Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson is getting lots of attention for her looks lately (and it's not positive attention). She appears to have gained a few pounds and the rumor mills are all over it. Yes, it looks like she's not in the same shape she was in while filming Dukes of Hazzards, but I also think she isn't making good wardrobe choices. Looks kind of like she's wearing high-waisted "mom" jeans. While I do think it's unfortunate these ladies are getting unwanted and unfair media coverage regarding their weight (Tyra Banks, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Britney when she was all messed up, etc.), I do also think they make their living based on their image so, when that image changes for the worse, there is going to be some scrutiny. Kind of works both ways -- you loved the attention when you looked great, not loving it so much when you're not looking your best.

Playschool = Happiness

Not sure what to file this under: sweet? weird?? intuitive? none-of-her-business???

Driving home from carpool yesterday and KJ asked me: "Mommy, have you found a job yet?" (I'm not actively looking but if something fell into my lap.....).
My response: "No, honey. Why?"
KJ: "Well, I really liked it when you worked at the Playschool."
Me: "Oh yeah??? Why?"
KJ: "I dunno, you just seemed happier when you worked there."

Lunch w/ the Hubster, then some Errands

FYI -- this is NOT Chris. I repeat, this is NOT Chris.

Walked into Wrapsody today and they not only greeted me by name, but like a long lost friend. Kind of like Norm from Cheers. Holy shit, I obviously shop there too much. Can't help it. It's my go-to store for gifts. I bought a $10 Sweet & Sassy gift card for Gabi and then took it downstairs to Wrapsody and bought one of the Vera Bradley zip-clips in the new Purple Punch. They put the gift card in the front ID part and wrap it up so nice. Voila! Instant gift for a little "tween." That's my new little girl gift and the nice thing is Kendall doesn't have to be w/ me when I buy it, there's no drama at the store, no in-decisiveness, etc. It's a done deal. She loves giving the gift, her friends love getting it.

Met Chris at the mall for lunch today and I ordered the console table I've had my eye on for the upstairs hallway. Once that comes in, that project will be finis (that's French for finished)! I also went to Belk to get my Clinique. Bonus time is next week so I "pre-ordered" and paid for my stuff now but will have to go back and get it next week. T needs some make-up too but she can wait until Bonus time officially starts.

After the mall, Sweet & Sassy and Wrapsody, I ran over to Costco and bought a new set of silverware for 12. We had silverware for 12 at one point but either the girls are throwing away my silverware when they clean off the dinner table each night or we're slowly being robbed one piece at a time. I think we're down to 3 or 4 forks. While I was there I also bought a set of 24 new glasses (tumbler & high ball).

I also had to stop at the PakMail place and mail my dad his Snugi (or whatever the hell they're called). My mom had ordered it for him for Christmas for those very few days in FL when he needed something to snuggle up in on the couch. They were running a Buy One Get One free promotion (plus a free reading light with each order!!!) so my mother thought KJ would like the other one. She placed her order on-line and had them shipped here considering they were coming here for Christmas anyway. Well, the package just arrived Monday afternoon. So, I now had to mail my dad's Snugi to him (think the temps in FL have been in the high 70's; I'm sure he's just gonna love that Snugi!). The kick in the pants was that it cost me $12 to mail the package. I think my mom originally paid $19.99 for TWO Snugi's and TWO reading lights. Yeah, I think I'm getting robbed.

Trying to Catch Up

Haven't blogged since Monday; very un-like me.

KJ stayed home from School tuesday. She had a bit of the sniffles, a sore throat, etc. She probably could have gone to school so it ended up being more of a "mental health" day. She did, however, want everyone in Blogland to know that despite the fact she was home, she was working on her Expo project (which is really due some time in early March). She is researching Juilette Lowe and the history of Girl Scouts.

Tuesday was a little crazy -- Chris had Varsity lax practice, T had to dance at her last basketball game so I picked her up and rushed her & KJ to their 5:30 PM dance class and from there I drove up to the lax store to sit w/ one of our new emplyees and show 'em the ropes. Picked KJ up by 7:30 PM and ran thru the drive-thru at Chik-Fil-A. Chris & T got home a little after 9 PM. Last night ended up being relatively quiet. The Alabama lax team was coming up to play Birmingham-Southern. The Alabama team had asked Chris if he would open up the store for them prior to game time and then he wanted to go to BSC to watch the game. Trey had everything under control at the store so Chris came home rather than freeze his butt off at the game. T was also supposed to stay after school and catch up on a test but her teacher was out yesterday so she was home earlier than expected.

I've started my Valentine's Day decorating but I think I'm missing a box. I think I broke one of my favorite heart shaped dishes last year but I still think I'm missing a few other things. Anyway, Valentine's is one of my favorite holidays to decorate the house. Feel the love!

