I won't bore you

but we're all sick again. Lexi had to have an ear infection recheck and the doctor's office was packed so we had to leave (after 30 min) and come back on Monday (when we waited 30 min. again). No ear infection but she picked up a doozy of a cold and now John has it and I have it. I've been out of work all week with Lex (except today - I'm home for me). She has not slept through the night at all this week. Much crying and screaming generally from 1am to 3am. Fabulous. Spring is coming though and I'm sure that will solve ALL my problems.
On the bright side - Brooke has been an angel. No crying when going to bed and generally just really good. It's like she knows we are all just exhausted and to give us a break.
PLUS my mother is out of town which is a bummer because she usually comes by and cheers us all up but it sounds like she is having fun with John Z and Derek (even though she sprained her ankle, poor thing, I guess it runs in the family).
Upside - lost another pound!! Whoo - hoo!

No Respect

Awhile ago I wrote about people not lending a helping hand to those obviously in need. Well, here is another topic, along the same lines, that irks me.
Respect.
I don't mean street-cred rapper respect. I mean old fashioned you should respect certain people because of their position or age or uniform type respect.
Helen Thomas should be shot out the white house press room in a cannon. Basically she is a senior white house staff reporter (I dare say the eldest) who believes that President Bush is the worst president ever. Fine. She can believe that but if she is in a position of "journalist" she should be an objective reporter of events. She should not lace her questions with snide, oportunistic left wing rants. If you don't know what I'm talking about basically she asked the President this question (and I paraphase):

"Why are we really at war? I know that you came into office wanting to go to
war with Iraq and you say it's not about oil but I want to know why we're really
there. I know that you wanted war from the time you took office but why?"

Do you get to ask that question when it's so obviously not a fact but your moronic opinion? Who the f*ck actually WANTS to go to war? Additionally, the man is the leader of the United States of America. Should you not give him some respect? It's like going to a someone's house and chanting you're a big far liar, you're a big fat liar. I can't believe her credentials haven't been yanked. President Bush even went so far as to pepper his reply with, "In all due respect Helen...". Why? She gave him no respect he should have just said "That isn't really a question now is it Helen? It's more of a statement. You have a right to your opinion but I'll move on and take the next question from an actual journalist." Ugh - truly annoying.

But the respect issue is pervasive. People don't respect policemen now either. Kids aren't taught to go to the nearest policeman in case of emergency, they are told to go to a mommy (someone with kids). Policemen are, for the most part, good people. They want to uphold the rules. We all agreed on the rules. If you think you didn't agree on the rules well you are wrong because by not going to the voting booths you agreed to the rules.
You went to the voting booth? Well good for you. You agreed too, you were just more vocal about it. If you don't agree with the rules then do something about it. In the meantime respect the police and realize we are at war and whether you like it or not you need to respect the President.

Women with the weight

It is pathetic how most women feel about their bodies. Truly pathetic. I read an article in O magazine this weekend that really drove this point home. It was about how something like 80% of women want to change something about their body and mostly it's weight. Almost everyone I know wants to lose weight. I myself am always on this roller coaster but I have a much healthier attitude about it since having kids. I don't want to lose for someone else I just want to gradully drop a few pounds which basically means eating less sometimes (not all the time).
A friend of mine (uh oh here we go again - she doesn't have the address to the blog I swear!) just wrote me a message saying that she didn't want to take her child to a swim class because she is too fat to be seen in a bathing suit. This women just had a baby 4 months ago. Can she not cut herself some slack? She looks great by the way. Plus she is a really pretty woman but VERY hard on herself in general. It's troubling that we let ourselves be so controlled by our appearance.
I will always regret that I didn't go to my high school reunion because I thought I was too fat at the time. Now it seems they won't have another one until our 25th which is a looonnngg way away. I'm going though, come what may.
Come on ladies, embrace your bodies stop worrying about what you hate and think about what you get compliments on - your hair, your boobs (lead with them it always works!), your smile, your eyes - whatever your thing may be, work it!

Is it that bad?

Are things so bad in the dating world that you marry Rusty Yates? I realize the actions of his wife weren't his actions but in most of the coverage I've seen it didn't appear that he was the most attentive and caring husband on the planet. If you are this girl (who appears quite beautiful) would you be marrying him? What happens when you have kids? Isn't he going to be kind of weirded out by that?
Not really something I would want to get involved in.

