Archives for November 2006

1. Hard habit to break… It NEVER fails – If I’m watching “The Biggest Loser” on TV, I need to have a snack. I feel bad, these people chugging away on the treadmills and all, and I keep thinking, I could go for a chocolate milkshake about now.

2. How mad would other parents be if I told The Princess there was no Santa and she ruined it for them? Because seriously? I’m already hiding wrapping paper at my mom’s, so The Princess won’t see it (because she WOULD make the connection that Mommy and Santa use the same paper), I have to shush my mom when she talks about buying things for the stockings, and both my kids are petrified of every mall Santa they see anyway and won’t ask him for anything.

3. Along with the Santa thing… Um… I told The Princess that Santa’s elves don’t like whining. That whining hurts their pointy little elf ears – and if their ears get hurt, they may tell Santa on her. Is that wrong?

4. Hubby is about done with Fantasy Football. Statistically, he had the WORST record in their league. I will NOT miss Fantasy Football at all. Nope.

Yesterday, The Princess and I went to the body shop to take in our van for its repair from its hammer injury. The body shop gave us a loaner: a 2006 Pontiac Trans Sport minivan… with doors that open at the push of a button, and a DVD entertainment system.

Sigh.

The novelty of such toys was not lost on my Princess. She ended up opening and closing her door four times, just to push the button. We also took a trip after dinner to go Christmas shopping, just so the girls could watch a movie in the car.

The Princess was most definitely in heaven as she watched The Polar Express to and from the mall. She even took a movie to watch on her way to school.

Alas…

The body shop just called and our van is done. Hubby is on his way to take the loaner back and get our “boring car”. The Princess is going to be so bummed when I pick her up from school in a van that she has to open and close the doors herself (using her hands!), and having to look out the window rather than staring comatose at a tv screen. Thank goodness I have several hours before I have to break her heart.

Hubby said to me tonight, “So, you’ll never believe what I heard on the news… Pam Anderson and Kid Rock are getting a divorce. (Pause). Boy, if those two kids can’t make it… is there any hope for ANYONE?!”

Ha. Ha. Ha.

I just got home from a dinner out with our neighbors. Ten of us journeyed to the “big ol city” for a dinner at a Japanese/Chinese restaurant that everyone except Hubby and me had tried before. The other eight were couples from our neighborhood, and Hubby and I were thrilled to be invited on this outing. Hubby has played softball with most of the men, and so they are really more “his friends” than mine.

Having never been out with these folks, and having never been to this particular restaurant, I scoped their menu online last night. I really love Chinese food – crave it often (since it’s not Hubby’s cup o’ tea) – so I was pretty jazzed about dinner. We had 7 p.m. reservations (which is a tad on the late side for us – we have kids, so we are typically done eating before 6!), and we arrived at the restaurant early to socialize with one of the other couples. When we were finally seated, we discovered that we were not going to be eating at the Chinese half of the restaurant – but rather, the Japanese hibachi portion of the restaurant. Now… this was only news to Hubby and me. The other couples have gone there before, and purposely chose this. For me? It threw a big ol’ monkey wrench in my “what to eat for dinner” dilemma.

I have to say (and M, I’m sure you are laughing your hiney off), I am sort of a picky eater. Hubby is worse than I am. I’ve had Japanese food before, and it was so-so, but I prefer Chinese food, and I prefer ordering off a menu, rather than the hibachi style dealy bob. Apparently, the price factor is for the “Entertainment” of watching the chef (is that what we’d call him? I have no idea) juggle spatulas and balance eggs on his head – but to be honest, I am more of a “casual dining” sort of gal (give me a turkey o’toole from Bennigans any day!), and for all of my love affair with Food Network and cooking magazines, I just DO NOT WANT to see my dinner prepared in front of me.

For starters – my biggest food quirk perhaps, is that I do not like seafood. My philosophy is: If you hold it underwater, and it doesn’t die… I don’t want to eat it. Well, they were cooking the Hibachi shrimp awfully close to my Hibachi chicken. It kinda skeeved me out. Then, the little chef guy decides to get all fancy, cutting and tossing shrimp – and tossed a shrimp tail INTO MY LAP. On Purpose. Hubby graciously reached into my lap to pick the shrimp up and set it on the table (so noble of him, yes?), but to be honest, I hadn’t been expecting that – and was sort of unimpressed.

