I am not a techno-idiot. I swear, I'm not.

I am not a techno-idiot. I am also not an IT wiz, but I usually do okay. Maybe something new will take me a couple of tries, but I'll get it - the way I use computers is just not rocket science.

But then Jackson had to finish his "Me Poster". I need to print out some things previously typed in Word and then print out some pictures and we'll do a little pasting and viola we're done. No big deal. I print the Word stuff no problem. Now it's time to print some pictures. I have a Mac - this kind of thing is super easy. I've done it countless times. I grab my cute little HP photo printer and photo paper and hook it up to my laptop in the kitchen.

Hmmm, the printer isn't getting power. It must be that I'm using an extension cord, it must not be getting enough juice or the connection isn't quite right. Okay, no biggie, I'll just move the laptop and the printer to the island so it's all next to each other and next to an outlet. Done.... Wait.. still no power. I fool around with the end that's in the outlet and if I unplug it and plug it back in it gets power for approximately two seconds and then it goes blank. I am fully prepared to hold the plug in a specific place for the length of a couple of pictures, but no matter what I do with the power cord at either end - I can only get the printer to power up for about 2 seconds before it dies. It doesn't seem to have the slightest thing to do with how far in or out any of the connections are, or any other logical kind of thing. 2 seconds and then it's dead. Okay scratch that. I may have let out a few primal screams by this point. Maybe considered throwing the cute little printer across the room. Maybe the kids were mildly afraid of their mom.

I didn't mention that we did the rest of the work yesterday and left the layout for tonight. It was just some quick printing and some gluing. Jackson had flag football practice from 6 to 7, then I stopped and picked up some fast food for him so we'd have enough time to finish the poster and now after the demise of the cute little HP it's close to 8:30 - which is Jackson's bedtime.

But okay, plan B. We'll just print the pictures on regular paper on the main printer (the one I had just used to print the Word document). I've done that lots of times too. I pull up iphoto, highlight the picture I want. Size it as desired. Choose File then Print. I change the printer to the correct one (which took me a minute to figure out, I'll admit) and clicked okay. I got an error message - printer offline. What? You just printed. I went and added more paper - I added paper to a different tray too that I thought the printer might like, and tried again. I then had trouble remembering how to delete a print job from my Mac - as I was thinking if I deleted the job I could start again and narrow the parameters further. A few more screams later. Maybe a bit more fear. eh. Okay, job deleted (it's super easy as I knew it was, but as my friend suggested, I'm just hexed tonight.

I try again. I try with printer paper. No go. With plain paper. Nope. I've examined and tried all possible parameters and in every case, it goes offline. The printer looks fine. Oh wait, it's just spitting out blank paper. I turn it on and off. I reboot my computer. I try again. Offline. Very loud scream. Ok, well I do have a third printer upstairs. I think it came free with a computer at some point. I go get it, hook it up to the laptop. I set about doing teh same thing, only I choose the new (third) printer and the printer starts making printing noises. Woo Hoo! Maybe we'll get somewhere. Jackson and I are staring at it with baited breath, hoping against hope that it will print the 3 pictures we've chosen. According to what we're seeing on the screen, they should all print nicely 3x5" on one piece of paper. Easy peasy. But instead what comes out is basically a screen print of the folder within iphoto that I was choosing the pictures from, including pictures of the edit buttons along the bottom of the program. I get one picture I wanted but the others are cut off.

A picture of the "screen print" that I got to print.

I scream a bit more. It's now 9pm and Jack is very tired. I desperately want to throw some hardware across the room, or maybe off the back deck. Jack's been diligently cutting out all the things he needed to cut out. I keep at it. It's just not working. I'm diligently banging my head against the nearest flat surface. Finally I go back to trying just one picture. If I can just get this one picture we'll be golden. Several more attempts and I'm finally able to get our first choice picture to print. The fact that it took up every bit of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper is just a bonus - not a problem... right? I tell Jackson I've got some good news and some bad news. I got the picture to print, but it's an entire sheet of paper. My delightful child says.. "We can make that work!" I just need to re-print the Word document because Jack accidentally severed one of the things and then we're done. I go ahead and send it to the main printer as it's already worked for that tonight. It's not a picture. Just words. Nope, the printer is offline and there's no way I can fix that.

