MMMMMmmmmmmm......

It's 11:00pm. The kid's asleep. The husband's gone. I'm tired but don't feel like going to sleep. I've been gaining weight like nobody's business and I'm hungry (or am I?)! So I'm looking through pictures to get inspired about something to blog or scrap tomorrow and I see this one from my "Week in the Life" pictures. Silver Diner Fresh Wild Maine Blueberry pancakes...oh, sweet Bessie...Mark has some Challah bread french toast smothered with strawberries...God, grant me the strength...I could do some damage right now. C'mon, what's your favorite breakfast food? It's my favorite meal of the day, or night. Not worth being fat again but maybe a nice reward for kicking a few pounds. I know you're not supposed to reward yourself with food but why the heck not? I'll feel miserable after I eat it and it will be so worth it. Have I mentioned their shakes????? I'm brushing my teeth now. Sweet dreams!

Props and a Shout OUT...

to Christine Revels 'cause she turned me on (hey now) to Joss Stone. Eons ago Christine posted something on her blog about getting the Joss Stone CD and how great it was, blah, blah, blah...something about listening to it in the tub with a glass of wine and I thought, "Hey, I really need some new music." So, I tossed that on my Christmas list and lo and behold I love that CD! I have worn that thing out. Just love it. I am always in the mood to listen to it. So, I know that I've been the world's worst blogger and every once in awhile I'll have to throw in something I've missed along the way and this is one of them. Thanks, Christine, it is one of life's great pleasures to find new music! I also got Kelly Clarkson's CD with it (not on my list) but Santa gets props too 'cause Miss Clarkson really can rock it out even though she's been dissin' the idol. I think I just am digging the chicks that rock and wish I was one of them!

Mark is away tonight (hmmm....could that be why there's actually a blog happening here? Coincidence? I think not.) and I am going to spend some quality time with Cathy Z. I think if she wrote a book just filled with old grocery lists I'd read it. I would end up more inspired to grocery shop. She rocks. See, another chick that rocks! Love that!

Go, Nudie, it's yo BIRFDAY!

OK - So I started this blog on Friday, April7th, which was my husband's birthday. I ran out of time and thought I'd cancelled it but lo and behold the title still showed up. Go figure. However, I'm happy to have some intrigue in my sparse blog! Nudie, obviously, is my husband. And he turned the big 39 which is totally freaking me out. I've known him since he was 18 (yet another reason to freak out) and I just don't feel like I'm married to a 39 year old - let alone almost being that myself!

So - when we were in college Mark was in the Kappa Sigma fraternity and they gave him the nickname "Menudo." To really appreciate the nickname I will have to dig up a photo and post it. Yes, he looked like a member of Menudo. Long, feathered back hair, two-toned jeans, shark tooth necklace, comb in the back pocket, high top sneaks with his jeans tucked in...I can't begin to tell you how NOT my type he was. And you can quit laughing now! I reallynhave to find a picture. So, his name was Menudo and literally everyone called him Menudo - even me! Over the course of many years I called him Nudo and eventually Nudie. I think I called him that for 5 years before I realized it was "Nude"-e. Oh well, too late by then and he doesn't care so Nudie it is!

So it was Nudie's BIRFDAY! Turning 39 must rock because he got a smokin' new iPod (I've cheesed out on gifts the last few years so he was do for something awesome) and I'm cracking up everytime it's someone's birthday because thanks to Fifty Cent (or as we like to call him - Fitty) I can't say birTHday anymore - It's BIRFDAY! And we gotta party like it's yo birfday...gonna sip Bacardi like it's yo birfday...so sad, the most WASPish girl you could hope to meet gettin' her groove on to Fitty. So anyway that was the blog more or less - all about my man's birfday.

And while I'm here let me just say that Chris was AWESOME on American Idol last night. Like, stopped what I was doing and just stared at the TV AWESOME. Oh my. My jury was still out on who I was routing for. Now I know. Just like when Constantine sang "My Funny Valentine" last season. Oh my. Love the idol.

CKU ROCKS!

