! Oh, yeah, and Grey's Anatomy is after that. A wonderful show for anyone who hasn't caught it (and a little easier to come in on than DH).
Until tomorrow~
Melissa (and the little prince, Garrison) |
Yesterday Garrison and I spent the day with my brother, Stephen, aka Scuba Steve. The name came from one of my favorite movies, Big Daddy. Stephen invited us on a trip for him to be certified for scuba diving (he works for the sheriff's department) and the name Scuba Steve was born.
Anyway, we started our journey by picking up Stephen at his new home. Stephen moved out of the house and is renting a trailer with a guy I graduated high school with. The trailer is actually pretty nice, but desperately needs a "woman's touch". Bachelor decorating is totally hilarious!
So, after picking him up, we headed to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. Let me tell you, this place has DRASTICALLY improved since I was a kid. I had a blast! The prairie dogs are my favorite and have little babies now. They are too cute! Also, the monkeys started swinging and acting crazy and Garrison smiled and pointed while saying "dada". Smart kid!
After the zoo, Stephen treated us to a wonderful meal at the Olive Garden. He's gonna make someone an excelllent husband one day. (Side note: if anyone is interested in applying for this position, shoot me an e-mail :) )
Then, we headed to the Beidenharn Gardens. That place is so beautiful. A little background. The Beidenharn family's father was the first person to bottle Coca Cola for resale. Needless to say, a fortune was then made. Later on, they purchased a small airplane operation, otherwise known as Delta Airlines. Again, needless to say, a fortune was made there as well. Emma Lou (not sure of spelling) was the daughter and spent her time restoring the home in Monroe, Louisiana and creating a Bible Museum and Gardens. Money well spent in my opinion. Unfortunately, someone (probably a juvenile delinquent) felt the need to try and burn the bible museum, and although unsuccessful in their endeavors, they did succeed in having the museum closed while repairs are being made. I've toured the house many times, so we skipped that part yesterday, but the front sunroom has the coolest floor. They took Coke bottles (the green tinted ones) and crushed them and laid them out to cover the floor and sealed it with a clear sealant. Spectacular!!
We ended our day by taking the bachelor shopping at Sam's. He was amazed at the sizes of certain products there, but did buy lots of groceries and was so happy! Funny side note, his idea of groceries= pot pies, soup, and cereal. LOL!
Hope you are all having a great weekend!!!
Melissa
Edited to add: I bought Photoshop Elements at Sam's yesterday. I am so excited, but still learning!!! :) |
Friday, May 20, 2005
Is the photobucket site down or something. I'm noticing on more than one blog that pics aren't loading?I hate those little boxes with the red x. I hope the site gets back up soon.
Edited to add: I HATE PHOTOBUCKET |
My little man has never been a big eater, but in the last week he's totally made up for 12 + months of not eating much. In fact, I think he's part pig (his father's 1/2 of course!). Last night, he ate 2 pancakes, 1/2 a banana, some Graham cracker sticks and a container of yogurt. Well, he ate most of the yogurt.
That picture was after I wiped off the pound of yogurt in his eyelashes because he couldn't hardly open his eye.
But, afterwards, he got to do his most favorite thing.....take a bath.
My little man is such a clown!
On another subject, it only took about 3 minutes max for him to fall asleep last night. Woo Hoo! What a victory!
I got to watch most of the CSI finale last night. How creepy was that! I missed the first 30 minutes (the bath) so, I don't know who did that to him or why. Feel free to fill me in if you have a minute. It was a cool episode though.
I can't wait until Desperate Housewives on Sunday. And then Grey's Anatomy too. What an awesome night of television! I don't know what I'm going to do with my Sundays now.
Big Brother should be coming on soon I think. I get addicted to that show every year! I hope they have a better cast this year though.
Well, I guess I should get to work. We are having a crawfish boil at lunch today. The lab we use is providing it. I don't eat crawfish, but I can't wait for the corn and potatoes!
Until tomorrow, here's a picture to make you smile~
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Thursday, May 19, 2005
Copied from Laina's site:Comment with answers to these questions and then post these in your journal and see what I say about you.Who cares if it's cheesy. Just do it.
1. Who are you?
2. Are we friends?
3. If we’ve met, when and how did we meet?
4. What social event or place would you like to go to with me?
5.. Would you kiss me?
