Friday, December 31, 2010

end of year donations...

We moved into this house almost 4 years ago. We had a lot more room when we moved in and had the luxury of not having to unpack everything since we had more than enough room to keep boxes...almost 4 years later, there are still boxes...

We even have a super-sized U-Haul box in the laundry room of clothes. Not clothes that have been washed and not put up...clothes that have never been unpacked.

The hubs thinks its a good idea to get all the clothing together for the end of this year to make one mega-donation. I REALLY don't want to...but the hubs has a point, especially since every tax break will help after all the unemployment Paul was on this year.

So, we decide to start on Sunday, the day after Christmas. I begin pulling out clothes and filling up the living room with items we haven't seen in 4 years. The hubs starts feeling a kidney stone moving. We knew this would eventually happen, when he went in for the last kidney stone, the scan showed another one. Paul wants to go to the hospital for Rx drugs directly injected into his blood stream....

I see the opportunity to strike a deal...call be a bad wife if you want, but I REALLY didn't want to do this. I tell the hubby that we can go to the hospital, but then we can't start sorting through the massive hill of clothes now sitting in the living room....yay, I got him!!

BUT...the hubs says he'll be ok with the pain meds we have at the house...OH NO!!!

So, not only did I not get out of it...I have to do it solo because the hubby is out of commission.

I sort through clothes for about and hour and a half...counting articles and taking pictures of everything that we donate.

The next day...I start to develop a small skin irritation. GREAT...some of those clothes must have had a different detergent on them and it has made my sensitive skin a little angry.

As the days go by,,, my skin gets angrier...by Wednesday, its a full blow head to toe breakout rash........I KNEW I HAD A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS!!!

We decide that someone had to push through to finish sorting through the clothes...not only is the huge pile of rags in the middle of my living room floor threatening my OCD, but the end of the year is quickly approaching.

Wouldn't you know it...the hubs has to go on an overnight work thingy on December 30, leaving me and my angry skin to finish sorting through the clothes.

So....this is how it worked.......

1. The hubby wants to do a massive donation but the wife does not.
2. The wife pulls out all the clothes and sorts them.
3. The wife gets an allergic reaction to the clothes.
4. The wife documents all the clothes.
5. The wife takes pics of all the clothes.
6. The wife washes all the clothes that are kept.
7. The wife puts up all the clothes that are kept.
8. The wife blogs her frustration out while waiting for the last load to get out of the dryer.
9. The hubby takes a nap.........

The hubby BETTER offer to take all the clothes to Good Will.....grrrrr

Monday, December 27, 2010

SnowTastic!!!

At about 4am on Sunday, the snow started to fall.....at our house in South Carolina. I woke up at 8ish and sat outside bundled up on the front porch watching the snow fall. It was GORGEOUS!! Even the Minnesota hubby was impressed :)

It wasn't sticking until around noon, and then continued to snow and stick for the next couple of hours. The snow went from flurries to flakes and back again...so exciting!!!

Except that I had a head cold (still working on that one) and the hubby was passing a stone. On top of that, we were both dedicated to cleaning out the utility room and organizing a massive clothes donation. After a couple of hours of cleaning through dusty boxes...my head cold wasn't any better.

So...we didn't get to play in the snow because we were busy and didn't feel like it. You can tell how sick I felt since I ALWAYS play in the snow when given the opportunity :)

There is a little inconvenience that goes with snow at home...we WANTED Chinese food, but I wasn't driving in the ice and snow...

...we WANTED to go to Target, but I wasn't driving in the ice and snow...

I even had to delay my visits Monday morning due to frozen roads...

A total inconvenience...but completely SNOWTASTIC!!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Jingle Bells :)))

I lOvE Christmas!!!

Let's break it down...

~ I love keeping the house clean for visitors
~ I love putting up the decorations
~ I love baking ~ I love being with family
~ I love shopping for other people

I LoVe Christmas!!!


{Schwarz Family Christmas Tree 2010}

Friday, November 26, 2010

to put up...or not to put up???

Every year, my mom and I go shopping on Black Friday. When I finally get home, I take a nap and then put up Christmas decorations. However, this year we took a very long and active family vacation that put us back home right before Thanksgiving. We were so sleep exhausted that we didn't even do a turkey dinner or bowling trip on Turkey Day. So, we definitely didn't go shopping this morning. I've been doing laundry and making grocery lists...I did do some shopping online today, but that was it...

Now, I'm sitting here with all of our Thanksgiving traditions thrown outta whack and laundry everywhere....and wondering if I want to attempt to take out the Christmas decorations today. I put up the decorations every year on the same day...but I haven't done any other tradition this Thanksgiving. So, do I cling to the one tradition that's left or do I just blow it off because nothing else has held up this year???

Why am I thinking so hard on when the decorations go up?? Yeah, I'll just put them up before the end of the weekend...or at least begin to put them up by the end of the weekend...or prepare to begin to put them up by the end of the weekend...

You know what?? I'm gonna finish the laundry and attempt a load of dishes.....we'll worry about the tree later!!!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

t minus 6 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We leave for Disney in 6 days!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!

This is a picture of the hubby and I on our last Disney trip, which seems so long ago. We are sooo excited!!!

We are going to ride everything and eat great food and not sleep for a whole week!!!!

We leave the pups with a lady whenever we go out of town and no one is available to dogsit...since this is a WHOLE family vacation, there is no one to dogsit.

We are gonna miss those good boys, but they have fun being able to run outside and sniff new behinds :)

YAY DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, November 5, 2010

daytime television

For me, Fiday means paperwork day which means working at home...but I haven't been able to do that for the last month because I've had to make-up visits because all of my kid have been sick.

So, I have extra paper to work today...I had a headache last night and instead of taking something then, I decided to just fall asleep and it would go away during the night, right???

WRONG!!! Always take something BEFORE you go to bed!!

