Friday!

Friday Fiver:

1. Do you dance?
In private. At some weddings (Evan won't dance with me. We only danced once at our own wedding reception.) Whether or not I am a good dancer (more likely not) I still like to dance. Alot. When I was in my early 20's we used to go out in groups and dance at the bar. Evan hated to dance so I would dance with all the other guys I was friends with. Josh. Chris. Even Tim and Shad. The Wyanet Crew. Josh was my dance partner. We had tons of fun. I haven't danced really since the wedding reception when I danced with the girls, and with Clint and Cody, who played me Gin and Juice by the Gourds, and Cody played me Brass Monkey because I LOOOOOVE the Beastie Boys and that was a song that he remembers me listening to back in the day when I used to let him cruise around with me.

2. Would you consider yourself religious?
Yes. I was raised Lutheran. I have my own beliefs and enjoy Neal Donald Walsh's Concepts... although I don't "follow" anyone or any organized religion. I know what I believe. Evan is not religious and this used to be a big hot spot for us, but now we usually talk about religion only in forms of the controversy, etc.

3. Do you talk about politics?
Honestly, this is an area that Evan wants to talk about more than I do. I feel completely uneducated about lots of political issues. I don't feel like any politicians can be trusted, so I have issues with taking sides. I do have a soft spot for Barack Obama. I am reading his first book now. I just identify with him. He's as much of a real person as I have seen in politics for a long time and I really respect that. He's very well spoken and well versed and I enjoy listening to him.

4. When is the last time you asked for forgiveness?
Wow. Probably while pregnant. Although I think I asked my midwife and the nurses to forgive me after labor, for my evil behavior.

5. Friday fill-in:
I’m holding out for a Dairy Queen Lime Slushy (Arctic Rush or whatever they call them.)

-----------------------------------

So tonight I just about had a heart attack. I was placing an order on the Chadwick's Website and it's all quiet and I am sitting here watching the news at 1am, baby is sleeping... all is silent, dog sleeping next to me on the couch... and I hear this LOUD voice... when I place my order they tried to get me to complete some "special offer" and they had sound with someone announcing the offer to me out loud, and my laptop's volume was turned all the way up from a voicemail I listened to several hours ago. Damn! Why do they have to do that?

Yesterday I got my birthday money from my mom, for some clothes, so I did some shopping recently. I got a pantsuit for $24.99 and a corduroy jacket for $24.99 from Chadwicks, and ordered several nursing shirts and washable breast pads from Motherwear today. I placed my Motherwear order just after 10am today and it shipped after lunch via UPS! Holy crap that's impressive. So Two Thumbs up to Motherwear and Hotslings for their fast shipping! Wow! I got three v-neck t-shirts with double front nursing layers... two of them long sleeved, and a grey hoodie, and a pinkish colored sweatshirt top with a white t-shirt attached underneath, and 5-pair of contoured washable breast pads, and a little pink zippered carry case that separates wet and dry breast pads. I right now use one set of pads a day, that translates to a box a month, and after a year of breastfeeding that is $120 worth of disposable pads and 720 disposable pads in a landfill because of me. That doesn't seem right. So for less than $20, I can have 5 pair of washable pads and hopefully if they do the job, I will do my part for the environment and also save some cash. I have heard mixed results about the washable pads, especially when it comes to how bad you leak and if they show under your shirt or cause you to leak through. I don't leak much, and sometimes not at all, so I hope they work for me.

I should totally be in bed, but I am tryin to get some laundry done. Tomorrow we have an appointment at Sears Portrait Studio for Ardyn's first pictures, she will be 1 month on Monday... so it's time we get this done. Problem is most of her clothes are still wayyyy too big... so it looks like they will mostly be naked baby pictures... and I think we will take her blue dress and maybe a onesie and her one pair of jeans... and her new pink shoes. I don't know. Wish me luck that she is happy during picture time and not fussy and screaming. She was pretty good today, but she did eat alot... but luckily she slept for longer stretches. I have discovered that it is better if I wake her up when It's about the time she will get up on her own soon (make sense?) because she's better off waking up when she's still happy and eating just before she's starving, than waking up pissed off and then eating. I can always tell when she's close to waking up, so now I am trying to just go get her and feed her awake... it seems to make a huge difference in her attitude.