Tonight has the potential to be busy, too. Chris has Varsity lax and T has a dance class. She also told me yesterday they have a MANDATORY dance team meeting however I've yet to see any information from the coach. We also need to get to the mall. It's Clinique Bonus time @ Belk and KJ needs to get a b-day gift for her friend Gabi's Friday night sleep-over.

I can't believe how cold I am today. My feet are freezing. I would just love to curl up on the couch w/ KJ's Snuggie.

Sunny Monday

the sun is out and my car thermometer read 61 this afternoon while I was out running some errands. I met Chris for lunch at a Mexican place by his office (now I smell like a chicken fajita).

KJ had a scout meeting yesterday and Evvy came over for a little while to play. Chris & the girls made homemade pizzas for dinner. It was a very low-key day.

Tonight is one of T's last basketball games and then her freshman dance career is pretty much over. She has a performance the evening of February 7 and she also mentioned participating in a Mardi Gras parade @ Patton Creek. The girls are scheduled to audition for Buccannettes the week they return from Spring Break. T's a bit nervous (she knows what it's like to make it one year and not the next) but even more so this go around: only 1 girl is graduating this year. So that means all the girls on the freshman team and all the girls on the current Buccannette squad will all be trying out. YIKES! I'm sure there are several girls that won't try-out in the spring but competition is going to be fierce. I think there were alot of freshman girls that didn't want to be on the freshman team and are waiting to be a Buccannette so that just adds to the stress.

Between Chris & T (have no idea about KJ yet), we, as a family, will have lacrosse 6 out of 7 nights. O.M.G. What in the hell were we thinking?? KJ is all signed up for softball so she'll actually be doing two sports in the spring (although lacrosse at her age is minimal). Chris is trying to talk me into going to Atlanta for Valentine's weekend. There's a big lacrosse game going on (I can't remember which teams are playing) but it's several guys that Chris has gotten to know over the years and I know he'd really like to see them play. Very, very romantic . . . me, Chris & the two girls in a hotel room somewhere in Atlanta on Valentine's Day. True togetherness.

7-Carats

PHOENIX - Just a case of plumb luck.
It took a plumber to retrieve a woman's 7-carat diamond ring after city workers failed in efforts to flush the gem out of the pipes of a restaurant toilet.
The $78,000 engagement ring fell from Allison Berry's hand when she flushed the toilet in the restroom of the Black Bear Diner on Jan. 14. The ring plopped in and the water whisked it away, said Elena Castelar, the restaurant's shift manager.City workers opened a pipe outside the restaurant and continuously flushed the toilet, hoping to push the ring out to the opening. When that didn't work, the city called the office in suburban Tempe of Mr. Rooter, a plumbing services franchise based in Waco, Texas.
"This is going to be like dredging for a treasure chest in the ocean," Mike Roberts, general manager of Mr. Rooter, said at the time.
Roberts guided a tiny video camera into the pipe with an infrared light attached. He eventually spotted the ring just 3 feet down and 5 feet over from where it was flushed.
Then it took an hour-and-a-half of jackhammering and pipe removal before Roberts and a technician could recover the ring, eight hours after it fell in the toilet.
"They always say diamonds are a girl's best friend. In this case, a plumber is a girl's best friend," Roberts said. "She was just so excited, she had tears in her eyes. She gave us a hug and said 'Thank you so much.'"
The Mr. Rooter bill came to $5,200 and the city's bill was $1,000.
Berry, of Eureka, Calif., and her fiance also tipped Roberts and the technician $400 each and gave $200 to a diner employee for staying late.

What struck me about this whole story is what are a man & a woman who can afford a $78,000, 7-carat ring doing eating in a diner? Slumming? What time did this occur? Where they drunk? That's the only time I've ever been to a diner -- after a late, late night of heavy drinking. Also, another note to this story: obviously government employees just can't get the job done right the first time.

Are you for real???

The guy's been in the White House since Tuesday and we're already polling his approval ratings? As far as I'm concerned, Tuesday doesn't really count because all he did was get sworn in, walk in a parade and go to lots of fancy parties. Excuse me. Balls. So really, how many days are we looking at? 3 full days? Wednesday, Thursday & Friday??? What time on Friday was the poll conducted? The reason I'm asking is because if it was Friday morning and then they had to compile the information and post poll results by Friday afternoon, techincally that shouldn't be considered a full day either. Sheesh. How come nobody called me? I'd gladly give them my opinion.

Associated PressPublished: January 24, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP) - A new poll reports about a two-thirds approval rating of Barack Obama’s first days as president.
The Gallup Organization on Saturday said 68 percent of Americans approve of Obama’s first three full days as the nation’s chiefexecutive. That’s a number near the high end for new presidents, but short of President John F. Kennedy’s 72 percent in 1961.
Gallup’s poll found that 12 percent in the survey disapprove of Obama’s job performance. That number is typical of all presidents. The telephone interviews of 1,591 adults were conducted Wednesday to Friday. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Campbell Brown

Interesting article from CNN's Campbell Brown (I love people w/ really cool names!!!)

