And the Dundy goes to...

Nine Things You Never Knew...Or Wished You Didn't...

Random Things About Me (and a couple of random rants):

• I cannot tell you how much I want this presidential election to be over. I absolutely HATE politics. I also hate the fact that when I vote this year, I will basically be choosing between the lesser of two evils. I don't really like either candidate and I wish we could have a do-over.


• When I went outside earlier tonight, it smelled like it was going to snow. I love that. People don't seem to believe that I can smell snow, but I can. I swear. I can smell it coming.


• Um...the city has torn our entire street so that it can be repaved. For about a month now, there have been ruts and holes and giant rocks littering the street and they're just now getting to the point where they're leveling it all out. Apparently it will be another two weeks before they actually pave it. In the meantime, they keep leaving burms of gravel right in front of our driveway. Which is not really a problem since, you know, we don't plan on leaving the house in the next month anyway...ha. Good thing we have a Subaru so we can put that All Wheel Drive to use.


• My daughter dances every time she hears the theme song from The Office. Which makes me think that she's probably seen entirely too much of that show for a one-year-old...


• Every year, around the middle of the summer, I decide that I cannot take it anymore and I must get a haircut. By the time snowboarding comes around, it's at the awkward stage where it's too short to really put up, but if I leave it down it tickles my neck. I am at that stage now.


• I have issues with things touching my neck (see above). I can't stand turtlenecks (not that I would wear one anyway...), and I can't really wear regular t-shirts to bed because the get all bunched up around my neck. It weirds me out when other people touch the front of my neck, and I usually react somewhat violently (not purposely, I can't help it). But really. Who goes around touching someone else's neck anyway? Choker necklaces are out of the question, as are scarves usually. And don't even get me started about when the doctor checks my lymph nodes...aah. I have to sit there and pretend I'm not a freak that is about to punch them in the eye...I don't know. That's my weird little phobia (well, one of them).


• My husband and I are going to start playing hockey this November (to take out some of that post-election aggression) in a town nearby. I'm really excited. I used to rollerblade A LOT when I was younger, and I've ice skated a few times, so I'm pretty sure I'll have this hockey thing in the bag. Riiiiiight. Except for the fact that I will be one of the only females and I have absolutely no muscle mass to speak of...okay, maybe a little in the arm area from lugging around my pleasantly plump little Jabba the Hut.


• I feel like pregnancy stole my brain. Seriously. I was a little ADD before my daughter came along, and now it's just ridiculous. I can't seem to concentrate on anything. I forget things all the time (one of my biggest pet peeves in others), I lose my train of thought or fail to come up with the right word...Hence the ridiculous list style blog. It's pretty frustrating. Especially for someone who used to pride herself on her vocabulary skills. I can multi-task like a pro now though. I guess that's a plus.


• Besides being a stay-at-home mom, I also sell apples on the side. Meet me at the corner later and I can get you some of the good stuff...But really. I work at an apple stand that is owned by my step in-laws, and I love it. I don't know why. Maybe it's because this babymaking thing has turned my brain to oatmeal and it's all I can handle. But it's fun. It's so old-fashioned. There are people who have been coming there since the orchards were planted (in the 50s).

Okay...really. That's enough of that. Hopefully, someday, I can come up with a post that is coherent. It might be awhile. So, in the meantime. Here's my little blue-eyed baby (and her runny nose).

"Umm, I think I like the white shirt better.

Yeah, it's-it's more...

Pensive?

Damn, I was going for thoughtful."

--Ten Things I Hate About You

Did I ever tell you about the time I invented snowboarding?

This is my new ride...or it will be if the snow decides to fly this year...

2009 Burton Troop

Isn't it pretty? I thought so.

That is all. Boring, I know.

Have a lovely...night? Almost morning? And do a snow dance for your favorite snowboarder!

You Know I Read in a Magazaaaaayne....

Um...my best friend just got ENGAGED! I am so happy for her! Her fiance proposed yesterday (on her birthday!), and they're planning to get married sometime this coming summer! They are also talking about moving back to her home state (which is where I also happen to reside) after they finish school! Yay!! Okay, too many exclamation marks? Yeah. I thought so too...

