I am an official member of the Pepys Project. Check it out!

Oh my God - I am adding this to my links!

Gorgeous weather today! I guess that's why it was so frickin' mobbed at ShopRite. ACK! Olivia almost got run over by one of the derranged cart-wielding senior citizen. Good thing I picked Olivia up in time. Nice to see they push their shopping cart the same way a lot of them drive - dangerously.

Another quiz.. I think I am addicted! (link via Roni)

So which letter of the alphabet matches YOUR personality, huh?

It's a good thing I am awake. Olivia has woken up twice. The first awakening, about 40 minutes ago, was accompanied with a piercing scream! She had a "Bad Dweam". I cuddled her for a little while then tucked her back into her crib (yes, my 2 yr old is still in a crib. We bought a toddler bed to put together on Saturday). She just woke up a few minutes ago and cried out. Another "Bad Dweam".. or so she said. I don't mind going in her room late at night.. she is so warm and snuggly. When she puts her chubby little baby arms up and around my neck, I just melt. She had a nightmare about 2 months ago and Paul was the one who raced to her room at top speed. When he asked her what happened, she replied, still hiccupping and crying that "..the squirrel said stop it." Huh? What a weird thing to say!

There's nothing like eating dinner at 1030pm. Ugh. I can't possibly go to sleep now..

I am on my 2nd break in school. I am so tired tonight. I keep yawning in class. We had a quiz today and I got a 95! Woohoo! I am hungry too - never got a chance to eat dinner before I left the house tonight. I am a happy, hungry and tired camper.

I'm here.. I'm here! Bet you thought I forgot all about you? ::grin:: Actually... Paul was home sick today so I managed to sneak in a nap since I am not feeling great myself. I was up WAY too late last night but I did work on my final. It's starting to come together nicely. I was having a very difficult time coming up with actual content to "make up" for my "business". Plus, I didn't want to make my business an online shop. Just a main page with 2 more links on it. Paul and the kids are on their own for dinner tonight aka FFY dinner. Fend For Yourselves. Heck - I have enough leftovers for them. I will be at class tonight. Catch you later!

By the way, Jason's new blog is underway. Stop by and check him out. ::waving to Jason:: Glad you are back among us!

I just love Yul Brynner... that voice, those eyes, that awesome chest, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera! ::making mental note to add "The King and I" to my wishlist::

From Mike :::giggle:::

This or That (from Jill) Train or boat? Train Lake or ocean? Lake Thoughtful or perceptive? Perceptive Observant or participative? Observant Line or curve? Curve baby, curve! Capitalize or lowercase? Capitalize - when needed, of course! Giraffe or zebra? Giraffe Shiny or matte? Matte Oil or vinegar? Vinegar Sand or clay? Sand

Hahaha! True...

	You are Rowlf! You don't draw attention to yourself much, preferring to keep your cool and stay in the background.
Take the What Muppet Are You? Quiz!

(link via Erin)

Forgot to add - Mom's PET scan went well. We will get the results in about 2-3 weeks. Her blood counts are good too although her platelets are low. So, no ax juggling for her. ::grin::

Ok - update for the past 24 hours... I visited Mom last night. She is NOT going on vacation ::phew:: The pulmonologist didn't think it was a good idea (DUH) for her to go away. Her lungs need about 1-2 months to recover.. Needless to say, I am SO relieved.. and I think she is as well. Dan might fly down to Tennessee on his own to visit his daughter, son in law, and granddaughter. This way, the 2 of them would get a well needed vacation.. from each other! Mom is on an amazing amount of medication. She is quite organized and has a journal that helps her keep her schedule on track. Thank God. On the school front, I am doing ok.. I think. I have my final due in 4 classes. I have to make a business webpage (using NotePad) with a minimum of 2 pages/max 5. BUT - it has to fit on a FLOPPY! This guy is looking for a basic business page.. no bells and whistles. So I came up with a "Country Home" type of store as my main page. I also have 2 other linked pages, a recipe of the week page and a craft technique of the week. The "Country Home" home page will not be a retail page but more of a promotion page (describing *my* brick and mortar store) that offers tips and information about the store. God - I hope it turns out ok.

**grumble** Good morning.

OK - I did this too.. but only after Erin and Mike did theirs too. Link from PopCultureSlut Kate Your name of Kate has created a practical, responsible, stable nature, and you desire to direct the efforts of others rather than to take order or ask permission. You have a determined, self-reliant, capable nature and resent any interference, although in your desire to help you are inclined to become involved in the lives and decisions of other people. You like to make your own decisions and to be the master of your domain. You feel a limitation in your own expression when it is necessary to reach another through tact and understanding. Although you are honest and fair, a directness in speech is a source of much consternation to you, and you often regret what you say. You also have a tendency to worry. It causes you to be too serious, and interferes with happiness and relaxation that comes with naturalness of expression. Health weaknesses centre in the head appearing as headaches, head colds, and eye, teeth, ear, or sinus problems.

