Sunday, July 29, 2007

Resting my arms.....

Our week at the beach was FAB. I have about eleventy thousand pictures to up load when we get home & then I promise to share. Right now we are at the Queen's house in VA. We fly out tonight at 6:30. Should arrive back in Candyland about 11:00 tonight.

I will post after I recover from our relaxing vacation. Promise. Whenever that may be.....

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Randomness

Ugh. So, we went all weekend with no phone (well, except cells, but STILL) but, more importantly...when we have no phone, we have no internet. Dang. I hate that. I had just posted Friday when my modem looked at me and said, "Well, that's about it for me. I'm done." When I asked the phone about it all it had to say was "ppppsssshhhhhkkkksshhhthtt." Which I interpreted as, "Hmmmmm? Can't hear you! On strike as a show of solidarity with the DSL."

I suppose I should thank the blog gods or something that it was right after I posted and not before. Then I would have been really cranky. As it was all I could think all weekend was, "I just posted and now I won't be able to see my comments for DAYS." Yes, I really am that shallow. Of course, my family enjoyed it. I actually spent time with the children and stuff. What a concept. After a couple of days though, I started going through withdrawls and it wasn't pretty. You may see me on an episode of Intervention soon. I'm sure it will be...enlightening.

The AT&T guy finally showed up at like 7:15 last night and, as it turns out, the phone line is approximately as old as the house. It had weathered to the point that there was a hole in it. Which, in case you were wondering, does not create the ideal conditions for DSL to work. Not to mention you know, phone calls. Phone guy replaced the line and lo and behold - INTERNET! I could have kissed him. Except that he was like 60. EW.

In other news....I finally got my hair chopped off today. I think I like it. It's just weird going from one extreme to another. It's really short. I had lunch with a friend who said that it looks good. We'll see. SugarPlum really likes it. She says that it makes me look older. I'm telling myself that that's a compliment from a ten year old. Don't disillusion me, please. I think it will be good while we are at the beach next week, anyway.

YES! We are flying to Virginia on Friday and checking into our beach house on Saturday. Friday night the Queen and I are taking SugarPlum and the Princess to a Harry Potter thing at a bookstore . Then? The beach. For seven days! WHEEEE! Anyone live in or near Virginia Beach? We'd love to see you! Of course there will be margaritas and other assorted snacks. Or maybe pina coladas. OOH! Or sangria! Decisions, decisions.

That said, I suppose I should finish up the laundry so that I can pack and stuff. Minor details. Happy Tuesday!

Friday, July 13, 2007

I'd like to thank the Academy...

Okay, I am feeling so loved and honored today. I discovered that not one but TWO...count 'em two! lovely ladies have bestowed awards on me. And on top of that they are two of my favoritest people EVAH. And I'm not just saying that!


First, Mary, of Very Contrary, nominated me as a Rockin Girl Blogger! Which is what I needed to hear as of late. I've been feeling like the frumpy old Mom blogger. So THANKS! Mary always, always makes me laugh. And if she just lived thismuch closer to Candyland, I am fairly certain that we would be hanging out regularly. And that Pookie and SD would be buddies as well. Because I know that they would both at least appreciate what it's like to continually roll their eyes at the latest online antics of their crazy wives. (And I mean crazy in the nicest possible sense of the word, Mary. *smooch*)

I'm supposed to nominate five other Rockin Girl bloggers, and I shall, but before I do...


Angel of Give me Something Sing to About and Slayer in Training (among others) nominated me for a Schmooze Award. Which is explained thusly:
“As it goes, schmoozing is the natural ability “to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection.” Good schmoozers effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship.... I've thought of some great people who have made me welcome and schmoozed their way into my blog and life that I'd like to give this most prestigious Power of Schmooze Award!”
Angel has been a constant encourager in my world for a couple of years now. Even in the depths of pain and despair, she always manages to validate my feelings and make me thankful for all I have. So, you darling are certainly one of my top Rockin Girl Bloggers. One day they will invent a pill for both of us that vaporizes migraines once and for all never to be felt again. One that has NO side effects - ie itching and mind-numbing fatigue - and works the first hour you take it and forever more. Until then, deary, I'll be here for you and I know I can count on you. *sniff, sniff*

Moving along...I am nominating the following five ladies for both of these wonderful awards, because you truly deserve them (and not at all because I am horribly lazy and can't summon the energy to come up with TEN and put in the links. No, not. at. all.).

