Woo hoo!!! DH and I are going out to dinner tonight, to a real restaurant - one without a kiddie menu. One where reservations are necessary and there's no drive thru.
This morning I took Belly out to play in the snow. We had a snowball fight, he made snow angels, and helped me shovel. For those of you that don't know, I hate snow. I hate cold. However, Belly was so excited that it was snowing again, that I just had to take him out to play. Then we came in for hot cocoa and marshmallows and at this very moment, I'm being serenaded by his 26 verses of "Where is Thumbkin?"
Golden Boy is battling a serious Wii addiction. Right now he's in rehab. Also known as Mom Needs Quiet Time.
Tonight I'm going to go out and enjoy witty conversation with my husband. I will not have to cut anyone's food. Won't have to take anyone to the potty. I'm kind of afraid that without the kids to keep me busy, I may, in fact, be rather boring!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Hate Thy Neighbor
On Christmas Eve, all the stockings were hung, the cookies for Santa were placed lovingly on a plate, the children were in bed, and my dear husband and I just lay down to dream about sugar plums and such...
When the people across the street started their rip roaring party.
You see, there is only one apartment building on our block and it's directly across from our house. The second floor of that building is directly across from our bedroom windows. The tenants on the second floor were celebrating the birth of their savior with window shaking music, strobe lights and a disco ball. They've done this before, and we've called the police so many times they're probably tired of hearing from us. In Chicago, a police car isn't even sent out to answer calls about loud neighbors unless A) they're being loud during the commission of a class x felony or B) they're being loud next to a major campaign contributor's house. So I lay there on Christmas Eve hating my neighbors. If I thought I could throw a rock that far, I'd have chucked one right through their window. I bet the police would come then!
Christmas day came with no less than a bajillion dollars worth of presents under the tree. Apparently Santa is a techie this year, as there were all kinds of video games and gadgets, including my new digital picture frame. Fancy! The Nintendo Wii made the kids squeal like stuck pigs. Whee! The little hula girl dashboard bobble made my husband happy. Hooray! DH made a Christmas dinner fit for a queen - turkey, apple cranberry stuffing, roasted root veggies and the piece de resistance... frozen peanut butter cup pie. He made it all from scratch, including the oatmeal raisin gingerbread cookies we set out for Santa. Told you he's a great guy :)
And now there's a pile of trash, bags, boxes, molded plastic things, 400,000 twist ties that held toys, wrapping paper and other holiday paraphernalia that I'm afraid it will cause an avalanche if we don't get rid of it this very moment.
With the gift card I received from DH, I think I'll go buy a paintball gun. Next time my neighbors start their partying at 2am......
When the people across the street started their rip roaring party.
You see, there is only one apartment building on our block and it's directly across from our house. The second floor of that building is directly across from our bedroom windows. The tenants on the second floor were celebrating the birth of their savior with window shaking music, strobe lights and a disco ball. They've done this before, and we've called the police so many times they're probably tired of hearing from us. In Chicago, a police car isn't even sent out to answer calls about loud neighbors unless A) they're being loud during the commission of a class x felony or B) they're being loud next to a major campaign contributor's house. So I lay there on Christmas Eve hating my neighbors. If I thought I could throw a rock that far, I'd have chucked one right through their window. I bet the police would come then!
Christmas day came with no less than a bajillion dollars worth of presents under the tree. Apparently Santa is a techie this year, as there were all kinds of video games and gadgets, including my new digital picture frame. Fancy! The Nintendo Wii made the kids squeal like stuck pigs. Whee! The little hula girl dashboard bobble made my husband happy. Hooray! DH made a Christmas dinner fit for a queen - turkey, apple cranberry stuffing, roasted root veggies and the piece de resistance... frozen peanut butter cup pie. He made it all from scratch, including the oatmeal raisin gingerbread cookies we set out for Santa. Told you he's a great guy :)
And now there's a pile of trash, bags, boxes, molded plastic things, 400,000 twist ties that held toys, wrapping paper and other holiday paraphernalia that I'm afraid it will cause an avalanche if we don't get rid of it this very moment.
