Twitter me this...

Color me curious, really. So what is the deal with this Twitter thing? I'm not sure I get it. And that isn't to say I might not jump on the bandwagon because I didn't get the whole blogging thing right away either (as they say in the software industry, I'm a Late Adopter - and that is ohhh so true in ohhh so many ways but ohhh there simply is not enough time to even get into that) but for right now I'm a little perplexed.

Seriously. Do people really care that much about what other people are doing at any given moment? Isn't that what this Twitter thing is all about? Up to the minute reports on every day occurrences? That is called life people - regular life. We all have one - and if you don't you should get one. So I'm just not on board with the whole thing yet. I don't even know where to find Twitter, besides, there is enough noise and commotion in my life why would I want incessant twittering? I can open my window and hear the birds when I need a twit - I mean Tweet. And, if I WERE to join the hordes of twitterers I can only imagine what I would have to share:

Got up. Cleaned dog pee. Took shower. Told Sheryl Crowe to shut up. Drove to work. Avoided direct contact with Walmart. Appointed self official stop sign vigilante. Came home. Talked to kids. Cleaned dog pee. Went to bed.

Please, I know, the excitement of it all. I can totally see why hundreds would want to read this kind of stuff. But really, if you have a good reason why I should be taking this entire Twitter thing seriously let me know because YOU KNOW I hate missing out on the cool happening stuff :-)

TTFN...

It will be worth it in the end…

I’m scrapping with my friends Amy and Heather on Saturday at Heather’s house. It will be fun - I know it will - but the prep – UGH. I know you are thinking “how could she be complaining about getting a few pieces of paper, scissors and adhesive together?”. And really it SHOULD be that simple but it’s not. The paper, scissors and adhesive are the least of it. First I have to decide what pictures I’m going to work on, what paper I’m going to need what “fun” extras I want to use. Do I want ribbon, or buttons, or flowers or chipboard or Thickers or die cuts or glitter – what about the glitter? I mean seriously, the choices and decisions are countless – and no matter what I decide there will be SOMETHING I will wish I had brought along. That’s the way it goes.

My goal is to pare down my choices. I am taking ONE laundry basket of stuff. That’s it – just one laundry basket. Amy, are you listening to me – ONE LAUNDRY BASKET – that’s all I’m taking - well that and my pink tote for paper. (Oh and by the way, Amy, I’m still talking to you, I have your word – in writing - which says you will be staying until 10:00 p.m. AND NOW you have it in writing that I will be at Heather’s at 10:00 a.m. - not 10:15, not 10:30 but 10:00 a.m.. If you can stay up past your bedtime I can get my act together in the morning and be on time. :-))

So there you go, my plan for Saturday. I know it sounds all boring and middle America like but it really is a fun time. There will be laughing and talking and eating and sharing and maybe even some creative work will get done. To be honest, I don’t even know the last time I actually scrapped – I pretended to scrap the last time we got together but Heather and Amy know I really didn’t get anything done – but I talked a lot – like that’s hard to believe :-)

TTFN…

Oh and by the way, I've been so good at not procrastinating this week I even made the time to get my Driver's License renewed this week. The HotY was sure I was going to have to pay a fine or something for being so late - but nope - nothing. Fill out the form, pay the money, test the eyes, take the picture (I got two tries - the first time she said I looked too serious so we did it again - the Driver's License chick said it was a good picture but who is she kidding it's NEVER a good picture)

Why I should not procrastinate…

and other life lessons I have learned. Okay, well really, this just has to do with the procrastination, but hey, I liked how the whole life lessons thing rolled out so it’s staying.

As you may recall, I hate the dentist, but go anyway as I think healthy teeth are more important than an illogical fear of the dentist. But, that is not to say, it is without great trepidation and procrastination that I make my way to the friendly dental center. I know I told you this before but I just wanted to reiterate this little bit of trivia about me. And really, there is a purpose… I have a tooth that has been bothering me – actually it isn’t so much the tooth but the gum between two teeth. I’ve been thinking that somehow I have cut my gum between these two teeth and it keeps getting irritated. The fact that I have been flossing and poking a pin between my teeth to dislodge whatever it seems is stuck there is probably not helping the matter but….

