Have we become completely sensitized to the carnage that is still occurring over in Iraq? I think so. I myself am guilty of flipping the news station over to another one when they begin reporting of yet another car bombing or insurgent raid in Baghdad. But we have to stop drifting off, we have to continue to be aware. We need to keep talking about it, reading about it. We cant let the people over there become yet another Rwanda, where we turn our heads. You think Im talking about the US soldiers over there? Maybe a little bit, but no, not really. They signed up for this service. They knew when they raised their hand in the air to take whatever vow they take, that the reality of going somewhere dangerous was possibly in their future. That was a choice. Im not saying the reasons for them actually being over there is valid, not even minutely valid. But again, it was a choice to sign up for a military in which they served a government that always has ulterior motives, is never 100% honest, and no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise, is and will always be a smidgen corrupt. If they didn't realize these truths before signing away their lives into the service of the military then they should have probably done a little more research. I am grateful for them being there to protect my freedom when it actually needs protecting, for being there when they serve our country in a honest, proud and moral manner.
But back to the people we should still remember. The citizens, the children, the women, the men who just want to live, to work, and to be husbands and fathers. These people might have been oppressed before we invaded their country, but to be honest, we haven't made it much better for them. So, I hope and pray that the US can get their asses out of there without completely destroying our reputation as Americans and the peoples lives right along with it. You don't have to be pro or anti Bush to understand what Im saying. Why do we always have to choose sides? This is just my opinion. Love it or leave it. Read the link I attached, you cant hide your eyes from what's happening in the world, you cant refuse to feel to care or to understand. To be human, to accept that privilege, you have to care, you have to read, you have to acknowledge the realities of the world you live in.
PS. To look at the link I've attached, click on the title "Does anyone notice anymore?"
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Twilight Zone
I think I am going to go completely crazy. Here is why.
All day long, I am constantly throwing toys from my kitchen and dining room into the living room. They are then eventually piled up at the bottom of my stairs in an unattractive lump and the house rule is, you are not allowed to climb those stairs empty handed. I don't care what you take up, I don't care where you put it once you get up there. Sometimes its dirty clothes, sometimes toys, often handfuls of shoes, at night it's usually a sleeping child. But you have to take something.
Anyways, last night as I was cleaning up after dinner and like always, throwing toys into our living room. I lobbed a small toy makeup brush of Cailins into the living room, aimed at the bottom of the stairs which happens to be near the fireplace (which by the way, has a sliding chain curtain hanging across it, closing it off, very important info). The small pink and black makeup brush, at very high speed, hit right below the fireplace and then....COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED!!!
I swear on my own life that magic or witchcraft or some type of time continuum occurred in my house last night because that makeup brush is nowhere to be found.
I cleaned my living room, spotless, from top to bottom...nothing.
Looked inside the heater, on the other side of the room...nothing.
Took a fork and sifted through the minimal soot still in our fireplace from winter...nothing.
Took a flashlight, looked up inside the fireplace...nothing. (that would have been one talented makeup brush...or thrower)
Rolled up the rug, maybe it magically crawled under the heavy rug after ricocheting off the wall...nothing.
Looked on the mantel...nothing.
IT IS GONE. I swear it is no where to be found. I think Im going crazy. Steve said it came flying across the room at an extraordinary speed, but that wouldn't make it vanish?! Would it?? Did magic happen, did I break some sort of time warp? Will I find it 2 years from now randomly in the middle of the living room.
I cant talk about this any longer. I am seriously going a little batty from this whole experience. Doo-doo-doo-doo--Doo-doo-doo-doo (you have to hum the music from the Twilight Zone to get the full effect)
All day long, I am constantly throwing toys from my kitchen and dining room into the living room. They are then eventually piled up at the bottom of my stairs in an unattractive lump and the house rule is, you are not allowed to climb those stairs empty handed. I don't care what you take up, I don't care where you put it once you get up there. Sometimes its dirty clothes, sometimes toys, often handfuls of shoes, at night it's usually a sleeping child. But you have to take something.
Anyways, last night as I was cleaning up after dinner and like always, throwing toys into our living room. I lobbed a small toy makeup brush of Cailins into the living room, aimed at the bottom of the stairs which happens to be near the fireplace (which by the way, has a sliding chain curtain hanging across it, closing it off, very important info). The small pink and black makeup brush, at very high speed, hit right below the fireplace and then....COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED!!!