Today we went to a friend's yard sale in Sheffield. Their townwide sales are tomorrow. I got an entire garbage bag full of girls clothes for $17. There was some cute stuff, my favorites were the basics. Lots of colored turtleneck onesies, long sleeved and very clean. There were plenty of summer clothes too, but they were all not the right size for when she will be wearing summer clothes. Mom held her while I looked through the stacks of clothes. I bought quite a few cute onesies that were mostly solid colored or stripes. I have discovered that onesies and pants are my favorite outfits for comfort and cuteness and they will be great for play once she reaches that age.

Tonight Evan made us Steak Stir Fry at my request for more veggies in our diet. It was delicious and I loved every bite. We ended up having our first family meal... as the second half of my supper I ate while breastfeeding... so all three of us were at the dining room table. That made us laugh.

Here's hoping for better sleep tonight, as she was awake from 3:30am till 6am today. That was rough! And she slept till 9 and then till 1pm, but I got up with her at 9, fed her, and by 10 when she went back to sleep, I got up and got stuff accomplished so that we could make the yard sale in decent time. I took a shower and talked to work. My extra 30-day leave was approved, so I don't have to go back to work until mid December. YAY! Well, it's off to dreamland for me, it's almost 1:30am. Sweet Dreams!

Friday Fiver

FRIDAY! YAY!!!!

Yesterday was our 2 year wedding anniversary. We went to Peru and did baby exchanges/returns, and then ate at Arby's. I had initially thought Red Lobster, but honestly, I didn't think I could handle food that rich with a tummy so squished. And with all the downward pressure I have had the past two days, all I could think about was how I'd rather have my water break in Arby's than Red Lobster! LOL.

We put $122 on a Target gift card with returns, and purchased some of the items that we really still needed. That only leaves $419 let to buy, and I have all the cash and gift cards ready to go, now I just wait for Target to send my 10% off completion certificate (snail mail, WTF?) so that I can place my last big order and get the stroller and the tummy time mat and the other things that we need.

We also grabbed a couple of outfits at Kohl's and some things at JC Penney with some exchanges, although most of the things we exchanged were on clearance. Too bad people don't like giving gift receipts, because one $24 item we only got $3 back on. Oh well. You just don't need two of the same outfit! What's a mom to do?

So that was the fabulous anniversary celebration.

Today I slept till about 10:30. Fab. Then I got up, took a leisurely shower, ordered refills of my lotions and potions from the dermatologist's office in Peoria, and had a nice chat with Evan while I lounged on the bed and tried to stretch out my belly. There is just no more room in there! I discovered that if I sleep on my left side I have less pressure when I wake up than if I sleep on my right side, so I tried to stay on my left side all night.

On my way to work, I had to stop at Casey's to grab something to eat because I was out of time and hadn't eaten yet, and I discovered that Wyanet Casey's had all the good stuff gone, so I went to Princeton. I was in a hurry, and after paying for my food, I knocked an entire cup full of Cheesy Potato Bites all over the Counter (yuk) and decided that I was in too much of a hurry and too damn hungry and I was going to eat them anyway. The store lady was like "Oh No!" and I wanted to say "I have swallowed worse things" but I realized that to the people in line behind me and the cashier, those words coming out of the mouth of a pregnant chick with no wedding ring would probably make me sound like a really dirty skank (dirtier than if I just ate the cheesy bites off a gas station counter, which I fully intended to do.)

So that's how my morning went.

My ankle is still fucking throbbing. It's been an entire WEEK and one day now and I can't believe it still hurts so much. But everyone says "you're walking on it so it isn't broken." and I want to scream back "I am ONE TOUGH BITCH and it probably is broken." but instead I just smile and nod. I decided today that I would try to wear a shoe and holy shit all I did was put the shoe on and take it off, and it was just a slip on, and my foot has been throbbing ever since. Fucking foot. Probably broken. This is how it looked on Wednesday. The green is just creeping up the side of my foot and up to my last three toes, and looks more gruesome every day.

So. That's it. That's all that I know. It's Friday... and that makes me happy, so let's look at the Friday Fiver...1. What is your local lake/river/sea? Um. Define Local. 45 minutes from the Mississippi River and about 2 hours from Lake Michigan. Probably 20 minutes from the Illinois River. That's about as local as it gets.
2. Do you believe in dragons and unicorns? Sure. 3. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries. Nectarines. Green Grapes. Not sure there can be a favorite. And I am also exceptionally fond of Kiwi and Cantaloupe. 4. Do you smoke? Nope. I am a quitter. 5. Friday fill-in: Together they would really hate the friday fill in because it is totally lame.

