Tagged.

Pulling myself out of my childish funk long enough to be tagged by my darling.


For this meme, choose 5 occupations from the following list and complete the sentence. Optionally, "tag" another blog or 3 to participate in the meme, much like a blog party.
If I could be a scientist...
If I could be a farmer...
If I could be a musician...
If I could be a doctor...
If I could be a painter...
If I could be a gardener...
If I could be a missionary...
If I could be a chef...
If I could be an architect...
If I could be a linguist...
If I could be a psychologist...
If I could be a librarian...
If I could be a lawyer...
If I could be an inn-keeper...
If I could be an athlete...
If I could be a professor...
If I could be a writer...
If I could be a llama rider...
If I could be a bonnie pirate...
If I could be an astronaut...
If I could be a world famous blogger...
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world...
If I could be married to any current famous political figure...
If I could be a dog trainer...


Hmm. This is hard. I'm such a homebody, strictly wife/mom type, that I'm afraid all my thoughts sound silly.

If I could be a missionary...
I'd take my sweet Elizabeth with me, since she's said for several years that she wants to be a missionary when she grows up.

If I could be a farmer...
I'd "tithe" to the food bank. They love to get fresh produce.

If I could be a writer...
I'd write a book on all those mothering myths. The ones that say you are a bad mother if you get tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, lonely, angry, and sometimes sick to death of being mommy. I'd find a way to make moms understand that that's okay, and it's normal. I'd write a book that would banish the Mommy Wars forever: SAHM vs. working moms, breast vs. bottle, little Tommy started walking before your little Susie, you loser. I'd call it "Just Being Mom".

That book probably already exists, huh?

Tagged.

Forget blog parties...

Because I'm very busy with my own pity party. I'm just having one of those nights, when I can't think of a single redeeming quality that I posess. I'm unemployed, so I'm not contributing financially to the household. I'm a poor housekeeper, snappish wife, impatient mother, ineffective volunteer coordinator, mediocre friend, and all around why-do-I-even-bother type. Ugh.

Hopefully I'll feel better in the morning.

Forget blog parties...

If I could be a

From The Happy Husband.

For this meme, choose 5 occupations from the following list and complete the sentence. Optionally, "tag" another blog or 3 to participate in the meme, much like a blog party.

If I could be a scientist...
If I could be a farmer...
If I could be a musician...
If I could be a doctor...
If I could be a painter...
If I could be a gardener...
If I could be a missionary...
If I could be a chef...
If I could be an architect...
If I could be a linguist...
If I could be a psychologist...
If I could be a librarian...
If I could be a lawyer...
If I could be an inn-keeper...
If I could be an athlete...
If I could be a professor...
If I could be a writer...
If I could be a llama rider...
If I could be a bonnie pirate...
If I could be an astronaut...
If I could be a world famous blogger...
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world...
If I could be married to any current famous political figure...
If I could be a dog trainer...

If I could be a scientist, I would endeavor to fight the humanist community and promote the God-created view.

If I could be a llama-rider, well, that'd just be cool, wouldn't it?
Llama!
Llama-rider.
Riding a llama.
My sister was bitten once by a llama.
No really!
Well okay, she wasn't really.
I'd better stop before I get sacked.
Heh - llama!

If I could be a writer, I'd actually start-and finish the novels and stories I want to write. I have several ideas for stories... I just don't have the motivation to actually write them.

If I could be a librarian, my secret profession would a Watcher. Watching slayers, watching immortals, watching DVDs, watching my kids sleep at night, watching my wife scrapbook, watching my co-workers pull-together and work as a team, watching llamas.
Whoa... that one went everywhere.

If I could be a bonnie pirate, I'd have a llama as a bonnie first-mate! Do the words bonnie and pirate even work together? I guess I'm not sure what "bonnie" means... I usually hear it teamed with "lass", as in "she's a bonnie lass". Or maybe my pirate name could the Dread Pirate Llama! That would strike fear into the hearts of young bonnie lasses!
"Oh no! Here comes the Literal Creationist Dread Pirate Llama!"
"He's come to be our Watcher and not write stories about us!"

