1) They are funny. I had no idea how much I would laugh once I had kids. When they were little, they made me laugh with silly little kid antics. Now that all have witty, deadpan senses of humor.
2) They are good kids. They are well-behaved and people like them. I always get compliments from their teachers.
3) They are kind. They will stick up for someone who has been wronged. And they aren't mean girls-they are nice even to the kids who irritate them. I think the twins would be classified as popular. Of course, being a twin brings built-in popularity. EVERYWHERE we go we hear "Hi SS, Hi TT!!!"
4) They like to hang out with their family. I guess this surprises me, because I was always hiding in my room with a book. But they love it when we have family movie nights or game nights. And often, we are all hanging out in the same room, even if it means that we are all on different computers with a tv blaring in the background. I love being lumped together on the couch like a pile of puppies!
5) Each is her own person. PS won't do anything just because someone else is doing it. She could not care less that every other kid in her school lives in their Abercrombie shirts and Toms shoes. And the twins may look exactly alike, but their personalities are completely different. It is very clear which twin takes after me and which one takes after DH. One is laid-back and goes with the flow. The other is high-strung and bossy. One loves to wear dresses and jewelery and carries a purse everywhere with her blinged-out cell phone in it. The other lives in soccer shorts and the rattiest t-shirts she can dig up, and hates skirts.
11/12/11
Hip to Be Square
Thank goodness it's the weekend. After being out of town last weekend, I feel like I have been going, going, going for two weeks now. I'm really looking forward to some downtime, although I am going to have to spend some quality time at the office at some point.
So I finally got an answer out of the doctor regarding when my mother's custom hip implant would be ready. December fucking 12. Thank you Biomet. No, they haven't given me any reasonable explanation for why it takes 3.5 MONTHS to make a custom hip implant. It is beyond ridiculous.
No, the doctor did not ever advise us at any point that it would take 3.5 months for this part to be made. We were told the second half of the surgery would be in 8 weeks--NOT 15!
I am not happy, but I don't think there's much I can do about it, at least not right now. I really believe that Biomet dropped the ball somewhere along the way. And the lack of communication from the surgeon is appalling. In typical surgeon fashion, he just wants to cut and has no interest in patient care. But by all accounts, he is the very best at this specialized surgery, so I am treading carefully so that I don't piss him off.
Meanwhile, she has run out of time on her insurance. They are telling her she needs to move out this week--just when we learn it will be another month. The rehab facility keeps asking her why she can't go home with me--and she asked me about it this week. This is an asinine question. SHE CAN'T GET OUT OF BED!!! She is completely non-weight bearing on both legs. A physical therapist or nurse has to move her from her bed to a chair on a board. She has been injured twice by professionals trying to move her. She can't transfer to a toilet. She would require in-home care at least 16 hours a day. A wheelchair won't fit through my doorways--she would be living in my living room or dining room. And for my own sanity: I already have 3 kids to take care of; I'm gone at least 12 hours a day; I'm not going to force my husband and children to take on this responsibility; I am stretched as far as I can be stretched right now moving her here would undoubtedly break me.
The uninsured per diem to remain where she is is $170/day. That's about $5000/month. I'm certain she has access to $5K, so it's not like I'm forcing her on the street by telling her that she can't stay here.
Not to mention that home care would cost close to that $170/day, if not more. And it doesn't cover room and board and food and laundry service and a full professional staff.
It was just beyond her comprehension that she might have to pay something out of pocket after she has been in rehab for 2.5 months. But after telling her that moving in with me is not an option, and breaking down the finances, I think it is getting through to her.
Boy, I wish they'd get that new hip in.
So I finally got an answer out of the doctor regarding when my mother's custom hip implant would be ready. December fucking 12. Thank you Biomet. No, they haven't given me any reasonable explanation for why it takes 3.5 MONTHS to make a custom hip implant. It is beyond ridiculous.
No, the doctor did not ever advise us at any point that it would take 3.5 months for this part to be made. We were told the second half of the surgery would be in 8 weeks--NOT 15!
I am not happy, but I don't think there's much I can do about it, at least not right now. I really believe that Biomet dropped the ball somewhere along the way. And the lack of communication from the surgeon is appalling. In typical surgeon fashion, he just wants to cut and has no interest in patient care. But by all accounts, he is the very best at this specialized surgery, so I am treading carefully so that I don't piss him off.
Meanwhile, she has run out of time on her insurance. They are telling her she needs to move out this week--just when we learn it will be another month. The rehab facility keeps asking her why she can't go home with me--and she asked me about it this week. This is an asinine question. SHE CAN'T GET OUT OF BED!!! She is completely non-weight bearing on both legs. A physical therapist or nurse has to move her from her bed to a chair on a board. She has been injured twice by professionals trying to move her. She can't transfer to a toilet. She would require in-home care at least 16 hours a day. A wheelchair won't fit through my doorways--she would be living in my living room or dining room. And for my own sanity: I already have 3 kids to take care of; I'm gone at least 12 hours a day; I'm not going to force my husband and children to take on this responsibility; I am stretched as far as I can be stretched right now moving her here would undoubtedly break me.
The uninsured per diem to remain where she is is $170/day. That's about $5000/month. I'm certain she has access to $5K, so it's not like I'm forcing her on the street by telling her that she can't stay here.
Not to mention that home care would cost close to that $170/day, if not more. And it doesn't cover room and board and food and laundry service and a full professional staff.
It was just beyond her comprehension that she might have to pay something out of pocket after she has been in rehab for 2.5 months. But after telling her that moving in with me is not an option, and breaking down the finances, I think it is getting through to her.
Boy, I wish they'd get that new hip in.
11/8/11
Vegas, baby
So, since my blog has taken a turn for the whiny of late, I will tell you about my trip to Vegas, which was really nice and lots of fun.
I've mentioned before that I don't really love Vegas. I've been once before, and my strongest memories were of inflamed sinuses from the cigarette smoke and the whore peddlers handing out trading cards on the street. Yeah, those things were still there. The cigarette smoke is pervasive, and I felt vaguely headachey the entire time we were there because of it. I guess the good news is that it kept us out of the casinos. I'm not really a gambler anyway, but I was not inclined to spend any time sitting in a haze of smoke while losing my money.
But other than that, I really enjoyed our trip, and I think a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend there.
We stayed in the Bellagio, which is fantastic. Our room was gorgeous and I wanted to bring the entire bathroom back home with me.
We saw three shows while we were there: Love, Absinthe and Mystere. Love was really the reason for the trip and it did not disappoint. It was simply fantastic. If you are a Beatles fan it is a must-see. There was so much going on that I would go see this show again just to catch everything I missed the first time around.
I'd heard that Love is different from the typical Cirque show, and some people don't care for it because it is more about the music than the acrobatics. So we made a last minute decision to see Mystere when we found discount tickets--just so we could experience a classic Cirque show (because we had never seen any Cirque shows before this trip).
