The Leftover Orange Juice Carnage

So, some of you heard the story about how the sport bottle of orange juice exploded in my kitchen and sprayed the rotton juice all over hell and back. If, of course, hell was in my kitchen. In any case, you will all be disappointed to hear that I did not take photos of the actual orange juice mess I did take a couple photos of the hole that the top of the sport bottle punched in the ceiling when it exploded. This hole is about 2 inches across and at least 3 inches deep.

Bet you didn't know that orange juice could do this.




Also notice the spots of orange juice that I could not see when the original cleaning took place.



And y'all thought your husbands were destructive. 

The Update of FREE!!!!

So, the trip will be the weekend after next. Yay! We decided to take that bundle of energy that we call our son. I just couldn't deny him a plane ride. I asked the hubby what his boss's plane was like and he responded with "which one?" I said how many does he have? He said two, one he flies and one his pilot flies. Ah. And which one will we be on? The one with the pilot, apparently. Well good. I like his boss, but not enough to put my baby on a plane he is piloting himself. I've seen what he can do with a golf cart, after all.

Anyway, I looked up the weather in Bozeman and found it to be only slightly cooler than it is here, which today is a bit of a drag. Hopefully when we go it will be cooler still. I also talked to a gal at work today who had done quite a bit of traveling and said that the fishing in Montana is actually pretty good so, yay for that!

So, we will take loads of photos, I'm sure and I plan to post a few here so everyone can see what we're looking at. That way, you can all share your opinions.

Not that I'll necessarily listen to them, or anything. ;-)

Cruising right along...

Well, with the silly relatives that I have (you crazy deck-building fools, you know who you are) summer seems to be galloping my way. Of course, the sweat-inducing temperatures had nothing to do with that. I'm excited about the 4th of July festivities we have planned, I'm excited about the weather being beautiful for fishing (you didn't think I'd hold off long, did ya?) but I'm really excited about going on our first trip to Montana.

Disclaimer: This does not mean we are moving there, it only means we are wandering around Bozeman to familiarize ourselves with all it has to offer. If it sucks, we will stay here. Assuming the salary offer is likewise sucky, of course. Long story short, loads of negotiations will happen to make this momentous decision so nobody gets to start freaking out, especially the one dude who heard there was really kick-a$$ hunting over there. Yes, I mean you.

Anyway, I figure that even if we don't move there it is still a totally free vacation considering that we will be flying over in the bosses plane, staying in his "cabin" and driving one of his cars while we are there. I personally think that all by itself is awesome. Really, we can't lose. I've heard it is beautiful over there, especially mid-summer, so we should get to do a little hiking as well as exploring the town and the university. If we really like it we could probably get a good idea about the real estate market too. If we would never move there and the very idea makes us sick we still get to get out of town for a few days and come back to a full bank account. Now I know it's not Tahiti or some other dream destination but really, I can't bring myself to be picky. It's FREE, so beggars can't be choosers, really. Can I just say that again? IT'S FREE!!!!!!

That just rocks, I don't care who you are.

Um, can I take back the "at last?"

Well, while we were indeed pregnant a second blood test tomorrow will confirm that we no longer are. It's funny how these things can effect a person. I sort of expected to be devastated. I'm not really. Disappointed, sure. Who likes feeling like they just broke the tape at the finish line only to be informed that the gun misfired and they have to go back to the starting gate? It's mostly just frustrating. I mean, granted I get to have more guilt-free martini evenings with my sis-in-law, I get to keep my clothes and I won't be gaining any weight for a while but it's still kind of frustrating. It kinda makes me want to stomp my foot and say "dammit, how long can this take?!?!?" Who knows? I'm just happy that the feelings it causes are the drink-a-big-glass-of-vodka-and-bitch-to-a-friend-frustration instead of the drink-a-big-glass-of-bleach-and-don't-tell-anyone-devastation. I can totally work with the first one, but I can't really get excited about the second.