Anyways...I do a couple of hours of typing up plans, billing, calling, reading sorting, filing...I need a break :(

Fortunately its lunchtime :)

I close my laptop and leave the office, make a tuna sandwich, and sit in front of the tv. Its about 1:30...I have 7 channels (gave up the satellite tv a couple of years ago). There is an infomercial about yet another bulge-hiding gurdle type product...where the people lose whole inches off their waist due to the massive rubber band they are sporting under their clothes. Massive...from neck to calf and down to the elbows. This particular one's seeling point...NOT HOT???? Because I guess it would be counter productive if your jelly-belly hiding uniform caused unseemly sweat spots... Really, why not just wear clothes that fit??

Anyways...aside from that interesting show...which, by the way, was hosted by 2 women who would never need the product. They actually took the thing to some mall dressing room and offered to let women try it on under their clothes...how do you pick who to ask??

There are also 'How To Be a Millionaire' and 'America's Funniest Videos'...neither conducive to a relaxing lunch environment...

What else is on?? That's right...soap operas (where did that title come from). I haven't watched any part of a daytime soap opera in a long time...how are these things not only on air, but have a huge following plus its own magazine and award show??

Ok, you've got paternity tests, cheating spouses, kidnapping, people with serious mental dificiencies, abusers, fortune tellers, paranoid people, alcoholism, mysterious deaths and disappearnces...and somehow its BORING!!

How do you mix all of those elements and not be able to hold my attention...all I can think is 'I can watch all this on Jerry Springer and at least its funny'. Is daytime drama supposed to be realistic?? Plus, the characters are so bi-polar, how do people have favorite characters...how can you tell the difference between the characters besides some are girls and some are guys, they all even look the same. Who are these writers?? Is it easy or difficult to write a script where nothing makes sense, yet all the characters pretend like they do??

I'm gonna watch a movie...

Thursday, October 28, 2010

why so tired???

The last couple of nights, both the hubby and I have slept through our alarm clocks...a pretty good sign that we have not been getting enough sleep. It's not that we are going to bed SO late or waking up SO early...so what up???

We watch TV in the bedroom...I know, I know...a big no-no for sleep health.

But, we've always done that...nothing new to have South Park going on in the background as I slip into sleep.

Actually, I have a much harder time falling asleep when the TV is off...

We've both had pretty long days at work...both hard and stressfull...but again, nothing really out of the oridnary.


Don't get me wrong, we both LOVE our jobs...but they are hard and can be VERY stressful.

So...what's the deal?? Do we need supplements or pills to get enough sleep?? Are we even old enough to take pills for that??

I REALLY don't want to be old enough to venture into the world of 'supplements to make your body do what it did on its own when you were younger"...yeah, REALLY not ready for that :-/

Monday, October 4, 2010

mountain mishap

We own 3 cars. My husband purchased a Sunfire before we were married and bought a Firebird a couple of years ago. I have the same ole Mustang that I had in high school. Today, the Firebird is unsafe and unreliable in the yard with multiple fluid leaks, the Sunfire is at the mechanic awaiting a computer transplant, and as of yesterday...my car is also laid up at the dear mechanic's...

This is how it started...

My husband was going to be home a couple of hours before me, so instead of going home; he went to a friend's. For some reason, the hubby doesn't like just hanging at the house?? He calls me on his way home and says 'we've been invited out tomorrow'. These are strictly the hubby's friends...so 'invited out' means that Paul has been invited and wants me to go. Paul has no spine with these particular friends and often uses me as an excuse...on the phone he tells me not to worry, we won't stay the whole time...he told them I had something else to do in the afternoon...

Oh yeah...the adventure...we'd been invited to go out in the middle of nowhere and dig rocks...that's right, dig rocks. It was kinda fun. I was over it in the first hour...but that hour was fun. I couldn't find the rock I wanted, so Paul bought me one :)

He also got this rock that was a geo and the rock guy broke it open for him...that was cool.

So, we're on the way out of the parking space and...POP POP

Crap...

One quarter of my car is resting on the pavement. There is a straight line of pavement from the road to the mountain and my car is now stuck diaganolly in the road...yay

The tow truck has to BACK UP the straight line of pavement to get my car and take it to Mr. Mechanic. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a relationship with my car (who wouldn't after 12 years)...it was a very emotional day. Paul was great and friends were great, but its still a nightmare...

Now thinking back on it...I can see some problems with our mountain trip...

It wasn't actually a mountain, but the top nub of a once mountain...false advertisement...

It was almost impossible to find...clear sign to go home...

Paul fell into sulfar quicksand and ruined a pair of shoes and socks...DANGER...

Oh well...better luck next time :-/

Thursday, September 9, 2010

luscious lobster tails ;-)

I stopped by the grocery store on the way home from work to get creamer...only creamer. I walk out of the grocery store $60 lighter and an hour older...that's not a blogful event, it happens everytime I walk into the grocery store.

But, today I walked by the seafood section, which I know better. Since I only get my protein from dairy and SEAFOOD, I tend to spend lots of money on it. I'm looking in the case and they have lobster tails on sale. I really only eat lobster when I go to Red Lobster...and only on the lobster mashed potatos. But I know the hubby likes them and you can find a recipe for anything on the internet...so what the poo, I buy 2!!

I get home and am excited for surf and turf dinner (only surf for me). So, I walk into my office to look up how to cook my weird looking dinner.......

I click to get online, get online, click the tab...BEEP

Ok, the hubby is a tech...but is astonishingly useless when at his 'real' job...'I'm sorry baby, I can't do anything from here'...great

So, I go to the dusty, unused stack of recipe books decorating the kitchen. These ancient references are completely useless when you already know what you want to cook. You use a cookbook to get an idea for dinner, not to be able to actually utilize what you already have...hence the dustiness.

But with the wonders of technology...I look up recipes on my phone. I LOVE my phone :)

I'm scrolling and searching and find tons of recipes for...what???? LIVE lobsters??? I really just thought they did that on TV. I once saw an episode of a crime show where they ate sushi off a naked woman...I thought cooking live lobsters was like that...

You're supposed to put them in head first and cook them until you can easily pull their legs off...not likely!!!

What to do??? I call my mom...boil them for a minute per ounce (the once of one lobster, not all of the lobsters combined), drain them and add butter. I should have just freakin' called her in the first place. I'm not even in the mood for lobster after reading all of the lobster snuff literature on the wonderful phone internet!!!

