Birthday Plans

Actual Conversation had with my husband regarding my birthday plans:

Me: “What time do you think Midnight bowling starts?”

Husband: “Um, I’m thinking Midnight?”

Me: “No, I think it starts at 11.”

Husband: “No, no I’m pretty sure Midnight bowling starts at Midnight.”

Me: “I’m looking at the website and it’s from 11pm -2am…Oh! And also it’s called Cosmic Bowling.”

So yes, for the third year in a row we’re keeping the tradition alive and we’re going to go bowling for my birthday! Yay! I love it, especially when we get the lanes closest to the bar

And I just called to make sure there wouldn’t be a prom after party like there was last year. And there isn’t, so yay! Birthday plans are a go!

*kisses*

Smiley Count:2

Oooh, free money?

• New Ozzy Banner! I’m sorry I’ve been late the past two months but I should be on time for June and July since I already have some ideas in mind. And I actually have July’s head piece. Score!

• For the past couple of paychecks my husband and I have noticed that our online banking statement shows we have more money than our check register. I know that most people would think, ‘Sweet, money!’ but I had to figure it out. I finally sat down last night with the past two statements and a highlighter and went to town. After about 30 minutes I found the glitch. Because some bills need to be paid by check or in one lump sum my husband and I put aside a certain amount each paycheck and label it ‘holding’, that way we can go ahead and subtract it and we’re good about not spending it. When the next paycheck comes in or it’s time to pay that bill we take it out of holding, add it back into our checking account and either pay the bill or set aside a larger amount as holding for the next week. Well, last month when we went to Louisiana I set aside $30.67 for our Time Warner Cable Bill. And it never got taken out of it’s holding state, even though we’ve since paid our TWC bill. I can’t for the life of me figure out why we weren’t flipping out about not having that money, but the fact of the matter is, now we have a paid TWC bill and $30 extra in our checking account!

• Did any of that make sense or is it just showcasing how insane my husband and I are about our bills?

• I know I’ll be even happier with having extra money in my bank account when that damn tax rebate comes in! Why did we choose this year of all years to not select direct deposit? Bah!

• My birthday? Is in 4 days. I’ve been surprisingly calm about it so far but my body on the other hand is trying to tell me that I am not, in fact, calm about turning 25. All this week I’ve been lethargic, tired, cranky, my stomach has been in knots, etc. I’ve always been excited about my birthdays, this one is no exception, but it’s starting to be really difficult to be excited about something that is causing me so much duress leading up to it.

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 2

It’s Election 2008 and I helped!

So last night after I had dinner with my parents I decided to stop by my local campaign office to pick up a button in support of the candidate I chose for president. A little late to start showcasing my support, I know, but better late than never. So I stop by for a button and they somehow convince me to stay until the polls close to make phone calls asking people for their support at the polls.

Ok they didn’t have to do much convincing for 2 reasons. 1) I don’t really know how to say ‘no’ to people, though if you ask my husband he’ll tell you I’m pretty good at saying to ‘no’ to him. and 2) I’m very proud of myself for being able to choose a candidate on my own without the influence of other’s opinions, so it wasn’t a stretch for me to want to spend 45 minutes of my time last night campaigning for a politician.

I’m stepping up my political prowess. 4 years ago I went to a rally in support of Kerry/Edwards. On election night I played electoral beer pong and fell down a a whole flight of wet fire escape stairs. And I still maintain that the two weren’t connected! But after doing all of that, I still didn’t vote.

This election season I not only voted but I also actively supported a candidate! That’s amazing to me, seeing as I’m prone to pick someone by the way they look or how cool their name sounds. Ross Perot? Had both of those things going for him if I had been old enough to vote!

So what’s fun is even if my candidate doesn’t receive the nomination from my party for the road to the White House, at least I had a small part in trying to help them reach their goals.

And I also got a button and a t-shirt out of it, and that’s just awesome.

I wonder, when will the lure of a free t shirt wear off?

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 4

Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, DIARRHEA!

