Happy Leap Day!

So we've decided to create a Leap Day Time Capsule today. We can't really bury it because we still have piles of snow on top of frozen ground, but we will hide it in the basement. I just hope we remember to look for it February 29th, 2012!

We are going to interview each other asking questions like,"What is your favorite movie?", "What do you think you'll be doing 4 years from today?" etc. We also plan to take photos but we may just have to lock away the photos burned on CD or a memory card. DH doesn't want to wait for the photos to be printed. The Leap Day Time Capsule must be planted before midnight tonight! Maybe we'll print them out if our printer has enough ink.

DS9 has already made an ATC to go in. DS12 has thrown in a piece of his favorite gum. We plan on dining out tonight so I was hoping to include our bill and a menu. Tornado and Gust have each donated a feather and we may try to take Yumi's paw print.

I'm trying not to think about the fact I have to work tomorrow. I normally don't work on weekends, but our pool has a swim meet, and all staff are required to help. Thankfully these meets only happen a few times a year. I don't do crowds very well.

Besides working, I will probably try to get a jump on spring cleaning. Thrilling weekend I know, but I'd rather clean now and be able to spend time outside when spring really does arrive.

Last night DH and I stayed up late to watch "Michael Clayton." It wasn't what I expected. I actually enjoyed it! I was impressed with the writing only 5 minutes into it.

The rest of the movie stack for the weekend contains the following; Stand By Me, The Darjeeling Limited, Spaceballs, Fantastic 4, 30 Days of Night, Spacecamp, Requiem For a Dream and Escape from L.A. Once again its so obvious I'm not the one picking up the movies from Blockbuster. I'm sure I won't watch all of them. In fact, there are some I'm hoping get watched without me while I'm working!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Time to Flip Over

I know I can't remain on the dark side forever. I'm trying to flip back to the Jedi I know I am inside. Help me Obi Wan!

Last night a dad told me his son had an accident on the carpet. I grabbed the cleaner and towels and reminded him we have locker rooms for changing. (Its easier to hose down a locker room floor.)  I no sooner put away the Simple Green when he's back. "I'm sorry but now my daughter has also had an accident."  I handed him the bottle and towels. If he refuses to change his children in the locker room he can clean up his own kids' piss!

I decided to make Mile High pancakes this morning. Since I used whole wheat flour though, they weren't "Mile High." They still tasted yummy.

We headed out to the library and I had a moment of unschooling mom dread. The librarian wanted DS9 to write his name on the computer use contract. He had already printed it, but frankly, the kid doesn't know cursive. I had to explain to DS9 that a printed signature wasn't what the librarian wanted. I wrote his name in cursive and asked him to copy it. We both walked away feeling a little frustrated for various reasons. (I should have told him to "write" an "X".)

I'm very tempted to pull out a cursive workbook we have packed away in the deep dark basement. I bought it years ago when DS12 said he wanted to learn to read cursive. He never really wanted to write with it, but he wanted to know how to read it. DS12 practiced the proper way to write cursive, but then ended up making his own signature, attaching the letters in his own way. (Don't we all end up doing this anyway?) His writing is legible and that's all that I care about. I believe keyboarding is more important for him anyway since he has no interest in calligraphy.

I asked DS9 if he wanted to learn cursive and he answered with a very unenthusiastic, "I guess so." I really don't believe in making him do a workbook if he doesn't want to, and I'm not even sure his dexterity is ready yet. He gets practice holding pencils. Believe me. I have lots of colored pencils that need sharpening right now.

It wasn't all negative at the library. We ended up with some interesting books.

DS12 asked the other day if the Nazi's won the war. I answered, "Nien!" I told him next time we're at the library find a book on World War II. So today he checked out World War II by Louis Snyder. He's already told me the war lasted 6 years, and the Germans started the "lighting war."

What? Lighting war? Ohh. "Blitzkrieg!"  He hasn't gotten that far in the book yet to see who wins. When he finishes I'll have to share with him how my grandmother was left on the farm alone with 4 small children when Grandpa enlisted to fight the Germans. She was furious because her parents were from Germany.