I swear on my own life that magic or witchcraft or some type of time continuum occurred in my house last night because that makeup brush is nowhere to be found.
I cleaned my living room, spotless, from top to bottom...nothing.
Looked inside the heater, on the other side of the room...nothing.
Took a fork and sifted through the minimal soot still in our fireplace from winter...nothing.
Took a flashlight, looked up inside the fireplace...nothing. (that would have been one talented makeup brush...or thrower)
Rolled up the rug, maybe it magically crawled under the heavy rug after ricocheting off the wall...nothing.
Looked on the mantel...nothing.
IT IS GONE. I swear it is no where to be found. I think Im going crazy. Steve said it came flying across the room at an extraordinary speed, but that wouldn't make it vanish?! Would it?? Did magic happen, did I break some sort of time warp? Will I find it 2 years from now randomly in the middle of the living room.
I cant talk about this any longer. I am seriously going a little batty from this whole experience. Doo-doo-doo-doo--Doo-doo-doo-doo (you have to hum the music from the Twilight Zone to get the full effect)
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Freedom!! (almost)
I lost my cat. My 15 year old, blind, hyperthyroid, high blood pressure, heart murmured, urinating cat. It has a happy ending, or not so happy, depending on who's side you are on, mine or the cat's.
Skeeter (the cat), had once again, pissed on my rug. In the same exact spot she has been pissing for the last month. Does she think it's her litter box? She is blind, but I don't buy that excuse for a second. She vindictively does this. I know she does. It's her way of getting back at the humans, showing them, us, even though we think we are in charge, she can still screw up my whole day and throw me completely off by just taking a little squat. I know its malicious, she has always been a non-litter box user.
It first began with her peeing on random articles of clothing that were laying on the floor, just her suttle way of telling us what slobs we were. Steve actually went to work in jeans that had been peed on the night before. He didn't notice until he got to work and this odd smell continued to follow him around. Most people would have gone home to change, bought new pants during lunch, no, not Steve, he plugged his nose and endured, like a man...a gross man. Once, the first night my good friend Tia and I moved in together, we were sitting watching a movie when Skeeter crawled up onto Tia's lap to cuddle, so we thought, but instead actually squatted on her lap and peed. Yes, she peed directly on top of her. She has peed on my leg while sleeping, on Steve's butt in the middle of the night. But, mostly she has it in for our 4 year old Cailin. When Cailin was first born, Skeeter tolerated her, but for some reason, when she got her own big girl bed, that was as much favoritism as this cat could handle. This cat peed on Cailin's bed almost every single day! I have never washed so much bedding in my life. Our laundry detergent bill was outrageous. Why did we keep her? She was my brother Mark's cat, and since he has since passed away, I definitely feel obligated to keep her around. Plus, she is 15 years old, and I think on her way out.
So, on Thursday, the day we were to get our carpets shampooed, Skeeter squatted right in front of me in her make shift, carpet litter box in my living room and peed right in front of me. Bitch!
I immediately threw her outside while I furiously scrubbed the spot. I continued to check on her every 30 minutes or so. Since we have an open back porch, I didn't want her wandering off (or did I?). I had some friends coming over to visit, so while I chatted with them for 1-1.5 hours, Skeeter was left to wander around blind as a bat. After they left, she was gone. Completely gone. I searched everywhere, but right before I was about to give up. I trotted up a steep embankment of a woodsy area, and there she was curled up in a ball laying in some pine needles. I thought that maybe a hawk had carried her off or something, she only weighs 4 lbs. But no, she just got lost. Actually crossed a parking lot magically without being hit by a car, avoided attack black birds that squawk and swoop down onto her and didn't get roughed up by any bully squirrels. I was slightly impressed. But now she is a kitchen, back porch only cat.
Our carpets are nice, shampooed and clean and no cat is allowed on them.
Would I be held accountable for my actions if I just stopped giving her her high blood pressure medication? When I stand and receive my judgment, will He consider that negligence, malicious, or even a little mini-murder? Would He look down on me for my actions? Could I explain I just couldn't endure any longer. This was something greater than I could handle. Im tired of vet visits, medications, cleaning up urine and cat poop, stinky cat food, cat hair, vacuuming litter residue. 15, that's old. Maybe Ill just hold out. I don't know, we'll see.