(CNN) -- Just a couple of nights ago, we heaped praise on the new president for announcing what he called a new era of openness, where in his administration, transparency would rule the day.
And the lobbyists that he was so critical of during the campaign? Well, he told us they will now face even tougher new restrictions.
President Obama: "The executive order on ethics I will sign shortly represents a clean break from business as usual. As of today, lobbyists will be subject to stricter limits than under any other administration in history. If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied during the previous two years. When you leave government, you will not be able to lobby my administration for as long as I am president."
That's what he said two days ago. But as we first told you Thursday, and sadly we are learning more about this Friday, President Obama already wants an exception to his own rule.
You see, what happened is, there is this former lobbyist for a big defense contractor called Raytheon. His name is William Lynn.
President Obama wants him to be deputy defense secretary. So, the Obama administration wants a waiver to its own rule.
That basically means they are saying, we will mostly put tough new restrictions on lobbyists, except when we won't.
Really? Is this how it is going to be?
Please, please don't make us all any more cynical than we already are, Mr. President.
If you have no intention of abiding by your new rules, then don't make new rules. That would be "actual" transparency.

Nancy Grace / Anthony Family

I'm watching Nancy Grace right now and my heart just goes out the George Anthony. He's at the end of his rope (I know that's a terribly poor choice of words tonight). Apparently the poor guy went "missing" and was contemplating suicide. They found him in time (I think via cell phone "pings" from different cell phone towers) and tonight he is in the hospital getting the help he needs. He seemed liked he was the only one in that family w/a grip. The mother, Casey, is obviously a total whack-job, the grandmother is just plain clueless. George was the only one who really seemed to have an idea of what his daughter was truly capable of. It was only a matter of time before the poor guy snapped. I can't even begin to imagine what he and his wife have gone thru. They've lost a granddaughter and a daughter. What a tough position to be in: you want to believe your daughter but need to know what happened to your granddaughter. I'll be thinking of him tonight; he didn't ask for any of this.

P.S. Nancy Grace unwittingly cracks me up. She won't even call Casey Anthony by name; she just refers to her as "Tot Mom."

TGIF

and boy do I mean it! Even though this was a short week, I felt like it's lasted forever. I've been fighting a head cold or something this week. I've had a bad headache and felt very dizzy.

Chris had his first lacrosse practice of the season last night. KJ & I stopped by after we took T to her dance class. I sat in the car but from what I could see, everyone looked like they were doing well. He had to divide the kids up by experience and age. I hope Austin didn't think I was spying on him. Prior to T's dance class, we had a girls lax meeting at the high school. We're having a tough time filling the team. There are a couple of senior girls that have decided not to play (for whatever reason) and we just didn't do a good job of recruiting younger girls (middle-schoolers/freshmen).

My dear darling husband and I had a bit of a "disagreement" last night and he told me I've been very cranky and negative since Obama was elected into office (so, I guess, according to Chris, I've been bitchy since early November). Yes, I'm cranky. And I'm mad. I know the following comments are going to sound strange coming from a stay-at-home mom who doesn't work outside of the home, but I just feel like lately everyone has their hand out. I was on PTO at my daughters' school for 4 years. I saw/heard people standing on line at registration bragging about they're not going to give a class donation or the PTO donation and then they'd hop into their shiny new Escalade. People just seem to have a certain sense of "entitlement" these days. I remember when I worked at the playschool, parents would come in and say, "I want my child to go to this playschool but can you waive the $100 registration fee? or can you give me a break on tuition?" No. Sorry, but maybe this isn't the playschool for you. These were just random folks off the street, not parishioners who may be giving back to the church in other ways. Same thing with sports. "My son wants to play but I can't afford the registration fee (or the equipment)." Well, then maybe you should find another sport. Maybe our kids need to learn about disappointment instead of just having everything handed to them. Just because something is out there or is available, doesn't mean everything is up for negotiation or should be given to you. I can't walk into Wal-mart and tell the store manager that I'd really like to buy this tube of toothpaste but need him to knock a few bucks off the price. Now, I have choices. I can go to another store, I can clip coupons or I can buy a generic brand at the dollar store. I've been thinking about getting some friends together and going to Sips & Strokes one night. Money's been tight lately but I'm not going to walk in there and tell Wendy, the owner, that I'd really like to paint tonight but just don't have the money for it and instead of $25, I need her to let me paint for $15. Not gonna happen. My choices: cut back somewhere else (maybe don't go out to eat this week) or simply don't go. There were several local articles recently about area schools looking for donations to send kids to the inauguration. You've had since November to fund-raise. Maybe you didn't utilize your time wisely or, maybe, just maybe, you shouldn't go if you can't afford it. Did that ever enter your mind???