Hello! Thanks for all the comments and emails about my Mom. You are all so sweet and I truly appreciate your kindness. I was having a bit of a pity party last night. I pretty much stayed around the house today. The girls and I did a lot of crafts and had a good time. Paul was so beat he ended up taking a nap.. the lucky bastard! I will post more tomorrow.. I am exhausted.. Mom has her PET scan tomorrow. God - I hope that the chemo has SOME effect on the lymphoma.

Good morn...err.. evening! Such a looooong day today! I was at my Mom's place by 930 this morning. I had to take her to the dentist for an emergency visit.. a tooth problem. Thank goodness they were able to get her in ASAP. I have to say, it has been alarming to watch her while she's walking. She is practically panting for air. She has several appointments on Monday. A PET scan, to see how the cancer reacted to the chemo, bloodwork and a visit to the pulmonologist. At this point, I don't want her to even GO to Florida. Mom doesn't even want to go to Florida. But, she is going anyway. I almost wish the doctors would tell her to stay home. Honestly, I think she would want that. I had to pack her bags for the trip. She is so tired. She also has laryngitis. It seems that Mom can't get a frickin' break. Dad and Millie (my Step-Mom) came down for a visit this afternoon. I had gotten home about 5 minutes before they showed up. The girls always enjoy it when they come down. We had a nice visit and they left about 90 minutes later. For the rest of the day, we just bumped around until dinner. After dinner, the girls played while Paul and I cleaned up. Finally got them into bed by 845. I have been trying to figure out what I am going to do on my final. I have to write a business website with a minimum of 2 pages, max 5. I can make up a business and I was going nuts, wondering what I was going to do. I finally came up with a solution and now I have to work like a dog planning and designing it. It *must* fit on a floppy disk. So, no bells and whistles for me (Thank God!) I am so stressed. My neck is killing me. I am cranky. I was doing my crafts for about 2 hours, just to try to relax. AND, I will be teaching Sunday School again tomorrow. Needless to say, I will be heading to bed shortly. I hope tomorrow is a better day...

My neighbor is having 7 trees removed from his property this morning. I got back from driving Moira to school and the guys were already here. There is 1 GIANT pine tree (damn scrubby looking pines!) that was pretty hard to get to from his property. So, the guys drove the big lift truck up our driveway and cut from there. Now - the icky tree is gone! Hooray! My neighbor is pretty cool. His wife is a sweetie and he has 2 kids, 1 in college (used to babysit Moira) and the other is a junior in HS (and he's huge - plays football) We are lucky to have such great neighbors... EXCEPT for the ones behind us. UGH! Anyone every see "A Christmas Story" with Ralphie and his family? Remember the Bumpus' next door to them? With 500 dogs? THAT describes our neighbors behind us. I will tell that story another time. Won't be blogging too much today.. I have a ton of things to do plus I have a Daisy meeting from 3-415. I get to rush home from that, eat dinner in 15 minutes, then head out to class tonight. Lord help me!

From Andrew If you could only watch 2 TV shows a week what would they be? Good Eats with Alton Brown (LOVE him!) and Trading Spaces on TLC Jennings, Brokaw or Rather? None - Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly Oprah or Jerry Springer? Oprah. I hate Springer ick ick ick Have you meet a famous celebrity? Well - I saw Elle MacPhereson in Planet Hollywood. She is *really* tall... and gorgeous ::sigh:: I got Margaret Smith's autograph. She was really cool. Jay or Silent Bob? no clue.. never saw the movies Monsters Inc. or Shrek? I didn't see Monsters Inc. but I really thought Shrek was funny. Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke.. but I usually prefer water or coffee What do you generally have for breakfast? Toast and coffee... lots of coffee Leno or Letterman? They both suck. Jon Stewart or Dennis Miller are so much better. Lara Croft or Sydney Bristow? Well - again, never having seen either one... I still would rather watch Sydney from Alias.

MOM'S Coming home! YAY YAY YAY!

Make sure there are no small children around when you play this (link via newtonleibniz)

Take the Hey Hey, Which Monkee Are You? Quiz.
:::sigh::: everyone else did one...

So - You wanna be a stripper? Read up here and see if you can handle it.

Good morning! Some good news - Mom might be coming home today! YAY! She is getting stir crazy in the hospital, not that I blame her. She has a roommate who is so sick : - ( She has liver problems and cancer to boot. The poor woman... I had class last night and I enjoyed it. We got out early due to it being the first night. The instructor seems pretty cool.. very straight up and forward. I like him. He's strictly a a code kinda of guy. He also likes Star Trek too. Hmm... coincidence? ::grin:: Surprisingly, I have picked up some HTML just by playing with my blog and getting help from people (Erin, Mike, ToeTag - THANK YOU!)

