Guess Who Woke Up On The Right Side Of The Bed Today

It's also the first time she's ever drawn/painted me with short hair... interesting.

Shh

Baby has been sicker than sick this week. Yesterday afternoon, while Kid and I were catching up on American Idol, I realized Baby wasn't with us. I sent Kid on a reconnaissance mission.
She found her like this:

One Day I'll Have Time To Maintain An Interesting Blog

Until then...

P.S. Sorry about the wind noise in that first minute... I figure it out pretty quickly... so don't give up.

2 Down

Both kids are sick.

Baby started yesterday night with a crazy cough and fever (so I'm on day two of holding a child upright all night... we all know how restful that is... especially when they are barking in your face).

Then... boom... this morning Kid puked.

Thankfully I had some ESP last night and put her puke bowl by her bed (honestly... isn't that weird?).

Doubly thankful that she is so used to puking with EVERY SINGLE virus that she used it... BY HERSELF. She's only 7, I think that's extraordinary. And kind of sad.

She Calls It Like She Sees It

It has been hot here the last couple of days, and so I've been wearing a rotation of 2 new dresses I got. But sometimes dresses aren't really appropriate (weed wacking).

I ran down to my bin in the basement and brought up a couple pairs of shorts.

Oof. I could technically zip them... but could not... technically breathe.

I took them off and headed back downstairs. Baby looked up from her lunch and said "Too small?"

And it struck me as funny because in her life experience that is perfectly normal. The girls outgrow all of their clothes by the next year.

I rummaged around in my bin and brought up a short denim skirt. Wishing I hadn't bought such a trendy item last year... and wishing it was about 10 inches longer, I put it on. That skirt was always cut a little big in the waist, so I could zip it. And breathe. But instead of resting lower on my waist, as it had last year, it was resting lower on my ribcage. Making it obscenely short.

Baby walked in...

"Why do keep trying on kids' clothes?"

"I don't know" I replied, laughing at the unintended insult.

I put back on my dress and headed out to mow the lawn, defeated but motivated.

Yikes

We might be buying a house today.

Mr F put a bid in on a short sale competition last night.

I haven't even seen it.

And it's a duplex (double yikes).

More later.


In other news I weighed myself today and some of that extra weight must have been wacky water retention. I'm down to 10 pounds to lose. I'm tracking it over there in the side bar as well as my days of exercise. I'm counting calories on a dry erase board on my fridge (why have I never thought of that before?!). Nine weeks to the new old me. Believe it.

The Reckoning

Holy crap.

I weighed myself today.

I cannot believe it is even humanly possible to gain a pound a day... but... folks... apparently that is exactly what happened while I was away.

It's alright. Maybe that's what I needed.

So eight pounds is now 15 freaking pounds.

Believe it.

Action is now being taken.

Just refresh your memory, I used to look like this in my bathing suit:

I don't even fit in that suit anymore... much less look like that.

I'm bringing it back peeps.

Wee Wee Wee All The Way Home

Yes it's a weight reference.

This whole not worrying about my diet and exercise until the house sells has not been working for me. It's been working against me. (And astonishingly fast I might add)

Maybe worrying about my weight will make my house sell?

Or at least partially divert some mental energy?
Or result in losing the 8 pounds I've never managed to lose?
Or kill me?

Let's find out.

Cause, ladies and gents, when your yoga pants don't fit... um... you have a problem.

Back On The Road

Kind of want to kill myself.

Sibling Rivalry

"You're my special special." I whisper to Baby as I snuggle her to sleep.

"You're my mommy mommy." She whispers back.

"But, Sissy says you're her mommy." She continues indignantly.

"I have two little girls." I reply.

"Yeah... but... one of them is YUCKY." Baby concedes.

Holy Addiction Batman

I want to be sure you don't skip this post because you think I am being disingenuous!! As usual (ALWAYS!!!!) I do not "do" reviews. I do not get paid or compensated IN ANY WAY. I only tell you what things I happen to independently love. So I am being completely serious. This whole ancestry site rocks my old school American genes. Do it!! I'd love to hear what you all find out. I think you can get it all done in the 14 days and then print it out ... that's my plan anyway.

I've been watching both the PBS and the ABC geneology shows that have been on this month. Have you been watching them? I am totally into them... love it!

I've got really old American families on all sides of my family and I've always kind of wondered what my BIG tree would look like. These shows have only sparked that interest even more.

Both shows have constant commercials for ancestry.com and I was curious about it. So, when my nieces were here we checked it out and I was delighted to find the 2 week free trial. After that (you have to cancel it) it's actually pretty expensive. I put a email reminder in my google calendar so I don't forget to cancel.

It is crazy addictive and fun. This would be a great thing to do with your older kids. With every new connection made (amazingly I could get all the way back to the 1400s) you can see the real documents (census, Revolutionary War enrollment, etc). It is really cool!

For example:

#1... inbreeding!!!... crazy. Turns out there weren't a whole lot of different families in New Haven, CT in 1700.

#2... Belgium... who knew?! No wonder I love chocolate.