End of the story...the lobster was great and the hubby was happy :)

Friday, August 20, 2010

trying to get the biggest kid ever to eat his greens

Well, its not as much getting him to eat them as getting him to like them. I guess one of the characteristics of a couple of people who grew up in such different places is that they grow up on different foods...but there have to be green veggies in Minnesota!!

Green veggies make up a huge part of my diet, and they're unbelievably good for you...the hubby likes beets...

He will eat salads, but only with iceburg lettuce...ONLY iceburg lettuce. The only green veggie that has NO health benefit at all, and I can't mix it with other forms of lettuce or other veggies.

I LOVE turnip greens...the hubby calls them 'vile'!!

I like spinach...the hubby will eat them when mixed with large amounts of fattening sour cream and salad dressing and placed on fried corn meal (spinach dip).

I like romaine lettuce...don't even think about it.

I LOVE brocolli...it has a shot if its covered in cheese.

I cooked lima beans yesterday, he ate them because I made them and put them on his plate...then proceeded to tell me how nasty they were...at least he ate them.

Ohhh...he likes english peas...I HATE english peas...but I cook them and eat them because I expect him to do the same.

He likes green beans...one down!

I'm gonna try some brussel sprouts...something's gotta give :)

Saturday, August 14, 2010

big huge bug...in my house

The title of this one pretty much says it all...big huge bug in my house!!!!

I'm walking back inside my house from playing with the cats and a huge bug slams into the side of my face... I'm a little grossed out, but I think it's the last time I'll see this bug... not true!!!

I go inside, make a glass of water, and play with the pups. I go into the bathroom to start to get ready for the hubby's birthday dinner. I happen to look the right (or wrong) way in the mirror, and... OH MY GOD... big huge bug on my shoulder!!!

It had been there the whole time!! This thing was the size of my foot!! I tried to flick it off, and I feel it scratch against my shoulder trying to hold on to me... what??? No no no, you have to get off, this is not an option.

I pick it off and throw it away from me and it lands on my pink bathrobe hanging in the bathroom. I fly out of the bathroom and close the door. Then, I put towels under the door so the mega-bug can't escape. I call the hubby and tell him that there is a cat-sized bug in our house and I had it trapped in the bathroom. His response: 'why'd you let it in the house?'... DUDE!! The thing rode in on my shoulder unbeknownst to me!!! I would not have invited the thing onto my should for a free ride!!

So the hubby comes home to slay the mini-dragon that I have secured in our bathroom. He goes in while I wait in the bedroom. Do you know what he says?? 'Are you sure it was a bug because I don't see anything?'... Maybe you misunderstood...it was the size of our CAT!!! I had to pick it off me with my FINGERS and THROW it away from me. So I go in to look, it's nowhere!! The hubby is less concerned and ready to eat... I'm scared that the thing is going to eat through the towels and then consume the rest of our house!!

I find out why the hubby is less concerned on the way to dinner...he called it an 'imaginary' bug... what the crap??? I did NOT imagine it!! I would have imagined a mega-butterfly...not a mega-nasty!!!

We go on with the rest of our night and just don't go into the master bathroom again that night...until...

I hear the hubby get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Still a little steaming from the 'imaginary' comment... I'm secretly semi-hoping the mini-dragon lands on his thing while he's taking a leak... calm down, it doesn't!!

But...he does go back in with a piece of clothing, catch the bug, and take it outside!!!

HAHA... NOT imaginary!!! REAL!!!!

The End

box-mart bans

When I was in college I had a phenomenal professor who had a passion for being knowledgeable, not just about what we were learning in the classroom...but of being aware of our carbon footprints and personal consumerism. She would occasionally bring in NPR recordings or Discovery videos that were relevant to the class...which was a Demography class...pretty easy to make something relevant.

She once brought in an NPR recording regarding a situation with a certain fruit company, we'll call them Mel Donte. I decided that I didn't want to support that company anymore and ....BAM... first real ban!!

I was sitting in a financial advisor office waiting for an interview right after college and they were playing a video about a national Box-Mart... it made me think. I did my own research and read several books along with personal stories about how Box-Mart did business. My dad was a Computer Programmer at a local textile factory. The factory came on hard times and closed due to other companies (overseas) being able to make a cheaper product...BAM... second ban!!

That was really the end of the bans...but I recently had an epiphany...

If the Box-Mart sells what I need for cheaper and I have no money...who am I really hurting by paying more for the item by going to a different store?? And it's not like I have the principle of not going to ANY big 'mart'...just one... in fact, I LOVE Target :)

If the grocery store that I go to only has Mel Donte bananas, do I travel to a different store to get another brand?? I used to... but not so much lately. I have broken down after a long day and thrown the Mel Donte fruit into my buggy... reluctantly...but I still do.

And if I don't go to Box-Mart, I don't necessarily go to a local owned shop to buy what I need. I do go to a grocery store to buy groceries, and a bookstore to buy books, and a pet store to buy pet food... but most of these store are still national chains who use the cheapest product in order to get the highest consumer business. If Box-Mart has what I need for 14.99 and I have to drive out of my way to get it for 31.99, aren't I just punishing myself??

But I haven't bought anything from Box-Mart since I graduated college (5 years)...it's hard to break a streak like that. A huge reason (besides making me sick) behind why I don't eat meat is because I haven't in almost 2 years...it's hard to break that!!

Maybe since I'm 5 years older and a little more in tune with my own life and who I am, it's time to revisit the principles I swore to back then. That doesn't mean that I don't have any, just that maybe absolute bans on products isn't necessarily the efficient way to do things. Hmmm...

Friday, August 6, 2010

missing him :-(

For the past few years I've been going with my grandma to Hilton Head for a weekend each year. It's not really a vacation, even though its a free trip to the beach...she pays for everything. But, if I don't go, she doesn't get to go to the beach...& I don't want to be the reason for that.

It's not a vacation for me because I can't have a lot of fun without the hubby. I'm not the kind of wife that thrives off girl weekends, girls night...sure...

I am feeling like a teenager being forced away from my all-consuming crush... I miss my Paulie!!!

