Held Hostage?

It's true Carolyn posted a comment that she's holding my blog hostage and if I post no ONE will get hurt! So here ya go ;) I listen when ordered around. I know I haven't updated in a big..I've been in a MOOD...man oh man. I have a moody - overemotional 10 yr old...who is obnoxious to be around and now the almost 3 yr old has been a beast..chicken pox for her and then the 7 yr old has been ok actually.

Don't read if you don't have time..fair warning it's gonna be long LOL So this past weekend I went to Mikey's Blue and Gold dinner...I wish I had brought more reading material..seriously - it's that long. But the food was good and Mikey was *so* proud to make both his bobcat and his wolf at the same meeting. He did NOT want to go up there though. I had to push him up there to get it. Then the rest of my weekend was subscription. Ah my least fave thing to do next to packing kits

But it's all done. YAY...then my week was spent at doctor's. People wonder why we help Riss with her healthcare...she's nuts...she fell over a toolbox at my mom's a week or so ago and never told anyone. She's limping around like an invalid and mom finally asked what was wrong. Her leg was freaking 3x the normal size and all shades of black and blue, etc..so off to the doc and hospital then on Monday from 2:30-9pm. Yep 9pm...

While there I can say without a doubt I had a Grey's Anatomy moment and while I'd love to be able to say it was an Alex- closet-sex moment it was more of the -code Yellow moment and what the hell is yellow? Is that like Black? The staff wasn't amused but I sure had a chuckle over it.

Hospitals are so much LESS glamorous than that show..seriously!

So on Tues I had to go to Riss's doc appt for her mass. It is a mass and is presenting like cancer :( The doc wants her in for surgery- she'll be in the hospital for 5 days and then we'll see when he's in there if he takes the kidney or just the mass. It's on the outside of the kidney so that's good. Not sure til the surgery on the 23rd of March if it's cancerous or not. Please keep her in your prayers.

Then on to the doctor for mom- this was a funny one- she'd probably kill me but do you know the amt of material at a behind doc? I mean seriously! I could NOT stop giggling. Did you know you can just drop trou and kneel on a table that moves up and down and angles for his viewing pleasure? OH MAN I am so eating her high fiber diet with her...no visits for me. He told her that in bolivia they are considered married now.

He came in saying mom looked familiar and I felt like saying...do you say that to all the butts you see? All holes look alike? See what I mean? I couldn't stop giggling. So at one pt I tell him that the poop is knee deep in here w/his compliments ;)

Poor mom...but if I had to suffer in there like that. Oh and a funny about the waiting room- it's jam packed...but they have 3 normal chairs and then this space age type thing.it's like a seat sling ok? And they are all attached together onto metal. I really should grab a photo of them. I took one look and grabbed one of the two chairs that were normal but this guy comes in and takes mom's chair. Being the good daughter that I am i go sit in the damn thing and would you know I almost fell...not very comfy and the guy behind me kept bouncing like mad. One new guy comes in not realizing the new age nature of this beast and falls into his chair and almost snaps my neck. Mom was laughing so hard.

So anyone like chicken? If I get enough requests I will go type by beloved Chicken/Broccoli casserole here..it's SO dang good...I mean you shred munster and then use a cream sauce and omg it's good :)

What else? I will tell you that 10 yr olds and mouths are overrated! What is it with them? It's all the end of the world and it's all a drama. I am so sick of arguing with her. Projects due at the last minute she forgot about because you know MO-OM I can remember and rarely write it in my assignment book...she forgot the papers today too. Am I bringing them to her? I doubt it. We'll see if she remembers she forgot it. :(

At any rate she better settle down soon or I am raffling her off..no returns on that one ok?

And finally my final thought- If you are bold enough to ask me how much my adoption costs and to say you are going to "get one of those" do not even presume to think I am going to want your jerkoff of a dh to COLD call me to sell crap for you. Um hello???

Yep so I get a call yesterday on my biz line....it's some guy and did I remember his wife from "happy nails" in dec..we talked about adoption. Takes me a minute or two but I did finally place the obnoxious woman. And it wasn't at happy nails idiot...it was a different name..but anyway I digress....this gal did say to me she wanted to get one of those..and meant my daughter. Unfortunately my mom came in after and when I was explaining to this gal I didn't have a card (yeah right) mom whips one out. It's all her fault ok?

