The Nothing Thread

[Stimpy]

I'm selling the dog, I've found my dream pet...


http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b180/90Jetta/FlemishGiant.jpg


Please tell me that isn't a real rabbit! That thing scared the crap out of me :hahahaha: :hahahaha: :hahahaha:

Ok, trying to ease back into the nothing thread here. Ya miss a few days and it takes so long to get caught up again!:crazy:

TW1 & Bavaria, have a great trip!

AFMom...hang in there!!!! I was so worried about you and your family last week when I heard about the air strike! First thing I did when we got home was check in here to see how you were. Very happy to hear everything is ok!

Rash...ouch! Sorry to hear about the car! Like others have said, maybe that will be it for the lifetime of the Stang.

Glad to see everyone is starting to feel better these days. Now, instead of flu & cold season, we get to look forward to allergies! :headache:

[TW1]

That furry beast is called a Flemish Giant, its an actual breed that is somewhat popular in England primarily. That photo is real, though I can tell it was taken with the type of wide angle lens that will distort the proportions a bit.

[jnrrt]

Holy kerschmoley!

Laura, what are you saying "no one has time for nothing anymore..." Hello! Like, 53 new pages since yesterday! Get Carrie well, give TW1 an excuse to post stats (and really, really scary pictures), have Bavaria plan a last minute trip, and you chickabooming, not to mention AFMom and nono trying to crank up a band, and it's no wonder Stimpy and I are feeling a little lost.

Well, huh. I was going to say sorry Rash about your car, but that was so yesterday. Well anyway, I'm sorry about your car.

But man, am I glad Carrie was in a mood! That cheered my right up! Although the bears sent me over the edge too:tongue: .

[PoohsPal]

I thought the bears were cute. I just wanted to share my happiness. :innocent:

[lllovell]

lol Carrie - your good mood was infectious today and I think we all needed it!

You are right jnrrt! The last little bit of nothingness has been explosive, just got quiet for a few days in there! Maybe we were all taking a collective nap. Good thing quiet time is over! :computerg

Laura

[AFMom]

Hey - I love hearing about other people's vacation plans!!! I can't go yet - but I get to live vicariously through trip reports!:cheerlead :sailing:
Yes - I guess it's a big chunk of cake! I hadn't thought of it that way! :birhdaypa Actually doing good here - I've got my re-adjustment groove on! The big ole attack thingy had me freaked out last week - but once I realized the scary stuff he does I'll never hear about - I chilled out!:chillpill Gotta love Spec Ops. Not! The bears helped.... I think they are almost too cute for words!:Puckerup:
I want that rabbit!!! It would give my dog a run for it's money! Big, cuddly, so cute!!!! And the size of those feet! Oh....... I wonder about the size of the droppings..... they'd be - I don't know - walnuts sized instead of raisin sized! Can you litter train one of those.....

[lllovell]

:grouphug: It would worry me too AFMom!

walnut sized droppings and potty trained rabbits...oh my


:upsidedow

[AFMom]

i just had to add - those bunnies can average 16 lbs and 22 inches long! Gotta love Google.

[PoohsPal]

i just had to add - those bunnies can average 16 lbs and 22 inches long! Gotta love Google.
Ya' heard it here first folks! Where else can you find such a wide variety of info? :p

[Stimpy]

:grouphug: It would worry me too AFMom!

walnut sized droppings and potty trained rabbits...oh my


:upsidedow

LOL I can't even get DD and the males in my house "potty trained"!

[gopherit]

Having just cleaned our 6 lb Dutch Dwarf rabbit's litter pan yesterday, let me just say, that bun would have be TOILET trained. It would crank out more poop than I care to scoop, thanks very much!! And I don't even wanna imagine the THUMP it could make with it's foot. Mr. Buns stomps his foot ala rabbit style and it sounds like someone dropped a Websters unabridged from about 5 feet. That rabbit would sound like someone dropped Webster himself, off a bridge... :holymoly: Don't even want to think how much hay you have to feed that thing. Or do you maybe just turn it loose in your yard and let it "mow" ?

(They are cute, though, aren't they? In a weird, overengineered, genetically super-sized Sams club kinda way.... they are cute! :lovestruc )

ANyhooo... ds9 and ds11 fell asleep on couches last night. DH prodded them up to go to bed, and ds9 heads to the basement! DH asks him where do ya think YOU'RE going? Ds9 testily says back, "To bed!" DH had to guide him back up and get him going itn the right direction, LOL. MEanwhile, ds11 couldn't get BACK to sleep. Kept pacing the floor, popping in on DH and I. He said he kept having bad images in his mind about some movie his dad had watched... 2 months ago! I told him to go read a book, do a sudoku, listen to his music, something to take his mind off. He insisted on sleeping on the sofa in the sitting area of our bedroom. Ok, fine, I thought - it's midnight, we need to SLEEP! Well, DH did just that. And once he started snoring, ds11 decided, the movie was bad.... but dad's snoring was worse, and he went back upstairs, LOL.

Hope he can manage being in same room with dad in the hotel for the NASCAR race this wkend. Boys are headed to the races on Sat while dd and I have a girly fun wkend at home, sans the guys. Maybe I can catch up on the sleep I lost last night when ds11 was pacing the floors!

Anybody else have good wkend plans (and yes TW1 and bavaria we know what YOURS are, ya lucky dawgs!)

[TW1]

Anybody else have good wkend plans (and yes TW1 we know what YOURS are, LOL!)39 hours

[PoohsPal]

I have awesome weekend plans!!!!! I may have menmtioned them earlier, though. :D

[Stimpy]

Gopherit, I was waiting to see what you would say about the rabbit! Somehow I knew you either had one, have one or were getting one LOL

Weekend plans.....hmmm...let's just say, I can't wait until Monday!

Saturday we have our cub scout Go See It to a museum at 10am, little league field clean-up at 11am (which I have to add another rant..DH volunteered to be a coach! :headache: If anyone remembers one of my previous rants about DH "volunteering" to be den leader, you can understand why I'm ready to kill him! Not only does that mean a TON of work for me again, but the Little League organization is worse than our local cub scout pack. I'm already having nightmares and he just found out last night!)

Sunday is Blue & Gold "dinner" at 10am at a fancy catering hall. 3pm soccer for me and kids, fantasy baseball draft for DH, 8pm Coldplay concert.

And I still haven't unpacked from our weekend trip! Yet, here I am in the nothing thread...stalling big time!:jumpingbe

[TW1]

OK all you high rollers, get your bids in now....

http://www.cmarket.com/catalog/itemDetail.do?ID=14748288754a4a5aa20457623a299241&cate=All&sortby=Title&pg=null

Its George Clooney's gift bag from the Academy Awards. Lots of nice stuff, but no GV, go figure!

[PoohsPal]

Holy cow!

Ok, why do they give these things to people who can more than afford to get them themselves if they really wanted? Hi, you just made millons of dollars in a movie and you're at the academy awards, so you're likely to earn millions more, let's give you some trinkets you probably don't need. Like a Blackeberry, a 60Gb video iPod a dourne and borkey (sp?) travel bacg adn a cahsmere travel blanket?

What the heck. Let's have a lottery for regular people or just make a charitable donation in the star's name.

ETA: Good for George fro just handing it over to United Way.

[TW1]

Preview of next year's auction...



http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b180/90Jetta/GC3.jpg

[DisFlan]

Wow, that's quite a haul. Kudos to George.

But somehow, I can't really see him (or too many other stars) showing up at a Fairmont saying, "I'd like my free stay, please."

TW1 - LOL! Great picture. And have a good trip!



DisFlan

[PoohsPal]

I love it when TW has time to play! You crack me up!

[Stimpy]

Preview of next year's auction...



http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b180/90Jetta/GC3.jpg


Ok, that is just too funny! :hahahaha: :hahahaha: :ROTFL: :ROTFL:

[Stimpy]

Opening Bid: $100.00
Leading Bid: $12,100.00 by thetruc (reserve not met)
Number of Bids: 56 (bid history)

Time Left: 5 days 5 hours 37 minutes
Online Open: Mar 21, 2006 11:59 PM EST
Online Close: Mar 28, 2006 11:59 PM EST


Anybody else wondering how much the reserve actually is? I know I would have been outbid a looonnnngggg time ago! :scary:

[AFMom]

holy guacamole......... yep - my bid would have been in the tank a long time ago!
Ok - so we're talking bunny poo in extreme amounts.... and earthquakes from their cute little feetsies - and I still want one.
Maybe I could sneak it in before DH gets back............. and toilet train it. And keep my Great Dane mix puppy from eating it....... They sound like pretty good pets on the websites out there. Of course - I was looking at Chinchillas a few years ago and DH about had a fit! I don't think he want too many furry creatures underfoot. I personally would be a cat lady if I had a chance!

[Rozzie]

greetings nothing friends! Wowser, ya'll been busy today, atomic sized rabbits to care bear wars, all with a little Clooney sprinkled on top. Got to hand it to ya'll!!

I have the next 6 days off r/t scheduling turn arounds. So wishing to hop a plane to the happy place!! Instead, I'll be spring cleaning, yard work, and helping my mom finish moving. Joy....

Have a great time TW1!!!! and Bavaria, I'll squeeze in that carryon for sure!!!:blueflowe

[gopherit]

Maybe I could sneak it in before DH gets back............. and toilet train it. And keep my Great Dane mix puppy from eating it....... They sound like pretty good pets on the websites out there. Of course - I was looking at Chinchillas a few years ago and DH about had a fit! I don't think he want too many furry creatures underfoot. I personally would be a cat lady if I had a chance!

My DH was NOT happy when I got ds his guinea pig. DH was doubly unhappy when I brought home not only a second piggie, but Mr. Buns as well! And now DS brought home the hamster for SPring Break... we are overrun with rodent life lately! That said - I have also caught my DH eyeing Mr. BUns and trying to "play" with him, when he thought I wasn't looking. (Mr. Buns plays a wicked game of tag with the kids... I saw DH touch him on the tail and shuffle off real fast, then do it again. Mr. Buns looked at him like, "What's yer beef, oh tall one - and why are you poking me in the biscuits with your toe?" I think DH was disappointed that Mr. Buns won't play with him. I should also point out Mr. Buns is quite in love with me (I'm his mom!) and dd (that's his girlfriend!) , however he makes it clear that he knows DH isn't wholly in his fan club... whenever he's out for a hop and DH is around, he always leaves a calling card (a choice lil' nugget or two, right on DH's lap.) I think they really do square-off, trying to see who's alpha male of the warren! Theirs is a very bizarre relationship!

I blame my mother for my rodent-love. She wouldn't let me have a hamster. I told her maybe if she had, the little sucker would have bitten me, and then I'd be a dog-person now, LOL. Instead... it's lagomorph central, and I'm their queen...

[TW1]

20 hours

[nono]

20 hours


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ginger]

Hello Nothing Thread. Just wanted to test me sig.

[nono]

Ginger,

Like the sig. Straightforward, and not flashy, like er, well.....um......