I came across this article on http://www.al.com/ and this is a prime example of what's been making me so damn cranky:

Alabama to consider program to provide free cell phones to poor residents
Posted by Stan Diel--Birmingham News January 23, 2009 6:00 AM
Alabama today may join the small number of states where government-subsidized, prepaid cell phones are available free to the poor.
The state board that regulates 911 emergency service may vote this morning on a proposal that would allow Miami-based TracFone Wireless Inc. to give subsidized prepaid cell phones to people who qualify for government assistance, officials with the company said. As many as 560,000 households in Alabama could get a free cell phone and service under the proposal, said Jose Fuentes, the company's director of government relations.
The cellular plan, an extension of a federal program that subsidizes wired telephone service for the poor, includes a free phone, unlimited 911 service and 68 minutes of free talk time a month. Other common services, including caller ID and text messaging, are included for free.

Read that last sentence again: "Other common services, including Caller ID and text messaging, are included for free." Ummm, I have a 14-year old and would love to know how we could get free text messaging. I'm not talking unlimited text messaging because we pay a hefty monthly fee for that. I'm talking about free text messaging. A ton of people have commented on this article on-line and the comments are amazing. Some examples:

"Let's see, we gonna pay for yo house, yo health care and yo phone. Next thang, we gonna pay for yo car."

"I dont think this should happen at all, but IF it does, it should ONLY include 911 calls - nothing else. And DEFINITELY NOT text messaging. Good grief!!!!"

"Only liberals could conceive of another way for spending more taxes. There is no end to the unique programs which they can espouse in the name of compassion, caring, affordability, et cetera. Wouldn't it be more wonderful to have free haircuts available to those who can least afford to pay for a haircut? Now there's a cause that any good liberal could appreciate and promote."

"Sometimes I have to remind myself why I worked so hard to get an education and presently go to work everyday. If stuff like this is free, what are the ambitions of these people to ever try in life? There are probably some people out there that work only for health insurance and enough money to have a cell phone. Soon they can quit, because both are going to be handed to them. This is the stupidest thing I have ever read on Al.com."

"Gosh with so much free stuff from the government, I'm no longer concerned if I lose my job. I'll be taken care of!"

"If you see someone that looks as if they are struggling financially, typically you will notice 2 things about them. First, there is always a lit cigarette in their mouth and second they will have a cell phone with wireless ear piece used like an earring.
560,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN ALABAMA qualify? In Alabama that is 3 times the population of Jefferson County. It sounds like half of the state - it is possible."

"geez. Whats next? blue tooth in their ears in case they fall down and can't get TO their phones?"

"I guess this is more of the CHANGE too huh?
Now they will be calling 911 to order pizzas and to find the closest hair & nail salon. The rest of us will not be able to get through to 911 in an emergency!"

So, there you have it folks. Now you know a couple of reasons why I'm cranky & bitchy. I'm trying to do the best I can. Nothing will ever be handed to me or my children to make our lives easier. Unless they get academic or athletic scholarships, my children will not be going to college free. They will not be getting free sporting goods (unless they take lax stuff out of daddy's store) and we will not be getting free trips thanks to the generosity of others. This article on AL.com reminds me of the lady on the news a couple of months ago bitching about her FEMA trailer in New Orleans. She had a Huuuuuugggge Plasma TV but complained because the government installed the TV for her but won't pay for the premium channels on her cable. She also was not crazy about the color of the hardwood floors they laid down for her.

Day One: Color me Un-impressed

Day One of our new administration and so far and I'm not impressed. So much talk and emphasis has been placed on Mrs. Obama's outfit for the swearing in and her inaugural gown. She looked lovely. That's it. Lovely. I wouldn't use adjectives like "hope or change" when I describe her looks yesterday. She looked lovely, nothing more. I'm not being a hater but I saw a jacket dress yesterday and a ball gown last night. I didn't see "a ray of sunshine" or a "beacon of hope" or anything else. Let's not over-analyze folks. She woke up in the morning and got dressed like the rest of us. The Today show has spent hours this morning discussing Mrs. Obama's decision to go w/ a young, undiscovered designer and how that's indicative of what type of First Lady she's going to be. blah, blah, blah. She looked lovely. That's it. Oh, and BTW, pick a freakin' dog already.

