Thursday, July 31, 2008

Happy Birthday, Evil Twin

It's his 49th birthday! He has to work today, but he is off tomorrow, so yippee!!!

I can't really tell more on this blog today, because he reads it, but I will fill you in on all the secrets (okay, the one secret) tomorrow.

I will tell you all that I added three new recipes to the Glamorous Recipe site yesterday, so check that out if you have a notion. It's on the sidebar over there to your right. I would link, but I am too freaking lazy.
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On Tuesday, I received a catalog in the mail. It's not a company I have ordered from in the past, so I'm sure my name was sold by someone I have ordered from before. It's a catalog of children's clothing, so that's not really unusual.

It's called, "Chasing Fireflies".

Well, it should be called "How to Dress Your Child like a Mid Century English Moppet".

It's THAT type of attire. One of my favorite featured items in the more "modern" section of the catalog is a Beatles tee shirt. For children. It's $68!!

That's not a typo.

There is also another outfit that incorporates a jumper (dress for the menfolks), a tee, "bright tights with leg warmers", and a necklace. The entry for that is entitled, "Harvest of Whimsy" and it can all be yours for $210.

Here's a link for the Harvest of Whimsy pieces: Harvest of Whimsy

This catalog might also be more aptly named, "For People With More Money than Sense."

I bet they sell a boatload of this shit.

For what it's worth, I got the catalog for free and it's provided me with quite a bit of entertainment. I think I'll keep it around just for shits and giggles.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Odd Times

Yesterday, I was busy getting myself ready in the morning and shortly after 9 am - I was about three minutes from having my hair completely blown dry - the power went out.

We just had a bunch of electrical work done a couple of weeks ago and one of the things done was that the electrician put my hair dryer on it's own circuit, so I'd quit tripping the breaker when I used my dryer.

At first, I thought, "Oh great. The breaker." Then, the power flashed back on for a split second and disappeared again.

I took a quick tour of the house and realized EVERYTHING was out. So, I put a call into the electric company and asked if my house was the only one affected. No - there were about 500 + homes in my area in the same predicament and they had crews working on it and thought we'd have service back sometime after noon.

I pulled up my semi wet hair into a pony tail, and grumbled about that for a bit. (if I don't dry my hair completely, it's a mess - plus with no electricity, I didn't have a curling iron to even attempt to fix it).

After sitting around twiddling our thumbs for a few minutes, I decide to pack the kids up and head to Target. I mean, anything seemed more exciting than sitting in a house with no lights... Okay, the windows were open and we were getting some sun inside, but it's still not the same as actual "lighting" in my book.

So off we went and we had a good time. By the time we returned home, a little after 11 am, the power was back on. I was able to make lunch (veggie pizza - the kind with the cream cheese/ranch dressing base).

After that, I was too tired to try to make it to the pool and I felt like crap because my hair was all stupid looking (in my opinion - the Evil Twin said it was fine - he had come home early because he didn't feel well).

Now, I'm trying to plan the rest of my week. My van needs to get inspected for a new sticker. My current one expires at the end of July, which would be tomorrow. I think the state allows a "grace period", but I really just want to get it taken care of.

Tomorrow is also the Evil Twin's birthday and I'd like to pick up a cake for him at Maggie Moo's. The thing is: the car inspection place we use is in the opposite direction of Maggie Moo's. Maybe I'll take the van out today and then get the cake tomorrow....

And while I'm at Southridge, I might as well keep on trucking downtown.

I need to swing by Delfine's jewelers. Delfine's is where the Evil Twin and I purchased my engagement ring (yes, people, I picked it.) And the Delfine's also attend the same church I do.

I've been wearing my mom's engagement ring since shortly after she passed away. My dad had bought the diamonds loose and had them mounted into a platinum setting, but the setting was mounted on a yellow gold band. I don't like yellow gold, but the band was so thin already, I figured it would wear thru in a matter of time and when that happened, I would have the band replaced with a white gold or platinum band.

The band wore thru late last week and I need to drop that off, so I can wear it again.

With gas prices being so high, I am trying to combine my errands a bit more. I don't really even drive that much - especially during the Summer, but still... my cheapness will always, always dictate everything else in my life.

But see, my cheapness is also dependent on: is it tangible or not? Gas is not a tangible gain for me (I can't see it, even if I do USE it), but a new gold band for a ring is something I can SEE everyday and gain enjoyment from.

There ya go. A look inside the mind of a girl with too much time on her hands.

Happy Wednesday. Anyone want to join me on my errands? :-)

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Buying a Cow

I've seriously been contemplating this. At some point, you have to wonder where your break even point is when you happen to have children, who, like mine, believe that milk is the Nectar of the Gods.

I buy milk 2 gallons at a time... these days, I just cast a cursory glance at the expiration date. As long as it's not labeled with the current days date, I know my kids will have it polished off long before it goes bad.

Buddy will get the biggest glass he can find and fill it up completely to the rim. He does that several times a day.

Sissy enjoys her milk too. Since she can't help herself just yet, I can limit her intake somewhat.

Yesterday, I paid $3.19 a gallon for the WalMart brand./ I remember the days when I would feel thrilled to find it for less than $2 a gallon. That was back when Buddy was smaller.

I'm back to buying whole milk, although I could go back to 2% - which is about the lowest I will go.

Oh well, I was raised on whole milk and that's what the kids prefer, so I will continue to pay a bit more for that.

Frankly, I think 2% is starting to get into "colored water" territory. It just kind of skeeves me out. I don't drink a whole lot of milk just by itself these days. I use it on cereal or while cooking/baking, so I figure MY total calories consumed from milk is minimal. My children are thin (like their mommy used to be), so they can stand to use the extra calories if you ask me.