Skeeter (the cat), had once again, pissed on my rug. In the same exact spot she has been pissing for the last month. Does she think it's her litter box? She is blind, but I don't buy that excuse for a second. She vindictively does this. I know she does. It's her way of getting back at the humans, showing them, us, even though we think we are in charge, she can still screw up my whole day and throw me completely off by just taking a little squat. I know its malicious, she has always been a non-litter box user.
It first began with her peeing on random articles of clothing that were laying on the floor, just her suttle way of telling us what slobs we were. Steve actually went to work in jeans that had been peed on the night before. He didn't notice until he got to work and this odd smell continued to follow him around. Most people would have gone home to change, bought new pants during lunch, no, not Steve, he plugged his nose and endured, like a man...a gross man. Once, the first night my good friend Tia and I moved in together, we were sitting watching a movie when Skeeter crawled up onto Tia's lap to cuddle, so we thought, but instead actually squatted on her lap and peed. Yes, she peed directly on top of her. She has peed on my leg while sleeping, on Steve's butt in the middle of the night. But, mostly she has it in for our 4 year old Cailin. When Cailin was first born, Skeeter tolerated her, but for some reason, when she got her own big girl bed, that was as much favoritism as this cat could handle. This cat peed on Cailin's bed almost every single day! I have never washed so much bedding in my life. Our laundry detergent bill was outrageous. Why did we keep her? She was my brother Mark's cat, and since he has since passed away, I definitely feel obligated to keep her around. Plus, she is 15 years old, and I think on her way out.
So, on Thursday, the day we were to get our carpets shampooed, Skeeter squatted right in front of me in her make shift, carpet litter box in my living room and peed right in front of me. Bitch!
I immediately threw her outside while I furiously scrubbed the spot. I continued to check on her every 30 minutes or so. Since we have an open back porch, I didn't want her wandering off (or did I?). I had some friends coming over to visit, so while I chatted with them for 1-1.5 hours, Skeeter was left to wander around blind as a bat. After they left, she was gone. Completely gone. I searched everywhere, but right before I was about to give up. I trotted up a steep embankment of a woodsy area, and there she was curled up in a ball laying in some pine needles. I thought that maybe a hawk had carried her off or something, she only weighs 4 lbs. But no, she just got lost. Actually crossed a parking lot magically without being hit by a car, avoided attack black birds that squawk and swoop down onto her and didn't get roughed up by any bully squirrels. I was slightly impressed. But now she is a kitchen, back porch only cat.
Our carpets are nice, shampooed and clean and no cat is allowed on them.
Would I be held accountable for my actions if I just stopped giving her her high blood pressure medication? When I stand and receive my judgment, will He consider that negligence, malicious, or even a little mini-murder? Would He look down on me for my actions? Could I explain I just couldn't endure any longer. This was something greater than I could handle. Im tired of vet visits, medications, cleaning up urine and cat poop, stinky cat food, cat hair, vacuuming litter residue. 15, that's old. Maybe Ill just hold out. I don't know, we'll see.
Friday, May 12, 2006
finally a bedroom
Arent they adorable? You would think that this picture was taken early in the morning, since they are in their pajamas, but it wasn't. It is about noon on a weekday, and the worst part about this picture...they havent even eaten breakfast yet. So sad! This is my new bedspread and my new computer armoire. We are for the first time ever, going to have a bedroom with some color and style. A bedroom that I will actually feel relaxed in, that is, when I am in it...alone!I just had to post these pictures, but not much writing is going to happen since Avrie is hopping up and down and crying at my feet...again...so sad. :(
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Just another weekend of bad parenting
It's 1:15 a.m. My usual blogging time. I actually wasn't planning on posting anything tonight, because honestly nothing remotely worth the effort of typing has occurred today. But I just had to mention that my sweet 6 ft 3 in. husband is cuddling with my coughing sick 4 year old daughter in her loft princess bed. I guarantee in a couple hours my queen bed will consist of myself, the baby Avrie, Cailin and not daddy because he will most likely wake up at 8:00 in the morning covered in a princess and Barbie blanket suspended in a loft bed in a lavender bedroom, no where near his own room or bed. But that is our families favorite past time don't you know, musical beds.