Mouths of babes

So my almost 3 year old - almost 30 year old - daughter Brooke had this conversation with me this weekend:
Let me set the scene:
Beautiful afternoon after both girls had 3 hour naps (hear the angels singing? I did). We were playing blissfully on the deck and Brooke was sitting behind me being her rambunctous self. All of a sudden she grabs a chunk of my hair and yanks.
Being the calm cool collected person I am, I swung around and grabbed her leg and said, "What? Are you kidding me?"
She looked me straight in the eye and said, "Oh I am soooo sorry Mommy, sometimes I just don't know what to do." Smile, head tilt.
"Brooke, you know you don't pull hair!"
She just laughed and went on her merry way.
And my husband says God doesn't GET people. Well, I would guess that my mother and father are laughing themselves silly at the prospect of this child torturing me for the rest of my life.

Another fun Brooke tidbit from this weekend. Same day, same venue. Brooke looked at me and said "Mom, people are stupid." You might be surprised but I am pretty sure that this is coming from her pal Yia Yia who doesn't suffer morons lightly. When she followed by, "And some people just drive like jerks." my suspicions were confirmed.

Did I mention that not just GOD gets you but your mother does too?

Sick, again

Am I always sick? Yes. Tired? Yes. Here is a list of my current ailments:
- Foremost - some sort of thing you don't want to know about (going to dr. on Wed Mom & John so just let it be!)
- Lump on ankle (not the one I sprained last week while catapulting myself from the car during vaccuuming while thinking, I swear to God, "Look how in shape I am, lah lah, aarrgggh, what the hell just happened, now I'm in a heap on the ground?")
- stuffed up head, dry cough, up all night coughing - bullshit stuffy, head fever so you can rest medicine - I need something REAL (see previous note about going to dr. tomorrow)
- general malaise - which could of course be linked to the vast amounts of not sleeping due to #3
So, I'm going to see the doctor and try to figure out what the problem(s) are. The upside is I've lost about 5 lbs. because I'm too tired/grumpy/exhausted to eat.
But enough about me - this weekend was our second trip to church. Last week all went well. The angels were aligned, the chorus was singing, the sun was shining and kids sat still. This week there was grumpiness, exasperation and arguments. No one could tell you what the sermon was about. We went in to the "Children's room" halfway through but apparently that isn't what someone wanted to do so there was further grumpiness, silence and general brattiness. The kids were fine though. I think it might be counter-productive when you leave church wanting to strangle your husband.

Sandy the dog

Sandy the dog was one of the family. Brooke knew what an "S" is because of Sandy. Lexi's first discernable words included "SSSSS" for Sandy. When we listed the people in the family Brooke included Sandy - sometimes right in the middle of the people.
As everyone knows I'm not a dog person but I've always said that if you had to have a dog Sandy was the one to have. She was sweet but fierce looking, she was gentle but could play rough. She loved us all and we appreciate it. She'll be missed by everyone, most of all John.

Happy! Happy!

We're going to Vail, We're going to Vail!!!

We are going to my brother's wedding this summer where we will be staying at the Lodge at Vail! The Lodge at Vail! What is the big deal you might ask? Well...look at these pictures will you?

I don't care if Lexi throws up on my head on the plane if I get to stay at this place!

Thanks to my fabulous brother and his equally fabulous fiance we can afford it! The price for a 2 bedroom condo (condo I tell you! can you stand it?) is normally, HOLD YOUR BREATH, $550 during the summer BUT with the fabulous Ruth/Brown discount it's $329 (plus tax)!! I know, still high but there are 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a free crib AND, must I remind you, THAT pool!!!!! On site everything, exercise, massage, room service (24/7), babysitting, fabulous people (guaranteed), ladeedah and all that! Whoo hoo I think I may die of excitement.
Let's take a trip down my personal idea of how it's going to go on our big vacation:

Well packed Mommy (me) has all the toys and food the kids can possibly want on the plane and everyone comments on how well behaved they are. OK, just kidding, I am expecting a lot of "I have to use the potty, etc." I am also expecting not to get to have any relaxation but just think of the calories burned trying to entertain the kids (and John) for 4 hours!

Car pick up is a pain - just expect it so if it goes well we are ahead of the game!

Drive, a pain. OK this is bringing me down.

Arrive at THE LODGE, whoo hoo! Break it to John that you have to pay for parking, which is a little silly but whatever. Consigere takes luggage and kids want to run around to see whats what. I go with kids, John & Sha head for check in & cocktail hour.

Head to room either to have dinner or get kids to bed. Order room service and have Sha & Papa John & whoever in to our LIVING ROOM overlooking the pool for drinks. WAIT ohmigod what am I thinking. Back up. Kids in bed, go for a swim, then have drinks. Whew!

Ok, so I'm overthinking but you get the idea, getting there will be a pain but it is what you make of it and I think Brooke'll be so excited she won't be too bad. Plus the binky is always key when traveling with an 18 mo. old!

Only 5 mos. at this point! Yippee!