Friday, June 13, 2008

I *heart* Ethel

My, oh my. Went to meet a friend after work yesterday. Typically we'd meet for drinks but yesterday I had a different plan. There's a new ethel's open near my work....
$36 later I came out with Intelligensia coffee, amazing chocolates and toffee. I think good toffee is as important as good sex. It's THAT important. And a $4 chocolate covered strawberry for the hubs. PB&J chocolates for Belly. Golden Boy isn't so much into chocolates, so he had the peanut butter cups.
To. Die. For.
The story is that in the early 1900's, Ethel Mars and her husband started making chocolate candies in their home. They eventually sold out to a large company - remember Mars Bars?! - and a smaller operation with specialty candies was started up by their son. If you haven't been to ethel's, find the closest one and go NOW! And if you spend $30, you get a free chocolatey gift. Does it get any better??

(Oh yes, and it was great seeing my friend again, too!)

Sooo today is Friday the 13th. That new M Night Sham.. Shamla....Shama-lama-ding-dong movie is coming out, with Mark Wahlberg. I'm so there.

Wow, I'm such a shameless consumer today. Would you like to know about my outfit, too?? Dress $5, Goodwill. Sweater $5, Goodwill. Bag $12, Chinese Laundry. Shoes $110, BCBG. Priorities - I have 'em!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Back in My Day...

*insert offbeat comparison to the good old days here*
I'm feeling old and ornery right now. Just went to the dentist, and as soon as I said I hadn't been there in years, she says, "Well you're going to need a deep cleaning and planing" ummm what?! So then she does the exam and says my gums are healthy and I have 2 small cavities. I pull out my handy Patient Charge Schedule provided by my insurance company, which says that amalgam, resin and composite fillings are covered 100%. So are basic cleanings. So I tell her I want a basic cleaning. She said no, the whore. She said even though my gums are healthy, she can't just DO a simple cleaning after diagnosing me as needing a deep cleaning. WTF. So off I go to talk to the staff about insurance coverage. They say that if I get an amalgam, resin or composite filling, I'd have to pay $50 each for some BS de-sensitizing stuff in it. Are you kidding me? She says that if I got the "other" kind of filling I wouldn't need that. On a hunch I ask, "And let me guess, THAT one isn't covered by my insurance?" She shakes her head no. Oh yah, that True Coat, they put that on at the factory. (10 points if you can name the movie)
So then they add a periodontal rinse, not covered, and a periodontal exam (also not covered) and tell me that it'll cost about $250 for a cleaning and 2 small fillings. I told the lady forget it. I'm not coming back. She said Well, insurance coverage isn't what it used to be. I said, No, dentists aren't what they used to be.
Right now I think dentists are right up there with auto mechanics. They will find some way to charge you a ton of $ even if your insurance (or extended auto coverage) covers what you need. They will FIND a way to make sure you need more.

And now, to make me - and presumably, you - feel better about it all, a few pictures from our Sunday trip to the Aquarium and the beach. At the beach, GB was picking up what he thought was sea glass. We didn't have the heart to explain that it's just pieces of broken bottles.
Kendra - there's the pic showing my walking advertisement, ahem, I mean ARM... I was reaching down to pick up Belly after he banged his head off the iron railing. He's a tough one...


Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday, Super Hero Edition

Monday, June 9, 2008

In Defense of Belly's Manners

We were at the grocery store yesterday, and DH was carrying Belly, who was falling asleep. Belly tried so very hard to keep his eyes open, to the point they were crossing, and was starting to droop his head onto Daddy's shoulder.
All of a sudden he sits upright, coughs once, and throws up on Daddy.
The poor little thing! And do you know the first thing he said?! "I'm sorry."
Not "I'm sick" or "Waaaah!" but he actually apologized for puking on Daddy.

Friday I was working from home, and had set my command post up in the dining room. I make a lot of phone calls to customers, and it must be quiet for that. Can't have people screaming or playing Wii in the background you know. So, Belly was playing video games in the living room when he saw me pick up the phone. I was just checking my voicemail, but he didn't know that. He jumped up and turned the TV down and asked, "Are you making a phone call, Momma? Is the TV quiet enough now?" What a darling.

See, I felt bad for pointing out Belly's indiscretion of calling that lady old, so I thought I'd add in some of the nice things he says, too.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Belly Strikes Again

Ahh, out of the mouths of babes.
Went to the Shedd Aquarium today. It was a nice day, and I'm exhausted. Anyway, when we left, we were sitting out on the front steps deciding what to do next. A grandma type lady said excuse me and tried to get past my husband so she could hold the hand rail on her way down the stairs. We all moved over, except Belly, who walked up to her and said, "Your old, right?"
I was so embarrassed. I quickly corrected him and apologized to her. She laughed it off (the kind soul) and leaned down and said to him, "Yes, I am old. It's okay, I don't mind you saying it. When you're my age, it doesn't bother you!"

Now that summer is here and I'm rockin the sleeveless shirts, I get constant questions about my tattoos. It's like I'm a walking advertisement for my tattoo artist/shop. So, I think from now on, every time I tell someone who did my work, I'm going to charge the shop $3.