Getting My Splash On...

I Love this...

...because it's true. Yet I can't stop over-reacting
or worrying.

This Truly Annoys Me...

I go online to check my credit card account and this glaring red "security message" is there. Saying my account is currently at risk for fraudulent activity so they are sending me a new card. Again...really?

This is the second time in as many years that a "major retailer" that I shop at has allowed their customers information to get stolen. So now I have to get a new credit card and go through the hassle of updating my information with all the companies I do automated payments with. When I asked which retailer was causing the trouble I was told they don't know. Last time it was the parent company of Marshall's and Home Goods that did it to me (not that I ever remember shopping there during the affected time period). So I wonder who it is this time. I was just beginning to remember the second new credit card number I was given and now I'm going to have to memorize a third one.

I guess I should be happy that my credit card company is watching out for me but this is the same company that shut my card off on two different occasions while I was traveling out of state, and shut me down at Christmas time when I tried to buy a $500 laptop online. I'm not naive enough to think they are protecting me - they are covering their own ass, so they don't have to pay fraudulent charges that turn out not to be mine. Though I imagine if my card is ever truly stolen they will let those charges go through and not bat an eye. That would just be my luck.

A Field Trip...

As Baby Ween gets older I've learned that she needs new things to help her learn about her world. So last Friday Baby Ween and I took a road trip to meet my wonderful friend A and her girls at the Hands on House. Since I'm anxious about almost everything now, this outing was no exception. I was worried about BW dealing with other kids, strangers kids and what happened if someone knocked her down, ran her over etc.

Well I shouldn't have worried. Baby Ween was good in the car and A and I were able to have a nice lunch with the girls before we went exploring. The museum is cool with lots of different themed areas. Baby Ween seemed to really like the produce section of the grocery store, the magnetic building blocks and the larger then life light bright. As for "strangers kids" there were no issues. In fact when Baby Ween found herself at the top of some stairs holding her arms out for me to come and get her a little girl, who was coming down, promptly took her hand and helped her get to me. It was very sweet.

We finally called it a day around 2:00pm and Baby Ween was asleep in the car in approximately ten minutes. I'd like to say she slept the whole way home but she woke up when I stopped at Sonic for my happy hour lemonade slush and then she was awake the rest of the way. It was a very good day and I'm hoping we can find another fun place to meet soon.

Sometimes Golf is Interesting...

Because he didn't want to play the rest of his round
all dirty.




















"Now I'm just going to ignore you standing here in your underwear and I'm going to tell you about the hole."

A Proud Mom Moment....

We all know that baby Ween doesn't say much. She's supposed to say more then she does (according to her doctor) but she's taking her sweet time getting there. Last night we were having pizza for dinner and she had eaten her piece. I asked her if she wanted more. She looked at me said "more" and signed it plain as day. I of course was ecstatic and let her know. This made her very pleased so she said it and signed it again. The funny thing is I haven't done any signing with her in months, mainly because I was really bad about remembering to do it myself. I was so happy I could have cried. It was a good end to a rather trying day.

In Case You Didn't Know...Christmas is Coming.

Since Baby Ween has come on the scene many of the events of our lives happen whether I'm ready for them or not. This year Christmas is one of those events. We got the tree up early in December but never really got around to decorating it. I had almost decided it was a waste of time to hang ornaments this close to Christmas but I gave in last Monday night (12/15) and hung about 15 ornaments. I didn't get the cards in the mail until last Friday (12/19), but most should arrive before Santa does. I was out of wrapping paper when I went to wrap the gifts, so I had to go to Target on Saturday (12/20) to get what I needed. Right now the stocking are still empty but I'm hoping to find things to stuff them with tomorrow (12/23).

I don't think I've ever been this behind the holiday eight-ball before. But none of the hub-bub matters to Baby Ween. She's been enjoying the tree and gets upset when it isn't plugged in. She LOVES the electric train my mom has around her tree and plays engineer every time she's there. She has decided she likes cookies, real ones, not those animal crackers we've been calling "cookies" all this time. Chocolate chip, sugar cookies with sprinkles you name it she loves them. She also loves the two stuffed snowmen that used to sit on either side of our fireplace. Right now one of them is stuffed in the kitchen cabinet where she keeps her favorite toys and the other is in her bed so she can sleep with him along with Penguin, Chilly (the other penguin), teddy and bunny.

I imagine I will complete all my chores before Christmas morning rolls around and the show will go on. It just won't be exactly the way I envisioned it.

