Archives for April 2008

A few months ago, I told a friend that I needed to gain a few pounds. It’s no secret to people who know me in real life that there have been times in the past few years when I’ve been a smidge on the overly skinny side. I do exercise, I eat healthfully, but after kids, dropping weight was a bit easier the previously. So, there were times along the way when I would see a picture of myself and think that maybe if I picked up three pounds or something, it would be alright.

Flash to the past few weeks/months when I’ve realized that my pants were getting a bit too snug and I was feeling like crap. Reluctantly, I went to the doctor thinking she’d tell me I was imagining things (That’s what my husband said). After some bloodwork she said, “Nope, something really is wrong with you.” My thyroid is underactive and so she’s prescribed something that will hopefully regulate it and stop the weight from coming on. Eight pounds in two months. More than I wanted, that’s for sure.

Of course, no one seems to be able to notice the pounds but me, but that’s enough, I guess. It’s a relief to know that there’s a reason for it, and I’m hoping the medication kicks in and wipes out all the symptoms (fatigue, weight gain, hair falling out, moodiness, sensitivity to cold) that have been making me feel like crap for the past few months. Glad I didn’t ignore what my body was telling me (though I wish I had listened to it eight pounds ago).

I got lost on the way to Chicago, ya’ll. Actually, to clarify, I didn’t get lost ON THE WAY, I got lost when I got off the highway and realized that Mapquest is nothing but some idiot-ploy to get people lost in big cities (Mental Note: Google Map it next time). I spent far too long trying to find my final destination and by the time I arrived, I was far too keyed up with stress and caffeine to get much sleep at all on Thursday night. Which sucked.

Massive caffeine consumption took place yesterday which had me sailing through the day just fine. In fact, I got seven hours of sleep last night and am more exhausted than I was yesterday on just two. It’s pure insanity, I tell you.

This has been a low key trip so far, but enjoyable and I am loving the break from home. Hubby is on a golf weekend with the guys, which means he will come home sunburned and pissed about his golf game when I see him tomorrow. He’s not at all predictable.

I’m off to find a Starbucks and get my energy up. The forty minutes on the treadmill and the refreshing shower did help, but man, I am wiped out already and it’s not even 10 a.m. Go figure.

1. I am really bad at packing. I am going to be gone for three nights. You’d think I was going away for two weeks. It seems like just when I think I’m done packing, I remember something else. My bag is stuffed to the gills, and then there’s another bag for toiletries, and another bag for my laptop (can’t be off the grid, just can’t do it!), and then another bag for snacks for the road… Efficiency? What’s that?

2. Song of the week: “Unfold” by Marie Digby. Love it.

3. American Idol last night. WHAT the hell was that? I can think of several other people who should have gotten the boot before Carly. Like Brooke “Lost My Lyric” White. Sheesh.

4. I am having a hard time getting work done today. Partly, I’m excited by my trip. Partly, I’m nervous about the drive. Partly, I am just burned out and feel there’s too much to do that I’m probably forgetting to do. Ay yi yi.

5. Can you believe April is almost over? Next week is going to be May already. I swear, time is flying faster than I can realize. That’s partly a good thing, I suppose – but on the other hand? Wow.

6. I went bathing suit shopping the other day. Can I just say that would have been much more enjoyable had I done that immediately following my stomach flu where I wasn’t able to eat for five days? I’m thinking I would’ve felt a lot better about myself if I had!

7. I made a road trip playlist for my iPod. I’m actually really looking forward to that, for some reason. I’ll only hear but a fraction of it, as I stuffed it with 335 songs, but I also have a tendency to skip past stuff that isn’t floating my boat at the minute. I’m sure that will happen. It always does.

8. The Princess learned to ride her bike sans training wheels this week. It’s a pretty impressive feat, and she’s just getting better and better each day. My big kid.

9. She also read a book perfectly in class the other day. It’s such an amazing year for her.

10. Looks like our nice warm weather is going to go away for a few days. Daaaaaaaaaaaang. I’m ready for permanent warm weather. Any time now….