Friday Fiver and More

Could this be? A DAILY Blog? Holy Cow!~
Let's start with the Friday Fiver...1. When do you doubt yourself?
When I think about my pain tolerance and how I will deal with an un-medicated childbirth.
2. Who do you owe an apology?
He. He he. Um.... Some guy named Nick who I ditched once on a date. I didn't even know him but boy did he know me. He called me and called me until I finally gave in and agreed to go out with him and then I canceled on him at the last minute. I felt bad but I didn't even KNOW the guy and it made me uncomfortable.
3. When is the last time you felt embarrassed?
Um. It's hard to be embarrassed when you are pregnant. Because all kinds of crazy shit happens and everyone gets to look at all parts of your body. But probably more embarrassed by things that my husband sees me screw up, and things that he sees me forget.
4. What do you ignore?
I work in IT. So mostly I ignore it when other people bitch about computers and technology (and believe me that happens alot) and I ignore it when they blame their entire life's problems on computers and act as though computers are preventing them from being productive and doing their jobs. I just know better. But in IT you become "that person to bitch at" and so you let it slide as much as you can. It's usually not personal - you don't have anything against the computer user, but it's a vital skill for survival in the IT/Helpdesk world. It's sometimes the only thing that keeps you from snapping.
5. Do you love yourself?
I do love myself. And what I love most about myself is that I get to have my husband who is wonderful and that we get to have a baby who will also be wonderful. The best part about me is often the people around me.

Well that was fun! Not too bad of questions for Friday. I almost didn't think any of them were retarded. Today was ANOTHER Busy day at work. I didn't get to go home and relax last night like I wanted. I ran beads and Shrek DVD's to Anya's and wanted to stay and chat but I had to be at Evan's parents for supper, and I had the burgers with me so I couldn't screw around. I swam a little bit, at least I got myself wet from the waist down and walked around the pool... and we relaxed until the bugs started biting and eating me alive. Apparently pregnant chicks are fabulously tasty, what with all that extra blood circulating through their bodies.

So I didn't get home till about 10pm... and then I brought the dogs in and fed and watered them, and hauled stuff in from the car and hung up my suit to dry, and started packing my hospital bag. It was actually pretty fun and much easier than I thought it would be. The best part was stashing those tiny newborn socks and 3 newborn diapers into the diaper bag for the first time. It's almost 10 weeks till the due date and that is SOON! LOL. This morning I got ready and the dogs hung out in the house with me. Then I went to the bank and signed papers to finish off my car loan, which I will have paid off in just two more payments (thank god! After 5+ years!) and then I went to work for the day. Work was okay, kinda busy. I had lots of stuff that I had said all week "I can do that on Friday" and wouldn't you know that meant I had to do them today.

I also got to talk to my dad today on the phone, his Father's Day gift and card had arrived in the mail to surprise him, and I talked to mom a bit too. This evening I ordered the Armoire for the baby's room from Target, I saved 15% off the purchase and it should be here by July 1st so that dear Evan can assemble it and I can start to wash clothes and hang things up. That should take care of the last piece of furniture and the last little corner of the nursery that needs to be together... and then we can hang stuff on the walls. One thing that I didn't really think about until after ordering it, is that I had envisioned sitting some things on top of the armoire. Things that were cute but that baby might not be able to reach for a long long time... and now I see that the one I picked out has a beautifully curved and graceful top.... not especially surface friendly for knick-knacks. Darn. On to plan B. Which I am sure to develop soon.

Tonight I will just be staying home, focusing on laundry and dishes, and perhaps some other organizational things that will help prepare for baby, and in the short term, help prepare for the cleaning people on Monday.

Everyone have a fabulous weekend!

Friday Again?

Wow... have I been slacking! So So Sorry! Last weekend was so super busy! I think the week was pretty busy too!

Saturday morning I bought CROCS Sandals (black on black)! Ahhh! Can you believe it? Me, the anti-croc! But the sandals don't look like Crocs and they are comfy and they wash off easy. I like them. They are too wide for me overall... and the piece that goes between your toes is a little too fat and leaves marks, but I am pretty much used to them now. After that I went to the Seatonville Greenhouse Auction and bought some plants and container plantings. Evan's brother bought some and I also bid on some for my "neighbor" Pat and so I had LOTS to load up and lots to get home. After 4.5 hours of standing at the auction and loading up all those plants, I spent the afternoon planting and watering, and I weeded two flower beds. Then I re-arranged the nursery. Sunday I picked up around home and we took the baby crib out of the box and carried it to the nursery. Monday I worked and took off early for a nap because I wasn't feeling well and had been up most of the night with BAD heartburn that lasted till about Wednesday. And in the middle of that bout I ran OUT Of Zantac and the pharmacy wasn't open in the morning before work so I could get more.

