3:45 AM

A few nights ago I was happily sleeping. I love to sleep. We got a new mattress this summer and it is heavenly. I could lay there all day. I f my husband was like a normal husband and left the house in the morning to catch the train to go to an office and work for some mega company, I might stay in it all day.

That would so rock.

Instead he stays home and works from the living room. By his own choice he gets up before the sun and goes and starts working. No one makes him. How self motivated is that?

I think he has a mental illness. Really. Who does that?

SO back to my happy sleeping. I was cozy, under 3 big blankets and the cutest blue sheets with brown flowers on them when there arose such a clatter that I had to spring from my bed to see what was the matter. teehee


Now, let me back this up, I never wake up. NEVER. Molly will get up at 4:00 in the morning and take a shower. the bathroom door is 3 inches form my open bedroom door. I never even know she was up until I find her asleep on the couch with wet hair at 5:50 when I get up.

But this clatter was loud enough to wake the dead. The dead and asleep in her comfy happy bed Cynthia.

It was a cat. Spitting. Meowing. Having a total, dare I say, hissy fit. This was accompanied by a dog. Barking, growling, running into furniture, walls. CHAOS.

I make it into the living room and Ella is already out there, standing next to the basement door crying. I try to figure out what is wrong. I assume that the kitten, Esme, has tormented the dog, Bandit, and he has finally decided to put her in her place. But while I was trying to comfort Ella, Esme walked sleepily out of Ella and Molly's room and rubbed up against Bandit.

Were these the animals that were tearing into each other 30 seconds earlier?

Then Molly starts freaking out. "Esme is bleeding!!!" I scoop Esme up and tell Rachel to go and get a towel. (Notice how many people have shown up by now, I told you it was loud.)

Upon further inspection, Esme is not bleeding, she has simply walked through a small pool of blood in the doorway of the girls room. Then we notice cat pee in a long line. And poop. Bits of cat poop in about a ten foot long trail.??????????????


What has happened? Molly figured it out right away.

Any guesses? I will tell the rest of the weird story tomorrow and tell you the two strange theories Adrian had.

Have I learned a new blog trick?

http://www.box.net/shared/483f1kcd59

I wanted to add this as an audio clip that you just clicked and it played. Like a YouTube video.

I have failed. You click it and then have to click again. It isn't hard, just not perfect! I like perfect.

But it is a recording of the Free Beer and Hot Wings guys reading Adrian's story and making fun of him.

My husband is not shy

and it does not bother him to have people laugh at him. Case in point:


Did you all enjoy his story of setting up a Christmas Tree?


He decided to send that story to the Free Beer and Hot Wings Show. It is a syndicated morning radio show out of Grand Rapids Michigan that plays on a local Nashville station that my husband listens too sometimes. (warning, they use questionable language, he has to turn them off a lot)

So this morning they read the story, verbatim.

And then dogged my husband. Hardcore

It was enough to make any wife proud.

I tried to upload the audio but I cannot figure out how. When I figure it out I will put it up here.

Homecoming Freak Out

we have a wee bit of a Homecoming Drama at our house.

The school picks the dress the girls wear.

You guessed it. Plunging neckline and bare shoulders. SO NOT MODEST. (well, maybe it is appropriate for a party at HUGH HEFNER'S house!) Rachel is looking for nude colored leotards to wear under it. She is going to try to get them to consider going to a different website (like BeautifullyModest.com) but right now it is just making me worry and her feel frantic.

I think that it is moments like this that she needs to stand up and let people see who she is and what she believes.

AARRGHHHH, this is hard!

My husbands contribution to Xmas blogging

Adrian is starting to blog. Kind of. He wrote this story out and sent it in an email to the kids, but I wanted to share it with everyone. He said it was okay. Feel free to laugh out loud at him!




I was listening to the radio this morning about the host's Christmas tree experience and it reminded me of a one of my stupid experiences from a few years ago.

I bought a live Christmas tree, brought it home and cut the bottom of the tree off, as you do. I drug it in across the floor to the corner where it was to stand. I did not think to cover the floor with plastic and thus had pine needles all over the carpet. For some reason, I decided to vacuum the needles up before standing the tree. With floor kind of cleaned, I began to stand the tree up when I realized that the tree was too tall. Cutting the top was not much of an option, but I could cut a bit more off the bottom, and that should work. I was not looking forward to the mess of needles again on the carpet and decided it would be less messy to cut the tree inside and just clean up the small amount of sawdust.

Here is where the stupidity starts. Most people would have used a hand saw of some sort, not me, I go out to the porch, retrieve my chainsaw, and bring it in the house. I must have flooded it when I cranked it because it started billowing blue smoke everywhere. The house is quickly filling with smoke, my eyes were burning, but at this point I am committed. It should only take a minute. I was almost finished when I realized that the chain is slinging oil and oily sawdust everywhere, ceilings, walls, carpet, everywhere. When I finished, the house was so full of smoke, we had to pack up the little kids (4 kids and the oldest was 3), open all the windows and doors and leave. 3 hours later, the smoke was gone but the smell and mess did not leave completely for days.


This is representative of most of our decorating experiences....

No list today!

Yesterday I finished numbers 1,2,3,4,5, and part of 6.

Today I have to go to work, so as it is 8:35 I really need to start getting my tail in gear. But just so you know today I have already cleaned the top oven, folded a load of laundry, emptied and filled the dishwasher. And of course made breakfast, packed lunches drove kids to school, yada, yada,yada.