[Rozzie]

Hello Nothing Thread. Just wanted to test me sig.

hey there Ginger! Like the sig, nono and I just so flashy, nice to see some old money pop in!:tongue:

Welcome, there's coffee in the closet, a really LOUD band, and something stronger if you are ever in need!!:howudoin: nice to see new faces here!!!

[TW1]

something stronger if you are ever in need!HEY, I'm always in need, slide one down!

Welcome Ginger, pull up a bean bag!

17 hours

[Rozzie]

AAHHHHHH! Here ya go TW1! :beer: :beer: (sliding down the bar...) There's 17 hours left on your countdown, time to get your game face on!!!!!!

[jnrrt]

TW1, one would almost think you were excited or something.

Welcome, Ginger!

Did I mention that we're leaving one week from several hours ago? (no, TW1, I can't do that math)

Did I also mention that my brother and his family just drove down on Wednesday, and his kids still don't know they're at WDW? They decided to keep it a surprise, and when they asked where they were going they told them FL. They apparently just accepted that and have asked no more questions. When I asked what they said when they saw the signs, they said, "Well, K--'s the only one old enough to read, and she fell asleep. We're staying off-site and they were so excited, they didn't see anything but the pool"

They plan to tell them in the parking lot when waiting for the tram. They're going to videotape it. I think it's hilarious, really.

[Rozzie]

what a cute story jnrrt! I would love to see those faces!! Priceless!!:goodvibes

[TW1]

We surprised the kids one year as well.

I think DD was 7 and DS was 4. Didn't even tell them we we going to FL, but the plane was taking us north to my folks.

Kept them very distracted in the airport, so even when they heard "Now Boarding for Orlando' they didn't quite get it.

Finally hit DD when she saw palm trees at MCO. When she asked I told her they were simply decoration and "all airports have palm trees to make you feel like you're on vacation." (yes daddy is a liar and she'll need counseling some day.)

Took a towncar, so they didn't really notice the huge Mears buses or DCL bus. By the time we pulled up outside OKW, both kids were really sleepy. When the car door opened and there stood a freindly CM with a hearty "Welcome Home" DD was floored! That was the moment I needed the camcorder! DS was still too young to process it, but DD was absolutely shocked.

It was SOOOO hard keeping this secret, but we manged pretty well. In hind sight it sure was fun, but DD walked around in a daze for the first two days, saying she couldn't believe she was there and why we kept it a secret. At the time, DW and I honestly felt a bit guilty that we didn't include them in the planning and excitement of the trip. And, since the kids love visiting my parents (:idontgeti they're young remember, they'll get it soon..) they felt a tiny bit put out they weren't with their grandparents.

All in all we have a great chuckle over it today and it is something DD will remember, though DS was really too young to appreciate the surprise element.



16.5 hours

[gopherit]

How cool! I would never be able to pull something like that off. For starters, they are all too familiar with my "pre-Disney" mode - increased Disney movie watching, increased listening to Disney music, more time on computer checking last minute disney details... the gig would be up before we left the driveway.

I did surprise them once, though. I had a business trip and arranged for my Mom to fly to the same airport I was returning to. I didn't tell the kids she was coming, so imagine their surprise when I return home after being gone a week and say, "Hey guys, look who I found in the airport and decided to bring home! Grammamoolie!"

But the surprise had a slight repercussion.... To this day, my DS9 thinks his grandmother just hangs out in airports. :sosad:

Busy day with not much time to play, so happy travels to our outbound nothingers, and maybe I'll get a chance to pop in late tonight or tomorrow...

Later!

[bavaria]

oooh I need some kids to surprise! I love those stories!!!

TW, I have you beat on the countdown clock - 4 hours, 50 minutes!

[bavaria]

Oh, almost forgot - welcome Ginger!!! I loooove ginger - I always carry a bag in my travels, along with some ginger candies. And chocolate covered ginger :yummy: .

[jnrrt]

Yeah, I'm with Gopherit, though.

We haven't told our kids about this trip, and are attempting to keep it a surprise. I know I never could if it was a regular trip, but it was so last minute, I thought I could do it for 2 weeks. But, I'm pretty sure the cat will be out of the bag once they get in the garage. I don't think my kids are as trusting as my neices are:scratchch , they'll want to know immediately. But I still think even that will be pretty fun. We're going to try the "just going on vacation" line, but I doubt that even gets us out of the neighborhood.

[lllovell]

If I didn't say it before, then I am saying it now - WELCOME Ginger! We hope you will stay and hang out in nothing land for a while!

Bavaria and TW1 - best wishes for fun and safe trips! We will want reports upon your return!

I keep thinking we will keep things a secret from ours, but I am the WORST about this! I get more excited than they do before vacation (have you seen the Disney commercial where the kids are awake because they are so excited? Mom gets them back in bed only to find her hubby is awake because HE is too excited too. Well - that is me...sans the man jammies of course...and other manly stuff :hahahaha: )

Maybe one day when going to WDW becomes ho-hum for them! (I do worry that we go "too much" but I just cant convince myself there is such a thing! :goodvibes )

Laura

[AFMom]

Welcome, Ginger! Glad to have a new person to nothing with!
I could never keep it secret! I'm too busy making autograph books, planning matching t-shirts, I have the suitcases out 5 days before...... Nope - my kids would be able to tell. They know my Disney mode as well!
Anyway - they love he planning and getting ready as much as I do!
My DS is currently trying to decide where he wants to have his B'day lunch..... in December!
We have only gone to the character breakfast in AK - it was fine - all the Fab 5, and decent food for a buffett - (have to been to pretty much all of them at DL) - but I'm not sure where DS would want to go in Dec - Hopefully the new Toy Story one will get good reviews - maybe we can go there. But I'm still thinking Chef Mickeys - since he loves Mickey and gang.
I'm procrastinating again. So much housework and no ambition.

[Stimpy]

AFMom, we had a chinchilla once and I loved him! They are such cool animals! Watching them in the dust baths is so cute. I didn't actually get him myself, my sister at the time was very bad about dumping animals onto different people. (Fortunately, she has stopped that!) Thanks to her I had inherited a cat, 2 firebellied newts and the Chinchilla. She left 2 cats & an iguana in the Keys with an ex-boyfriend and 2 cats in Colorado with another. Let me tell you how worried we all were when she told us she was pregnant! LOL

Surprise trips.....no more in our family! Last year, we decided to surprise DS with a weekend trip for Star Wars Weekends. He's a huge SW fan and everytime he saw any pics from SWW or heard about it he kept saying how much he wanted to go. We thought he would go nuts when he found out! Wellllll...he did go nuts, but not it the way we hoped! We took him out of school about 1/2 hr early on a Friday, told him we had a surprise for him and we were taking him somewhere special. We get to the airport and he starts getting upset asking where we were going and for how long. I told him Disney World until Monday night and he starts crying hysterically! :crymeariv I could not calm the kid down, I thought security was going to think we were abducting him or something.

He was upset b/c his field trip/end of year picnic to the beach was supposed to be that morning (which is why we planned to leave in the afternoon, after they got back) but was rained out. Of course, the rain date was Monday so he would miss the trip. Once he finally calmed down and I told him we were going for SWW, I remembered to pack his Anakin costume and even the correct lightsaber, everything was ok. DH and I just had to laugh! You know you're going too much when a 5 yr old would rather go to the beach for the day than to Disney World for a weekend!

[Stimpy]

Oh and the fates are laughing at me once again! After saying how busy our weekend is and telling PoohsPal yesterday how my son rarely gets sick, I got a call from school nurse this morning b/c he threw up. She thinks he has this nasty stomach virus that's been going around. Of course, 20 minutes after he gets home, he's running around and jumping all over :rolleyes: Finally got him to lay down on couch for a little while and watch his Clone Wars DVDs. Sooo we have to readjust all our plans now and cross our fingers that DD doesn't get it too.

[Ginger]

Stimpy, hope your son gets better soon. And I hope the rest of the family doesn't catch it. :)

[nono]

In honor of the beautiful, sunny afternoon here in our little hamlet in NJ, I'm opening the bar today with FREE Margaritas!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:margarita :margarita :margarita :margarita :margarita
Anyone?

[TW1]

Quick slide one to Bavaria, were talking minutes before that Nothing'er is outta here!

[lllovell]

ooohhh - MEMEMEMEMEME :yummy:

Thanks nono!!! It is not the prettiest day here, but not raining, so I will take it!

TW1 - Don't forget to pack fluffy!!! :hahahaha: You know you want to sneak the lil furball in your suitcase!

Ack - I hope you all dont get it Stimpy! We have been trying so hard to avoid passing things like that around this year. So far...hubby and I have been the ones that have gotten the most sick lol Go figure!

Laura

[AFMom]

Bummer, Stimpy! I have one home from Zoo School today - and darn it - Fridays are my only day without my kids. So there went that! He has a stomach ache and a tiny fever. But no throwing up - yech! i guess only having one around here isn't as bad - no one for him to fight with!
I want one of those - but it'll have to wait until about 4 when I'm not driving anymore..... Oh! Virtual margaritas only make your virtual blood alcohol go up.......

[TW1]

TW1 - Don't forget to pack fluffy!!!

What do you mean I can't go! But I have my hat on!
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b180/90Jetta/Peanut.jpg

Ta ta all!

Trip report on April 3!

[AFMom]

Cute! Stimpy - now I really want that chinchilla. Ya think DH would notice when he got back?:innocent:
Just train Fluffy to be a service animal - they're allowed,right?
We actually have a good friend doing the puppy training for a service dog. It's a lab - now about 5 months old. She's so sweet with her little vest on!:blueflowe

[lllovell]

One of our members here at MouseOwners has been approved for a service dog and is patiently waiting. (I never knew there was such a wait!) I think it is great that your friend trains AFMOM! It would be hard to me - much like fostering children must be so rewarding but so heartbreaking at times.

TW1 - have fun!!!

Heading out myself! Taking a little bit of work home....but guess what? I AM DONE WITH YEAR END!!! I HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST ACCOUNTING PROGRAM!!!! I am not 100% done (never am in this job which is fine), but I feel sooooo much better right now!

:cheerlead I never thought I would make it with PJ coming along, losing both my grandparents, a co-worker that basically refused to do her part of the conversion (which was the part for writing ALL the company checks) so I had to do it for her, year end (which takes at least a month during a regular year) and oh so much more!!!

Thank you everyone for listening to me gripe and moan.

Yuengling on me!!! :hyper: :beer: or :margarita for those that prefer!

Happy Friday everyone!

Laura

[AFMom]

:woohoo: Go Laura!!!!!!!:woohoo: It's your birthday! :woohoo:

[AFMom]

Where is everyone? I was so sad to see the Nothing Thread slipping down, down, down. Just had to revive it.
Had a sleepover last night - kids only had 1 friend over, though- so it was mellow as far as those go! Actually watched Chicken Little for the 1st time - I thought it was pretty good! Better than I was expecting.
Cinnamon Rolls and Starbucks coffee here - anyone want some? I bought a coffee press last week and now I'm making good coffee with some Starbucks beans... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Can you tell I like coffee?
DH called and e-mailed yesterday! It was quite nice. My ticker is looking better every day!