I really did not care for Mystere. I thought both of the other shows that we saw were infinitely better. I can't put my finger on why I didn't care for it. It was weird and abstract--but so was Love. The Love music was definitely better. The Mystere music felt a bit dated. There is a bit with a giant baby in Mystere that I just thought was dumb.
Finally, Absinthe. It is a fairly new show in a tent in front of Ceasar's. We had heard about it before we left and were interested but didn't know if we would have time to see it. But on our first night we were walking by and tickets were available, so we made the spontaneous decision to check it out.
Absinthe is vulgar, obscene, offensive and fantastic. We both really liked it (DH said more than LOVE--and he is the Beatles fan!--but I would probably put it right behind Love.) If you are offended by racial or sexual humor, don't see this show--it is really, really offensive to people of all races, colors and sexual orientation. And multiply the Hangover 2 by 10 to understand the obscenity. But it was really funny, and the athleticism of the performers was amazing. There was a tiny 10 foot diameter stage, and it was astonishing what the performers could accomplish there. It's also a very small venue--we were only 3 rows back--and I doubt there was a bad seat in the house. I highly recommend Absinthe, with the caveat that it is offensive and if you are sensitive you should skip it (and definitely do not take your grandmother).
Other than shows, we shopped, we ate, we wandered around. The spiked milkshakes at BLT Burger in the Mirage are definitely worth checking out, but I thought the food was mediocre. The service at Cabo Wabo in Planet Hollywood was the worst I have ever encountered anywhere. The breakfast buffet at Bellagio was eh--nothing was warm, hard to justify the price. Room service was cheaper--and I do love eating in bed in a hotel room! Didn't try any high end restaurants--fancy food is not really out thing.
I'm glad to be back home and I think I can wait another 8 years to go back. By Sunday afternoon , we were both kind of bored. But I'm glad we went--it was a much needed, relaxing weekend.
I've mentioned before that I don't really love Vegas. I've been once before, and my strongest memories were of inflamed sinuses from the cigarette smoke and the whore peddlers handing out trading cards on the street. Yeah, those things were still there. The cigarette smoke is pervasive, and I felt vaguely headachey the entire time we were there because of it. I guess the good news is that it kept us out of the casinos. I'm not really a gambler anyway, but I was not inclined to spend any time sitting in a haze of smoke while losing my money.
But other than that, I really enjoyed our trip, and I think a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend there.
We stayed in the Bellagio, which is fantastic. Our room was gorgeous and I wanted to bring the entire bathroom back home with me.
We saw three shows while we were there: Love, Absinthe and Mystere. Love was really the reason for the trip and it did not disappoint. It was simply fantastic. If you are a Beatles fan it is a must-see. There was so much going on that I would go see this show again just to catch everything I missed the first time around.
I'd heard that Love is different from the typical Cirque show, and some people don't care for it because it is more about the music than the acrobatics. So we made a last minute decision to see Mystere when we found discount tickets--just so we could experience a classic Cirque show (because we had never seen any Cirque shows before this trip).
I really did not care for Mystere. I thought both of the other shows that we saw were infinitely better. I can't put my finger on why I didn't care for it. It was weird and abstract--but so was Love. The Love music was definitely better. The Mystere music felt a bit dated. There is a bit with a giant baby in Mystere that I just thought was dumb.
Finally, Absinthe. It is a fairly new show in a tent in front of Ceasar's. We had heard about it before we left and were interested but didn't know if we would have time to see it. But on our first night we were walking by and tickets were available, so we made the spontaneous decision to check it out.
Absinthe is vulgar, obscene, offensive and fantastic. We both really liked it (DH said more than LOVE--and he is the Beatles fan!--but I would probably put it right behind Love.) If you are offended by racial or sexual humor, don't see this show--it is really, really offensive to people of all races, colors and sexual orientation. And multiply the Hangover 2 by 10 to understand the obscenity. But it was really funny, and the athleticism of the performers was amazing. There was a tiny 10 foot diameter stage, and it was astonishing what the performers could accomplish there. It's also a very small venue--we were only 3 rows back--and I doubt there was a bad seat in the house. I highly recommend Absinthe, with the caveat that it is offensive and if you are sensitive you should skip it (and definitely do not take your grandmother).
Other than shows, we shopped, we ate, we wandered around. The spiked milkshakes at BLT Burger in the Mirage are definitely worth checking out, but I thought the food was mediocre. The service at Cabo Wabo in Planet Hollywood was the worst I have ever encountered anywhere. The breakfast buffet at Bellagio was eh--nothing was warm, hard to justify the price. Room service was cheaper--and I do love eating in bed in a hotel room! Didn't try any high end restaurants--fancy food is not really out thing.
I'm glad to be back home and I think I can wait another 8 years to go back. By Sunday afternoon , we were both kind of bored. But I'm glad we went--it was a much needed, relaxing weekend.
11/7/11
My Life is a Roller Coaster a/k/a All Hell is Breaking Loose...Again
I got up at 5:45 this morning to make my 8:45 flight back home from Vegas (DH is there until Wednesday for his conference). Made it to my office by 2:30. At 3:45 TT texted me that she had a fever and wasn't feeling well. At 4:00 the power went out in my building, so by 4:30 I had packed up and was heading home.
Got home and rechecked the kid's temp. Yep, definitely a fever. Got online for web check-in at urgent care. Then PS told me that there was a hole in the fence and they had to supervise Bob every time he goes outside. So I went to fix the fence while I waited for urgent care to call back with my appointment time.
I totally suck at fixing fences. I broke at least 5 nails in half, bent about 8 more, and it took me entirely too long to replace two pickets. I was cursing DH for leaving me with this crappy fence (that we are about to replace, we are just waiting for his dad to bring down a nail gun at Thanksgiving), but I eventually got the job done. Then realized an hour had passed and urgent care had never called. Called them, they had no record of my web check in, but said to come on down.
Of course we had to wait 30 minutes to be seen. Doc confirmed strep (no surprise, since SS had strep a week ago) and gave us a prescription for a Z-pack. Meanwhile, huge thunderstorms rolled in. Because DH is still in Vegas, PS and SS were home alone and I was worried that they would get scared or the power would go out, but neither would answer their phones!
I headed to Kroger in the pouring rain to get the scrip filled and yelled at the punk high school who whipped around in front of me to turn into the opposite slanted parking spot (the one that was slanted in my direction).
Inside I found that Kroger had just had a power surge and most of their computers weren't working. They couldn't process my insurance or my credit card. But Kroger awesomely estimated my insurance payment (and I know it was right because I got the same scrip for TT last week) and I, fortunately, had cash on hand.