I am still getting over CKU-Chicago. What a whirlwind! I have to say that after a little doubt (ok, a lot) I totally dig albums and want to do it again. I came home with a huge 12 x 12 "A Week in the Life" album, a 6 x 6 album that's essentially an "All About Me" album that we completed at the make-n-takes, and 5 mini albums from my classes. How stinkin' cool is that?! The doubt came from the fact that the "energy" at albums is a little different than at regular CKU. The Campus Crop was nowhere near as awesome as Minneapolis. Christine, Tricia and I were looking at each other like, what is this all about? I asked Ali about it in my album track and she said there is definitely a difference. CKU-A is really all about the albums and getting them done and the regular CKU is more about the "Woo Hoo CKU" (Ali's words). So anyway, the picture above is me in my album track with my loot. And here is an up close look at the loot. Let me tell ya, it was a little hairy getting packed up to go home! I think Ali Edwards is one of the coolest, most grounded, most real people I have ever met. She talked about being a "life artist" since she doesn't think the term "scrapbooker" really does it. She has some "Life Artist" merchandise on Cafe Press. Very cool. She has a manifesto she lives by (that may be a whole other blog entry) but the very first thing on it is "It is OK." Tear your paper? It is OK. Stick something in the wrong place? It is OK. Doesn't that just apply to life? It's amazing how you sometimes need the simplest thing affirmed for you. It's nice to have someone say to you "It's OK." Whether it's scrapbooking or life in general. Burnt dinner? It is OK. Not as far ahead getting the house decluttered? It is OK. Didn't get everything done on my list today? It is OK.
Love that.

I am nowhere near done with my album. As soon as I have a few pages completely done I will post some pics 'cause it really is awesome. Part of it was very labor intensive and her style is so different than mine that it took me awhile. It really blows my mind to see what she does. That she just sits down and designs pages and albums like this is astounding. Never in a million years would I come up with the designs she does. Really inspiring.

Also tried a few new things this time: like the Rolodex swap, for example. Twenty members of my album track made rolodex cards to swap. Very cool! I used up my Making Memories paper from last year's CKU (very appropriate!) I really needed something to get me out of my scrappin' funk. Between the rolodex cards, the classes, Ali and the make-n-takes - plus just being around some seriously talented women - I think I'll be coming out of that funk! I'd love to add some more cards to my rolodex. (Hint, hint)

Of course, the best thing about CKU is doing it with some awesome women! How cool that Christine, Tricia and Mandy let me crash with them. I was hoping to get a little spooning action from Christine but she wouldn't touch me. (: I really had a great time with them and they were really kind to put up with the sick girl. I'm seriously considering going to CKU at a different time of year because it would be so much more enjoyable without antibiotics! And check out how awesome Tricia looks. She's got the glow going on. She really looks fantastic.

We also met some awesome women in our Croppin' Commandos dorm. Christine has the best pics, I somehow managed not to get a single pic of the whole group but here are Julie and Katie. We lucked out, again, on coming together with a cool, diverse, talented and all around awesome group of chicks.

Now, I have to say that as awesome as it was, there was something missing. Hmmm.....what could it be? Lisa Bearnson? Yeah, she was missing, but no, that's not it. Hmmm....Stacy Julian? Nope that's not it either. Hmmmm.....what could it be? OK, you get one guess. Yeah, YOU! We really missed you guys - Mel, Chris and Ruth! We gotta work on getting together at another CKU - and, of course, Wilbur too!

Recovering

Still....trying....to....recover.........from.......CKU........zzzzzzzzz........

Floo Shmoo Achoo

My little man has the flu. Behold the magic of the flu shot. Not. He's sporting a serious fever but he's eating and generally happy as long as he is Motrined properly. Have to run out for some Tamiflu. Lovely. I was actually thinking of fondly Chris today as I tried to put Spence in a vice grip for a throat culture. (I told you it was a good idea to tell the dentist story.) He's a stong little sucker and I'm morally opposed to pinning someone down for something unless it's life threatening. I'm serious - today alone will be responsible for over 50 hours of therapy in his future. Poor guy. Five tries and then the genius doctor says, "Well, let's at least do a flu test." Hey, and guess what, it's the flu! We were there for three hours and my little man was done. More done than I have seen him in a long time. Got him home, got him motrin, got him his blankie and some cartoons, got him lunch and life is manageable now. So we ride it out. Can't wait til winter is over!

