Snow and Shopping

The snow sure looks pretty. As long as I'm not the one shoveling it. :) Sean was on his way up the canyon on Saturday, and there was a big truck pulling a snowmobile trailer that got high-centered over a snow drift. They were trying to dig it out when Sean came along, so he stopped to pull the guy out. He said, "I came along with my big, blue piece of [bleep] and they probably didn't know if I could do it, but I popped the guy right out." I'm just glad he can keep the big blue piece of crap running, because it does the job and we don't have to buy anything newer for a little while longer.


We've had some beautiful weather lately, especially if you can up high enough to get out of the smog soup.

I'm pretty much oblivious most of the time, just off in my own little world, but Sean notices things. So we were in Wendover one time, and he spotted one of the TV news anchors there having dinner. He was at the buffet getting food and their paths crossed, so he talked to her.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"You look much taller in person."

I think I laughed for like five minutes. It just struck me so funny, I don't know why. So today when we were shopping at Smith's he spotted the Channel 4 meteorologist doing her shopping. I asked him, "Did you tell her she looked taller in person?" She looked really pretty though. That would be the sucky thing about being on TV. You wouldn't dare to go to Smith's in your sweatpants and ponytail because people recognize you, and you are supposed to look glamorous, right? We were at Wal-Mart today and man, I decided I need to hang out there more often. It makes me feel much better about myself. Grown adults out and about in grubby pajama pants, slippers, all kinds of crazy clothing choices and hairstyles... Some guy about 40 or so with weirdly dyed skunk hair... like his daughter is going through cosmetology school and talked him into something unfortunate. Hey, I may be a frump, but at least I wore clean jeans and a clean sweatshirt (OK maybe some baby boogers on it) and combed my hair.

Winter, Work, Weirdness

This is absolutely my least favorite time of year. Christmas is over and so is the excitement of winter. It's frikkin cold, everywhere you go it's just brown iced-over snow and slush, the parking lot at work is a giant mess. The only way I get through it is to make summer plans. Sean and I go for drives through the canyons, past the lakes and streams, and talk about all the things we're going to do as soon as it's warm enough. I'm in the process of planning a Lake Powell trip, and I'm so excited. We'll see if we actually make it happen. Fully two-thirds of the plans we make never actually happen, but it sure is fun thinking about it. I think a lot of other Utahns are like us... had enough of winter. We went to Sam's Club on Saturday after a big snow storm had just ended, and there were people out in mini-skirts and shorts. We just all pretend like we don't notice the snow and cold. Denial. It works. A week or two ago, Sean and I were up in the Huntsville/Eden area looking for a place to get ice cream. Sean was in shorts. It was 16 degrees. Good times.

I'm so weird. I don't know what's wrong with me. I read this biography about Kurt Cobain a while back that made me really depressed... I don't know why. Somewhere along the way in reading it I made this connection with him somehow, or maybe it was with Courtney Love. Which is just bizzaro. I can't think of very many people that I am more unlike. Maybe Marilyn Manson. And Charles Manson. I think the connection... well, it's complicated, but I know what the connection is about but it's boring to explain. Anyway, I read that biography, so I used it the other day when talking to my students about the research papers they are doing. And now I've been doing a little more research so I can talk to them about sources and paraphrasing and stuff like that, and I'm just using him as my topic because it's still fresh in my mind. And here I am reading Courntey Love's myspace (she is like this awesomely adorable crazypants wacko btw) and getting all teary all over again about these nutmuffins that I've never met.

It's been such a nice weekend. Josh and Lexi had a Valentine's party in the daycare. I think the high schoolers that work there have at least as much fun as the kids. Brittney had a dance at school that sounded about as fun as you remember junior high dances being. Courtney's boyfriend made her dinner.

Sean and I had plans to go see John Michael Montgomery in Wendover for Valentine's Day, but the tickets were sold out by the time we decided to do it. We just ended up going out for dinner. We hit the President's Day sales today and found a good deal on a bed for Josh and some couches. Sweet.