Headed out and stopped by Sonic per TT's request for a milkshake. Her sisters finally called back and proclaimed they were starving (it was 8:00 by then and I hadn't made dinner yet). Ordered dinner and then realized that my wallet was nowhere to be found. Frantically called the pharmacy which confirmed that they had my wallet. And, since I have a habit of sticking cash in the various nooks and crannies of my giant Mary Poppins bag, I had enough to cover the food I had just ordered.
Left Sonic and headed back to Kroger. TT said, "hey, did you get my shake?" No, I forgot all about the shake--the whole purpose of going to Sonic for my poor sick girl with a sore throat.
Back to Kroger for my wallet, then back to Sonic for the shake. Finally made it back home at 8:30, exhausted.
Texted housekeeper to see if she could come in early and stay with TT tomorrow (if she was even willing to deal with sick kid) but she is sick, too. I need to go to work tomorrow, since I only worked a couple of hours on Friday and Monday, but it doesn't look like it's meant to be.
in less chaotic news, all of my crises from last week resolved themselves. The dishwasher did turn out to be related to the garbage disposal (no, I didn't say " I told you so" but I did say " you should listen to your wife, there are people who pay lots of money for her opinion.") And Friday afternoon the court granted my motion to continue the hearing that was set for tomorrow. And I quashed all of my upcoming depositions except one in response to a pleading filed by an opposing party on Thursday--so my schedule for the next two weeks pretty much cleared out.
Lets hope life stays calm at least until Thursday when DH is back and can help out. I am a wee bit bitter that he is still living it up in Vegas while I am back to the circus that is our life.
Got home and rechecked the kid's temp. Yep, definitely a fever. Got online for web check-in at urgent care. Then PS told me that there was a hole in the fence and they had to supervise Bob every time he goes outside. So I went to fix the fence while I waited for urgent care to call back with my appointment time.
I totally suck at fixing fences. I broke at least 5 nails in half, bent about 8 more, and it took me entirely too long to replace two pickets. I was cursing DH for leaving me with this crappy fence (that we are about to replace, we are just waiting for his dad to bring down a nail gun at Thanksgiving), but I eventually got the job done. Then realized an hour had passed and urgent care had never called. Called them, they had no record of my web check in, but said to come on down.
Of course we had to wait 30 minutes to be seen. Doc confirmed strep (no surprise, since SS had strep a week ago) and gave us a prescription for a Z-pack. Meanwhile, huge thunderstorms rolled in. Because DH is still in Vegas, PS and SS were home alone and I was worried that they would get scared or the power would go out, but neither would answer their phones!
I headed to Kroger in the pouring rain to get the scrip filled and yelled at the punk high school who whipped around in front of me to turn into the opposite slanted parking spot (the one that was slanted in my direction).
Inside I found that Kroger had just had a power surge and most of their computers weren't working. They couldn't process my insurance or my credit card. But Kroger awesomely estimated my insurance payment (and I know it was right because I got the same scrip for TT last week) and I, fortunately, had cash on hand.
Headed out and stopped by Sonic per TT's request for a milkshake. Her sisters finally called back and proclaimed they were starving (it was 8:00 by then and I hadn't made dinner yet). Ordered dinner and then realized that my wallet was nowhere to be found. Frantically called the pharmacy which confirmed that they had my wallet. And, since I have a habit of sticking cash in the various nooks and crannies of my giant Mary Poppins bag, I had enough to cover the food I had just ordered.
Left Sonic and headed back to Kroger. TT said, "hey, did you get my shake?" No, I forgot all about the shake--the whole purpose of going to Sonic for my poor sick girl with a sore throat.
Back to Kroger for my wallet, then back to Sonic for the shake. Finally made it back home at 8:30, exhausted.
Texted housekeeper to see if she could come in early and stay with TT tomorrow (if she was even willing to deal with sick kid) but she is sick, too. I need to go to work tomorrow, since I only worked a couple of hours on Friday and Monday, but it doesn't look like it's meant to be.
in less chaotic news, all of my crises from last week resolved themselves. The dishwasher did turn out to be related to the garbage disposal (no, I didn't say " I told you so" but I did say " you should listen to your wife, there are people who pay lots of money for her opinion.") And Friday afternoon the court granted my motion to continue the hearing that was set for tomorrow. And I quashed all of my upcoming depositions except one in response to a pleading filed by an opposing party on Thursday--so my schedule for the next two weeks pretty much cleared out.
Lets hope life stays calm at least until Thursday when DH is back and can help out. I am a wee bit bitter that he is still living it up in Vegas while I am back to the circus that is our life.
11/2/11
Bitchfest
I am feeling like a rubber band that just keeps getting stretched farther and farther. You can see the cracks developing and you know its gonna break, it's just a matter of when.
Today PS texted me, "There is water spewing from the thing at the top of the sink and it is getting on the hardwoods." Grrr-eat! Fortunately, she's a smart girl and knew that was a vent for the dishwasher, so she turned off the dishwasher and cleaned up the mess before it ruined the floor.
Two days ago I looked under the kitchen sink and noticed it smelled musty. Upon further inspection I found that the garbage disposal was dripping nasty water and there was quite a puddle and a couple of inches of putrid water in a vase that happened to be conveniently placed.
DH replaced the garbage disposal last night so I figured that today's issue was probably related to his installation. He vehemently disagreed, and I honestly can't see the connection between the dishwasher and the garbage disposal when I look at the pipes under the sink, so I guess he's off the hook. Except that he's still the one who gets to figure out what the heck is going on with the dishwasher.And during his inspection tonight he accidentally pulled loose a hose and backed-up water flooded my kitchen and the hardwoods in the connected living room.
And this is all most inconveniently timed. We are both leaving for Vegas on Friday. My brother is coming down to visit our mother and look after my girls. I do not want to leave him in a house with an f'd up dishwasher or garbage disposal. I also don't want to go buy a dishwasher because it would come out of my Vegas money. And I don't really have the time to deal with any of this. Arrrghhhh!
This stupid trip is causing more stress than it's worth. If it wasn't nonrefundably paid for I think I'd cancel.
I return early Monday afternoon so that I can get in a half day's work. I have a hearing* on Tuesday, depositions on Wednesday and Thursday, a full day client meeting to prepare for his deposition the following Monday, followed my more depositions the next Wednesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, DH is out of town until Wednesday night--and PS has a play Wednesday night.
Two different named partners have had me on two different monster memos for the last week and a half, so I haven't had time to prepare for anything coming up in the next two weeks.
And yesterday I started working on an MSJ and Shepardizing a recent MSJ on the same topic when I found that the state supreme court issued an opinion last week that overturned existing law and completely obliterated the affirmative defense that was the basis of my MSJ. This case is specific to the industry in which 99% of my firm's practice is based and has significant ramifications for most of our clients. So I took it upon myself to brief the opinion and send it out to all of my partners.