We also checked out 7X9 = Trouble by Claudia Mills. I thought this would be a good one since we are having flash card wars with multiplication lately. Both boys want to be the first to answer and the rivalry is getting intense.

They also had George's Secret Key To The Universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawking. This one looks really good!

I also couldn't resist checking out Schooled by Gordon Korman. Its about a homeschooled boy that has to attend school after his hippie grandma falls out of a tree. The inside jacket says, " Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television.He's never tasted a pizza. Never even heard of a wedgie. Since he was little, his only experience has been living on a farm commune and being homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain."  Hmmm... Will this book be filled with homeschooling sterotypes? I can't wait to find out!

Darkside Dawn is back...

Sorry I've been MIA. Its probably a good thing because I'm just in a whiny mood. Everything seems to be a struggle these days.

DS12 is watching "Star Wars The Legacy Revealed" on the History Channel this morning. Its really good! I never realized Darth Vader's helmet resembled the Nazi's.

DS9 is taking a break from making Poptart ATCs. Yesterday he told me he was running out of ideas for Poptart flavors. I guess its down time for his creativity until he recharges. Got any ideas for flavors of Poptarts you'd like to try?

Maybe I need recharging too. I'm generally dissatisfied with life these days. I know I need to count my blessings and get over it, but first get your cheese, I want to whine.

I have lost my patience for parents who don't parent! Why do so many people ignore their child's inappropriate behavior and fail to correct them?

I shouldn't be surprised. They aren't really parents but taxi drivers. They shuffle their kids from school, to swim lessons, then soccer, then karate, etc. They don't even pay attention to what their child is learning.

"I don't know what level my son swims at now. I don't know who his teacher is. I want to schedule lessons for spring but what level will he be in?"  Translation- I just pay for lessons. I don't watch him swim. You introduced me to his teacher weeks ago but I didn't care to learn her name. I don't ask him how he's doing. I certainly don't come back for family swim and swim with my child ever! We don't have time for that!

I have also lost faith in our DMV department for issuing driver's licenses. The past two nights I've had near misses.

I slowed down and signaled I was pulling over. I was dropping off my nephew in his driveway. The moron behind me doesn't slow down but honks his horn and flips me off. Nephew is in the van so I can't return the insult.

Last night I'm driven off the road because moron #2 wants to pass someone when it wasn't safe to do so. Never mind the fact that 200 yards further, the road opens up to 4 lanes. It was more important to threaten my life. 

If DS9 is serious about wanting to be a police officer, I can't wait for him to kick butt doing so! I can't tell you how many times I wish I had a dashboard camera!

I have to stop being Darkside Dawn. DS9 is playing a game where he has to spell words and he's asking for help. (Unschooling spelling lesson time)

Thanks for letting me vent. I'll turn back to my cookie baking self soon.

Weekend stuff

We visited Grandma yesterday and she took us to a dinosaur museum. It was difficult to take photos because the gallery was so dark. I liked this guy. I thought he was a cutie.

It felt so good to get out yesterday and enjoy a day trip. We've had a brutal winter. I wanted to go for a hike but everything is still ice covered or a melting mess.

DH is chopping the ice today on our driveway. I may head out to the store to pick up supplies to make us an Oscar night supper. We're not really looking forward to watching the Oscars like we have in the past. I don't know if its because we don't make it out to the movies as often or because there aren't that many good movies.

Last night we watched "Wind Chill" after we made it home from K-town. It was ok. It was scary enough, but I was disappointed with the ending and later I kept finding myself punching holes in the plot.

DS12 has been filling up his MP3 player with Linkin Park songs and now I feel like rocking out. I can't wait to take him to his first concert! I'll probably embarrass him though.

DS9 still has his Poptart obsession going strong. I'm thinking he may grow up and work for Kellogg's in marketing. On our last grocery store trip, he had to stop and read off all the different flavors. Its not that he wants to eat them. He actually only likes one flavor, Brown Sugar Cinnamon and he probably only eats one or two a week. He just wants to design flavors and draw up ATCs.