I get it to print on printer number 3 and we call it a day. Oh thank to all that's holy! Brad will be home tomorrow and he'll say something totally annoying to me like - Cam if you just turned the paper upside down it would have worked. I swear to God, I'm not an idiot about these things. It's not my strongest suit, but printing pictures is child's play. I've done it dozens and dozens of times on at least two of the printers (the one that actually sort of worked, it may have been the first time for that one). But I swear, Brad's going to come home and say.. you just had to have turned it on, or something equally as obvious. And that's when the printers which are currently littering the kitchen will begin to fly.

So Jack was delightful in his reaction to the HUGE picture of himself that was about to become the center piece of a school project and then at bedtime (which we were now well past) Teddy was delightful as well. "Mom, I'm really sorry the printers were giving you such a hard time tonight." It's nice to be reminded from time to time that they are, in fact, really good people. And despite my behavior and absolute frustration tonight (or maybe because of it) they reminded me they were.

The finished project (HUGE picture and all)

Another typical evening...

It was a lovely evening. I got home at about a quarter to six where Brad and I were set to do the "tag, you're it" thing as he was heading down to Washington for a two day conference. The evil wonder dog who just hates it when someone (anyone) leaves the house is barking up a storm to show his extreme displeasure. Brad and I have to execute a last minute fantasy football trade so I actually have a QB that's starting this week. The idiot dog keeps barking. The pasta Brad started has to be finished. The dog is stepping up his efforts. The kitchen table that somehow got piled with all manner of non dinner-like things gets cleared. The dog keeps barking. Fights are broken up (that's a bit strong). The dog keeps barking. The dinner is finished and set out. The dog keeps barking. Brad's finally ready to get the Hell out of dodge in the barest of moments before I commit canine-acide. Finally with Brad actually gone and no longer leaving the stupid dog finally shuts the *&%% up.

The boys have been in a mood all evening long. I haven't yet had a chance to change out of my work clothes. They are alternating between playing very loud gags on each other and screaming "MOM, MAKE HIM LEAVE ME ALONE" They are alternating who yells this. It's very fun. I sit down and work with Jackson on his project due Friday, get the kids dessert and the kitchen back in some semblance of order (not clean mind you, that would be far, far too much to ask for tonight). They want me to move my car so they can play basketball and I think hallelujah a minute of peace. I move the car they go outside. They come back within 3 minutes - 'Hey mom, there's a guy outside who wants to talk to you.' Oh, did I mention the dog is barking again - there are humans outside. Maybe they're leaving. It's his civic duty to bark constantly just in case he can convince someone not to leave.

I go outside, I still haven't changed my clothes. Some high school kid wants to sell me something - some version of a coupon book I think, but man he gives me the worst - and I do mean the worst pitch ever. I cut him off and tell him I'm not interested. "Dude, you can't be serious!" "I am, and now it's dark. Boys, it's time to come inside." I think he might have continued to blather on about something, but I was already heading inside. (Parents, teach your kids how to pitch the stupid things they have to sell. Start with an introduction. Something that sounds remotely polite - geesh) Anyway... The boys beg to finish the game they're playing, I give them three more minutes (really more for me than for them).

And then the crying started. In comes Teddy with his hands over his mouth crying hard. I open my arms to take him in, he shifts his hands and there's blood everywhere. I quickly change tactics because there's really no reason to get blood all over my favorite white shirt that I still haven't taken off yet. But alas, as I lead him to the sink to see what we're dealing with I see I wasn't fast enough and my right shoulder is miraculously covered in blood - woo hoo. It's just a small cut from his tooth on his bottom lip. Jackson who ran in right behind him is upset that he hurt his brother. "I'm so so so sorry, I didn't mean to hit him in the face, I was just throwing it back to him." Jack can't stand still. Nor can he shut up. Oh wait - guess what, the dog is barking. There's a lot of commotion going on in the kitchen; Ted crying, Jack apologizing, Mom calming... There's much to bark about.

I got a dish towel on his mouth while I went to get ice. I begged the dog to shut the $@T% up. I tried to calm Jackson and get him to stop talking. But then Ted decides threatening his brother is the best course of action. So every time I turn my back to get ice or kick I mean pet the dog, Ted does something like shake his fist at Jack, or lunge towards him. Jack is near tears, periodically crying out in terror. He already feels guilty and now he's scared too. OKAY - EVERYONE SHUT THE &*&% UP! Okay I didn't really yell that, but I wanted to; really, really wanted to. "Jackson, I know you didn't mean to make him bleed, but go upstairs and read." One down. Kill the dog (why can't I do that? - that would have been two down). Get ice on Teddy's lip and get him cleaned up. Okay Ted, let's go upstairs and get ready for bed. He goes up before me while I close the garage door and close down the first floor.