[Rozzie]

AFMom!!!!!!A coffee press! I'll be right over, save a roll also. Sure sounds better than my walmart label waffle and coffee that is on the menu this morning!!!

It is going to be another gorgeous day here. I know that is only lasts for a month or two, then the blasted heat sets in for 7 months. I have been taking every off day and reading outside for a couple of hours. Got new porch furniture from Target, which really makes it cozy. Add to that my Walt Bio I am reading, and days off have been minivacations. Of course with a price, no cooked meals, no grocery store trips, no clean laundry, and the pet hair is organzing a small militia to overtake the house. Guess I am going to have to break down and do some cleaning today.....:scary:

Have a great day nothingners!!:)

[Rozzie]

:woohoo: Go Laura!!!!!!!:woohoo: It's your birthday! :woohoo:

Is it really your birthday??? I didn't see it under birthdays!! Trying to sneak by us? If I missed it, happy belated from Rozzie!!!!! or is it not??????????? I am having blonde moment I believe..........

[conciergekelly]

All these years on the boards and this is the 1st time I have looked in the "nothing thread". I didn't even know what it was about.:veryconfu

Looks like I picked a good day. I see there's starbucks coffee and cinnamon rolls today. Thanks AFMom


Enjoy your nice day Rozzie. Sitting outside on a warm Sunday morning sounds heavenly. I haven't done that for 6 months.

Just checking it out here and thought I'd say HI.

[Rozzie]

All these years on the boards and this is the 1st time I have looked in the "nothing thread". I didn't even know what it was about.:veryconfu

Looks like I picked a good day. I see there's starbucks coffee and cinnamon rolls today. Thanks AFMom


Enjoy your nice day Rozzie. Sitting outside on a warm Sunday morning sounds heavenly. I haven't done that for 6 months.

Just checking it out here and thought I'd say HI.

Welcome! This is a great place, lots of friends, coffee, loud bands, beer, (Yeungling the unofficial beer of choice), countdowns, rants, jokes, gossip, you know, the coffee/beer shop that everyone wishes was next door....

make yourself at home! and if you happen to be traveling south of the mason dixon today, feel free to stop by for some afternoon reading sunshine! Wine bottle will be uncorked at 5pm.....:tongue:

[conciergekelly]

Sounds like my kind of place. Just what I have been looking for. I'll bring the cheese and see you at 5:00.

[AFMom]

I call that line the "Sweet tea line"! Mason Dixon sounds so, well, scholarly. Your pet hair militia must be teaming up with the dust bunnies that are mating and taking over under my bed and couch. They are joining forces with my dogs hair as we speak.

Hey, conciergekelly - nice to see you here! :jumpingbe

[gopherit]

I have a REAL bunny that's taken over my couch, LOL - we let him out for a hop and he got himself all worked up, so he flopped out on the top edge of my couch and went to sleep... didn't have the heart to wake him and stuff him back in the cage yet, and since dd is hapily playing right now, figure I'll wait a few minutes before putting Mr. Buns back in his bunny condo before we leave for the furniture store.

Buying bookshelves today. Already bought an organizer/ cube thingy at Lowe's and put it together today. DD loved pounding nails, LOL - she's a tool woman like her mom! Spring always makes me want to organize, and DH and I both agreed - this house NEEDS BOOKCASES. So off we go.

But hey, I'll take some of that java for the road. I need to get my coffee press out of the cupboard. I got one many moons ago when I lived in Australia and haven't used it in years... just using the old fall-back Mr. Coffee machine. SHame on me.

Kinda crapola weather here in the Mid-Ohio valley. Spittin' bits of rain and snow. DH has the boys at Bristol TN for the race today - said it snowed there until about 10 am. And to think he wanted dd and I to go there with them - without tickets. Siad she and I could just "walk around" during the race. Yeah... right. Truth is, he wanted me along for the organization I bring to a trip. They have known about this trip for 12 months... and yet there the three of them stood, Sat morning, with nothing packed, no batteries for all the "essentials" (scanner, cameras, radios, phone.... honestly!) No maps. No plans for dinner. If I hadn't personally made the hotel ressies 10 months ago, they would be sleeping in the car, LOL. DH picks the night before to try to figure out the scanner I gave him for his birthday 2 months ago. And of course, he can't figure out - so he passes off to me at 9 pm on Friday! I try to involve him in the understanding of it at 10 pm - but he's more interested in the insides of his eyelids, if ya get my drift. By 11 am Sat, I realize my words are like quantum physics to him (he's got the same glassy-eyed look people get when I try to explain DVC points to them) SO finally I said look, dude, I can make this work - but then I have to transfer that knowledge to you... and you, since you're driving, then have to transfer that knowledge to our 11 yr old son. Ain't NO WAY that's gonna happen in 30 minutes or less. Next time you want to use the GPS - figure it out BEFOREHAND. Like WEEKS in advance. The scanner is tough enough for him - you should see it, I programmed it and then made laminated "cheat sheets" for him so all he has to do is punch in his car numbers of choice. Our 9 yr old DS knows how to work the DVD home stereo unit better than DH.

SIgh....he's a wonderful man, but technology and my hubby don't mix. After nearly 16 yrs of marriage, I should have remembered that. WHat was I THINKING when I bought that GPS for him?!?!? :crazy:

(Gee, had I known I would end up with it.... I might have bought the next model up, LOL!)

[AFMom]

too funny..... in my family it's always me getting that glassy eyed look. Poor DH - he gets so frustrated with me. I am the organized one, though! We have a gps and go geocaching with it, but I never do it without DH - I still don't know how to work it, and I've never taken the time to try!
I think not going was a good plan. Doesn't the race last most of the day? Yep - just hang out and wait..... NOT!
I have a coffee press in my camping gear that we've been using for about a year now when we camp, and I realized on the last camp trip how much better the coffee tasted made that way - so I got a little $20 one for home. It's great! Yeah - not quite as convinient as an auto drip, and Igrind the beans so they are coarse enough - but ohhhhhh - it's so good!!!!!!!
Ok - so I'm really procrastinating any sort of work. I've no ambition today.

[Stimpy]

Gopherit, I hope your boys find it home safely LOL My DH is the same way when it comes to planning anything! I usually just tell him take vacation time for these dates and he usually remembers we're going somewhere when I take the suitcases out. :headache:

We had DS's Blue & Gold this morning (yep, a month late!) It was really disorganized, which is no surprise considering the way the pack is run. I realize it's a lot of hard work for the organizers but it drives me crazy. It was held in a local catering hall (the kind where they normally hold those "infamous" New York weddings) for 4 hours. They had 1/2 hour of ceremonies which went well. Then buffet lunch/brunch for about 45 minutes, which was good. Then nothing for 1 1/2 hours! Kids were running around like maniacs because they had nothing to do. They had a magician show scheduled for the last 45 minutes but absolutely nothing for in between. It was suggested that they try and call the magician to see if he could come earlier, but NO ONE HAD HIS PHONE NUMBER! Alot of parents were really angry, which I don't blame them too much. It was $30 a person and a lot of people left early because it was such a mad house. So now I'm just waiting for the complaints to come rolling in from the parents in our den...because they always do LOL


So if the bar is open this early, please slide one down this way? Thanks

[Rozzie]

Here ya go Stimp. :beer: :beer: :beer: ..............good catch!

I would have so lost my mind at your function. I can barely stand to see 1 unruly child in a public place acting like a nut, I can't imagine being surronded by packs of them! drink up girl! you deserve it!!:ale:

[jnrrt]

Just saying, welcome to nothing, conciergekelly!

If you haven't noticed yet, there is no topic. Just whatever!

So really, I have nothing to say. How appropriate. But I'll be back tomorrow.

PS, I use my press for loose tea. Is that bad?

[AFMom]

$30 per person!!!!!!!! That's outrageous. Ours was $6 per person, under 3 free, and it was catered as well. That's ridiculous. It's already too expensive for many kids to be involved in - and many of those kids are the ones who need it the most. I would soooooo ditch that Pack if I was you!!! Or take over....... We spent the weekend volunteering at the council's Scout Show, and doing a flag ceremony for baseball season.
Good luck - I know what you mean about complaints..... I get them from all over. Of course - the ones who complain never have anytime to help make things better.

[PoohsPal]

MOrning nothingeres! Welcoem to Kelly and Ginger!!!

Have we made the coffee today? If not, I'll put some on.

I had a fabulous weekend, but was very sad to see it ocme to an end and say goodbye to my friend.

The sun is shining today and I here it will get into the 50s this week. :dancingba

[gopherit]

Stimpy and AFMom, we're even cheaper here - NO fee, and we all bring a dish for B&G! We have the meal at the Elementary school cafeteria. Pack buys the plates and flatware. Every family brings a dish or two to share and a 2Liter of beverage. Works great! (And we have some GOOD cooks out there too -- love the rice and egg rolls the Phillipino family brings - oh YUM. SOmeone else brought an artichoke lasagna - sounds gross, but man it was good. I do happen to LOVE artichoke, though! :beatinghe )

DH and two bummed ds came rolling in last night at midnight. My stubborn DH canceled the extra night at the hotel and brought them all home. I think it was because they were all depressed, LOL (big Gordon fans got a big disappointment in the last lap). They got no sympathy from me, LOL - I'm a LaBonte fan who has had NOTHING to cheer about in a long time, and Jeffy's spin-out moved Bobby from 5th to 4th. As Waltrip sez, "That's just Bristol, Baby." :thumbsup:

ANYHOOOO..... got a BEAUTIFUL bookcase at Sam's of all places. We went to 4 furniture stores yesterday and could NOT find a book case! I think we live in an illiterate town. One woman tried to steer me into buying a glass-enclosed curio cabinet. Ummm, NO. Another tried to seel me an entertainment center. Again, NO. Went to an office store but it was that non-wood stuff. Ewww. Finally found something at Sam's - thank goodness. Between DH and me and umpteen years of college and grad school between us, we have LOTS of books! I gave away a heap of 'em to a charity, but some we just want to keep. I LOVE books. (Not as much as artichoke hearts, though...the ink can leave a bad taste in your mouth....) :p

Well, got lots to get done today. Somebody pass me a coffee... I'm schlurping Mr. Pibb this morning and it ain't cutting the mustard. A baked good would be nice too. I was in such a rush to get my sleepy-headed race fans out the door (along with the hamster who came for Spring Break) that I didn't get any brekkie for myself. Wah.... pity party in progress! :( I did at least think to grab my pint of hot&sour soup out of the fridge, so at least I have some lunchies! I love that hot&sour soup... (possibly MORE than artichokes, but the jury is still out. SOmebody send me some artichokes and I'll compare. Maybe some of that great spinach-artichoke dip you can get at TGIFridays. ANd something to dip in it. And a beer to wash it down. Oh yum. Darn it, I'm so hungry, I'm gonna gnaw on my hard drive soon.... Help! :hammer: )

[Rozzie]

Oh gopher, we are Martin fans here. Can't believe this is going to be his last year, or is it???

