Sardines

I've started a new entry a few times today. One appropriately titled "Oregon trail" which had clever little quips about that old computer game....remember back when only the really rich kids had computers at home? I keep getting distracted by work, and other demands and then my entry is lost and now here I am starting over yet again. Although, my time here in front of this screen is limited. I'm needed many places today and it's almost time for me to leave you.
We're leaving at 4am tomorrow and driving our tiny little car packed with 5 people and a whole lot of crap 6-7 hours to Oregon. Today, on my list of things to do:

-work
-go to the DMV and pay my registration
-load new songs and games on Emily's Ipod
-charge Emily's ipod
-borrow my mom's GPS because some assmunch stole mine
-remember to check the mail so I can bring "Home for the Holidays" with us on our trip (my "must see every single Thanksgiving" movie being delivered by Netflix just in time)
-take Emily to cheer practice
-remember to print out mashed potato recipe for Thanksgiving
-clean out the car
-go to dance class
-laundry, yeah seriously
-pack enough clothes, diapers, games, and various other entertainment to keep us entertained for 4 days in the COLD country....cold for us anyways
-and have it all loaded in the car and ready to go at 4 am

So, I'll miss you all. I won't have access to a computer untill *gasp* Monday, so I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. I'm sure I'll be stir crazy by day 2, so Call me. Although my phone probably doesn't work way up there. Nevermind.

twenty- gasp- eight

So, today is my birthday. *applause* Thank you, thank you. I'm so glad I was born too. 28 now. 2 more years till 30. 2 more years till I've been at my job for a decade. That sounds like permanance. I better do something drastic in the next 2 years. Oh the pressure.
Today though, today is good. I actually had a little family party last night, where I cooked my famous chicken and dumplings and my mom and brother came for dinner. Patrick and Cali both slept through dinner and my 13 year old brother had an adolescent moment and stormed out of the house, but I still had fun. My mom and I, and Emily and Damien had dinner and cake, which was oh so good. So deliciously chocolatey, oreo cookie, good. Then I opened my present from my mom. Cute outfit and earrings. I'm an earring whore. Some people obsess over shoes, some over purses....I'm an earring girl. Are you all paying attention? It's not too late for birthday presents you know.
Emily was appalled by my only receiving one present, so they played a game of wrapping up stuff around the house to give to me. This is so much more fun than it sounds. I received a diet dr pepper, a homemade card, a homemade poem, a child wrapped in a blanket and a very awesome dance by my little boy.

Reasons that today is a great birthday so far:

-I fit into the size 7 jeans my mom bought me. That is only one size bigger than my pre-EMILY teenage self, and there is no discernable return of the muffin top

-The kids are off school, so it was only me getting ready this morning

-I'm off Weds-Sun, so today is actually like my Thursday already!

-I'm going out tonight to see Twilight and I am embarrassed at how excited I am

-Gas is $2.07

Happy Birthday to ME!!

See my grin....see it?

Well well well, look who's back from crankyville. I was too upset to write yesterday. Sorry, I know you were all ready to slit your wrists from the disappointment. It's just been a crummy week. But, it's Friday now, I'm listening to 80's pop, anticipating cheesy pizza night and I'm ready to put all that misery behind me.

So, OK, I have major news! Like, oh my god, you will never believe what happened at school! The boy Emily likes, totally had his friend tell her that he likes her too. Can you even believe it? Wow! She's stoked. And Damien has been writing love poems to his crush in his journal. Aww, Love is in the air. At least for the kiddos. All my adult friends are currently fighting with their husbands. Love is great, relationships....not so easy. Ok, no, we're not going there. This is 80's music, cheesy pizza, annoyingly happy day.

OOOH, you guys want to hear something really weird. Emily is not picky when it comes to food. She loves her some good food. But she is extremely picky when it comes to sweets. This is a partial list of desserts that she just does not like:

-whipped cream
-pie
-oreos...seriously
-licorice
-suckers
-most popcicles
-caramel (I KNOW, OMG!!!)

Seriously something is wrong with that child.

Ok, that's all the cheeriness I can bubble out today. Peace out.

Hodge Podge

Ok, I'm back and I'm better. My camera is still broken, but my husband is being nicer. He apologized for our fight yesterday. I'm really really glad he's humble enough to apologize and try to make up because I'm a little more....uh...stubborn and pigheaded. Thanks baby.


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I recently read an article that a friend posted about teen girls and sex. It was based on a survey done by Tyra Banks. Some of the results:

* On average, girls are losing their virginity at 15 years of age.
* 14 percent of teens who are having sex say they’re doing it at school.
* 52 percent of survey respondents say they do not use protection when having sex.
* One in three says she fears having a sexually transmitted disease.
* 24 percent of teens with STDs say they still have unprotected sex.
* One in five girls says she wants to be a teen mom.
* About 50 percent acknowledge that they’ve hit someone.
* One out of three teens has tried drugs.