I also did NOT appreciate certain points of Mr. Obama's inauguration speech. I found it tacky, rude and disrespectful for him to bash the prior administration while Mr. Bush was sitting a mere few feet away. Tracy Lev & I had this conversation the other night: I'm very, very disappointed in the "experts" and plain ol' folks that say GW will have one of the worst presidential legacies. These last 8 years were not easy =I would NOT have wanted to be in charge on 9/11 and the days that followed. I think GW was goofy as all get out but that made me respect him even more. He just always appeared approachable. As as good president should be. He (or someday "she") needs to be in touch w/ the citizens of this country. I loved it when he posed w/ the cadets graduating, the volleyball gals at the Olympics, etc. Good lord, the man has the weight of the free world on his shoulders, he needs to cut loose every once in a while. I loved seeing him w/ his daughters and I loved his relationship w/ his wife. She's so classy and elegant and maintained her composure at all times. Not a hint of scandal w/ Laura Bush, nothing controversial about her. She didn't have a hidden agenda like Hilary Clinton (i.e, her medical plan and later her own political aspirations). Laura Bush was simply there to support her husband.

Congratulations Mr. BHO

not only was this the most expensive inauguration EVER, but there were more troops in DC protecting him & his family than there were in Iraq tonight. Nice job.

Nobama

OMG. the guy hasn't even taken office yet and I am SO incredibly sick and tired of hearing about him and his family already --- what will his wife be wearing, what kind of dog are they getting, what will be the first song they dance to at the Inaugural Ball. I'm sickened and saddened at the constant comparisons between him and Mr. Lincoln. Other than the fact that they both hailed from Illinois, I just don't see it. He hasn't done anything yet to earn that comparison. The images out of Washington are disturbing to me. His face on t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. He is a pop cultural icon/phenomenon. Nothing more. The recent presidential race was merely a popularity contest and had nothing to do with real issues. I don't think I can take 4 years of this.

Sadie Hawkins

Chris & KJ went bowling this afternoon after Chris installed new light fixtures in the upstairs hallway, the foyer and the area right outside our bedroom door. We had those tacky '80's-looking brass light fixtures that really needed to go. So the upstairs hallway sitting area is starting to take shape -- new paint, new light fixtures, new curtains, new slipcover on the loveseat (not to mention the buffet lamps I got @ the lax auction! just need the table to put them on).

T & I went shopping for her Sadie Hawkin's dress today. She actually ended up w/ two dresses and has to decide on one so Austin can coordinate. The original plan was for her to buy both, see how formal/informal everyone else is going, then return one. They were both on sale for literally pennies so Chris told her to just keep both of them. One dress is gray and will look great w/ dark hose and black pumps. The other one is floaty-looking chiffon-y cranberry kind of color.

KJ is sleeping over her friends house (twin girls she goes to school with). She was SOOO excited! Now, if we can just get rid of T for the night .......

Long Weekend

Here it is, almost 11 PM Saturday night. Chris was in Huntsville pretty much all day at their lacrosse registration. We picked up Austin and met Chris at the movies. We saw "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler. It was pretty cute and funny. Adam Sandler is crazy. Afterward we grabbed a bite to eat.

Last night was the annual (maybe 3rd or 4th??) lacrosse auction. We had a lot of fun! I got a brown silk purse for T (but when I got it home she told me she didn't really like it. oh well; I only paid $5 for it. I'm sure someone in the house will use it!). I also won 2 buffet lamps to put upstairs in the hallway on the table I haven't bought yet, a black wrought iron mirror and 2 decorative wrought iron wall art thingy's -- one is painted white and I think it might look like nice in T's room. There were some really neat things up for auction: a mini-trampoline, lots of books, a couple of wine gift baskets, some golf clubs, tools, restaurant gift cards, a couple of Southern Living items, etc. One of the dads is a professional chef somewhere and he donated his services -- gourmet cookies hand delivered to your house for the next 6 months. Tracy donated an awesome custom tailgating bowl that everyone fussed over. There was an intense bidding war and it sold for either $35 or $40.

Is it Thursday Already??

Been busy the last couple of days! Tuesday I checked T and a couple of other girls from the Freshman Dance Team out of school around 1 PM and drove them to Huntsville for a hip-hop dance lesson w/ last year's winner of "So You Think you Can Dance" Joshua Allen. He was really, really cool and very appropriate for this age level/experience level. He made it all look so easy. So far, T has danced w/ 2 winners of SYTYCD: Joshua Allen and Benji Schwimmer (she danced w/ him in Atlanta in November).

Trying to think what I did yesterday. Obviously it couldn't have been too exciting if I don't even remember it. I do remember that everyone was home last night and we played a couple games of Apples to Apples. That game is SO much fun! We get really silly and it's a great family game. KJ struggles w/ some of the definitions but that makes it even that much funnier. One of the green cards was "Perfection." I had "Brad Pitt" as one of my responses. BINGO! While we were all sitting at the dinner table last night we went over every one's calendar for the next couple of days and tried to plan a menu. I've never really done a menu before (I usually just fly by the seat of my pants so this should be pretty interesting). Lacrosse season starts next week and it's really difficult to want to cook a nice meal when Chris isn't even walking in the door before 9 PM (this coming from someone who doesn't even like to cook in the first place!).