Well we got the call yesterday. SIL and niece and nephew won't be coming along in May. We both knew it would have been a miracle if they were able to make it. Bummer. But you can make lemonade out of lemons right? We are going back to the original SWW or bust mode. Now I know we will have some quality Buffet time at the pool.:ale:

Enjoy your Monday nothingners!:upsidedow

[Stimpy]

Oh gopher, we are Martin fans here. Can't believe this is going to be his last year, or is it???

Well we got the call yesterday. SIL and niece and nephew won't be coming along in May. We both knew it would have been a miracle if they were able to make it. Bummer. But you can make lemonade out of lemons right? We are going back to the original SWW or bust mode. Now I know we will have some quality Buffet time at the pool.:ale:

Enjoy your Monday nothingners!:upsidedow

Oh Buffet time...how I wish I had that right now LOL Tried this morning by playing one of the CD's while cleaning but it just doesn't work without the margarita in hand! :margarita

On the bright side we did get our tickets last week for the Jones Beach show :jumpingbe

[Stimpy]

$30 per person!!!!!!!! That's outrageous. Ours was $6 per person, under 3 free, and it was catered as well. That's ridiculous. It's already too expensive for many kids to be involved in - and many of those kids are the ones who need it the most. I would soooooo ditch that Pack if I was you!!! Or take over....... We spent the weekend volunteering at the council's Scout Show, and doing a flag ceremony for baseball season.
Good luck - I know what you mean about complaints..... I get them from all over. Of course - the ones who complain never have anytime to help make things better.

Yep, that's what really stinks about being in our area. Most of the people in our town are towards upper-middle class to upper class. ( I can tell you we're definately on the low end of the spectrum and DH makes a pretty good salary) They don't take into account that not ALL the residents are able to afford it.
Oh, I forgot, under 5 was free LOL
I have offered to help out but even the cub scout packs apparently have "clicques" and was told "no thanks."
BTW, all but 2 of our Tigers earned all their requirements in time for the B&G. They really worked hard to complete everything in time! :jumpingbe

[nono]

Oh Rozzie --

A dissapointment for you, of course, but those poor kids!!!!!!! They must be crushed right now. :tearsaref

[Rozzie]

Oh Rozzie --

A dissapointment for you, of course, but those poor kids!!!!!!! They must be crushed right now. :tearsaref

yeah, I know nono. I wanted to take them anyway. But she really didn't think it was a good idea. I just am so upset about it really, hope my post didn't seem self-centered. I really wanted to treat those kids like king and queens for all they have been through lately. Poor little tikes. I was talking to my niece last night on the phone, and she brought up WDW, and I changed the subject real fast. I didn't have the heart to break the news. What's even stranger, SIL is the one who called us, and asked us to take them. I can't stand for people to play with their kids emotions like that. :burningma :burningma

The good news, if any, is that they are coming on our Nov/F&W trip. They get to see their aunt and uncle in "action":beer: , LOL....they should have a intresting vacation report for school when they get back.

[nono]

Rozzie,

You didn't sound self-centered at all! I just remember you posting about your niece callling you and talking about WDW, and thought, "Oh those kids!"

Well let's hope your SIL doesn't change her mind about them coming along on your F & W trip....that would be just plain MEAN. :rant:

[conciergekelly]

Thanks for all of the welcomes. You guy seem like a nice group. I'll be sure to check in from time to time! Hope everyone has a great Monday !:blueflowe

[Rash]

This week's Word-To-Scream-In-Public-For-No-Apparent-Reason is: knee.

[AFMom]

Knee!!!!!!

Had a rough day. Dh's dad had a major heart attack (they're in CA), he's doing well now. They placed a stint in the artery, and no other arteries seem clogged. They say he'll be out of the hospital very quickly. I feel so bad for MIL though - it's been a very stressful month for them all. What am I saying - I feel bad for all of them out there.
Trying to get ahold of DH in Iraq was horrible. I had to call his squadron and explain everything, then they had to try to get ahold of someone at the base in Iraq,,,, took almost 4 hours for them to tell Scott to call me. They thought it would be best if I were to tell him rather than him getting 1/2 the info from a stranger.
Then of course - he knows it has to be an emergency for me to do that (the only time we're allowed.....) so I know he was worried from the time he got the message to when I finally explained everything. Thank God the connection was actually good this time. Sometimes we can hardly hear each other.
He took the news fine, and was able to call his mom on her cell phone as well.
SO as long as his Dad continues to do ok - we're fine. But boy was it a stressful 6 hours. I'm very close to my FIL and MIL - both of my parents died 6 years ago - and I've known my in-laws since I was 16 - they really are parents to me, and good friends as well.
One good thing - DH and I were on e-mail at the same time tonight - he was at a computer at work.... shame on him.... we were able to basically chat back and forth for 30 minutes - it was great. Quite fun - the kids got a kick out of the fact that his date showed Tuesday while it was still Monday here!
So - now I'm going to go have a glass of wine and watch the History chanel. Anyone want to join me?:margarita

[nono]

AFMom,

Sorry I missed :ale: time, but just wanted to send :hug: . My Dad has been in and out of the hospital starting since I was 8 (I'm, ahem, over 39), and it always is stress like nothing else when that phone call comes! Hang in there!!!!

This KNEE is just for you! :upsidedow

[PoohsPal]

Kristy - Wow, dh's family really has had a rough time. You too! :hug: AT least you got to talk to him and chat with him to lift your spirits a bit. Hope you had a drink for me! :hug:

WOw, Kelly thinks were a nice group. Where did we start to stray????

Morning all! Coffee's on. Setting out pastries now. Good news of the day? It's not Monday anymore!

[Rozzie]

Wow Kristy, what news! Glad your DH is taking it okay. What a tough brave man! Give him and your FIL our best.

[gopherit]

AFMom, your clan has had a ROUGH start to 2006, huh! How stressful that must have been. It's bad enough getting such news, but then trying to get DH in the loop from such a distance, under the circumstances.... hugs (and coffee) to all of you!

My SIL can relate to you - my mom said that my brother set up their computer with a camera so he can see the kids now and then while he's deployed. He told my mom that he and my SIL were on the computer for an hour the other day, chatting and playing on-line Scrabble or some such thing. My mom was mad at my brother b/c I guess it was 2 am for my SIL and my mom said, "She has those kids to tend and get to school - he shouldn't have kept her up like that!" ( Well, heeelllllo party pooper mom - how long has it been since you were in love and missing someone?!?) Anyhoooo, we were supposed to meet SIL for dinner last wkend, but she and 2 of her 3 kids got the stomach flu! (What IS IT with that bug and our family?!?) My mom now feels sympathetic and has agreed to fly up to stay w/ my SIL for 3 weeks to help (and yes, my mom will be a help, not a MIL nuisance....so long as you give her "projects" she can work on, LOL. My SIL and I have discussed it at length - ya gotta give the Moo something to do. Yes, I call my mother "Moo"... long story.) My brother won't be back until early June I guess, so some help in April (with the kids on Spring Break too) will be welcomed. We're hoping to go visit over Easter.

Well, yesterday I hung my little sign up that my mom got me last year at a Cracker Barrel:

"We interrupt this family for baseball season"

Ain't THAT the truth. Three kids, three separate teams. DH is coaching one, keeping the books for another. And I'm buzzing around between the fields trying to give a cheer of support to 3 teams at once! Can I just say I HATE baseball?!? Especially the older the kids get. It's not the kids or the actual game I despise - it's the handful of parents living vicariously through their kid that DRIVE ME INSANE. :mad: I am sure I've given this rant before, so I'll spare ya the autoplay, though.... I'm just gonna go to the games, clap my hands and try (VERRRRRY hard) to keep my mouth shut and NOT end up on the Jerry Springer show. (I am pretty tough, though... if it came to it, I'm pretty sure I could take a few of these zealots DOWN.... :yes: He** hath no fury like a gopher protecting her litter from idiots.)

Got Starbucks cafe aulait with a shot of caramel today. On my way to go schlep lunch to hungry kindergarteners, then meetings, meetings,meetings, all the way into a Cub pack mtg tonight. The fun just never ends in gophertopia....

KNEE!

[AFMom]

Ah Gopherit - those lovely psychotic parents that have no idea that their kids actually want to enjoy the game..... We've been pretty lucky about our own kids' teams - but boy have I seen some nasty parents and coaches on our opposition. My ds wants to start football this fall - and from what I've heard all the football parents and coaches around here are not what I want my son exposed to. He's only 8 for heavens sake!
My kids actually decided that swim team, gymnastice, and cub scouts were enough! Phew - we get to skip a sport season. I don't think I could take it right now.
Your poor SIL! I hate getting sick when DH is gone - just no time for illness! It's great the your mom can go out there for a while. If my FIL is feeling better in time - MIL and FIl are supposed to fly out the week after Easter. I'm crossing my fingers - the kids really want to see them.
Luckily FIL is doing really well today. He won't need any open heart sugeries for the time being. They think he could be home in as little as 2 days.
Well - off to swim team after lunch - :tongue:

[gopherit]

When my mom had her major (heart attack), they were able to treat heres with just a stint or two as well - ah modern medicine. Speaking of which - was your FIL already on any heart meds? If not - adjustment to those can be a bear. My mom went to heck and back with hers - everything has a side-effect, and hers were not good. I think part of the problem was that she has NEVER had high cholesterol - but the first thing they wanna slap her with is a statin cholesterol-lowering drug. It did NOT agree with her. Hope your FIL's medical adjustments are much much smoother than hers were. (Of course, my mom also had to deal with quitting smoking. After 60 years of the habit, going cold turkey was NOT PRETTY. To her credit - she's never done it since. That heart attack must have been a real scare / wake-up call for her. I have alwasy said it would take the fear of God (or in this case, mortality and meeting God face to face) to get her to quit!

Best of luck in your FIL's recovery - hopefully they can get his new "life with stints" all worked out and they can still make the trip!

[ErinC]

Whew, I've been reading for an hour, and I'm sure I still didn't catch up on everything. I promise a trip report when I can find a few hours to sit down and work on it.

Rozzie, so sorry about the niece and nephew! That really stinks.

AFMom- sorry about your FIL. Hope he recovers quickly. Glad you are semi-adjusting to your DH being gone for moment.

Bavaria- I was at DD on Sat. I hate that I didn't know you were there.

Gopherit- I chuckled at your race comments. DH and I went to a couple of races before children. Frankly, I would just prefer to watch them on TV. Although Bristol was always a track I thought I would enjoy going to.

Welcome to Kelly and Ginger.

Carrie- so glad you got over being sick. DH came home with a tummy bug from WDW. So far no one else has gotten it.

lllovell- I thought about you as I was schlepping 3 kids around the MK by myself Sat. Morning while Dh laid in bed. It really wasn't too bad. I hope your trip goes well. It sounds like you really need the break.