I suppose it's still cheaper to buy the gallons and gallons of milk at the store. If we had a cow, we'd have to feed it and then find some way to pasteurize the milk after getting it out. I'll stick with the store bought.... I've got enough to do right now.

Monday, July 28, 2008

The Joys of Home Ownership

We've lived in our current house for just over 4 years and we love it here. The house and the location are just exactly what we had always wanted. Prior to this, we owned a house for over 10 years in a different part of town. Why we stayed so long, I don't know... but, we're in this house and it's great.

The house is over 50 years old and is situated on a double lot, so there is quite a bit of ground to cover when it comes to yard maintenence.

On Saturday, the Evil Twin was getting his wheelbarrow out of the shed in the back yard to gather up weeds and other debris.

We have this crab apple tree that sits near the shed and this season, it has over produced it's little crab apples and they are all over the ground. Sissy likes to pick them up and throw them. The deer, squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, etc. like to come around and nibble on them.

While the Evil Twin tried to roll the wheelbarrow out, he stepped on a wayward apple and his feet slid out from under him. He busted his ass on the ground and then the wheelbarrow landed on top of him.

While he was outside doing yard work, I was inside doing laundry.

Sissy had been wearing a new dress earlier in the week and had a diaper blow out episode. So, I put the dress in the utility sink with some Oxyclean before putting it in the washer. I had a load of clothes in the dryer and added another load to the washer, forgetting that I had the sink  full with the stopper in place.

The washer drains into the utility sink... so guess what happened?? That's right, we had an overflow of water all over the laundry room floor. Luckily, there is a drain in the floor there and we have a wet/dry vac, so I drained the sink and started on clean up duty.

I had caught it fairly early in the process, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

After all these interesting activities, the Evil Twin and I were sweaty and tired - and it wasn't even noon yet!

Sometimes we get boring weekends. I like those weekends.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Treasures and Toys

I just went and ran Sissy out of her older brother's room. If he leaves his door open by mistake, she is back there pilfering for whatever trinkets she can grab before she is caught.

Today, as I was doing a few quick bathroom cleaning measures (toilet swish, first line of bathtub cleansing - i.e. fill tub with bleach and let soak for a bit), I heard her in his room rooting around. When I found her, she had two footballs snugly grasped with both little arms.

I told her to put them back and get out of Bubby's room. In her haste, she dropped one football and I didn't have the heart to make her put the remaining one down. She looked so panicked by dropping the one - turning in circles, frantic.

I let her leave the room clutching just the one.

She came down the hall and promptly dropped it on the floor in the den (that's living room or TV room to anyone outside the South). Then, she grabbed a fistful of crayons and moved on to her one true love - coloring in her coloring books.

She has one that is Mickey Mouse. This child loves Mickey so much. It's one of the main reasons we're planning that trip to Disney. Everyone keeps advising me to "let her see the Princesses" (sp?), but I know all she really wants to see is Mickey himself - or as she sometimes calls him, "Woo Mouse". Why? We don't know, either.

She has three stuffed "Beanie Baby" type Mickeys. Two are hand me downs from her big brother and one is a "Please behave" toy I gave her at WalMart once and ended up buying at the end of the shopping trip. She sleeps with all three and often carries one or more with her whereever we go. Two are just regular Mickeys. One is Mickey in his wizard costume (ala "Fantasia").

I guess we'll have to watch some movies before our trip too.

Anyway, she finds all kinds of treasures in her brother's room - even though her room is chock full of a metric boat load of hand-me-downs from him (when he was her age) and plenty more that was bought specifically for her when she was born, and for every birthday, Christmas and random holiday since then.

We've been incredibly blessed by all the friends and family in our lives who think of our children and get them little treasures.

When I think of all the people who have my children's happiness in mind, it just really floors me. And even though I realize my nieces, nephew and the children of my friends are also abundantly gifted, I do try to pay it forward and give out little treasures I think those children would like to have.

At times, it's as easy as knitting an outrageous fun fur scarf for dramatic little girls or a box of Matchbox cars for a little boy.

It gets trickier as they get older. A good friend of mine has a son who will be 15 on July 31 (the same day the Evil Twin turns 49).... It seems impersonal, but I think her son likes to get cash for holidays and he can save it or spend it on things he enjoys. Seems fair enough - and easy to write a check....

Why do they have to grow up?

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Friends and Lunch

Last Wednesday, I met Laura for lunch. We had been emailing each other on MySpace and had talked on the phone a time or two. She was on vacation last week, so I thought perhaps she'd like to meet up for lunch.

As they say, a sucker is born every minute and she went for it. (just kidding!). She agreed to meet us - I have both kids since it's still STILL summer break - anywho....

We met and she is as nice and lovely in person as she is on her blog and in her picture. The conversation flowed right along. In getting to "know" each other on MySpace, we discovered that we know many of the same people in real life.

We graduated from different high schools, but I dated a guy who went to her school and she had been contacted for a friend request on MySpace from a guy I know from high school, so it's just a very small world.

It was a super lunch. I only wished we could have had more of the gang there, but that planning is in the works. Since a few of the local bloggers have regular day jobs, we might have to schedule a weekend meet up, but I think that's doable.

I'm open to any suggestions from Teays Valley to Kanawha City locations, so if other bloggers would like to chime in with ideas, that would be wonderful!

I'm having lunch with Buzzardbilly today. I have a few things to give her and she's going to loan me a book, plus we just really enjoy hanging out.