I'd better stop now before I get sacked again.

Now I have to pick someone to tag.
I'll start with Rubi!
Hey babe! Tag! Your "it"!

And maybe I'll tag Darth Vader, and MCF.

If I could be a

Tales from... and I'm a loser baby

Interesting that for the past week, Rubi has posted four entries here, detailing her adventures...

And once I slowed down long enough to make a brief post... I post about Darth Blogger.

I'll get around to a real post soon: The Happy Husband has an interesting looking meme up.

Tales from... and I'm a loser baby

Dark Lord of the Blog

The Dark Lord of the Sith now has a blog.
Very entertaining!

Dark Lord of the Blog

Tales from the (soccer) mom side.

Okay, BRR. Soccer tourney quarter finals were tonight. Parents arrived wearing sunglasses and toting umbrellas, which looked kinda funny. But they had a point. The sun was beating down, and off to the north was an ominous dark grey...well, wall.

The games started, and everyone was keeping one nervous eye on the approaching wall. The sun was out, the sun was out, the sun was out...then wham. It was gone. Replaced by high winds, rapidly dropping temps, and a drizzle. Which turned into an actual rain. Which then turned into a downpour. Umbrellas were turning inside out, another umbrella went careening completely off of the soccer fields and across the parking lot of a nearby church, and one poor soccer team was trying to play while (hilariously) dodging an escaped folding chair cover. The thing was blowing to and fro among the players, pursued by a really embarassed father. The crowd on the bleachers was howling. Then the referees finally called the game. No, no, wait, they didn't call it. They sent everyone off to huddle in their cars for ten minutes until the rain stopped.
I don't know how they knew, but ten minutes later, the sun was beating down again. The temp had dropped about 20 degrees, and I kept busy the rest of the game selling hot chocolate to the shivering masses. Like I said. Brr.

Tales from the (soccer) mom side.

Tales from the job hunting mom side.

Yes, job hunting. My last day at my current job is Thursday. I accepted the pitifully low pay on the understanding that I'd be doing lots to improve their rubber stamping department: buying, merchandising, etc. I was way excited about that, and considered it a fair trade. Low wages, but lots of fun doing something I love. But then the scrapbooking buyer (my boss) got all territorial, and nine months later I'm still dusting shelves and straightening paper for $6.50 an hour. Nope, I don't think so.
So I'm applying for jobs left and right, and hit on a lead this weekend for something that sounds ideal. Prayers and good thoughts, please. I just put together my first resume in...hmm, I think EVER. Got on the phone with my mother the resume guru, and emailed it to her. She helped me improve it and fine tune it, and now it looks all impressive and stuff. ;-)
I'll either fax it or drop it off at the mortgage company that's hiring later today.

In other news, I'm still sick. I sound like I've been smoking since birth, and am still headachy, hacking and coughing. I bailed out of work a half hour yesterday, and called in sick today. My darling doesn't know I did that yet, but DUH. It was kind of a given. But he should be home any minute, and will probably be less than delighted to find me here.

Tales from the job hunting mom side.

Tales from the mom side.

Busy day.

I'm sick with what we call The Crud - nasty head cold combined with general achy feeling and lethargy. Whoop.

So I woke up at 3:45, unable to breathe through my nose, and couldn't get back to sleep. I had to be up at 6, so I tossed and turned until then. Got out of bed for a bit. Back to bed. Up again. Down. Groan. Nope, Rubi's up for the day.
I had to be at the soccer field at 8:00 to set up for a 9AM soccer game. It was miserably cold, overcast, and gusty out. Not ideal weather for a pack of 1st and 2nd graders to play soccer in, but they didn't call the games. Oh-kay.

Eight to noon was insane. Got my first round of parent volunteers set up at 8:30, and dashed home to pick up some blankets and Elizabeth's turtleneck, which I'd forgotten to pack for her to wear under her uniform. (She was at a friend's birthday sleepover, and I was to pick her up a half hour before her 10:30 game.) Got back to the soccer field to find that we'd run out of hot cocoa mix, and there was a line of people waiting to order some. So I did about 60 to the nearest gas station, emptied their shelf of cocoa mix, and ran back to the concession stand.