On another note, has anyone besides me noticed how this breastfeeding issue is heating up? I'm expecting the first reports of violence in the streets to appear on the news any day now. Apparently there was an article published entitled "Breast-feed or else" in the New York Times that stated that feeding a baby formula was tantamount to letting him smoke. I haven't yet decided if this is better or worse than the commercial depicting a pregnant woman riding a mechanical bull and being thrown to the floor whilst clutching her (large but obviously fake) pregnant belly. The caption basically said something like "you wouldn't risk your baby's safety like this would you? Why risk it after it's born."

This, in my opinion, is full-on, Gestapo-type bullshit. Don't get me wrong, I fully believe that breast is best. However, if the AAP are becoming such Nazis about something like this, do we really want to trust them with the health of our children? Keep in mind that I have posted several times about vaccinations and I have yet to see a commercial from the AAP that tells the realistically scary story about the diseases we should vaccinate against yet they are in such a hurry to promote breastfeeding that they seem to have forgotten the myriad reasons it doesn't work out for thousands of women. What about women who simply cannot breastfeed? What about women who have to go right back to work? What about women who are ill? What about babies who just don't get the whole "latch-on" thing? What about women who don't breastfeed for reasons that aren't anyone's business but their own? Did they ever stop to think about the women who are suffering from post-partum depression? The ones who are already devastated by the fact that they can't nurse?

And here's another question for them, why the hell is it that when someone is chosen for an interview about a subject like this it is invariably a man? It smacks of the interview with Tom Cruise. You know, the one where he slammed Brooke Shields in public for taking anti-depressants to deal with her severe post-partum depression saying she should have turned to vitamins and exercise instead. Like he's qualified to make that judgment. Ha.

I can't say I'd be real excited to get nursing advice from a man who has no idea what it's like to actually do it. I'm not interested in advice on post-partum depression from someone who is neither a mom, nor a psychiatrist. Hell, he's not even a college graduate for crying out loud. How this Dr. Lawrence Gartner got to be the chairman of the breastfeeding section at the AAP, I'll never understand, but I consider him to be grossly under-qualified (having A. no breasts, B. no milk, C. no uterus, ovaries or the accompanying plumbing, and D. presumably, a penis) to preach at me, or any other mommy about what she should or should not do with her breast milk.

If it had been a La Leche League leader and the term of the day was encouragement, I could probably listen and feel enthusiastic about putting forth my best effort. If, however, your plan is to push and shove and threaten and guilt-trip, well then you'd better expect an entire nation of new mommies to dig in their heels. And really, digging in their heels would be the best case scenario. My understanding is that when you combine post-partum depression (which I've had) with an inability to breastfeed (which I've dealt with) and throw in a dash of exhaustion or extreme youth or low self esteem or whatever you could end up with suicide.

I'd hate to see the commercials on that.

Ahhhhhh the serenity.

Oh the peace, the calm, the utter quiet that soothes my soul.
The open air, the lingering sweet, still, cool, refreshing air.
The caress of light, downy, drowsy, sliding silence.

The lack of bone-grinding, brain liquefying, crushing, shattering, strangling, wringing, twisting, choking, grasping, blood-sucking, heartless, hopeless, parasitic classes and homework.

Oh, the beautiful, cherished peace.

Thank God, school is out for summer.

Ahhhhhhh.

Like, wow!!

Hey thanks y'all for the support and congrats! I was originally bummed because of how far apart the kids will be but now I'm so happy that I am having my second at the age I am. I am already feeling so much more appreciative of this blessing and all the blessings around me than I was capable of the first time. I also have more reasonable expectations and am enjoying the unique aspects of this pregnancy even if they aren't all comfortable! Yes, I am having a bit of tummy-upset. I didn't have any of that the first time, but the sleepiness is familiar.

Did I mention that pregnancy makes me dumber than a bag of hammers?

My dear Sis-in-law said we'd have a celebration dinner of some sort and I actually asked what we were celebrating. She looked at me for a minute with a raised eyebrow and a slightly open mouth before I figured it out.

Yep, I'm definitely pregnant.

At last...

...My love has come along.....

Anyone else like Etta James? Anyone else have any idea who she is?

Never mind.