Today I picked up our family portraits that we had taken at Sears' when everyone was in for the holidays. They came out pretty good and I've already got some up in frames. I had the pic of me, Chris & the girls done in black & white and I'm pretty happy w/ it. I went to Roly Poly to get a wrap to go and while I was nearby I made KJ's hair appointment @ Sweet & Sassy for the Father/Daughter dance in February. She wanted the "Spa Package" but I told her that just wasn't happening at 9 years old. I also stopped at Costco while I was in the area. I want Kayne West's new CD but they didn't have it there. I didn't think of looking for it while I was at the mall. I also ran into the home section at Belk's. I'm on the hunt for a new comforter set for our bedroom. I kind of have to stay w/ in our painting parameters since there is no way in hell I'm gonna be able to get Chris to paint that bedroom again. So, I'm kind of stuck in the brown / sage kind of family. He's in for a shock when I start taking the wallpaper down in KJ's bathroom and that has to spackled, sanded and painted. fun. fun. fun. Nothing but good times.

Trixie's been really really cute the last couple of days. She's learning how to go up and down the stairs. I know that sounds fairly minor but seriously -- she has the teeny-tiniest little legs you've ever seen. Today when I came home from running my errands I took her right outside and placed her on the grass at the bottom of the deck steps so she could do her business. I left the french doors open while I got my lunch laid out, my magazine, etc. I turned around and she was back in the house! She had climbed up the steps by herself and came right in the house. I feel like a proud mommy! I actually e-mailed Chris at work w/ the heading "Guess what our Big Girl did today!" I'm sure he thought I was referring to one of the girls. I take her in the car w/ me every afternoon when I pick-up KJ in the carpool line. The older kids who open up the car door lose their minds when they see her sitting in the back seat and go crazy over her. It's been really nice having a dog in the house again!

Golden Globes Fashion

Here are my thoughts on last night's Golden Globes (in case someone is interested! hahaha)

My personal favorite was Drew Barrymore. She's getting a lot of crap today about the hair but I think she looks very Marilyn Monroe. Very, very sexy. I think big hair, not big old lady Texas hair, but voluminous hair is very sexy. Her eye make-up is perfect. I think she looks like a very blonde Sophia Lauren. A young Ann Margaret.

Hated Eva Mendes' dress. I don't think it fit her properly in the chest. All night long it looked like the darts were off or something. I know nothing about dress making but the seams look crooked.

I normally love Cameron Diaz. Last night she looked like shit. She need her roots done and the dress looked like a bad prom dress.

I hate Renee Zellweger. She always looks like she has a horrible puss on her face. Never smiles. Having said that, I usually love her relationship w/ Carolina Herrara (I think she and Diane Von Furstonberg are 2 of the most glamarous women on the planet -- please forgive the spelling of their last names). I have no idea what the hell happened to Renee Zellweger last night. The dress was horrifying and the view from the back was even worse than the front. Yuck.

Although I don't have a picture of her, I also thought Jennifer Lopez looked horrible. I also liked Kyra Sedgewick's dress and I though Kate Beckingsale looked stunning. BTW, what was up w/ Rumer Willis' hair color??? Was she purposefully trying to match her hair to her dress? What a distraction. There you have it folks! I'll be here all week! Try the veal!

Sadie Hawkins

Tonight T asked Austin to the Sadie Hawkins dance. It was really cute (and really cold out in his front yard!). She made a couple of yard signs and stuck them in his front lawn: "Austin, Will You" "Go To" "Sadie Hawkins" "With Me???" She held up the last sign in front of her and she had a big arrow pointed up to her face. I called from the car and told him I had a box of lacrosse equipment that Chris thought he might like to have but the box was really heavy and I needed him to come out and get it. KJ and I were parked incognito a couple of driveways away. So, the poor guy came outside thinking he was getting a big box of lax equipment but all he got was asked to the Sadie Hawkins dance. ha! ha! No, seriously, he had even told his parents that T hadn't asked him yet. So know the fun begins -- shopping for a Sadie Hawkins dress. Yippee.

Saturday was Amanda & Nathan's wedding. We had such a great time! Amanda looked gorgeous, Judy looked spectacular, the bridesmaid's dresses were beautiful, the food was great. The DJ was awesome and everyone had a wonderful time. KJ danced her little booty off. T, Molly, ME and all the other freshman girls had fun flirting and dancing w/ the drunk fraternity boys. Rory & Judy were remarkably calm throughout the entire evening. There were alot of wonderful little touches throughout the night that made it very special. I can't believe they had only been engaged one short year. They really pulled off a beautiful wedding.