HI! I am posting from the college's computer lab. Apparently the professor will be running a little late in starting the class. So, we can surf for a while.. fun fun. I am so excited about this class.. I was worried about being the oldest one here. I shouldn't have worried ::teehee::

Hi ho.. hi ho.. it's off to school I go... Will write more later.. BYE!

SNOW! ICKY icky! It was 68 degrees yesterday and it's snowing today. How frigged UP is our weather? What's next.. a blizzard in July?

ToeTag hath moveth Be sure to update your links.

I got my book today! Read Less, Learn More HTML by IDG books. Class starts tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Mom will be going home on Thursday (I think!). She is doing so well, thank God! YAY!

Hahaha! The reason I find this funny is because I am half Iranian! By the way, whoever wrote the above online test should *really* have used his spelcheker.

Did I ever tell you all just how much I like my name?

My dream job! "We’re looking for friendly regular people who like to talk and can talk about anything. If you’re warm, friendly and sincere, and you think you have that special quality it takes to be QVC’s next Program Host, then please come to our next Program Host Auditions." Wow - was this job set up with me in mind?? QVC Host Auditions

Heheh Enron Voice Mail System 2002

Ok - I wasn't going to do this to myself.. but I took the quiz.. and I am so happy with my result. I **love** Vern!
take the which one of the trading spaces cast are you? quiz!

Visited Mom tonight... She looks SO much better than she did last night! Thank goodness. The steroids have really made a huge difference. She is still wheezing but slightly.Thank you all so much for your kind words via comments, IM's, and emails. You guys ROCK! {{{{Hugs}}}}

Olivia's playdate was wonderful. She and her little buddy were just SO adorable. I should have brought my camera and taken a few pictures. We ended up going back to her friend's house for lunch, which wasn't planned. But, it was so kind of her Dad to offer. Olivia really had so much fun playing with her friend. She can't wait to do it again. At least she will see her tomorrow at her BabyPower class.

I'm a Z-Lister! YAY!

I set up a playdate for Olivia today. She will be playing with one of the little girls from her Baby Power class. It should be a good time.. I hope!

I was up at the hospital most of the afternoon. I left my house around 1 and got back home about 9-ish. I have been making phone calls and doing emails for Mom and myself. Andrew and Chris, thank you so much for your emails. They really mean a lot to me. ::smile:: Mom is doing ok. Her doctor says "fair condition". She could be out in a few days. There is a slight chance of pneumonia. Not really what I wanted to hear but it could have been worse. ::knocking wood:: But, her white blood cell count it good. That's a bonus. She was NOT given the prednisone last night. It was ordered today by the pulmonologist, along with albuterol treatments via nebulizer. THIS stuff I know! Moira and Olivia have nebulizers and we do breathing treatments as needed for them. Anyway, this morning she was having tremendous coughing fits, again to the point of vomiting. Tim (my brother) was with her this morning. Mom got a dose of the steroid along with the breathing treatment and antibiotic. After I arrived, she managed to eat some Jello and sip some water. About an hour later, severe nausea hit her. The nurse gave her a shot of anti-nausea medication directly into her portocath. It worked pretty quickly, about 15 minutes. So, no vomiting today with the exception of this morning. Thank goodness. She is so weak and sore from coughing. Even walking to the bathroom (about 5 feet away) brings on more wheezing and dizziness. She had a slight fever again when I left. She pretty much told me to go home. She is exhausted.. hasn't had much sleep the past 4-5 days. She seemed a lot more comfortable when I left her this evening. I will be up there tomorrow night and Tuesday night as well. I can't get there on Wednesday since my class is starting that day. So, Tim will probably be down to take care of her on those days. :::sigh:::

I am pooped.. played with my template all night... :::yawn::: Going to bed.. Oh - if you are linking to me on your webpage, please let me know. I would love to add you to my list of reads! G'nite!

Damn! I am trying to update my blog and I can't get into my template! Grrrrrrr!

Tim called - Mom will be hospitalized for a couple days. She is taking prednisone (steroids) for the constant wheezing. This will effectively reduce any swelling she might have in her lung tissue. She has also been using a nebulizer. Her lung capacity is at 93%. Hopefully, she will be able to eat something and finally get some sleep. I will be heading up to the hospital tomorrow afternoon. Anyone wondering what's up with my Mom's health should click here and read about it.

Just heard from Tim (my brother).... Mom will be hospitalized. She has some fluid in her lungs, making her feel breathless. She has stopped vomiting since earlier this morning. She also has a very slight temp of 99.5.. I think she will be in the oncology unit.. I am waiting to hear back from Tim with more information..

Hey all - When you get a chance...could you spare a couple moments today to send some healing vibes to my Mom? She is at the ER with Dan (her partner). She might be hospitalized today. She has been throwing up since yesterday and has some God-awful sounding cough... Fuck I will post more later..