I'm a Blacker

I hang my head in shame. "My name is Vanessa and I am a blacker. I have been a blacker for over a month (I think). You lose your sense of time after awhile when you become a blacker. That's why I'm here today. To come out and finally confront the fact that I am a blacker. And I need help." For those of you who read Karen Burniston's blog you may know what a blacker is. It's a "Blog Slacker." Yup. No denying it. I won't bore you with the excuses. It's one of the 12 steps - "Stop making excuses." So I won't bore you. I won't seek pity over the fact my son is home sick with a fever yet here I am blogging so certain people can have their "update" - yes, yes, that's for you, Christine! LOLOLOL So you want an update? You'll just have to wait! Because there is only major thing happening right now and that is...

I AM SOOOO BLOGGING ON OUR NEW LAPTOP!

I know that it is wrong to worship material things but this baby ROCKS! I'm building a shrine. I'm sitting at my kitchen table. It doesn't take four minutes to wait for the next e-mail to pop up. And I can blog....ahhhhhh....without sitting in the cold dungeon which is our computer room. Deep, lovely, soothing breathe. This is so awesome. So I'm off to surf the internet some more as the lovely winter sun cascades through my kitchen window and my sick boy zones out in a fever induced-cartoon inspired coma. Pictures to follow. I know you've seen pictures of a laptop before but it has to be done! Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day!

Happiness is...

Pajama Day at school! WOO HOO! Holy cow, was there one excited kid this morning! He got to take in a blankie, a pillow and one stuffed animal. They're having pancakes, bacon, yogurt and applesauce for lunch (which means I didn't have to pack one, double WOO HOO!) I didn't even have to ask him a gazillion times to get dressed, he got dressed before I even asked. Long live PJ DAY! I think the world would be a much better place with more PJ Days for everyone.

So check out the Spider Man get-up. Yesterday morning I asked him which jammies he wanted to wear. Now, here is the fundamental difference between five year olds and their moms. I'm thinking the newer, nicer looking (and may I say very cool) dino or race car jammas. Uh-uh. He wants his Frozone jammas (from The Incredibles) - do I need to tell you they are the oldest, most worn, really getting too short jammas he owns? So I resort to the no-fail Target trip. I think the world is a much better place with Target in it. Off to Target under the pretense of just getting slippers. Total score! Slippers: 70% off (One pair left in his size); Matching Spidey Jammas: 70% off (only two left in his size); Kid who doesn't look like a bum? So priceless! The jammas even have a pocket on the leg, complete with spider on it, which is big enough to hold his stuffed dog, Puddles! And just so there's no thoughts that I was crazy to get my kid new jammas for PJ Day - at least two other moms have already confessed to doing the same thing. I know, I know...If they jumped off a bridge, would I do it too? I don't care, lunacy loves company!

So it's Friday AND it's Jamma Day (which I may have to implement one day this weekend). Life is good. Have a good weekend everybody!

I'm it!

Thanks, Mel - this was fun! Hope you have a better day today!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Summer camp counselor in High School, Customer Service Manager, Test Production Specialist for City Colleges of Chicago (awesome job where I got to develop distance learning courses - I still miss that job) and Assistant Manager at a Scrapbook Store (another fave, for obvious reasons!)

Four movies you would watch over and over: Shawshank Redemption, Raising Arizona, Somewhere in Time, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Fugitive, Monsters, Inc... there's a bunch.


Four places you have lived: lovely Anniston, Alabama (twice - which was about three times too many); Wiesbaden, Germany; Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri (which they call "Fort Lost in the Woods"); Reston, Virginia.


Four TV shows you love to watch: Lost, Survivor, Commander in Chief, Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy.


Four places you have been on vacation: Alaska, Italy, Korea, Paris


Four websites you visit daily: More blogs than I care to admit to, ebay, hotmail, yahoo, 2peas


Four of your favorite foods: pizza, Baja Fresh Baja burrito, almost anything with cilantro and sundried tomatoes in it, ravioli...and I have to add a really awesome hamburger with fries.