With the gift card I received from DH, I think I'll go buy a paintball gun. Next time my neighbors start their partying at 2am......
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
A Word on Music
The ipod is like a dear friend to me. It holds my memories inside it's tiny little hard drive, and pulls them out one by one when I want to hold them and turn them over in my hands. So many songs are held in memory with emotions, moments in time and places I've been. I feel very strongly about music, as I do with books, and will defend them and expound on their merit to those who don't understand. My choice of books is as eclectic as my listening habits. Tool, Prince, Blink 182 and Tchaikovsky meet with Bertrand Russell, Harlan Coben, Jennifer Crusie and Jodi Picoult. I'm sure they'd throw one hell of a party. Canapés anyone?
Here, in no particular order, are some things I listen to when the mood strikes.
Evolution of the human soul: Staind ~ Starting with Torment and running through 13 Shades of Grey, Aaron Lewis personifies all that's wrong and right with the human condition. Staind shows are like group therapy, total catharsis
Get your boogie shoes: KC and the Sunshine Band ~ Shake, shake, shake....
Sing your heart out: Mary J. Blige ~ every song she sings
Old school make out: Jodeci ~ Forever My Lady (when was the last time someone used the phrase "That's my lady"??)
When I want to be 10 again: Expose, Debbie Gibson and Cyndi Lauper ~ Electric Youth!
Straight forward cross dressing rock: STP ~ Fishnets and a bullhorn never looked so good
Straight forward non cross dressing rock: Chevelle ~ Need I say more?
Best non English album ever recorded: Jerry Rivera ~ Abriendo Puertas
When I want to be 16 again: Tupac and Notorious B.I.G ~ Not just another dead rapper
Headbanging fun: Coal Chamber, Slipknot ~ Not to be confused with Stone Sour
Because I conform: Hey There Delilah ~ Can't help it, it's catchy
Lost brain cells: Liquid Swords, 36 Chambers ~ Wu Tang ain't nothin to fuck wit!
Just for fun: Hot Hot Heat ~ Bandages
When I want to be 16 again, again: Bad Boys Blue ~ Save Your Love
Girlie Rock: Yeah Yeah Yeahs ~ Fever to Tell
When I miss Kurt Cobain: Unplugged in New York
When I don't: Foo Fighters
Anytime: incubus ~ okay, any time I have wicked thoughts about chaining a certain singer to my headboard....
Here, in no particular order, are some things I listen to when the mood strikes.
Evolution of the human soul: Staind ~ Starting with Torment and running through 13 Shades of Grey, Aaron Lewis personifies all that's wrong and right with the human condition. Staind shows are like group therapy, total catharsis
Get your boogie shoes: KC and the Sunshine Band ~ Shake, shake, shake....
Sing your heart out: Mary J. Blige ~ every song she sings
Old school make out: Jodeci ~ Forever My Lady (when was the last time someone used the phrase "That's my lady"??)
When I want to be 10 again: Expose, Debbie Gibson and Cyndi Lauper ~ Electric Youth!
Straight forward cross dressing rock: STP ~ Fishnets and a bullhorn never looked so good
Straight forward non cross dressing rock: Chevelle ~ Need I say more?
Best non English album ever recorded: Jerry Rivera ~ Abriendo Puertas
When I want to be 16 again: Tupac and Notorious B.I.G ~ Not just another dead rapper
Headbanging fun: Coal Chamber, Slipknot ~ Not to be confused with Stone Sour
Because I conform: Hey There Delilah ~ Can't help it, it's catchy
Lost brain cells: Liquid Swords, 36 Chambers ~ Wu Tang ain't nothin to fuck wit!