Flung the boxes at them and took off again to pick Elizabeth up. Got her changed into uniform, leggings, turtleneck, gloves, and hat (no, seriously) and sent her off to her coach to warm up before the game. It was so cold that neither team played quite as well as usual, and we wound up the game tied 2-2. During the game, we got the added treat of a light drizzle. Good grief.

Finished the game and concession stand cleanup at noon, went home, collapsed on the sofa while my darling got the kids ready for my sister's birthday party. Off we go to the party. Party, food, presents, cake, whoo! Back home again.

Rushed Elizabeth through the shower. Tonight is her Brownie troop's father-daughter date night, so she needed to get all prettied up. The outfit we bought for her to wear tonight - it's a semi formal event - was out of the question. Short sleeved shirt, just below the knee skirt, and strappy sandals. Remember the horrid weather? I got her black velvet Christmas dress out of the box of winter clothes instead. Thank goodness she's had the courtesy not to grow in the past four months.

My darling got all gussied up in his suit too, and off they went for dinner and dancing. Me? Zzzzzzzz. Catherine was already in bed for the night, and Alexander watched TV while I slept on the sofa next to him. Now he's in bed and I'm feeling relatively rested, albeit still like a living Nyquil ad.

Added highlights to my day include the gallon container of water that spilled in the van, my accidentally mentioning the birthday sleepover in front of a child who wasn't invited, and pouring out the 30 cups of coffee I'd made for the concession stand because everyone wanted hot cocoa instead.

Can't wait for my darling and my sweet pea to come home tonight and show me pics. I could use a smile.

Tales from the mom side.

Love it.

Love it, love it. These pictures were taken during Elizabeth's soccer game day.

Look at this one first. Note everyone's facial expressions.
http://www.dhphotography.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?pagenum=30&action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&id=1421190&eventid=14587

Now look at this one, taken a split second later. Ow.

http://www.dhphotography.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?pagenum=31&action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&id=1421190&eventid=14587

Love it.

Stuff and Things

Stuff:
The previous post was brought to you by 43 Things.
Wait.. 43 different things didn't bring you the post... Just one thing brought the post, the website 43 Things... Oh nevermind...
I signed up on 43 Things. They say it's a list of 43 goals you want to accomplish, but if you sign up, on the script you can put on your blog, it says "I am doing xx things:"... And while I'd like to do the things I've put on my 43 things list, I actually am not doing them. They are goals I'd like to accomplish at some point.
And I don't have 43 things on my list yet. So far, just three things.

Things:
I signed up to be a reviewer for Mind & Media. Stacy's blog is for promoting authors, publishers, and reviewers of faith-based media (books, DVDs, etc.). She also has two other websites at Einvolved and MediaSoul.

I signed up with Link2Blogs, as you can see at the end of the right column.

That's it for now... I have to go tape American Idol for Rubi.

Stuff and Things

Not. Gonna. Happen.

Yeah, I’d like to take an Alaskan Cruise:
Alaska = Cool (read: I think it’s neat.)
Also, Alaska = Cold! or at least my wife thinks so. Her idea of a cruise is HOT weather, sunbathing, HOT weather, the equator, HOT weather, beaches, sun, fun, oh and did I mention – HOT weather?
While I’d love to do that with her, and maybe someday will… I’d also love to take an Alaskan Cruise: comfortable weather, on the cold side of things, beautiful vistas, NOT HOT weather, neat things to sight-see, etc.
But… if we end taking a cruise, it’ll probably be a Disney Cruise with the kids.

See more progress on: take a cruise to Alaska

Not. Gonna. Happen.