Rash- so sorry about your car. Just buzz down here to South Alabama and DH will gladly take care of it for you.
http://www.jubileepaintandbody.com/

Maybe we can start taking payments in DVC points! I'll mention it to DH!:idea:

TW1- I know that you've already left, hope you have a great trip.

Jnrrt- We did a surprise trip for our kids last year. The only way that I kept it from them was due to the fact that we didn't decide to go until 5 days before we left for the trip. We packed after they went to bed at night. I packed a few things in the car the day we left and covered them with a sheet. At the last minute I put the cooler in the car. DD9 asked why and I told a "little white lie" said we were going to Sams club in Pensacola. They never questioned it . We finally told them about 2 hours into the trip. The looks on their faces were so funny. They both looked into the back on the Yukon to see if there was anything back there. I assurred them both we were not going to WDW naked. They had not noticed the suitcases or anything until I mentioned it. The trip was so last minute and really no planning involved, but it ended up being one of our best. I hope you can keep it from them a little while longer.

Stimpy- When my oldest was in Kindergarten, we took her out for a week to go to a conference in Las Vegas for DH. We left a week early to spend some time at Disneyland before his conference. Briley begged me to just let her stay at her teachers' house while we were gone. She didn't want to miss Kindergarten at all. I tried to explain to her what a big deal this trip was, all she could think about was missing her beloved kindergarten teacher and class. Eventually she got over it, but your sons story reminded me of her.

Well DH is at the gym working out. He's going to come home and I'm going to be sitting in the same spot I was when he left. Hope I didn't leave anyone out. Lots of nothing to catch up on after a week.

[PoohsPal]

Welcome back Erin!!! Thanks for posting pics whlile you were at the world!!!

Coffess on! I'll be hiding in the closet the rest of the day! Wayy too much to do today!

[jnrrt]

Welcome back, Erin!

Well, the still don't know. My daughter asked if we could go to the pool on SB, I said yes. She asked if we could go out to dinner, I said yes. She asked if we could go to the zoo, I said, "we could probably swing a zoo". I just didn't tell her it would be Ak (I know, I know, natazoo, or however you spell it). So I've been packing while they're at preschool and sticking it all in the closet. I do think it'll be fun when they figure it out.

[Rozzie]

Welcome home Erin! I am so happy to know someone with paint & body connections! Hopefully we won't need his services, but nice to know someone in the business. Sounds like you had a great trip, minus the stomach bug DH caught. How were the crowds? Can't wait to read your trip report! We are going to have to meet up sometime....:thumbsup:

[gopherit]

Wow, ErinC - you're GOOD - I can never reconnect to everyone like that, so just take this gopher's word for it that I did my homework / reading and send a howdy and hope all's well with my fellow nothingers, LOL! :sunny:

Kinda quiet in the burrow today. Yestrday was one of those AUUGH! kids of days. I frantically went from mtg to mtg, traipsing all over our huge site - in the rain, no less:umbrella: - then left work in a big flurry, already late, got to my car... and no key! Back into the office - still no key. Back to car, calling my sitter on cell phone - please bring me a spare key! And then... I found it - it fell of my key ring and into my umbrella! Good grief. THat wasted 30 precious minutes. Grabbed kids, went to store to get candy for a Cub Scout egg hunt. Came home, stuffed kids with pizza, they filled eggs while I prepared some games for the mtg. It began to rain - yikes, no egg hunt now! DH takes one son to ball, I take other two kids to pack mtg - where I learn the cub master already HAS games planned, and doesn't need mine (even though it was my responsibility per the last mtg). Had egg hunt indoors (and NOT ENOUGH EGGS - many did NOT bring them, so I subsidized with some candy I was GOING to use for my games that did not happen, LOL. Cosmic fate.... whatever.) Came home to do school board stuff (had to make uncomfy phone calls re: a church that won't pay its parachial school bills. I think the priest is in a state of dementia. Very difficult situation.) Fell asleep reading march of penguins to dd, then awakened by DS9, went to read some Potter with him, fell asleep again, awakened by DS11, LOL, to help him set his new alarm clock... laid down with him to review some Boy Scout stuff... fell asleep, awakened by DH.... went downstairs to own room, took a bath (love that Satsuma scent by Body Shop... like a field of oranges!) ... and then, irony of ironies ... I COULD NOT FALL ASLEEP! :bugeyed:

So here I sit today, slurping Starbuck's columbian cafe au lait with a squirt of chocolate :coffee2: , hoping this day goes a bit better! DH is bummed - I have to travel next week for 2 days. Poor guy loves my paycheck :loveisint , but hates my new job :mad: , LOL. It has been an adjustment for all - me included.

Well, gotta go make a trip to the other end of my plant site to meet w/ someone. At least it's nice outside - spring is springing up everywhere here! Can't believe my poor daffodils have made it through this crazy on-off-on-off spring weather - from snow and ice to 75 degrees and then frost again - they have survived! Can't wait for the tulips - they are my FAVE.... :flowerfor

[AFMom]

Ok - so my day yesterday kicked my behind - but Gopher - you win again.
Got coffee here as well- there's always extra! Have a million things to do - but at 1pm DH and I are going to try to chat online on the family's website. Should be fun.
After 3 months of lessons - the swim team coach said ds was finallly ready to join swim team! Ds is pretty excited. He'll start next week...
Ya'll I have absolutely nothing to say.... good place for that!

[Colorado Belle]

Honey, I'm hooommmme!

Puerto Vallarta was heaven! Much needed fun trip with DD, age 24. She was less than a week into recovering from second degree burns on her leg and hip from boiling water, but she didn't need all the attention and care that I thought she was going to need. She kept the burns protected and got a great tan; even went swimming the second week.

I'll have to write a trip report including photos (tho I didn't take as many as I had hoped).

Sad news the last day of my trip....my Aunt Kit, last of that generation of my family took a bad turn after a stroke/heart attackjust before Xmas. I found out last night that she had passed away the night before. I hadn't seen her since my mom's funeral in '96, but I miss her so much...as she was just a teeny thing, full of life and laughter.

Don't know if I can swing going to the funeral Friday morning in Pennsylvania. I have another %$###*****@&$ hearing coming up and I have to prepare. Also, it seems that there is some damage control needed from while I've been away...X has been up to his usual tricks. I'm checking out airfare right now, but it looks pretty frightful.

Daughter is safely back in Santa Barbara, my dog and kitty were well cared for and missed me, I haven't had the nerve to pick up mail yet, the snow has mostly melted and we are in the throes of mud season......

Will catch up on all that 's going on in the next few days...take care everyone!

[lllovell]

KNEE!!!

Welcome to CK!!! As everyone else has told you, we always love new people and enjoy just sharing in each other's lives....so jump in anywhere!

Sorry I have been so quiet this week. Trying to clear the desk before vacation is actually a good distraction from all that I need to do at home. AAAAAAAAAAAAA (I have my MENTAL list, but nothing is truly packed lol and a BIT stressed about losing an hour on Sunday morning...so it means I really do have to get up and leave at 6 am to meet the WeGoShop lady by 2...eek!)

Thank you for the dance AFMOM!!! I am sorry to hear about your father in law and hope that everything goes well with his recovery.

Rozzie - Not my birthday...just a mini celebration for finishing up the year end work which was extra difficult this year because it included an accounting program change.

Stimpy - I HATE HATE HATE that when you are with a group and they don't make any attempt to make sure everyone is included. I hope the kids had fun even if your event was crazy.

Erin - loved the pictures and tales from your trip. It sounds like you had a great time! The boys and I are working on our plans for next week and our deal is that in the mornings, I will push PJ in her stroller (she is still in the travel system - but we have the lightweight frame for it) and in the afternoons, I will take her in the backpack and push them in the stroller. They seem pretty excited about the trip and I think are understanding that I need their help in the behavior area (even though they are great children to begin with). I just have this fear of getting seperated from one of them, but we are talking about staying close, etc. I can't wait to go!

CB - I am glad your daughter is doing well! I know you were worried about her and seeing her in person was probably best for your mommy concerns! Your trip sounds great! I would love to see some pictures when you have time. Oh - and don't forget our offer....I bet it extends not only to terrible mechanics to ex-hubbys as well!

Gopherit - my hubby LOVES technology...to the point that he spends hours messing with it making me want to grab it and smash it (usually) because it tends to be hours of ignoring the family. That is just to learn how to use something....doesn't even include the time it takes to actually USE it! :blech: Technology is not my friend at home either, but how can you deny them gifts they want.

*running in the closet with Carrie* ooooooooo Chocolate!!! Yummy!

Laura

[nono]

How was the chocolate? We're on our way out to dinner, because, well, I never thought about what we were going to eat for dinner. Where is that girl who's supposed to cook around here? OH, right, that's me....












KNEE! :help:

[withdisneyspirit]

Well , I forced myself to go looking for Rash's sad Mustang news:crymeariv I am so sorry, Rash; you just did not deserve that!! I was at HHI when it happened or I would have commiserated already...

By the way, Laura, I noticed your comment about the Vue. I have one too! I got one of the first ones in 2002. I really like it a lot:goodvibes

I wish I had surprised the kids when they were little with a trip like that, Erin! How cool:clappingh

AFMom, so glad your FIL is better!

[nono]

Hellllooooooooooooooooooooo!!???!!!!





























Wow, that chocolate must be good.... Giddyyyupppp! :cowboy:

[lllovell]

Is there really such a thing as bad chocolate??? :)

Afternoon nothingers!!! We are a vacation planning, working too hard, its too nice to be inside kinda group lately (take your pick - I want vacation planning I think for now!!!)

We must get back into our regular blabbing on for hours at a time mode around here!!!

I am about to go and make a salad and then watch out!!! Massive Laura postings during lunch!!!

Who is with me? :)

Laura

[KNWVIKING]

My poor DW...... she's allergic to chocolate............




It makes her butt swell.

[Ginger]

Is there really such a thing as bad chocolate??? :)



Yes! And when it's bad, it's terrible. :tongue:

[AFMom]

Arg. Another day of crazy around here. Speech, grocery shopping, school work, swim team, and then the homeschool art show. Yesterday was just as bad. And supposedly the concrete people are coming to pour my slab today for our addition..... haven't seen them yet. :beaniepro
I feel like a nice long vacation. To top it all - this is the first day in over a week it's been beach weather and we have too much going on to go out there. I'm bummed. We need to cut back somewhere - but I don't know where. Ds made actual swim team now instead of swim lessons - so the 1/2 hour twice a week has turned into 1 hour 4 times a week.:hammer: Luckily his swim team is at my gym - so I can start working out while he's there.
Chocolate..... mmmmmmmmmmmm.... I did get a starbucks mocha this morning with a blueberry scone.... gee I wonder why I've gained 7 lbs????:headscrat
Allergic to choclolate - and butt swelling??????:jawdroppi Poor thing! I don't know what I'd do!!! Probably walk around with a big butt most of the time.....I'd have to have chocolate day pants.:p

[lllovell]

My poor DW...... she's allergic to chocolate............