Merry Christmas to All.

The Soon-to-be First Family...

I work for a racist. This is not a shock to me, not by a long shot. But I'm finding it harder to stomach all the time. He makes rude remarks because he thinks he's being funny. Kind of like Chase Utley thinking he was funny when he dropped the f-bomb during his World Series speech.

I don't have a problem if you have different politcal views then me. What I have a problem with is ignorance and disrespect. Even John McCain can appreciate the calibur of man that Barrack Obama is and the way he engaged people and got them to vote. It's just a shame he didn't run his campaign that way. He tried, like everyday Americans, to make people afraid of Obama. A coworker asked what I "knew" about Obama, how I could vote for him when "we didn't know anything about him". I asked what he "knew" about McCain. Well he's a war hero and a long time Senator. So that makes him a safe choice? I didn't think we were a country formed on being safe. Wouldn't the safe thing have been to stay under British rule instead of breaking out on our own?

I'm not about fear - I don't abide by people using their religion or any other means to scare the populus into doing something. It worked for George Bush after 9-11. If you don't give up some personal freedoms the terrorists are going to come back. People said okay - it's called the Patriot Act. Elizabeth Dole tried it in this election to hold onto her Senate seat. She claimed her opponent was in the pockets of the "Godless Americans" group. Elizabeth Dole lost her seat because enough people saw through what she was trying to do. Unfortunately, a fair share most certainly believed her.

I don't know what's ahead for the next four years but perhaps we've opened some minds. Perhaps we've finally put to bed the notion that white men are the only people who can run this country.

Age 29, A Fine Time to Retire...

My cowboy boyfriend Justin McBride has announced that he will be retiring from bull riding after the World Finals this year. I guess when you make $5,018,529.24 for 10 years of work you can do that. He's the reason I liked to watch bull riding. Not only was he easy on the eyes, but he had mad skills when it came to riding. It just won't be the same without him.

The Pumpkin Patch

We took Baby Ween to the pumpkin patch this weekend.
We told her to "Eye, Eye" the pumpkin (which is our baby
speak for "hug the pumpkin") and she did it in such a totally
cute way that a foreign exchange college student from Lehigh
took her picture too.

A Scrappin We Will Go...

Last weekend was "Croptoberfest" for my local Creative Memories consultant so I went to her two day event at a local church. There I was able to scrap from 6:30 to Midnight on Friday and 8:30 to 4:30 on Saturday. I've gone to this event a time or two before but this time was most productive. I finished or almost finished 19 pages. Some for Elizabeth's first year book and some for our Family Calendar Book for 2007. I still have plenty to do and new projects are flying into my head all the time. I feel I'm doing a much better job being organized this year so I'm hoping to continue my productivity into the winter and maybe get started on our Family Calendar book for 2008. It is October 2008 after all, I'd better get busy.

Cowboy Boots & Hats Invade Atlantic City....

I gave Matt tickets to see Brooks & Dunn in Atlantic City for his birthday back in May. The concert was last Friday and the only disappointing part was that they only played for an hour and a half. They could sing for days on the material they have. I would have been happier with two hours but as Matt pointed out, they are getting old. Ronnie Dunn seemed to be nursing his voice along a little bit at times and he botched the words to "It's Getting Better All the Time" during their little acoustic set. But I'm willing to overlook that.

They sang old favorites like "Brand New Man", "My Maria", "Lost & Found", "Boot Scootin Boogie", "Mama Don't Get Dressed Up For Nothing", "Rock My World Little Country Girl" & "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone".

They played "Cowboy Town" and "Put A Girl In It" from their new album. Much of the show was very similar to previous concerts of their's that we've seen but I enjoy them every time.

James Otto opened for them and I had no idea who he was. I've heard his music on the radio but I have never seen him. What was most amusing about him was he came out wearing these girl sunglasses as Matt would say and during the first or second song he did something that knocked them off his face. Then he had to play the rest of the show without them. I think he looked better with them on. He also kept telling everyone to stand up, which got annoying after a while. I paid $75 for my seat and my ass is going to be in it. I'm not 22 anymore.

All in all a great show and a great night. I think I will put a private show by Brooks & Dunn on the list of things I want when I become filthy rich.

I'm the Sad Blob...

I started this week with such high hopes. I'd had a lovely visit with friends from college on Sunday. After talking with them I was happy. I was going to try and relax about all the things I worry about and just get on with enjoying my family and my life.