I am feeling sooo inspired by Lisa's idea of chocolate chip cookies. NOT. sorry Lisa, thanks for commenting. p.s. you need a blog!!!

But April had this idea and my family real likes those Andes mint thingies, so maybe I will try them this year.

Well, get your tail in gear and do it!

Yesterday I was the picture of motivation. I would have given Snow White a run for her money in the housekeeping department even without the animals help. Because you know what?

ANIMALS DO NOT HELP WITH HOUSEKEEPING!

I'm sorry to burst your bubble. They shed, and get into trash cans and lay on the back of the couch and sleep.

Like that stinkin' kitten needs a nap more than me! If she would quit spending her mornings playing "I want to eat all the bare toes that walk anywhere in this house" she wouldn't be so tired. I'm just saying....

So I need to tackle the list, but I am no good with leftovers so I decided a new list would be more motivating.


1. shower. I forgot to put that one on yesterdays list.
2. vacuum up the ten million needles on the ground. AGAIN.
3. empty dishwasher and fill it back up.
4. go to Walmart and buy Goodnights. And more Christmas lights. and TP, milk, OJ,
5. FINISH all laundry
6. buy gifts for out of town nieces/nephews
7. decide what cookies to make
8. buy fabric for Grandma's present. This should be easy. She likes taupe. and taupe. and camel. and antelope. and dark camel. and sand. Those are all colors. I very much doubt she likes those animals.
9. make appt. at orthodontist. See Rachel, I will remember to do that someday soon!


Hey, that is pretty manageable. Here is where you guys have to help me. What kind of cookies should I make? Now do not be shy, leave a comment and tell me your favorite kind!

Homecoming Queen?/I really accomplished a lot today

The list has been whittled down significantly. I completed:



1. mail package that I was supposed to mail like a week ago.

2. vacuum ceiling fans

3. go to nice vets office and buy flea medicine for Esme. Those of you in northern and western climates probably think I am kidding.I wish I was kidding.
Fleas. 12 months solid.

4. Decorate our house like a Christmas wonderland. Let me make a comment here. I totally outdid myself this year. My family room looks like a Christmas wonderland. Things are swagged and hung and setting and just so decorated. I never thought I had it in me.

5. iron all 743 of Adrian's shirts (it is times like these that I LOVE Netflix. Miss Marple and I will iron tomorrow.) I included this as complete because I ironed enough shirts that he has one to wear tomorrow. And the next day. I know 2 isn't very impressive but man it kills my neck to iron. I may do another couple before I go to bed. Maybe

6. wash two complete sets of Molly's linens from her bed. Including comforters. including mattress pads. Can anyone guess the problem? I washed about 6 loads and have one in right now. I only have one blanket left and maybe one load of clothes but they are random colors so I will have to wait until tomorrow to make full loads.

15. clean and cook. I washed and put away 3 loads of dishes today. but truth be known I did not cook anything. Adrian cooked his own lunch and we ate dinner out.


Now I just need to finish numbers 7 thru 14 tomorrow.

~~~And now for some really exciting news~~~

Rachel has been voted onto the Homecoming Court at school. She and the other freshman girl have to have matching dresses. They go pick them Monday.

Pretty cool, huh!!

The same thing every year

Really, it is. Even though the tree has new lights this year. (Yes, we put it up tonight. All it has is lights so far. Or is that all it has are lights so far? hmm) A million things to do and so I am going to make all of you make me do the junk that needs done.

Are you ready for tomorrows list? Me either. Or is it me neither?


1. mail package that I was supposed to mail like a week ago.
2. vacuum ceiling fans
3. go to nice vets office and buy flea medicine for Esme. Those of you in northern and western climates probably think I am kidding.

I wish I was kidding. Fleas. 12 months solid.

4. decorate house and turn it into a total Christmas wonderland for my kids.
or maybe hang one wreath. We will have to see about this one.
5. iron all 743 of Adrian's shirts (it is times like these that I LOVE Netflix. Miss Marple and I will iron tomorrow.)
6. wash two complete sets of Molly's linens from her bed. Including comforters. including mattress pads. Can anyone guess the problem?
7. bake 15 different kinds of cookies.
8. choose fabric and sew my mothers Christmas present.
9. sew the special secret thing I am making for Ella and Molly. I would tell you, but they read this blog without fail, so I am not gonna ruin the surprise.
10. take pictures of and post about the apron I got from my Sassy Apron swap partner. It is blue and brown and I love it!
11. take a nap.
12. delouse chickens. oops, wait a minute, that is something that would be on Martha Stewart's to do list. NOT on mine. Mine might say, run over chickens.
13. figure out what to get my niece and two of my nephews. And then send it to them. Along with a selection of the 15 different cookies I baked earlier in the day.
14. finish remodelling the basement
15. clean and cook
16. wrap presents


well, that is just what I can think of tonight. I will add to it tomorrow.

So what are the odds I will finish it all tomorrow?

Edit~~ It is 6:55 am. I have packed lunches. Made breakfast. Fussed at William for not getting up. Been informed that I have a third set of linens to wash. And I forgot to mention the electric blanket, too. Oh, and Rachel called and said that she forgot her music book, so I will have to drop that off before school ends so William can drop her at piano.

Gladys, I have let you down by not finishing before 6:00 am, I know, but I am plugging along. I will update in a few hours.

Could someone please tell me how to do a strike through? How else will I know what I have finished on my to do list?