Maternity Clothes

Quick Question:
Where should I look for maternity clothes?

I am not a big fan of the goofy obvious maternity wear:

Loud colors, obnoxious prints, and bows oh lord the bows.

I have been wearing the empire shirts and maxi dresses from normal women's wear lately. But I haven't seen a lot of clothes that I like in maternity sections or stores (not that I have looked a ton).

Can anyone recommend some good stores (on-line or in-person)? What about key pieces? What could you not live without!?! I'm just trying to figure out ways to not waste money and to not look stupid. (Ha, it is an awesome mantra!)

Mom update

Mom called after her meeting with the oncologist. It doesn't seem to be cancer.
We are very excited.
She isn't sure what it is really...but they all said, it doesn't seem to be life threatening and are working on pain management until they can figure out how to prevent it.

Thanks for your prayers

OMG! I am having a Baby Freak out # 1

Up until today, I have been able to keep my OMG-I'M-HAVING-A-BABY fears in check. Maybe it is the hormones that have been blissing me out or not really feeling pregnant or having too much on my mind. But today in the grocery store (after being completely PMSy to Kdubs for 24 hours), it hit me...panic.

Walking through the baby aisle at Kroger (which I usually never do, but I got lost in a new Kroger and decided to chance it), I saw the diaper aisle and freaked:
SHOULD I CLOTH DIAPER THIS KID!?!?! WHAT IF I CAN'T?!?!?! HOLY HELL THIS IS GOING TO SUCK!!!!
***Kdubs and I have been talking about cloth diapering for awhile. I know, laugh all you want, I am not the most green person out there and that is not why I'm considering it. I'm considering it for 2 reasons: 1. Kdubs really wants me to try (he is bit more crunchy than me and says he will consider it garbage and take of it (see here for relevance--#95 and 96) and 2. people have said, "you can't/shouldn't do it" which is the best way to get me to try. So a lot of this fear is related to the people saying "you can't/shouldn't" being right.

Then I saw the baby food section and freaked:
UGH, SHOULD I MAKE MY OWN BABY FOOD..WHAT IF THAT IS HARD?!?!?...HOW DO YOU DO THAT??...DO I HAVE TO PEAL PEACHES? HOW DO YOU PEAL A PEACH!?!?!?

Then I saw the formula section and freaked:
THAT SHIZZ IS EXPENSIVE!!!! I HOPE I CAN BREAST FEED!!! WHAT IF I CAN"T!?!?! IT"S GONNA HURT AND I"M GOING TO PUSS OUT!!!

I think this all stems from the guilt I felt for drinking a diet coke at that moment. My doctor said one diet coke a day would not hurt anything but I hate that I have fallen back on the wagon. It just makes me so happy. UGHS!

Btw. my friend (okay she is more of a wife of a friend of my husband--but I went to her baby shower so we'll just say friends, right) became a new mom 3 days ago and I just found out she is having a not so awesome time with breast feeding. This is not helping my fears. This woman is awesome...she is a nurse in a infant surgery wing, so she is kick ass with babies. I mean I know that doesn't mean she is a master breast feeder but still! Speaking of her, I need to figure out a way to get her to be a real friend before this peanut comes out so I can utilize her new knowledge. She is one of the few prego people I really liked (while she was prego) because she is snarky and witty and even keeled....I MUST MAKE FRIENDS WITH HER???

Do you think calling her up (never talked to her on the phone before) 3 days after the birth of her child and bombarding her to be my friend is too much?

yeah, me too...
I'll try the gradual facebook communication...

19 weeks Preggo

I am at 19 weeks along this week
I am not really showing. I have definitely gained weight (blerghs, about 12-14 pounds of it). I also haven't been great about what I have been eating.
I mainly just look like I did before I lost the weight. I fit into most of my bigger clothes. They just get tight by the end of the day. I have lost most of my good curves and gained more (ahem, in my ass).
I used to roll my eyes at pregnant women who would complain about gaining weight, but it is disarming to see your weight (something that as a woman, you naturally watch) go up and up.
I know I am gaining weight in okay proportions, but I would like to stop looking fat and start looking pregnant.

*I picked out this outfit to wear for the rest of my progression pics. I stole this shirt from my youngest brother--love the Old School with the Big Wheel
Quick poll question: How do you control your weight gain when pregnant? You can't diet? Do you act somewhat like dieting? Do you work out more? Or do you just try and lose it afterward?

Doctors update

There are not a ton of OB practices in Athens, so I went around yesterday and called a few to get an appointment.
The one that came highly recommended to me (2 doctors and one midwife) could not see me until July 20th!!! That would be almost 8 weeks without a doctor's appointment, which for this crazy new mom-to-be seemed excessive.

So I called the second one on my list and was a little (okay, a LOT) disappointed about the receptionist I talked to. Our conversation went like this:

TRS: Hi, I'd like to make an appointment to see a doctor. I am new to the area and am 18 weeks pregnant.
Stupid Receptionist: When did you move to the area?
TRS: the last week
***5 minutes of chitchat about her being from the Midwest and the weather...in which i tell her about my doctor's office in Michigan and she lectures me about getting my records from my doctor's office to them ASAP***
SR: Oh, so when did you find out you were pregnant.
TRS: uhm...15 weeks ago?
SR: Well, let me see when we can fit in new pregnancy appointments...hmmm...
TRS: Well, I don't need to go through the new pregnancy appointments...I'm 18 weeks along.
SR: and you just found out, so this is your first doctor's appointment!
TRS: No, I have seen a doctor every month since I found out at week 3...
SR: well, we just don't take people this late for their first appointment
***In my head I was screaming: what?!? First I was a bad mom for not finding out that I was pregnant or going to the doctor until I was 18 weeks and now you won't give me one!?!?!

Needless to say, this lady was not inspiring much confidence in this practice.

After my appointment today with the OB coordinator, I feel much better about the practice.
She was awesome!!!
She talked to me about every aspect of the practice...how each appointment will go...what delivery registration should look like...insurance and payments...EVERY THING! I was very impressed. Now, I know that she is not my doctor, and I probably won't see her a lot from now on, but if the practice is half as good as her...I think I will be in good hands.

I have an appointment with an actual doctor next week and then will decide about canceling the appointment on the 20th.

What would you guys do? Keep the appointment? Is it tacky? Have you ever OB shopped? What was the most important thing to you about your OB/OB practice?

I'm not dead yet

yeah, I leave for more than a week and I come back with a quote from Monty Python. I am just that big of a geek.