...and its only the first night...

Sunday, August 1, 2010

work in the mess....live in the clean

Ok...so apparently it's not possible for me to waste saturday. After the last post when I was okay with wasting a saturday, I had to get up to vacuum. I made it to around 10pm, then my minor OCD kicked in.

I can't leave dog fur on the floor, no matter what day it is...even when I'm determined to not do anything...I get this urge (not like a craving...like a pressure in my brain that won't let me focus on anything else)...hmmm

I guess at least I didn't have a bulging pressure on my brain to do more than vacuum.

The funny part is, I don't ever have that urge to clean my office. actually, I get pretty frustrated after i clean up my office because I can't find anything. At the end of each month, I organize all the paperwork in my office...partly because it's impossible to get the end-of-the-month paperwork done without organizing everything. Since the last working day of the month was Friday, I'm planning on a pretty rough monday...because it will take me about 6 minutes of looking for something before I think to look where it belongs instead of on a chair or desk. I feel like I need to put up a post-it up in my office to remind me that everything I'm looking for is exactly where it is supposed to be...at least for tomorrow.

I even have clothes in my office...scrub tops thrown onto the chair. But, I pity the fool that leaves a stray shirt or sock on the couch when I walk into the living room ((Paul plays the fool a lot))!!

Saturday, July 31, 2010

i wonder...

~Can you breathe through your nose and mouth at the same time?
~Why is it, that the sun darkens the colour of your skin, but lightens the color of your hair?
~If swimming is such exercise, why are whales fat?
~If a word is spelled wrong in the dictionary, how would you know?
~If 75% of all accidents happen within 5 miles of home, why not move 10 miles away?
~Do octopuses have arms or legs?
~Who was the first person to see a cow, and think what would happen if I pulled those dangling bits and drink the liquid that comes out?
~If a cat always lands on its feet and buttered bread always lands butter side down, what would happen if you tied buttered bread on top of a cat?
~Shouldn't there be a shorter word for "monosyllabic"?
~Would a fly without wings be called a walk?
~Do cows have calf muscles?
~Why does your nose run and your feet smell?
~Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
~Why doesn't superglue stick to the inside of the tube?
~Are Zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?
~If you stole a pen from a bank then would it still be considered a bank robbery?
~Is French kissing in France just called kissing?
~Why is it that rain drops but snow falls?
~Why are boxing rings square?
~Why is it called pineapple, when's there neither pine nor apple in it?
~Where does the white go when the snow melts?
~How do the "Keep off the grass" signs get there?
~Why do men have nipples?
~If an orange is orange, why isn't a lime called a green or a lemon called a yellow?
~Why did Superman wear his underpants on the outside of his tights?
~Does anyone actually kill two birds with one stone?
~If you have x-ray vision, and you can see through anything, wouldn't you see through everything and actually see nothing?
~If it is a 50mph wind and you drive your car at 50mph downwind, if you stick your head outside would you feel the wind?
~If you were on a plane going the speed of sound and walked from the back of the plane to the front, would you be walking faster than the speed of sound?
~Why is it we have the weight of the world on our shoulders but have to get it off our chests?
~If someone can't see, they're blind and if someone can't hear, they're deaf, so what do you call people who can't smell?
~Do cows drink milk?
~If you were born exactly on 12:00 midnight on December 31st –January 1st, which year would you say you were born in?
~Do people with big eyes see at a wider range than people with smaller eyes?
~If a criminal turns himself in shouldn't he get the reward money?
~What would happen if everyone was to flush their toilet at the same time?
~Do glow-in-the-dark objects stop glowing when somebody turns the lights on?
~Why is it you're 'in' a film, but you're 'on TV'?
~Do ducks sneeze?
~What are those little things on the end of your shoelaces called?
~Why can't we sneeze with our eyes open?
~Why are there dents in a golf ball?
~Which way does a compass point in space?
~Can bald men get lice?
~What would happen if you were to feed a pig some bacon?
~If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?
~Can someone give up lent for lent?
~What did cured ham actually have?
~Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
~Can you write in pencil on an eraser?
~Can crop circles be square?
~If quizzes are quizzical then what are tests?
~Are people who are allergic to nuts allergic to coconuts too?
~Do stairs go up or down?
~If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
~Can you get cornered in a round room?
~Why don't the hairs on your arms get split ends?
~If heat rises then shouldn't hell be cold?
~Why can't you get a tan on your palms?
~Why is a square meal served on round plates?
~Why are shampoo suds always white, regardless of the colour of the shampoo?
~If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do they all have to drown?
~If it is zero degrees outside today and tomorrow it is supposed to be twice as cold, how cold will it be tomorrow?
~How can you tell when sour cream goes bad?
~If someone told you they were a pathological liar, would you believe them?
~Aren't all rooms room temperature?
~If you are driving at near the speed of light and turn on your headlights, what will you see?
~Where do they get the seeds to grow seedless grapes?
~Why is ice clear but snow white?
~What do bald men wash their head with- soap or shampoo?
~If something goes without saying, then why say it?

wasted saturday

so, it's saturday...after last weekend, i'm glad to spend it at home doing NOTHING!!! maybe i'll even recuperate a little, yay!!

what does wasting a saturday entail??? in reality, it entails a pretty busy sunday, but i'll think about that tomorrow :)

slept in til around 9...woohoo!!! then got up and watched a couple of episodes of friends with the pups while the hubby and bro played some random macho-blow up-bloody video game. had some left over cake for breakfast...i like to keep the meals nutritional when we have the little bro over!! laid around watching movies and eating completely unhealthy snacks for a couple of hours. almost put up some laundry, but ended up just moving them into the laundry basket so the love seat was cleared :) the pups will be having french fries for dinner too...they love me!!

wasted saturdays are definitely wasted, and it makes me think of all the things i could be doing. like....i need to go to the grocery store...not gonna happen!! we could go to the barnyard (massive flea market that i spend a phenomenal amount of money at...mostly on fresh veggies and pretty flowers)...not gonna happen!! we could go to the mall and spend a slightly less amount of money...not gonna happen!! i could do some laundry so i don't have to smush it all into sunday...not gonna happen!! why?? because then the saturday wouldn't be wasted, it'd be somewhat efficient...and if you're gonna waste a saturday, mind as well do it right :)

the inevitable fact is that, as adults, we don't get to sit in jammies and watch tv all day every saturday. so, on the saturdays when that's possible, you embrace it. we will need to go outside at some point today, but just for sunlight...not because we have something to do or anywhere to go...

plus, my own research shows that a wasted saturday, used sparingly, makes for a refreshing week :)

so...i'll worry about the laundry and the groceries tomorrow...it'll get done...during efficient sunday!!!