By the time I get upstairs Jackson is crying and holding a ripped book. "Ted ripped my book on purpose" Well this does go with the threatening behavior downstairs, he doesn't usually go towards book ripping, but he's certainly been known to wreck Jack's Lego projects in the past. "Teddy that wasn't necessary, you know better than that." This is my calm and reasonable facade, the one that hides the raging homicidal lunatic that is begging and pleading to come out. "But it was an accident Mom, I promise." It sounds like he's telling the truth, but of course so does the crying Jackson in the other corner.

Mom: You know what Ted, this is something you'd do. I don't know if you did it this time, but it's the kind of rude and obnoxious behavior that have been your hallmark for the past few months, so it's really hard for me to believe you that this one time you happened to not mess up something of Jackson's, especially after the way you were threatening him downstairs.

Ted: He bloodied my lip.

M: You know perfectly well he would never intend to hurt you like that.
He gives me the look that says "mom, you have got to be kidding".

M: No more than you would try to hurt him that way, would you ever intentionally try to make him bleed.

I was really hoping he'd think about it before he answered vs. just letting his pride answer. He did, phew.

T: ok, no I wouldn't.

M: and neither did he.

He reluctantly agreed with me but is now totally pissed at me because I just won't outright believe ripping the book was an accident. He keeps looking at me with the "my mom is calling me a liar to my face" puppy dog eyes.

Oh well...

The cause of the big bump on my forehead.....

At the elementary school where Jackson goes they have a lovely tradition where on the last day of school all the teachers and staff form two lines just outside the exit doors and clap and cheer for all the students as they have officially finished the year and (hopefully) been promoted to the next grade. Every year the sentiment brings tears to my eyes and if I actually get to watch it, I'm toast. (and though I won't admit it officially it's possible there are a few tears in my eyes right now as I think about it).

Anyway, because he goes to aftercare right after school I wasn't 100% sure exactly when school lets out and so I wasn't sure when his half day ended on the last day of school and this year Brad is out of town so I'm going to be there when Jack gets out. So what does a smart and organized mom do when she doesn't know the answer to something (and her husband is not available to give her the answer)??? She calls the school with a quick and easy question.

Me: What time does school let out?

dumbgirlwhoansweredthephone: Three hours earlier.

M: Yes, okay, thanks. What time does school let out?

D: What time does he get home?

M: When I pick him up. He’s in aftercare and I’m going to pick him up from school on Wednesday when it let’s out, but I don’t know when that is. Can you tell me when school let’s out this week?

D: Oh he’s in aftercare?

M: Yes

D: And you’re going to pick him up on Wednesday?

M: Yes

D: So he’ll be a car rider. Because I was going to calculate three hours earlier than when the bus normally drops him off if he was a bus rider.

M: Okay. When does school let out?

D: Well we’ll be all done by 12:15 or so. And the car loop gets pretty full so you might want to be in the loop by about noon or so.

M: I’m planning to park the car and get out; can you please tell me when school let’s out?

D: You’re going to park?

M: Yes.

D: As I said we’ll be all done by 12:15 or so, so you definitely want to be here before then.

(maybe a new question will help get me an answer)

M: When does the bell ring?

D: For car riders, we’ll probably let them out at 12:07 or 12:09.

M: Great, thank you.

(After hanging up, I beat the phone against my head for approximately 15 minutes.)

Camela

Mom you're a HOR.. and other inspired tidbits

This afternoon

Jackson and I were playing HORSE (can you see where this is going?)

I got H

J: ha ha

I got HO

J: ha ha

Jack got H

J: (sarcastically) finally, ha ha

I got HOR

J: HOR HOR HOR. You're a HOR.

I thought it best to ignore this.

J: HOR HOR HOR. You're a HOR.

Me: okay Jackson you can't say that. Hor is a bad word.

J: what does it mean? (Of course he asks)

M: uh... um... it's a woman who doesn't have good morals. (phew ok that's not too bad)

J: What are morals? (shoot)

M: they are how you choose to live. What ethics you have (I'm clearly reaching here), the golden rule (reaching even further), treating people like you want to be treated. (yeah, yeah, that's it, that's what a HOR is)

J: (Long pause) But mom, you really are a HOR.

(great, just great - I'm glad he thinks so)


Tonight at dinner

Ted:dip dip dip
dip dip dip

Jack: why do you keep saying that?