Monday night we assembled the crib. I added the bedding and the mobile and crib soother- and the nest full of puppies too! It's so freaking cute I have to go in there like 3 times a day to just look at it.

Tuesday and Wednesday were long days that I spent in a classroom for work, and Evan was in Des Moines for work. Wednesday night I watched Shrek 2 and last night I saw Shrek 3.

Tonight I plan on doing some shopping, I want to get Evan some new clothes for Father's Day, although Ardyn already "bought" something for him, just from her. (it will go with THIS and THIS that we already have at home) I also need to buy ingredients for Crock Pot Lasagna and Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole because Saturday morning I am getting a pedicure and then going to Evan's family Reunion, and we need to take some food to pass. Then Saturday night there is a cookout for my sister Liz's boyfriend Brian's birthday. Plenty to do! Sunday we will be getting invites for the baby shower (august 5th) put together and ready to mail out.

So really I have had plenty to do!

Now on to the Friday Fiver:


1. Are you attracted to the naughty or the nice?
Naughty, but only if I can conquer them and make them nice.

2. Do you let your dirty laundry pile up?
Well, yes. But with maternity clothes you only have like enough underwear for a week or so, which makes it difficult for anything to pile up. I am more on top of it now than before.

3. What's the last excuse you made?
Hmmm. To myself or someone else? I never make excuses! LOL.

4. Do you play it safe or do you take risks?
I love to be safe. I am paranoid and I am sure that bad things are out there waiting for me and my loved ones. I like to play it safe. But I have my own ways of living dangerously. Like ignoring the dress code, for example.

5. Friday fill-in:
Let's go to Target and Shop.

This is an interesting fill in. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to say. It reminds me of my favorite pick-up line of all time, which I learned in college. "wanna get a pizza and fuck?" and then when the person says no, you answer "You don't like pizza?!"

Friday Fiver

1. What year were you born? 1978

2. Who do you like to hug? My husband.

3. Do you runaway or face your problems? Face them.

4. How much cash do you have on you? $2.25

5. Friday fill-in:
I know exactly how to get the best possible deal on anything I buy.

June starts month SEVEN

It's June! How do I know this? Because this morning when I stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room I nearly STEPPED on a dead June bug all curled up on the hardwood floor. What the? Yep. Strange. It's like an omen.

Also this morning my husband was cranky **instantly** because today is Day one of "Operation Quit Smoking Cold Turkey" and it is apparently going to be his mission to be depressing and act as though his life is over which should in no way effect the way his wife, beginning her 7th month of pregnancy, feels loved and supported and all that good crap. Actually, I am super excited that he is quitting. I don't want the baby's daddy to smell like an ashtray. Really. But it will be exceptionally hard to deal with his attitude towards me and everything in general.

On a great note, the crib and mattress arrived yesterday and Evan brought the mattress in so I could see the little Sealy posturpedic thing. It's so cute. I can't wait to assemble the crib and Evan promised that we would do that together this weekend or perhaps next week but of course now I am worried that without smoke breaks to vent his assembly frustration we may end up with a crib that is smashed to bits with a hammer.

Tonight I close my bead party. That's good. Then I plan on going to eat supper at the club where husband will be cooking. I am nervous about that because I am afraid he might be so mean that I would be better off at home alone, and also nervous about it because there are tornado watches and severe storm watches out for us this afternoon/evening and There have already been tornadoes spotted in Muscatine, Iowa and the general area... and I might also be safer at home.

I have an even bigger tornado paranoia now that I am supposed to be protecting a baby inside me and I would be so pissed if I got crushed by a tornado to begin with, but now I have to worry about me, Both dogs, AND an unborn child? Good lordy. And you know I always worry about a tornado coming when I am at work, because I am not sure if I am safer at the top of a 4 story building, trying to ride down the rubble or perhaps being blown away when the top comes off the building, or if I am safer on the bottom floor where all that shit can land on me and crush me. Actually I feel like I might be safer to run outside and lie flat on the ground somewhere, all stealth and smooth-like. (I can totally be stealth and smooth-like.) I would probably be better off just being at HOME where I can go to the basement with the dogs and we can huddle together and hide under the table in the basement sewing room.