1. Christine of Mommy Matters, who is of course also known as my Blogmother, being the person who sat on the phone with me while I set up this blog and nursed me thru numerous other crises. I just wish that we had time to talk more!

2. Hula Doula, who I SWEAR I will get to go visit one day before I die so that we can sit and drink wine while our children forge fast friendships that will last a lifetime. That or we can at least take turns putting out the fires and intervening on the inevitable disasters that three little boys will create while their big sisters roll their eyes and sigh disgustedly. I've shared with you one of Hula's most amazing moments. And that was just an inkling of how awesome she is!

3. Peaches over at The Peach Pit who has, on more than one occasion, opened her home to me while I was in transit to weddings and showers, etc. She is a fellow fighter pilot's wife and knows me in ways that few people do. She is such a cool friend.


4. Mother Chaos, whose denizens rival mine in their antics and mis-adventures. I admire her for her parenting style...mostly because it is so much like mine. Also, she can KNIT which is a talent that envy with the greenest color you can imagine, yet know that I do not now, nor well I ever, have the patience or attention span to learn. (did I just win the award for longest run-on sentence ever? well, I came close, I'm sure) Plus, she never, ever fails to make me not just laugh, but guffaw. Which bring the children running in to find out what's so all fired funny and not understanding at all when they see nothing but a picture of a cute little knitted baby hat. Philistines. If I ever go back to California, we are so going to hang out. Though, I'm sure I'll never be cool enough to hand out at the den.


5. Mary at Fireflies & Frogs, who is one of the bravest women I have ever known. She is also among the best moms (and now grandmothers!) and friends in the blogosphere. She really considers her kids in every decision she makes. But I am mostly happy that she is finally able to get on with her life and have some fun. Mary, you are awesome.


So there you go. I know that there are more of you out there who mean the world to me. Friends who have gotten me through some of the roughest patches of my life. Thanks to all my pals! You know who you are and you deserve awards, too. Go ahead...take the button. :)

Monday, July 02, 2007

Still scratching....

Just a quick update. I'm about to go pick my husband up from the airport.YAAAAAYYYY!!!

So, back to the fleas. BOOOOOO!!! I lied in the last post. Not long after I posted, SP came to tell me that Snazzy was all "bald on one side." And sure enough, she had scratched so much that her whole right side was about bare & covered with oozy spots (hope you aren't' eating while you read this). So, off to the vet we went and he said, "Yep. Fleas." and $268 later, I came home with Prednisone, CapStar, Advantix, and the right size of Sentinal for Yogi. The vet also told me not to feel too bad, that everyone in the city had fleas and that until it dries up some around here, it will continue to be a problem. EW.

After I treated the dogs, In was off to Petco and bought the flea powder that you work into the carpet and some of the spray for where I couldn't get to the carpet. I spent most of the day picking up so that I could do the powder stuff and then ran out of time to do it. So, I sprayed as much as I felt safe spraying to kill the fleas, doused the kids with OFF! and put them to bed. (Sending them to bed covered with DEET wasn't ideal, I know, but it beat having them covered with even more flea bites.

Sunday, I was rocking Bug for his nap and had to literally pick fleas off the child at the same time. GROSS. GrayGray said that he was having to pull them off Bear as well. That was it. I was going to kill those little fuckers (the fleas, not the boys) and I was doing it ASAP.

I went back to Petco and bout six flea foggers and then came home and gathered up every piece of clothing, bedding or towels that was out. Gray took the kids to the movies and Gram and I loaded up all the laundry. I set off those foggers all over the house and then we headed to the laundromat.

LORD HAVE MERCY it was HOT!

We did seven loads of laundry. And made fools of ourselves in the process. I couldn't figure out how much it cost to work the machines. Then we had to figure out where to put the soap, etc. It would have been hilarious if I hadn't been so cranky. I told my mom that we probably looked like Paris and Nicole on the Simple Life. Only with great big asses. Oh, and brains.

We finally got back int he house four hours later and we had ice cream for supper. The kids were gobsmacked. Seriously, Mom? Ice cream? Yes. Ice cream. It was too hot for anything else.

Where do we stand now? Well, I haven't noticed any new flea bites. But I still have the exterminator coming tomorrow and I will be treating the carpet at least once a week. And I still have the heebie jeebies whenever anything brushes against my leg.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to get my husband. And try not to think about fleas.