To give you guys an update, I will do it in list form:

1.) KW got in late but safe.
2.) We had a great time hanging out in Michigan for a day and then driving back home.
3.) Being reunited with Penny was sweet and fun. She has been my buddy since.
4.) Remember back in Christmas when my mom was sick? Yeah, she is sick again. And they are not sure what is wrong and the doctors are doing a lot of tests.
5.) Also, my parents have pseudo adopted a cousin of mine, who is difficult and has a troubled past.
6.) This all means that I have been spending more time at home in Atlanta rather than with KW in Athens.
7.) I have also been away from a good computer connection...hence my absence from the blog.
8.) I have been trying to find a new doctor in Athens, and it has been difficult. One practice that I like can't see me till July 20 and the one I am not thrilled about can see me tomorrow...blerghs. What would you do?
9.) My brother left his Tivo in Athens with me...and I will never go without another one again!!!!

There is a ton more to say...I will try and parse some of it this next week. So, how are you?

Delays

KW's flight has been canceled...and then he got a new direct flight...and then that one has been delayed.

There are big storms in Atlanta.

Right now, I'll just take him getting here safe.

Prayers are always welcome!

36 Hours!!!

please play this video from Arrested Development to listen to while you read...it enhances all experiences)


It's the final Countdown!!!


I feel the same way, Buddy.

I am starting to get a little sad about leaving the school that has been so good to us and the people that I have loved getting to know. I am more than thrilled to leave the weirdos that I do not like! HA!

I know we will keep in touch with the people we truly like, especially with the invention of Facebook.

My plans for the next 36 hours? Pack up my clothes and hope that everything will fit into the back of the Jeep, do a prayer and voodoo dance around the Jeep to last till we get to Athens, clean and dance around in anticipation of being reunited with my family.



I will see you, Lil' Princess, in a few shorts days and I promise tons of belly rubs. I know you will have a good time hanging out with your grandpa and dog cousins while dad male roommate* picks me up.

I may not post for a few days while in transition. Talk to you next from the Peach State!**

*when we first got Penny, KW refused to be called dad and would scream, "she is not my daughter, she is my roommate!" I am not a big advocate of dog=baby, but both of us know she is more than an animal roommate.

**Fun Fact-Georgia does not produce the most peaches in the US. That honor goes to South Carolina. Georgia does produce the most peanuts (or did at some point) but did not want to be called The Goober State. Wise decision, GA.

Can of Worms, part 1

Here is where I start opening up that mommy blogging can of worms...okay? I am starting to have a lot of birthing and baby questions, and I am not satisfied by what Google is telling me. So I am asking you, the blogosphere, for your opinions. You can tell me I am crazy, and I won't hate you...much. You can give me your honest-to-goodness-scare-the-crap-out-of-me truth. I think I'm ready to hear it.
Are you ready? I'm not.

But here it goes.

I am currently looking into my options of how to get this child out of me when* (hopefully around Nov 20th) it is done cooking. My mom has always advocated for the epidural and my sister in law had scheduled c-sections for hers (because of health problems). So I started asking around and I have several friends that are Bradley Method completely natural...and at first that just scared the pants off me. But now, it seems like there are some benefits that I can get on board with...and maybe I might be able to do it? Ugh, I don't know. The one thing I do know...I don't want to limit my options. People have said that if you have a midwife or a doula that your likelihood of not taking drugs/pitocin go way down. But is it necessary? How do you find one?

I am currently looking for a new doctor when we move to GA, and I didn't really interview my last one because I knew she wouldn't be the one at the end. So, do you "interview" doctors? How do you do this? Even though this move to GA may not be our final move before the baby comes,* I think I should treat it like it is...right? Blerghs, this is all so confusing.

So if you can shed any light on the following areas:
-What birthing option did you try for/end up with? Like or Dislike?
-How instrumental was your doctor in keeping with your birth plan?
-Did you use a doula/midwife?
-Did you interview doctors (or midwives)? How did that go?

Help!


*if--yeah, I'm still too scared to be presumptive...it is a quirk of mine. Call me superstitious or crazy. I just want to let God, the baby, and the universe know that I KNOW I am not in control and nothing with this is 100% for sure.

Maybe I have more substance than I thought

Alright, I will admit it. I love stupid reality tv. Not the "I'm a celebrity Get me out of here" variety or Big Brother or even American Idol. The faux-scripted kind...like the Hills.

However, I actually had to turn off the last episode of the Hills (where Heidi and Spencer get married). I was watching to see Lauren's last episode, but I can't handle all the Speidi. It is too much.

Some-Friend of Heidi: "Heidi, which champagne bottle should we open first?"
Heidi: "The most expensive!"

SFoH: "What is the wedding going to be like?"
Heidi: I want it to be over the top and dripping with diamonds...

Ugh, I just can't handle it.

I can handle the stupid over the top indulgences every other week, but why not this one?

Is it because there is supposed to be a marriage in there, under the hoopla? And being Catholic, my nature is to think of marriage as a sacrament (that which brings you closer to God)...

Now, I'm not saying I got married in a potato sack carrying a pack of carnations, but this over the top-ness is too much. The same goes for the Whose Wedding Is It Anyways and that new Hitched or Ditched show. It skeeves me out.

Maybe you can do a lavish wedding and still be focused on the wedding but it sure seems difficult. For me, my mom was the one who wanted to pomp and circumstance...so she focused on that...I focused on making sure I was married by the end of the day. It worked for me.

All this to say: Kdubs mocks my addiction to pop culture fairly frequently saying things like, "You are very smart, why do you watch/read such dumb things." I usually answer, "well, War and Peace gets a little dull the 18th time around." But maybe turning off the Hills signals that I may be less addicted to pop culture than I expected.

Hold on, there is some new updates to Popsugar. BRB!

On My Own

Sing the title out with all of your Les Mis goodness...

Sidenote 1: is it just me or is the singing voice in your head much more talented and less pitchy than the one coming out in your throat? Yeah, I thought it was just me.

I have a lot of free alone time on my hands with K-dubs being in Georgia. And I have found some non-creative but all together lovely ways of filling them.

1.) Watching pointless TV and movies on Hulu (and the non-gov't sanctioned Hulu type sites), catching up with programs on their respectable network sites (I'm not trying to be illegal, I promise), and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with the roommates (can anyone tell me why the stupidest person always wins WOF?).

2.) Keeping my stuff clean so I do not let my roommates on to how big of a slob I am.

3.) Making dinner with and for the roommates (it is a lot of fun cooking for people who haven't eaten everything I make and aren't lactose intolerant).

4.) Went to the doctor for my last Ann Arbor check up. I got to hear the heartbeat and everything seems good.

5.) I have also been working out regularly. This is very good because I was worried I was gaining weight too quickly after my time with nausea that could only be calmed with hangover food. I have given up my tater tot ways and with my new energy have gotten myself back to the gym.

6.) I have also taken to reading...A TON! Right now I am working on the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde My sister in law got me into it, and they are so good. It is totally unlike any other book I have ever read. It is weird, and I had to suspend reality a bit when reading it. But the characters are so great and the plot is wonderful!