Monday, July 26, 2010

family reunion faux pas'

so, we make our way over to chilly minnesota for the hubby's family reunion...the one we found out about 2 weeks ago.

we fly out friday night at 8...or so we thought...

we get to the airport in augusta and wait patiently in line for the longest time that we have ever had to wait on anything at the airport in augusta. we start to eavesdrop...because something's up. apparently, the air conditioner is broke on our plane, which is still in charlotte, and we will not be making our connecting flight in charlotte to minneapolis. great...

the lady behind the desks calls us up and automatically begins to tap on her computer to see what she can do...remember that we are supposed to be flying in friday night and leaving sunday morning, so the smallest delay is a huge delay compared the the available time.

instead of flying to charlotte and straight to minneapolis, we fly to charlotte and spend the night...then fly to philadelphia...then fly to minneapolis. so, we fly in 12 hours late...what's better is we cancelled the rental car before we knew about the delay only to have to call alamo and re-reserve the car...BUT, we get a first-class ticket from philadelphia to minneapolis...SCORE!!

me and the hubby are excited about the 'adventure' prospects of this delay. as we're high-fiving in the terminal of the augusta airport...we look around and notice that everyone else in the terminal looks royally pissed off. so we decide to put the excitement on the down-low.

we get into charlotte and go to another guy to get a hotel voucher...at this point we're tired and not so much into the adventurous spirit anymore. the hotel looks ok enough...until you lie down. rock hard bed with chance of cloudy pillows...UGH...no sleep for friday night...

back at the airport at 6am saturday...we make the plane to philadelphia and to some touristy shopping on the way from where we got off the plane and where we needed to get back on the plane. we made the first-class flight and had some 9am cocktails...which still didn't help either one of us get any sleep on the plane.

we get to minneapolis and head to the alamo counter. the guy types in our confirmation number and asks for an identification and credit card. the only credit card that the hubby and i carry are visa 'debit' cards...apparently this is not a major credit card. not a problem, the guy only needs our itinerary...a decent request if we were in a decent mood...but we were running on fumes and didn't have an itinerary because it had been messed up so many times and we were about to jump over the counter...its really hard to think on no sleep. so, i have the itinerary saved on my phone to keep the confirmation number for the flights and ask the guy where i can print it off at...the guy's like 'i can just see it on your phone'...thank goodness...

3 hours later, we are at the family reunion...where everything that anyone talks about is how confused our trip got...we lived it, i don't want to talk about it...over and over. i try to make sure that paul has the most time possible with his family and has a great time. i do whatever little event that i'm signed up for. one of those is a 3-legged race...which has left me with a huge bruise that goes up and down and around my leg...because the hubby is a bit competitive...

we want to go out with some of paulie's fave cousins...so we start scheming because the 'rents are not gonna like this. they come to tell us they're gonna leave and we should go with them to pump gas into the rental...the cuz stands up and states that we were all asked to stay and help clean, so we have to stay a little longer...so paul's mom says 'so start cleaning'...great, here we go.

the 'rents leave and we head out following the cousins to a restaurant about 1.5 hours away on the way back home...we stop and have a drink and dinner and stay and talk for a little longer than expected...the hilarious thing is that me (27) and the hubby (30) are trying to think of excuses to tell the 'rents for being home late...haha

we finally get to bed in a stuffy room with a loud window unit...and i have a huge bruise on my leg and have lost my voice somewhere along the road...no sleep for saturday night...

so we wake up cheery to make out 7am flight...nothing eventful on the way home...still no sleep...

we get home...hallelujah!! so nice to sleep :)

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

::owner of a lonely heart::

So, the hubby does computer work. More accurate, the husband works on EVERYTHING all the time...

The husband was a soldier when I met him. Basically 8-5 with weekends off...no real reason to work after hours or on the weekend...even an abundance of observed holidays.

The husband became formally educated in technology...get a piece of paper to 'able' him to do what he already does. He likes it, and he's good at it. He's also really good with people.

The husband gets a job in POS (point of sale)...fixing computers that the waiters and sales clerks use to sell stuff...the job brings the benefit of also employing classmates of the husband's... fun times...

The wife HATES the job...shady people...shady practices...shady costumers...TERRIBLE hours. Basically, a POS guy works whenever the POS has a problem...24/7 on call. Besides the shadiness, the husband loves the job.

Eventually, the husband gets a better job with a small medical company doing all tech work including POS for the diet center...until the economy crashed...so did the better job...

So...the husband begins enjoying the fruits of unemployment...while the wife becomes jealous that the husband wakes up in the same boxers he's sporting when she gets home...yet somehow, his clothes are everywhere even though there is no evidence he had moved from the couch...

The wife has amazing friends...who have, at this point, supplied opportunities for both of our jobs...

The wife receives a message from a friend stating that her husband's company is hiring a tech guy...the pay sucks...the opportunity is worth it...

The husband gets in on a ground floor opportunity as manager of...yep...POS. But, the wife thinks...he loves it, he's good at it, and it's a local company...at least the on call will be local...

So, tonight, the wife sits typing in her blog alone at home with the pups...the husband is at a not-so-local restaurant fixing a system that has been pretty much broke for the last 2 weeks...grrreat...