Comments are back up! YAY! Also - Erin, of gigglechick.com fame, helped me tweak my blog template. I love it. Thanks SO much babe! I owe you big. I'll buy you a drink when we go out..

The comments are there.. but it just SAYS 0 comments... weird weird!

Ok - where on earth are all my comments??

According to a Chinese allegory, a mother mouse took her babies out to seek food and to teach them the ways of life. On their journey, they came across a huge chunk of cheese placed in an iron box with an open door. The baby mice were excited and wanted to rush in. But the mother mouse stopped them and sternly warned they to stay away from this box, because it was a dangerous trap. "Anyone who goes into the box will never come out alive," the mother told her children. Unfortunately, her children didn't understand the danger and began to argue with her. Finally, the mother mouse decided that the only way to teach her children about the danger would be to show them. After making sure her children remained at a safe distance, the mother walked in. As soon as she did, the door of the box shut and locked her in. The mother then took a bite of the cheese and was poisoned. With her dying breath she urged her children to leave quickly and to remember this lesson always. Wow.

It's a BOY! Congratulations to Zannie and Allan

I read this on Eric's site and it brought back such AWFUL memories! So, I thought I would share them with you. Ain't I nice? Picture way back to Summer of 1981. I had just turned 11 and was SO psyched to go to summer camp. (Hey, I was 11!) **Brief eye history. I got my first pair of glasses when I was in first grade, to correct my eyes. I had amblyopia (aka lazy eye) in both eyes. I looked pretty damn freaky, let me tell ya. I would "look" at someone but my eyes would go in 2 different directions.** My parents decided, with the help of my eye doctor, that I needed corrective surgery on BOTH eyes. AND - they would be done at the same time. AND - it was day stay surgery. I get to go home as SOON as I wake up after the operation. During the summer. Oh, and I wouldn't be swimming either. Camp - no way. Not this year. You can imagine how totally freaked out I was to get this news. Surgery day arrives. I am hysterical. Don't want to do it. I got a few happy shots and apparently I calmed down after that. I do remember seeing my eye doctor in the OR. He told me to start counting backwards from 10. I start counting "10..9..8...................." I wake up and I can't open my eyes. I start freaking out again. My Mom was in the room with me. My Dad came in to see me and totally lost his mind. My Dad is SO bad under stress. He left the room, left the hospital and promptly vomited in the bushes. What can I say? Dad, you are a class act. I love you! Why, you may ask? My eyes were oozing. I had stitches in my eyes. They were supposed to dissolve. Take note I said supposed. It turns out I was allergic to dissolving stiches. What a frickin' way to find THIS fact out! My doctor had to remove them... while I sat still...very still. To this day, I am very squeamish about my eyes. Needless to say, the summer sucked. I finally managed to go swimming my mid September. Let me tell you, it didn't matter to me how cold the water was against my skin... it felt wonderful!

Wow - just finished watching "12 Angry Men" Holy smokes! Awesome - just awesome. Could the movie industry even attempt to re-create this movie in the 21st century?

You asked for it.. try not to laugh TOO hard! Reminder - these are from 1995! LOL!

Describe yourself! 1. Eye and Hair Color: Hazel/Green. My hair is currently reddish brown 2. Height: 5'2 - since I am usually in sneakers 3. Job Status: Stay at home Mom and attending College at night (starting Wednesday! YAY) 4. Likes: FUN! Good jokes, Comedies, a sexy voice (a la Sean Connery, Patrick Stewart, Howard Keel ::sigh::), 5. Dislikes: Seafood - BLEECH! Rude people 6. Favorite Movie: It's a toss up between The Sting and Kiss Me Kate (I like the oldies) 7. Favorite Bands: Bare Naked Ladies, The Police, Smashmouth, Wings 8. Favorite Artists: Sting, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett 9. Favorite Foods: A great steak or Fettucini Alfredo 10. What do you like most about yourself? I really do have a great sense of humor! I just mess up punch lines occasionally! 11. Location: Ocean County, NJ Answer in your blog and post your link in the comments! I am looking forward to getting to know you guys! ::smile::

Your Daily Horoscope: February 21, 2002 by iVillage Astrologer, Kelli Fox You should know by now that you can't judge a book by its cover, Gemini. Actual appearance only hints at some unseen impact that is yet to be revealed. Even though you are perfectly in control, your metaphysical wrestling match looks a lot like a crazy dance to those who don't understand. For intellectuals, it doesn't get any better than this. Pass the hours away with people who get where you're coming from and want to go along on the next journey with you anyway.

Be strong Erin....