So yesterday I got a small mirror and the flashlight and took a look in my mouth – and what did I see???? Well, remember, when I told you my dentist had found that I had lost a tiny bit of a filling but it wasn’t bothering me and I knew I would probably not make it to the appointment that was on the books because getting me to the dentist (or the doctor for that matter) usually requires at least one cancellation? Well, I know this may come as a big surprise, BUT that is exactly what I did – cancelled and rescheduled the appointment. THEN I totally forgot the rescheduled appointment and NOW, I’ve lost a little bit more of that filling. Yep, I could see with my own naked eye where part of that filling was missing – thus causing the gum irritation sensation. And really, it isn’t a big spot, and it isn’t causing me pain – as long as I don’t chew anything hard on that side of my mouth but still – DANG. BUT I have made appointment number three and this time there will be no procrastinating because even more than I am a procrastinator I am a paranoid freak when it comes to little things like a missing filling as I fear it is going to turn into the need for a root canal or some other dreaded procedure, overnight. Seriously, I am obsessively brushing my teeth and rinsing my mouth and feeling that little bit of missing filling with my tongue every two seconds. I know I know, the HotY is such a lucky guy :-) And he knows it too. Thus the utterance of his favorite quote when I am being especially exasperating “How did I get stuck with you as a moving buddy?” So don’t tell me he doesn’t know what a lucky guy he is – he knows :-) Sorry, I digressed for a moment. Anyway, it’s a trip to the dentist next Monday. That’s the soonest I could get in. It’s going to be a long week…

TTFN – and don’t neglect your teeth.

Here comes the sun…

Ohhhhh how I love this time of year.

I love the sunshine and the warmth and the promise that summer is on the way.

I love walking outside without the bulk of a winter coat weighing me down.

I love not putting on socks in the morning.

I love parking my van in the furthest spot in the school parking lot and walking to pick up my girls, by-passing the slow as a snail car pick-up line.

I love open windows and the warm breezes which make my curtains billow.

I love sundresses and sandals and tans and the smell of coconut suntan lotion (I know so politically incorrect of me – that suntan thing).

I love the way the sound of an airplane droning overhead in a clear blue sky can make me feel like a kid on summer break (I have no idea why this sound brings this memory back to me but I never fail to think of being a kid, playing outside and watching the vapor trail left by a jet whenever I hear a plane in the sky on a summer day).

I love late nights on the deck with a glass of wine and good company.

I love May Day and the joy my kids get from leaving an unexpected surprise for their friends.

I love the sound of summer rain pitter pattering on the roof and bringing new life to the world outside (which also never fails to bring this song to mind).

I love summer.

I love it.

I love it.

I love it.

AND I think it has arrived – or something that resembles summer anyway - I have hope…

TTFN…

A picture says a thousand words...

Easter 2009
(click to make larger)

I love this boy…

my nephew Jordan. I mean I love all my nephew’s but, Jordan, he’s one of a kind.

He’s a good sport (willing to wear sparkly dance clothes and “marry” Syd to make her happy

He’s a good guy and treats girls like they should be treated.

He’s got a good sense of humor – he and I can laugh together for hours.



He’s not too cool to still love his mom and to tell her.

He’s a pretty good driver (even if he did almost take out their garage door when I let him drive my van.

He’s my nephew - I can’t help but love him – but I would anyway – related or not.

Yes, we spent Easter at my parents. Yes, I got to spend some bonding time with my sister and her boys (Jordan and Austin). Yes, Jordan and I took a little road trip. No, he (Jordan) would not stop and let me chat with his girlfriend (I have no idea what he was afraid of :-)).

Yes, there were Easter Egg Hunts and Easter Baskets (pictures tomorrow). Yes, it was a nice holiday. Yes, we all ate far too much. Yes, the diet is back on…


No, I have no idea why this post is formatted the way it is but I tried and I can't fix it.

TTFN…

Twitterpated...

you know that whole spring - love is in the air - thing that happens? Well it is happening around here and really I'm a little old for the whole twitterpated thing so you know it has to do with my little darlings :-)

Of course the ongoing love story of Sydney and Wyatt is still a topic of discussion with Syd mentioning that she just happened to tell Wyatt that she loved him while they were doing their Easter buddy project. When I asked her what he said she gave the standard reply "he smiled" I don't know about you but I'm thinking that Wyatt does a lot of smiling :-) I can only hope that the summer break will cool down Syd's "affections" because right now she's talking about buying the house across the street so she and Wyatt can live there and I can babysit for their baby Pinkie (which just happens to be the name of her PINK bear). You can't deny the girl has a plan (she even has a back-up plan in the unlikely event that Wyatt marries someone else - his name is James).

