I've Got Some Good Excuses, I Swear...

After the Christmas weekend, Alexsa and I caught the crappy bug that had been going around.  The poor thing looked so horrible I just couldn't take her picture, and honestly, I felt so crappy I didn't even want to deal with the posting of them.  Then as soon as we started feeling better, we took the plunge and moved in with my parents.  I just can't believe its been a week already!  Alexsa and I moved in on the 1st, where we brought over her crib and most of her toys and our clothes.  The next day Barry came, and the day after the boys (aka the cats) followed.  We're still getting used to not being in our own space, but I think we're all adjusting well, and its been nice to have my mom help so much.  She even put her down tonight! This was the first time i was home and didn't put Alexsa down for the night. I have to admit it was hard to let it go.  I don't think i'll let that happen too often. :)
Every day we've been remembering things we forgot to pack and either Barry or I would make the trip to bring a few boxes over.(it took 3 days for my deoderant to make the trip! Good thing mom had extra!).  Tomorrow we're going to start packing up the rest of the junk that we really don't need but can't bear to get rid of, as well as the stuff we need to keep, but don't need (like our kitchen stuff).  I put our couches on craigslist and they sold within 2 days, but we still have to make the exchange.  Hopefully most things will fit at Barry's dad's house, who has graciously said we could use his house as storage.  This will save us a big chunk of change in storage costs.
Our goal is to have the house rental-ready by Feb 1, but I think we'll just have it ready for the carpets by then, and hopefully use Feb to get the place a renter by March 1.  I'm crossing my fingers we'll get a GOOD renter!  We're going to use a service so they do a background check, etc.
Other than the sick thing and the moving thing, I really don't have any other excuses. Maybe between now and Feb 9th (Alexsa's 1st Bday!) I'll be better about taking pictures and posting them.  Here's hoping!

Lucky Bum

This morning I went to get my new favorite breakfast – a Cuban toast w/ Café Con Leche at this great place around the block from my office. It’s a delicious coffee and it doesn’t make me jittery like normal coffee does.  A bum stops me on the way back and asks if I could spare some money for food.  So here I am, holding a bag that’s obviously filled with food, and a cup with my delicious coffee and I’m put to the test.  I always tell myself that if I’m stopped, I’d gladly give a bum any food I had, but I wouldn’t give them any money “to waste away on booze”. (Working downtown, you have to think about these things) 

So I give the bum my coffee. My delicious café con leche that actually tastes like coffee, unlike the brown water that they pour here at the office.  He surprisingly asks, “You don’t want it?”  I hesitate… smile, then say “Well, you can have it.”  So as I walk away, thinking I should feel happy and proud for being selfless, all I can think about is how pissed I am now that I don’t have my dang coffee. 

Not 30 seconds later a second bum asks the same exact question, like they taught at Bum School: “Could you spare some money for food?”.  I just frown and point to the guy behind us… “sorry, just gave him my coffee.” And keep walking.  Shoulda been quicker, dude, or you’d be drinking my café con leche…

Random Thoughts on a Friday

Why do they make ketchup packets in the size they do?  Have you ever used just ONE ketchup packet? I surely have not.  Same with mayo - that's ALOT of mayonnaise for one burger.

I'm sad that my baklava I bought for a snack is already down my gullet.

I'm beginning to wonder if i'm obsessed with my child.  I can't stop looking at her picture every day!

I'm SOO excited it's Friday!  Barry and I are going to Maggiano's and a movie for our 3rd anniversary tomorrow, leaving Alexsa with Aunt Christy :).

Six Week Checkup and other Ramblings

I had my 6 week post partum checkup yesterday.  Everything is pretty much back to normal! :)  I still have a few stitches left to disolve, but I am free to be a normal person again. :)  Sex? Yes please.

However, at the checkup, he noticed a mole on my back that makes him nervous, so i have to go back in a month to get it removed.  What sucks is that its going to leave a nasty scar. :(  BUT better to get it removed now before it turns into cancer later.

I also got the go ahead to go back to work, so I start back up on Monday.  Its a week earlier than what we planned, but I figure we can save my PTO for if she's sick or if we want to take a long weekend trip, to say, Monroe, NC. :)  I'm looking forward to going back but I already miss her.  I miss her when she takes a long nap so I know once I'm at my desk i'll want nothing more than to be back at home.

Its amazing how independent she seems to be already.  Many times when she's fussy and we can't figure out why, if we just put her down on the couch or her activity mat, she calms right down.  She actually seems to prefer to be left alone!  How crazy is that?

On Saturday, Barry and I are leaving Alexsa with my Mom to go to a wedding.  Its the first time (other than a quick trip to Walmart when she was a few days old) that she'll be away from both Barry and me.  I'm excited about it!