T: what?

J: dip

T: No dip Sherlock

(I laughed out loud - okay that's a good choice for an 11 year old)

Camela

Lame-o

I've been so lame about posting so I thought I'd at least give a quick update about what's going on with us.

Right now: Brad is making dinner of bar-b-que chicken and grilled marinated shrimp. He made this same shrimp last weekend and let me tell you - it was the flat out best food I've ever had. He made this seemingly simple marinade of basil, olive oil, garlic and some other things.. I think there's some citrus in there of some sort... but man oh man was it good. Cooked perfectly and seasoned perfectly. Frankly I'm not interested in anything else that may be available, though he wants me to make a warm spinach salad, I just want the shrimp!

Teddy, Matthew, Jackson, and Jake are all downstairs playing a video game. I think Teddy actually has the controls but all 4 of them are happily deciding what ridiculous moves Ted will make next. There is a lot of laughter going on and that's one of the best sounds of the world. I truly love when Matt and Jake are over - all 4 boys get along so well; they can mix and match so nicely - so much more calm then just my 2 boys at home.


Teddy
He finally finished his research paper and man, I have no idea how it is. The only comment the teacher gave him on the rough draft was that he needed a stronger conclusion which we'd already talked about. But from where I sit it's not much more than a well written list of quotes from several different sources. Perhaps that's appropriate for his age, I truly have no idea. I look forward to seeing how he does on it. He had a bunch of homework over the weekend and I was pleasantly surprised how he got it down with little or no protesting. (Okay it's a lie to say there was none, but it was minimal so that counts)

Jackson
He and Brad worked on his science fair project this weekend. Science Fair projects have always been a Brad thing for which I am eternally grateful but Brad has this habit of putting it off and as it happens the science fair is on Thursday and Brad will be out of town Monday through Wednesday or Thursday and this timing occurred to Brad late last week. So all that's to say that Brad and Jack have been diligently measuring things and writing things and evaluating things and typing and printing and gluing things on and off all weekend. But it's done and it went just fine.... phew.

Me
I've been working on cleaning out the basement. We're going to have the basement finished in the next couple of months. First step is clean it out. Brad and I have differing views of what this means which is (so far) amusing to both of us. Clearly we need to pick a leader for this job (which if you know anything about us it's what we believe is the secret to a happy marriage). I think it should be me because we both would agree that I'm better at this kind of thing, but most of the stuff down there is his and I think it's too difficult for him to give up control - so he's not suggesting it be me and I'm fearful if I suggest he be the leader we'll still be cleaning out the basement in August so I'm not suggesting it be him. So we're dancing around each other for now. I'm thinking there will be more discussion about this.

Brad
Is busy working on a work project in North Carolina. It's more like the work he used to do when there were production deadlines he was working on instead of just supporting those that have them. He's helping them make their deadlines this time. I think he's enjoying the jazz of it - but I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to do it all the time anymore.

So that's what's up around here. When I'm feeling less lame, I'll get back to posting more regularly.

Camela

Fun at our house!

Jackson
When I got home from work today I discovered he was in his room because of a "disagreement" he'd had with Brad as to the exact moment homework was going to start. Both of my children are far to literal. That has been the highlight with him so far. It's now after dinner and he's still in his room though now doing his homework too. He's not at all happy about it, in that poor, poor pitiful me kind of way that only a 9 year old can truly master.

Teddy
is 11. Is there really any more that needs to be said on the topic? Okay, I'll go on, just for the heck of it. It started with him during dinner when he held his cup straight up in the air very defiantly saying "Mo-om" so as to signal me he needed more milk. Both Brad and I were quick to explain to him the error of his ways commenting specifically on the rudeness of such an act. And what did my charming little 11 year old do? Why he argued of course. That wasn't rude. Not at all, as evidenced by the fact that "I even wrote down a list of 20 things that are rude". Why yes you did dear - you wrote those things down because I gave you that assignment when it seemed you were struggling with which kinds of things were rude things - apparently you missed one!!!!