I so don't want to go back to work tomorrow. I need just one more day. I've got grades due tomorrow and I'm not even ready, we have the accreditation team visiting our school this week, which is stressful, early morning and after school meetings, and then Parent-Teacher Conference. A co-worker and I were laughing about how we were both running around like crazy the other day... we kept seeing each other in the halls... and she said, "I just need one day without interruptions. One day at school, and one day at home. Then I would be organized and would feel like I was on top of things." So true, so true. One day to plan lessons and figure out a better way to deal with Macbeth with no interruptions or meetings. And at home one day to just clean and organize without kids following me messing it all up. I think I need like half a day every month just to deep clean and organize. Then I think I could feel like I was on top of things to some reasonable extent.

Well, off to herd Josh back to bed for the 9th time. Ah the fun of bedtime after a long weekend.

Anyone want to join me?

I'll bring the cold drinks and the disco ball...

Reading, Baby Talk, Super Bowl

I haven't posted anything for a while it seems like. I have lots of things on my mind to write about, and there are always things going on around here, but it seems like by the time I have a minute to sit down and write about it, I just don't have the energy.

Update on the Powerball lottery from the last post. We didn't win anything! Can you believe it? We bought $3 worth of tickets even! Shocking. In the words of the great Motley Crue... If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

I've been reading Pride and Prejudice this week, and I love it so much! I was required to read it in high school, but I hated it. I never finished it, never picked it up again, never saw any of the movies. I hated all the British lit we read in high school, actually, except for Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew. I probably read a total of 5 books in high school out of the 20 or whatever that I was supposed to read. I'm so glad that I finally picked it up again, and can't believe it took me this long to do it, but I'm still not giving Ethan Frome or Beowulf another chance anytime soon.

I had a work thing that I had to make an appearance at the other night, and while I was there I had a chance to talk with some of my co-workers about trying to juggle work and family and the different struggles. It was so nice! For some reason, most of the people I know are stay-at-home moms, people with no kids, working moms of older children, moms who work part-time... and there are lots of common things we can talk about as moms, but some of the particular day-to-day struggles for us are different. I have a few friends who are working moms with my family situation, but I really don't talk to them very often, so this just really was so therapeutic for me to talk to other people and have them struggling with the same challenges. And one thing that I have really thought about over the last few months is how grateful I am for a husband who is a full-on partner in parenting and house keeping and cooking and all that jazz. There's no way I could do the things I want and need to do if he wasn't. I signed up for a writing class on Tuesday nights and Sean just said, "OK, we can handle it," without blinking an eye. I ended up dropping the class for about 5different reasons, but it's so nice to know that I have support. Because man do I need it. I am not an organized or efficient person, and would be a wreck if it weren't for Sean.

Lexi is starting to talk a little bit more and it's pretty cute. They call her Lulu at the daycare (I call her Lexi Loo, so they call her Loo or Lulu) and she pronounces it Yuyu. She's called her blanket "mommy" for about 5 months now and I haven't corrected her because I think it's cute, but I noticed she hasn't been saying it as much lately. She's going through that stage where they love to read books and you have to keep reading them over and over, and you start dropping them over the side of the chair thinking that you're being so sneaky and subtle and they won't notice, and then they go "UH-OH!!" and go retrieve them, so you have start kicking them under the couch when they aren't looking.

Sean's dad and grandpa came over and watched the Super Bowl. It was fun, but too bad our team didn't win. I thought they were going to pull it off. I ate way too much. Sean made some super fabulous brownies, and I've eaten like 10 of them since last night. Argh.

Well, off to make a lunch for tomorrow, find something to wear, finish my homework....

Good Omen or Bad?

Sean and I had a little extra money coming to us, and we have just planned to spend it on something practical and frugal (and boring). When we went and picked up the check yesterday, though...

Me: Are you sure you don't want to take this and run off to Las Vegas with me?

Sean: No, we have to spend it on something practical and frugal (and boring)... but I heard the Powerball lottery is up around $160 million, so let's take a road trip tomorrow and go buy a lottery ticket.

Me: Cool. I'll think of some winning numbers.


Flash forward to last night. Sean is reading the newspaper and he's like... You gotta hear our horoscope. (We are both Virgos.) This is what it said, no kidding.