i am: Sarah
i think: too much about everything
i know: a little about a lot of things
i want: to get away from it all
i have: two beautiful daughters
i wish: I could figure out where that extra few pounds came from.
i hate: drama
i miss: Friends lost along the way
i fear: Anything happening to my kids
i feel: Drained
i hear: American Idol in the background
i smell: my shampoo
i crave: Probably too late for Starbucks tonight, but god, that sounds good
i search: and I find
i wonder: who wrote the book of love 😉
i regret: Nothing. I don’t believe in regret.
i love: my family the most
i ache: a bit from my workout yesterday – changed it up to trick my muscles.
i care: so much about a lot -sometimes i care so much it hurts
i always: force myself to drink water before having a soda so I know that I’m doing something somewhat healthy before I drink crud!
i am not: who people think I am
i believe: that everyone is doing the best that they can
i dance: daily and often in my kitchen
i sing: constantly. I love music
i cry: at the drop of a hat
i don’t always: floss my teeth
i fight: myself too much
i write: all the time
i win: when it’s a game that has to do with words or memory
i lose: my temper sometimes
i never: say never
i confuse: what I want to do with what I have to do.
i listen: to everyone and don’t talk as much
i can usually be found: at home
i am scared: of snakes
i need: to think less and act more
i am happy about: My upcoming weekend in Chicago

A neighbor that my daughter plays with told The Princess yesterday that if she does not believe in Jesus, she will burn in hell forever. I am so extremely mad at this child right now, that I could spit. While we are not a church-going family (which probably explains what prompted this whole little spiel on behalf of the neighbor girl), that is not to say that we are heathens, devil worshippers, or athiests. We just don’t go.

So, yeah, my daughter isn’t really educated on religious matters, something my husband and I both agree on addressing when each child is older (We have discussed this at length, and have a plan, if you will). In the meantime, I don’t want my child being told she’s going to burn. This same neighbor also told The Princess that eagles would swoop out of the sky and eat her – so, I’m not running her fan club right now.

We plan to talk with The Princess – we want her to know that people have different feelings about God, different philosophies, different beliefs, and no one is right or wrong. Those are personal choices each person gets to make and you are entitled to hold your own personal beliefs and you should not ever criticize someone else for what they believe just because it’s different than what YOU believe.

Having said that – there’s still this neighbor girl. And honestly, I’m pretty ticked. Do we talk to her parents? What do we say? I have no problem with her belief – it’s hers – I do have a problem with her telling my child essentially that her way is the only way.

Ugh. What to do?

Dear Mighty Cashier of the Express Lane:

When I got into your line, I did not realize that I had more than ten items. But seeing as how you were reading a tabloid, and there was no one in line behind me, was the dirty look as I handed you my basket with thirteen items really necessary? I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience of the extra twenty seconds it took to ring up my purchases. I’m terribly sorry that you had to pull yourself away from the story of the lovechild of Britney Spears and the creature from Jupiter, but you know: DEAL WITH IT. That look on your face and the big heavy sigh of annoyance? It’s just rude. I don’t like rude. But I still love Target so I’ll be back and when I see you working the express lane, I’m gonna be coming at you with a full cart, lady – so don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Love,
Sarah

Today is the big day – the finish line – the end of the road… April 15. I really was beginning to think it would never come. This tax season (and I’ve now survived six years as a tax season widow) feels like it’s been harder than any other, and though I’m not entirely sure why that is, it certainly felt endless from the midst of it. I’m glad to see it end, and am hoping that it won’t take long for our lives to regain some semblance of normalcy.

Hubby’s car is still in the shop. The mechanics apparently didn’t want to do any far-fetched whacky diagnostic methods… you know, like actually driving the car. They apparently let it sit and idle and could not replicate the problem Hubby has been having. I guess it’s only obvious to me that you can’t get a car that has been driving weird to drive weird without actually driving it. I have to say, I am not entirely sure how my husband selected this particular repair shop, but they have been of no use to anyone whatsoever. Actually – it has been nice having the garage to myself so I can park willy-nilly, but it would be way cooler not having to drive Hubby to work.

Speaking of driving him to work – it’s been two days now of hauling the kids out of the house at 6:30 to get him to work. I don’t particularly like doing it, and am hoping that they can get this fixed today. Today, as Hubby drove in (If he’s with me, I make him drive – oldfashioned?) I was watching the scenery. He took the “back way” to his office, one that is through a part of our town that is even more rural. Watching the sun come up behind barns and seeing the frost on the grass in the pastures, horses playing, and fields – HUGE fields – that were untouched by housing developments and stripmalls, I had a tiny bit of love for this little town. Rest assured, that doesn’t happen too often. I’m a city girl stuck in a small town – but today, it was so beautiful. Starting my day with the blessing of being amazed by what is so close to me, but so often far from my mind, could be perhaps what I needed today more than anything.

So here we are at the end of another tax season. As I’ve said, I hope that things fall back into patterns soon. Unfortunately, I know that there is the early period of adjustment – when I have to find my groove and Hubby has to find his groove and we learn to work around each other. I know that I fall into my independent woman mode when I’m used to being the sole parental unit around the house while he churns away with 60 – 70 hour workeweeks. For the first few weeks, we typically get in each other’s way – and I don’t look forward to that part. Yet, we muddle through and we will. We sure will.