I stood there in the aisle and was a proud mom. (He can read!!) He was like a Poptart salesman. "Oooohh! Chocolate Vanilla! Strawberry cheesecake!" I'm sure the other shoppers thought we were nuts! LOL!  I really hope we hear back from Kelloggs. DS9 wrote them a letter about how its his dream to create a Poptart float for our 4th of July parade. He wants to be a Poptart mascot and hand out Poptart cards.

Well, I better get out and enjoy the sun while it lasts. Another winter storm is on the way for Monday night.

Hope you're having a great Sunday!

I need spring...

I'm tired of trying to function like an astronaut. I don't want to be bundled up anymore. You don't realize how wonderful manual dexterity is until you try to buckle your seatbelt wearing gloves. Dialing a cell phone is out of the question.

I think I may need a spring makeover. Last night a guest at the pool asked me if I remember when the Beatles made their U.S. debut. I admit my hair is going gray, but the Beatles were way before my time! I was screaming for Bono not Paul, George, Ringo or John.

I really don't want to color my hair again with chemicals. I did the bottle blond thing for years. DH says he likes the gray, but am I prepared for this aging gracefully thing?

I feel like giving away everything in my closet and starting over. Of course I don't have the money to do this. I have no sense of style either. I'll buy the same shirt in the same colors.

I told DS12 I was turning 40 this summer and he said to me, "You still have another 60 years left." I love his optimism! This is how I should look at this. I can get in shape and take care of my body and hopefully make it to 100! I did have a great aunt who reached 104. She said her secret was lots of sleep. Of course she never married or had children. Getting sleep would not have been a problem for her.

Its time I stop feeling so old and bundle up yet again. We're heading to the sledding hill for our need for speed. It will be great to feel like I'm 10 again, although something tells me the climb back up will remind me I'm not.

Have a great Friday!

Bored random narrative rant- Must be cabin fever

$2.50 can buy you a lizard army. Yesterday we met family at Rocky Rococo's to celebrate a cousin's birthday. I told the boys they could bring $2.50 from the spare change jar to use for games. DS9 used all his tickets to buy lizards.

The ride to the party was a death defying feat. The roads are still covered with layers of ice. We saw a Uhaul truck completely flipped over. I only hope they had completed their move and their valuables were not upside down!

I voted today. I know my guy has officially backed out, but his name was still on the ballot so I didn't have to write him in. I cherish my right to vote and to vote for who I want, not who the media says are front runners. We have below zero wind chills, the parking lot was a skating rink, but I found a way there and cast my ballot. I did it in remembrance of all the women past, present and future who didn't/don't have this right. Surprisingly, I was the youngest person I saw. Most of the other people voting were seniors who had shown up for the free community meal.

I'm so ready for spring! Even DS12 said to me yesterday, "I want to grow something." Maybe this will be the year we have a real garden. Maybe we'll look into starting baby plants indoors.

Our days have been off and I'm blaming the weather. DS12 has even watched "Becoming Jane" with me. How's that for a bored kid?!! He thought the movie was depressing. I could take it or leave it. I felt like I was watching a really bad remake of P&P. DS12 was surprised to learn during that time women hoped for a good marriage because supporting themselves was unheard of.

Last night I watched "The Nines" with DH. Maybe it was because I was tired but I didn't get it. I need the cliff notes for this movie.

Our movies weren't a total loss. I enjoyed "A Long Engagement" even though it had disturbing war stuff in it.

Well, my computer turn is up. DS9 wants to go back to Poptarts.com and see if anyone has beaten my top score on Breakfast Blast Off. I'm hoping no one has because then I'll be tempted to play again. :)

Iced in

My weekend's been a story of plans not going as expected, but I did enjoy this nice surprise. Salerno cookies are a favorite from my childhood. Of course back then I could actually fit the cookie on my finger! Wanting to share this experience with our boys, we've looked for these cookies in stores around us but up until now, we haven't found them.

Last night we were in the next town over, trying to find Haddock fish from Iceland, not China. You have to be careful because the Icelandic brand sells Haddock caught in China. Its less expensive but you get what you pay for. (Trust me, don't buy fish from China.) We found Haddock caught in Viking waters and as we made our way to the check out, we saw Salerno cookies!  DH was tempted to buy more than one box for fear we won't be able to find them again.

