Manic Monday 6/29/09

What is the longest love relationship (partner) you have had, and if it has ended, why?

I'm married to the partner I've been with the longest. We met August 19, 1994 so as of August 19, 2009 we've been together 15 years, married 13 1/2. Wow. Doesn't seem like it's been that long!

What is on your bedside table?

Gawrsh. Let me see if I can remember. There is an alarm clock/sound machine/CD player thing (I never use the CD player part!). I have a bottle of the Drenched in Pink Victoria's Secret lotion, some Target brand Aveeno-type lotion for dry skin (for my feet!), a cordless phone that needs to be replaced because the one we have doesn't live long once it's off the cradle (and it needs to be hung on the WALL to give me more table space!) a box of tissues (rests on top of the alarm clock), a lamp and both sets of TV buttons (TV ones and DISH network ones... I hate having 2 sets of buttons!)

How many pillows do you have on your bed? Do you make your bed every day?

I don't know how many pillows are on the bed. I would guess about 6 or 7. My husband only needs one of those to sleep. The rest are mine. I have to have one to hold onto and usually stack three up to sleep on. I cannot sleep flat on my back, and I do not stay still at night. My husband sleeps on his back in the same position all night long and falls asleep really quickly. I envy his ability to do that.

Friday Fill Ins 6/26/09

1. She had a great time at camp. I knew she would! Now she's home and she loves what we did to her room. I missed her so much!

2. My husband is by my side, always. Maybe not physically there all the time, but I know he'll always be there for me.

3. I know this: I have been blessed beyond measure and I have done nothing, not one thing, to deserve it all.

4. I have a hard time sitting still for long.

5. These words apply to me: happy, content, amazed.

6. This morning the sun was shining.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out to the restaurant of Camryn's choice to celebrate her homecoming from camp. Tomorrow my plans include finishing the many loads of laundry that have piled up this week while I was playing decorator, and of course, church! Sunday, I want to do nothing!

I once was lost but now I'm found...

You know what that is right there?

It's a pink iPod (and a very poorly lit picture, I know).

It's been MIA for a couple of months or more, last seen in the garage.

We looked high and low.

We looked low and high.

But not high enough.

Because today when the hubby went out to fetch some tools off a high shelf, the iPod jumped on him.

Camryn is going to be over the moon when she gets back from camp tomorrow.

Welcome home, tiny pink Nano. We missed your Hannah Montana, your Demi Lovato, your sounds from the threshold of teenagerhood.

Good to have you back, because we missed being ignored under the guise of Camryn listening to your tunes.

Manic Monday 6/22/09

Do you usually wear perfume/cologne? If so, what's your current favorite?

I don't wear it on a daily basis. I do use perfumed lotion, and my current favorite is Drenched in Pink from Victoria's Secret. I also have the body spray in that scent. I have 3 bottles of the lotion stationed in convenient places: the den table next to where I sit on the couch, my bathroom counter and beside the bed. My skin is so dry in the winter and gets dried out when I sit in the sun. I like having the lotion handy.

What's the last book you've read that you thought was really good? If you don't have one, what looks promising on your to-be-read list?

I just finished Columbine by Dave Cullen. It was really fascinating and disturbing at the same time. It gave me a fresh perspective on the Columbine High School tragedy. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since that happened.

Fill in the blank: I wouldn't be caught dead _________.

...wearing black pantyhose with white shoes.

Manic Monday 6/15/09

What is the last song that was stuck in your head and how did you get rid of it?

A friend of mine posted something about Northern Michigan on her Facebook last week, and that Kid Rock song "All Summer Long" got stuck in my head ("It was summertime in Northern Michigan...") It didn't last long once I put my ear buds in and started playing music from my iPhone.

If you had to say what one thing in your life best represents your freedom, what would it be?

The Sparrow.

"So I'll sing because I'm happy.
And I'll sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me."

If you were invited to the White House for dinner tonight, what would you wear from your current wardrobe?

I have nothing appropriate for dinner at the White House in my current wardrobe. If Obama doesn't want me in shorts and a tee shirt, I guess I'll have to turn down his dinner invitation.

Huh. Who knew?

How do you entertain a 6 year-old boy and a 4 year-old girl?

Give them 3 12-packs of Diet Pepsi cans and let them pop them and pour them into the sink.  They're thoroughly entertained for as long as it takes to pour out 36 cans of rancid soda.

How do I know this?

Funny you should ask.

Hubby popped a can of Diet Pepsi and poured it over ice about 30 minutes ago.

"Is THIS how Diet Pepsi tastes?" I heard him say, rather disgustedly.

(Bless his heart.... we're out of Coke Zero and we've worked our way to the Diet Pepsi in the back of the pantry...)

"Taste this!"

(Why is it that we do EXACTLY THIS when someone grimaces and passes us something that makes their face twist and lips pucker as they utter an expletive?)

What I pulled through the straw protruding from his plastic cup was unswallowable.  It literally sat in a puddle on my tongue.  I grabbed a Kleenex and spat.

Beyond disgusting.

Hubby upended the can to check the expiration date.

March 2008.

Just so you know, there is a reason for those dates printed on the bottom of cola cans.

Don't say I didn't warn ya.

On a side note, we now have some space free on the pantry floor.

Friday Fill Ins 6/5/09

1. When I'm at Disney World, I don't want to think about coming home.

2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been something I pulled out of our freezer. I'm on a "clean out the freezer!" kick. We've been eating out way too much lately. Now that the kids are out of school (yea!) and I have more time during the day, I can actually make homemade meals.

3. I'm glad there's not a dog in our neighborhood that goes bark! bark! bark!

4. A nice long walk is not my idea of a good time. I'd much rather swim.

5. I'm always in the mood for some good news.

6. When all is said and done, then there's nothing more to say or do ; )

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to Kanpai for Japanese to celebrate today being the last day of school for Camryn & Aiden. Tomorrow my plans include a possible trip to the neighborhood pool (if it doesn't rain), then church. Sunday, I want to start thinking about what to pack for our trip to Myrtle Beach next week. I'm really looking forward to being at the beach, because we didn't go last year and I missed it!

A hunting we will go...

It never ceases to amaze me, the creativity of my children. There are days when they can entertain themselves for hours using only their imaginations plus a few (thousand) Legos or a can full of Tinkertoys. Then there are the days when the phrase "I'M BORED!" seems to constantly echo throughout the walls of our home.

Today is a creative day, thank goodness. Camryn and Aiden are still in school (2.5 days left!) so it's just me, Quinn and Lillian here today. I'm catching up on some TV while folding laundry and gift wrapping about 50 wooden blocks for Field Day on Thursday (dunno what they'll use them for, but I volunteered to make 'em pretty!)

So Quinn & Lillian just tiptoed stealthily out of Lillian's room. Quinn said, as he raised his Tinkertoy invention to the sky, "Mommy... we're pretending like we live really far out in the woods and we don't have any stores so we have to hunt for our food. This is my blaster," (Everything that shoots is a blaster to our kids, thanks to Star Wars...)

I nodded and praised the kids' ingenuity, then went back to my basket of clean clothes.

Moments later I heard, "Lillian! What stuff should we hunt?"

Lillian's reply?

"Sharks and hamburgers and chicken nuggets!"

Yeah, make sure to shoot a bag of crinkle fries and a gallon of barbeque sauce while you're out there in those woods, sweetheart.

And watch out for the red clown. He's a clever foe.