Also reading, Clive Cussler books with my nephew, Mikey
He is a really advanced reader but his mom doesn't want him to read stuff that is too advanced in content (sexuality or other themes). These books seem to be a perfect fit. A lot of action, some history, great characters, and fast plot. It also is wordy enough to slow him down a bit. He is like me in that he can gobble a 200 page book in a day.

If you have any other suggestions on what to do with some alone time, I would love to hear it. New books, activities? I have 10 more days alone, and I need to fill it up!
Sidenote 2: isn't that a much less whinier way of saying, "BLAGH! I AM WITHOUT KW FOR 10 MORE DAYS! WAHHHHHH!!!"

I got the better end of the deal

With Kdubs and I be apart for 17 total days (we are 3 down and counting people!), I thought I was getting the raw end of the deal. I shall demonstrate my theory in list form:

How TRS thought she was getting the shaft:
1.) I had to come back to Michigan, where it still gets cold!
2.) I'd have to live with roommates (the kind you can't walk naked around cause they didn't say, "till death do us part" which of course includes the cellulite-is-no-grounds-for-abandonment clause) for the first time in 6 years.
3.) He got to be in the cutest house in Athens
4.) My work days are long, and my nights are lonely :-(
5.) I have a need (like oxygen) to be touched. Like one of those sad kids that never got touched as children and can't get enough of it so they do crazy things...yeah, I think that will be me in a few days.*
6.) Kdubs sucks at talking on the cell phone
7.) I don't have a kitchen to cook dinner or proper cable to watch tv. And KW was getting my brothers leftover Tivo (don't even get me started on what a leftover tivo is...I'm just glad to have it).

How I figured out that I actually got the better end of the deal:
1.) Michigan for all of my bitching is at its best this time of year and my non-AC car is holding up well in this weather (it will not when I am back in GA).
2.) I have some kick ass friends here. Each one of them has invited me over for dinner the past few nights (I only ate by myself one night and that was a choice--my future roommates invited me over for dinner before they packed and I thought we would have enough time together in the future). I also got one of my awesome preggo headaches yesterday at 3 and I had two people call and check up on me. They all have indulged my paranoia and checked in on me to make sure some serial killer hasn't gotten me.
3.) While I have very little in my apartment that is mine...what is mine is very neat and tidy. This never happens with all of my stuff. Maybe the zen minimalism has some advantages. Or maybe it is just nice to know that if I put something up, it stays up, and if I don't my new roommates will notice and judge.
4.) work isn't fun but I like being able to have some quality time with my office friends and it has been nice to have lunch with a good book every day (sometimes with a friend too). Nights are still lonely and I've had a hard time sleeping, but not as bad as I have been before (read first years of marriage in which I would cry until KW came back).
5.) I miss hugs and back rubs and the such, nothing can be done about it. Except maybe the pedicure message chair *
6.) After much consternation (which involved finding a new charger for the cell phone he never uses and teach him how to use it), KW has been very good at talking to me at several points of the day. He even says he misses me each time.
7.) I am very good at eating out by myself and the extra three pounds I've gained are going to have to be watched but since crunches are out of line...I'll just visualize them in my head

So, just for me...some Friday eye candy

Jim Halpert has nothing on him.

*It is a widely told tale in my household that growing up I could not get enough of hugs. If someone was hugging somewhere, I needed to part of it. My parents indulged me as a toddler to be in the middle of their hugs and still love to tease me about it now (even though I can see over both their heads). My mom, who is not a big hugger, used to say, "that it is impossible to hug you too much...you just won't let go." I won't. And I found the only person in the world who won't pull away until I am done with the hugging. (maybe this is my apt is always messy.)

I feel the need to add at this point, that I know that 17 days is nothing. I have a friend who just found out she is pregnant and her husband is being deployed for 16 months starting in September. See?!? no real complaints, here!?!? I'll take it, please don't make me switch with her!

Busy Week

In the past week, there have been a lot of changes in my life.
1.) Kdubs graduated law school

I have like 3 gazillion pictures (cause I was taking pictures for the school), but I love these close shots of him! So cute.
2.) Why am I all gushy and weird about him right now? Because he moved to Athens and we have to be apart for 17 days. We are currently on day 15. I am holding up tolerably well (read: I am not crying uncontrollably just not 100% happy).
3.) We moved all of our stuff to my parents house (which entailed an 11 hour car ride that took 16!). Got Kdubs settled in Athens (sorta).
4.) AND John and Libby got married this weekend!

This is just a picture from the rehearsal



I'm so happy that Libs is part of the family I could squeal...and well I did.

All in all things are going well. Baby seems fine, my new roommates are moving in on Friday, and my friends are taking great care of me.

Seersucker Friday

While living in DC, I loved how every Friday in the summer all of the Southern Republicans would come out in their seersucker suits. It made me smile, and I brought mine out every random Friday or so to show my southern pride.



Because I will not be able to wear my suit for much of the summer (thanks expanding waist line), I thought I would break it out today!

I'm not sure if Easter marks the time to start wearing seersucker or if I should have waited till after Memorial Day. According to wikipedia: In the South, the genteel rule of thumb is that it is appropriate to wear between Easter and Labor Day. When worn in the North, Memorial Day through Labor Day is considered the appropriate time for wear. It is widely considered a fashion faux pas to wear seersucker at the wrong time of the year.

So I hope you all will forgive me, if it is minor faux pas since the Midwest is not really the North (according to Midwesterners) and I am heading south in 3 days.

Today is Kdubs last day of finals and law school and tomorrow is his graduation. I am so proud of him. It deserves its own post next week, which I will hopefully be able to include pictures! Since I am working graduation as their photographer, I should have some good ones!

On Sunday, we are moving him to Athens, GA to start Bar Prep and I am spending the week in Atlanta getting ready for my brother, Choppy's, wedding. It is going to be a busy busy next week and a half. But it is all good things so there will be a big smile on my face no matter what.

TONIGHT at 8PM-For you Kelly

Bones season finale is tonight

I am so freaking pumped!

If you do not watch Bones, you should, but you may not want to start tonight. Cause tonight has been building for a LONG time. But I would highly recommend watching back issues on Hulu or Project Free TV.

If you want to know more about bones, click here.

But here is the synopsis...it sounds like a CSI or Law and Order but it is 100% different and better.
It is smart and funny and dammit sexy.
But such are things with David Boreanaz...

I never watched Buffy or Angel, but Special Agent Seeley Booth makes me want to cheat on my first celeb crush..

Sorry John...
But I'll be right back at you at 9...
OFFICE FINALE!!!!
Good night of TV

Telling people

So, if you couldn't tell from reading everything at "What the H is going on?," I have been having mixed emotions about telling people.

I had a hard time telling KW.

I struggled about when to tell my parents (story to come).