We were suppose to at a cousin's birthday party today but the rain is falling and freezing on the ground. Its suppose to change over to sleet and then snow. Our driveway is an ice rink and they are advising people to stay put. Our power keeps flicking on and off. (Ohh, I hope I don't lose this blog post!)

The Posse rats made it over. They wore their skateboard helmets after one of them fell on the ice and hit his head. His mother called and said, "He's still going to try to make it to your house. If he gets a headache, call us and we'll come and get him." Are you kidding me?!!! I wouldn't even allow DH out to pick up a Sunday paper.

I hit the kitchen and so far I've made potato onion soup, croutons, oatmeal bread and grilled cheese sandwiches. I guess I'm going a little stir crazy. I want to kick out the Posse Rats and play some Wii myself.

From the other men in my life....

This is the Valentine my boys gave me this morning. Isn't it cute!

We have an inside joke in our family. We always try to buy monkey cards. This started years ago when DS9 became obsessed with primates. When we shopped for greeting cards for family members, he would always pick the card with a chimpanzee dressed as a human doing something ridiculous. DH decided this would be our thing. If you get a birthday card from us, it probably will have a monkey on it. 

My Funny Valentine...

I'm crazy, silly, in L-O-V-E, love, with my husband!!! He gave me this Valentine this morning before he had to leave for work. I'm still cracking up!! There are several Teen Nick shows my family watches, and DH knows this one bothers me!

This is one of the many things I love about my husband. He knows how to make me laugh! Its a bonus he has green eyes and a hairy chest. LOL!

We met in high school in 1986. For years I had seen him around the halls, always assuming he was an upper classmen. Our school was so large, you pretty much only socialized with kids in your grade. I knew he wasn't in my year. When I began my senior year, he was still around. HE'S A JUNIOR?!

He hung out with the punk guy with the mohawk.  He looked too cool to be in high school.  He always had a 5:00 o'clock shadow by lunch time.

I discovered they worked at McDonalds. I started flirting with him when he would work. I remember the very first thing he gave me, a Happy Meal toy. I still have it!!

Taking inspiration from a Level 42 song, I wrote him a note that simply said, "There is something about you....". He asked my best friend for my phone number and the rest is history!

I've spent 21 out of my 39 years with him in my life.  I can't imagine not sharing a single day without him. This May it will be 22 years we've been together and 15 years being married. I'm so blessed to be his girl!

Plato quote

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

Do not train children to learning by force and harshness,
but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that
you may be better able to discover with accuracy the
peculiar bent of the genius of each.

Junk Drawer Doom

Somebody check my temperature. There is a 60% off the clearance price book sale, and I'm not going. I must be getting sick. Actually its too cold outside, zero as I type, and I want to fluff my nest.

I thought I was getting sick this weekend, but I think I've fought it off. (Are you tired of me plugging Emergen-C?) I skipped my hour on Saturday, but forced myself to do it yesterday even with my headache. I felt better afterwards, but the real plus was I found motivation after watching a show on decluttering your house.

I took this before shot of my junk drawer. I've decided we are no longer going to have a junk drawer. I'm going to dump everything on the table and sort through it. I'll have to post the after shot once I'm done. In the deep dark part of our basement there is a box labeled "junk drawer" from when we moved over 6 years ago. The box has never been opened. What does that tell you?! I may have to open the box after I finish today's junk drawer challenge. I bet it will be like a time capsule!

I'm off to tie the laces and send my blood cells on another 60 minute joy ride. Hope you have a great Monday!

Poptart Obsession II

This morning DS9 asked to use the camera. He wanted to show you his Poptart ATC collection to date. Some he made himself and some he traded for.

I swear to you, he hasn't eaten a real Poptart in weeks. He just loves the Poptart cartoon guys from the Poptarts.com website. His breakfast kick has been Eggo waffles. Ohh! That gives me an idea! I'll have to make him an Eggo guy ATC card!

COS Alert- (Child over shoulder) He is reading this as I type it.