On Friday night my husband and I decided to stay in and hang out. We’re kind of irritated with one of our O’Charley’s friends who completely showed his ass last Friday night by hitting on me and pouring one of the beers my husband bought for the group down the drain b/c he’s, in short, a lightweight. So instead of inviting an unwanted awkward situation into our Friday night we just decided to stay home and may have played Mario Kart for the entire evening.

One of the things that amuses me about this game is how easily my husband and I get irritated by playing against the computer. For example we will be ahead of the entire crew for the entire race and just as we’re about to dominate we’re hit with 8 different objects that prohibit us from claiming our victory over a machine.

The main thing that amuses me is a course from the Nintendo Gamecube’s version of Mario Kart, “Donkey Kong Mountain”. Until tonight we thought that the aforementioned mountain, which of course has a face b/c it’s Mario World, was either angry or sad. But upon closer examination we’ve come to realize that it is in fact…constipated.

Wouldn’t you agree?

Perhaps some Pepto Bismol is in order?

If any of you have Wii’s and the amazing Mario Kart, let me know and we’ll play together!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

On a completely unrelated note…I voted today! It was my very first time and I must say it went splendidly! I’m very excited and am rocking my “I Voted” sticker with pride.

*kisses*

Smiley Count:3

I’m sorry, how old?

In a week I’m turning 25. Wow.

One of my coworkers told me not to think of how I’m going to be a quarter of a century old but to think of all I’ve accomplished in the past 25 years and how much more I’ll accomplish in the next 25. I think that’s a pretty good way to look at this impending birthday so I’m going to take that advice and look at what I have indeed accomplished in the past 25 years and make a list of the things I hope to accomplish in the next 25.

• I was born. A feat in itself.
• I learned to walk.
• I learned to talk…and haven’t looked back since!
• Learning to talk led to learning to sing.
• I learned to drive.
• I graduated high school.
• I survived my 21st birthday. And that wasn’t easy.
• I graduated college.
• I fell into debt.
• I’ve become an adult, an adult with a cleaning schedule.
• I’ve had and excelled at 3 adult jobs.
• I’ve adopted two puppies who needed me.
• I met my soul mate.
• I married my soul mate.
• I’ve transitioned into marriage.
• I’ve put myself on a debt pay off schedule.

Things I wish to accomplish in the next 25 years:

• I plan to have two beautiful kids. No more, no less. I told my husband that I don’t plan on being outnumbered.
• I plan to get out of debt completely, except for good debt, of course.
• I plan to buy a house and make it a home.
• I plan to celebrate my 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th wedding anniversaries.
• I plan to be well on my way to retirement.
• I plan to watch my children grow into wonderful individuals. Because I’ll teach them all of the good values and none of the bad.
• I plan to volunteer at community theatres.
• I plan to be the “cool” mom whose house is always filled with rambunctious children and teenagers.
• I plan to chaperone every field trip my children go on and will be the mom whose group is always requested.
• I plan to live happily ever after.

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 2

8 months…

• I didn’t mean to make you guys sobbing messes at your desks yesterday. I guess the fact that I was a sobbing mess at my own desk while writing it should have tipped me off?

• It’s absolutely beautiful here today. And it therefore sucks that I am stuck in my office and can’t be outside to enjoy this crazy gorgeous day.

• I don’t know if it’s hormones or the fact that I worked from home for most of the day yesterday, but I could not stop eating. I ate tried to curb it but I kept feeling hungry. These are the times when I need to have carrots in my house. I wouldn’t feel so guilty. I did manage to drag myself off the couch and away from my laptop long enough to do a workout, so I guess it wasn’t all bad.

• Anyone want to adopt my cats? Ok I’m kidding, but does anyone have any idea how I can get them to stop crying outside my door every morning? I thought it was b/c I would only feed them in the morning and force them to make it last throughout the day. But I’ve switched that up and now give them the same amount of food split between the morning and night. The only problem is that on the weekdays I’m up as early as 5:45, so on the days when I allow myself some time to sleep in I am awakened by the screaming cries of my famished cats. I seriously want to kill them. Not to mention the fact that Harley can’t take a hint and leave me alone after I’ve thrown her off the bed 10 times.