Also, I know I posted some pics yesterday and I meant to add that I would take request on pics. Want to see me doing something insane? Let me know. I'm only willing to go as far as cleavage - so no nudity, unless you want to see my feet or something (and I believe I already showcased one in a blog about "really cute sandals" a while back).

As for the rest of you - get a MySpace and email me at eviltwinswife@gmail.com. I'll tell you how to add me as a friend and then join my mob. I'm serious, people. I might have to start breaking knuckles around here and then how will you type? Hmmmm?

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

I'm Hooked

Hooked on the game "Mobsters" on MySpace. It's sad really. I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about making money and doing jobs on the game to get more experience, points and cash - and then I also obsess about people beating up my character and stealing money from me. Pisses me right off!!



Anyway, I also dragged in a few blogger friends who are also MySpace friends (and friends in real life), so that just makes the game more interesting. I need more mobsters in my mob, so if you play and you have a MySpace... let me know and I can give you info to join me.



If having a MySpace didn't make me a big enough dork, I also have a Facebook account. Many of  the friends I have on both sites are the same.



One guy is a friend of mine from Huntington (back in my college days). I had posted one of my self-portrait pictures that he found amusing and he said, "diabolical looking". He also added that all the picture needed was an apron.
Okay, that was an unfair statement for him to make because we all know how I like to shame myself with pictures. I am not even kidding:
And, I did not go out and buy the apron - I already HAD it! LOL!
So, of course, I had to post this as my default pic on my Facebook account and note that I took my new picture just for him. He thought it was hilarious, but thought I needed to add a devil face to the spoon or perhaps just photoshop some extra fingers on myself.
As he put it, "Nothing says lovin' like polydactyly."

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Two For Tuesday

Last week and the week before, I was tagged by Give Me A Minute for an award and a meme, so I thought - being the efficient person I am - I would do both in one post. Thusly, two for Tuesday!
First, the award:
Sweet! It's the Arte Y Pico award:  This award was created to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their creativity, and for contributing to the blogging world in whatever medium.
The rules state:


1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award through creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter of language.

2. Each award should have the name of the author with a link to their blog.

3. Award winners have to post the award with the name and link to the blog of the person who gave them the award.

4. Please include a link to the “Arte Y Pico” blog so that everyone will know where the award came from.



Okay, that was the easy part. The meme is a little harder.



Here's How It Works:



1. Link the person(s) who tagged you (That would be K)

2. Mention the rules on your blog (This is them!)

3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours… (Remember that if you think they're boring)

4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them…

5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.



One says "five" and one says "six". I'm going to go with tagging five other bloggers for both the award and the meme - again, how efficient am I?



On with the meme:

1. I rarely ever sleep with a pillow. Most of the time, I toss my pillow on the floor next to the bed. I like to be completely flat.



2. I enjoy watching smutty adult films.



3. Even though I don't have a paying job, I have a fairly set routine I follow every day. Of course, I can be a little flexible on timing, but for the most part, I do the same things in the same order every day.



4. I don't watch much TV at all. In fact, I don't watch daytime programming at all. If the TV is on during the day, it's on a channel that the kids like to watch (cartoons or pre-school channel).



5. I would rather scratch my eyes out with hot forks than go to the dentist. I really need to get over that because I need some dental work.



6. I love doing any type of research. I could spend hours online or in a library looking up references, and I often do spend my time on the computer looking things up... It takes me a while to purchase things because I like to go over my choices and options over and over (and look for the best price, of course - I'm efficient and cheap!)



Now, for both the award and the meme, I hereby tag:

1. CatScratch Diva - she is funny as hell and I just love her blog.



2. The Kitchen - Momma is so sweet and she's new to my blogroll.



3. Living Laura - Laura is a new blog friend and also a new friend in real life. We had lunch last week, which I will highlight later on this week... Geez, I go out of town for 2.5 days and I'm completely behind....



4. Honeywine - because she makes me smile on a regular basis. I just want to hug her to pieces.



and

5. The Warped Mind of Ron - Ron is hilarious. He can take an everyday occurrence and make it laugh out loud funny. Plus, he talks about some really twisted things I think are comedy gold.



That is it, then. Anyone else who would like to do the meme is more than welcome to "lift" it for themselves. I'm not proprietary (just efficient and cheap). LOL.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Mondays Mean Groceries

First off, I want to thank everyone for the kind words yesterday on my post about meeting my biological mother. I really didn't do the experience justice in the re-telling, but it's a hard one to put into words.

Anyway, today is Monday. The Evil Twin is off work today (he took Thursday, Friday and today off as vacation days). It's nice when he's home.

However, I do need to get to the grocery store today. How can I convince him to take us to the store, so I don't have to load up all the groceries by myself like I usually do? ;-)

One other good thing about having him home is that our schedule tends to run like a weekend schedule no matter what day it is. Which is to say: it's very laid back.

In fact, he and Sissy are out in the back yard enjoying popsicles and Buddy just had breakfast (at a little after 10AM).

When we saw our nieces this past weekend, they both expressed the desire to have blue stripes in their hair (one is almost 12, the other almost 4). I said, "Well, that makes three of us, then. I want one too!"

So, I'm off to research how to get a blue or purple stripe (non-permanent) in my black hair.

Who said I wasn't funky fresh?

Sunday, July 20, 2008

All The News (LONG - Get a drink and settle in)

THURSDAY
I don't even know where to start. Well, maybe I'll start on Thursday (7-17). The Evil Twin had the day off and we got up early, finished packing our junk and pointed the van Southward at nearly 10AM. We stopped at an Omelet Shoppe (pronounced "Shop-pee" in TET and ETW vernacular) around Beckley and had lunch. Mmmm.

