Saturday Circle Game

If you were to go back to school, what institute would you attend? (Assume, of course, that we are all brilliant, admission is guaranteed, and funds are no object.)

Prego Report

Disclaimers: 1) I am stealing Two Pretzel's idea of a pregnancy update. Hope you don't mind, TP. :) 2) A high school friend, MT (actually now MB), used the title phrase and I thought it was cute, so I'm stealing this too.

My goal is to write a pregnancy update every doctor's visit. So, to catch up to current times...

BABY:
First doctor's appointment was early July as was the first ultrasound. The baby looked like a bean and was a whooping length of 9mm. (Hence, from now on I will refer to it as Little Bean or LB when I'm feeling particularly lazy.) 5 weeks later at our next visit Little Bean measured in at 6 cm (about 2 1/2 inches), had arms and legs that moved, and a mouth that opened and closed. This blew me out of the water and was by far the first time I felt this whole pregnancy thing might be real. (I really wish I could show you some of the pictures, but my camera is MIA. So sad.)

ME:
Besides feeling as if I ALWAYS have a cold (since June) and sometimes can't breathe, I've been extremely fortunate and have been feeling fabulous. My regular clothes are starting to feel a little uncomfortable even with the hair rubberband trick, and I took my first trip to the maternity store at the beginning of this week. Pants with elastic waistbands...HERE I COME! I did have a little freak-out moment in the changing room when I put on the fake 7 month belly and couldn't see my feet. What?!

T:
Has been very understanding with all the minor aches, pains, and constant naps I take. He was particularly adorable when he sat down with me Tuesday evening to read and write some thoughts of his own in the baby keepsake journal we got from a friend this week.
Next doctors appointment: Mid September

Guilty Secret

I'm addicted to Big Brother 11. I'm not proud of it. It's not great TV. It raises my blood pressure whenever it is on. But I can't stop watching it. Thank goodness the season will be over soon!

Back in Session

Summer is over and school will soon be in session. It's a big time for anyone with a job somehow related to education. Although I will miss the freedom of my summer, I also enjoy the excitement of a new school year. I am fortunate to be in a career where "do-overs" are possible for everyone involved. New slate. And for the moment, opportunities and possibilities are infinite.

Brita and Body Pillow

A few random thoughts about two items that I purchased recently.

1) I LOVE my new Brita. Why I didn't invest my $18 earlier, I don't know. Since the little bean announced its existence earlier in the summer, I had an aversion to water, which was weird for me. I usually drank water all the time. Our tap water just didn't taste good anymore, and I hated buying bottled water. Although I'll do it from time to time, I hate the waste. Brita has made my water taste good again, and the upkeep of changing the little filter seems completely worth it.

2) My body pillow...it wasn't love at first sight for sure. I'm a toss and turn kind of girl. So the first night with the pillow was a little cumbersome. It's hard to swing an almost 4 1/2 foot pillow from side to side. T accused me of pulling some WWE wrestling moves the first night. I think I nailed him once with my elbow and a few times with the pillow itself. Since then I've learned to control the pillow a little better, and now I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to sleep without one again. I think it'll be a little hard to travel with, though.

Saturday Circle Game

It's BACK!! I know it's not technically Saturday, so please excuse the tardiness. This question is in honor of the wedding we attended tonight. So much fun, but it'll take my feet some time to forgive me for the shoes I forced them into.

What is your favorite wedding reception song? The one that's going to get you groovin' on the dance floor. Or feel free to answer the opposite. What is your least favorite reception song, sure to leave you glued to your seat?

Teeth Cleaning

I'll preface this post by saying I like my dentist office. There are five dentist that work there and a gazillion hygienist. Every single one of them that I have meet has been great.

But what I don't understand is why they try to talk to me with their hands in my mouth. Of course the yes/no questions are OK as I can nod my head to indicate my answer. Questions like "When do you go back to school?" or "Have you traveled anywhere this summer?" are trickier. So I wait until they briefly pull their hands out of my mouth, shout "Hilton Head" before she plunges her hands back into my mouth and hope they don't ask a follow up question that is any more involve.

"Carry On"

T put a link to a video clip on OHSAA's website about two teenagers from Cleveland, OH that aired on ESPN . The video is about 10 minutes long, but I felt it was worth the time. There is a short update about the guys from the ESPN producer on OHSAA's website. These two guys are inspiring.

Mole Man, Part 2

Dear Ty,

I wish you could have seen the look on my husband's face when you called him last night. It was sheer joy. I thought perhaps you told him that he was going to receive free milkshakes at the parlor for the next 10 years, or that you heard there was a lucrative position open in the Reds front office that he would be perfect for.

Nope, you were calling for family members who wanted his advice on how to get rid of moles. And he was honored you called him. (He didn't say this directly, but I could tell.) Finally, his hours of researching the little critters on youtube and Mole Man paid off.

I will never pretend to understand this fascination of his with moles and their extermination, but I will never cease to be amused by it. So many good stories have come from it. I mean, how can we ever forget the Momma K cell phone message about their mole.

P.S. If you're interested in refreshing your memory on Mole Man, Part 1 it was written in April 2007.

The joys of home maintenence

There are some days I wonder if T and I had any business buying a house. Our knowledge about home maintenance is limited. The majority of the time we hire out jobs that need attention or we just turn a blind eye. For instance, two years ago T, with my consent, ripped the closet doors off our guest bedroom closet - I can't even remember why at this point, it's been so long. To this day the closet remains doorless and you can see all of my off-season clothes hanging in it as you reach the top of our second story. Classy.