Do I get a "Wow, thanks LC. It's a good thing you told us about this case cuz its pretty important to our clients." Um, no (because I don't live in a fairy tale world where partners actually say thank you). I get, "Did you add this memo to our research database? What search terms did you use? (Economic loss because its about the economic loss rule, duh!) You know it's important to guess which search terms other people might use and not just enter the terms that come logically to you. (So, I'm supposed to use my Spidey-sense to know what random ass search term you are going to enter when you are looking for that supreme court case on the economic loss rule?)" I was fine without a thank you, but that conversation irritated me.
And then I got, "By the way, please send me the contact information for all of the attorneys who handled that case." That REALLY irritated me. Because a secretary totally couldn't do that, right? It took an enormous amount of self-control not to pop off with a smart ass comment that probably would have gotten me fired.
Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive because I'm stressed. I've been on the verge of tears a lot lately. That's not really my thing. I definitely need more control over my life.
*And by hearing, I mean a trial on appeal from an administrative decision. So I have to put on witnesses and introduce evidence and pick a jury. I have a pending motion for continuance, but the court hasn't ruled yet.
Today PS texted me, "There is water spewing from the thing at the top of the sink and it is getting on the hardwoods." Grrr-eat! Fortunately, she's a smart girl and knew that was a vent for the dishwasher, so she turned off the dishwasher and cleaned up the mess before it ruined the floor.
Two days ago I looked under the kitchen sink and noticed it smelled musty. Upon further inspection I found that the garbage disposal was dripping nasty water and there was quite a puddle and a couple of inches of putrid water in a vase that happened to be conveniently placed.
DH replaced the garbage disposal last night so I figured that today's issue was probably related to his installation. He vehemently disagreed, and I honestly can't see the connection between the dishwasher and the garbage disposal when I look at the pipes under the sink, so I guess he's off the hook. Except that he's still the one who gets to figure out what the heck is going on with the dishwasher.And during his inspection tonight he accidentally pulled loose a hose and backed-up water flooded my kitchen and the hardwoods in the connected living room.
And this is all most inconveniently timed. We are both leaving for Vegas on Friday. My brother is coming down to visit our mother and look after my girls. I do not want to leave him in a house with an f'd up dishwasher or garbage disposal. I also don't want to go buy a dishwasher because it would come out of my Vegas money. And I don't really have the time to deal with any of this. Arrrghhhh!
This stupid trip is causing more stress than it's worth. If it wasn't nonrefundably paid for I think I'd cancel.
I return early Monday afternoon so that I can get in a half day's work. I have a hearing* on Tuesday, depositions on Wednesday and Thursday, a full day client meeting to prepare for his deposition the following Monday, followed my more depositions the next Wednesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, DH is out of town until Wednesday night--and PS has a play Wednesday night.
Two different named partners have had me on two different monster memos for the last week and a half, so I haven't had time to prepare for anything coming up in the next two weeks.
And yesterday I started working on an MSJ and Shepardizing a recent MSJ on the same topic when I found that the state supreme court issued an opinion last week that overturned existing law and completely obliterated the affirmative defense that was the basis of my MSJ. This case is specific to the industry in which 99% of my firm's practice is based and has significant ramifications for most of our clients. So I took it upon myself to brief the opinion and send it out to all of my partners.
Do I get a "Wow, thanks LC. It's a good thing you told us about this case cuz its pretty important to our clients." Um, no (because I don't live in a fairy tale world where partners actually say thank you). I get, "Did you add this memo to our research database? What search terms did you use? (Economic loss because its about the economic loss rule, duh!) You know it's important to guess which search terms other people might use and not just enter the terms that come logically to you. (So, I'm supposed to use my Spidey-sense to know what random ass search term you are going to enter when you are looking for that supreme court case on the economic loss rule?)" I was fine without a thank you, but that conversation irritated me.
And then I got, "By the way, please send me the contact information for all of the attorneys who handled that case." That REALLY irritated me. Because a secretary totally couldn't do that, right? It took an enormous amount of self-control not to pop off with a smart ass comment that probably would have gotten me fired.
Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive because I'm stressed. I've been on the verge of tears a lot lately. That's not really my thing. I definitely need more control over my life.
*And by hearing, I mean a trial on appeal from an administrative decision. So I have to put on witnesses and introduce evidence and pick a jury. I have a pending motion for continuance, but the court hasn't ruled yet.
Listamania: These are a few of my favorite things
No, I'm not naming my husband and kids--we already know they are my favorite things. This list is a little more shallow than that.
1) 80's sitcoms. My fave's are Growing Pains, Who's the Boss and Family Ties. I think those are indicative of my crappy childhood and the fact that I loved watching the idyllic perfect families. (Although, oddly, the Cosby Show was never one of my faves). Other favorites are Facts of Life and Golden Girls. My freshman year of college all of my dormmates used to watch Golden Girls and Designing Women every night.
2) My new super comfy blanket from Costco. I'm not sure DH loves it, though, since I won't share with him.
3) Cinnamon Roll Cake. Seriously the best cake I have ever made.
4) Margaritas. Pretty much the only cocktail I ever order.
5) Fantastic shoes. I have a boring, conservative work wardrobe, but I love spicing it up with great shoes.
6) Traveling. We never took vacations as a kid, and I love getting to explore new places and the extra time with my family.
7) Snuggling on the couch with my cozy blanket and a good book on a dreary day.
1) 80's sitcoms. My fave's are Growing Pains, Who's the Boss and Family Ties. I think those are indicative of my crappy childhood and the fact that I loved watching the idyllic perfect families. (Although, oddly, the Cosby Show was never one of my faves). Other favorites are Facts of Life and Golden Girls. My freshman year of college all of my dormmates used to watch Golden Girls and Designing Women every night.
2) My new super comfy blanket from Costco. I'm not sure DH loves it, though, since I won't share with him.
3) Cinnamon Roll Cake. Seriously the best cake I have ever made.
4) Margaritas. Pretty much the only cocktail I ever order.
5) Fantastic shoes. I have a boring, conservative work wardrobe, but I love spicing it up with great shoes.
6) Traveling. We never took vacations as a kid, and I love getting to explore new places and the extra time with my family.
7) Snuggling on the couch with my cozy blanket and a good book on a dreary day.
10/31/11
10/27/11
Listamania: Rules for Life
1) Always be nice to everyone. Especially the people who seem to need it the most. You never know what someone else is going through.
2) Always convert to pdf, unless you are making a conscientious decision not to. It just makes life easier on everybody.
3) If you have to qualify your statement(e.g. not to be rude, but...) you probably need to rethink whether that statement really needs to be made.
4) Never let a man hit you. The first time should be the last time.
5) Never depend on a man to take care of you. Be able to take care of yourself. (This one came from my 80 year old great-grandmother when I was in high school.)
2) Always convert to pdf, unless you are making a conscientious decision not to. It just makes life easier on everybody.
3) If you have to qualify your statement(e.g. not to be rude, but...) you probably need to rethink whether that statement really needs to be made.