Check out our little Mia Hamm

She's the one in the orange shirt and royal blue shorts. I particularly like the last shot.

http://www.dhphotography.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&pagenum=36&id=1420897&eventid=14585

http://www.dhphotography.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&pagenum=40&id=1420901&eventid=14585

http://www.dhphotography.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&pagenum=39&id=1420900&eventid=14585

http://www.dhphotography.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&pagenum=59&id=1420920&eventid=14585

Check out our little Mia Hamm

Sunday Brunch for April 17, 2005

Today's Sunday Brunch

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast." -Oscar Wilde

1) Do you eat breakfast on a regular basis and why or why not? I usually eat breakfast as I'm slopping the - uh, I mean feeding the kids in the morning before school. I eat whatever I'm giving them. Which isn't always something I should be eating. But my mom always said breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gives you energy to start your day and feeds your brain so you can make it to lunch. Of course... caffeine seems to serve that purpose too...

2) What is your typical everyday breakfast? Something different everyday: scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, mini-donuts, waffles, cereal… that's basically what we seem to rotate for breakfast... Sunday mornings I'll usually run down to the Donut Bank and bring home donuts.

3) How do you eat your eggs? Usually scrambled since that's easiest to make. But I like `em hardboiled, scrambled, fried, sunny side up.

4) What is your favorite restaurant to eat breakfast out at? Golden Corral. Buffet Baby! All I can eat and someone else is making it!! Plus, they make a pretty good omelet! And I can get cinnamon rolls, bacon, toast, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, hashbrown casserole, breakfast casserole... and we all get full! It's getting up, getting everyone ready, and leaving that's the problem... Another favorite place to eat breakfast is my in-laws' house. Mom Gulledge cooks up a mean breakfast! Breakfast casserole, hashbrown casserole, etc.

5) Describe your perfect breakfast in detail. I think I just did. All-I-can-eat of foods I like, someone else cooks it, and I'm not rushed.

Well... Now I'm hungry.

Sunday Brunch for April 17, 2005

I missed the party.

I got busy this week and I missed the 3rd Blog Party.
I'm disappointed. I'll have to make sure to make an appearance at the 4th... whenever it happens.

I missed the party.

Shhh.

My darling is sleeping. My three small darlings are sleeping. It's way past my bedtime, and I need to be getting to bed.
But how often do I get to sit in a perfectly silent house and...well...enjoy the silence.

Quick "things that made me smile recently" rundown:

The unexpected gift of OPI nail polish in my favorite shade. It arrived in the mail courtesy of an internet buddy.

Watching American Idol tonight. During commercials, the phone would ring. It was my best friend, watching a few miles away at her home. We skipped the part about "Hello?", and just launched right into the current diatribe. I picked up the phone once and was greeted with a furious "I just wanna SMACK that fat guy!" She's a fun friend, and I'm lucky to have her.

Shopping spree at Chez Target with my darling and the kids. Got lots of cute things for myself and the girls, all on sale. (Gotta say though, it's weird choosing underwear while your 7 year old daughter is standing beside you offering opinions.)

The thought that my darling is two rooms away, waiting for snuggles and sleep. Night all.

Shhh.

Trying not to be a fanatical soccer mom.

But MAN, it's hard. Elizabeth is in the Alpha soccer league (1st and 2nd graders) at her school. This is her second year playing for the Stars. Last year, the team scored two goals all season, and didn't win a single game. Which was fine - their wonderful coaches were waiting at the sidelines after every game with a round of high fives and tons of encouragement and praise for playing so hard. We parents did the same: after every game, we ran out on the field and formed a bridge for the Stars to run through, while we shouted and cheered for them.

This year? They've had two games and won both of them. We soccer parents are out of our minds, as you can imagine. But the games have been HARD. See, the entire league goes to the same school, so the kids are always playing against friends and classmates. In the first game, Elizabeth played against the team that my niece is on. In last nights game, the opposing team contained her best friend Katie. Who's mother is MY best friend. So the two families sat together, and cheering was way difficult. But fun anyway.

On the "excruciatingly cute" front, there were lots of younger siblings in the bleachers last night. Catherine and Alexander were adorable cheering "Go Elizabeth!". Katie's 2yo sister was cheering for Katie, and another mom we're friendly with had her three year old Savannah with her, who kept yelling "Go Sissy!". (While I personally think calling siblings sissy and bubby is gross and tacky, it was cute nevertheless. And I can kind of understand it in this case. Alexandria is a mouthful for a 2yo.)

I'll share some pics as soon as Kev teaches me how to put them on the blog.