Four places you would rather be right now: a quiet beach with a good book and a good bartender; on a balcony on a cruise ship in Glacier Bay, Alaska with a good bartender; one foot away from where I am right now scrapping at my scrapbook table with a perfectly clutter free, clean house so I would harbor no guilt while scrapping; Actually, I'm pretty happy being at home right now.

I have no one to tag - unless you happen to read this, Dad - in which case, you're it!

I want a do over

Yes, I'm alive. Barely. I want a "do over" on 2006. I woke up at 5:30am on January 1st with my period. Should have seen the signs. Went in for a same-day surgery procedure on the 3rd and had a serious reaction to the anesthesia. Ended up in the ER that night and got home at 4:30am on the 4th. I've felt like hell since then. It's now Saturday, the 7th and I am up and dressed and attempting to converse with the civilized world and seriously feel like I need to lie down. I'm so frustrated I can't see straight. So, sorry to be so negative. I just would like to feel normal again. Some positive things: 1) I'm married to the most awesome man. I'm not sure how he puts up with me but he's taken such great care of me. I don't even know what to say. 2) I have the most awesome kid. He has just rolled with the punches this week and tries to take care of me (which just ends up breaking my heart - it's suppose to be the other way around!) 3) You know how you have "friends" and then when something happens you find out that you have "FRIENDS"? It's good to know, especially when you don't usually have any family around. 4) We were so lucky to have Mark's Mom here. She was supposed to leave on the 2nd, ended up staying til the 4th and then changed her flight to stay til the 6th. Lucky, lucky, lucky. She was a lifesaver. So that's about it. I'm trying to get myself together and back in the game. Off to rest a bit.

If I wasn't before, I am now...

Scrappalicious, that is! Thanks again, Christine! After putting on the shirt I realized that I don't have enough clothes with attitude. This shirt definitely has attitude and I love it!

Today I must actually get something done while Spence is at school so I'll keep it short. Here's something weird I forgot to share the other day. Last Tuesday, the day that started the whole blog thing, my horoscope was as follows:
"Sagittarius: You might think that your life lacks exoticism, but you're mistaken. What is ordinary to you is intriguing and grand to someone else. Share your story about a mundane experience, and you'll be surprised at the response." Cue the Twilight Zone music. I don't know about "intriguing and grand" but I thought it was pretty cool. I'm not a huge believer in "the stars" but when a horoscope comes along that pertains...well, it's pretty cool. Have a great day everybody!

Holy Ice Rink, Batman!

It's ok now, but this morning the roads were brutal! Mark went into work late because: a) the roads were brutal and b) they were so brutal a fed ex truck was dangling off of an overpass with all of its contents on the road below, so the roads were closed and those just happen to be the roads he needs to get to work! YIKES! School also opened two hours late today so this is the second day the Universal Conspiracy has essentially screwed me out of Christmas shopping while the young man is at school!

So Spence and I are having a nice, leisurely morning, enjoying a nice breakfast in the kitchen. I am sipping a lovely hot cup of coffee (otherwise known as "nectar of the gods") when I look over at the Spence-man and see the human anteater at work. How much do I long for the day when the ONLY thought running through my head was, "Oooohhhh....I love syrup....oh, yeah....syrup....mmmm" and "you know what would make it taste better? If I only used my tongue!" I had to take a picture as this whole scene leads to my next thought...

See this paragraph right here? Yeah, the one you're reading. This is the section of my blog that was formerly known as the bracket section but, check it, no brackets. One day! I'm over it! Believe me, I can hold a grudge long after it should be held so I figured I had at least a few weeks of serious pity-partying going on, but I'm done. I am so psyched about Ali E.'s track I can't stand it. I wanted to cry at the beginning (a whole day ago): A Life in MY week? I don't do anything! Well check out that kid. That's my week and that rocks! Tongues in syrup, Power Rangers underwear in my washer, the streets I drive by, the places I go...I have already totally changed my mind-set on how I look at the everyday and I'm psyched to record it. There are a lot of cool things that make up a "mundane" day. I had forgotten. I'm not sure I'd switch tracks now that I'm really focusing on this. Wouldn't it be cool to have an album that does "A Week in My Life" for the same week every year, or weeks from each season to see how your routines change? How cool is that!?