I'm Alive

Mr F surely has some good pics of Easter... I'll put them up soon.

I spent yesterday looking at houses... duds... all of them. Surprisingly depressing. The houses were FILTHY. And you know how I feel about keeping a house clean for showings. And this just proves the point. I'm kind of rethinking location at this point. And appreciating how nice our house and yard are in Asheville. We didn't see anything even close to what we have now. Not even close.

The kids are out of sorts. Sleeping is off. Eating is off. They are bored. Baby really needs her routine and space. I haven't worked out, I've been eating jelly beans by the fistful and I have been drinking soda. In short...I've been breaking out like a teenager before the prom.

We went to the zoo on a hot day. After the long walk back to the car Kid yelled "I don't want to move here, I HATE MICHIGAN!!!!" Then I reminded her we wouldn't actually be living at the Detroit Zoo (FYI The Toldeo Zoo is 1000x better... just sayin'... it's not even close to the same experience... plus the Amish are always at the Toldeo Zoo... bonus!!).

Some people are loving our house (jaw dropper they said) but can't afford it... still waiting to see if they love it enough to make an offer (PLEASE!!!!)

I'm really into these Detroit mansions.here, here, and here. I know you thought you could buy whole blocks of houses in Detroit for $100... well... you are kind of right and kind of wrong. Did you see that kitchen!!! I need a mansion!!!

That's What You Think

The kids spent Saturday holding mock egg hunts with my mother, using some decorative eggs she had on hand.

Last night, as Mr F was putting Kid to bed, Kid reflected on the day's activities:

"It will probably be a lot harder to find the eggs tomorrow." Kid contemplated.

"They're being hidden by a PROFESSIONAL." She added seriously.

We Made It

It was close. I mean, really, really, close.

About an hour and a half from my grandmother's house I actually called and Mr F and my mother got in a car and came down to meet us and drive us home. I'm no newbie to long solo car trips... so... that rescue mission is saying something about my extreme fatigue level.

So glad it's over.

The kids did great.

But it's one thing to start out on a 5 state drive and it's another to start out when you're already so tired you can barely see straight.

Hopefully the drive home will go smoother once I've had a good week's rest.

P.S. I never want to do this again. For real. The next time I'm driving up here it better be the last time.

P.P.S. I brought my Step with me. That should make for some hilarious video footage... stay tuned. God that could be great.

On The Road Again

Half way to Michigan.

Half way dead.

See You Later Alligator

I'm turning off the comments because I know when people see someone having a hard time they naturally want to help. Unfortunately unless you're loading up your car to come on over... nothing is gonna help right now. This is just a hard time I have to live through. No advice, no matter how well intentioned, is going to change that (just ask Mr F).

Casualties Of War

Last night, in my efforts at multitasking, I managed to grate the nail off my thumb while scrubbing the pasta colander (who knew those holes could be that sharp?!!!). Yes, I fell to the ground screaming in bloody agony. Then the girls brought me a Diego band aid. Sadly, that did not do much to mitigate the pain of having to continue washing all the dishes with a painfully pulsating thumb burning with the heat of a thousand suns (Owwwww... seriously). It's my right thumb, I might add, and I'm right handed.

"I know it hurts, but we're gonna get to Meesheegan beally soon. In Meesheegan Daddy can make your finger not hurt." Baby told me empathetically.

"I hope that works." She said to herself as she walked away.

Yeah, me too.

That's Gotta Sting

"Do you miss Dad?" I ask Kid when she gets off the phone.

"Yeah." Kid mumbles.

"Are you ready to move to Michigan and be together?" I ask hopefully.

"Yeah. Things were easier when Dad was here." Kid replies.

"Yeah. But we're doing a good job." I return.

"And you know what? When we move things are going to be a lot better. I won't have to watch kids anymore and I'll have more
time to be with you. And our house won't be on the market and we won't have to clean all the time." I continue.

"That doesn't solve the problem with you and your computer." Kid says dryly.

This One Goes Out To Mr F

Again with the sideways upload! I suppose that's good since that is about the only challenge you'll have with this one. That and decoding Kid's crazy marker over crayon technique (which she is exceedingly proud of).
It's fascinating that as soon as I decided to start pointing out her creative spelling she made a huge leap. Dang it. Although again she's exceedingly proud of herself (I am too).




Transcribed:

Dad Plees
Send Me
a box
uv
choclit




*********************************************************
Today is the day that Kid's friend's kind mother is coming by to pick up BOTH girls (I said kind). Of course before 9 AM I've already gotten two showings for this afternoon. Which means instead of having a break, which I, quite frankly, desperately need... I'll be preparing my house for showings again. Waiting the hour between them, coming back and making sure the first group didn't track mud through the house, despite my sign asking politely that they remove their shoes (they never do... NEVER), and re-cleaning the floors and turning all the lights back on. Awesome. I can't wait for that kind of relaxation.

Someone better buy my house today.

5 showings in less than 48 hours... that's gotta be a good sign.

*******Gah!!! Just got a third showing...in... half and hour!!!!!*********************