• Today, I have been married for 8 months. 8 months. Still feels like yesterday. Actually it still feels like a year ago when this day came around and I was saying “4 more months!” For shiggles, where does time go? I mentioned this to my husband last night and he said “just imagine how fast 10 years is going to fly by? Then 15, then 20, and then the kids will be gone and it will just be us again.” I think it’s absolutely adorable how he thinks about the future like that. And it’s cute that he referenced the non existent children.

• HAPPY FRIDAY!

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 2

Time Flies…

…even when you’re not having fun.

This day a year ago was the hardest day I’ve ever had the displeasure of experiencing. I somehow managed to pull myself out of my bed at my parent’s house after not sleeping a bit the night before, and making my way into work. My eyes were bloodshot and my body numb.

I had lost my first, four legged, (wo)man’s best friend of my adulthood the night before. My Angus, my Gus-Gus.

There are still times when I replay that night over and over again in my head. What was so different about that night? Was it really meant to happen or could I have done something to stop it?

Angus had always been a free spirit. Breaking away from me to run around in circles was his favorite past time. But that night, his run was a little faster, his circle a little wider. As if he knew what was about happen and he was trying to enjoy his last moments.

Knowing he would always come back to me I had given up trying to call his name to get him to put on those puppy brakes and throw it in reverse. I wish I had known that my Gus-Gus wasn’t coming back to me that night, I would have shouted myself hoarse to try and get his attention if it meant I could spend a couple of more minutes appreciating his spastic energy.

But it wasn’t meant to be. And I know that no matter how hard I wish, I can’t change what happened. I can’t scream myself hoarse or run like lightening to try and make out the license plate on the car that hit him and didn’t even slow down.

I can’t even wish to forget the immediate sense of loss and sorrow I felt as I made my way across the lawn to where he lay. I can’t forget how fortunate I felt when I saw that he was at peace with his tongue hanging out of mouth, just like it did when he would sleep.

I can’t forget the sense of love I felt as my family rallied around me. My dad and future husband immediately beginning to dig his grave so he could be laid to rest. My mom’s arms as she held me while I wept. Me running upstairs to my room to find a toy to bury with him and seeing that my mom had already removed his kennel and vacuumed away the lines it had made in the carpet.

I can’t forget bursting into tears throughout the night and into the next morning. I can’t forget going to work and trying to pass my bloodshot eyes off as allergies. I can’t forget that feeling of emptiness that followed me for the next few months.

I can’t forget b/c I don’t want to. I don’t want to forget b/c it’s part of what’s made me who I am today. I don’t want to forget b/c if I still had Angus today, I wouldn’t have Ozzy. And Ozzy needed me, just like I needed him.

So while I’ll never be thankful that I lost my puppy too soon, I am quite thankful for what I’ve been given in this past year b/c of his absence.

RIP Angus
February 2, 2006 - April 30, 2007

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 1

Wednesday Wanderings

• 9:47PM. That’s what time it was when Google Reader decided to show that I had a new post. A new post that I wrote at 8:30AM. I’m about to call it quits with the GR. Updated: Oh of course, the day I complain about GR being slow it shows that I posted at 8:11AM. Which is only 1 minute after I actually posted, as opposed to, oh I don’t know, 13 HOURS. Upgrade, definitely. Let’s keep up the good work GR.

• New addiction? Gossip Girl. So unnecessary, but so very good. Now I’m hoping that the new 90210 spin off will be on the same night as Gossip Girl. Because I’m not sure I can justify watching two vapid teenage soaps on two different nights.

• I’ve had an issue with motivation lately. Like I go to bed saying to myself “Self! Tomorrow you will wake up full of life and energy and you will accomplish everything on your ‘to do’ list.” And then I don’t. I wake up feeling sluggish and even more exhausted than I did when I went to bed. I don’t know why, but my energy in the morning is non existent. And no amount of morning yoga or coffee seems to fix that.

• Oh yeah, I’m still doing AM yoga. Though to be honest I’m about to memorize it just so I don’t have to hear the leader’s annoying voice. And it will probably be a good idea to commit it to memory for when I go on vacation to places that don’t have Exercise on Demand, though I’m sure though places don’t actually exist. I simply don’t to imagine a world without Exercise on Demand.