I was cleaning out (aka reorganizing) some boxes of photographs when I came across some of my old Glamour Shots pictures! Oh my Gosh.. too funny. I actually started giggling when I was looking at them. I think they were taken sometime in 95. My Mom really wanted to have them done. So, we haul our butts to the Mall, get TONS of make-up slathered on, and put on these really odd drape-ish thing (which tucks into your bra - very classy). The photographer posed us so weird but the one picture of me and Mom looks nice. Of course, Mom wanted me to get a ton of other poses done ::sigh:: I've got the "I'm wearing a stupid cowboy hat" picture, the "I am really uncomfortable with this wrapped around me" picture, a "I'm wearing a white fuzzy fur wrap" picture, and the piece de resistance - the "I look like I am wearing nothing" pose. My Mom and the photographer hounded me to get that done "for Paul" I hate that one the most. I have no clue as to how much money Mom spent on these pictures but I bet they weren't cheap.

GREAT news! Moira can read! Ok - well she has been reading since before Christmas but today she actually sat down with a book and read the entire thing alond to all of us! I am SO proud of her!!

Once in a lifetime LONDON, England -- For one minute this Wednesday night, time will be in perfect symmetry. For those who follow the Gregorian calendar, two minutes past eight tonight marks a millennial mathematical curiosity. The time, date and year will form a rare triple palindrome -- 20:02, 20/02/2002 -- reading the same backwards and forwards. The last time this rare alignment struck was in the morning of November 11, in the year 1111, mathematicians have said.

Last quiz for today... Are you Sexually Healthy? I am - Your score indicates that you are very healthy sexually. You know whom you are, what you want, and what is best for you. You are comfortable with yourself and those you love. A loving sexual relationship is important to you, and you are willing to work at maintaining that relationship. Safe, healthy sex is also important. You most enjoy a loving and monogamous sexual relationship. You are not afraid to express your needs to your lover during sex, nor unwilling to listen to his/her needs. You would never hurt someone you love in the name of sex. Sex is not the most important thing in your life, but it is something important that you and your partner share. Continue to maintain that open, honest relationship, stay true to yourself, and you will continue to thrive in your sexual life and health.

Optimist or Pessimist? I am --- Half-Full Glass You try to look on the bright side, and optimism is a skill you've cultivated to help you weather life's rough spots. All the same, you know it's okay to admit when you're angry or hurt. You're neither blindly positive, nor prone to dwell on slights and injuries, and your generally positive outlook helps prepare you to take risks without being held back by bitterness or a fear of failure. Believe it or not, some scientists have theorized that there is an evolutionary advantage to optimism: Human beings may be programmed to view the world as just slightly better than it actually is, in order to recognize clearly any real threats to our well-being and handle them appropriately. Your ability to rise above negative thinking while remaining realistic about temporary setbacks is a great strength.

Ok.. I am feeling a little better.. I have a couple funny links for you guys to check out - Apu Fan? Love the Kwik-E-Mart? You gotta click here Problems in Paradise? Wanna dump someone? They can do your dirty work for you. Been dumped? This is even better - get even and feel better at the same time. And.. for God's sake.. if you start dating agin.. DON'T say any of THESE!

Morning from Hell Woke up at 810 this morning. Moira is supposed to catch the bus at 815. I know this is not EVEN possible. I wake her up and tell her she has *got to get dressed ASAP. SO, she is dragging around the hosue.. moving so sloooooow. I swear, this girl has 2 speeds.. dead slow and stop. I ended up barking at her to hurry up..and she starts to cry. Great. Now I feel like an f'ing Nazi. She didn't like what I picked out for her to wear and was whining about that. I told her too bad and she cried again. :::sigh::: It got worse but I don't feel like rehashing it because I totally screwed up this morning and yelled at her. Now I feel so freakin guilty I hollered at her. Shit. I drove her to school and Olivia and I watched as she walked down the hallway to her class ::sigh:: I feel like such a turd.

This or That from Jennifer 1. January or July? July - I love the summer AND it's Moira's birthday too ::smile:: 2. Email or letters? Email - I gotta know right away! 3. Milk or orange juice? Orange Juice, as long as it's very cold. 4. Brunette or blond? Hmm - have been both.. right now I prefer red! 5. Digital or film camera? Both 6. Camping or hotel? HOTEL baby 7. Pencil or pen? Pen 8. Rollerblading or roller skating? Skating 9. Fly or drive? Drive - no air travel for me 10. White or black? Hmm - I'd have to say black

Grr! I put Miss Olivia down for a nap around 115pm and she's STILL yapping in her crib. Damn - I am not ready for her to give up her naps.. at least not yet. Oh well. SO she will be nice and grumpy for Paul tonight. I am visiting Mom tonight. She is doing her last course of chemo this week. She and Dan (her partner) will be going on a long vacation. Mostly spending time in Florida with stops in Tennessee and I believe Virginia too. They will be driving so they are in no big hurry. I hope she has a nice time - she really needs a break. She will be getting another PET scan on 3/4 to determine the effect of the chemo thus far. Momw il be seeing the oncologist when she gets back on 3/28 and he will decide on her next course of treatment, if it's necessary. He has already said it probably will be... I will probably post later tonight... talk at ya then! Bye ya'll!