4) Never let a man hit you. The first time should be the last time.
5) Never depend on a man to take care of you. Be able to take care of yourself. (This one came from my 80 year old great-grandmother when I was in high school.)
The Most Dreaded Word an Associate Can Hear from a Partner
"I know there's a case..."
And thus begins the chase for the ethereal case that may or may not actually exist and definitely will not exist in the jurisdiction that the partner is certain it hails from.
And thus begins the chase for the ethereal case that may or may not actually exist and definitely will not exist in the jurisdiction that the partner is certain it hails from.
10/24/11
Oh boy
Thank goodness I had a nice, relaxing weekend to prepare for today.
My day started with an emergency research project that I was happy to get. I like research and haven't done much lately.
And then my mother's doctor's office called to let us know that her surgery is indefinitely postponed because the custom implant that is being made for her is not ready yet. What??? Nobody told us this two weeks ago when you scheduled her surgery and then sent us to the hospital for pre-admission where they dropped her and broke her femur. (It turned out that the fracture was not a cause to delay the surgery, but she had a urinary tract infection that delayed it for a week-or so we thought.) Apparently there is a backlog on custom hip implants right now, and hers was especially complicated.
It could be another month before the implant is ready. Which means another month in rehab. And it also puts the scheduling of the next surgery in a very hairy time for me. I have about a zillion depositions and a couple of hearings in November. And my firm has a huge trial starting January 3rd--I'm not on that trial team, but because we are a small firm I am definitely feeling the effects.
And as soon as I got off the phone with the doc, I saw about 5 missed calls on my cell. Apparently SS started running a fever at school, and DH had to go get her. Looks like strep. She will be out again tomorrow, so DH and I will have to paper-scissors-rock to see who gets to stay home. But I loaded up all of my research, just in case. This week, at least, I don't have a lot going on and research projects are pretty portable.
And I talked to my brother, who is coming in down in 2 weeks when DH and I go to Vegas. This trip was planned months ago--long before my mother's surgeries. He is being sent to a convention by his employer. We decided to take advantage of the subsidized airfare and hotel and fly in the weekend before for a quick getaway. But right now this getaway is just causing more stress.
I kind of thought I would have to cancel when my mother's issues popped up--but then my brother mentioned that he was thinking of coming down that weekend. I talked him into watching my kids in exchange for gas and groceries, and it seemed too perfect not to go forward. Someone will be here if anything comes with out mother, and I still get to take my already paid for trip.
But he will have his 4 plus my 3 girls to deal with--ages 15, 14, 13(2), 10(2) and 8. The good news is that he teaches middle school, so he is used to dealing with lots of screaming teenagers--and all of out kids are pretty easy to deal with. But I may have to send him on his own trip to Vegas after that!
My day started with an emergency research project that I was happy to get. I like research and haven't done much lately.
And then my mother's doctor's office called to let us know that her surgery is indefinitely postponed because the custom implant that is being made for her is not ready yet. What??? Nobody told us this two weeks ago when you scheduled her surgery and then sent us to the hospital for pre-admission where they dropped her and broke her femur. (It turned out that the fracture was not a cause to delay the surgery, but she had a urinary tract infection that delayed it for a week-or so we thought.) Apparently there is a backlog on custom hip implants right now, and hers was especially complicated.
It could be another month before the implant is ready. Which means another month in rehab. And it also puts the scheduling of the next surgery in a very hairy time for me. I have about a zillion depositions and a couple of hearings in November. And my firm has a huge trial starting January 3rd--I'm not on that trial team, but because we are a small firm I am definitely feeling the effects.
And as soon as I got off the phone with the doc, I saw about 5 missed calls on my cell. Apparently SS started running a fever at school, and DH had to go get her. Looks like strep. She will be out again tomorrow, so DH and I will have to paper-scissors-rock to see who gets to stay home. But I loaded up all of my research, just in case. This week, at least, I don't have a lot going on and research projects are pretty portable.
And I talked to my brother, who is coming in down in 2 weeks when DH and I go to Vegas. This trip was planned months ago--long before my mother's surgeries. He is being sent to a convention by his employer. We decided to take advantage of the subsidized airfare and hotel and fly in the weekend before for a quick getaway. But right now this getaway is just causing more stress.
I kind of thought I would have to cancel when my mother's issues popped up--but then my brother mentioned that he was thinking of coming down that weekend. I talked him into watching my kids in exchange for gas and groceries, and it seemed too perfect not to go forward. Someone will be here if anything comes with out mother, and I still get to take my already paid for trip.
But he will have his 4 plus my 3 girls to deal with--ages 15, 14, 13(2), 10(2) and 8. The good news is that he teaches middle school, so he is used to dealing with lots of screaming teenagers--and all of out kids are pretty easy to deal with. But I may have to send him on his own trip to Vegas after that!
10/23/11
Nice Weekend
This was the most stress-less weekend we have had in a while, and it was nice. I feel so much more ready for Monday than I usually do.
Saturday I interviewed a housekeeper, and I plan to offer her the position as long as her references come back ok. She is already working part-time for another attorney, so she would just alternate days working for the two of us. I really liked her, and I really hope this works out. I think controlling the chaos in my house is a big step toward controlling the feeling of constant chaos in my life.
After I finished up the interview we went to the library and the pumpkin patch where we loaded up on way too many books and picked out a family of pumpkins to carve next weekend. And (bonus!) the worker there was incredulous that DH and I could be old enough to be the parents of out kids.
That evening, out former nanny came by for a visit. She left for college in the fall, and we were so sad to see her go. The kids were thrilled to see her again, and it was a really nice visit.
We ended the day watching baseball, while I sewed Girl Scout patches. 56 badges and patches, to be exact. PS said, "well, maybe now you will keep up with sewing the badges on." Thanks a lot! But I have been a slacker--we've had most of these for a long time. However, I did find it ironic that I was sewing on the twins' sewing badges. (But the badges are all circular and the invisible thread was a PITA to work with, so I don't think they could have handled it.)
Today I slept in until 9--that never, ever happens. It is almost physically impossible for me to sleep past 7. I arose to find DH and the twins sprawled out all over the living room reading books. And so I joined them, and that is where we stayed for the next couple of hours.
We eventually wandered upstairs, where I continued with the badge sewing while watching the old and new versions of Charlie/Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We all just kind of hung out in the game room, watching movies we've all seen about a thousand times and playing on our computers. It was nice.
We totally skipped visiting my mother this weekend. She called on Friday and offered a "free pass" for the weekend. I didn't really think she meant it, and wasn't really planning on taking her up on it, but it was so nice to not have to go anywhere today.
Now I'm ready for another week.
Saturday I interviewed a housekeeper, and I plan to offer her the position as long as her references come back ok. She is already working part-time for another attorney, so she would just alternate days working for the two of us. I really liked her, and I really hope this works out. I think controlling the chaos in my house is a big step toward controlling the feeling of constant chaos in my life.