Monday, July 19, 2010

wendy's taters :)

so, i usually avoid wendy's at all cost for several reasons. the biggest reason is that my dad was accused of bringing in his own onions once when i was a teenager.

listen to this: my dad orders a burger without onions...dad gets a burger with onions...he takes the burger back up to the counter and explains that he ordered the burger without onions and displayed the correctly ordered ticket...guy behind counter 'remakes' burger...burger still has onions...dad takes the burger back to the counter explaining that he didn't want onions on the burger and asked for a manager (this was the third time he had to order the same burger)...the guy behind the counter told the manager that he had just remade the burger with no onions, dad must have put the onions on the burger himself...what???

after this incident, i decided that i didn't want people that confused preparing my food.

but, we were on the way home from the park last night and stopped at a gas station to pick up some water. as soon as we stepped out of the car, we could smell the awesomeness that was coming from the wendy's attached to the gas station. i'm like 'you wanna eat here'...he's like 'maybe a small burger'...i'm like 'ok'.

i don't engage in the consumption of animals that share my air...but paul does. there is no fish sandwich at wendy's...another reason there is no reason for me to go to wendy's. cause if i'm gonna get fries, i'm going to mcdonalds. but anyhoo...

paul has no inkling of my vegetarianism...and it never bothers me when he eats meat...with the exception of lamb, apparently. he gets his burger.

soooo, i ordered a sour cream and chives potato. i started laughing at myself and gathered that attention of the lady behind the counter and paul. i explained that it's funny because i just bough potatoes from the grocery store but had forgotten sour cream...so i order it as an entree instead of stopping by the grocery store and getting sour cream and going home and baking my own potatoes.

long story short...the lady behind the counter not only was able to understand the story, but empathize with it...very impressive. she gave us extra sour cream in the bag because of my little story :)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

of course i agree with sex...ed

okay, so the first job i had out of college was a sex ed teacher. the appropriate term was abstinence education instructor. i actually really liked this job. it was through a holier-than-thou company in charleston and i worked in the school system that i grew up in. i disagreed with some of the information given just because it was arbitrary. i spent that first year as an abstinence education instructor in shock. i was amazed at how many of my girls (6th through 9th grade) were misinformed about pretty serious stuff. they learned things from friends, older siblings, bathroom walls...some had never had a conversation about sex. i even had girls whose parents had put them on birth control who knew nothing other than 'i can't get pregnant or catch anything because i'm on the pill'...what?? so, i totally agree with sex education...for every little girl whose parents don't step up to the plate and have the 'talk' with her. but what's in the news now is NOT sex ed...it's friggin' kama sutra class. how does anyone justify teaching sexual positions to a third grader...what's the point? at third grade, maybe we should work more at biology, self-respect, and respect for others to start introducing sex ed. no child needs to be taught the different 'angles of penetration'...they need to be taught about the risks (both physical and emotional). i definitely believe that kids need to be taught more than abstinence, because if you only teach abstinence you're not fulfilling your responsibility to the kid...but 'kid' refers to high school 'kid'. they're all gonna wanna do it as soon as they 'fall in love' anyways...as adults, we shouldn't be pushing it. how would this kind of early 'sex/position ed' have changed your childhood? better? worse? at all? in our world, we have to find the boundary between protecting innocence and preparing for adulthood...i just don't think that transition should be done at third grade.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

most annoying music vid on the net...don't let paul see this!!

cross country conundrum

My family is from right here, Paul's is all in Minnesota. I often feel guilty that he does not see his family as often as I'm able to see mine. We go to Minnesota once a year, sometimes he goes more. But, it's damn expensive to get to Minnesota. We are lucky that his parents have the ability to help us get from one end to the other. We go every Thanksgiving. Paul went home in January because his big bro got married. Thanksgiving with the Schwarz's; EVERYONE getting together and eating/drinking to the brim, then a Thanksgiving bowl where everyone continues to drink...fine family fun!! We did miss Thanksgiving one year because we were in DisneyWorld. I would have felt bad, but Paul had a blast and really wants to go back.

So, the Minnesota Schwarz's have a family reunion coming up...Paul says that everyone alive on Gma Schwarz's side will be there...coming in from all parts of the country...Thanksgiving times ten...this year its scheduled for July 24th...we find out about it TODAY!! WHAT??

Thanksgiving plane tickets are expensive, but they are always bought a month ahead of time with Dad Schwarz's credit card. How the poo are we supposed to swing on up there knowing a week before hand??

Here's how we start: reunion this weekend, wanna drive it?? about 960 miles, maybe 12-14 hours...

Until it's mapquested: more like 1400 miles, 21 hours...wanna fly it??

Until it's travelocitied: between $300-$400...each. not to mention fur babies to shack up!

Ok, well one of us can go...Paul obviously...

Until he thinks about how bored he was last time he went without me :)
...can we fly up and drive home??

I don't know...never rented a car before...what kinda money does that look like??

Paul's next text: 1400/80 is 17.5, and 1400n90 is 15.5

Do what??? Have I been looking at too many numbers in the midst of my persistent stomach bug, or does that make no sense?? Do car rental places have their own language/ monetary system?? Do we name our own price?? Is that mileage language??

I'm so confused...could we just ask Minnesota Schwarz's to postpone the reunion until next month when we've had a chance to review and decipher this new car rental language??

i heart brett michaels

ok, brett michaels is completely before my time. if not for paul, i would have no idea who he is or what he does/did. and if the only exposure i would have is 'rock of love', i wouldn't be impressed. but i got a smidge addicted to the celebrity apprentice last year...completely because of cindy lauper and the australian chef guy, not brett michaels. but he is completely funny and real. he was the most doen to earth person and was brutally honest about every aspect of his life. when he spoke about his daughters and family, he was very human. he was on the view yesterday talking about when he became sick with the cerebral bleed and hole in his heart. he sang a song from his new cd, which wasn't impressive. but what is impressive about brett michaels?? he has a reason to speak other than 'i made a couple of popular songs a decade ago'. he had gone through so much and has come out of it genuine. he seemed to only be attempting to get his name back in the headlines with the 'rock of love' and 'apprentice' and now with 'american idol'. but i like to see him on tv, because he will be speaking about his family or his experiences. he not forcing himself to find a cause to justify being on talk shows, his children are his cause to be on talk shows. i like him :)

2nd day of the bug

Today, I am home sick for the second day...sucks! Usually, I'm home for one day tops, but this is a persistent little bug. That also means the second day of crappy daytime tv. We got rid of satellite tv a year and a half ago in a 'we're responsible consumers' movement. So thanks to digital tv, we have like 10 channels. But, also thanks to digital tv, not all of those are the same quality. Some of the pictures are digi boxed and the sound is all screechy. We still have to adjust the digital box...I miss fuzzy sounds and snow. At least you could watch through the snow, the digibox pictures completely ruins the show...