Olivia had her Baby Power class today.. she had SO much fun, as always. I ended up getting the phone number and email address of one of the Dad's that attend with his daughter. We chatted for a while after class. Turns out that he grew up in Monmouth County as well. His wife lived in Spring Lake Heights. His aunt lives very close to my Mom. I like him - nice guy. His daughter is a cutie too. Hopefully, this will work out nicely and Olivia will have her very own playdate buddy! Awwwwwww!

Hi! Missed you guys today! We just cleaned and cleaned and cleaned! Paul borrowed his Mom's carpet cleaner and did the major areas around the house. Oh my God - I thought I was going to be sick when I saw what was picked up in the cleaner!!! It looks like we live like animals! Like we are filthy! I want to rip out every piece of carpet in this house. I wish we could afford to do that now.. hopefully, very very soon. Paul worked on our taxes for a while tonight and we will be getting some $$ back from Uncle Sam. Normally, we adjust our withholding so we can have our money when we earn it.. not so Uncle Sam can hold onto it for a year and make shitloads of interest on it. No thanks - I WANTS my money! Does that drive anyone else nuts too?? I hate when people get all giddy about getting money back from the government.. HELLO!! It's YOUR money to begin with! I wish we were able to have more money put aside for our retirement but we do need the money now. We managed to sock away quite a bit in Paul's 457 account, saving us some pre-tax dollars. We have tried to save some money for the girls in savings accounts but we did have to dip into it : - ( I *really* didn't want to but there was no choice at the time. But, they will get paid back ASAP. But - most of their money are in cd's (ING Direct) and Moira has her own Vanguard account. Ah well... the joys of money...

Oooh! Forgot to mention that a friend of mine from high school was featured in the Sunday paper.(Erin - you know who she is) I was so happy to read that she was doing great and is now a teacher!! She was so good with kids.. she used to teach at a dance school. I will have to call her and leave a message for her at the school. Hopefully, I will hear back from her sometime soon.

I have been messing around with some craft stuff for the past couple hours. Normally, I am craft-challenged but I have found a couple things I like to do. So, I have been "playing" and having fun. I think I will be turning in soon... I am pooped! G'nite ya'll!

The Eagle Has Landed Yes - Moira is home. It was so cute.. as soon as she walked in the front door, Olivia ran over to her yelling "Moira! Moira!" Moira bent down, gave Olivia a big hug and stood up, still hugging Olivia. She carried Olivia over to the couch, put her down and gave her a kiss. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Such a great big sister.

Paul got home last night around 1130pm. He got called BACK in around 4am.... and got home by 10am. Just in time to watch Olivia while I volunteered at Sunday School this week. Poor guy.. he is napping now. I have to wake him up at 345 so he can go meet his sister and get Moira, who is coming home tonight.

I LOVE this game... Check out the Cow.. it's almost as much fun as popping bubbles!

I am playing my Bare Naked Ladies cd in the computer right now and it sounds pretty cheesy. I think I need to get new speakers for my system. The music sounds, well, tinny.. for lack of a better word..

Hrm - I need to mess around with my blog some more... I figured out how to make the links pop up in a different window (Yay me!). I think I want to change some colors around too. Maybe new colored text... Any one have any suggestions how to do this? Remember, those suggestions need to be pretty simple to understand! I can't wait for my HTML class to start on Wednesday. Paul called me a geek... I am PROUD to be a geek! : - )

Whew! Just got a chance to actually SIT down! We never made it to the aquarium. Olivia still has a pretty nasty cough so I didn't want to chance it. Maybe we will go on Monday when Moira is home. Speaking of Moira, she is having a disgustingly wonderful time with Auntie B. I am glad about that. Moira loves spending 1 on 1 time with people. Olivia makes it a little difficult for her to do that sometimes.. Paul is on call with his job this weekend. He rotates with a few other guys at work so he is only on call 1 out of every 5-6 weeks, for a week at a time. Plus, he gets to drive the company car (2000 Blazer) when he is on call. It was GORGEOUS outside! WOW! This weather is SO weird. Olivia played in the backyard while Paul was back there raking. She had so much fun she didn't want to come in for lunch. We finally get her inside and my Mother in Law, J, calls. J speaks to Paul, who finds out that she is buying a new car and do we want to buy her old car? She sold it to us for $5K. Really a great deal. It's a blue 97 Saturn SL2 (sedan) with leather seats (zoinks!) and power EVERYTHING! It only has 47K miles! WOOHOO! Of course we can onyl do payments.. not like I have that money just hanging around. No problem says J! Even cooler! She calls back around 5pm, asking of we can pick the car up today since she wants it out of the driveway ASAP. No problem - we are ON our way. Jump in the company car and away we go. Sign some papers, write up receipts, etc.. BEEP BEEP BEEP! Paul's pager goes off. He has to go to work : - ( But - at least I have a way to get home (Saturn) and he get to make time and a half. BUH bye! Olivia and I got home about 745pm. She had a snack, took a bath, brushed her teeth, read 2 books, and BAM! In bed! The house is NICE and quiet.. again. I think I am liking this!