Oh, and today, I just wanted to point out that I NEED this. I do. It's a necessity.

I don't wanna work....

Ugh. It is so super hard to work when you are pregnant. Not because you don't have it in you to work, but because work sucks and it requires patience and concentration and I am finding that I am like a tire with a nail hole.... It's slowly leaking out of me and leaving me round on one side but still feeling kinda flat.

Hopefully no one will notice that work is so ANNOYING to me right now.

But, per usual, I will prop myself up out of bed and drag my ass to work every day. Feeling pretty good this week. I have done so much that it kinda freaks me out. I think I have worn myself out and I am looking forward to going to work (just to get Friday over with) and having my Bead Retreat Party tonight and a nice relaxing weekend with a Sunday cookout and Monday OFF work. Yay!! That way I can just sit around with my feet up eating popsicles. Orange ones. Or maybe those bullet kind that have multiple flavors and are shaped like sex toys. You know, why don't they make penis popsicles? Oh right, because women don't WANT to suck on those. Right. I remember now. My bad.

My house is so freaking clean! It's insane! The scrapbook room is all organized and the dishes are all DONE and the bathroom has no dog/people hair crowding the corners. I even organized the Longaberger basket on the back of the toilet tank that holds my hair clips and ties, and then I cleaned and organized my dressing table (all my perfume, make-up, etc.)

The dog beds are washed, even the dog's stuffed babies are washed. My dearest husband threw out all the plants that I let DIE this winter because I was neglectful. Apparently I can only nourish one growing being at a time. It's probably due to my husband that my dogs are still nutritionally stable. It's gonna be interesting when we have more than one kid.

Being pregnant is cool. I am thinking that anyday it's time to design and order myself a new shirt from cafe press... especially now that they have maternity shirts. I think it will have areas of velcro so that I can attach different "fill in the blank" answers depending on the day.

I am 6 months pregnant.
Yes I'm SURE
I know my belly isn't big enough for your standards
I am due September 3rd, 2007
Yes I'm SURE
It's a Girl
Her Name is Ardyn Isabel
She doesn't appear to be deformed
I do not have morning sickness
My feet are/are not swollen today
I am feeling fine
Really
I swear
I am eating right
I am resting
My husband is doing dishes
Yes I can feel the baby
No I am not constipated
No I don't have hemorrhoids
Yes we're excited

Maybe I had better make a dress. I don't think the shirt will be long enough to answer all the questions I have been asked.

And now, on to the Friday Fiver!

1. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Um, Automatic Cleaning Power. Everything I look at is clean and organized.

2. Which is more attractive to you: physical appearance or personality?
Personality. Because if you're a dick I am smart enough to figure that out. Eventually.

3. Who did you last fight with?
Hmmm. Probably Evan. Or maybe my mom. Or my boss.

4. What did you eat last night?
2 Hot Dogs with onions and ketchup (on the grill) and Mac and Cheese

5. Who are you mad about?
Mad about? I'm Mad About YOU! Of course I couldn't resist. I am mad about Pirates of the Caribbean. And I haven't even seen part 3 yet. Dirty Hot Mouthy Pirates. I love them.

Friday Fiver

Today started as a really good day. Evan and I got a lot done last night, hung the new roman shade in the bedroom, rearranged the dining room, cleaned off the dining room table, emptied and reloaded the dishwasher, and got the laundry gathered and down to the laundry room. It was nice. I love when we can work together to accomplish something.

Then this morning I woke up fairly refreshed, I had slept pretty well since getting my neck straightened out at the Chiropractor last night. Before work today I was able to get conditioner at Rita's, which I was out of, and then grab Burger King Hamlette and Cheesy Tots for Breakfast. It's my favorite but I haven't had it in probably 2 months. Then I got more mineral veil powder and foundation and some brush cleaner from Great Lengths, and then I went to work. Work was okay today too. But Today just isn't panning out as great as the morning predicted. and it's rainy and cool. Oh well. Here's hoping the weekend is better.

1. Do you gamble? No

2. Have you ever rode a horse? Yes

3. Do you drink alcohol? No

4. What is your favorite Mexican food? Chicken Fajitas- except that the sides of rice and refried beans with cheese are my ACTUAL favorites.