Tomorrow, I’ll be out of his way, though. Tomorrow, I’ll be blissing at the day spa for hours on end getting pampered and my gosh, I can’t wait.

I hope everyone else has a beautiful tax day today!

Hey! It’s April 14. Hey!

For anyone who has been following me since January 1, you know that tomorrow is the big day we’ve been waiting for – Tax Day. I’m so glad that the hell of tax season is almost over. When you think that a third of our lives each year are consumed by all-things-tax-related, well… You realize what a big deal April 15 is, not just to Hubby, but the whole family. [Note: Unmarried ladies out there, you might think that marrying a CPA is a good thing. But it’s not. Unless you don’t want to see him for a third of the year. Think about that one.]

Of course, coinciding with the wrapping up of tax season comes the illness of Hubby’s car. Don’t know what’s wrong with it (and I’m hoping it’s something small – cross your fingers, would ya?), but I do know that I’ve been left home carless while Hubby’s had to take my mama-van the past few days, and today, the girls and I had to drive him to work. I informed him last night, we would NOT be taking him into the office at his usual 6 a.m. start time. He arrived promptly at 7:01 and that involved me leaving the house before eating breakfast, which meant that by the time the girls and I got back home, I was starving and cranky. Just the way to start the day. Oh, and it was 32 degrees. Winter coats on. I came close to putting them away for the season and didn’t, remembering that this is Michigan, home of the psychotic weather patterns.

Finally, in addition to the end of tax season TOMORROW, Wednesday is my day of pampering when Hubby will stay home with the kids (let’s see who’s still standing when the day is done) while I park my butt at a lovely local spa for four to five hours being pampered and treated like the princess I am. I cannot wait.

Happy Monday, Y’all.

“I love you, mommy.”

“I love you too, Pumpkin.”

“I love you three.”

“I love you four.”

“I love you five.”

“I love you six.”

“I love you seven.”

“I love you eight.”

“I love you nine.”

“I love you ten.”

“I love you eleven.”

(Pause). “I love you… twenty-one.”

“Pumpkin, I love you twenty-one also…”

1. With Spring Break this week, Pumpkin still had daycare but The Princess was home. You know what this means? It means that work-wise it has been a totally unproductive week for me. I scheduled some playdates and squeezed work in here and there, but it just was not the same. I’m ready for school to be back in session.

2. The Princess and I had a pretty cool day today, though. We planned for a few days to have today be “Our Day”. We went out to lunch together, stopped at Target for random things (but of course) and then met some friends at the movie theater to see “Horton Hears a Who”. We had such fun. We ate lots of Skittles and spent a lot of time running through rainy parking lots (what an ugly day weather-wise today). But it’s all good.

3. “Horton Hears a Who”? Fantastic. So so so good. And just beautiful to watch. And remember – “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

4. I was watching American Idol last night – the Idol Gives Back program. I admit, I liked Chris Daughtry on the show, and I have liked everything I have heard from Daughtry so far… but last night they did that montage with “What About Now” playing, and that is my song of the week. I love it. Love it. Love it. Have I mentioned I like the song kinda sorta?

5. We’re going to a wedding reception this weekend and I’m super excited and I had a cute dress picked out to wear. You know, it’s mid-April, so you think it would be safe to wear a dress with funky straps. Um, not in Michigan. It’s supposed to SNOW. What the hell!? I’m so ready to move (no, not gonna happen, but a gal can dream).

6. Less than a week til tax season is over. Whoooooooooooooooooooooooo! (If you watch “So You Think You Can Dance” – picture that as a Mary Murphy yell).

7. The Princess is learning about animals in school and is pretty mad at hunters, just so you know. She said to me the other day, “Who decided that WE were more important than animals? How are deer not important?” I explained hunting and some theories (Hunting as sport, hunting for food, hunting to prevent deer overpopulation). When I told her that some people say there are too many deer so they don’t have enough food, she looked at me and said, “Mom, they eat grass. There is grass everywhere. People are just being DUMB.” My little tree hugger. Love it.

8. I cannot believe Syesha didn’t get voted off tonight. I’m actually quite bummed. And Kristy Lee wasn’t in the bottom 3? Eeesh. She’s going to be the annoying person that makes it to the top 5. There’s an icky one every year.

9. I’ve been watching “Reality Bites” lately while working out. Love that movie. Generationally, there is so much that just reminds me of 1994 and that time in my life. What a fun trip in the way back machine.

10. Kettle corn is good.