The Daisy meeting went well - the girls LOVED gluing those little foam pieces to paper. I picked up McD's for the kidlets tonight. I still had to pack Moira's stuff for this 2 night trip to Auntie B's house. Olivia is sacked out and I am enjoying the peace and quiet! Ahhhhhh! Blogging and watching luge... can it get any better?

The Friday Five 1. What was the first thing you ever cooked? Gosh - I remember baking with my Nana when I was pretty little (5 or 6). The first thing I made on my own was probably pancakes. 2. What's your signature dish? Roast Chicken. Paul swears I make the best chicken. 3. Ever had a cooking disaster? (tasted like crap, didn't work, etc.) Describe. Hmm - the time I made dinner for my soon to be inlaws, I burned it AND it tasted like crap. Thankfully, they were pretty nice about it. 4. If skill and money were no object, what would make for your dream meal? Wow - that's a tough one... something with a perfect cut of beef. No mushrooms. Ever. 5. What are you doing this weekend? Well, Moira will be at my sis in law's place for the next 2 days. The 3 of us might head over to the aquarium on Saturday then go out to lunch. I also have to go food shopping. On Sunday, I am in charge of Sunday School.

Moira will be spending the next couple of days out in Malvern, Pa with my Sister in Law. Woohoo! Life is good!

Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday dear Daaaavid Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuu!

I had ordered a bunch of craft items from Oriental Trading. My order arrived yesterday. One of the items I had ordered was 1,000 pieces of 1/4 inch foam squares. They're good for making mosaic pictures, etc... I had ordered 4 packages of foam squares (4,000 squares). When I opened the box, I saw the foam squares, neatly packaged. Each color was in a large foam sheet. Meaning - I would have to open each package and pull apart the 1/4 inch foam squares. At least they were already precut ::sigh:: 8 foam sheets per package in rows of 11x12. 132 tiny squares per sheet. Multiply that by 8. 132 foam squares in each color. Multiplied by 8 sheets per package and there is 1056. AND - I opened 3 packages. Grand total of tiny squares is 3,168. Oh, and please don't forget Olivia "helping" me by grabbing handfuls of these tiny squares and attemping to race away, giggling. Should be loads of fun when 13 5-6 year olds get a hold of these!

I have to say this - Paul did get me the prettiest roses today. I love getting flowers. I usually buy myself some at least once a month. My brother sent me a nice basket of plants and my Mom sent me a pretty arrangement of dried flowers that I have hanging up on the wall. Hope everyone had a nice time today. Hugs going out to you all!

Anyone see "The Emperor's New Groove"? I just love this movie - David Spade is so frickin funny! I have it on now while dinner is cooking... I was hoping to actually take a nap (Hahahaha) but that isn't going to happen...

Bahahahah! According to Jason, she should have seen it coming...

Oh yeah - almost forgot... Happy Valentine's Day!

Isn't she the cutest? ::smile::

:::::Yawn:::::: Olivia decided to stay awake until 530am. Actually - I don't think she actually DECIDED to stay up all night coughing.. but that's what happened. Nothing.. and I mean nothing, could stop that cough. She was coughing so hard she was gagging : - ( Paul finally chased me into bed at 3am, saying he would stay up with Olivia but he needed me to get Moira up and off to school. I passed out as soon as I lay my head on the pillow. My alarm woke me at 630am. I didn't hear anything so I go tup to check on Paul and Olivia. He was asleep in the recliner. I woke him up (poor guy) to find out what happened. He had given her some bread and butter to eat right after I went to bed. He ended up turning on the TV for a while. Olivia started to cycle down her coughing and by 530am, he put her down in the crib. She finally fell asleep. I got Moira up and dressed. She looked so cute today! She has a Valentine's Day party at school (awwww) today. She brought in her 22 Valentines with these cute little crochet hearts I was given by one of my Mom's friends. I zipped over to Wal-Mart after Moira got on the bus. I figured I should get the kidlets a card and some little things. I even got a card for whatshisname.. you know.. the guy that lives here too! LOL!

Your Daily Horoscope: February 13, 2002 Gemini: If things aren't going the way you hoped or expected them to, find a way to take control of the situation. When it comes to implementing plans and ideas, drivers do far better than navigators right now. With your hands on the wheel, no one else has to suffer from your ongoing urge to shift direction. Your time is best spent among people who share your philosophies, Gemini. You may even feel like proposing marriage to someone who is obviously on your wavelength.