FYI -- this blog

will no longer be "invite" only. Based on my heart-to-heart comments w/ my family, they feel my blog is my outlet for self-expression and I should not allow someone to dictate my thoughts or feelings. This is America, dammit!!! Free speech and all that great stuff!
Now, having said that, I will make a more conscious effort to not mention my beloved brother, niece or nephew.
So sorry for the confusion and the unnecessary drama.

Lovely Spa Day Thursday

I had a very nice relaxing spa day -- mani, pedi & massage. I have a really weird way of holding my shoulders when I'm watching TV or on the computer or even while driving. I find myself sort of curling inward (which probably explains a lot of my headaches. I'm also starting to clench my teeth/jaw again -- gee! I wonder why???). Anyway, the masseuse really worked my upper back yesterday and I felt like mush when I walked out of there.

Chris got home fairly early last night and we had a nice family dinner. He offered to drive T to dance for me and surprised me by taking KJ for a haircut on the way home. She's been wanting to grow her hair long but it didn't really have any shape or style. She cut her bangs and took a couple inches off the end. Even she admits it looks a lot better!

Oscar Night

I think Sunday night is the Golden Globes but I swiped this list from my Entertainment Weekly magazine:

The 25 Movies you need to See Before Oscar Night

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Slumdog Millionaire

Milk

Frost/Nixon

The Dark Knight

Doubt

Revolutionary Road

Wall-E

The Wrestler

Gran Torino

The Reader

Rachel Getting Married

Changeling

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Tropic Thunder

Happy Go Lucky

The Visitor

I've Loved You So Long

Frozen River

Nothing But the Truth

Man on Wire

Synechdoche, New York

The Duchess

Defiance

Austraila

Out of all these wonderful movies, the only one I've seen in The Dark Night. Chris got the DVD for Christmas (and I didn't really care for it). I did catch "Horton Hears a Who" and loved it. 2 thumbs up! Way Up!

So I've calmed down a bit today

but boy was I on fire Tuesday and Wednesday. I totally and readily admit I shouldn't have posted the pics of the kids on-line, however, my ex-sister-in-law's attitude and obnoxious comments sent me over the edge.

I'm trying to think "zen" today. I'm getting a mani, a pedi and a massage a little later this morning. I'd like to come home from my massage, peel myself out of the car, make my way up the stairs and pour myself in bed. I know that's not going to happen because I have to get KJ @ the bus stop and T has dance tonight. I think Chris also has some stuff he needs me to ship out. I should probably also look for a wedding gift for Amanda and Nathan while I'm out. Gee, and a dress would be nice too.

Just once . . .

I'd like to have normal family members. I have one member of my family who is a complete and utter emotional vampire and sucks the life out of me and I have another member of my family who completely sucks the joy out anything I try to do (however, her side of the family is allowed to do whatever they want -- they're perfect). Keep pushing me folks. You're pushing yourselves right out of my life. Remember my little happy club??? Get your invite yet???

Who the Hell Invented the Junk Drawer, anyway?

(left: T's New Year's Eve outfit)

OMG! I just spent the last couple of hours cleaning out 4 (yes 4!!) freaking junk drawers. I know, I know. It's my fault the drawers got that way in the first place but today I was able to consolidate one of the bigger drawers so now instead of 4 drawers, I have 3. The Chinese food place we eat at uses these neat, low flat black covered plastic containers. I used a couple of them to organize the pens, the markers, the scissors, the rubberbands, the batteries, etc. Ta-da!

Another gray, dreary, rainy gray in the big ol' Ham today. The girls got to school just fine. I never even actually saw T this morning but KJ looked nice in her new jeans and pink striped shirt. T's supposed to dance half-time of today's freshman basketball game and both girls have studio dance. While they're at the studio, I really need to get to the mall and look for a dress to wear to Amanda's wedding. I've made my spa appoinment for a mani-pedi and a massage for Thursday. Aaaahhhhh. Looking foward to it!

Christmas is slllooooowwwly coming down. The big tree is still up, the girls have removed and packed up their own ornaments. I've also got most of my Christmas china packed away. So much to do, so little time.

Last Day before School Starts

Took Trixie to the Vet this morning. She did so well. She didn't whimper or cry or even make so much as a squeak. We did opt for the micro chip and it went in very smoothly. KJ, of course, hates any type of doctor (loves the dentist however). She started to cry when the Vet & I discussed the micro-chipping process and she asked the Vet to take Trixie in the other room to insert the chip. What can I say, she's so emotional and sensitive. Trixie weighs a whopping 2.4 lbs. which was a little shocking. I say that because even the vet assistant was surprised. When she picked Trixie up to put her on the scale, she guess-timated 1.9 lbs.