6. Describe me in one word.
7. What was your first impression?
8. Do you still think that way about me now?
9. What reminds you of me?
10. If you could give me anything what would it be?
11. How well do you know me?
12. When’s the last time you saw me?
13. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn’t?
14. Do you think I am good lookin'?
15. Are you going to put this on your blog and see what I say about you? |
I don't have a specific topic of the day, so I'll just ramble away for anyone who wants to listen, read, whatever...
First of all, my sister in law e-mailed me last night. She just graduated high school and is on a cruise and since she went to Margaritaville, she let me know that she thought of me. I turned margarita green with envy. It's only 8 am and she has me totally craving a margarita. That would make for an interesting work day. LOL!
I am totally enjoying this whole blogging thing and have found some really interesting blogs that I have linked to on the sidebar. Check them out if you get a chance. I am still trying to figure out how to post pics from my photobucket account onto here, but when I finally get it, I'll post some pics.
I called my brother yesterday (Scuba Steve) and we planned a trip for Saturday. We are taking Garrison to the zoo, the Biedenharn Gardens, and to a picnic in the park. Hannah (aka Hooker....although she's a good kid, for some reason the nickname stuck) might go with us. That is, if she wakes up in time and doesn't have a day of sun and guys at the lake planned. Oh, to be a teenager again. **sigh**
I picked up Garrison's professional 1st birthday pics yesterday and they turned out so well. Lucy and Robert do such a great job! Funny story though, I took him for the pics on his birthday. The next day we went to a co-worker's wedding that they were also photographing, so they got some pics of us there as well. So, when I ordered pics, I ordered some studio ones and 3 shots from the wedding. One of the shots was an awesome pic of Garrison laying on my shoulder that I ordered in a black and white 8X10. When the pics came in, I had a beautiful black and white 8X10 of the happy couple cutting the cake...lol! They had typed in the wrong number when ordering, so that one should be in next week.
Last night I decided to take back control of my bed (sharing it with a toddler leads to too many bruises-on me, not him) and made Garrison go to sleep on his own in his own bed. I forgot how awesome sleeping without a foot in my mouth or a finger in my ear could be. He was so good about doing that before he got sick and was in the hospital and a week of sleeping curled up to mommy spoiled him rotten!
Well, I guess I'd better get to work and get our trivia questions put up for the day. I organize our office trivia tournament and we have almost 50 players now. Not bad considering we only have about 110 employees!
Finally, a request. If anyone can help me do the following, PLEASE e-mail me! I will be eternally grateful!!
-Post photobucket pics in my blog-I figured this out...see below
-Do one of those cute "My mood is __ today" things on my sidebar Thanks Julie! I figured this out
-A weather thing on my sidebar Thanks again Julie!!
-Any other cute stuff in my sidebar.
Until tomorrow~
Here's my little cutie dancing on a table at his birthday supper!
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Wednesday, May 18, 2005
I had to go the the doctor yesterday afternoon (lovely as always...I wish I had a few of those paper gowns for home use...not) and got home about 35 minutes earlier than normal. Garrison was with his papaw who was going to drop him off by the house, so that worked out well. Anyway, in that 35 minutes, I miraculously took a bath (a MUST after a dr. trip...don't ya think?), washed a load of clothes, washed a sink full of dishes, cooked supper, and even put away the newly cleaned dishes.I think I'm superwoman. The pre-baby Melissa would have done well to have even gotten 1/2 way through a bath in that amount of time. In a way, I'm quite proud of the fact that I can accomplish so much in such a short amount of time. But then I wonder if I'm going so fast that I don't take time to stop and "smell the roses" so to speak. But, logic renders it's ugly head and I realize that if I didn't go this fast, the only thing I'd be stopping to smell would be the trash overloaded with diapers and dirty dishes in the sink. |
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
I finally got to sleep fairly well last night. I got most of the housework done. We are having company tonight (which I totally HATE during the week...I have no idea WHY people can't visit on weekends!) so that motivated me to get off my butt and clean the living room to an acceptable level.I worked all weekend cleaning windows, blinds, vacuuming, cleaning the furniture, and it looked like a tornado had hit it when Garrison went to bed last night. He LOVES pulling out stuff and leaving it everywhere. I guess this is only the beginning of that...