But a big thing about telling people is fear:
Fear that this baby might not make it past the tumultuous first trimester and I would have to go about telling people bad news and taking sympathy (which I don't do well-but really who does? Shirley Maclaine maybe?)

Fear that people would judge me as one of those judgey breeders that lurk here. The Breeders say things like, "Oh you don't have kids, but don't you want them...everything is insignificant compared to motherhood...." I know that I take things wrong, but I didn't want to be part of this club that I had grown to hate over the past few years. I didn't want to be lumped in as one of them.

I also don't take squealing very well. You tell someone you are pregnant and if they don't have a Y chromosome their voice goes up 6 octaves. When I was first pregnant and scared of miscarriage at every step, I just couldn't match the enthusiasm. To be fair I was also dealing with, "YEAH, but we might have to have this kid overseas or in another state...and I don't know when I'll know where I am going to be!!!!" To say there was a lot to process in a small amount of time would be a fair assessment.

Needless to say, now that it is out...I am happy that I don't have to hide things from people (probably would have been nice when I was super nauseous), but people get upset that I didn't tell them sooner or that I am not jumping up and down or they want to ask questions (they are just polite, making conversation questions, but i just want to drop the bomb and then change the subject-I don't want to make the conversation about me).

I had one person ask, "they why did you blog about it?" Because, dear readers, this is where I talk about it. This is where I put my thoughts in some sort of disorganized form. This is where I ask advice and seek attention. Why here and not the real world? Maybe cause I can ignore this if I want to and the ostrich inside me likes that!

I was thinking of doing a series of posts asking y'all questions: birthing stories, opinions on controversial issues, etc. I know that those are opening cans of worms, but I'd rather open them myself than have them spilled down the front of my clean shirt.

So, first question for the blogosphere (and I know I've asked it before for a friend), which books on pregnancy, birth and babies did you love or hate? What would you recommend?

Crazy Dreams

Ever since I have become pregnant, I have had crazy dreams. Okay, to be fair to myself, I have always had very vivid and creative dreams...but these are some doozies. And they tend to fall into two categories:

S*x dreams (which I have never had before) and Disturbia version of real life dreams.

The first kind I chalk up to hormones. They say hormones do crazy things, and I tell you these dreams are so realistic it is bananas. I usually have make-out dreams when I am making out with Kdub or some Kdub-headless-amorphous blob. Very rarely is it someone else. But these dreams. Totally random and different people. People I know in real life. and one very good looking man I don't: Mr. John Krasinksi. That is right, ladies. This showed up in my dreams last night.

And I'm not complaining

Now usually, I save my vocal love for Johnny K to Jen's Hot Guy chat line on Daily Dish. But I had to come out and say it today.

Funny thing, in the dream, I was a Dunder Mifflin employee that was about to get fired but talked Michael out of it. Jim and Pam were not together yet, and I assured Jim that our affair would not get in the way when they did get together (they are perfect together but right now, he was mine!). Oh, and the entire Office was on a road trip Beverly Hillbillies style with stuff attached to all the cars and making stops at questionable trucker venues.

Besides the point it was good dream. And Kdubs knows my love of Johnny K and just asked "do you love Jim or the actor, cause that makes a difference, you know!?!?" I told him very politely that if one or the other comes up in real life, I'd take it.

(side note: KW never says anything about having celeb crushes because he knows he lives in with a complete unfair double standard about this...and I love him for accepting it.)

The second type of dreams:
There have been ones when my baby is red-headed freckled and SQUARE and I am trying to give it a bath in a bar sink at my parents house. Oh and my mom keeps dressing the baby without a diaper and the baby (who is a boy) is peeing EVERYWHERE! I may also accidentally drown it, but it comes out okay in the end.

Another, I am hanging out with Dooce (who I don't read very often) at her house in San Francisco (even though she lives in Utah) and meet her daughter, Leta...Leta's ethnic friend, Dora, and Dooce's new daughter (who is yet to be born) but in my dream she is 3 weeks old but looks 3 years old and, unfortunately, very unattractive. We hang out, I admire her kooky style and boho living. And I leave.

Weird, I tell you.
These hormones are CRAZY!

Flabbergasted Friday-The Announcement

12 weeks and 3 days along
2 drs. appts down
hardly any nausea anymore
VERY tired still

More Info Here. I had to put my thoughts somewhere. I will integrate back to TRS soon.

Shake it Off

Okay, I'm coming out of this blogging slump.
And I apologize for the three readers I have and have lost by not writing anything.

To put it mildly, everything is in flux and I only wanted to write about the big amorphous things going on in my life that wouldn't make sense. I couldn't write about fun, silly things. It would have looked something like this:


Monday: Watched HIMYM, it was good.
Tuesday: Ate fatty food while watching biggest loser and Watched My Boys, Hilarity. (seriously, Best one liners in the history of one liners)
Wednesday: watched Better Off Ted (if you are not watching this show, do it...and thank me later)
Thursday: Too much TV...need Tivo
Friday: Watch nothing on TV while waiting for K-dubs to call it a night for studying
Saturday: tried to not watch TV, but fail
Sunday: probably the same

Exciting, huh? You want to read that every day for 3 weeks straight wouldn't you?!?

Needless to say, work is chaotic because I am trying to end everything up here with some grace (not my forte)...Kdubs is leaving soon which depresses me like woh...and change just keeps coming.

So let me play my mom's favorite game: name 3 things positive with all that negative!
1.) I get to have a few extra weeks of hanging around my friends (because I am working while Kdubs moves on his own)
2.) I get health insurance for an extra month
3.) big news announcement coming up soon! better than the pig flu, i promise.

4 more weeks

It just hit me.

My husband has 4 more weeks of law school left.

I am very exited to be done with this stressful time. It has not been an easy 3 years for us in some ways. I am ready for him to not be studying all the time and hope that he may be able to turn off work stress easier than school stress (I know I am deluding myself on that one, but just let me for a little while).

But this craziness has been 3 years of our lives. The largest chunk of our marriage so far was spent here. And we are leaving it soon.

KW will graduate mid-May. We will then pack the apartment up and move our stuff and KW to Georgia. I will come back for a few weeks to finish work (which will suck because I will be living in an empty apartment for awhile).

But the main part: CHANGE IS COMING.
And I hate it. I do not like law school, but I am ape-sh*t scared of leaving this bubble that I know even if it is not perfect.

That being said, i think it will be really fun to live in Georgia while KW prepares for the Bar and while we figure out our next move.

Sorry for this meaningless outburst. But 4 weeks and change will be here. BLERGHS!

My Easter weekend

So what did I do for Easter?!?
I hosted my parents to the great frozen tundra that is Michigan!

My mom and dad came up for a visit (even though they are coming up in a few weeks for graduation) because I have been very homesick lately.