Lauren, on the other hand, is much cooler about her feelings - although mention the name Oliver and she turns all shades of red. Yesterday she came home with "exciting news", crawled into my lap and revealed a necklace. Oliver took a vacation to a tropical locale over spring break and brought back a gift for Lauren (the shell necklace). I actually knew it was coming as I had talked with his mom the day before and she had "warned" me about Oliver's surprise (of course I didn't let Lauren know I already knew). When I asked her what she did when he gave it to her she said she put it in her backpack and wouldn't open it in front of him (she is very modest about this kind of thing - not so modest that it stops her from shakin' her booty down the hallway when it is pajama time but give her a gift and she is all shy). She did remember to say thank you. And now that necklace is her prized possession.

See what I mean - TWITTERPATED. Alex seems immune to the whole "affairs of the heart" thing right now but the girls - not so much. I have no idea where they get all these romantic notions.

Have a great Easter and watch out for that bunny - he may bring some twitterpation along with his basket of eggs.

Good Food, Good Friends, Good Fun…

Listed in no particular order.

Last night we had our friends Julie and Larry over for dinner (the girls are gone this week and Alex had a movie date). It was a fabulous night. We ate, we drank (can you say Pomegranate martinis) we talked and mostly we laughed. Julie and Larry are family. We went to High School together and now we are lucky enough to live in the same small city – actually the same neighborhood. They are Godparents to our girls. They have three fabulous children of their own. They are good, good, good people. It was a great night.

I did leave Larry a little perplexed at one point in the evening. I was telling a story (I know – so hard to believe) which started out in one place and somewhere about the middle we were somewhere else entirely different. Larry finally stopped me somewhere in that middle section and said “Ang, this really is a very fascinating story but I have no idea what this has to do with you being in a serious car accident” Julie and the HotY just gave him the “welcome to our world” look followed by Dennis saying “just give her time, she’ll get there –she’ll tie it all together you just have to be patient” They acted like all these details and tangents have nothing to do with the real story – but really I just want to give the whole picture – seriously (besides there was super-special ESP involved so I had to show the connection). AND who likes only part of the story? Furthermore, in my defense, I have no idea how many martinis I had consumed at that point (it’s okay – I wasn’t going anywhere) heck I had moved beyond martinis and was breaking into the Razzle Dazzles. Did I mention it was a little hard to get up this morning? I know such irresponsible behavior for a wife and mother of three but what can I say – it doesn’t happen very often.

Anyway, it was a very fun night and this morning Julie and I simultaneously sent emails stating this fact (did I mention super special ESP?) and that is a good thing.

TTFN… laughter really is the best medicine.

Mother Nature is not a funny chick…

There is snow on the ground this morning. SNOW. IN APRIL. SNOW. Growing up there was an on-going April Fool’s joke in our house. Who ever was first up would run to the window, look out and say “IT SNOWED” hoping to get the other person to run to the window and then look upon only grass and tulips. That is how it worked in our Midwestern State. There wasn’t snow on the ground in April – not typically anyway. Since I have lived in my adopted Northern State it is more typical to see snow on the ground in April than not. Today that was the case. :-( It sucked.

Today is also my brother’s birthday. My brother is two years younger than I am. We were pretty close while growing up. I think we share more of the same temperament than my sister and I. My brother is stubborn and opinionated and a button pusher (seriously, we can still get into a heated argument about the movie The Breakfast Club – him voicing his belief that my friends and I were the Molly Ringwald’s of our High School days – me adamantly disagreeing – seriously we still fight about this – I know I know but it’s just one of those buttons). Of course those are not any of the traits we share. My brother is also compassionate and kind and loving and soft-hearted (sorry Sean but it is true). He is an excellent father, husband, son, brother, uncle and friend. And he is funny, very funny. He can bring tears of laughter to my eyes like no one else in this world. He’s a good man. He’s been there for me. He understands all about George Jetson and was the originator of Stump. He’s my brother and I love him. Never mind that he was born on April Fool’s Day – better known as Dum Dum Day in some households (you can read about that here when I wrote about my brother's birthday last year - which is embarrassingly similar to what I wrote this year - some days original I am not) because he is no fool. Happy Birthday Sean!

TTFN… Oh look it snowed – and that is no April Fool’s.