It makes her butt swell.


noooooooooooooo I have the same disease!!!

Please tell me that withholding is NOT the only way of dealing with this terrible issue. :worried:

[lllovell]

AFMom - that does sound like a lot. I hope you can find some time to enjoy the beach soon! We are going next weekend after our nights at WDW :clappingh :clappingh :clappingh I am so stoked!!!

I should do like TW1 and start counting hours!!! :beaniepro

[gopherit]

My poor DW...... she's allergic to chocolate............

It makes her butt swell.

That wouldn't be enough to stop me.... ain't nothing wrong with having a really swell butt, LOL!

ANYHOOO... gophertopia is in its usual state of mayhem. Business trip got booted up to Monday, meaning I have to leave on Sunday... hate it when it encroaches on the wkend, but DH is probably relieved in that it means less carpooling mid-week for him. Gotta get baseball shoes and pants for the trio today - dash it all, they won't quit growing. Tomorrow DS11 and his friend are competing in the county-level Social Studies fair. Should be interesting. We can help them set up, but after that, we aren't allowed in the school for like 3-4 hours while the judges do their thing. Poor boys - I wonder, after they have rehearsed, had to "dress up", and spend a Friday night and Saturday afternoon at this shindig, if they will "sandbag" their science fair project next year, LOL! (I don't WANT to win! Please don't send me to County! PLEASE! :boohoohoo :sosad: )

Well, I'm off to make grossly overpriced last minute plane ressies. Hopefully after this trip, I'll be on travel "hold" for awhile....

Meanwhile.... can I just sit here and daydream about summer and vacation plans? The GOOD sort of travel stuff ya look forward to?!? Pretty pleazzzzzze? :hyper:

[lllovell]

*scooching over to let Gopherit have a seat and day dream with me*

So....what rides can I take all 3 of mine on (one being a baby) with me being the only adult? I am not 100% comfortable with my 6 year old being responsible for my 4 year old not jumping from Dumbo, etc. :jawdroppi so this trip is taking some planning. What do you think?

(and dang it - I do hope Pirates is open briefly in April like they are saying. That is Charlie's one thing he wants to do while we are there. :worried: I told him that we would see, but he does think it is cool that they are adding Jack Sparrow.)

Laura

[AFMom]

Ya know - Laura - many of the rides (in fact - most) will only allow a child to ride if they are 7 or older - so you may have to fib about age if the 6 yo has to ride alone..... There are quite a few you can get everyone on, though.... let see (scoot over - I want to daydream too.......) Pirates, IASW, TTA, the Train around the park, all the dark rides that have room for 4 (probably most except Peter Pan), you could probably do Buzz since you're right next to them in the next car, all the vehicles on Main Street, Jungle Cruise, the rafts to TSI, and the Liberty Bell (I think that's what it's called - it's the Mark Twain in CA)...... That's quite a bit, actually!

[lllovell]

We have ALL done Peter Pan before (with DAD even lol), so I am sure we will fit there. There is so much to do that I know it will be GREAT! :doublejum

Richard wants to do PP so that is on the list and Charlie wants to do PotC (crossing my fingers on that one being open) and mommy wants to do the Lion King show.

Now...if possible - I am going to get on EE. BUTTTTT maybe not in the cards this trip.

Honestly, they know we will be back, so the boys wont balk about any one ride if I say we can't this time. What will be even more difficult than the whole "one adult, three little ones" issue is that the family going with us - the 3 year old is terrified of most rides. Pooh did her in last time and that ride is pretty darn tame. So, the boys, PJ and I will have to split off to do Pirates and the Jungle Cruise as well as Philharmagic, etc. Works for me though!!! :)

Swimming will be interesting as well. The boys are now tall enough for the OKW pool, so that will help soooooo much, but they do love the whole jump in to be caught thing, which can't happen until Dad arrives. We will just have to work it out. PJ loves water, so I am hoping the pools are warm enough even if they have turned off the heaters (can't imagine they wont be warm) so she will go in with me. I am one of those "someone has to be IN the pool with the kids" kinda mom, so we will ALL be in the pool I bet. SPLASH!!!!!

I am getting soooooooooo excited!!!!

[jnrrt]

Hi all,

Just saying see ya'll because I'm going to FL tomorrow. Yep, tomorrow.

So I won't be here.

Because I'll be in FL.

Just wanted to make sure you all got that!


Laura, I'll be calling - hopefully we can meet up!

[jiggerj]

Hi all,

Just saying see ya'll because I'm going to FL tomorrow. Yep, tomorrow.

So I won't be here.

Because I'll be in FL.

Just wanted to make sure you all got that!


Laura, I'll be calling - hopefully we can meet up!

I dont usually jump in on the nothing thread (its sooo busy!) but wanted to wish jnrrt a wonderful trip! :) Cant wait to hear the detailed trip report when you get a chance! :) I hope that you and Laura can hook up! I havent seen an updated pic of little PJ in like forever! :) :)

Laura ....I am sooo excited for you! Its gonna be GREAT trip!!!!!!!!!!

[bavaria]

oooh so excited for all of you and the kiddies!! :doublejum Have a great trip!!! there is soooo much new to see...

Wishing you safe travels and a great time!

[Colorado Belle]

Just a thought: when my normally adventuresome lass was 2, she suddenly became scared of some things...like jumping in the pool. BUT when her older friends did anything...she would gleefully follow. I'm wondering if scared 3 year old will surprise everyone if she/he is riding with the older kids instead of mom and dad who often feed the fears IYKWIM.

Worth a shot!

Have great fun lllovell and jnrrt...hope you don't get all pruny in the pool!:jumpingbe

[Rozzie]

*schooch over Laura, I need to sit and daydream...*

there that's better. Wanted to wish Laura and jnrrt WONDERFUL trip!! Ya'll are going to have a great time, can't wait to read your trip reports!:woohoo:

okay, off to sleep and dreams about May.....

[AFMom]

Starbucks Verona blend and blueberry scones here!!! :coffee2: Almost out of creamer though - anyone got any? I love my coffee press!!!!!!!!!!!!

The most we've ever gotten on Pan was 2 adults and 1 kid - ya'll must be Teeny! Oh wait - are the ride vehicles in FL different than CA - all I can picture right now are the CA ones..... funny how my brain locks up like that.:dunce: Oh and - I can still see my 8 yo falling out of Dumbo. They're bright kids - but the common sense thing seems to take a vacation occasionally. He rode Dumbo by himself at 7 and did great - but I think he's actually gotten less smart since them...... And if my 9 yo has someone to show off to - all bets are off. "You want me to try to balance on Dumbo's ears? Sure - Mom look - no hands!!!!"
So - DH has been so wonderful about e-mailing and calling way more than he's supposed to! We e-mailed 3 0r 4 times a day this week until yesterday. He told me it might be a bit - and now silence. Kinda eerie because obviously this means their up to something over there...... Hate the not knowing thing.:thumbsway
I have 6 hours without my kids today.:cheerlead We're doing school this morning and then another mom is taking them to the USS Alabama in Mobile. I really want to go their with them - but not as bad as I want my 6 hours off!!!!:p
So get this - I've convinced myself to get a tattoo. The mom taking the kids has no idea that she has given me the opportunity to go over to the tattoo place and have a look-see. Anyone here gotten one of these? I'm a bit on the whimpy side - but I still want to do it. I'll probably have them design it today, and then go back next Friday to get it done. DH is so psyched to come back and see it...... I've been thinking about it for years - but for some reason I've just now got up the guts.

[bavaria]

Thanks for the chuckle and change of thoughts, Kristy! I was just having a little moment shedding some tears for Leftcoaster's family as his loss hit really close to home (we are going through similar challenges in my family)

But kids balancing on Dumbo and the thought of you heading out to choose a tattoo made me smile! (and just think, it's one more Friday passing on your countdown!)

Happy Friday everyone!

[gopherit]

AFMom, I hope you don't listen to Bob and Tom on the radio in the morning or you'll never get that tattoo! On my drive to the Starbucks this a.m. they had a guest on this morning who had a single tattoo on his arm - just a simple star. They were making fun of his lack of originality/design, so he explained why it was just one little dorky star. Reason? He was supposed to go back and get more done, but he had an allergic reaction to the ink! For several days he was running a super-high temp (104-105... the docs thought he had contracted AIDS from a dirty needle). :jawdroppi His story was scary, though told rather hind-sight humorously - he said basically they use "car paint" in the tattoos. He's right - alot of the inks are metal oxide "paints", and that would be something a person could be sensitive to. (Lots of folks are sensitive to nickel, copper, cadmium - cadmium makes up lots of your reds, for example; titanium dioxide gives the "white" color and opacity to paint, etc.) I would imagine really bright, opaque colors would be the worst - probably more loaded with those nasties. So curious me actually googled when I got into work (I am the consummate data nerd, ain't I), and then lo and behold, I come to mouseowners and find your post! SO here, I'll share with ya the fruits of my morning coffee break labor, haha -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo

Just pan down past the history stuff to the effects / risks section.

Sure you don't want to just go with a decal? ;)

You know, the concept of little needles poking all over me at rapid fire speed pretty much counts me out from the get-go, but allergic reactions that can even take years to develop,can re-occur, or cause potential burns from a future xray or MRI, are deal-breakers for freaky-geeky me! :blech:

If ya do get the nerve and get the tattoo, promise us you'll avoid red and green at least - those are more prevalent for reaction! (So no xmas designs, LOL!) And say no to metal-oxide inks, please - we want our AFMom intact and healthy, no matter how she's "decorated"!!! :thumbsup:

[ErinC]

Good morning all!

Jnrrt- Have a great trip! Hope the driving hours pass quickly for you.

lllovell- We did dumbo, but I can see how you might be nervous, with your oldest being 6, mine is 9. You can also add Alladins magic carpet, Haunted mansion, if your kids like it, and buzz(not really too much they could do by themselves on buzz). Magic Kingdom has the most to offer for the little ones. Your options get much less at the other parks. AK, they can do dinorama (like dumbo, but can hold all 4 of you), and the safari. Epcot, basically all the boat rides, Norway, Mexico, and the Land boat ride, and Spaceship Earth. MGM-the great movie ride, and lots of shows, and that's about it. Have a great trip, no matter what you accomplish.

AFMom- I'm beggin ya...........please don't get a tatoo!:rant: If you do, will it be somewhere that everyone can not see it? I just hate them(no flames please), and when we were at WDW they were everywhere. I sat next to some guy while waiting for lunch one day that had a naked lady tatooed all down the side of his leg!:yuck: I know it's a personal thing, but I just can't stand them. Now that I've said all that......I won't think any less of you if you get one though! ;) Hope your DH is safe and sound.

I'm officially in post trip depression. I don't have a clue when we are going back. It just kills me not to have a reservation, and something to look forward too, even if it's a year off.