By about 3:30PM, we were at our hotel and all checked in. The hotel was nice and clean.... and close to many restaurants and shops, but we weren't there for those things. We called the Evil Twin's brother and made arrangements to visit their house after dinner.

For dinner, we had Chili's, which was directly in front of our hotel, so we just walked right over. The food was very good - it's a restaurant that we like, but we just rarely get to eat there because the ones we have locally aren't especially convenient for us.

I talked to Nana M (that's going to be my reference to my biological mom....I may just shorten that to Nana eventually), and she had offered to come to our hotel and have lunch the next day instead of us driving another hour South to see her. I thought that was awfully nice and thoughtful.

After dinner, we drove out to the In-laws and spent a few hours there. Their oldest daughter is a year older than Buddy and their youngest daughter is a year older than Sissy, so both sides have two kids with an eight year age span. The kids had a blast playing basketball with the dads and the moms (my beautiful sister-in-law and I) had fun drinking a glass or two of red wine.

We were back at our room late (around 11 pm) and Sissy needed a bath, which she felt was not necessary and she was very vocal about her protest to this indignity. She was just upset about the tub not being "her" own bathtub - remember, this is her first time being away from home that she has a voice in matters.

Getting her to settle down in a regular bed was a challenge, but eventually, she gave up the fight to stay awake and we all snoozed.

FRIDAY
A little after 6 AM, we heard a thud and the Evil Twin and I sprang up (from our separate beds - I had the bed with Sissy, he was in the bed with Buddy) and found a most unhappy Sissy in the floor between the beds. She had rolled out and onto the floor. She was not real happy about that, but after a bit, I had her calmed down enough to continue snooze-ville.

Next thing I knew, it was 9AM and I realized I had 2 hours to get ready to see my MOM for the first time in 40 years and I am nowhere near as efficient in a hotel as I am at home, so I started getting really nervous and rushing around!! Imagine - you will meet the person who gave birth to you in two hours for the first time.... you have to look "just so", but then again... it feels as comfortable as the shorts you wear day in and day out.

Nana M and I have spent the last year talking on the phone at least twice a week. And, we've shared many photos. And, we're MySpace Friends (I LOVE that!). She's the bestest! So, I know her general personality and we always have a great time on the phone, so I was hoping that would translate into face to face meeting.

Right on time, at 11AM, there was a knock on our hotel door. There she was - in all her 4 foot 11 glory (she's really tiny - I get my height from her dad (my grandfather)'s side of the family. We hugged and tried not to cry. I think we held it together very well and we sat down to chat for a bit. I introduced her to the Evil Twin, Buddy and Sissy.

Sissy, who is very friendly, just climbed right up into her lap. I got some great pics, but you know I don't show my kids.

However, the Evil Twin did get some pics of Nana M and I together.

As you can see, I'm clearly looking like the biggest dork on Earth and I am also very tall.


Here we are, sitting down, so not so much height disparity:


The hotel was near all manner of restaurants, so we set out to find someplace for lunch.


Since Nana is a vegetarian, I wanted to find a restaurant that was veggie friendly. Having been a vegetarian myself for nine years, I know that is sometimes a tough order to fill. We finally decided on Olive Garden - this is one we all enjoy and I like to go there on Fridays during Lent (I can't eat meat then - so I order cheese ravioli or something with marinara sauce). Plus, the salad and breadsticks are super delicious!


After lunch, we returned to the hotel to chat more. We really talked about the things we normally talk about on the phone, but it was so wonderful to just be able to be close to her. The bond was strong.... even after a 40 year gap.

Everything was perfect, but the time came that she had to return home and attend her temple service (she's Jewish). I later received an email from her saying she was only a little late to the service and everyone, even the Rabbi, was so pleased she was able to see me and spend time with us for the day.


As she drove off, the tears welled up in my eyes. 40 years of wondering and wishing and we finally, FINALLY, had an opportunity to see one another in person and she had to go... I knew it had to come around, the time to say goodbye, but it broke my heart all the same.

We're not separated by impossibly long drives or many miles, so I know there will be other visits in the future. The only thing that could have made the day any better is if my biological sister, Jellybean, would have been able to join us. Her husband couldn't get off work for the day and she doesn't drive, so that meeting will have to take place another moment in time.


SATURDAY


Saturday morning came around and we prepared to check out of the hotel. We had made arrangements to meet TET's brother, his wife and our nieces for lunch at a restaurant directly across the road from our hotel. Lunch was fabulous, as was the company - I wished we lived closer to them and Nana M. Maybe someday, huh?



We headed back Northbound around 12:15 and arrived at our driveway 5 hours later, which is an amazingly fast trip. Traffic stunk and all, but we still made excellent time.


It's nice to be home and to have slept in our own beds last night. The Evil Twin keeps joking that we probably got scabies from the hotel mattresses (he's joking! We stayed at a very nice Hilton Garden Inn). I think we just got bitten by mosquitos while we were outdoors at my brother-in-laws house (they live in a very woodsy area). Seeing as how I grew up in the South and I am used to being eaten alive by mosquitos, I know that I will live! LOL.



The trip - at least the visiting family part - was excellent. The drive? Not so great, but you do what you gotta do.

I feel so very fortunate to be one of the few adopted children to be able to reunite with a biological parent and have that reunion be so very wanted on both sides. Thumbs up!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Saturday Morning

I'm still here. Yesterday was great! My bio mom and I had a blast together. It was so nice to just sit with her and chat. I'll highlight the whole trip when we get back home (we should be home later today and I'll update tomorrow).