As a side note on that list: I made him come up with that list of things he does that are rude... I'm guessing a year ago maybe a bit more than that - and that is very depressing. But for the sake of my future amusement - I'm going to share what my then 10 year old wrote as 20 things that are rude:
1. samantics 2. rolling eyes 3. not talking 4. not looking 5. attitute 6. yelling 7. tone 9. speaking loudly 10. not being nice 11. saying: I hate you 12. ignoring 13. bothering 14. saying: yo! 15. saying: what! 16. saying: word! 17. making fun of people 18. calling people: peeps! 19. saying: sup! 20. always thinking your the awsomest.

okay - I swear I never saw 11-20 until tonight - though this little list on two tiny pieces of paper has been hanging in my bathroom this whole time. When we had the conversation tonight in the kitchen he said there were 20 and I said I thought there had only been 10. He was right, but this was totally news to me. 20 is such a suck up and such a Teddy thing to do. He gets As in spelling though you'd never know it from this list.

Then I was upstairs monitoring Jackson's homework while Ted was downstairs doing his with Brad when I hear....

Brad: Ted come back here, you can't do that with your foot.
Ted: NOT IF YOU'RE GOING TO THROW STUFF AT ME
(note: Brad would never throw something at Teddy, though perhaps this is a different avenue to explore)
B: There's a proper way to clean this stuff up - not with your foot.
T: NOT IF YOU'RE GOING TO THROW STUFF AND FLING IT AT MY HEAD (a one note wonder - my boy is)
Then there was a little more back and forth; increasingly quiet - they've seemingly worked it out.
T: OH NOW YOU'RE LAUGHING AT ME!!! (a lot of stomping)
B: I thought you were joking
T: SHUT UP!!!!!
B: Teddy come back here
It's a vicious cycle - such fun to be had by all!

Oh and for the comic relief..... That would be Jackson by way of Teddy

T: Mo-om, Jackson has renamed Firefox
Camela: Ok thanks, please do your homework
T: Fine but I think you want to know the new name
(based on Ted's tone I think he's probably right but I still hesitate to reward tattling with my time and energy - but I break down...)
C: okay what is it?
T: nakedwoman
C: (burst out laughing).... uh... okay thanks, I'll take care of it.

A bit later Ted and I head downstairs for computer help from Brad.
C: honey, Ted needs your help getting a connection to the internet and Jackson changed the name of Firefox to nakedwoman
B: (burst out laughing) Then looking at Ted. I guess I'm not supposed to laugh at that am I.
C: (still laughing...) No. No you're not

okay - that's our evening between 6 and 8 tonight. Just another typical evening here.

Camela

Our life right now

Brad and Camela
I'm into my busy time at work which means Brad takes on the brunt of our home life. It's so blissful to have a marriage where the ebb and flow of life's outside committments just means the inside committments ebb and flow as well - it's not the end of the world when he has to pick up more stuff at home or when he's out of town for half the week for several weeks in a row and I have to pick up more stuff. I feel very lucky.

Jackson
While we were at Teddy's recent band concert, I asked Jackson what instrument he was going to play next year and he informed me he has just decided he doesn't want to play an instrument. This is a major problem for me. He doesn't have to grow up and be a band geek but he has to, absolutely has to, play some sort of instrument for a few years at least. I think music appreciation is a vital component of a well rounded person not to mention the other more brainiac ways music is good for the brain - music is just plain good for the soul - this just will not do! And of the two kids, I'd say Jackson is more likely to really get into playing music - maybe as a guitarist in a punk band with purple hair, but still...

I really think this is about living in Teddy's shadow and he just doesn't want to do something that Ted already does which I can understand but I need to nip this in the bud. I told him last night it was time to start private lessons. That the first things that popped into my head were the piano, guitar, or drums since we have all those in the house, which made total sense to him, but that he could choose anything he wanted. I'm hoping if I just make this part of a non-school related thing - it won't be too hard to get him started and then he can continue in school.

Teddy
He's still 11. He's actually not been that bad in the last week or so but I don't want to say that too loudly in case I jinx it. Brad and I have seriously stepped up our efforts in tracking his every detail in school. We tried to let him do it himself as everyone suggested but man was that not working. He just does not have that skillset - the one that let's him keep track of multiple things. He's just too easily distracted by anything and everything. Since Brad really laid it all out for him, much to his chagrin, and we've both been going over and over and over it all with him and reminding him and reminding him it seems to be going better for him. And really, he's very proud of himself when he sees the results of actually remembering to turn in the homework he already did in his grades. Hopefully things will keep going well. (I don't want to be more optomistic than that).

The Hampsters
Are very cute - all four of them. Teddy is constantly building new homes and tunnels out of legos for his two little guys, it's cute - but pretty soon his cage will be totally full and you'll only be able to see the little guys in the small gaps between the stuff.