It was a great visit. They wanted to stay in one of the casinos in Detroit, so they got us a room and we stayed with them on Friday and Saturday! It was a perfect stay-cation. We took them to see the Detroit Art Institute, who has a great Norman Rockwell exhibit. The Ford Museum is also a must for our visitors:

The parents next to the Famous Weinermobile, which allowed my dad to sing the song--out loud. thank goodness I am not a teenager anymore and embarrassed by them. I just sang along.

Posing in the Model T

Dad exploring the trains. They have these enormous trains in there. From Henry Ford's personal train car to these massive engines.

No idea how that shot of KW got in there...

My mom with her iPhone, which is humorous because she barely knows how to check her email on a real computer.

The Ford Museum also has this HUGE train snow plow from Canada, and for some reason it always intimidates me, but that could be from the fact that these mammoth trains are very close together and I have daymares of them coming to life like Evil Thomas the Trains. --my imagination has always gotten the best of me--

KW classic annoyed expression with my excessive picture taking.

KW strolling amongst the evil rolling machines of death

Mom and Dad sitting in the seat the Rosa Parks bus. Crazy trivia fact: the Ford Museum bought that for $500 from a man using it as a tool shed.

The museum also has the chair Lincoln was shot in, all of the old president's cars, lots of memorabilia, and well...tons of cars. It is a must if you are in Detroit.

Hope every one's Easter was great. I think I am 3 pounds heavier from the excellent food we ate!

She likes me, she really likes me

The one, the only, the Preppy Princess has gifted me this wonderful Friendship Award. I don't get a ton of these, and I have to admit that I am always bad at passing them along when I do because I want to give them to everyone. However, I will play by the rules:

Per the rules: these blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Kels @ The Ben Show
***My Doppelganger! Kels and I have way too similar taste in movies and tv. We quote too much popular culture to be healthy.
The Mrs. @ Trying Our Best
***Always great for a laugh and a smile and a story about her amazing kids
Krystyn @ Really, Are you Serious?
***Such a great blogging friend because of her lovely comments
Kristen @ Zandor
***Hello Jello has become my favorite phrase lately.
Jimaie @ Jimaie.Marie
***Love her spirit and sense of humor...and has been a great twitter friend!
Erin @ Peach In the Evergreens
***One of my oldest blog friends. I love that we go through family withdraws and missing the south!
RWP @ Red and White Preppy
***RWP gives us all a peek into her boy crazy life. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and she is someone who I want to be friends with in real life.
A Girl @ a boy, a girl and a pug
***Hilarious posts about her smooshy face pug! Esp. the management memos to the pug!

Well, I actually followed the rules! Way to go me!

But please go see these great blogs. They are a lot of fun and are a part of my daily reads!

Somebody's Getting Married and a lost train of thought

My brother, Choppy, is!!!!

Choppy and Libby got engaged awhile ago, but they have set the date and are getting hitched.

I couldn't be more excited.

Libs is the shizz. I have really loved getting to know her, esp through our rando facebook chats.

I have even gotten to know another one of her bridesmaids from it (hey, Sarah!) and marvel at how weird the world is:
Sarah and I on facebook seem like kindred spirits. We love Gilmore Girls, the Office, Pride & Prejudice, etc. Yeah, this isn't like searching for the lost Incan ruins...there are lots of girls who like those things. But finding someone who does share interests AND is friends with the girl my brother is spending the rest of his life with is awesome! Cause me and John are not really known for our similar interests. (Minus quoting random movies and tv shows-but who doesn't like doing that!)

Any way, Sarah and I had gotten onto the reason I blog because I still don't broadcast my blogging for fear of ridicule.
But I told her I do it because I don't scrapbook, I am not a prolific writer, I like the instant gratification of blogging, and I lose journals left and right (a good example how this applies to blogging--I actually had a different blog for several months before this one, but forgot the password one day and couldn't access my account). I don't blog for people to read it *but love comments. But I do it, because I like to look back on things and realize that there is proof in this world that I am ridiculous. And in some morbid way, I like to think that when I am gone this little piece of me will be around to say, "I existed."

All this to say: I am pumped about John and Libs getting married, meeting new people, and losing my train of thought.

Laying it out

I feel bad not explaining why I can't blog right now. I really really want to, but there is too much going on to know where to start.

So, I thought I would break it down one thing at a time in list form because I am neurotic and crazy about lists. Some of the items may be vague but they have to be for some of my readers' sake.

1.) KW finishing up law school-This is great but it brings a bunch of complications
--a.) LAST FINALS (he will be turning into Finals KW)
--b.) Bar prep (he will be a mess with that)
--c.) moving (see below)
--d.) KW finding a job (see below)
--e.) leaving friends (see below)
--f.) leaving my job (see below)
2.) Moving -linked to 1.c.
--a.) we will have to move to Georgia for some time for KW to take the bar
--b.) KW will have to move before me and live there by himself and me here for my job (linked to 1.f.)
--c.) we will have to move a second time whether that is in Georgia, in the United States or overseas (linked to 1.d.)
--d.) I hate moving
--e.) If we move overseas, we may not be able to bring Penny with us.
3.) KW finding a job
--a.) KW is still looking for a job, but we are not worried because the jobs he wants can not be applied to early. In the legal field, some jobs can be acquired months in advance. KW's will only look at him closer to the time he can start working (ie. August)
--b.) He is VERY stressed about finding one
--c.) this economy is not relieving his stress
--d.) my parents don't relieve anyone's stress
--e.) He is being creative with his job search which could lead overseas
--f.) no matter what this job will entail me moving (2.c.), leaving friends 1.e.), and leaving my job (1.f.)
4.) Leaving Friends
--a.) I have made some amazing friends here that I will miss like crazy
--b.) It took me a long time to make these friends, which makes leaving even worse
--c.) Some of my friends seem to be acting strange lately. Not sure if it is from stress or nerves, but it rubs me badly. I want to soak up all the time I can before I leave
--d.) I am trying to figure out how to ensure seeing them in the future.
5.) Leaving my job
--a.) because my job will no longer exist after I leave it (the school is moving), I am working like crazy to get into shape for the next guy
--b.) because of the move, people who stay until the move get a retention package that includes pay vacation (that would cover KW's bar costs)
--c.) to get this package I have to stay in Ann Arbor without him (see 1.b. and 2.a)
--d.) this means I might have to stay in my apartment by myself with an aerobed and a lap top for 2-4 weeks
--e.) I have no idea when they will let me leave

There is a lot more like my brother getting married the week after KW's graduation, in that week we will have to move all of our stuff and KW to Atlanta, news about KW being moved someplace crazy for a job, and other impeding complications.

All this to say, I am barely keeping my synapses firing at the moment.

With all of the planning and this bump on my finger that is weird, I am spending a lot of my free time on Google (and WebMD).

Sorry that this list was incomprehensible and not a credit to my MPA degree...see above for excuses.