The weather outside is frightful!

It is just yucky out there today. It is snowing right now and that is supposed to be followed by the dreaded "wintry mix." I have to tell you, I am morally opposed to the wintry mix. Either rain or snow, one or the other, not something in between. I respect Mother Nature but sister-friend, you need to make up your mind. Make a management decision. Snow, rain, freezing rain? That's just not right.The pic was taken this morning. You can't see the snow falling because it was mixed with rain at that momen,t but look at the loveliness on the ground. Nice. But how about that handsome haircut? OK, so no hat, there goes my "Mother of the Year" award. But really, look at the new do!

[This is a special section of my blog. I'm putting it in brackets so when you get tired of reading the same thing every day you can just skip the bracket part. I thought I could rise above it but I can't, so the bracket part is now the bitching and moaning, and let's not leave out pouting, part of my blog where I bemoan the fact that I did NOT get into Cathy Z's album track. For you non-scrapbookers Creating Keepsakes University-Albums registration was last night. I think there are about 600 spots and it sold out in 18 minutes. The Album track I wanted sold out in under 4 minutes. I'm looking on the bright side, however, since I got all the classes I wanted and I still get an awesome long weekend in Chicago with two awesome crazy ladies! It just is not in my reality that I didn't get this damn track. Here's the thing, on Cathy Z's blog she asked for input on her album track when she was trying to decide what to do and her album track is totally along the lines of what I sent in. So that means it was written in the scrapbooking stars, right? Wrong. Damn Universal Conspiracy. More on that in future blogs. So this will pretty much be it between the brackets. Poor me. Woe is me. How could this happen to me. me, me, me. I'm disgusting myself now. Like, I said, just skip the brackets.]

I am SO bloggin'!

This is outstanding! First, I'd like to thank a few people - Christy, Chris B. and, of course, the incomparable Mel. I was completely inspired by your blogs to not do my usual 3 months of procrastination - so here I am. SWEET! I am already discovering things about myself thanks to the wonderful world of blogging. First and foremost is that I have a neurological disorder where totally stupid and inconsequential things take over my brain and I think about them way more than they should be thought about. Case in point: the word "mundanity or mundanities." This is not a word. I just looked it up - not there. However, I think it's an excellent word and should be a word but since it's not an official word it is now my word. See? I will now use this word as often as possible and delight in the puzzled looks of people who are trying to figure out whether or not it's a real word. It will take aproximately 14 hours for my husband to ask why I'm saying this word and, this is probably a big reason I married him, he will ask me if that's even a word. He will totally humor me knowing that I'm having some mild neurological infarction. I love that! See, now you guys are thinking, "Crap, she's crazy, why'd we tell her to get a blog."

It's freezing here today. I think our high is supposed to be the same as Boston's so we're feeling your pain down here in VA. So I'd like to introduce you all to the Spence-man. That's him up there. All 4 1/2 years of him (in the picture), he just turned 5 in November. So, I know it's freezing here and it's Christmas time but I put this pic up 'cause it's my favorite of 2005. It was Spence's first baseball game. I'm crazy about baseball, thanks to my folks, and I used to dream about taking this kiddo to a ball game since before he was born. We went to see a single A game. (For non-baseball folks this is way below majors. It goes AAA, AA then A ball.) It was a blast. It was just baseball, not all the hoopla you get at the major parks, a gorgeous summer night and I got to teach my kiddo about baseball and he loved it. It is seriously ALL GOOD for me when I look at this pic and think about that one night. I love the little things. It's amazing how much more rewarding they are than the big ones. I think it's because they sneak up on you. You don't know it's going to happen and there it is. What a gift.

Speaking of gifts, thanks you guys. You all are a gift. I was just thinking about Christine's e-mail. Christine and I crossed paths for just a brief time and look at where we are! Like I said, you all are a gift and the best kind because you don't know it's going to happen and there it is. Have a great day everybody! And thanks for the swift kick in the butt! (Also - please send positive thoughts for CKU registration tonight. You really don't want to listen to endless blogs bitching and moaning if I don't get Cathy Z's album track!)