[AFMom]

I promise - no Christmas trees. I've actually decided to go with a very colorless design - maybe a brownish color that looks more like a henna tattoo than a real one - and it's going to be quite small and on my lower back where it will only pretty much be seen in a swimsuit - most people will never know I have one. My kids probably won't even notice it.
Yeah - I've looked up all the horror stories myself - one of the reasons it's taken so long for me to decide to get one. The place I'm going is excellent - very well researched, and I figure if I don't get a colorfull one there aren't as many problems. I haven't read the link yet - but I will before I go! Probably while my kids are eating lunch!
You guys are so sweet with all of your concern. :blueflowe

[lllovell]

My only thing with tattoos is where people seems to get them now. Honestly, I dont want my doctor or lawyer having a tattoo around their NECK. (I know - I just joined the ranks of "old people" didn't I?) Tasteful tattoos dont bother me. I am glad you are doing your research AFMom. That is the smartest thing you can do.

Me - I went the navel piercing route. Got it done after my first son was born and let me tell you....all these girls getting them - atleast 1/2 wont make it through pregnancy. I had to take it out when I was expecting Richard (2nd child) because it was ummmm well - moving - due to internal pressure. I didn't get it redone knowing we might want child #3. Maybe when I get my heffer butt back into shape I will do it again as I really liked it and hubby didn't seem to mind it either. :Pssst:

TWO MORE DAYS PEOPLE!!!

I have shorttimers disease at work today and I can't afford that! I have lots to do...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa starting with programming Jnrrt's number in my new palm phone (whoopie - I got a toy I got a toy!!!).

*doing the happy dance*

Thank you all for the thoughts about the kiddies. CB, I am really hoping the little 3 year old will do more on this trip. We are doing the Princess breakfast in Norway for her and I sure hope she does ok with face characters. As for the riding, we will break off from them from time to time and just wing it :) There is plenty we can do as a family. I am good with Aladin and the dino/dumbo type ride because I can reach up and grab them (I assume they will let me take PJ on those though - that is what I am unsure about) or just say "cut that out silly man" and they will. I actually can't imagine them doing ANYTHING wrong, but it is just one of those mother's worries that I can't shake.

AFMom bwhahaha we aren't thin....but the Peter Pan at WDW must be much bigger than DL.

PJ is going to spend a lot of time in her snuggli facing out on my chest (as long as she can see, she will stay happily in that thing for a long time) and I got her the cutest hat yesterday to cover her face and neck in the sun. We are really down to just putting it ALL in the suitcases.

:bouncingp I am about to come out of my skin!!! I think I am more excited than the kids lol

Laura

[Stimpy]

Laura and jnrrt, have a great time on vacation!

Just popping in quick, sorry I can't get all caught up. :(

The stomach virus made it's way through our entire household. DS bought it home from school last Friday, I had it Monday, DH (the "I NEVER get sick guy") got it Wednesday and the worse case senario has happened...DD, 23 months old, got it last night....ALL night. Had to give the poor girl a bath at 6am. I was cleaning sheets, blankets, furniture, carpets etc all morning :yuck: She seems to have gotten it out of her system and is napping for now.

Of course, DH had a big arrest last night and had hours of overtime, which meant besides comforting and cleaning DD, I had to get DS ready for school...in his special "good" clothes b/c it was Grandpersons Day at school and they do a big show for them, and run to the bus stop with both kids. Since I didn't want to be the most hated mother in the neighborhood, I drove to the bus stop...probably about 1/10 of a mile :rolleyes: so I could leave DD in the car and not spread the virus to the other kids in the neighborhood....and I get to do it all over again at 3:30 :scary:

Little League opening day is tommorrow and we just got the schedule for the games this morning :headbange So I have to make up a chart, roster, snack rotation etc so we can get it to the parents on DH's team tommorrow.

AFMom...any of those scones left? They sound delicious! About the tattoo, go for it if you really want it! Kind of worried to add (please don't bash me anyone!) I have a small one on my ankle and I'm a very normal person. (OK, that can be debatable I guess ;) ) It's a small one with flowers that I got about 7-8 years ago. I remember it hurt, but don't remember how bad. I definately had worse pain from other things! It was a while ago, but please feel free to PM if you want any information :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Gopher, hope your business trip goes well!

[PoohsPal]

HI all! Recovering from a day and a half in the dungeon (well, 16 hours, but I left there at 11 today, so what would you call it?) Got a reprieve to attend a going away lunch.

Stimpy - Sorry about that bug. SOUnds awful.

Laura (and belated jnrrt) have a wqonderful time! You both deserve it. DOn't mind us. We'll find something to do without you. I'm sure we'llbe fiine. Not sad or lonely or anything. So, don't worry about us in the least bit. I'm sure osmeone will entertain us or something. Just go on and have fun. (Is my guilt trip working yet? Have you sent my plane ticket yet?)

Rough day yesterday. Rough morning adn thinking abour SoF on top of it. FOrgive me my little downer. I'll try to think of something fun later.

Did I mention my inlaws my be out tomorrow? DO you think it's wrong when you may have overnight guests come in the morning but you still don't know? Grrr....

Off to find a happy thought.

[gopherit]

We're a peaceable bunch here in the closet - no bashers amongst us! If I weren't such a cheapo when it comes to spending moolah on self, I have often thought how NICE it would be to have my make-up tattooed on, LOL! Especially the eyeliner. I'm subhuman without it! I would think, barring a slip of the gun into your eye (ok, OUCCHH!), that it would actually be more hygenic to have it tattooed on that applying it in pencil (that you can poke DAILY into your eye - been there, done that - or that flakes or smears into the eye). Wouldn't mind a lip tint and bit o' blush either, if they could "airbrush" it on lightly, LOL.... every old barn can always use a bit of fresh paint, sez I.

llovelll, you win a bravery medal in my book for being able to get a navel pierce - if there's one thing I cannot handle (even worse than the idea of little needles going beserk on me for a tattoo, LOL!) it would be anything coming anywhere near my navel! I was born w/ an umbilical hernia, which I FINALLY got repaired last year. (And that in and of itself was NO FUN, either.) Call it my achilles heel.. er... belly button... but I can't stand to even touch it myself, much less let anyone else near it! And other navels make me nervous too....I was always nervous about my kids' umbilical cords after they were born, and when DH opted to not cut their cords, that was fine by both of us - I couldn't imagine coming within 10 feet of it, why should DH. Let the doc do it - he's well paid. So color me navel-squeamish! Heck, even navel oranges freak me out. :jawdroppi It's my personal nemesis...

In fact, I'm pretty sure that if this gopher doesn't make it to heaven when her time is up, there is someone waiting just for me down below , ready to poke me night and day, right in the goozle like the Pillsbury dough boy, as my special "penance". :Pokepoke: Let's hope it never comes to that!! :angel:

[AFMom]

I don't like messing with my belly-button either!!!! And when it poked out when I was pregnant I was grossed out! I'm weird - what can I say.
OK - so I could never get it pierced. When I got my ears pierced in 3rd grade - after the 1st ear - I ran and hid under their table and wouldn't come out.:p I was determined not to have the other ear done!!!!!! They finaly had to bribe me out with a major toy purchase!!!!
Anyway - well - it's done!!!! I thought I would just go in there and look - but he printed up a perfect one and I decided just to go for it. Especially with the swimming season here - I need it to heal now. I did it in a brown color, a little tribal sea turtle with swirlies in it - and DH's initials are hidden in the swirlies. You wouldn't notice the initials at all if you didn't know they were there. I'm really happy with it.
Hurt?!?!? OMG - that was the worst pain I've ever felt! :hammer: I had epidurals when I had my kids...... luckily since it was small (about 3 inches) it didn't take him very long.
Don't worry - they had all brand new equipment - I got to watch him pull it out of the little plastic seals, they use the newest inks that are so much better than they used to be. He wore gloves, they had all of their health certs up, etc. He did say most people that have allergic reactions react to the red ink colors - but even that was pretty rare with the new inks they use.
I'm so glad it's over - I was so nervous over there I was actually shaking.
They were hilarious - trying to get me to get something in a more visible spot! No way! DH wanted me to go for an ankle - but too many bones down there - would have hurt more!
Ok - enough rambling! I'm supposed to be cleaning out my car and doing yard work!

[nono]

Bar's open!!!! (It's 5 o'clock somewhere :dancingba )

Today's special offering is a Tropical Rum Martini:

banana rum
coconut rum
orange rum
squeeze of lemon
splash of sparkling water

Stirred gently and served in a martini glass! YUM YUM!

[lllovell]

Gopherit - I am rolling on the floor here! Not because of your particular "can't touch that" issue...but from the way you describe it! I am so glad you are here with us!!!

Stimpy - ick....we have all been there done that with the stomach virus thing and when a baby gets it..woosh!!! I am glad it seems that the worst is over!!! I hope you all can get some rest this weekend! btw - I think small, tasteful tattoos can be nice...just not for me and you know we wont bash you here!!! Now that hose are not a required wear for most jobs and situations, I think it would be nice, something akin to an ankle bracelet. Now - I have an aquaintance that has Fred Flinstone on her ankle (I kid you not) and I said the same thing to her...how exactly are you planning on ever getting a professional job??? I work in a business casual office and I guess you can wear pants ALWAYS - but I can't see a big 3 inch Fred poking out from beneath your slacks being a good thing. :p

Carrie - :coolcar: come on down!!! I wish you were going to be there during this week. I am going to try my best to meet jnrrt for a parade or an ice cream or something! She is sweetly understanding about my sorta crazy trip this time, but I think my Thursday afternoon with hubby in tow, we will work something out!

I am almost done at work! Anyone want to run to the banks for me?

Laura

[lllovell]

Holy moly that sounds good Nono!!!

Slide one down this way! It is close enough to vacation for me!!! :bluebloun (gotta have a beer on the beach when we get there next Friday after our WDW week!!! but maybe I can talk everyone into that concoction - that sounds yummy!!!)

Laura

[PoohsPal]

Yum nono!!!! I so needed that!!!!

Laura - I just have to laugh about jnrrt understanding your schedule. You were sooo laid back about meeting up when I was in GA. Made my life so much easier. You're such a sweetheart!

Wow. Big congrats to Kristy for being brave!!!! :dancingba

[lllovell]

Wow AFMOM!!! Congrats!

You will have to get someone to take a picture for us and show us once it is healed! I bet hubby is going to love it!

(I was going to tell you that the whole navel ring hurt like a mutha...but it does seems wimpy after having 3 kids lol BUT - it HURT LIKE A MUTHA!!! hahah I will spare Gopherit a description of WHY it hurts..but it does!)

Congrats again AFMom!

Laura

[nono]

I'm still going LA LA LA LA LA LA with hands over my ears and not reading those posts about navel pain and childbirth and tatoo pain and childbirth (!). :jawdroppi

Maybe after a couple of the drinks!

[KNWVIKING]

I think it's funny when young ladies have a cute little butterfly tattoo'd on their breast........

By the time they're 60 it looks more like a hanging bat.

[lllovell]

lol Viking - have you seen the Saturday Night Live skit about the acid product used to remove "old unsightly tattoos"?