However, I do have an "at last." At last.....we're pregnant!! I know, we've been married so long we shouldn't still be doing things that can lead to that, but what can I say? We're stupid.

Anyhow, I haven't had an appointment yet with any doctor, but I hope to rectify that this week. I have a general idea how far along, but I've been wrong before so I'm not making any guesses this time.

So, yeah, we're excited and all that and I know all my homegirls are too!!! Anyone willing to send prayers, maternity clothes or partially filled coffee-hut punchcards will be thanked most sincerely!

Celebration time, come on!!!

Yay! My dearest pal has gone and had her a baby!!! A gorgeous boy weighing in at 8 pounds 5 ounces and a whopping 21 inches long. Mama and baby were doing fabulously when I visited in the hospital and I was present at the first bowel/bladder movement. It was a whopper also. We were, naturally, properly impressed and darned proud.

Anyway, coming up quickly on the end of finals, next week in fact, so I should be able to blog more consistantly after that. I have no doubt that my dear pal's posts will be spotty at best until the little guy detatches himself from her *ahem* torso on a more long term basis.

Either way, I am ecstatic that he made his appearance in a timely (oh boy, did he!) fashion, and if you hurry you may still be able to see the labor countdown still on her blog. I'll have to pick on her about that!

Congrats girl!!

Um, whatever.

Hi-dee-ho, neighbor! The world continues to turn in a manner some observers describe as "planetary." While horrid things happen all around, a small, struggling family continues to shine in their chosen, perhaps even God-given, roles. My hubby showed his true hero tendencies when he rushed out into the dark to give assistance to a person who had been struck by a truck. The facts? Here we go. Fact 1. There wasn't much he could do but throw my son's blanket over the guy until the paramedics arrived. Fact 2. The person needing assistance was purposely mowed down by persons that were known to him. Fact 3. The person needing assistance may not survive this, as he had a cyst in his brain and may actually be epileptic. Beyond that there aren't many facts to be had. It appeared in the news and the perpetrators of this heinous act have been apprehended and face numerous charges. I'm grateful. This happened about 30 feet from my front door, just slightly more than a house-length away. I enjoyed little sleep that night. I lay awake listening to the police combing the street with their flashlights looking for, well anything, I would imagine. I don't know for sure how long they were at their work. I drifted off to sleep eventually and woke this morning to peer out the window and ponder the surreal feeling of living on a street where such things happen. It's strange. It certainly wasn't the unfocused mayhem of the drive-by shooting that it could have been, as it is said that the perpetrator that was driving also had in his possession a gun. Who even knows what the outcome would have been in that case. Either way, my lovely mirage of security has evaporated. I so enjoyed that mirage. I'd take it back in a second. Not that it would do me much good, but it was comfortable.



Also, I began a relationship with my darling hubby 10 years ago tomorrow.

Now I really feel old.

Quick Update

So, yea all my lovely buddies, the walk thing for Dad went well. In fact, the rain held off just long enough for us to complete our little victory walk. My son decided to avoid almost all photos and stay on the playground equipment as long as humanly possible. His feet were so darn filthy when he got home! Next time I'll make sure he wears sneakers instead of sandals.

On another note, it was really a fabulous fund-raiser, a ton of kids ran and received trophies and we all got blue ribbons for participating. They were really more like keepsakes as they had dad's name on them. It was neat to see all dad's former students and a cool opportunity to talk to some of the teachers he used to work with. It really put things in perspective and made me remember that even if we didn't see eye to eye he was a great teacher and these kids will take all the valuable things he taught them and pass them on. It's pretty cool. At some points during the event there wasn't a dry eye in the family.

He had such a huge impact on so many people. It's hard not to be proud of that. We were all able to share some of the funny things he used to say and do and that made us all feel good. Laughter is certainly healing! It reminds us that there is good to be found in most circumstances if we're willing to look. I think I'll just keep looking and, God willing, I'll keep finding!

Anyway, that's the way things are rolling at this point. Trying to get prepared for the end of the term, working, and trying to keep up with the family. I can't wait for summer! It'll be so nice to take a break from school and lighten the load a little.

Hope all my faithful readers are doing well.