He also wants you to know there are 29 cards, 5 rows of 5 and one row of 4 = 29. (Unschooling math)

He really wants to name them for you so here goes starting in the upper left:

Berry,Wildberry, Tomato, Lime, French Fry, Cookies and Cream, Smores, Brown Cinnamon Sugar, Sprinkles and Chocolate, Chocolate and Strawberry, Donut, French Toast, Strawberry Milkshake, Gingerbread, Scentedelic Sunday, Way Back Wednesday, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cake, Hamburger, Popsicle, Pizza, Funky Flava, Mystery, Chocolate, Double Berry, Doritos, Sprinkles and Strawberry, Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Chip.

DS9 asks, "Wouldn't it be cool if Poptart guys were real! We could put them in the freezer. We could get one of those doctor things you listen to your heart with and put it up to the freezer door to listen to what they say!" 

I love this child so much I must squeeze him!!!

This blog has been proofed by DS9. (Unschooling language arts)

Thursday 13

Thirteen things I'm very thankful for:

1. We have a working snow thrower. The official total is 20 inches.

2. My family and I were safe at home. Over 900 vehicles were stranded on the Interstate for almost 12 hours.

3. My treadmill. As much as I complain about not being able to stroll outdoors, I love that I have this option at home.

4. BBC- My shows, How Clean Is Your House and You Are What You Eat make my hour walk go by quickly.

5. My legs work well. I may be overweight but I can still walk for an hour. Being able to move is a blessing!

6. I haven't gotten really sick in over a year, not even a bad cold. I've felt like one was starting, but thankfully what I'm putting into my body must be helping my immune system.

7. DH- He is the best! He called me at lunch just to chat! Maybe he was missing me after our extra day yesterday.

8. DS12- He is such a great kid! He tries to eat healthy with me and he's always willing to help me out.

9. DS9- Always gives me great big hugs and still allows me to sing his lullaby each night. I made up one especially for him when he was a baby. I've told him when he grows up and moves away, I will call him each night to sing it! LOL! He says he won't mind! Maybe his wife will though!

10. Apples- Strawberries may be my favorite fruit fresh from the patch, but apples rock too! I love how well they keep, how portable they are, how they keep my hunger in check, clean my teeth when I don't have a toothbrush, give me disease fighting fiber and even a splash of juice makes those 8-10 glasses of water go down much easier. I'm currently on a Jonagold kick.

11. My neighbors- J & D from across the street baked us two giant loaves of raisin bread. It's so good, but I have to get rid of it before I eat it all. It's coming to work with me tonight. Hungry college students are also a blessing!

12. Band-aids- It doesn't matter how much I use lotion or if I'm taking flax seed oil. My cuticles hate this time of year.

13. Tomorrow is Friday!! I'm hoping we'll watch Shrek 3 for Family Fun Night. DH picked it up for free when he bought our tax software.

Wednesday's White Out

What a wallop of a storm! We have around 17-19 inches and the blowing and drifting is really bad with 30 mph winds. The snow plows have been pulled from the roads until tomorrow morning. They are advising everyone stay put.

DH called in to work and I'm so grateful he did! He never would have made it home. My sister unfortunately is stuck at work. She tried to drive home and got stuck. She made it back to work so she's safe and warm, but she plans on working all night, graveyard style, since the plows are not out.

When I came home from work last night it was more of an ice rain, so underneath all this snow is ice. We closed the pool after lessons so I got a jump start on driving home. Today the pool was closed all day long. This is the second Wednesday in a row the pool closed down. Next Wednesday will be awful as people will expect not one but two makeup lessons!

Despite being snowed in, my day went really fast. I had bonus snuggle time with DH, watched him snow throw, did my hour on the treadmill, baked cookies and made it to the grocery store to buy milk, (its only a few blocks away.) I read more of Mommy Millionaire but didn't finish it like I thought I would. DH and I also watched the movie, Hatchet, while the Posse Rats who were able to make it to our house played video games with our boys in the basement. Of course I had to make the daily required ATC for DS9. I spent a good chunk of time on the phone with my stranded sister as well. I guess I've accomplished a lot but I wish I had time to do more.