After I finished up the interview we went to the library and the pumpkin patch where we loaded up on way too many books and picked out a family of pumpkins to carve next weekend. And (bonus!) the worker there was incredulous that DH and I could be old enough to be the parents of out kids.
That evening, out former nanny came by for a visit. She left for college in the fall, and we were so sad to see her go. The kids were thrilled to see her again, and it was a really nice visit.
We ended the day watching baseball, while I sewed Girl Scout patches. 56 badges and patches, to be exact. PS said, "well, maybe now you will keep up with sewing the badges on." Thanks a lot! But I have been a slacker--we've had most of these for a long time. However, I did find it ironic that I was sewing on the twins' sewing badges. (But the badges are all circular and the invisible thread was a PITA to work with, so I don't think they could have handled it.)
Today I slept in until 9--that never, ever happens. It is almost physically impossible for me to sleep past 7. I arose to find DH and the twins sprawled out all over the living room reading books. And so I joined them, and that is where we stayed for the next couple of hours.
We eventually wandered upstairs, where I continued with the badge sewing while watching the old and new versions of Charlie/Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We all just kind of hung out in the game room, watching movies we've all seen about a thousand times and playing on our computers. It was nice.
We totally skipped visiting my mother this weekend. She called on Friday and offered a "free pass" for the weekend. I didn't really think she meant it, and wasn't really planning on taking her up on it, but it was so nice to not have to go anywhere today.
Now I'm ready for another week.
10/19/11
Lawyer Happiness
I spent all morning in a difficult, technical deposition of a professional expert. The expert is an engineer and the questions involved complex mathematical concepts well-beyond my remedial math capabilities. I insisted that my client, also an engineer, be present for this deposition so that he could assist if the deponent got too technical with his answers. Which also means that the client was present to critique my skill as a lawyer and my understanding of these technical concepts.
So it really made my day when I got home and found an email from my client telling me that I did a great job today. Compliments are few and far between from paying clients, and this one in particular is the curmudgeonly sort. Plus, when he hired me he told me that he was deciding between our firm and another lawyer who is also an engineer. I assured him that even though I wasn't an engineer I could handle the job, and it was nice to be able to prove it.
So it really made my day when I got home and found an email from my client telling me that I did a great job today. Compliments are few and far between from paying clients, and this one in particular is the curmudgeonly sort. Plus, when he hired me he told me that he was deciding between our firm and another lawyer who is also an engineer. I assured him that even though I wasn't an engineer I could handle the job, and it was nice to be able to prove it.
10/13/11
Seriously???
My mother is still wheelchair bound and still in rehab. She cannot stand at all. The only way she can transfer from her bed to the wheelchair is by sliding on a board. Getting her from one place to another is no easy task. Neither are bathroom activities. There is no way that someone who is not properly trained can move her at all.
Yesterday I accompanied my mother to visit her doctor for a check up and to schedule her surgery. Of course, they wanted to take a take an x-ray. It was a major ordeal that took three nurses to move her from the wheelchair to the x-ray table and back again.
The x-ray revealed that the temporary spacer was out of socket. This seemed like not a good thing, but the PA didn't seem too concerned since it was only a temporary part and she wasn't supposed to be putting weight on it anyway.
So we scheduled her surgery for next Tuesday, which made us both happy. (Yes, she is driving me crazy, but that's another post.) She should be able to go home a couple of weeks after the surgery.
Today we went to the hospital for pre-registration and to get her labs done. One of the labs ordered was a urinalysis. This presented a problem, because she cannot transfer from her wheelchair to a toilet. I asked if the urinalysis was really necessary. The nurse called the doctor's office, which confirmed that they needed the urinalysis. The nurses discussed how they were going to get this sample. A catheter was discussed, but they didn't have an order for a catheter. So they asked my mother if she thought she could transfer onto a toilet with help. She said she would rather try that than a catheter.
And so the two nurses carried her into another room, and I waited right outside. After a few minutes I heard her scream. And a couple minutes later they brought her out crying. She said that they had shifted all of her weight onto her bad leg and that it really hurt. I had no doubt that it hurt since the hip wasn't in the socket. But they were done with her, so I took her outside to be picked up by the transport service. She seemed ok by the time she left, and I headed on to the office.
She called a couple of hours later in tears, saying that the pain was excruciating and the nurse at the rehab facility wanted to talk to me. The nurse asked me to come in and sign a statement about what happened at the hospital. I refused--it was clear they were in CYA mode, and I felt no obligation to help them--particularly since she was in their care when her hip was knocked out of socket.
She called again mid-afternoon to tell me her pain meds had kicked in and she was feeling better. But the rehab facility had done x-rays and her femur is broken. WTF? I did not see this coming. I was sure the pain was because the hip was out of socket. The damn hip replacement that she is supposed to have installed on Tuesday is attached to the femur!!! I have no idea what this means for her surgery. Of course, the rehab facility couldn't reach her doctor by the time they figured all of this out, but they are going to try to get her an appointment first thing in the morning.
And , of course, she is looking to me for answers. But I told her that if I go lawyer on the doctor and hospital there is no way they're going to touch her again, and she really needs this surgery. Her doctor is supposed to be the best in this area at this specialized hip replacement--that's why she's here, she couldn't find anybody in Hometown who would do the surgery.
I'm not sure how to proceed at this point. First, I want to hear from her doctor. But if her surgery is delayed, I think the hospital sure as hell needs to be picking up the tab for the extra days in rehab. With some mental anguish thrown in. And I think the doctor bears some responsibility for demanding a probably unnecessary test without properly considering her mobility issues.
I guess we'll just see what tomorrow brings. But I'm anticipating that the surgeon won't do the hip replacement until the femur heals, which could mean several extra weeks in rehab. We might be needing a plaintiff's lawyer--although with the tort reform laws in my state, it's hard to find someone who will take a med mal case.
Yesterday I accompanied my mother to visit her doctor for a check up and to schedule her surgery. Of course, they wanted to take a take an x-ray. It was a major ordeal that took three nurses to move her from the wheelchair to the x-ray table and back again.
The x-ray revealed that the temporary spacer was out of socket. This seemed like not a good thing, but the PA didn't seem too concerned since it was only a temporary part and she wasn't supposed to be putting weight on it anyway.
So we scheduled her surgery for next Tuesday, which made us both happy. (Yes, she is driving me crazy, but that's another post.) She should be able to go home a couple of weeks after the surgery.
Today we went to the hospital for pre-registration and to get her labs done. One of the labs ordered was a urinalysis. This presented a problem, because she cannot transfer from her wheelchair to a toilet. I asked if the urinalysis was really necessary. The nurse called the doctor's office, which confirmed that they needed the urinalysis. The nurses discussed how they were going to get this sample. A catheter was discussed, but they didn't have an order for a catheter. So they asked my mother if she thought she could transfer onto a toilet with help. She said she would rather try that than a catheter.