From the Vet we met Chris at O'charley's for lunch. From there we went to the mall to find KJ a dress to wear Amanda's wedding this weekend. She found a really cute black dress and we also found 2 pairs of jeans that fit her. She also spent a couple of her Limited Too gift cards on t-shirts. Apparently Limited Too will now become Justice. KJ will also wear this dress for the Father/Daughter dance in February and T has decided to wear her homecoming dress to the wedding. I still have nothing to wear and I have no idea what to give them as a gift. I could really use some ideas. In NY, the bride and groom rec'v monetary gifts, no presents. I wouldn't even know what is an appropriate wedding gift for an evening wedding. Also, do I bring it to the reception or should I take it to Judy's the day of the wedding or the day after???

Any comments or suggestions would be deeply appreciated. Thank you.

Resolutions (a little late)

It's the 4th of January. 4 days into the New Year. Although it's taken me a couple of days, I think I've come up w/ a resolution I can live with. Everyone always makes the same ol' resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, etc. This year I have decided I will no longer deal with drama queens or emotional vampires (people who suck the life out of you). I have a couple of these people in my life and I am officially done with each and everyone of you.

I will no longer recognize the individuals who consistently and constantly leave me drained when we speak on the telephone or in person. I have had it up to here with your "woe is me" attitude. I don't want to hear about your shitty husband and how living with him is such a disappointment. Please remember this is the same husband you gush about at parties when he finally does something right and you bore all of us when you talk about your sex life in great detail. When you do finally decide to divorce, I don't want to hear about it, no matter how messy it gets. I don't want to hear about your perfect, wonderful children, your financial problems or your emotionally disturbed past. You've made your choices in life, now deal with them.

Do not call me under the pretense of wishing me a happy birthday, a happy mother's day or a happy ground hog's day and end up talking about yourself for over an hour. Oh, and one more thing --- I don't ever again want to hear you say "Why didn't I know about this (whatever "this" is)?" "How come no one in the family to us XYZ?? Stop playing the victim. No one told you anything and you didn't know about it because you repeatedly monopolize the conversation. W4hen you call to discuss the problems you've been having w/ your crazy sister or talk about your psycho mother, you didn't ask after anyone else. You didn't even have the decency to ask about my husband or my girls. Shit. You didn't even ask about the weather here. The conversation, as always, was all about you. No one was able to get a word in edge-wise. So you missed out. Sorry. Better luck next time. Maybe your manners will return to you at some point.

Oh, and one more thing. Stop butting into your children's lives. Let them learn how to fight their own battles and they'll do just fine in life. If you insist on getting involved and writing people nasty e-mails, be sure you have your facts right (and for God's Sake, please learn how to use spell-check -- nothing funnier than an angry e-mail from a 44-year old woman riddled with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You look stupid when you accuse people of stuff that they didn't even come close to doing. Oh, one last thing. Don't ever threaten me. I will take you up on your offer and you will lose.

So, from now on, I'm only surrounding myself w/ loving, happy, caring people. If you do not receive an invite to my happy party, consider yourself out of of my life.

Had a nice night

Had a crown put on one of my back teeth late this afternoon. I had a root canal the end of September, had a temporary crown put on in December and now the permanent crown is in. T was really cute -- she was worried if I was going to be OK to drive home. She asked if I wanted her to come to the appointment w/ me so she could drive me home in the event of an emergency. I would have taken her up on her offer if she wasn't only 14.

KJ is spending the night at her friend Lindsey's house. Lindsey and KJ have been friends for years (I think KJ's known Maggie the longest, Lindsey the 2nd longest). Lindsey was very excited about Trixie and was dying to see her. So, when I took KJ over to Lindsey's we brought the dog. She was really dirty from being out in the mud in the backyard so we had her wrapped up in a towel. From Lindsey's house I picked up Austin to take him to dinner w/ me & T. T was still doing her hair and make-up so we had to come back to our house and get her. Poor Austin. I made him hold Trixie on his lap so I could drive. Austin, T & I had a nice dinner out and then I dropped them back off at Austin's house to watch the Alabama game. Austin's mom volunteered to drive T home after the game. So, I've had a couple of hours to myself tonight.

I saw on tonight's news that John Travolta's son, Jett, died in the Bahamas today. How terrible.

Regarding the Alabama game, I really hate to see JPW go out like this. I think he's a great kid and I would have liked to see him go out on top. Can't believe Utah is the only undefeated team in the nation.

If Alabama loses tonight, please

feel free to blame my oldest daughter. She didn't wear the houndstooth ball cap she rec'd for Christmas. Also, I hold her fully responsible for Penn State's loss last night as well. She refused to change into her new Penn State jersey from Uncle Stephen & Aunt Bethany prior to kick-off. She only changed into the jersey when Penn State was losing really, really bad. She has no sense of urgency and doesn't realize that her actions (or lack of action in these instances) directly impact Bowl Game results.