There is money coming in, but do not spend it all in one place. Lottery tickets, for example, are not a wise purchase now.

I only read the horoscope in the paper probably every few weeks because it's never even remotely accurate. It says things like, "A co-worker will ask you for advice. Don't give it to them." And then no one even speaks to me at work that day. Or "Your love planet is rising. Have a romantic encounter." And then Sean and I have a fight. So I'm thinking that maybe this is actually a good sign... Since that horoscope is never right, I think it means I'm going to hit the powerball. Yessssss....

Essays, Doctors, and Cake

I have read way too many essays and research papers over the last week and a half. And the way that I know I have read too many is that today in the girl's bathroom at school, I had the sudden urge to grab a Sharpie and correct all the bad grammar and spelling errors in the graffiti on the walls of the bathroom stall.

I'm considering a career change. I really want to work at Smith's. Every time I go in there I kinda scope it out. I eye the little kiosk with the computer where you go to submit your application. It seems like such a laid-back, low stress, friendly place to work. I want to work in the lobby or the GM. Stock the shelves in the evening... it's nice and peaceful... no work to take home. I don't want to do anything in customer service. I liked working as a cashier and doing the customer service/bookkeeping stuff at Albertson's, but this time around I don't want to stand on my feet all day, don't want to take complaints, don't want to chase down bad check writers. That's too close to what I do now. My second job consideration is working at the university. I don't know what I'd do there, but I'd get free tuition. That would be so great. The first three classes I'd take would be 1)Problems in Third World Countries, 2)Gender Issues and the Law, and 3)World Literature: Modern Female Authors.

I have spent way. too. much. time in the doctor's office over the last 6 months with the various members of my family. Doctor's appointments, outpatient surgery for Britt, a skin prick allergy test for Josh, a CT scan for Courtney, an MRI for Sean, and now an X-ray for Josh's foot. He hurt his toe and it got all swollen and bruised looking, so that kept us in the doctor's office for an hour and a half the other night. It's just a sprain, so that's good. But no more doctor offices. No one in this family is going to the doctor for the next 6 months unless something is falling out of them or they're unconscious.

Lexi is growing into a little girl. I hate that. She needs to be a baby a little longer. She isn't talking as much as I'd like her to be, but she knows all the important words. She can say "Mama", "Daddy", "Mittney" (that's both Courtney and Brittney), "Osh", "boat", "fries", "Shake, Shake It", "Baa Laa Laa" (her favorite book), "Elmo", and now "Barack Obama". So she's got the major bases covered.

Sean was on the elliptical machine working out tonight and he's asking me, "So, what are you making for dessert later?" He made cake. Gee, I wonder why I'm not losing weight.

The party is over...

Time to go back to school and work. Sean's been off work since Christmas, so we've all been in vacation mode for a while now, and it's been wonderful. Oh has it been nice. I had this constant debate... do I get some work done and ease some stress for when I go back... or do I postpone it for after vacation and just relaxxxxxxx. I chose relax. Not looking forward to the mess that awaits, but it was worth it to have a work-free break.

Josh and Lexi have turned into cute little friends. Josh has been dying for a playmate for so long. Our neighborhood is kinda weird that way... there are 4 kids his age close by to play with, but they just don't really go over to each others' houses and play. I think this summer they will play more together... I hope. So anyway, tonight while Sean and I were doing dishes, Josh and Lexi climbed up into the recliner together and Josh "read" books to her. The other night they went downstairs to watch a movie, and when I came down to check on them they were snuggled up together and Lexi was asleep. It's really cute to watch them play together finally. Josh will get her to come into his room and dance to the radio, or they'll play pirate ships.


Co-conspirators


This is usually Lexi's favorite seat, but today Josh joined her.

How great was the Sugar Bowl Friday night? That may be one of the most fun games I've watched, from beginning to end. Awe. Some. I'm waiting for some pics to go up on Pete's blog. So jealous.

Well, off to bed. Gotta join the rat race tomorrow. Do you think anyone would notice if I showed up to work in pajama pants?