Then I came to work Monday morning and our one and only designer, whom I work wonderfully well with together, told me he was quitting. In the time it took to absorb this news a horrific thought came to mind...they are going to bring back the awful designer who'd been my nemisis. The sales/design relationship has been great the last two years I couldn't bear the thought of going back to the way it was. I guess my stomach couldn't bear it either because around 4:00pm I started with terrible stomach pains. It just went on and on. I could barely drive home and seriously thought I was going to die. Well after 4 hours in the ER and IV dose acid killers I was back at home trying to think happy thoughts.

I had another attack last night, right before crawling into bed. Mercifully it only lasted a half hour. Today the owners told everyone else about the designer leaving. I'm still trying to think happy thoughts and I'm praying I have no more attacks.

So quickly my happiness was replaced by more doubt, worry and now horrible physical side effects. I know that this too shall pass. I just don't know how long I'm going to last.

At Least 10 Days to Blow and No Where to Go...

I fear that Matt and I will never go on vacation again. Neither of us can be out of the office for one or two days without work piling up to an unmanagable amount. The aggravation we feel when we come back to work has obliterated any happiness garnered from a few days of time off. It's easier to stay in hell, then leave and have to come back.

And So She Grows....

I finally got around to gathering her heights & weights and filling this out. Her 15 month appointment is coming up in a few days. I'm anxious to see how much taller she is. She won't let me do that type of measuring at home.

She is a Fashion Plate...

I had a little time to kill this weekend so I went through Baby Ween's summer wardrobe to see just how out of hand my baby clothes shopping sickness had become. I discovered the following:

(1) - "Dance Puppets Dance" Onsie

(2) - Pair Shorts

(3) - Bathing Suits

(3) - "Dressy" Dresses

(4) - All in One Romper Outfits

(5) - Sleeveless Top & Capri Pant Sets

(5) - Skorts

(6) - Pair of Footed PJ's

(7) - Dresses (with the matching little panties)

(8) - Random T-Shirts

(8) - Random Onsies

(8) - Tank Top Style Sunsuits

(13) - Miscellenous Outfits

(Plus 10 Plain White Onsie's for Layering)

In my defense some of the above items were gifts for her first birthday so I didn't buy all of them. Plus she has very generous Grammy's. I'm going to try to do better with her Fall wardrobe. Though I might already be off to a rocky start. Everything is just so cute....

Wife in the North - A Review

"Wife in the North" by Judith O'Reilly was given to me by librarything.com as an advance copy for review. It took longer to read then I thought it would because I had a hard time getting started. As a fan of books written by British authors I rarely have a problem with the smattering of regional terminology they throw in but this book had me stumbling. Perhaps I was stumbling over the pace of the writing more then anything.

O'Reilly's memoir tells the tale of relocating her family to the northern reaches of the British countryside from the city of London. They left because of her husbands deep desire to live there, but much of his time was spent working in London. Leaving O'Reilly for weeks at a time to assimilate herself and their three small children into the farming, ranching, fox hunting community they were now a part of. To say she struggled is an understatement. Though after running out of gas for the third time I think I would have taken that chore upon myself. I enjoyed her candid stories of child rearing and it's often exhaustive effects. It made me feel better about the ever changing landscape of childrearing that I am a part of now.

I believe everyone could relate to something this author went through. Parenting small children, caring for aging and ill parents, a drastic change of lifestyle, a major house rennovation, making new friends while trying to fit old ones into a wholly different life and almost losing oneself in the bargain. It was time well spent and I will happily pass the book along to anyone who wants to read it.

So Sporty...

Here's my Baby Ween wearing her cute little Converse.

"Above the Ridgers" at their best...

This was the look that must have been on my face when I crossed the parking lot at the grocery store today. I was on my lunch hour and I come out of the store and hear...

"Come back here you little asshole."

I didn't want to look, but I did. There was a mom trailing behind her two small kids as they walked back to their car. I just couldn't believe she said that to the little boy. I couldn't believe she said it to him in public. I don't even want to think about what she says when no one is around to hear her.

Stylin Baby Ween

Okay, as you all know by now I am a shopper. Now that Baby Ween has come along it's gotten worse. I could probably count on one hand the new items I have purchased for myself in the last 14 months but Baby Ween has a wardrobe that would rival a fashion model. Over the weekend I was looking for brown shoes for her for the fall. But when I walked down the aisle to see if I missed anything I saw these. So back to the bench we went and Baby Ween tried them on. She fussed through most of it but we came away with two pairs of shoes. I can't wait to get a picture of her wearing them.