Did I mention that I had my biopsy on my eye? Last friday they took a chunk of the black thing out of my eyelid - we should get the results back in 2 more weeks.  Hopefully its nothing!

Barry is just amazing with Alexsa.  He has much more patience than I expected and he is actually really sensitive.  Last night he got home from school and I had put her down already.  He was dissapointed because he wanted to hold her.  This from the guy that never even wants to be in the same room as an infant.  I was afraid that the baby would put alot of strain on our relationship (which, i'm sure we'll have our moments) but it seems so far that Alexsa has brought us so much closer together.  :)

Ode to 100 Grand

Oh, 100 Grand, how I love thee. Your perfect combination of crispy crunchies and chewy caramel makes me overbound with joy. I am saddened that I only have a "Fun Size" of your chewy, yummy goodness, but am grateful for your existence, however short it was. I thoroughly enjoyed created 10 bites out of the 3 that it would typically take to consume you, to only prolong your wonderment.

You are so seductive, oh 100 Grand. It is taking all of the power within me to not take the long trek across the building to find another Fun Size to partake in. I must resist.... I... can't....

mmmm........ *Crunch*

People of Wal-Mart

I can tell this is going to be the cause of aLOT of workplace slacking in my future.

http://peopleofwalmart.com/

I'd say this is the best website I've come across in quite a long time. Please, click the link. I want to share the enjoyment with you. Come back after and tell me your favorite.

PS, here's a sneak peak:

Random

So i was just looking at these pictures and noticed... That guy must have a little Captain in him. Ya think?

(Can you tell i'm out-of-my-mind bored at work?)

A Trip to the Denist

As I mentioned previously, when Willie comes to town, he brings with him 1/2 the inventory of NYC's Chinatown BBQ pork (Char Sui). Needless today, I've been eating a hell of a lot of the yummy goodness in the last few days. I've been doing a hell of a lot of flossing, too.

Two days ago, after an especially good batch of Barry's pork fried rice, I went to the bathroom to floss and felt like I just couldn't get what-ever-it-was out of my teeth. I took my little floss/pick thing and just watched TV while flossing... It got to the point where I just gave up, thinking it might just be in my head. As the day progressed through, my tooth started to hurt. Take-three with the floss: no avail. I go to bed.

Yesterday I was hoping it'd be better when I woke up, but it wasn't. I flossed like 3 times before I gave up. I called the dentist. Honestly, I was afraid some pork got stuck underneath my crown, then I'd be in BIG trouble. I felt kinda silly calling the dentist basically saying "Can you floss for me?" I didn't think it was THAT big of a deal, but she was ready to accommodate me right away, so I left work about 10:30 to trek across town.

As I sat in the chair, feeling stupid for going to the dentist for being an inept flosser, they seemed quite concerned. I guess it wasn't that uncommon? She worked at it for a good minute or 2 before she was able to retrieve the tiniest piece of what i am assuming was 2-day old char sui. Ga-ROSS. PHEW! Am I done? Nope. She gets out a drill. EH? She then proceeds to sand down my tooth - for what i wasn't quite sure, but 20 minutes later I was back in the car with sore, but food-free gums. I didn't even sign in or out! I don't even think they're going to charge me.

And this morning I'm pain-free. I love my dentist.

With These Powers Combined...

I decided on a small tactic to help curve my after-lunch craving for sweets. I brought some tooth brush and toothpaste to work and keep it in the bathroom. After I eat lunch, I brush my teeth instead of popping a mint. Hopefully my minty mouth will prevent me from eating the almost always prevalent sweets around the office.

So it's a win-win! No extra sugar PLUS the gingivitis-fighting power of Crest! My dentist would be so proud...

I've Got Balls.

I'm rising to the challenge that was set forth by Alix at Casa Hice, who rose to the challenge from Liz at Eternal Lizdom, who rose to the challenge from Lisa @ Adventures in Motherhood, who I'm sure got it from someone else.. This is what they say:


A fun little challenge... that may be hard for some, easy for others: Post a picture of yourself right now. As you are right now. As you read this. No running to get dressed or put on make up or fix your hair or whatever. Just YOU!Anyone brave enough to play along? Ready... Set... CLICK


So, here it is. Me, slacking off, blogging and taking pictures of myself instead of doing the bazillion other things I should be doing at work:

Anyone else out there got some big ones?

"Case of the Mondays"

Barry is always complaining that he is the only one that takes the trash out. "It only takes 30 extra seconds" he says. I succumbed to his logic this morning and decided to take the trash out.

Thirty seconds, my ass.