Well, since Im already here at the computer I will bore you with our day today. First of all we didn't even wake up until 10am. Last night at 10:30pm, both kids were still awake. I decided that Avrie just had to go to sleep because at night I get to that point where I just don't want anyone but myself to be awake any longer. As I go upstairs I inform Steve "You are in charge of Cailin." I don't know why I sometimes lapse into my pre-kids, newlywed, stupid girl, code talking language with Steve, because what I actually should have said was "turn off the TV, brush Cailin's teeth, read her stories in her bed and make sure she goes to sleep." But, like an idiot, I spoke in code. He obviously couldn't decode it because when I came downstairs at 11:00 p.m. Cailin is awake watching cartoons and Steve is asleep on the couch. Lovely.
The problem with Steve and I, we are both to blame, is that we are too selfish sometimes to follow through with a consistent bedtime routine. For instance, if Cailin isn't completely ready for bed by 8:30pm on Wednesday she is S.O.L, because LOST comes on at 9pm, and if I don't have enough time to get her to bed before my show, she misses out and usually ends up falling asleep watching our show with us. I know, horrible parenting!
Let's see, what else did we do today? We went to Home Depot to buy stain to stain the 3 pieces of unfinished furniture we have owned since 1997 and are still completely unfinished. We have issues with motivation, commitment and procrastination. At least now we are one step closer. (The stain is still in the trunk of the car, I wonder how long it will stay there?)
We ate lunch/dinner (5pm) (another horrible parenting trait, sometimes we forget to feed our chilren) at a restaurant called Panera, very very yummy!!! I had a Turkey sandwich with Asiago cheese and a spinach artichoke spread. And an amazing salad. I could eat there every day...but I won't. Cailin loves their soups, and Cailin never eats soup, except for at this restaurant. Another reason to love it.
We moved furniture around in our bedroom, faced the bed another way, got rid of our nightstands, they were taking up a ton of room. Plus I couldn't even use mine since the cosleeper sits right in front of it.
Cailin got in a roll and tumble fight with her friend Luke next door at 8 pm (yes my kid was playing next door at 8:00 at night, the sun doesnt even go down until 9pm. I have no idea what happened and why they were fighting. Frankly, I don't really care.
Okay, Im starting to shut down, I am officially tired now. 1:30am.
PS. I'll post pics of our new armoire soon. I know the suspense is killing you.
sidenote: I forgot to make an appt for an eyebrow wax, she was booked all day, now I have to walk around with huge scraggly bushes above each eye. attractive
Well, since Im already here at the computer I will bore you with our day today. First of all we didn't even wake up until 10am. Last night at 10:30pm, both kids were still awake. I decided that Avrie just had to go to sleep because at night I get to that point where I just don't want anyone but myself to be awake any longer. As I go upstairs I inform Steve "You are in charge of Cailin." I don't know why I sometimes lapse into my pre-kids, newlywed, stupid girl, code talking language with Steve, because what I actually should have said was "turn off the TV, brush Cailin's teeth, read her stories in her bed and make sure she goes to sleep." But, like an idiot, I spoke in code. He obviously couldn't decode it because when I came downstairs at 11:00 p.m. Cailin is awake watching cartoons and Steve is asleep on the couch. Lovely.
The problem with Steve and I, we are both to blame, is that we are too selfish sometimes to follow through with a consistent bedtime routine. For instance, if Cailin isn't completely ready for bed by 8:30pm on Wednesday she is S.O.L, because LOST comes on at 9pm, and if I don't have enough time to get her to bed before my show, she misses out and usually ends up falling asleep watching our show with us. I know, horrible parenting!
Let's see, what else did we do today? We went to Home Depot to buy stain to stain the 3 pieces of unfinished furniture we have owned since 1997 and are still completely unfinished. We have issues with motivation, commitment and procrastination. At least now we are one step closer. (The stain is still in the trunk of the car, I wonder how long it will stay there?)