...not like that's all that ruins the show. Who is the target consumer of daytime tv?? I'm usually not home during the day, when I am I'm in my office working. The morning news anchors try really hard, but are just as cheesy as their nighttime counterparts. I'm watching Steve Wilkos at the moment...let's look at the logistics for a moment. Who would have thought there would be a spin-off of the Springer show?? Really?? Steve reads emails after each show, yesterday someone asked if the people on the show were actors. Steve stated that he would hope noone would go on tv and lie about themselves...really?? If they didn't, you'd have no career, Mr. Steve. The people on this show don't sit in the chairs on the stage, they stand the whole time staggering back and forth ready to jump...yeah, every normal person acts like that.

Then there's the judge shows...good grief. Why does anyone ever volunteer to go on Judge Judy?? Why would you go on a show to find 'justice' when the host doesn't listen to anyone? Judy knows what her decision is before anyone even starts talking. She thinks everyone is dumber than her. I get it, she deals with a lot of idiots. That doesn't mean that you call everyone an idiot. She lectures on respect and being a decent human being, but she's the furthest thing from it. Who else is allowed to speak to people like that?? Worse than her are the people who CHOOSE to go on the show. Do these people ever watch the show?? I watched 2 poor 19 year old boys confide that they were in posession of medical marijuana, they had their prescriptions and everything. They got a lecture about doctors in California and the secret motives behind medical marijuana...they didn't prescribe it to themselves Lady Judy!! She makes terrible comments about families and tells very young parents how stupid they are for having kids...ummmm, it's done now!!! How about being constructive instead of destructive!!

Then, there's the complete opposite...Judge Hatchet. Who toots their own horn too much??? In the opening lines, she stated "I'm here to save your life". Who says that?? We all know that there exists certain careers in which the people do save your life...we all know people in those careers...how many of those people have we heard make that statement?? I've never heard anyone say that...besides Jesus. You don't hear soldiers, cops, firemen, teachers, parents, etc. make comments like that. Why does TV Judge Hatchet get to say that and everyone just plays along?? Gimme a break.

...I'm putting in a South Park dvd...

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

weekends with paul and pirates






Pros and Cons of the RenFest in town...

CONS: 1. Paul's gonna want to go
2. 3 hour drive
3. Visit from the locksmith fairy...inevitable
4. It's hot!
5. Crazy guy inside the gate explaining the difference between poo and mud
6. Lots o'money

PROS: 1. Paul will be happy...and owe me 1
2. PIRATES!!!
3. Crazy guy inside the gate explaining the difference between poo and mud
4. Honey beer :)
5. It's only once a year
6. Can't think of anything else...just trying to make the list even out...

summer sans beach = :(


I wanna go to the beach!!!!! What is summer time without beach time??? Crap, it's just crap! For the last 2 years, we haven't made it to the beach before August...and it looks like that's going to be this year too. That's not the worst part, the worst part is that it will only be for 3, 4 days top. I haven't spent a week at the beach since our honeymoon...5 years ago. I would love to go to the beach for more than a long weekend. Here's our dilemma; money, house sitter, money, plants, money, dogs, money, jobs, money. Ok, so how the heck did my parents manage to take us all on a week long vacation every year? Supposedly, we make more money than our parents did and we deifinitely have less kids :). We always went on a week long vacation during the summer. My husband and I have vacation time that goes unused and vacation funds that are apparently going somewhere else. We even have multiple Florida friends that we would love to spend time with. I have made a summertime resolution for next year...we will have the funds and time to go to the beach for a whole week. And not weekend Myrtle Beach; Florida here we come!! Yay, I'm excited for next summer vacation :)

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

missing work...


I think it says a lot for someone to say 'I hate to miss work' and mean it. For more than just having to make up work and change schedules, but because you really enjoy what you're doing. I love my job...I hate to miss work!
Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of working with little ones is the probability of being sick. I'm sick...
At this particular point in my life today, I'm pretty stressed over school and the future and feverish, along with runny and sneezy thanks to my beautiful flowers outside. I'm also overwhelmed with the idea of Mother's Day and my parents' 25th anniversary being 2 weeks apart...dinner at my house for both. But a moment ago, I thought 'I wish I was at work'. Things are easier at work...I'm sidetracked by a beautiful little smile or laugh, or by dodging blows...but I can deal with both. I know my job and understand the importance behind what I do, which isn't always the same in everyday life. Especially when you have the time of an entire day home alone to think about it.
A year ago, I wasn't in this situation. I would fake sick in a skinny minute to get out of another painful day at work. I still enjoyed working with the kids (one of the hardest things I ever did was leave them for the current job), but I couldn't stand the adults...enough to actively avoid them. They were ignorant about surprising aspects of the job, and the administration was all about inventing new paperwork and ridiculous policies. I know that's in most jobs in my field, but it's great to know that the people you work for believe in you and never expect you to do anything that's not necessary...it makes you way more okay with doing tons of things that aren't necessary to help everyone else out. And it is ALL ABOUT the kids...which is what it should always be all about!
I'm really hoping I have a 24-hr fever and can get back to my beautiful little smiles tomorrow :)

Sunday, April 11, 2010

things i wouldn't want to live without...









It's been a lazy day...that's one thing I couldn't live without. It can't be a fully lazy day, I still have to do laundry...but it's good. I love not having a time schedule and just doing things as they pass. Today we woke up late, headed out to an early lunch, and went swimsuit shopping...now just laying around the house. I guess everyone has their weird passions that they couldn't live without, lazy days is one of mine!! Since it's a lazy day...this is the extent of my lazy blogging...just some pictures of my weird passions that I couldn't live without :)

Saturday, April 10, 2010

hands in the dirt :)

It was a beautiful day today!! We went to a late breakfast, the flea market (best local place for flowers), and then home again. I had been dreading the Saturday that was nice enough to work in the yard...we have a wisteria that has caused hysteria in our front yard. I'm not a tree person, the only 2 trees on our property that I care anything about is the weeping willow and the magnolia. The wisteria was attacking (like a boa constrictor) the willow, so it had to go. We spent at least an hour dodging bees while trying to free the willow of the snake-like grasp. My husband even had to climb up into the tree to get the top parasitic vines. I've got to find someone to come get this thing...wisteria, free to good home.