Wow. I can't believe it. It makes me think about the excitement of getting engaged and then planning a wedding (c'mon, picking out napkin colors is fun! I swear! I didn't want to bang my head on the nearest light post at all!)...But really. I kind of miss that time back when my husband and I had time to do things together that didn't involve dishes or diapers. And had more than 3 hours of sleep under our belts...in the last year. I guess I've just been feeling kind of old lately. I'm usually tired, which is part of the problem, but it's also the whole spontanaity thing. As in, there is none when a one-year-old is involved. Anything we do takes at least a little planning, and it has to coincide with naptime/bedtime or else we witness the wrath of our little Animal...er...lovely daughter.

I know if I was given the chance I wouldn't trade in the life I have now, but it would be nice to take a nice vacation in my past. Or just any kind of vacation. Seriously. Even if it's just an hour of adult conversation...actually, I don't even care about the whole talking thing. It's overrated. Just an hour without a tiny human attatched to my leg/arm/hair/pant leg would be wonderful...

Okay...so this post didn't go in the direction that I expected...

Uh, moving on. Basically, I'm really happy for my best friend/brain twin. We call ourselves brain twins because our brains are honestly on the same wavelength. I can't even explain it. We think the same things at the same times more often than not. It goes way beyond coincidence. Creepy? A little. But that's how we roll. Once we were cloud gazing with some friends who wanted us to prove our ability, so they asked us to look at a certain cloud and say what we thought it looked like. I kid you not, less than five seconds later we both blurted out the same answer. Elton John. For one, what kind of a cloud looks like Elton John!? And for two, out of the kajillion objects that we each had to choose from, what are the chances we'd both choose that? I don't know.

Anyway. I know I'm a weirdy. You don't have to tell me. I've learned to live with it quite nicely.

PS--My daughter really does resemble Animal from the Muppets. She has a ridiculous amount of hair. It's about halfway down her back already (it's not actually growing on her back...just to clarify). She's also got a bit of a crazy side...to put it nicely. Maybe she'll make a great drummer someday...

"...She's got electrice boots, a mohair suit,

You know I read it in a magazine,

Oh! B B B Bennie and the Jets..."

--Sir Elton John

Remembrance

Today is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. I could have let this day pass by just like any other day (and almost did), but that's just the problem. People are not really aware that women (and men) everywhere are suffering daily because the baby they had waited and planned for was taken from them too soon. Some are desperately trying to conceive, and for some reason or another, are not able to. It's something that is sort of just swept under the rug.

A little over two years ago, I had a miscarriage. I was only about five or six weeks along, and had only actually known that I was pregnant for a few days, but it was still very painful. I think that one of the worst parts about it was the way some people treated us (especially the medical billing staff at the hospital). Many of the nurses and staff members were very nonchalant about it, like it happened every day so maybe I should just get over it. Others really didn't know what to say, so they would say things like "you're young, you can have another baby" or "at least you weren't that far along", which was worse than saying nothing at all. I realize that there are people our there who have suffered more than I can ever imagine, but that doesn't make my pain any less real. The experience taught me to be thankful for what I have. I was able to go on and have a healthy pregnancy, and am now blessed with a beautiful daughter. It also helped me to realize that God is in control of my life and His timing is perfect.

What I want to convey is: be aware of those around you who may be suffering. Do not discount another person's pain just because it's not something you've personally experienced. A death of a baby, no matter how premature, is life-altering.

So, on this day, think about those around you who have experienced a loss. Pray for them. Let them know that you care. Remember that you may not know what someone else is going through, so treat people with kindness.

Hello

Welcome to my new blog. I'm still in the process of getting all moved in here, and it's been made more difficult by my 15-month-old daughter's demand that I spend EVERY! WAKING! MOMENT! in her direct line of sight. Which is much better than crying every waking moment (her, not me) so I should be grateful! So, anyway, here I am. Enjoy. I am off to entertain the small dictator who lives in my spare bedroom.