The Evil Twin is downstairs getting us both big cups of "good" coffee, as opposed to the mediocre coffee that is left in the room with the teeny tiny thimble sized coffee pot.


I'm getting ready to jump in the shower. Check out is 11 AM and after that, we're meeting the Evil Twin's brother, his wife and our nieces for lunch and then we'll hit the road for home sweet home.


It's been nice to have a little get away, but as usual, I look forward to getting back to my own house and my own bed and my own kitchen...you know.


Right before we left, I received some new sandals I had ordered from Nordstrom's:



They're super comfortable. They're the Naot Montreal Wedge Sandals, if you're interested.
It's been fun, but I'm ready for home.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.
See ya tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Wheeee!

I'm going to have to give a little back story on this for those who are new or don't remember every detail of my life (as if I expect anyone to -- I can't keep up with my own stuff, much less anyone else's! LOL).

Many of you know that I was adopted as an infant. I always knew I was adopted. My parents never hid the fact from me.

Growing up, my friends would ask me, "Aren't you curious?" or "Don't you want to know your biological mother?" In my mind, I had parents and so, I didn't have a strong desire to seek out any more information. My parents were the ones who raised me, loved me, supported me, etc.

My adoption was a closed adoption, meaning that there was very little information exchanged. According to my parents, they were told that my biological family had no history of medical issues (at the time, which was 1968).

After Buddy was born, I became more curious about my biological background, mainly just to find out medical info. The Evil Twin was adopted by his father, so we only had one biological parent (his mother) to look to for genetic history, ethnic history, etc.

The summer before my dad passed away, he had told me about a box in his closet that had files I would "be interested in." I told him that I would look at them eventually. Well, fast forward a little over year later and my mom was sick and in the hospital. When I went to their house to retrieve something for her, I decided to look in that box.

No one else was at the house at that point.

When I looked, there were files related to my adoption. Imagine my surprise when I saw documentation on a name change. I had been given a first, middle and last name at birth, which was later changed by my parents (they only gave me a first and last name, because they are both long).

Also included was a form to send away to the state of Alabama requesting an original birth certificate and other forms in a closed adoption file, since Alabama had changed their regulations on obtaining that information in 2000 or 2002... I filled out the form and sent a check for $20.

I got my original birth certificate and now I had the name of my biological mother. So, I started searching in earnest and put information on several adoption sites that help reunite families.

Long story short: a friend of my biological mother found my info on one of the sites and my biological sister contacted me last July. For a year, we've all corresponded by phone and email. I've seen pictures of everyone and my sister and I could be twins.

Tomorrow, we head South to see the Evil Twin's brother and his wife and our two nieces. My biological mother lives an hour South of them, so we are going to meet her for lunch on Friday!

I've never met her, so this will be very interesting. I plan on taking old photo albums, so she can "fill in the blanks" and see how I was raised and see how loved I had been by my parents.

Unfortunately, my biological sister (who lives in Georgia) won't be able to make it up, but I will get together with her soon, I'm sure. She wants to come visit me here - and we've got plenty of room, so I would love that.

So, I'll be out of town for a couple of days. I'll take my laptop and the hotel we're staying does have internet access, so I'll try to keep up with y'all there, but I can't promise any updates from me. I will try.

Until then, have a great weekend!!! I'll bring back pictures. :-)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Paging Tammy Faye

I went to WalMart yesterday and had to buy hair color. My hair has been black all my life - until I hit about 30 or so and then, I started to find a random grey or two.

I played around with different brands and shades of color until I found the perfect match - Miss Clairol Nice n Easy 121A. I can only find this at WalMart.

Yesterday, though, they were all out of 121A, so I settled for a slightly lighter shade, but still dark. It just doesn't look the same, although I can live with it. So, now I have a new hair cut and a new color...

I had asked a few weeks ago about deal breakers and a couple of guys had mentioned being turned off by gals who wear too much make up. Hmmm. When I think too much make up, I think Tammy Faye Bakker.

I know I fuss a lot with my hair and make up, but I don't think it's overkill. I just have a lot of products I enjoy using. But, for a girl, I think I do a good job of getting myself together in the mornings. It takes me 30 to 45 minutes from shower to voila! And that includes: shower, shampoo, hair dry, style, getting dressed and make up. Make up includes: moisturizer, concealer, foundation, blush, loose powder finish, eyeliner, lash curling, mascara, lip liner and lipstick.

I multi-task by drying my hair while I apply my make up.... I wear the mineral powder stuff, so it's easy to apply while doing other things. The only things I don't do are my eyes and lips while drying my hair because they require more concentration.

All that being said, I don't think I look overly made up. I like to think that I use the products to give me a more polished look that makes me feel semi-presentable to leave the house. When I feel like I look decent, I feel better.

There are many women I know who spend hours on themselves just to get out the door. I don't think my 30 to 45 minutes is too shabby in the scope of things.

And remember, ladies: eyelash curler - don't leave home without it!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Monday

Somehow this stupid thing just posted before I even got started. Stupid blogger.

I've already been to the Evil Empire (Wal-Mart) and back and have had lunch. I may run to the pool with the kidlets or I may just sit on the couch all day.

I've been going to bed early every evening and getting up early, feeling good...I get my shower and get ready for the day. Then, I feel like having a nap! Ugh.

I think my anti-anxiety meds are making me groggy - it should pass as soon as I get used to it.