And so the two nurses carried her into another room, and I waited right outside. After a few minutes I heard her scream. And a couple minutes later they brought her out crying. She said that they had shifted all of her weight onto her bad leg and that it really hurt. I had no doubt that it hurt since the hip wasn't in the socket. But they were done with her, so I took her outside to be picked up by the transport service. She seemed ok by the time she left, and I headed on to the office.
She called a couple of hours later in tears, saying that the pain was excruciating and the nurse at the rehab facility wanted to talk to me. The nurse asked me to come in and sign a statement about what happened at the hospital. I refused--it was clear they were in CYA mode, and I felt no obligation to help them--particularly since she was in their care when her hip was knocked out of socket.
She called again mid-afternoon to tell me her pain meds had kicked in and she was feeling better. But the rehab facility had done x-rays and her femur is broken. WTF? I did not see this coming. I was sure the pain was because the hip was out of socket. The damn hip replacement that she is supposed to have installed on Tuesday is attached to the femur!!! I have no idea what this means for her surgery. Of course, the rehab facility couldn't reach her doctor by the time they figured all of this out, but they are going to try to get her an appointment first thing in the morning.
And , of course, she is looking to me for answers. But I told her that if I go lawyer on the doctor and hospital there is no way they're going to touch her again, and she really needs this surgery. Her doctor is supposed to be the best in this area at this specialized hip replacement--that's why she's here, she couldn't find anybody in Hometown who would do the surgery.
I'm not sure how to proceed at this point. First, I want to hear from her doctor. But if her surgery is delayed, I think the hospital sure as hell needs to be picking up the tab for the extra days in rehab. With some mental anguish thrown in. And I think the doctor bears some responsibility for demanding a probably unnecessary test without properly considering her mobility issues.
I guess we'll just see what tomorrow brings. But I'm anticipating that the surgeon won't do the hip replacement until the femur heals, which could mean several extra weeks in rehab. We might be needing a plaintiff's lawyer--although with the tort reform laws in my state, it's hard to find someone who will take a med mal case.
Listamania: Things that irritate me
1) Smokers. Especially those who throw their butts out their car windows. And the ones who smoke in the car with their kids. And the ones who smoke in places that force me to walk through their cloud of carcinogens to get wherever I am going.
2) Left Lane Squatters. The left lane is for passing. If you're not passing anybody, get the Hell out of the way.
3) Able-bodied people who take the elevator up one level. Really, you probably need the exercise anyway.
4) Able-bodied people who block the flow of traffic in a parking lot so that they can park 10 feet from the door. See No. 3, above.
5) Costco. I love Costco, but the fact that you have to have a card to get into their super-secret club is stupid. And when you go to check out and they ask you if you have your card. What the hell do they think? I had to have the damn card to get in the damn door. And when receipt checker comments on the things in my cart. What if I have something embarrassing in there? I would really prefer she act ambivalent about what's in my cart. Today, the receipt-checker felt up the super-soft blanket that I bought. Don't feel up my blankie--it's creepy!
2) Left Lane Squatters. The left lane is for passing. If you're not passing anybody, get the Hell out of the way.
3) Able-bodied people who take the elevator up one level. Really, you probably need the exercise anyway.
4) Able-bodied people who block the flow of traffic in a parking lot so that they can park 10 feet from the door. See No. 3, above.
5) Costco. I love Costco, but the fact that you have to have a card to get into their super-secret club is stupid. And when you go to check out and they ask you if you have your card. What the hell do they think? I had to have the damn card to get in the damn door. And when receipt checker comments on the things in my cart. What if I have something embarrassing in there? I would really prefer she act ambivalent about what's in my cart. Today, the receipt-checker felt up the super-soft blanket that I bought. Don't feel up my blankie--it's creepy!
10/9/11
The Tooth Fairy
This morning a very sad TT came downstairs to tell us that the Tooth Fairy did not come last night. She still had her tooth and she didn't have any money. Oops. DH and I both completely forgot. She lost the tooth while at PS's robotics competition yesterday afternoon, so there was a lot going on, and she didn't say much more about it the rest of the day. But still, parent fail.
And my kids are too old and too smart to believe in the Tooth Fairy. I told TT this morning that maybe the Tooth Fairy hid the money in her room and she needed to clean her room to find her money. She replied that I was just trying to trick her into cleaning her room.
I am 100% sure that they do not actually believe in the Tooth Fairy. But we still pretend that they do. TT was bummed this morning, and I really just wanted to hand over a dollar and tell her to move on. But I didn't--instead I made up excuses for the Tooth Fairy. I'm not sure why. I guess because I felt like we sold out Santa too early with PS. When she was about 7 she asked point blank about Santa. I didn't want to lie to her, so I told her. I really wish I had fibbed and let her hold onto the Santa magic a little bit longer.
I have no intention about coming clean about Santa to the twins. (Yeah, I know they've figured him out, too--but Santa make Christmas fun, and he brings gifts that mom would never buy.). But the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny--I would be ok if they would hop on along their merry way.
And my kids are too old and too smart to believe in the Tooth Fairy. I told TT this morning that maybe the Tooth Fairy hid the money in her room and she needed to clean her room to find her money. She replied that I was just trying to trick her into cleaning her room.
I am 100% sure that they do not actually believe in the Tooth Fairy. But we still pretend that they do. TT was bummed this morning, and I really just wanted to hand over a dollar and tell her to move on. But I didn't--instead I made up excuses for the Tooth Fairy. I'm not sure why. I guess because I felt like we sold out Santa too early with PS. When she was about 7 she asked point blank about Santa. I didn't want to lie to her, so I told her. I really wish I had fibbed and let her hold onto the Santa magic a little bit longer.
I have no intention about coming clean about Santa to the twins. (Yeah, I know they've figured him out, too--but Santa make Christmas fun, and he brings gifts that mom would never buy.). But the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny--I would be ok if they would hop on along their merry way.
10/7/11
Sickie McSickerson
So the school called yesterday to inform me that TT had vomited and that I needed to retrieve her. The nurse said that there was a virus going around ad it looked like TT had it. She looked terrible when I picked her up, but there was no more vomiting and she perked up within a couple of hours. But the rule is that you can't return to school for 24 hours after you barf, so despite the fact that TT is exhibiting no evidence of yesterday's ailment, we are home again today.
And SS awoke complaining of a headache and a stomachache. She wasn't acting very sick, but I erred on the side of not exposing anyone else to the alleged virus and allowed her to stay home, too.
Now they are both acting perfectly fine and making demands under the guise of being sick. "Mommy, will you make me pancakes?" "Mommy, will you bring me a glass of water." "Mommy, will you turn the light on?" "Mommy, can you find the remote?" And I am accommodating them and appreciating this bit of stolen time with my girlies.