Just for fun: Hot Hot Heat ~ Bandages
When I want to be 16 again, again: Bad Boys Blue ~ Save Your Love
Girlie Rock: Yeah Yeah Yeahs ~ Fever to Tell
When I miss Kurt Cobain: Unplugged in New York
When I don't: Foo Fighters
Anytime: incubus ~ okay, any time I have wicked thoughts about chaining a certain singer to my headboard....
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
A Word on Marriage
Marriage is a lot of things. I'm feeling warm and fuzzy today, so here are a few of my favorites:
We've been using the same inside jokes for years. A word, phrase or gesture that the other person will always understand. If anyone else said "Ping the Baptist" to you, would you laugh??
Routine phone calls. We probably say the same thing to one another 3 times each day. But I like it just the same.
After a lot of years together, you have a conjoined identity. You're not sure who acts like who anymore, because you've morphed into one personality.
All the little neurotic things about you... someone gets it and accepts it. My husband knows I like extra salt on my popcorn, but it has to be separate from the bag so that I can continue adding salt all the way through the movie. He didn't laugh at me when I ruined 27 batches of toffee. He knows I love my cat and dog even though they're both total assholes. He lets me sleep in on Sundays.
His parenting style balances mine out so that the kids get a good mix of soft and stern. Sometimes when I lose my temper and yell like a lunatic he reminds me that as long as no one lost an eye, it's all okay.
He fills my ipod with all my quirky music tastes. Most recent = Naughty By Nature.
I can send him a love letter in a totally foreign language, and he will translate it and respond in another.
At this point, I've lived longer with my husband in my life than I did before he came along. My biggest fear when we got married was that one of us would have to die first- and I sincerely hope it's me. Morbid? Nah, just realistic. I simply cannot imagine waking up one morning and just not having him there. Not being able to share things with him, not having him to laugh with (okay, and AT) me. Not to mention all the obvious *ahem* physical perks of being married! But seriously, I believe you can die of a broken heart.
A long time ago I read a story about ancient humans having two heads, 4 limbs and one heart. They angered the gods and as a result, were split in two. Each one spent it's life searching out it's missing half. The theory goes that when you fall in love, you're really recognizing that missing half of yourself and rejoicing in it's return. I like that. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
We've been using the same inside jokes for years. A word, phrase or gesture that the other person will always understand. If anyone else said "Ping the Baptist" to you, would you laugh??
Routine phone calls. We probably say the same thing to one another 3 times each day. But I like it just the same.
After a lot of years together, you have a conjoined identity. You're not sure who acts like who anymore, because you've morphed into one personality.
All the little neurotic things about you... someone gets it and accepts it. My husband knows I like extra salt on my popcorn, but it has to be separate from the bag so that I can continue adding salt all the way through the movie. He didn't laugh at me when I ruined 27 batches of toffee. He knows I love my cat and dog even though they're both total assholes. He lets me sleep in on Sundays.
His parenting style balances mine out so that the kids get a good mix of soft and stern. Sometimes when I lose my temper and yell like a lunatic he reminds me that as long as no one lost an eye, it's all okay.
He fills my ipod with all my quirky music tastes. Most recent = Naughty By Nature.
I can send him a love letter in a totally foreign language, and he will translate it and respond in another.
At this point, I've lived longer with my husband in my life than I did before he came along. My biggest fear when we got married was that one of us would have to die first- and I sincerely hope it's me. Morbid? Nah, just realistic. I simply cannot imagine waking up one morning and just not having him there. Not being able to share things with him, not having him to laugh with (okay, and AT) me. Not to mention all the obvious *ahem* physical perks of being married! But seriously, I believe you can die of a broken heart.
A long time ago I read a story about ancient humans having two heads, 4 limbs and one heart. They angered the gods and as a result, were split in two. Each one spent it's life searching out it's missing half. The theory goes that when you fall in love, you're really recognizing that missing half of yourself and rejoicing in it's return. I like that. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)