Too Much

There is a lot going on right now in the world of TRS.
Several locations are being discussed for our next roam, and to say I am scared about some of them is the biggest understatement.
I can't think of anything else.

All, I want to do is Google things to give me more info on the places...and most of them do not make me feel better.

I'm trying to find things to take my mind off of it.

Anybody got any funny links they want to share?

My dog is a genius

Penny has always been good at whining at our apt. door when she needs to go out. Well, i should say when she wants to go out. 1/8th of the time it is just to get some fresh air, soak up the sun or get some attention.

So we've gotten a little complacent about answering her howls. Making her wait until we know it is for sure.

Well, this weekend she has found a way to get our attention.

On Friday night, she hit the door coil stop with a loud "BLEROOOOOONG," and I thought she accidentally hit it. However, I looked back and saw her hitting the coil with her paw and then looking at me very indigently: TAKE ME OUT, BITCH!

I thought it was a fluke or an accident.

Then Satuday it happened again!!!

And again 5 minutes ago.

She is brilliant!

I'm so proud of my lil' princess


*me, Penny, and Katie wearing robes over our clothes...well for no real reason expect silliness and Penny didn't have a robe but we tried to construct her one--that might have been the wine talking*

Cheap Hobbies

Okay, internet peeps, I was thinking the other day, "Man, i would love a hobby like sewing or scrapbooking, but I hate having to spend money."

And then it hit me, my already loved free hobby: blogging.

I haven't really totally done all of the work on this old blog yet, and I stopped in mid stream because working on it after work was not possible for my body kept saying, "GET OUT OF THE OFFICE, YOU BLOODY LOON." (yeah, my body insults me in a british accent.)

So, I am going to try and work on some fun new features of the blog, but I know that stating this commitment seal its fate as not ever being done. That is why I keep saying, "my laundry will never be done" and miraculously it has been 100% better.

It is my official reverse psychology mantra.

But I would really like to pick up some more tangible/non-computer hobbies.
Any suggestions?

6 posts written and 0 published

I can't find anything decent to write. I have tried writing several St. Paddy's post. But nothing is really amazing about wearing my favorite color green and eating some festive sushi.

Yes, that is right. I ate sushi for St. Paddy's day. It is almost un-American...uh, un-Irish?

KW is finally done studying to night, so I am going to keep it short.

I'm sorry that I suck at life.

Grace in Small Things part deux

A few weeks ago, I did a post about finding the good in small things, being less cynical, blah blah blah.

Well, as you can tell by my blahs, I need a tune up. A new outlook on the day.

So I give unto you some things that are going good unto me.

1.) After years of arguing over how much I spend on groceries, I finally submitted ever so docilely to my husband and cut back on our trips to the grocery store and doing some WEEKLY GROCERY PLANNING. And as much as I dreaded it, it was kind of nice to not have much choice of "WHATS FOR DINNER" because it was what was in the fridge closest to expiring. I am a homemaker-genius, people.

2.) After years of arguing over how much I spend on books, which saga I have detailed here (library books are gross and they never have the ones I WANT NOW!), I docilely submitted to my husband once again and did not buy the new book of my series seen here:

when I was casually browsing at B&N. Okay, really...I threw a huge tantrum that he sent all of my beloved books to the exile of my parents basement in Atlanta leaving me with the two books that I hid from him in my office (the large complete works of Jane Austin and the last Harry Potter). In my upity self-righteousness, I said, "I will find away around you and your book ban!" Which lead me to Amazon...::cue heavenly music and clouds parting::

I was able to buy three books for the price of the original, which was amazing. However, I did have to wait, which makes me GRUMPY but it was like Christmas when they came. Now, I want more.... mooooooooore.
This is a serious addiction people

3.)I started back on hard core Weight Watchers last week. I did pretty well and worked out every day and only had two crazy days (mmm...Buffalo Wild Wings and St. Patty's day party!) that I accounted for. No weight loss yet, but right now I am trying to work against nature in my mind. I lost this weight with weight watchers last fall but have kept it off without crazy dieting or exercise for around 6 months. So I think it will take awhile to tell my body to move it!

Here are some pics from the Caeli (read Irish party held by Catholic lawyers)

Me and the Dubs-he's thrilled I tell ya

Here is the best picture I could get of my jacket, but it was much cuter and less Sgt. Peppery, I promise.

4.) A NEW NEEEEEEEW How I Met Your Mother is on tonight. Mondays are almost taking over Thursdays for my Fav. night on TV. I really need to get me a DVR.

5.) It is over 50 degrees outside!?! Sunny and my puppy has decided that spring is here. She always goes a bit bonkers with the change of seasons. She is better than that stupid ground hog. Oh, and tonight is Taco salad night! WOOHOO!

I am not Steve Buscemi

In my eloquently titled post, "Seriously, WTF," I shared how My heritage celebrity look a like finder likened me to Steve Buscemi. While not pouring over the minute similarities between myself and Mr. Buscemi, I noticed that pretty much every single one had bangs that swept to the side like mine. And GASP! Mr. Buscemi's hat sweeps to the same side! Maybe that is the similarity.

To scientifically prove my theory, I rearranged my picture to see who else My Heritage said I looked like:
Picture flipped with bangs SWOOPING to the other side

Lindsey Lohan? An Asian? This is pretty damning evidence that it is all about the bangs. BTW. when did Katherine Heigl ever have brown hair, short brown hair at that!

Another picture where my hair looks red (the pictures fault, I assure you!)

Catherine Zeta-Jones is back, as well as Charlotte Church. Added by Sophia Bush and a VERY unflattering picture of Drew Berrymore

This one, I tried to make my hair look blonde again. I don't have any good pics of my time as a blonde on Facebook or on this computer, so I just did the old color-me-blonde. It looks awful, but I'm just trying to fool My Heritage. First with swooping to the left:

Seriously, Lindsey Lohan AGAIN! She's not Steve Buscemi but still. I really don't think any of these actresses look like me! Stupid My Heritage!

I've done it a couple of more times with the same picture, and never got a Steve Buscemi again, but I did get a creepy picture of Dakota Fanning. I've never been so weirded out by my own face before.

Who do you think you look like? Or who do people tell you look like? Is My Heritage dumb for you too? Please share!

Today's Outfit ***UPDATED-Correction***

I was playing on Polyvore and mocked up my outfit for the day. For no real reason, just for funsies.


Today's outfit - by trsoutherner on Polyvore.com

I am wearing a jacket similar to the red one and the shoes that I love are killing me. I think this is what a week in flats will do! Gerr!

Off to the gym for IN a few hours to work off my delicious southern food from last week.