So this guy goes on to snip at me - do you remember. I'm like yeah but we have lots of ppl who ask us about adopting- duh. So ok he asks if I am interesting in options and do I have 8-10 hours a week to devote to his streamline marketing..where they cut out the middle man by adding me the middle man to sell things to consumers from like best buy. I was dumbfounded and he heard silence so now he's like- HELLO are you there. I'm like YES i am listening. He says so let's get together for coffee and interview each other..I'm like HELL No. So I say I don't have an hour for myself let alone 8 a week and I am sorry. He's like incredulous and says we are talking 6 figures here. I'm like no thank you and do you know that SOB hung up on me without even a goodbye.

I'm like...oh no you don't and go look at my caller id and no freaking number registered so therefore I couldn't call his behind back and ream him out. How freaking dare you?

It's an imposition enough to call me and ask me about china adoption- but to think that gives you license to then cold call me and get nasty when I am not interested is just plain absurd. Hope I see that broad again in happy nails...I'll use my happy nails on her face. And if they allow her to adopt I'll vomit.

MAN
that's it...how do you like that???

LOL
so ladies are you sorry now that Carolyn hijacked me? See why I was ignoring my blog? I'll end with ONE layout I like and that's it...since the other two are poop!

Mea culpa

Ok so I ignored you all a bit...I have been working like a dog seriously And for the last two days have walked on the treadmill....walking 3x a week is not working for me but now I've set it up that I walk everyday..no more excuses..just get down there.

Read Amy is on a soup diet but it's hard enough ignoring the brownies and other goodies...can't fathom eating only soup right now...don't think I am not saving that diet though for the future if I don't drop the weight before my brother's wedding ;)

Of course A is as thin as a rail and I am not so I better start the soup diet now

Ok so my week so far...pedicure on Monday- love Mario Tricoci...best pedicures around. So now my feet are not offensive to myself....but it's subscription time and I am tired. Plus I am working on my weight and then worrying about a possible 4th child and my brain will NOT relax.

So we were in the Chinese buffet place today....odd waitress...fawned over Anna - deliberately misunderstood Anna's province (I know I am saying it right for cry pete) and then told me...oh she a banana....white on the inside and yellow on the outside...ok first..if I am going to compare my kids to food - why not a twinkie...and 2nd....wtf? I was seriously annoyed......and then she asks the million dollar question- oh she no speak chinese no more--- um yeah just as well as you speak english. I politely point out- she was brought to the US at 8 mos of age...not too much Chinese was being spoken yet as far as I knew but she just didn't get it.

Then again here's the rest of the day there...the bill comes and I about pass out...it was $41 for me and three kids to eat the buffet and I am not even stuffed because hello I am eating 1/2 of my normal intake....omg I was floored...turns out that 4pm there must be dinner and there were no signs posted..and well frankly the food was crap..what a disappointment...esp with this new budget we are on.

So when I left I thought to myself...so we are comparing ourselves to fruits are we? I am a prune- sucked dry from my overpriced, horrible dinner LOL

How's that for fruity?

That's it's I am in such a funky mood I am not fit for polite company (then again some of my readers..)

OH yeah..forgot the main reason for my foul mood...I get an envie the mail with a gift subscription from my outlaws..I'm thinking - cool maybe Soap Opera Digest...or whatever right? It's the freaking Portals of Prayer- their Lutheran um I guess daily devotions book. Now I am steamed.

Why you ask? These ignorant people have an incredible knack of badgering Kevin on issues and usually right after I convince him we need to find a Church..sure 'nuff...anyway I emailed the publisher and pointed out that I've been catholic my whole life much to my outlaws dismay and that since I was just going to chuck their information into the trash they might as well remove me from the mailing list even if my dh's parents are too stupid to figure it out. And they removed me.

So how to deal with it? Talking to them won't net me anything....so I have decided to fight fire with fire..first catholic charities magazine...and then some other religions too. Those (**%^%^%$%$$%$% idiots.

pretty cool!

saw this on another blog..thought the words were very TRUE :) Go to this site to add it to your blog :)

http://www.snapshirts.com/custom.php

What's new....? Nothing much...today I am scrapping if it kills me..but I have a pile of work sitting next to me....a huge pile..that really should be entered into qb before taxes are done.

The house is a mess...what else is new? I am hoping we get it cleaned soon...and this weekend we have lots going on....packing kits on sun (love ya mom) and tomorrow a CNY celebration...Anna's first playgroup. YAY we are bringing these awesome easy to make pot stickers (Ling Ling) from costco..they and the plum sauce that comes in there are delish.