SO tired... This cold is really kicking my butt. By 130 this afternoon, I had fallen asleep in the recliner in my living room. I actually slept pretty well. I woke up in time to wake up Olivia from HER nap and pick up Moira at the bus stop. I was lazy tonight, just made burgers and pasta salad for dinner. The kids were pretty happy with it. Moira is now complaining of pain in her left ear (Oy!). I guess we might be back at the doctor's office sooner than I would like. Olivia has been hacking and coughing... poor baby. We set up a warm mist humidifier in her room about 35 minutes ago. We had already given her a nebulizer treatment and Triaminic Cough and Cold to try to stop her cough. She has no chest congestion - just a damn runny nose that won't quit. So, when she lays down, a few minutes of post nasal drip, and BAM - coughing fits. She seems quiet now - I would keep my fingers crossed but it would be *really hard to type! ::insert rimshot:: Thank you... thank you very much! Can you tell it's been a loong day?

I just wanted to say hi again to Jason and thank him for linking me : - ) What can I say? The man obviously has good taste ::grin::

Here's those frames....

Great story from David - Hefty Bill with Added Insult Shocks Telecom Customer

I checked the referrals on my site meter. I saw that I am listed #1 for this Google search! What the hell is that??!!

Ugh - such a long day. Paul had the day off today - thank God. I ended up going back to bed by 1015 this morning. I was so exhausted. Woke up around noon.. still feeling like crap. At least I wasn't sleepy. Moira is feeling better so she is going to school on Wednesday. I kept Olivia out of her BabyPower class today.. she's still contagious. Trust me - I know this ::cough:::sniffle:: After dinner tonight, I had decided to work on some "crafty" stuff. I painted and decorated some picture frames. They turned out *really* cute. I am so proud of myself. I will post pictures up tomorrow so I can show off my newly developed glue gun skills! I finally saw the season finale of Sex and the City tonight. Can't believe Richard cheated on Samantha - that dick. But, I guess he *had to do it.. I mean, if Samantha had fallen in love and hooked up for good, the show would have totally Jumped the Shark. Will blog more in the morning... I am fading out quickly! Night all!

Woohoo! From Susan
Which Sex and the City Player Are You? Find out @ She's Crafty You're smart, witty, trustworthy, level-headed and industrious. You value your independance above all else. Success is very important to you. You give the impression that you may be a little jaded, but you still harbour school-girl fantasies of finding someone who'll make you giggle and blush. You can also be almost irrationally compulsive at times and are excessively cynical. Structure, order and schedual are very important to you. You have no tolerance for the majority of men these days. You find their behaviour completely unfathomable, and feel that if a man's over thirty and single, there's something wrong with him. It's Darwinian. They're being weeded out from propagating the species. Miranda quotes: "I know you're probably busy having mind-blowing sex, but I feel you need to know that your good friend, Miranda Hobbes, has just taken a piece of cake out of the garbage and eaten it. You'll probably need this information when you check me into the "Betty Crocker Clinic." "I used to masturbate to a busboy who was rude to me once. What do you think that means?" "Men are so concerned about their balls. Women don't care. We care about nice arms, great eyes, a big dick...I've never once heard a woman say: "He had such a big full scrotum."

Prayers and hugs going out to Susan and her mom. Susan's mom will be seeing the oncologist next month. {{{{Healthy Vibes}}}}

Good morning again... I am sick ::cough cough:: Crap. Got the kids in to see the new pedi (whom I *really* like). We did have to wait an hour in the waiting room but I can't really complain about that. We were brand new patients and they got us in the same day. Mighty cool of them. Anywho, the dr wants us to come back in a month so he can evaluate Moira's ear. He wanted to see how she would do after a full course of medicine and then an additional 2 weeks. He wants to see if the fluid is gone. Olivia is contagious (like I didn't know that! LOL). He wanted us to really keep an eye on her due to the dehydration possibility. She had a HUGE allergic reaction last night while I was at Bonkos. Her arm was all swollen and her hand puffed up too. Paul took a picture of her arm - so I could see it when I got home. Holy shit - her arm looked awful.. my poor baby : - ( Now, I think the cat has to go. I was chastised by the doctor yesterday about the cat too. It's so hard... I *know she will be put to sleep. I just hate the thought of her freaking out, being in a strange place, and considered unadoptable ::sigh:: Anyone out there want a 12 year old cranky black cat?

What a morning! I managed to: 1.Call the insurance company and switch pedis, request a new provider book, and let them know about Moira's trip to the ER 2 Call the new pedi and get appointments for both girls, today at 330pm. 3.Dig up paperwork on the girls' shots amd allergy information 4.Call Debbie (Daisy Scout leader for Moira's troop) and plan out the next 6 meeting, including all craft and snack activities. 5.Pick out 5 craft activities for Daisies from the Oriental Trading catalog 6.Pick out a craft activity for my next 3 Sunday School classes. 7.Wash, dry, fold, and put away laundry Kill me.. please...