In the beginning, the young girl has a tattoo on her lower back that is HUGE and says in big scrolling letters and extra swirls and stuff..."sexy lady"....

then they show her when she is much older and it says "old hag" or something along those lines....because her skin has sagged.

So she uses the product which "removes" the tattoo by burning it off basically (the list of side effects alone is pretty funny).

This is why I think its all about taste and putting some thought into what you are getting.

Laura

[PoohsPal]

I am sooo out of here!!! HAve a great trip Laura!

[lllovell]

Thank you Carrie! I will check in I am sure...but will be missing all of you!

Have a great weekend!

[AFMom]

Oh - yes - I actually researched the whole placement thing.... No saggy bats here!!!!!! The place I put it won't sag!!! I told DH it was a good thing I thought about it for about 7 years - took me that long to come up with something I wouldn't mind having when I'm 80. I actually took a picture to e-mail to DH - very hard to do by myself!!!!

[Colorado Belle]

Well before I comment on tatoos or childbirth pain, I need to


VENT


This is one of those days. I just came back from 2 weeks in Puerto Vallarta (yeah! fun!) and I had opted to have my phone messages sent via email attachment so that I could get them in PV for free...a service provided by my VOIP phone service, Packet8.net. Well, I usually have nothing but good things to say about this type of phone service which uses your internet and bypasses the corrupt Quest phone company here in Colorado.....plus, for $20 bucks total I get all the goodies like call waiting, caller ID plus all free long distance anywhere in Canada and US....see, look at me, I'm a walking ad for them.

SO....I wasn't impressed when I got home and couldn't dial out. Even less impressed when I tried calling them and had to hold on my cell for 10 minutes when I hung up, wrote them two emails and then, when I had no response...waited 21 minutes today on hold until I finally got through.

BUT, the real reason for my vent is....drum roll please!
They deactivated my phone because they didn't have a home address for it (my billing address is a P.O Box since we don't have home delivery of mail here in the mountains) because of 911!!!!!!!!!

So I said to the girl (who was really sweet BTW): gee, I could have died from a stroke because when I tried to call the hospitall or 911 MY PHONE WAS DEACTIVATED. HELLO! So anyway, I gave her my phone address and now my phone should be ok....at least I hope it is. The sweet girl on the other end credited my account for the time the phone was deactivated and she said she agreed with me and was going to tell her bosses that:
1. Instead of deactivating someone's phone in order to get a response, try calling them re their 911 'home' location.DUH.
2. That when a customer's phone isn't working, they will probably have to use their cell to call it in...INstead of making them wait on hold 20 minutes, why not have a number to call which is answered by a recording to report a nonworking phone which takes your cell phone number so that tech support can call you back on it when they have figured out the problem and located your records etc.

OKAY< VENT OVER...thanks for listening

[PoohsPal]

What a pain CB! Glad you got it worked out!

lol picturing trying to take a pic of your tatoo Kristy! Too funny!

[Colorado Belle]

ok, my phone's back on, vent over and now I can update on all the recent activities.

I guess Ms Lllovell and jnrrt are already in the World! Yipee!
AFMom...can you get us a photo of your tatoo? I bet it looks really sexy in the small of your back. When my DD was of tatooing age (she thought) I made sure that she knew that having a tattoo hurt...but that having it removed hurt more than childbirth. Needless to say, she is 24 and so far, so good!
Hope it heals without a hitch! And talk about something for your DH to look forward too....oh yeah!

Sorry people are still getting sick..isn't flu season over yet???? I escaped this year which tells me a lot can be said for living alone.

I've washed clothes and unpacked from my trip to PV, but then I started thinking...less than 4 weeks to DisneyWorld, so I may as well just fold things up ready to go back in the suitcase. Note to self: bathing suits are NOT meant to last 10years...get a NEW one puhlease!

THinking about mango margaritas. I likes them!
Thinking about going to the grocery store. I just ate a jar of spaghetti sauce without any spaghetti for dinner.

Ok, I'll be quiet now!

[gopherit]

I just ate a jar of spaghetti sauce without any spaghetti for dinner.


Ewwwww. honey, get thee to a grocery store ASAP! :yes:

(How did you eat it? Please don't say cold, from the jar!) :yuck: I guess this gives a whole new meaning to "hitting the sauce", LOL....

Gopherville is dragging a bit today. DS11 went to county social studies fair - ok, if ever an event told a parent (and child) it would be better NOT to succeed, this was IT! THey crammed about 250 people (at LEAST) in this elementary school at 5 pm, didn't start calling students in for judging until 6:45, and at 9 pm we were ALL STILL THERE. THey ran out of food at the concessions stand at 7 pm. We were all stuffed in the jr high cafeteria and let me tell you, the air was getting ripe in there by 8 pm. :yuck: If you were claustraphobic, you were toast. :scary: THe poor kids waitedt o give their presentations - some had to wait until 9:30 pm to present for the first time (yes, I said first - some categories were forced to present more than once!) At 9:15 pm, they let MOST of the captors go, retaining only US and World history. It was at this point we parents established a pact that never again would our child be allowed to enter these categories. Sociology... anthropology.... psychology... anything "ology" would be fine, but NOT US or World History! DS and his buddy gave their presentation at about 8:45, and their category was judged by 9:30, but they didn't let them go until 10 pm - and they retained all the World History people and US history Division II (Jr. High). THose poor families! No telling when they got home. SO needless to say, we're all a bit draggy today.

DS9 and DD5 are w/ DH down at the ballfields already for practice, and I have to clean up my act and get DS11 to the store to buy baseball pants, which I did earlier this week, but they "bug him" (:idontgeti ) so WHATEVER, then I take him to fields, pick up dd and other ds, take them to skating party, pick up dd's friend at party, and then go meet DH and DS11 over at the school for the awards ceremony for the fair (yeah, can you believe it, all that last night AND IT STILL ISN'T OVER! :holymoly: ) THen back home, pack for my trip SUnday, take dd's friend home, dinner and set the clocks back - ouch, that's gonna HURT! I hate savings time in the spring... can't bear to lose an hour in a day!

Well, like I said earlier, gotta go clean up my act - I'm a dirty little gopher with a heap to do. Cheers to all, enjoy the weekend! :howudoin:

[withdisneyspirit]

Hey gopherit! Ya gotta set the clocks forward tonight! I wouldn't want you to miss church or whatever you have planned:angel:

[DisFlan]

Happy Saturday to those of us who AREN'T at WDW. And to those who are. I'm just jealous. I hope they all have a great time!

We went through the Tatoo Years with our son. I talked him into waiting, so he got an ear pierced instead. I guess at that age he felt he had to do SOMETHING a bit rebellious. I actually thought it looked pretty cool. I gave him the singles of ear studs I had from losing the other halves. He thought that was funny. But he never did get a tatoo, so I guess it worked. And he disliked having sharp pieces of metal shoved into his skin enough that he didn't get holes put in other body parts.

We told him that as an adult, he could do what he wanted, but he later said he didn't want to be a pin cushion. Smart kid. My DH says that if he'd had an extra 50 bucks for every infected piercing or tatoo he's treated, he could have retired at 45.


DisFlan

[AFMom]

A jar of spaghetti sauce?!?!?!?!? Oh lordy - you were desperate!
Yes - it was a stellar moment - trying to get that picture for DH.......
OK - just so's ya know - I'm 32 next week.:blech: I actually made myself wait 7 years to get this to make sure it was something that I wouldn't want removed! ( I was also chicken.....) I know so many people who got them in their early twenties that HATE what they had done. Many would have still gotten a tattoo - but not the design. One poor soul had a "Hello Kitty" on her shoulder. :tonguetie Ug.
I love turtles - paritally becuase of thier meaning of long life and protection. it's the one Native American thing I've ever felt interested in (I'm 1/4 Comanche and have NO connection with any of it....) - so I've always made DH carry a small stone turtle in his flght suit pocket. He thinks it's silly - but also sweet. I decided this deployment was worrying me so much - I'd finally get the turtle tattoo with his initials hidden in the design. I do have a pic, CB - I'll pm you! I'm too shy to have it out here!!!!!
Yeah - I know - When I'm 70 I'll probably look at it and wonder what the heck I was thinking! But it is really not something anyone will be seeing - and when I'm that old I don't think I'll be wearing a bikini. I can hardly wear one now! Can you all tell I WAY over think these things?:scary:
Ok - nough o' that!!! I hate Spring forward. I'm not a morning person anyway - and now I'll have to get up an hour earlier!!!! Fall back is lovely - though. I really think we should just do away with the whole thing!
I can't believe they did that to your family, Gopherit! Talk about a great way to make kids hate history!:idontgeti This is why I'm a control freak - if I'm in control, it gets done right. I over-think everything and have about 3 backup plans, and am obsessively on time. That kind of thing absolutely drives me batty!
We're a messy little family ourselves - it's a yard and house clean up day. Little do the kids know..... Bwahahahahaha:hahahaha:

[Colorado Belle]

(How did you eat it? Please don't say cold, from the jar!) :yuck: I guess this gives a whole new meaning to "hitting the sauce", LOL....

:

:hahahaha: :hahahaha: :hahahaha:
I'm a bit embarrassed to admit, but yes, it was cold and from the jar.
The thing is: tomato sauce really is one of the healthiest things a person can consume. I used a spoon, if that makes it any easier to ah....swallow.

Now onto:
I can't believe that this event was so morbidly run...jeez. I'm with AFMom. That's why I was so involved in my daughter's elementary education experience. I guess it is being a kind of control freak, but I learned that if I didn't get involved, that the event ...whatever it was...either didn't happen or was so disorganized that the kids hated it. I became the kinda 'permanent' room mommy! I just ran into DH's third grade teacher at the store (and DD is 24 mind you) and she remembered me! (I hope fondly)

Anyway...I think you might need to speak with the organizers and while letting them know how much you appreciated their efforts, let them know that it just went on way to late and you hope there will be some changes in that regard if they do it again.

Well I got to see the tattoo and it is really cute! I can't believe our Ms. Kristy is only 32....egads, she is just a few years older than my DD!!!!!!!! I gotta face it folks....I'm OLD.

On that note, I will unload the groceries from the car. No, I bought nothing good....only ingredients for yet another round of the cabbage soup diet. And yes, cabbage is extremely good for you too!!!!:hahahaha:

And while I do tend to eat some weird things, I don't eat sweets and I don't often eat white carb stuff....so I'm not completely hopeless.

[Rozzie]

*raises hand sheepishly* yep, cold spagetti sauce and a spoon? Yep, done it before. Desperate times call for desperate measures! I think I might had some old bread to dip in there. Boy, what memories from school!

AFMom, I think it is totally cool about your tat. DH's best friend from childhood is big successful artist, has his own studio, won all this awards when he lived in Amestradam (?). Loved going over to his studio to look at all his work. Really is funny, when I met Matt for the first time. Scott (my DH) is just so opposite of him, I about freaked when I saw him. Long hair, tats on almost every inch of skin, multiple piercings. Then there is my Scott, who looks like he just left a Republican Convention. I love it when they get together, they are so fun to go out w