5. Friday fill-in:
On Saturday, I plan to Golf with my husband (weather permitting) and then have a "date night" assuming he isn't pissed at me by then.

Friday Yay!

Here comes the weekend! YAY!!!

Bought lotsa books at the bookfair today!

The Bump is BIGGER! LOL.

1. Four years ago -- where were you?
Right here in the exact same spot. Seriously. Same house, same job.

2. What bores you to tears?
Um. Not sure.

3. Do you have rhythm?
Not when it comes to dancing... but musically yes.

4. Who would you like to see today?
Carrie and Angela.

5. Friday fill-in:
Always thought that I'd Work In Agriculture.

Friday Fiver

1. What do you try to stay away from?

• Wow. This could go so many ways. I stay away from drugs. I hate drugs. I do not ever do them. I never have. I don't need drugs to be creative and I don't need them to be different. I also don't really drink much alcohol (before being pregnant) I never get anything from it. I also stay away from Celery. And Hot Weather. I hate humidity. I stay away from situations where other people could be in charge of me. I like to make my own decisions and I don't want to put myself at the mercy of some idiots decisions.
  

2. Are you clumsy or graceful?

• Probably clumsy? I tend to run into things and trip. I get bruises. I break my toes. I don't usually break things (besides my toes, I mean like objects. I don't drop things much) and I don't really fall down too much. Usually I think I trip because something is in my way or I am going too fast.
  

3. What is it too late for?

• Um. Well I tend to be pretty positive.... but it's too late to get my money back for a college education that hasn't done shit for me. And it's too late to tell a previous employer to go fuck themselves before they screwed me over royally. It's too late to buy pet insurance for my dog that has Colon Polyps. It's too late to mail my bills on time to avoid late fees.
  

4. What/who was your first love?

• Oh boy. Why are you asking me this? I have had beagles my whole life and loved them all. I have had cows that I loved. I loved agriculture. I loved the idea of working in agriculture and farming and raising animals and crops. But I did have a first "love." A boyfriend who I thought I would be with **forever** and we had lots in common and we had so much fun and really good sex and all those things that come with a "first love" but it also had bad aspects and the bad got worse and the better got less and We went through a tough breakup that pretty much ruined my idea of what love should be (for a while) and made me less trusting and more stronger and probably more demanding. It made me raise my standards and expect more from the person that I love and it made me expect more from a relationship and believe that I deserved better. It was your classic crushing first love and first heartbreak. I don't have to name any names. That's not fair to anyone involved. I really try to not harbor any anger... or resentment... but it wasn't pleasant and I still feel unresolved issues 11 years later. But that's life. Not every Issue has to be resolved.
  

5. Friday fill in:

• I believe that love will prevail.

This has been an especially long week. I have been in early every single day this week, with the exception of today, and worked an 11 hour day on Tuesday. I am so so so happy to see the weekend. I know it's not here QUITE yet..... but it's super close!

I have so much housework to do this weekend! The cleaning people had to cancel 2 weeks ago, so it has literally been 4 weeks since the house has been cleaned. I vacuumed the living and dining rooms and the spare bedroom- but the rest is a nightmare. Dog hair. Dirt and mud from the outdoors and salt granules being tracked in. Laundry and Dishes (although I did run the dishwasher last night) and just plain messy. Every surface covered with papers and magazines, socks, gadgets, bottles of water. It's a nightmare. It will probably take me the whole weekend to regroup. Today is mom's birthday, tomorrow is Evan's Grandma's Birthday, and Sunday is Evan's Dad's Birthday. I have a card for mom but I need to get two more.

Last night we ate a great supper over at Evan's parent's house. Today his brother came over and they got all the cardboard boxes out of the garage to burn at the farm, and went to Menard's to get a new light for our back porch so the pregnant chick (and visitors) don't fall down in the dark.

Last night I tries to spray paint a peg rack that I had for the nursery. I want to hang it above the changing table. I had driven to Peru and bought Rustoleum American Heritage Spray paint in Apple Green, and when I tried to paint, it was leaking EVERYWHERE and dripping in dime sized droplets like rain, all over the cardboard and my hands, and the thing I was painting. I was so upset. Called Rustoleum and apparently the can must be defective. They were going to get another can for me today so I can continue painting, except NOW it's like freezing out and there is a winter storm warning in effect until Sunday night... When this whole last week it has been 45-50 degrees and sunny. Damn. So much for spray painting that wooden peg rack!