***The awesome Jennycalled me out on a typo and my own laziness. I was going to work out in a few hours from my original posting time...definitely not FOR a few hours. I am the opposite of a gym nut or an exercise addict. I barely lasted 45 minutes at the gym. I told myself "oh, you'll do Abs and lunges at home while watching tv...that way you are not rolling on the ground in the grow-dee germs of the gym." HA! I did two lunges and watched HIMYM and Dancing with the Stars (I have never seen it before and was FASCINATED to see how the replacement did!). All this to say: I am not a gym rat or grammar nazi. I apologize. Thanks Jenny!***

Seriously WTF

I was just checking up on you fellow bloggers misdeeds for the past week, I stumbled upon Jen's fun times at My heritage celebrity profile.

I thought,I should do it and actually went to do it--which goes completely against my slacker nature (see previous post)

And here is what I came up with:

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

I can see my likeness in several of them, but STEVE BUSCEMI!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?
He is the quintessential crazy ugly guy!?!
Oh man, there goes my self esteem for the day

There is an excuse, I swear

So my departure from the blogosphere last week was swift and seemingly unintentional. But it was...intentional...a little bit.

I am probably the laziest and most procrastinating procrastinator known to mankind.

I could detail all of this, but then I would be humiliated and have to go into hiding again.

I thought if I could keep myself away from the blogosphere to get my "chores" done then I would have an incentive (and reward) to get it done. Yeah, not so much. What was supposed to be an extended weekend hiatus turned into a week! I am sorry, doogs, come back!

One of my chores was to start packing up my apartment.

Yes, that is right...the Roaming Southerner is roaming again...at some point in the nearer future. Kdubs finishes law school in May, we are not sure where he will be working after he takes the bar in Georgia (probably not Georgia), and I am not sure when I am leaving my job.

I initially thought I would just leave with him, but if I stay longer, I MAY get a good severance package out of it. Which in these economic times, is nothing to sneeze at.

I am choosing not to get worried about the where and when we will end up. It always works out, right? RIGHT?....no....not worrying : breathe : breathe :

:::Deep Breath:::

okay, I'm back.

So, we packed up about half of our apartment, loaded it in a van, and moved it into my mom's basement. This way our BIG move will not be as eventful (here is hoping). Really it means, if we are making a GIGANTIC move like overseas or across the country, then we would have our essentials here to move and the extras would be safe at home...or something like that.

Now that we are packed up, I have the tornado of CRAP that I have left as a trail. Our apartment is littered...literally littered with bits and pieces of junk that we didn't want to save but don't want to throw away. So this week is major cleaning and decluttering at Chez Roaming Southerner.

What are your big weekend plans, friends?

Fun times with KW

K-dubs is what people call "that quiet guy." He doesn't say a lot in groups of people. He typically allows other people to talk and asks very good questions (which is totally why everyone loves him--and makes my crazy antics look crazier). But when we are just hanging out by ourselves, he says some of the most ridiculous things EVER.
Case in point #1: When we were first dating, I was not feeling very well after one of our dates. While walking up the escalator from the Metro station, we had this conversation:

TRS: Oh I'm not feeling very well
KW: Oh, no...is it a stomach ache? head ache?
TRS: No...just feeling off...
KW: Do you have a fever?
TRS: No, I don't think so
KW: Because if you do, the only cure is more cowbell

deadpanned...kept walking up the escalator...
and all I could do was sit on the escalator steps and bust out laughing.

Case in point #2: While driving to school last week, KW was talking to me about his plans for the day. He looked down the road and saw that a crow was nibbling away on something and not moving as we got closer. We got closer and closer, and the crow was not moving. Finally the crow flew away at the last second and KW said, "Woh Bird..." (and in an accent) "Say hello to your mother for me."



The guy kills me every time.

No Lucite Stripper Shoes Here

Okay, I will admit it...I have never been to a strip club. Shocking, right?

And after this video, I can honestly say I don't see the appeal.



Even if this was a hot girl in lucite heels...I would be worried about her hurting herself. I mean, I am betting that the managers of a strip club don't allow gym mats on the bottom of the pole, just in case.

And no, I have no idea why this guy made this video or is attempting to perfect his pole dancing skills. Maybe it is because his wife won't let him have dinner until he gets his pole-dancing skillz correct. It is like my mom with math homework...geez, mom.

Magical Non-Microwave Meatloaf

After many demands for the meatloaf recipe, I had to share:

The reason I call this magical meatloaf is that I can bribe KW with it anytime, and he would do anything to get it!!! Go to social functions that drive him batty, chores that make him nuts, and family obligations that he could do with out.

It is that good.

It is very different than traditional meatloaf for many different reasons. The first being that this recipe came from my mom's 1972 Baking With Your Microwave Cookbook.

Original Recipe-TRS EDITION in BOLD:
1-1/2 Ground Beef (I use ground turkey or half and half for a fatty meal)
1 c. crustless bread cubed (I shred the bread very fine)
1 onion diced(I dice the onion very fine)
1 egg
salt & pepper (I also add 2 tsp. of garlic powder)
1/2 c. of ketchup
***mix with hands--it is necessary***

sauce:
2 TBS worchetershire
2 TBS mustard (liquid)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 c. ketchup
3 TBS. Brown Sugar
(I add 2 TBS of Tabasco-use less if you like a milder taste)
***mix in separate bowl***

I form my meatloaf into mini loaves (usually six loaves per batch) so every bite is an end piece.
Spoon sauce 1/2 mixture onto meat loaves
Place the loaves on tin foil for easy clean up.
Preheat and Bake at 350 degrees
Check after 25 minutes for temp and spoon over extra sauce
Bake until meat registers at 160-165.
Let rest. if you go till 170, it can get a bit dry

If you want to double the sauce recipe and cook the extra in a saucepan (kill those germs), no one will complain for the extra sauce. K-dubs never does!

So this is my magical meatloaf recipe. I wish I had pictures but my hands are always meaty and germy...no place for my precious camera.

Grace in Small Things

Cruising by Jimaie.marie

and noticed her call to participate in the Grace In Small Things challenge. Schmutzie says:
Every day for 365 days, I will post a list of five things that have graced my life, either on that day or at any time in my life. Feel free to join me.

I love the fact that Schmutzie or Scmutz (who has amazing headers, go check em out!) as I am calling her in my head verbalized some of the things that I automatically thought about doing this:
I don't want to be a Pollyanna
I don't want to not be sarcastic
but I also want to battle my natural tendency towards bitterness.

My mom has always made me counteract my negative comments with something positive. So after my Words I Hate post, here are 5 things that I feel have graced my life recently.

1.) Looking forward to a fun weekend, hanging out with 2 girls that remind me of my family (which I will post about later).
2.) People understanding my work situation a little bit more. Makes me feel less like a whiner or crazy.
3.) Looking at my husband and thinking, "My God, he is so stinking cute....and he's MINE!"
4.) Learning and sharing more with friends. Why does it feel so good to bond with someone? I just love it.
5.) Sharing my meatloaf with a new person and converting them to the best meatloaf recipe IN. THE. WORLD.

writing these things down, really does capture my mood and what is going on with me. I may have to keep up with this.