So, thanks for the compliments on my hair. I think it looks better today and took another pic and replaced my avatar (stuck up ME LOL). Sissy did fine with her hair "cut" - all she had done was just a quick brush across the front to even out the terrible job I had done. My hairdresser didn't even charge me for her.

I've been seeing the same person for 22 years and I just love her. I pretty much just tell her my general idea of what I want and then tell her to use her best judgment. She never lets me down.

I think I might lay down on the floor under the ceiling fan with Sissy and catch a few zzzzs just for a moment or two.

I'll catch up on my blogroll in a bit. Y'all are chatty and it takes me a while to make it down the list! :-)

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Hair

Okay, I finally got a pic. I'm not happy with it, so I'll keep trying. My hair is shorter than I'd like but I knew it would be, because she had to cut a lot of length to make it all one length instead of the layers I had before.
Luckily, it grows really fast and after a day or two, I should have the hang of styling it as it is (shorter than what I had been used to).
I didn't want to change shirts, so this is all the cleavage you get for this round.
But this one is for Buzzardbilly.

You're welcome.

Friday, July 11, 2008

You'd Think It Wouldn't Matter

Seeing as how I'm a stay at home mom and most of my days are just like every single day, it's surprising (I think) that I look forward to weekends.

So, I am glad it's Friday! Weekends are family time and the Evil Twin is home, which is really nice. The kids and I enjoy having him home during the day.

On weekends, things are a little bit more laid back than in the week (i.e. sometimes I don't even get in the shower until after 9 am! Oh my goodness! LOL).

Tomorrow, I have an appointment to get my hair cut. It's in need of a trim. I promise to update my profile picture (and if you're lucky, I'll include cleavage).

Sissy is going to have her hair trimmed also, but just the bangs. Unfortunately, it was hanging in her eyes and I thought I could just snip a bit and it would be okay. I thought wrong and now, she looks like an elfin medieval surf. LOL.

No worries, though, my hairdresser will straighten it up and Sissy's hair will look as normal as possible until her bangs grow out again. She has this impossibly wispy hair that I really can't do a thing with, I just need to wait until she's a little older and it gets thicker, which I know it will. Buddy had the same wispy hair, but being a boy, we always kept his cut short.

With Sissy, she has these adorable little curls in the back and it's been so slow growing, I'm reluctant have the back cut or even trimmed a little bit.

This mother-daughter stuff is so much fun!

PS. Thanks for all the kind words yesterday. I didn't have the energy to respond to replies, but they all made me feel hopeful. :-)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Sorting It Out

I have so much to be thankful for. I have a great husband and two really wonderful kids. We live in a nice house (not anything special, but ours). You'd think that would be enough.

But, sometimes, I indulge in behaviours that don't reflect my love of my family and surroundings. I hurt those I love the most.

I don't really have anyone left in my life besides the Evil Twin and the kids. My parents are both deceased and I have very few friends. It's not for lack of trying in the friend department either. It's just that I think my friends and I live really different lives at this point. Some of those I consider closest to me work full time and have limited time outside of their own families.

Some have just grown distant. Some I feel like I make more effort than they do, so then I start thinking that maybe that's on purpose (i.e. they may be trying to "give me a hint" and I don't take it). I don't know. I'm feeling very alone right now. Very sad.

This is a side of me I rarely let show here, so it may make you as uncomfortable to read this as it is for me to write it.

As of today, I vow to be a happier person, to be a better person - to respect myself and my family enough to do the right things.

You might sense this has been a tough week for me. It has been, but I know that I've been here before and once the anti-anxiety meds fully take effect, I will be much calmer and relaxed.

Today seems like a perfect pool day. Nothing makes me happier than being near water - be it pool or ocean or river or lake. Hell, even a bathtub makes me happy.

I guess you could say that for all my faults, at least I'm easy to please.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Yawn!

I went to bed fairly early last night and have had such a hard time waking up today. I think it's because it's really overcast and has rained off and on since last night.

We did run to the pool yesterday, but Buddy - being our ten year old "sullen teenager" - griped and whined the entire time. He said the pool water was too cold (get in, you'll get used to it!) and everything else under the sun. So, we left after only about an hour and half.

Sissy had to be dragged out the front gate, while she cried, "My pool, my pool." The Evil Twin had a talk with Buddy about not cheating the rest of the family on things we wanted to do.

Plus, we are going to seriously restrict his computer time from now on too.

Buddy is just a very introverted kid - kind of like me, but we didn't have computers and such (until I was a teen, 12 or 13, and got an Atari). I spent all my free time with books.

I just don't know if I'm doing something wrong with him. This parenting thing doesn't get any easier, that's for sure.

Buddy is a good kid. He never gets in trouble at school. But, he just doesn't seem very social. He says that he's happy and he's never lied to us (that we know) before.

I'm just worried about him - because I love him.

Well, we're just waiting on the electrician now and then I have to run to the store later. I bought a Shark Steam Mop (product endorsement) and I love it, but it says that for best results, use distilled water. So, I'm going to get that, some food items and a few more cleaning supplies.

One of these days, my house will be completely clean (And the "Wishful Thinking" Award goes to....... Evil Twin's Wife!!). LOL.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Move On, Move On

I really got nothing today. I'm trying to mentally psyche myself up to gather up the kids, the towels, the sunscreen, the extra change for concessions, etc., etc. and go to the pool. Seems like a nice day for it.

So, I think that's where I'll be today.