Some of the other circus tricks including tossing shrimp into people’s mouths, lighting huge flames on the grill, and the previously mentioned egg juggling. That was all prior to the part where they were cooking our entrees adding heaps of butter into the piles of chicken, beef or shrimp. (Seriously, I had no idea they used so much butter in “Japanese” cooking).

It wasn’t a horrible time – most of the people were a lot of fun (except Mr. High & Mighty, who seemed to have a comment about everything, and who punctuated every sentence with, “Hey, come over to my house and check out my new plasma tv!” Okay, we get it – you are better than us. Thanks. Remind us again, why don’t you?). In the end, our dinner for two was well over fifty bucks, and though the food was “okay”, I am just more used to spending a great deal less and enjoying my meal a great deal more.

We hit the Starbucks drivethru upon leaving the restaurant, and I was still too tuckered out to continue the evening (at the home of Mr. Check Out My Flat Screen). I believe the other four couples are hovered around his tv and playing cards – but happily, I’m going to eat a bowl of cereal (I’m STARVING!) and head to bed!

Hubby is tormented – he received another job offer! He is struggling between two of the three choices (one is not a real contender).

What would YOU choose (the base pay is fairly similar at both jobs):

a) More hours, stressful – BUT a great sense of pride in your work, an environment you know, potential for growth and advancement, great rapport with officemates, potential for bonuses, job security, familiarity with the work

b) Less hours, less stress, flexible schedule – BUT no room for advancement, a different industry and different type of work

I honestly think that if Hubby doesn’t pick option a, he is going to kick himself for it down the road. While I would love for him to be home more and have the flexibility, I think he’ll thrive in the more intense atmosphere.

Oy.

Yesterday, Hubby went out to Meijer at the crack of dawn for Thanksgiving sales. He was able to get a jump on the holiday shopping, finding a couple neat things for the girls and Stepson, as well as snagging a great deal on athletic shoes. Hubby and I are both pretty active – though I don’t run unless someone is chasing me, I do a lot of walking, and go through several pairs of walking shoes each year. The pair I have been using is wearing through the soles, and I really needed a new pair. We saw the sale flyer – Buy one pair, get a second for a buck – and jumped at it. Armed with my shoe size and an inflated sense of confidence, Hubby set out for our shoes.

He came home with a pair of shoes I could barely squeeze my feet into. (But no fear, he also brought me a cappuccino from Starbucks, so it wasn’t a total loss).

Not wanting to miss out on the selection, I decided I would run out to the store myself, before the Thanksgiving festivities – return the pinchy shoes, get some new ones. I tried on several pair, and found a pair that was comfy in the store, and brought them home.

I wore them for a two mile walk yesterday (amazing, my burn has seemingly faded and I’m feelign pretty good all of the sudden). I felt a bit of discomfort, not altogether unusual for when I get new shoes. I always seem to have problems.

Today, I slapped a bandaid on my heel, and headed out for another walk. I came home, took off my shoe, and (gross) the back of my sock was drenched in blood. Whoops. So now, my shoe, note even 48 hours old, is sitting in the bathroom where I did my best to clean the blood off of it. Some people break in a shoe by sweating, or getting mud on them. Nope. Not me. Mine is apparently covered in DNA.

Hubby was horrified – and told me, “Hon, the shoes were a buck – just throw them away!” (They are New Balance shoes, though – so it’s not like they are really “cheap” shoes). I hate throwing away a pair of shoes that doesn’t even have ten miles on them yet, though.

But I just might.

Not like I can even donate blood-stained shoes to any charity. How disgusting would THAT be?

On this day, as on every day, I am thankful for those I love and those who love me; who enrich my life with their love and the joy they bring to my days. I am truly grateful and so blessed.

After several days of Blogger being cranky and not wanting to work, I have had a nice chunk of time to start recovering from the Cocoa Incident (Otherwise known as When Sarah Became a Butterfingers and decided to drop a Boiling Hot Beverage in her lap resulting in second degree burns and an inability to wear cute pants). It has now been one week and one day since the Cocoa Incident, and I am happy to report that I am, according to my doctor (who I’ve seen THREE times in the past week) healing as I should and that everything looks the way it should. Fantastic.