Words I Hate

We all have words we dislike to hear, right?
Words we don't use, words we avoid using because they sound bad, have bad connotations, or just feel weird coming out of your mouth.

Like some people hate Moist! Now, I don't have a problem with that but boy do I have a few words that just send me over the edge. Typically, when I tell people these words, they start to use them (unconsciously or obnoxiously) ALL. THE. TIME.

But I am going to suck it up and tell you these words and the reason I hate them, because it is good to let you know that I have quirks. However, I was/am hesitant to share these words because you might like them or know some one who likes them. Please know that I come by my neurosis honestly (ahem, mom) and do not expect you to share in them. I completely understand if you feel the need to hate me after this post, sorry.

THE WORDS I HATE:
Panty (ugh, I hated just typing it): I hate this word because it sounds skeezy to me. I always thought it sounded pedophilic. My family always used Unders or Undies (it is good for addressing the underwear of both girls and boys). My mom did not do this intentionally for her hatred of the word, she just was being economical with her vocab. So, I cringe at any Victoria Secret ad. I hate the Semi-Annual Bra and P--ty sale. I groan at Lingerie showers, just like the one I had to throw last week. I am not kidding when every single person there said the P-word 8 times in 3 minutes. I almost said something...I really did. But Ms. Manners, aka. my mom, in my head pulled me through.

Lessee:You hear this word at the end of any car commercial and I absolutely hate it. IT IS NOT A REAL WORD! We can argue till the cows come home, but I know I am right about this one. You can employ someone, and they are your employee. But you can not less someone to make them your LESSEE!!!

Classy:Now this is going to cause me to lose some friends here, but I really hate the word Classy. And I have a case for it, I swear.

Case No. 23153
The Roaming Southerner v. The Word, Classy

excerpt from opening statement from TRS: Growing up, my mother would always encourage us to use a different word for classy saying, "If you have to use the word classy, it isn't." She would tell me to use sophisticated, elegant, classic, stylish to describe things. Classy, she argued, is misused to its own detriment. And I agree. Classy is used mostly for sarcastic humor and many times when people use classy to describe something it is a joke and that thing is epitome of unsophistication and inelegance. Or they have no taste and the thing they are describing would be considered trashy by 98% of the non-trailer park world.

Admit it, how many times have you heard someone in Lucite heels and a fanny pack exclaiming, "OH, that gold lame jumpsuit is KLAaSee!" Maybe it is just me, but I hear it all the time.

You can call me a snob or wrong or the devil's spawn for my hatred of the word classy...I understand. But it irks me to no end, because I always want to say:
Do you really think the white prom tux with tails is classy or are you being sarcastic? Because whichever way you go will determine our friendship.

What words do you hate...what words make your skin crawl? I'm I the only crazy out there?

I don't need no medication

One pill that I do not need

FDA Approves Depressant Drug For The Annoyingly Cheerful

Her Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard

When we saw this picture of K-dubs favorite German supermodel:

I said, "wow, can you believe she has had 3 kids." KW said, "yeah, well she is German...so that explains it all." *Kdubs is of strong German heritage.

KW then turns to our German derived Min Pin and said, "that is why you look so good after 6 litters, right Penny?"

He cracks me up when he says things like this to Penny, but Miss Penny has always made it her life mission to make me happy.

Erin has talked about what joy her dog brings her, and I have always wanted to write about how happy Penny makes me with her innate joy of life and how that affects me. (her unwillingness to let me capture her vivacity on camera precludes me to write about her charms--thesaurus that, Mirriam Webster)

Penny spends all of her days shaking her tail in a playful manner and running around to make sure I play with her all day long. Only worrying about food and pooping and scratching...

I have always laughed at how Penny makes me happy every morning because I cannot be sad or angry or curse the day of working when a creature wakes up so excited to greet the day. She is so happy to see you...so happy to be awake!!!

I just love how happy she is by nature. I need to be more like my dog...happy at the day, no dreading of pain-in-the-a$$ people at work, no worrying about bills or chores...

Maybe that is what separates us from dogs: opposable thumbs and chores.

I've Got a Fever

And the only cure is more cowbell.

well, I do have a fever but I doubt a cowbell will alleviate my flu.

I've been lucky enough to work from home today, but I feel like Captain Big Booty.

I am sorry that I have been an anemic blogger lately. I def. need to step up my game. Now I am trying to come up with some fun topics to write on. Unfortch, I just want to curl up with soup and Nyquil.

I will try and be a better blog buddy this week. I puffy heart all of you, really.

Too Busy Can't Type

.........S*&ER..............throwing a bachelorette party tonight...........*(#H@&.........work is crazy.............#Y*$#..........can't write a good post............This is my IOU.

I leave you with this:

Well, are yoo?

courtesy of Giggle Sugar.

Hello there, Superhero

Saturday morning I woke up to a call at 9:10am, and I am going to show my non-mom roots by saying that I was PISSED at the wake up call...not like you mom bloggers who have been up for 3 hours with 5 things knocked off of your to-do list.

So the phone call was from my friend Loretta* and it went something like this:
Loretta: Hello there, Superhero. This is Loretta from the Red Cross blood bank in Ann Arbor.
(she is so perky and happy I immediately throw away my urges to stab her with verbal daggers about the non-solicited wake up call)
TRS: Hi Loretta, has it been 72 days already?!?
Loretta: Yes, honey, it is. And I want to thank you for giving a pint of blood that saves up to three lives in Michigan alone.
(feeling like the superhero that I am, obviously, I ask Loretta about her day, tell her thanks for her service, and she is flabbergasted at being asked about herself and being thanked. This flabbergasted me!!! How can anyone be mean to Loretta?!? My sweet, cheerful superhero operator!?! She is better than the bat signal. Any way I schedule my appt. at the blood bank and go off feeling great about myself for the rest of the weekend.)

This is all to tell you that I am headed to the blood bank in 15 minutes to get my free juice and cookies. I also wanted to link up to my original post about me and giving blood...then you get the full story about me being an undercover superhero...better than the Incredibles, I tell you.

This is also to tell you to donate blood (if you can).

*Loretta may or may not be her name. I wasn't sure if I was going to kill her when I first answered the phone and any normal person doesn't need to know the name of the person they are killing. But she sounds like a Loretta...Loretta the Lovely...who I will never have thoughts of killing again. Maybe I can ask her to be my new alarm clock?

Updated: this was actually reposted by the Red Cross at their blog. So weird. BTW. Loretta, if you are reading this...next time I will ask you your real name.

Casseroles

I need help interpeeps!
I need to make a few casseroles "that freeze beautifully" (name that movie!).
Anybody have a recipe or five that I can borrow.

A friend is going to need them after dealing with long distance bereavement.
I really appreciate it!