But I am going to make them do their homework in a little bit.
And SS awoke complaining of a headache and a stomachache. She wasn't acting very sick, but I erred on the side of not exposing anyone else to the alleged virus and allowed her to stay home, too.
Now they are both acting perfectly fine and making demands under the guise of being sick. "Mommy, will you make me pancakes?" "Mommy, will you bring me a glass of water." "Mommy, will you turn the light on?" "Mommy, can you find the remote?" And I am accommodating them and appreciating this bit of stolen time with my girlies.
But I am going to make them do their homework in a little bit.
10/6/11
Listamania: Things I love about fall
I'm trying something new and different--a weekly post called Listamania. It will be a list (duh) based on whatever topic pops into my head.
1) Cooler weather
2) Carving Pumpkins
3) Roasting pumpkin seeds
4) Thanksgiving--the best holiday!
5) Wearing sweaters and boots
6) Football (but only my teams and preferably live)
7) Cooking big pots of soup, pot roasts and chicken pot pie (I am very seasonal with food and don't eat any of these things when it's hot outside)
8) Snuggling under the covers during cool fall nights
9) Honeycrisp apples
1) Cooler weather
2) Carving Pumpkins
3) Roasting pumpkin seeds
4) Thanksgiving--the best holiday!
5) Wearing sweaters and boots
6) Football (but only my teams and preferably live)
7) Cooking big pots of soup, pot roasts and chicken pot pie (I am very seasonal with food and don't eat any of these things when it's hot outside)
8) Snuggling under the covers during cool fall nights
9) Honeycrisp apples
10/4/11
Listamania: Things I want
In no particular order and with no deep, meaningful issues (like world peace) considered:
1) A custom header for my blog.
2) This skirt. Oh yes, in pink.
3) A tummy tuck. I've given birth to twins--enough said.
4) Less chaos in my life.
5) My job, but where I get home in time to pick my girls up from school and cook dinner. And where I have time to take all the vacations I want. But I don't want to be a mommy-tracker or a part-timer.
6) Magical cleaning fairies. I'm trying to hire a housekeeper, but so far the hunt isn't going very well.
7) For all of my student loans to be paid off.
8) The new iphone--kinda. I need a new phone, but I'm waiting to see the consensus on the 4S before ordering.
9) To lose 20 (cough30cough) pounds.
10) A shorter commute. 25 miles of city traffic each way sucks--but I have no choice if I want affordable housing and good schools. But I swear, when my kids grow up I'm going to live in a loft in the city.
1) A custom header for my blog.
2) This skirt. Oh yes, in pink.
3) A tummy tuck. I've given birth to twins--enough said.
4) Less chaos in my life.
5) My job, but where I get home in time to pick my girls up from school and cook dinner. And where I have time to take all the vacations I want. But I don't want to be a mommy-tracker or a part-timer.
6) Magical cleaning fairies. I'm trying to hire a housekeeper, but so far the hunt isn't going very well.
7) For all of my student loans to be paid off.
8) The new iphone--kinda. I need a new phone, but I'm waiting to see the consensus on the 4S before ordering.
9) To lose 20 (cough30cough) pounds.
10) A shorter commute. 25 miles of city traffic each way sucks--but I have no choice if I want affordable housing and good schools. But I swear, when my kids grow up I'm going to live in a loft in the city.
10/3/11
Zombies
At PS's request we visited the temporary Halloween shop that recently opened. We visited when we were shopping for PS's part, but it had just opened and wasn't really set up yet. On this visit, they were all ready for Halloween. The store was fully stocked and there were creepy scenes set up everywhere. The centerpiece was a merry-go-round filled with zombie babies. At the back of the store were plenty of full-size zombies that moved and made noise and lit up. And then there was a half-body being eaten by a giant rat with accompanying sounds and movement. Yeah, it was disgusting.
But it was all pretend in a well-lit store full of people in the middle of the day. So we laughed at the zombies and moved along.
And then last night TT came into our room twice because she couldn't sleep. She can't stop thinking about the zombies. And tonight she has been out of bed three times and is currently in my bed. Oh boy.
TT is our most sensitive kid. The movie Coraline also gave her nightmares (one of PS's favorites!), so we are careful about what she is allowed to watch. And she frequently had night terrors when she was very young. But I did not realize that visiting the Halloween store was going to freak her out. I was more worried about her seeing the giant penis costume than the zombies.
Not sure how to fix this one.
But it was all pretend in a well-lit store full of people in the middle of the day. So we laughed at the zombies and moved along.
And then last night TT came into our room twice because she couldn't sleep. She can't stop thinking about the zombies. And tonight she has been out of bed three times and is currently in my bed. Oh boy.
TT is our most sensitive kid. The movie Coraline also gave her nightmares (one of PS's favorites!), so we are careful about what she is allowed to watch. And she frequently had night terrors when she was very young. But I did not realize that visiting the Halloween store was going to freak her out. I was more worried about her seeing the giant penis costume than the zombies.
Not sure how to fix this one.
10/2/11
Fatness
I seem to be getting fatter. I am not happy about this. Last winter I started gaining weight when I was exceptionally busy at work. I was working lots of late nights, and eating crappy fast food on the way home from work. After gaining 10 pounds, I brought those bad habits to a screeching halt. I did nutrisystem for about 6 weeks, lost the weight I had gained, and reformed my eating habits.
I pretty much gave up soft drinks--down from a daily habit to maybe once a week. I drink water or iced tea. I pretty much gave up french fries. They are now an occasional treat (although I met DH for lunch on Friday at a place that has fries drizzled with olive oil and rosemary, O.M.G!) I no longer eat fast food at 9:00 at night--I keep food at work for late nights or I wait until I get home. My freezer is stocked with food, so that our eating out in general is greatly reduced. I make sure I have protein for breakfast, which makes me feel fuller so I don't eat bad carby crap. I take fruit to work every day for a mid-afternoon snack instead of relying on the carby crap that is stocked in our kitchen.
And yet, I am getting fatter again. WTF? So much for small lifestyle changes making a difference. I guess I need to start keeping a food diary, but it is so much work. Grumble.
I pretty much gave up soft drinks--down from a daily habit to maybe once a week. I drink water or iced tea. I pretty much gave up french fries. They are now an occasional treat (although I met DH for lunch on Friday at a place that has fries drizzled with olive oil and rosemary, O.M.G!) I no longer eat fast food at 9:00 at night--I keep food at work for late nights or I wait until I get home. My freezer is stocked with food, so that our eating out in general is greatly reduced. I make sure I have protein for breakfast, which makes me feel fuller so I don't eat bad carby crap. I take fruit to work every day for a mid-afternoon snack instead of relying on the carby crap that is stocked in our kitchen.
And yet, I am getting fatter again. WTF? So much for small lifestyle changes making a difference. I guess I need to start keeping a food diary, but it is so much work. Grumble.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)