*kisses*

Smiley Count: ooh, only 1. eek.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Years upon years ago my sister and I got one of the best presents from Santa, a Nintendo Entertainment System. The original Nintendo, the best Nintendo ever. Of course Santa also brought us the Super Mario Bros/Duckhunt game combo and my sister and I were set. We would spent countless hours playing on our NES, eventually buying tons of games including Super Mario 2 and 3 and my all time favorite Jeopardy.

The only downside to the original Nintendo? The word original. Within a few years, maybe even within 6 months our original Nintendo was no longer the envy of the neighborhood b/c Nintendo was replaced by Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the best Nintendo game ever made, in my opinion, Mario Kart.

Oh how I envied my friends who had an SNES and later a N64. Oh how I loved going to their houses and playing Mario Kart. Oh the memories of hours wasted

Of course even though I didn’t have a Mario Kart of my own I still perfected the patented “girl lean”. You know what I’m talking about…leaning with your remote to try and not make your car run off its course? I not only mastered the “girl lean” while playing Mario Kart I even did the “girl jump” while playing Super Mario Bros. Because everyone knows you jump higher when you move your remote.

Of course, my video gaming days went by the wayside once I realized that no matter how much I “girl lean” and “girl jump” I’d still never be able to play those games very well.

But then, over 10 years later, the Nintendo decided to once again reinvent itself with the development of the Nintendo Wii and much to my massive enjoyment it also decided to remaster Mario Kart in such a way that is pure genius and totally caters to not only the “girl lean” but also the “girl jump”.

Observe:

The Wii Wheel.

“Now making it possible for every girl to kick every guy’s ass at Mario Kart.”

That should totally be their slogan. It would sell like hotcakes.

Actually it already is. My husband and I actually went on an epic journey to get all of the pieces for Mario Kart. The game itself, which comes with a Wii Wheel, we had pre-ordered and prepaid. So we picked that up from my husband’s store and headed over to Best Buy to pick up an extra Wii Wheel. But since Best Buy enables people who buy up a huge quantity of goods only to turn around and sell them for a higher profit, we arrived to find that Best Buy had sold out of Wii Wheels. So we went across the complex and shelled out more money than we wanted to just so we could both play our new game with the help of Wii Wheels.

On the way home my husband remembered that we probably needed batteries so we of course had to stop and pick up an 8 pack, just to be safe. And then we hit up the Sonic drive thru for happy hour and a little slushie refreshment.

But let me tell you, once we got home around 3:30 we didn’t turn that game off for at least 4 hours.

And I totally kicked my husband’s ass more times than he kicked mine.

Thank you “girl lean” All those years of being made fun of have finally paid off!

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 5

Best Idea Ever

Saturday night I got a little bored. Since I started a cleaning schedule* I really don’t have all that much to do on the weekend. And life gets especially boring when the husband is working. I ended up searching for things to do. Here’s a breakdown of what I did on Saturday to try and keep myself busy…

• Went to see my grandmother.
• Cleaned and vacuumed the Versa.
• Cleaned out the fridge.
• Cleaned out the pantries.
• Took the trash out. (3 times, don’t judge)
• Took several bags of clothing to GoodWill.
• Got my eyebrows waxed.
• Went grocery shopping.
• Organized pots and pans cabinet.
• Baked cookies.
• Made egg salad.
• Cleaned and cut 2 packages of strawberries.

It’s really that last bullet point that I want to focus on here.

Remember when I was on a margarita kick b/c of the marvelous Magic Bullet? Well, I grew kind of sick of margaritas after a while. I know, it’s blasphemy but it seriously happens. The only problem is that I still had about a shot and a half of tequila left and very little margarita mix. Nowhere near enough to make one last margarita. So those bottles have been chillaxing in my liquor cabinet for probably 2 or 3 months now.

So during the slicing of the many strawberries a lightbulb went on and I’m very pleased to say that the lightbulb? was perhaps one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. Behold:

Which eventually turned into…

And now all I want to do is go to the beach.

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 3

*Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Vacuum, dust every Wednesday. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Sweep Kitchen and bathrooms, clean catbox, clean bathrooms every Tuesday. I’m C.D.O. It’s like O.C.D. only in alphabetical order.