Trying not to be a fanatical soccer mom.

cough

I feel ...unwell.
I either am having a horrendous allergy attack, or I've got a cold.
My nose is running, I've had a mild cough for about a week.
I'm congested. My eyes are itchy and watery.
I fell kinda like I'm feverish, but I'm not sure (I'm at work, so I can't check my temp).
My throat is scratchy and my voice is being affected by all the above symptoms.

It's probably allergies. This area is notorious for allergies and respiratory problems.
I would've called in sick to work today, but I had a 2-hour in-service training before my shift started, and I felt I needed to attend that. And it would probably have meant 2 supervisors would've had to split my shift and end up working 12 hours - and we all hate that.
And I probably would've ended up running errands with Rubi all day.

If I feel like this tomorrow - I'm calling in sick. Even if it means the other supervisors have to work 12.

cough

Reveling.

In just being mom. Being a semi-working-outside-the-home mommy has given me an even greater appreciation of Just Being Mom.

Today I ran to Elizabeth's school (BOTH campuses) to distribute letters to all 64 soccer players in her school's league, so they could go home to all 64 sets of parents tonight.

Then trotted off to Sam's Club to buy mass quantities of junk food to stock the soccer concession stand with. Oodles of candy bars, ring pops, chips, and juice boxes. Alexander and Catherine were with me. Picture me surrounding the kids with this motherlode of goodies, while explaining to them that they couldn't lay so much as a finger on them. Yeah, they enjoyed that.

Then I detoured through the clothing section - Sam's Club is truly a Wal Mart on steroids. They've got everything. Just bigger, and cheaper for the most part. Since I was sweating buckets in my sweater and jeans, I picked up an Anne Klein cap sleeve polo for myself (I have exactly ONE short sleeved shirt in my possession at the moment.). I'm sure it was a second or whatever, but I didn't care. The $49 Anne Klein price tag, combined with the "real" $12 Sam's Club price tag, reconciled this penny-pinching mommy of three to it.

Found each of the younger kiddos some dirt cheap outfits too, since they have hardly any warm weather clothing either. One outfit for each of them, cute as the proverbial button, $10 a pop. Love it.

Then it was off to the soccer fields to unload the snacks. Quick trip to my friend Susan's house, since it was too early to go to school and too late to head home.

Picked up my carpool kids, found to my annoyance that Elizabeth's soccer coach forgot to bring her uniform shirt to school like he promised (She has a game tomorrow morning at 9), and packed Elizabeth off with a friend for a sleepover.

Now Catherine, who missed her nap, is sound asleep in bed a half hour earlier than normal, Alexander's zoned out in front of the TV with his evening snack, and I'm relaxing, goofing around on the puter.

Love it.

Must find Advil for the minor, but persistent, headache.

Reveling.

I'm such a loser.

Elizabeth's first soccer game is Saturday. I'm the concessions coordinator, and have yet to send home the concession stand schedule for all the parents. I think what we'll end up doing is that I will work it the whole morning on Saturday, to get a feel for things. (What everyone's wanting, what supplies we still need, etc.). Parents will start helping out on Tuesday's game.

Gah. I SO don't feel like messing with this right now. I know it'll be fun when it gets going - I held the same position last year, and had a ball. It's just getting started that's really daunting.

I'm such a loser.

Sunday Brunch for April 3, 2005

From Sunday Brunch

"In a country as big as the United States, you can find fifty examples of anything." -Jeffery F. Chamberlain

1) What state were you born in? Indiana

2) What state do you currently live in? Indiana

3) How many states have you been in? (and yes, driving through counts!) See this post, and this post.

4) If you had your choice regardless of cost, which of the 50 states would you choose to live in? Un-realistically: Alaska. Realistically: Indiana (most of my family is here).

5) Which of the 50 states would you rather die than live in? Anywhere hot. Anything coastal.
I don't like hot weather. Room temperature weather is wonderful, anything above 85 and that's just wrong... Humidity and Heat together... bad!
And not coastal because I'd hate to have to evacuate every hurrican season.

Sunday Brunch for April 3, 2005