Jackson is madly in love with his two. It's very, very cute. We let them out in the bathtub at least once a week to walk all over each boy (it's supposed to continue to help them get used to their owners) and Jackson is just so gleeful about it. It's an interesting thing for Ted, but for him the whole hampster thing is really just a new reason to build cool lego things.

Bandit
is still wildly annoying. He so wants to eat the hampsters. I can't blame him really I'm sure they look nice and tasty, but it's really funny to see him standing at full alert just watching the cages. The real downside is that he can no longer sleep with Teddy because he can't relax and he eventually starts whining while longingly watching at the cage which keeps Teddy awake which means I feel sorry for him and am more likely to let the beast sleep with us. sigh.

Camela

Bedtime in our house

First let me say this NaBloPoMo thing is very hard and it's only the 5th. To top it off I just linked the blog with Facebook and so now my FB pages are filled with these inane things - I may have to sever this link yet... we'll see.

When Brad's in town we trade off on who puts which boy to bed each night and how the actual bedtime ritual unfolds seems to change and evolve for each parent and each kid over time - I'm sure this is true everywhere. For the first six years or so of Jackson's life he was a royal PITA going to bed; everything about it was hard. In fact let's start at the beginning shall we..... Brad and I believed in the cold turkey method of getting your kids to sleep through the night when they were babies. We consulted books and friends and doctors and decided between 4 and 5 months was the right age. So the first night for Teddy we put him down and closed all the doors between him and us and turned on the TV and radio and kept the monitor off only checking it periodically and on the first night he cried for 12 minutes and on the 2nd night he cried for 7 minutes and then we never heard from him again and we thought - okay wow the books and friends and doctors were right. That was easy.

Then along came Jackson.... (it's a good thing he's cute)... So being the 2nd child we still closed the doors and we still went into a different part of the house but eh.... I just wasn't as worried about this one, I knew he'd figure it out eventually. So the first night after 45 minutes of progressively louder crying he hit that high pitched screaming stage where he was beginning to lose his voice. And well that was where my limit had been met. So I went and got him. This same pattern of him sobbing for 45 minutes until he moved to the screaming stage lasted EVERY SINGLE NIGHT until he was 13 or 14 months old. Did I mention - every single night. (I maintain he's the single most stubborn human that's ever lived - Brad thinks that's me, but I just can't believe I can compete with that kind of stuff).

So at some point a couple of years ago Jackson got EASY to put to bed and I've done my best not to mess with that. He just wants his back rubbed for a few minutes and that's pretty much it. Though I do find it amusing how specific he is in his directions of just how he wants his back rubbed. "Mom, can you get my whole back? A little lighter please. Can you get my shoulders too. Will you use your fingernails. No, like this (where he'll demonstrate exactly what he wants on my arm). I think this bodes well for his ability to communicate his wants in the future.

And now there's Teddy. I love putting Ted to bed. We have these loud raucous battles where he's trying to best me. Trying to keep me from tickling him or trying to throw me off the bed. I often say "One day you'll be stronger than me, but that day isn't today." And so when it's my turn to put Ted down the battle's on. I still win every time, but he is definitely getting stronger, and that day will be here soon enough. More often then not Brad has to come in from putting Jack down to tell us to quiet down because we are both laughing so hard. It's the time where we are both silly and being purely kids - it's totally fun and one day when it's gone, I'll miss it.

Camela

I almost forgot

I swear this does not bode well for my NaBloPoMo. So just a bit about today.....

Teddy had his first basketball practice even though he still has at least one more soccer game. Jackson's first practice is tomorrow night. I have cramps that would kill a horse and am really thinking this whole being a woman thing is for the birds! I actually left work early because of them which happens once a year or so. I find the most interesting thing about this for me is that my brain stops working in direct relation to how much pain I'm in. Brad's trying to talk to me and tell me his upcoming travel schedule. At some point I have to stop him because all I'm really hearing is the Peanut's teacher talking Mwa Mwa Mwa Mwa Mwa Mwa. I'm sure he was telling me something interesting or maybe even important but yeah... my brain is just not capable of processing anything right now.

NaBloPoMo - ok so I'm late

I want to get rid of my spurty blogging nature so I thought participating in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month where you add a blog post each day for the month of November) would help me along with that.... of course then I forgot. oops.

So already I've failed, I figure that takes some of the pressure off, right? Let's consider this little blog post-lette my replacement for yesterday and I'll pretend it happened on the right day. A friend suggested I could change the date and make it seem as though I got it right, but eh - I am what I am.