On a more exciting note, however nerdy this might sound, I am sooo excited that the high school I graduated from will be having a school wide reunion. I am currently working to get a message board for our class going so that it will be operational when the reunion takes place and we'll be able to get that moving. I kinda like keeping up with what's going on with everybody...okay well not everybody, but most people.
I got to make a total fool of myself this morning in our safety meeting. I am the Safety Supervisor for our office, which is hard when I'm not familiar with all aspects of what our company does. It makes it hard to talk about procedures in a meeting when you have no earthly idea what you are actually talking about. And of course, an office full of men is more than happy to try and trip you up when they know that you aren't really sure of what you are talking about. Oh the joy of consulting work with engineers.....no matter what you think you know...engineers think that they know more.
My little man is talking up a storm! Before long I'll be competing to get a word in! This afternoon, his papaw is taking him to feed and "ride" the new horses. I bet he'll love that. At least he'll be having more fun than his mommy, who will be having her annual exam with Dr. Lee....isn't being a woman fun? Just when you think you can't be invaded any more than you already are, (for example when your toddler feels the need to watch you pee every time you go to the bathroom) you get to do something fun like to get an exam and have your blood drawn.
Anyway, have a great day............
Melissa |
Monday, May 16, 2005
I wonder when I will ever be able to sleep again. My little angel has gotten accustomed to waking up at 4:30 to socialize. He even grins like we're in on a secret together. Only I have no earthly idea what the hell the secret is unless it has something to do with making me so tired that I give in to his every wish in hopes of salvaging some small amount of sleep before I have to wake up for work.When choosing a hairstyle, I find myself no longer saying "I want something stylish and sexy." instead I am finding myslef begging for something "Decent and fast". Which also parallels my choices in food lately which is probably why I am carrying an extra 10 pounds on my hips alone. **sigh**
I guess nothing worth doing is easy. It's all worth it to see that little smile from my little man who is trying desperately to keep me in good spirits at 4:30 am though..... |
~IntrO~
Melissa-Mom to LittleMan (4/04); wife to LuckyHusband; full-time toxicologist; full-time housekeeper; full-time domestic laundromat manager (washes all the clothes); full-time domestic finance manager (pays all the bills and yells at husband for spending too much money on fishing stuff); and Keeper of the Cheerios. Lives in a tiny town; spends tons of time with family; reads; enjoys crafts. Can change a diaper, fill a sippy cup, and put on a toddler's shoes in 15.4 seconds flat, all while calculating the impact of petroleum hydrocarbons to a nearby surface water body (watch for me in the Toddler Olympics on CBS this fall). Addicted to Dr. Pepper; Kit Kats; and pasta. To spot me in a crowd: I'm the one with frizzy messed-up hair, smeared graham crackers on my shirt; huge purse with a diaper peeking out, toddler on her hip, and camera in hand at all times.
~ArchiveS~
May 2005June 2005July 2005August 2005September 2005October 2005November 2005December 2005January 2006February 2006March 2006April 2006
~Stars of my ShoW~
LittleMan
LuckyHusband
Hooker (pictured with LittleMan)
Scuba Steve (pictured with LittleMan and myself)
~ReadS~
~GuestbooK~
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~LinkS~
parents magazine
parenting magazine
hometown newspaper
~CreditS~
Picture by: Gettyimages
Layout by: Mamafai
~Books I'm Reading~
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Can You Keep a Secret?
Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Shopaholic and Sister
The Nanny Diaries
Nighttime is My Time - Mary Higgins Clark
Trace - Patricia Cornwell
She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
Saving Graces - Patricia Gaffney
Save Karyn - Karyn Boznack
Rosie Dunne - Cecelia Ahern
Little Earthquakes - Jennifer Weiner
The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella
In Her Shoes - Jennifer Weiner
One Tuesday Morning - Karen Kingsbury
The Pot Luck Club
P.S. I Love You - Cecelia Ahern
No Place Like Home- Mary Higgins Clark
The Covanent - Beverly Lewis
The Betrayal - Beverly Lewis
The Sacrifice - Beverly Lewis
The Prodigal - Beverly Lewis
Goodnight Nobody - Jennifer Weiner
The Preacher's Daughter - Beverly Lewis
~Books I Have For Sale-Ask If Interested!~
No Place Like Home- Mary Higgins ClarkRosie Dunne - Cecelia Ahern
The Last Juror - John Grisham