But today I did it. I tackled a project on my own. The guest bathroom drain was plugged. In the past, if my homemade "Draino" (a combination of baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water) didn't do the trick, I called our faithful plumbers. God bless Scott, the plumber, who showed me how to unclog the drain by myself last year. The man did not crack a smile or even show traces of a pleasant personality during his time in my home, but he taught me a life-long skill. And this year, as I plunged and fished out the gunk from our drain, I silently thanked him for the $80 he saved me today. Joyously, victoriously, I enjoyed the lack of water pooling at the base of our tub. Sweet success.

Movie Review

I highly suggest seeing "In the Shadow of the Moon." It's a wonderful documentary put together by Ron Howard that details the Apollo trips taken to the moon between 1968-1972. The men that are showcased in this film are inspiring. And the documentary itself was a pleasant surprise. I was entertained and already look forward to seeing it again.

Sights on the Highway

T and I were taking a road trip on Monday night. As I typically do on long car trips, I took a nap. T woke me up to the sight in the pictures. It didn't take me long to wake up and grab my camera. This was too good to miss. I am convinced that road rage would not be a problem if this sight was seen more often on our highways.

Saturday Circle Game

I am cheating today...kinda
I have played the circle game so often lately (awesome) that I have run out of my own questions.
So I have stolen this one from my "Go Ask Anyone!" cards...they rock.

If you were going to be appointed as U.S. Ambassador to a foreign country, which one would you want that to be?

Labor Day Weekend - Partial Circle Game

It contained everything labor day should have...family, friends, football, and fireworks. I now feel that fall has arrived and I love it! Anybody else feel the same or are you lamenting over the end of the summer?

Update

I found my paper reinforcers at Staples. They are my go-to place when others fail. They even had different colors so when I get really obsessed I can color code chapters, for instance, by paper reinforcers. LOVE Office supplies!

The thingies you put on your paper...

These things (in the picture)!! There is NO good name for them. You ask for paper clips...EEEEVERYONE knows what you're talking about. You ask for reinforcers or paper reinforcements and NOOOOOBODY knows what you're talking about. As a person who owns 503,248 3-ring binders that get used almost daily, these things are essential in life.

I walk into Meijer today to buy some. That was my first mistake. I should have gone to an office supply store, but after a long day at work I was looking for one stop shopping. It's nice to buy dinner, pillows, sidewalk chalk, and ring reinforcements all in one trip...but I am getting side tracked.

I ask the Meijer associate currently working in the office supplies section where I can find paper reinforcements...I promise you the look on her face almost convinced me that I had just asked her where to find the one horned purple elephants by mistake. She had NOOO idea what I was talking about and was clearly disgusted that I could not explain myself properly (in her opinion). After she made sure to display her annoyance with me for a good couple of seconds she sent me to the PARTY/CARD center section to look for them. I went because I was a bit scare of her, but as soon as I was out of her sight I took off from the store. Tomorrow...I will get them. And I might even ask a (friendly) Staples or Office Max associate what in the world I am supposed to call them.

Old Friend in a New Place

When I was eight years old my parents bought a piano, and I started lessons. I played until eighth grade and then "gave it up" - at least I gave up the formal lessons. I continued to play and would frequently serenade whoever in the house would listen during middle and high school years. When I'd come home from college I would sit down on the bench and pound away at the keys - reteaching myself, it seemed, every time. Although I'm far from being a great piano player, it's always been a source of relaxation and joy.

It was sad when my parents moved from my childhood house 2 1/2 years ago and put the piano in storage. I could no longer wonder into the living room to say "hi" to my old, faithful friend (piano).

But two weeks ago my faithful friend and I were reunited. By the very kind act of my Uncle B. and Aunt S., the piano was transported to our house. Family and a neighbor came and helped us move her in, and it has been a joyful reunion. I forgot how much I like to play...not because I'm good, but because I enjoy music. It can echo any mood you want it to. You just have to find the right piece. (Dri-Do you remember the song "Hymne". You copied it for me years and years ago. I found it the other day - still love it.)

But here's my dilemma...I think the piano needs a name. A good, sturdy name for a friend (piano) that I've had for 20 years. Any ideas?

Trip to N. Carolina/Southern Virginia

In my mind it was the last fling of the summer before the grind of work begins again. We worked some, played a lot, laughed hard, and cried a little. It was a great trip.

Some highlights:

1) Seeing M in the airport after two months.

2) Trip to M's work (beautiful place!) and Molasses Grill (wonderful restaurant!)

3) Exploring Duke and Chapel Hill.

4) My Taco salad at Jason's Deli on Monday. Seriously my second favorite salad EVER (California Pizza Kitchen's Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad is my first)!

Picture on the left is of moving day (Saturday). M is in a very cute house that will suit she and Marlie perfectly. Picture on the right is in the Duke Gardens. Beautiful place...if you have a chance to visit...do it! Picture below is also at Duke Univ.

Plans for today

1) It was really nice to catch up on my favorite blogs this morning. I have missed doing that recently.

2) I thought I would go to work today. Then I decided that I was going to take one last day before summer ends (at least in my world) to enjoy my house. The grad school paper is done, I have to go to work tomorrow because of meetings, and I can work from home today while in my pajamas. In between times of work I can clean my home for guests I have coming this weekend, play my piano, crochet, and relax. Sounds lovely. I can't wait.

Catching Up

It's been a long time without blogging. I am going to try to catch up with what I have missed...slowly.

The first thing to report...

The chompers are out and the pain is gone. My mouth still feels funny and I have a lingering stitch that doesn't want to dissolve. But the swelling and bruising is gone and I have long been off the Vicodin. I am glad it is over and definitely glad I did it during the summer. It would not have been pleasant to have to return to the classroom to talk for 8 hours a day shortly after surgery.