Tomorrow, I have an electrician coming to add an additional breaker box and dedicate one outlet to its' own circuit. It's only gonna set us back $500 and luckily, my stolen tax money should be here by the end of the week. (or should I say the Evil Twin's stolen money, since I haven't had a paying job in over a decade).

Anywho, maybe I'll have some far more interesting thoughts tomorrow.

I'll make my blog rounds later today! See ya on the flip side!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Her First Movie

We all went to see Wall-E yesterday. It was Sissy's first movie and also, her first taste of popcorn. Popcorn is one of the foods on the "Mom's Suspicious Food Item" list - it goes on there, along with grapes and peanut butter...some for choking hazards and some for allergy suspicions.

I never really took too much stock in the allergy department, because neither myself nor the Evil Twin have food allergies. Buddy started on eggs and PB well before his first 12 months had past and he did fine.

Sissy was also given PB fairly early, but apparently, she is not a fan.

Anyway, the movie was cute and Sissy behaved about as well as you could expect a 2.5 year old first time movie patron to behave.

I think she was more interested in the popcorn and raisinettes.

I guess since we aren't doing a real "vacation" this year, we plan on spending at least one weekend day doing things that are fairly close by, like bowling, walking around the Kanawha State Forest, or spending time at the Avampato museum. Things that are free or cheap.

I'd like to take the kids to the Mystery Hole. Buddy is at an age where he woud really dig that.

Any other "must dos" for summer that are local and on the cheap?

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Evil Twin's Wife Recommends

I think I'll start a new little topic. This one will be updated from time to time as I find awesome products to recommend. This first one is for the ladies (or guys who might enjoy a touch of "pretty").

Since I always wear sandals in the summer, my toenails are never left un-painted. How terrible would that be??? ;-)

I had acrylic nails put on before I got married and continued to get them worked on for a while afterwards. In a short time, the girl who did my manicures and I became friends. She decided to leave the world of manicuring behind and pursue a different line of work - she ended up teaching me all she knew and gave me her supplies. For a few years, I just did my own acrylic nails. And during this time, I did paint my fingernails.

Acrylic nails tend to hold polish better than plain nails. So, once I went back to regular nails (i.e. trying to get pregnant and didn't want to breath the fumes and then having a newborn and no time)... But, I still kept up with my toenails.

Of course, there'd be chipping and such.

Until I found Revlon Color Stay.

I've been using this for almost 2 years and it is the greatest. I'm talking pedicures only here - I have no
experience with the manicure side of it. But, you can apply this polish on the piggies and it will last - chip free - until your toenails have grown out and you are forced to remove it and re-apply.

I never wore darker fingernail colors when I did do nail polish on my hands, but on my feet, I feel more free to use a bold color, so I wear "Always Vintage" which is a really dark brown red. The top coat gives off an incredible shine that LASTS. No chipping!

The second product I have for you this evening is Crystal Deodorant Stones. (this one is for everyone).




The product description is listed as: "For those who want a hypoallergenic non-staining deodorant that lasts all day, these stones are for you! This potent deodorant stone will leave you clean and fresh all day without the greasy feeling that so many other deodorants leave you with. Unscented and made purely of natural mineral salts. Available in 2 oz. trial size stick for $2.99, 4.25 oz stick for $6.95, 2 oz. trial size stone for $2.99, and 8 oz plain stone with carrying bag and dish for $8.99."

These cost a bit more than your average store-bought deo stick, but last forever. I bought one each for me and the Evil Twin well over a year ago and they're still going strong. We, however, are not strong or sweaty or stinky (in the odor-ish way). The trick to the stones is to wet them and then really rub all up and down and around the usual area. It's a weird feeling.

These are also aluminum free, which many researchers have pointed at as a cause for Alzheimer's. You know what, if I can be fresh smelling and dry AND not half batshit crazy (although my liberal friends will disagree with me there), then let's bring it on! :-)

Friday, July 4, 2008

Amazing and Grrrr

It's amazing what a couple of tiny white pills can accomplish. I'm starting to realize that no matter how big of a pain in the ass it is to procure a refill for Ativan, I must work through that pain and GET THEM. Forever. Ahem.

The other day, I was putzing around on the computer (as I am wont to do) and I was on one website. When I went to look at my list of favorites, all the blogs had been magically shuffled to alphabetical order. (all the blogs are in the BLOG folder, imagine that).

Well, I don't read them in that order. I have my line up shuffled just the way I like it. In fact, I have some blogs on there I never read, but keep around in case I do want to pop by.

It takes me a few hours to just go down the list anyway.

But now my system is all whacked out and it will take a bit for me rearrange my list. Grrrr.

I don't know what happened. :::sigh:::: I will get started on "fixing" it today. So, if I haven't visited your blog in a day or so, you know it's because my routine is all over the place and most of my favorite blogs were shuffled to the end of the row and I don't make it that far every day.

Happy Birthday, greatest Country in the world!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The Follow Up

I had to take both kids with me to see the doctor. A friend had offered to watch them for me at her house, but I really hate to impose - and they both behaved fine, so I dodged a bullet there.

The nurse weighed me (their scales LIE! - my scale at home clocks me 2 lbs lighter). Then, she took my blood pressure. It was 150/102 - holey carp! I must say I was extremely worked up by the time I pulled into the parking lot. There had been a long line of slow moving vehicles at one area and I thought for sure I would be late. (I absolutely get more worked up about being late than almost any other trigger for me).

So, I get in the room to see the doc and he comes in a few minutes later. We talked about some different scenarios, but we both feel like the HBP is more directly related to the anxiety than just having a HBP problem.

He gave me prescriptions for Buspar (yay) and Ativan (yay). He also gave me lab orders to have a bunch of blood tests done and he wants to see me again in about a month.