We ate lunch/dinner (5pm) (another horrible parenting trait, sometimes we forget to feed our chilren) at a restaurant called Panera, very very yummy!!! I had a Turkey sandwich with Asiago cheese and a spinach artichoke spread. And an amazing salad. I could eat there every day...but I won't. Cailin loves their soups, and Cailin never eats soup, except for at this restaurant. Another reason to love it.
We moved furniture around in our bedroom, faced the bed another way, got rid of our nightstands, they were taking up a ton of room. Plus I couldn't even use mine since the cosleeper sits right in front of it.
Cailin got in a roll and tumble fight with her friend Luke next door at 8 pm (yes my kid was playing next door at 8:00 at night, the sun doesnt even go down until 9pm. I have no idea what happened and why they were fighting. Frankly, I don't really care.
Okay, Im starting to shut down, I am officially tired now. 1:30am.
PS. I'll post pics of our new armoire soon. I know the suspense is killing you.
sidenote: I forgot to make an appt for an eyebrow wax, she was booked all day, now I have to walk around with huge scraggly bushes above each eye. attractive
Friday, May 05, 2006
Hello Seattle, Goodbye Arizona
Wow, I just saw the date of my last post and realized how long I have been out of computer commission. For a while!
Well, y''all remember about how I whipped everyone's asses in Steve's company March Madness pool? I got the $, actually Steve got the $ for me while I was in AZ. which worried me a bit because Steve is not very good at spending intended $ on exactly what it is intended for. A lot of the time it just gets sucked into our daily lives. He pulls $10 out of the envelope one day and then a few days later another $20, so on and so forth. And suddenly it is all gone. But, he maintained his self control and all dinero stayed in the envelope.
So, we went and bought my computer armoire. Hallelujah!!! I don't have to stare at electronic equipment any more. The shooting stars of the screen saver wont haunt me in the middle of the night because Im too damn lazy to walk 5 feet across the room to turn the computer off. It will all be hidden away. The monitor, the computer, the printer, the stack of CD's that are strewn across my room by Avrie every morning while I am in the shower. All our envelopes, paper, labels and various paper material will be gone from sight. I am ecstatic.
But, let me tell you, putting that thing together was a pain in the butt. Im just so glad that I was there to help Steve. He is not one to crack open the instruction manual. Myself, on the other hand, holds the instruction manual as close to my heart as the Bible itself. So, together, 3 days, not too many extra screws, an annoyed 4 year old and an annoying 1 year old later. It is set up, my computer is in it, plugged in, turned on and working.
So, hence part of the reason for my prolonged absence, the other part of the reason. Procrastination and laziness.
The flight home from AZ to WA was uneventful, which are the best kind of flights. We sat next to a very nice college student. He watched "Lady and the Tramp" with Cailin and then chatted it up with her the rest of the way. Nice relief, because when we first boarded I accidentally started plopping us down in the wrong row, next to an old man with hearing aids and a glare that could freeze fire. I was relieved to realize that Im incapable of reading a simple row # and had messed up.
Cailin had a little melt down the morning after we arrived home. It probably didn't help that it was completely cloudy and drizzly that day. She wanted to go back to AZ, she hated it here. "Send me back, send me back right now" It was so sad. She didn't like the cold, she missed her cousins and friends. She wanted to wear shorts, and a swimsuit. It was a total tragedy. She called grandma, she couldn't even console her, this was bad. So, I scooped her up and we got dressed, ate breakfast, and went to our regular Wednesday morning play group. It made it a little better but I think it will just take some adjustment, transitions are not something Cailin does easily.
We made a trip to the Vet yesterday with my 14 year old cat, Skeeter. The night before she was having a very difficult time going to the bathroom and was leaving little droplets of blood everywhere, poor baby and gross! Don't worry, our carpets are scheduled to be shampooed on Thursday. We had to drive 30 minutes because the vet we wanted to see was out at his other office in Lynnwood. No biggy, 30 minutes is nothing, it was practically all freeway. She got some antibiotics (she has never had those before, we are a no antibiotic family unless someone's life is hanging in the balance, but I made an exception for the cat) and is going to get blood work done today. She is the last animal left from all the dogs and cats we inherited from my brother, Mark, when he passed away.
Well, today is grocery day, and unfortunately while I was blogging Avrie (13 mos) fell asleep. She just woke up an hour ago...what a baby!