Being a parent, this completely freaks me out!! Right now, the kids are still pretty innocent, but the next few years, the "formative years", are so important. What I do, what I say, what I discuss, what I teach, are going to "form" my children's minds and they will make decisions that have the potential to change their entire lives. Lord help me, toddlers are simple in comparison.

For now though, here's what's going on in my children's love lives

Emily has a crush on a boy in her class. She decided to tell him yesterday. Man, is she brave! I would never! At least not way back in 4th grade. I wouldn't even let my crush catch me glancing at him. This is how it went:

Em: "Hi, I need to get something over with. God this feels strange, but I like you"
*and she didn't run away giggling, she stood there, confidently, waiting for his response*

Crush: *blush* *small smile* *ran away*

She was not offended. She thinks he likes her too. I am so glad she tells me all of this. I hope she always does, although that hope is unrealistic. I am also glad this kid was not some forward thinking, fast moving punk who responded with "I like you too, want to go out?" 9 is too young for a boyfriend. I am also glad that she has the confidence to do this sort of thing. Hopefully she will keep that and not feel intimidated by boys, intimidated enough to be put into compromising positions in which she is not comfortable, and probably too young.

____________________________________________

Damien also has a crush, and inspired by his sister's bravery, he decided to tell....one of his friends. His friend then announced it loudly to the class. Girl's reaction, shocked face. Damien's reaction, *major blush* pissed at said friend. 1st grade is still in the not scary to me zone.

Cranky pants

Today sucks so far. I guess that's not saying much considering it's only 9am, but I just feel like whining. I got to start the day off with a big fight at home, but none of it was my fault. Whatever, you don't know. This is my version, I can tell it however I want. Big fight....all his fault....and ....and....my camera is broken.
I bought a nice new camera in May, and the next month while on vacation, it was stolen. I was distraught, and spent money I didn't have (remember I just got back from vacation) to replace it, and now the stupid thing won't turn on! I could cry. I can't not have a camera.
Who's gonna take Thanksgiving pictures and chopping down the Christmas tree pictures, and setting up the Christmas tree pictures, and here we are all dressed up for the Nutcracker pictures, and oh god, Christmas morning! and all the other 20 billion pictures a month I take of the little punks that live in my house.

I'll be back when I'm done wallowing in self pity.

Bookworm

Patrick and I were having a conversation about books last night and he estimated he's read about 75 books in his life (in his adult life?) I'm not exactly sure which he meant. Anyways, there is no possible way I could figure out how many books I've read. I am never without a book to read (at least not for very long). I'm a reader, always have been, love it, get lost in it, would be lost without it, kind of dork-ity bookworm. I even used to sit under a tree and read a book at lunch in high school. Only sometimes. Ok, forget I told you that. Please.
I have a few favorite authors, I know you don't care who they are, so I won't even mention them, but I was perusing the shelves at Safeway to see if these authors had released anything new. No luck, but I did need a book to read, so I scoped the bestsellers, and #3 was "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer. I had heard a few reviews from friends and saw a couple obsessive secrets on Postsecret.com, so I thought what the hell.
I read it in one day. It was surprisingly good. Sort of an "interview with the vampire" for the next generation. I went after the second book in the 4 book series and was a little embarrassed to find it in the "teen fiction" section. But I've been known to read Emily's books on occasion when really bored, so whatever. Finished the second book this weekend, and once again, really well written. Easy read, and very emotionally suspenseful, with a fair amount of action.
So there, you have my recommendation for whatever that's worth to you. I'm going out to get the 3rd book, and Patrick and I are going to see the movie of Twilight next week on my birthday. I hope the movie is well done. I really really hate when a good book is ruined by a very crappy movie. The previews look pretty promising. I'll let you know my opinion. I know you'll all be hanging on the edge of your seats waiting.

The neverending quest

Every Friday night the kids and I get a pizza and we sit at home and watch a movie. This week I decided to get The Neverending Story. Great movie, and my kids have never seen it. So I added it to my Netflix queue, bumped it to the top (so I thought) and even remembered to mail a movie back on Wednesday so we would get it in time. Well, yesterday I got my email telling me my movie was sent out, but OMG, it's not the right movie! Panicking I rushed to check my queue and damn it, I bumped it to #11!! Not #1! #11! How could I be so stupid. What will we do now?? How will we survive a blunder of this magnitude.

UHHH, watch a different movie? Right I know that's what you're thinking. I am just too stubborn for that. Once I get a plan into my head I HAVE to make it happen. I'm no quitter. At lunch I dug through the bargain bin at Walmart for a good 20 minutes, and then found the spot on the shelves where it WAS, but they were all gone. Hop in the car, zip over to Target. Wasn't there either, but I did find some cute shirts for Damien for Christmas.
So now here I sit, in panic mode. But, I have not yet tapped all my resources. I will find that movie by tonight!
If Atreyu can save Fantasia from the nothing, then surely I can find a single movie. Best Buy and Blockbuster here I come.

Happy Friday everyone!