Overall, I'm extremely grateful my family is safe and sound at home tonight. I'm going to get off the computer now and watch the rest of Bug's Life with them.

TTT - (stolen from Suey)

Ten Thoughts Tuesday

1. Oh no! We're going to get 10 inches of snow!

2. Driving home after my shift tonight will be stressful.

3. I'm a Princess. I should quit complaining. DH has to drive in the snow all the time.

4. I'm a nice Princess. I've already taken out the garbage for DH. It was gross too.

5. Where's my Burt Bee's?

6. That pink dress in the catalog I received today is really cute!

7. Where would I wear it? Realistically it would sit in my closet 364 days a year. It would make me feel like a Princess though.

8. I think I'll wear jeans to work tonight...and boots!

9. I wonder if I'll get to go home early after lessons are over?

10. I smell popcorn. What's DS9 doing?

Mardi Gras Milkshake

DS12 wanted one last milkshake before giving them up for Lent. I had him research online recipes for milkshakes and he ended up creating his own recipe.

Mardi Gras Milkshake

To a blender add:

3/4 C chocolate milk
1 C vanilla ice cream
1 t vanilla
1 t sugar
3 T chocolate syrup

Blend and enjoy!

It was really good! (I had just a taste I promise!)

Lentil veggie stew

(I adapted a recipe I saw in Good Housekeeping magazine.)

1 T olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 handfuls of baby carrots, chopped
1 15 oz can of no salt added tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces
1-2 C of water
1 1/2 C veggie broth
1 C of lentils
1 t cumin
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t pepper
Several handfuls of baby spinach

Cook the onion and carrots in the olive oil about 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, lentils, water and veggie broth. Season with cumin, pepper and garlic powder. Simmer another 10 minutes or until lentils are soft. Add the baby spinach and stir until wilted. Enjoy!

Cayce quote

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

Do not put off today that which will bring hope and help to the mind of another...Those things that make for the putting off become a joy never fulfilled. Use then the experiences from day to day as the basis and these will grow under thine very effort; surprising even to self as to the joy that comes from same, and gradually taking shape to become a joy to self and blessings to others.

Monday morning

Last night DS9 had going to bed anxieties so DH told him to look forward to making more ATCs in the morning. He requested DS9 make him a fish flavor Poptart card.  This morning before DS9 even had breakfast he picked up the colored pencils. He requested I take a picture to email to dad at work.

I'm always blue on Mondays because DH has to leave us. I plan on sinking my sorrows into a bowl of homemade lentil stew. Its going to be another snow/ice/rainy day and I know the stew will warm my bones and my soul. After I finish my treadmill time, I'll start chopping up the veg. Hopefully these activities will chase away my Monday blahs.

Time to tie my shoes and get moving.

Superbowl Sunday

If you know me, you know its the little things in life that please me most! I'm pumped up because I bought an expandable, portable file case.  I will no longer have paper mess on my kitchen counter because I don't have a real desk! There are over 24 slots, more than enough to hold 2 years' worth of bills and paperwork! I will never misplace a bill again! Yeah! Yes, I love being organized. Yes, I am a geek.

Our generous neighbors had us over for supper last night. I'm still stuffed! We had BLT salad, do it yourself pizzas, brownies and a 3 berry bread pudding-so yummy! No use getting on the scale tomorrow.

They are an older, empty nest couple. They sent us home with all the leftovers. AHHHH!!!!!!! On a positive note, I don't have to cook for awhile.

We introduced them to Apples to Apples and had a great time getting to know each other better. They asked about our homeschooling and not surprisingly we received a favorable response. Most people have no trouble understanding why we homeschool, but I'm sure they don't clearly understand how we homeschool. In any event, its comforting to know we have great neighbors who won't question why the boys don't board the bus each morning.

I've started an online nature journal for our family at enature.com . We started listing the birds we've spotted and every time we see a creature in person we'll add it to our list. DS12 wanted to add a Hammerhead shark, but since he's never actually seen one in person I said no. I did give him credit for the Stingray we petted last year.