Contemplating signing up for thegrocerygame.com Elaine mentioned it on our boards and it sounds good...esp if I can save 65% on groceries. :) Hey if any of you sign up use Elaine's name if you know her or mine please...we can earn free weeks...

I am hoping it saves me SOME money somehow.

That's it...ok off to scrap :)

Maybe I'll post a layout later.

If you haven't visited the store lately- Basic Grey preorder is up as well at Cbx...MM going up later this weekend and we are hoping to have the product soon.....we are almost sold out of BG and we also are offering the new American Crafts rubons for sale....not too many of those left either...they have a TON of letters! And are packaged so smartly!

Also lots of other new stuff in the store now. :)

More from me later and hopefully more pics soon!

Santa Baby

I've been singing this crazy song all season. And I saw a layout in some magazine that had that title and I said..bingo :)

So here's my sneak peek..totally UNlike an xmas layout. :) using an upcoming kit name is hush hush LOL

Using Bonni's awesome sketch which I think might meet a Catherine challenge too!
Enjoy!

Paved with good intentions

I thought today...Wed..Anna would to go visit Rissi..I'd get my few orders cleared off the desk..do the Post office and head home and SCRAP...well the best laid plans right? Monday Kev was sick with the stomach flu...I was determined to NOT get it. Yesterday Anna wakes up w/a fever...turns out she was probably our first sick one...Katie comes home sick after school...Mikey follows..I'm fine...hahaha...until about dinnertime when I get super nauseous and then get sick. Fun! NOT...three kids home..kev is well enough to go back to work and Anna is healthy enough to be a PITA...and I am sitting here miserable. I am going to try and scrap later...working on laundry now and just sitting and staring ;)

Never a dull moment...of course we have play tickets friday..we got the subscription series for Broadway in Chicago - but alas haven't been to one play yet. They have changed every date and it's been a disaster. What was supposed to be Me, Mom, Riss and Pat has turned into 4 other tickets for Pat's friends and no one is ever available at the same time. We had to forgo the tickets the first play cause Mikey was at the ER for his foot. Now I'm sick. I better feel better...I want an ADULT dinner :)

The past week in review: Katie's concert was fast but nice...she really has stage presence...um with me and her Nana as her relatives is it any wonder? (for those that don't know..placed 2nd in state solo competition in hs/have had professional singing lessons/mom and i have been in tons of plays..and musicals- it's in the blood ;) Even Mikey who has to attend with Katie each week was singing along to all the songs...I know his future too!

Other than that and cleaning the basement..nothing much.

Sorry I've ignored the blog for a few days...maybe I'll upload a sneaky again later :)

Sneaky Peeky

What is this? A sneak? This is one of our upcoming Feb kits...I'm going to be sneaking some here and there - you never know where you will catch one ;) This is from one of my talented DT- Carrie..and her adorable little one! I finally did a layout w/this kit but you'll have to wait for that one :)

Gung Hay Fat Chow

No matter how you spell it or pronounce it..it's the YEAR OF THE DOG...We suspect now that Anna had the stomach flu when we celebrated - which would explain her odd behaviour and not eating, etc. But we had fun nonetheless :) No parade for us this year which was sad because of rain. I had the cutest book for Anna about her first CNY and she kept asking us to read it and wanted to go see the dragon and lion...when we read the books she kisses them both. :) The local restaurant was pleased that we celebrated the day and accepted our "Gung Hay Fat Chow"s and told us it wasn't Happy New Year but the phrase means to have a prosperous and rich new year. So I told them I wished that for them. Of course Miss Anna had them enchanted. And she was her usual shy self except when she was yelling Happy MY New Year ;)

Here's the little one in her Chinese silks. Katie had an asian top on and Mikey had no silks this year..we'll get some for next year. And we found a chinese playgroup- it's a miracle....we belong to the FCC - Families with Children From China and there was a link for playgroups..hope it turns out to be a great group of people...we meet them for a CNY part in a week!

It'll be nice to be active with other families that resemble us :)

So that was our CNY- out to dinner with family and friends and next year we may bring food in and do it here....reading books and sweeping out the old year for a prosperous new one.

It is truly amazing that we were chosen to be Anna's parents and that we have the joy of knowing her culture...they are truly an amazing culture and people. I can't wait to show my baby China...(Stace- plan on that trip in a few years :) Kev and I talked and we think we'll go back to China in about 3 years with the whole family. And no I don't think to adopt again but stranger things have happened I guess ;)