I’m still quite bandaged, and am able to change the dressing on my leg once daily. The bandages make it extremely difficult to wear regular pants and I have been wearing sweats and workout pants for the past week (which is evident in this week’s laundry: no jeans needing to be washed). I’m sick of feeling like a slob, but – such is life.

In other “mending” news – within two weeks of being laid off, Hubby had about five interviews, and so far, TWO job offers. He has accepted an offer, but is still interviewing until he starts that job – so as not to shut any doors. He admits, it’s a nice feeling to have a “choice” of where to work, and I think that has been a pleasant ego boost for him. The job he has accepted is different from what he’s done in the past, and though it’s not as high level or as intense as a CPA firm during tax season, it’s also not as time intensive either. The woman who interviewed him said they almost never work 40 hours – usually it’s less – and she also talked up flex scheduling. Hubby could potentially work a four day week, which would help me tremendously.

All good stuff.

Though, I have to say, I think he really got the job because SOMEHOW during the interview, my wicked baking talents came up. I wouldn’t have known this, except when Hubby called to accept the position, his new boss said, “Have your wife bake some cookies!” (This makes sense knowing that his new boss is pretty pregnant right now!).

So, like I said, good stuff.

Recovering from Michigan’s loss on Saturday. Ay. Certainly not how I wanted to see that game go – but it was a good game nonetheless. From what I saw of it anyway. Hubby had two of our neighbors over – both of whom brought their kids. I felt like it was Romper Room in my house and I was Miss Sarah (“I see Lea, and Austin, and….”). I didn’t get to see nearly as much of the game as I wanted – but – I saw enough.

Though last week was tremendously crappy, things are definitely improving and I am reminded of how blessed my life is.

Bo Schembechler, former coach of the Michigan Wolverines and huge figure in Michigan sports history, died yesterday – on the eve of the BIGGEST GAME OF THE YEAR. Michigan fans everywhere are feeling the loss.

This afternoon, Michigan and Ohio State (#2 and #1 in the country, respectively) will play at 3:30 EST. Am hoping the Wolverines are able to step it up and win it in Bo’s honor.

Goooooooooooo Blue!

It’s hard to believe it’s only Tuesday – this week has been wretched so far.

Yesterday, one of our construction guys tossed a hammer off the roof – where it bounced off the driveway and dented my van. He came to the door, asked to speak to Hubby (Knowing FULL WELL it was my vehicle), and though he was apologetic and honest about what he’d done, I was still kind of upset. Because the dent didn’t chip through the paint, Hubby said no thank you to his offer to pay for the repair. How NICE of him, when it’s MY vehicle! However, the contractor called last night and told us it was his SON who had done it, and that he was absolutely paying for the damage and that we should get it fixed and “We had a long talk – who throws a hammer? You CARRY your hammer – of course it’s going to bounce!” (Of course? It was totally news to me).

A nice resolution – but a bit o’ drama we didn’t want or need.

This morning, I decided I wanted a nice hot mug of cocoa. I should preface this story by saying that I like my cocoa hot. Very, very hot. Which is why when I accidentally dropped the mug in my lap, the skin on my leg immediately started blistering and peeling. We’re talking – within seconds. Through my tears (because OH YES, I cried like a big old baby), I called Hubby, who called my mother and a neighbor, and they arranged for Hubby to get home, Neighbor to watch the girls and Mom to take me to the doctor’s (Our local hospital? Sort of scary).

Turns out, I have second degree partial thickness burns to my left upper thigh – from about mid thigh to my hip. My leg is currently wrapped up, covering some bandages with some burn cream. And as an extra fun treat – because I wasn’t in quite enough pain we realized we had no idea when I last had a tetanus shot. Got one of those this morning too. Got a prescription for pain meds – and I’ve taken ONE of them today. It turned my brain to such fuzzy rot that I couldn’t think, and so once that wore off, I decided to make do with some ibuprofen. Lots of it. Oh – and ice cream. And pretzels. And Coke Zero. But, um… Nothing warm.

I will be back at the doctor’s on Thursday to have (brace yourselves) the dead skin peeled off. Oh boy. Can’t wait. Maybe they’ll poke a stick in my eye too, just for grins.

What a week.

I guess for Thanksgiving next week, I’ll be most thankful that THIS WEEK is over.