Our new KING SIZED Bed should be delivered next Friday. It's only ONE WEEK until I will be sleeping in Pure Comfort! I can't wait! Sealy Posturpedic Plush.... here I come! I need to wash the two new sheet sets and the mattress pad and the bed skirt this weekend, so we are ready to roll. When we got married I registered for King sheets.... and I bought a set identical to our queen sheets when they went on clearance. I also bought 2 King sized pillows a few months ago when Penney's had them buy 1 get 1 for $1. This week I found a king bed skirt on clearance too. The only thing I still want to get is a king sized comforter, I am sending ours with the other bedding to my sister's house for her spare room. We do have several... king ... quilts, but no king comforter. Penney's had a big sale and their down comforters were super inexpensive. A ing was only like $59. But I was buying a mattress pad and the mattress that day, and 3 maternity shirts and my new shoes, so I was limited on my spending spree.

Well, that's all the interestingness (okay so it wasn't really interesting) that I can muster for one day.

Friday Fiver

1. How's your weather?

• Frigid. about 5 inches of snow and it's been at about 0 degrees or -10 for the past week. No end in sight!
  

2. What can you hear right now?

• Typing. Music.

3. Do you like to spy on people?

• Certain People.
  

4. When is the last time you had to prove yourself?

• Daily I think.

5. What would you like to take back?

• The Kitchen Garbage Can to Wal-Mart. It's one of those stainless steel metal ones, oval, with a step lid. Fancy. The Stepper is broke and it's only a couple of months old. It cost like $40 and I am pissed.

Friday Fiver

1. What feels like home?

Um. Okay. I don't know what this is supposed to mean. My house feels like home, OBVIOUSLY. Who thought of these? If I really wanted to feel like home, I would have to be wearing my pajamas and slippers, perhaps with a cup of Chai Latte (Tastefully Simple's Oh My Chai! made with milk) and a book or some music of choice. Dogs at my feet or snoozing on their beds, husband quietly strumming guitar, icky weather outside like I should just stay RIGHT where I am.

2 Do you look at yourself carefully in the mirror before you leave for the day?

Hm. I think I look at various portions of my body in separate brief instances. I see my face when I wash it, when I do my make-up and hair, I see my hair most of the time, I see my full body when I am finished dressing, and then I put my shoes on. I don't know about the careful part, because I try not to dwell too long, I know I have done my best with what I have and that's all.

3. How do you feel right now?

Ready for this week to be over and my pajamas to be put on soon.

4. Are you a star-gazer?

If it's nice outside. I was when I lived in the country, and in the summer I like to look at stars on the back patio while lying on the swing. I guess kinda. Yet I can't hardly stay focused when my husband goes on a 20 minute explanation of why this is a planet now and this is not, etc.

5. Friday Fill-In:
How much time has passed since you last _____?

Hmm. Took a Drag off a cigarette? Let's say about 19 days. Never have really been a smoker, except perhaps back in college when I would smoke a whopping 2 cigarettes a day. But every now and then I enjoy a good smoke.

Happy New Year Friday Fiver

Thank GOD it's Friday! This week has been short but it has DRUG by considering that everyone would rather be napping than working!This New Year:
1) Big Party or stay at home alone?

• We initially planned on going to the Wyanet Community Club Draw Down. But in the last two weeks we were invited to our friends John and Amethyst's house, and we opted to take them up on that offer. I think it will be lots of fun but still plenty relaxing. i.e. I can totally wear stretchy pants and my slippers!

2) Stay up to watch the ball drop?

• I will certainly try to. We are in a different time zone, so the ball drop happens at 11pm here, and we usually miss in in recent years.

3) Will you make any resolutions?

• You know, I don't know about that. It seems a little silly to me that we are supposed to have goals based on a calendar year. I honestly make goals for myself year round, and achieve them constantly. It makes me feel much better than that annual pressure type of goal.

4) Is Dick Clark a good host for New Year's Eve?

• I thought he was supposedly in bad health? I remember last year he couldn't be there. I have to say he is a lot less annoying than anyone else they put on there. The fakeness of Hollywood stars does not fit New Year's Eve. I hope he can be there.... perhaps as a head in a dome, like on Futurama.

5) Do you know the words to Auld Lang Syne?

• Absolutely. I love love love that song. It's one of my favorite "christmas" tunes and I find myself singing it several times. The Beach Boys do a really good version of it.