I was looking forward to the Saturday nice enough to work in the yard because of my newly organized flowerbed. The pups and I spent a lot of time over the last few weeks getting the weeds out and planting seeds. Seeds are nice, but I like planting flowers that I can see. Today, I planted daisies, verbena, and a raspberry bush. I potted some plants for the porch and for mother's day presents also.

I used to hate planting stuff...my mom had to put watering flowers on my chore list to get me to touch the flowers. She could never talk me into helping her plant stuff, everything she ever gave me died. My mother and grandmothers and great-grandmother have always been gardeners. My mom buys new plants like I buy new flip-flops in the spring. I never put any time into the plants in our yard, anything that bloomed did so without any help from me. Last year, I started trying to actively keep plants..I watered and fertilized and pruned...

And who knew,

The yard looked beautiful! My allergies acted up and the bees got comfortable, but there were so many colors around the house and the butterflies also got comfortable. This year goes beyond my porch and the area just around the steps into the greater front yard and my flower bed.

I'm just hoping that I don't get too disappointed when something that I worked on dies and I become discouraged...

Friday, April 9, 2010

A boy and his dogS







I love my husband...

My husband and I grew up in completely different circumstances. I grew up with a family who is all about animals...not on a farm or anything, but my family always had several pets. My mom bred dogs when I was much younger...I had pet dogs, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, cats, fish, lizards, turtles, etc. Not all at the same time, but at one time or another.

My husband had a pet hamster growing up...that's it.

I knew that he really wanted a dog, and was fully prepared to adopt one with him when we got married and moved into our own place since I was not bringing one from home. So, a few months after we were married and moved into our own apartment, we got an 8-mth old husky mix, Zax. We found him in a local paper and contacted the people to pick him up. He was beautiful, snow white fur and ice blue eyes. We learned quickly that he needed a lot of training and a lot of work. We enrolled in a training class and eventually moved into a much roomier house. The boy had his dog...

But, the boy had never had a puppy...

While at PetSmart one Saturday getting something for Zax, we spotted a pen of puppies from one of those organized dog rescues. I always try to avoid those places...for several reasons. One, those dogs are technically already in a good home and I would rather adopt one who needs a chance. Two, these places are huge control freaks...do you have a fenced in yard? what do you feed your dog? how much time will the dog spend outside/inside? how long have you been married? what is your personality type?...a little ridiculous. If you want to have complete control over the dog's life...keep it!! With all of this, we still fell head-over-heels for our next fur-baby, Zeus. I was still very glad to get the rescue out of the way. People who do a day-surgery neuter on an 8-mth old puppy shouldn't be able to run a rescue anyway. After taking Zeus to our vet for proper after-care (including an overnight stay and pain meds...), Zeus fit nicely in our little family.

Three years later, I'm thinking that life is nice. I love our little family, including the dogs. They each have their own personality, and Zeus has always been the baby (even at 110lbs). So, imagine my confusion when the husband mentions another puppy. I mean, we're still young and working into our own version of bliss, but I figured the next breed of baby that would come into our house would be our own.

But...I love my husband. We found some lady trying to get rid of a litter from one of her 'yard dogs'...a free to good home pup. So, now we have yet another dog...they now outnumber us!! Leia is a german shepard mix with fleas, worms, and a bad diet...we're treating all of this. Zax is pretty ok with her, Zeus isn't completely down with the concept of a puppy...but we're getting there.

I have since had a conversation with my husband regarding raising children...it is very important for kids to have pets (other than a hamster)...he agrees :)

There's a hint of pollen in the air...


I love when the warmer weather comes after a long winter...who doesn't?? What I always forget about until it comes, is the yellow plague. Everyone gets so excited about breaking out the short sleeves and flip-flops and shorts...and then it hits.

The symptoms are distinct, runny and itchy face! There is no real relief...but you always try. The 12-hr pill that only lasts 3 hours, or the 24-hr pill that lasts 6. It's always really bad until it rains. It's not just the allergies, it's the yellow tinge on EVERYTHING!! It's on the porch, the chairs, the cars, the dog...and somehow, all over the house.

This year, there was a reason it was all over everything. The air conditioner has been out since the beginning of spring. As responsible adults, my husband and I contacted various contractors and researched units and compared prices before deciding on a company...which left us air-less for a few weeks. We had no choice, we had to open the windows. We have a very well-insulated house, which was an evil for this situation. When it got to 88o in the house, it stayed 88o in the house. We had to open the windows to breathe!!

So, now the yellow consumes the outside furniture and life as well as the INside furniture and life. But...today we got air!! My husband and I decided on a company and called them yesterday. We were able to set up an appointment for this morning (which confirmed our decision :)). The guy was out here all day, so I was cleaning house all day!! I was so ecstatic to get the house clean...to get the yellow films of the furniture, to get the sandy feeling off the floor, to make the window sills white again. It has killed me the last few weeks to just watch the dust grow with no end in sight (I wasn't going to clean it while we were still having to open windows). I had gone over the method of cleaning several times in my head!

I started in the kitchen; you know the routine...blocking off the doorway from wayward animals, children, and husbands and putting the chairs up on the table. I happily began washing, dusting, and scrubbing EVERYTHING!! I threw away yellow-infused dust rags from every room in the house. I spent hours cleaning with an overwhelming sense of relief. When I ended at our bedroom, I went back to the beginning steps of my quest (the kitchen) to put everything back int order. I went to remove the first chair off the table...wait a minute...what's that dusty stuff on the table?? OMG...it's more pollen...

Oh well...
PitaPata Dog tickers
PitaPata Dog tickers