He's really a great doctor. The Evil Twin and I both see him. If you can let him know you've done your homework, he's willing to listen and work with you. Sometimes, he'll offer a suggestion he might think would be better and tell you why, but ultimately, the decision is yours.

When I got home, I took an Ativan immediately. I took a Buspar about an hour later and a few hours after that, I took another Ativan. I think that second one took me down for the count. I could barely keep my eyes open while making dinner!

Luckily, I grabbed a short nap after dinner and feel much better now.

Thanks for everyone's concern... I'm glad I didn't try to ride this out over the weekend.

Time for evening vacuuming and laundry.... See ya tomorrow!

12:45

I've got an appointment to see my doctor today at 12:45! Initially, she was going to schedule me for Monday, but I asked if there wasn't anything sooner and she "found" this spot.

I'm glad because this means I won't have to suffer all weekend (if he gives me Ativan or something that acts quickly...). But no matter what, it means I'm on the way to feeling better. Yay!

In other news, I am in such a rut for dinner ideas. I know my family is burned out on everything, too.

I went to the Kraft recipes website and found this:

Easy Beef and Broccoli

Prep Time:5 min
Total Time:15 min
Makes:4 servings, 1-3/4 cups each

2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. beef stir-fry strips
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup KRAFT CATALINA Dressing
1 Tbsp. grated gingerroot

COOK rice as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat; cook 3 min. or until evenly browned, stirring frequently.

ADD broccoli, hoisin sauce, dressing and gingerroot; stir. Cover. Cook 5 min. or until heated through.

SERVE over the rice.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Substitute
If you can't find beef stir-fry strips in your supermarket, you can use any grilling steak, cut into thin strips, instead.

Make it Easy
Substitute jarred minced ginger for the grated gingerroot.

I bought top round steaks and cut them into strips and I also used regular long cook rice (cause that's what I had on-hand) and I used the garlic instead of ginger.

Sissy, who doesn't like anything, obviously, wouldn't even try it. But, the other three of us really enjoyed it.

I'll be making it again in the future.

Have a super Fourth of July, friends. I'll check back in tomorrow and update on the doctor's visit.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

I'd Like to Give The World A Water....

First off, I just want to say that on Tuesday, I felt much better than I did on Monday. Still, I plan on calling my doctor's office today to get an appointment. My doctor is such a reasonable guy, I think if I give him the list of "whys", he'll agree and help me out.

Okay.

I don't drink sodas. It's not that I hate them... I just got myself off them years ago and even today, I rarely ever have one. And, if I do, it's a Sprite (or Sprite equivalent - I'm not picky).

It all started when I was trying to get pregnant with Buddy and I wanted to get off caffeine. I gave up coffee and caffeinated sodas. I was down to one Sprite a day (for lunch) and then I just gave that up too.

Every restaurant I visit, I order water because I want to save the calories for something tastier. Not because I'm cheap - although I AM cheap. I'd still order water, even if it cost money. After I got off soft drinks, I pared it down to just water.

And that's the main reason I love my side by side, ice and water thru the door fridge. I brought my old one from our first house and then realized it wouldn't fit the recessed area for the fridge in this house. I searched for one that would fit and when I found one, I pounced. I am constantly going by for ice and water refills... all day long.

These days, I allow a cup of coffee if I feel like it. But, pretty much, I exist like Jesus - water and wine, my friend.

I do buy Cokes and Sprite, when they're on sale. From time to time, they go on sale for something like "4 for $10" on the 12 packs, so I'll pick up three Cokes and one Sprite. The Evil Twin likes a Coke in his lunch and every so often, Buddy will drink a Sprite.

Sissy loves Coke, though and if I give her a can and a straw, she will happily down the entire thing. That doesn't happen very often. My kids can have a glass or two of whole milk, one cup of juice and then, the rest of the day, I give them water. Buddy would drink milk all day and not eat, if we let him. I'm a little more flexible with him these days since he's older and he is allowed to grab a soda if he wants one.

I've been up for an hour and I'm already on my fourth glass of water. Yum!

She's Come Undone

Actually, that's the title of a book written by Wally Lamb and I can totally recommend that one - I like him as an author anyway.

I've been having creeping feelings of anxiety and edginess plaguing me. I'm coping okay for now. But, I sense a call to my general doctor coming up.

I had been on an anti-anxiety med (Buspar) for about 7 years when, in the midst of dealing with my parents' estate and all the headaches that came with, I had a serious nervous breakdown and the Evil Twin ended up coming home from work to take me to the ER. I thought I was having a heart attack.

When we got to the hospital, my blood pressure was sky-high and due to the fact that I do have a blood clotting disorder (which makes me more prone to strokes), they admitted me. Many hours and tests later, I was sent home with a pat on the head and a prescription for Ativan (a serious business anti-anxiety med).

I had to follow up with my primary doctor and he wanted me off Buspar and on Paxil, along with the Ativan. I said, "okay." He doesn't like Buspar, doesn't think it's effective, etc. But, it had always worked for me...

I didn't like Paxil and I didn't want to become addicted to the Ativan. (the doctors are real stingy about giving it out anyway, so every refill was a pain in the butt).

So, basically, I want to be back on the Buspar, but I doubt my doctor will prescribe it. In fact, my former prescription was handled by my neurologist (who was also reluctant, but my FIRST neuro had started it, so my new neuro continued it). I'd accept Ativan again... I guess I'm going to have to make an appointment soon because I can't stand feeling like this.

It really is a terrible feeling.