I know I had called a truce with all the Washington drivers, but let me just say this. PEOPLE, CAN WE AT LEAST DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT!!!!!!! IDIOTS!!!!!
Thank you, I needed that shout out. Gotta go lay Avrie down, do my hair, force clothes on Cailin and run my cat to the vet. Fun, fun, fun.
PS. I have new pics from our trip to AZ, but again laziness impairs me, I have to remember to bring my wallet up so I can pay kodak gallery for the uploads and then you can see the pictures. Hopefully today sometime. Just keep checking the 3 girls and a boy link.
Well, y''all remember about how I whipped everyone's asses in Steve's company March Madness pool? I got the $, actually Steve got the $ for me while I was in AZ. which worried me a bit because Steve is not very good at spending intended $ on exactly what it is intended for. A lot of the time it just gets sucked into our daily lives. He pulls $10 out of the envelope one day and then a few days later another $20, so on and so forth. And suddenly it is all gone. But, he maintained his self control and all dinero stayed in the envelope.
So, we went and bought my computer armoire. Hallelujah!!! I don't have to stare at electronic equipment any more. The shooting stars of the screen saver wont haunt me in the middle of the night because Im too damn lazy to walk 5 feet across the room to turn the computer off. It will all be hidden away. The monitor, the computer, the printer, the stack of CD's that are strewn across my room by Avrie every morning while I am in the shower. All our envelopes, paper, labels and various paper material will be gone from sight. I am ecstatic.
But, let me tell you, putting that thing together was a pain in the butt. Im just so glad that I was there to help Steve. He is not one to crack open the instruction manual. Myself, on the other hand, holds the instruction manual as close to my heart as the Bible itself. So, together, 3 days, not too many extra screws, an annoyed 4 year old and an annoying 1 year old later. It is set up, my computer is in it, plugged in, turned on and working.
So, hence part of the reason for my prolonged absence, the other part of the reason. Procrastination and laziness.
The flight home from AZ to WA was uneventful, which are the best kind of flights. We sat next to a very nice college student. He watched "Lady and the Tramp" with Cailin and then chatted it up with her the rest of the way. Nice relief, because when we first boarded I accidentally started plopping us down in the wrong row, next to an old man with hearing aids and a glare that could freeze fire. I was relieved to realize that Im incapable of reading a simple row # and had messed up.
Cailin had a little melt down the morning after we arrived home. It probably didn't help that it was completely cloudy and drizzly that day. She wanted to go back to AZ, she hated it here. "Send me back, send me back right now" It was so sad. She didn't like the cold, she missed her cousins and friends. She wanted to wear shorts, and a swimsuit. It was a total tragedy. She called grandma, she couldn't even console her, this was bad. So, I scooped her up and we got dressed, ate breakfast, and went to our regular Wednesday morning play group. It made it a little better but I think it will just take some adjustment, transitions are not something Cailin does easily.
We made a trip to the Vet yesterday with my 14 year old cat, Skeeter. The night before she was having a very difficult time going to the bathroom and was leaving little droplets of blood everywhere, poor baby and gross! Don't worry, our carpets are scheduled to be shampooed on Thursday. We had to drive 30 minutes because the vet we wanted to see was out at his other office in Lynnwood. No biggy, 30 minutes is nothing, it was practically all freeway. She got some antibiotics (she has never had those before, we are a no antibiotic family unless someone's life is hanging in the balance, but I made an exception for the cat) and is going to get blood work done today. She is the last animal left from all the dogs and cats we inherited from my brother, Mark, when he passed away.
Well, today is grocery day, and unfortunately while I was blogging Avrie (13 mos) fell asleep. She just woke up an hour ago...what a baby!
I know I had called a truce with all the Washington drivers, but let me just say this. PEOPLE, CAN WE AT LEAST DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT!!!!!!! IDIOTS!!!!!
Thank you, I needed that shout out. Gotta go lay Avrie down, do my hair, force clothes on Cailin and run my cat to the vet. Fun, fun, fun.
PS. I have new pics from our trip to AZ, but again laziness impairs me, I have to remember to bring my wallet up so I can pay kodak gallery for the uploads and then you can see the pictures. Hopefully today sometime. Just keep checking the 3 girls and a boy link.
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