I walked down the stairs with my usual morning items in tow: My purse, makeup bag, lunch bag, carnation instant breakfast glass, and my keys. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I notice the trash and think to myself "Fine, I'll do it." As I'm reaching down to pick up the trash, my keys slip out of my hand. All thoughts of a full glass of liquid escapes me as I grab for the keys (as if they were about to fall in to hot liquid magma and never see them again.) Carnation Instant Breakfast goes everywhere: into my lunch bag, all over my hand/wrist/watch, and of course on to the tile. Here's where you think "Tile? What's the big deal?" Well... the bottom of the stairs is where our litter box is and if you know Barry and I at all, it's not a place we tend to sweep out that often. So now i have chocolate milk flavored litter splayed all over the tile, my new Tissot drenched in chocolate milk, and chocolate milk flavored pot roast for lunch. I "gingerly" removed all of previously said items from my hands and run upstairs. I try to get my watch off, but because it's a great watch it doesn't come off easily and the task of removing it is just exacerbated by the chocolate milk. So i wash it off the best i can whilst still attached to me, grab the paper towel, run down stairs, clean up my lunch, wipe up the chocolate litter, stuff the dirty paper towels into the trash bag, and take a breath.

I decide to take 2 trips. I grab my purse, makeup, and lunch bag and put it in the car. I go back and grab the trash and throw that in the trunk and make my way to the compactor. Of course when I get there there is 3 or 4 bags of trash sitting right in FRONT of the door to the trash compactor. I mean, how lazy can you be that you can't open the effin' door and throw your shit in. Literally, someone bagged their SHIT and had it just sitting there. Shit. I'm not kidding. Poop. (Gross.) Anyway, sorry. So i throw my trash in, throw the shit it, get back in the car and to the gate before i realize that I forgot my effing carnation instant breakfast sitting on the shelf where i left it. I yell "Fuck it." and head off to work. Thirteen minutes after my initial trip down the stairs.

When I arrived at the parking garage, for some reason I decided to use the "monthly use only" entrance, which i very rarely do. I reach out my stubby arms to scan my card, glance for the green light, and start to go. The gate doesn't move. WTF? I back up, scan it again and notice the light goes red-green-red. Hm. Ok. I try again. RedGreenRed. Damnit. Now the line is backing up and I have to reverse my car to go into the other lane with large truck grills glaring at me in my small sedan. I manage to get into the other lane and retrieve a ticket, but not without hearing an unimaginable pffping sound from my tire as I kissed the curb. Shite. I'll be damned if i popped my tire. I drive forward and don't notice anything strange (thank goodness), park and head to the stairs without looking back.

By the time i get upstairs I'm just watching the minutes until I can call Barry. I tell him my whole story and explain that this is why I never take the trash out and why I'll never do it again before work.

He say to me, "Sounds like you got a bad case of the Mondays." It's a good thing he wasn't within reach...

TV FX Guy

OK, its my turn.

It seems that a lot of my blogging friends have had to start monitoring their comments due to negative and/or cruel feedback left. This isn't nearly as bad as what y'all have gone through, but its another small example that people don't follow the golden rule of "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Last month, I wrote a post about Bob & Sheri about how I pretty much worshiped them. (Not exactly, but you get the point.) ANYway, today I received a comment from a random guy explaining how much he despises them. Not that I really care what his opinion of Bob & Sheri is, everyone's entitled to theirs... but why would you post a comment that is in direct opposition just for S & G's? Makes no sense to me. I was at least hoping to look at his blog and maybe gain another interesting blog to read (see - me staying positive?) But he doesn't even have one. He's just a rogue Negative Nilly.

Now all i can do is overreact and become hypersensitive... But as Alix says, comments are like crack... and I don't like no bad crack.

Oh well... at least it gives me something to blog about. :)

Bob & Sheri

For my Charlotte friends, you know exactly who i'm talking about. The Bob & Sheri morning show. For those who don't, Bob & Sheri is a morning show syndicated out of Charlotte, NC. When I was living in Daytona (2001), I would listen to their show religiously. There was something about their style and sense of humor that made them so much fun to listen to. When I moved back home to Jax, not hearing them was one of the things I missed in the morning.
Fast forward to January 2009, Girls Weekend in Savanah. I turn on my radio and who do I hear?! My beloved Bob & Sheri!! Sunny 103.3!! I got so excited. I listened to them all 2 hours on the way home, and it wasn't until I got to downtown Jacksonville that they started to fuzz out.
Normally, I can't stand white noise. Any flicker of quality in the reception and the station changes. Well, for Bob and Sheri, I can tolerate it. I even changed the way I went to work so i would travel north around the river instead of south, in the off chance that the 8 miles in either direction would make a difference. (I know, its a sickness, really.)
SO anyway, I thought i'd share. Good night, and I wish you good reception.