DS9 and I have been busy making and trading ATCs every day. We've decided to commit to making at least one every day for each other.  I can't wait to fill up a binder with cards he's made! Years from now it will be fun to look back at his artwork. Still obsessed with Poptarts, he suggested we create our own flavors, so I made him a Pepperoni Pizza Poptart card, taking inspiration from last night's supper. He loved it. He proceeded to make crazy flavors, French Fry Poptart, Doritos Poptart. I guess it won't be too difficult to look back and remember what his favorite foods were when he was 9! 

I'm trying to be a supportive wife, but DH is in denial. He needs to wear his glasses. He can't read small print. Often when we dine out, I have to read the check for him. Today he didn't notice he was uploading tax software for 2006 rather than 2007. He was so upset. He had to spent a long time on hold waiting for someone to credit our card. Its been straightened out, but I think he is feeling badly for making this mistake, or he's realizing he needs to wear his glasses and this depresses him. I sent him out the door to get us Diet Cokes to relieve our stress. I hope he comes back in a better mood.

Speaking of Diet Coke, I think this is what I'll give up for Lent. I'm not Catholic, and I've never given up anything for Lent before, but this year I've decided to give it a try. I won't drink pop (soda, fizzy drink) after Tuesday.

Do you say pop or soda? Or maybe its fizzy drink? I grew up around Chicago and we said pop. When I lived in Minnesota, people called it soda. Here in southern Wisconsin I hear both pop and soda. After watching BBC America during every workout, I hear people in England say fizzy drink. I'm not adopting a British accent, but I like using the word fizzy drink! :) I caught myself saying "Loo" the other day too! :)

We're gearing up to watch the big game tonight. DS9 is going to cheer for the Patriots. I suppose I'll root for the Patriots as well, but I'm mostly going to watch the commercials!

My Diet Coke just walked in the door. Have a great SuperBowl Sunday!

Monthly quote from the cheesy calendar my insurance guy gave me

Rating:	★
Category:	Other

February- " AMBITION - Behind every achievement is someone who dared to try."

The photo for February is a sailboat.

Poptart Obsession

If I haven't been online as much its because I've been having to share the computer with DS9. He is obsessed with the Poptarts website, playing Poptart games. He saw me working on ATCs and then decided he wanted to make Poptart ATCs.

Starting at the top & then left to right; Strawberry Milkshake, Blueberry, French Toast, Cherry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Chocolate Caramel, Smores, Sprinkles with brown sugar cinnamon, Wild Berry, Chocolate cinnamon & sprinkles, Double Berry, Chocolate Chip, Hot Fudge Sundae.

I think they are cute! He's asked me to join his Poptart ATC club. I'll have to make some Poptart cards to trade with him.

I had a hilarious dream. I was working for Hugh Hefner. I was a Playmate, and I was making an appearance at a convention. At the same hotel there was a homeschooling conference going on. I was terrified people from my homeschooling circle would find out I was working for Playboy! Apparently my subconscious is struggling with my dual identify as homeschooling mother/sexy momma! LOL!

I want to spend money I don't have. I want to buy new spring clothes and new pjs. I had changed into floral flannels right after supper on Wednesday and DH said, "What's with the Granny pajamas?!" Hey, it was stupid cold outside and I wanted to hibernate, but after my Playboy gig, I'm thinking I deserve something nice.

I also feel like going crazy in a craft store. I want new papers. I want to make new cards and maybe even scrapbook. I haven't made a scrapbook page in forever. Last year I bought this pack of themed paper thinking I would at least make one page for every month of 2007. Well here we have one month down in 2008 and 11 to go.

Of course that means I should be taking photographs as well! I am so ashamed when I look at my pictures and realize I have nothing good. I think I'm too hyped up on having everything look perfect in a picture. I think I just should go for the candid look this year.

Maybe I'll sneak out of Family Fun movie night to go shopping. DH's weekly movie rental haul doesn't excite me; Saw IV, Dragon Wars, Hatchet, 13 Tzameti. He also picked up Bug's Life and Scooby Doo Zombie Island, but I've seen those.

Well, I better get moving here and stop babbling. Hope you have a great weekend!