A white Christmas

Here are some pictures of the front of my house and down my street. It didn't stop snowing all day yesterday. Jack is obsessed with shoveling the driveway, God love him.







And here's a picture of the street.

Friday Night Lights

I'm a huge TV watcher. When the writers strike was going on last year, I was lost. This year, several of my favorite shows are getting cancelled. Thankfully, Friday Night Lights isn't one of them. This is possibly the best show on TV. I'm not a football fan. In fact, I'm the furthest thing from a football fan. Yet I love this show that is basically about high school football in Texas. It also has an amazing cast, not to mention the best husband/wife duo on TV (possibly of all TV time). So if you're not watching this show, you're missing out.


Kyle Chandler is pretty fierce. Not to mention smokin' hot.


Only three (or was it two?) episodes left this season.

More winter fun

I know, I live in Idaho. Snow should be expected. What can I say? I'm a California girl at heart, though it's not much better there.

Like I told my sister the other day, it's fine when you're looking at it from inside your home. It's going out with it that's the problem.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

F me

Winter has obviously arrived.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

My new work space

I work at home two days a week. Usually that work was done sitting on the couch or at the kitchen table. That definitely wasn't helping my back pain. So I ordered a new desk and today is my first day using it for work. I'm super excited. I have a ton of stuff blocked at work (Twitter, .blogspot, Live Journal, just to name a few). Now on the two days I'm at home, I get to use my laptop for work and the home computer for fun. w00t!

Gas

I just filled my 4Runner up for $24.94. w00t!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Effing winter

Most people that know me know that I don't like winter. When we moved from Sacramento to Boise, I thought I would do fine w/ the cold b/c I've never had a problem with it before. It's really not the cold I don't like, but more a combination of cold, snow, and less daylight hours. In January, it won't get light until after 8am and then it will get dark by 5pm.

I don't really like that. I don't mind the cold if it's sunny b/c I don't have to be out in the cold.

This is a picture from the front of my house on Saturday. Yes, that is snow. I really want to move to Hawaii.

My Amazon.com Shopping Cart

I usually like Amazon's recommendations to me based on my purchases. I've found several good books through that feature. I got some very strange recommendations today. I checked my Shopping Cart and lookey what I found:

Shopping Cart for Casee (If you're not Casee, click here.)

subtotal = $483.92
Make any changes below?

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50 First Dates [Blu-ray] - Adam Sandler; Blu-ray
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So I can't decide if he was just hopeful that I wouldn't notice next time I placed an order or what.

Husband Pet Peeve #1

There are many pet peeves I have about various things in life. Some things I'm able to just shrug off, some things drive me absolutely batty. My husband takes the prize for being able to drive me absolutely crazy.

I'm a huge recycler. I recycle my empty toilet paper rolls. So I always recycle catalogs that come in the mail, junk mail, etc. One thing I hate doing (along with laundry and cleaning bathrooms) is going through the mail. Our kitchen island is like a huge junkyard of unopened mail. I try to go through it as I get it, but that doesn't happen very often. Of course my husband rarely looks through the mail unless he sees a magazine or ad for Cabelas. When I finally go through the mail, I make piles. My recycle pile, my bill pile, and my shred pile. What drives me crazy is that AFTER I finally go through it, he decides that he needs to go through it, too. He goes through all my piles and then tries to talk to me about certain things.

What I want to know is that if he's going to go through it, can't he do it before I do? It would save me some major aggravation. I think it's a man thing.

I wish I had it this easy

While I've been working hard from home today (heh), this is how Molly has spent the last 6 hours.

She hasn't moved except to lick her bum. She won't move until Jack gets home. When he walks in the door, she'll meow him to death.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Me, My Sister, and Metallica

Jack and I flew to Portland on Saturday morning to go see the Metallica concert. It was, hands down, the best concert I've ever been to. It was amazing.

In all the concerts I've been to, there has been ONE opening band. Metallica had two. In a moment of extreme blondness, I thought the 2nd band was Metallica for about two songs. When Metallica actually came on, I felt even more stupid.

The beer was flowing freely. Jack had so much that he got sick after we got back to my sister's house. He blames his sickness on some phantom that pushed him out of the car when we got there. I felt really bad for him, though. The next day I mentioned to my sister that I didn't think we drank that much. She told me that when the beer is free, you don't really pay attention to how much you're drinking. How right she was. LOL

We had such a great time, even though it was a quick trip. The travel was relatively easy since we were w/o kids. Like I've said before, anytime we go visit over there, I want to move there. This trip was no exception.

This is a picture of me and my sister. You can't tell we're related, can you?

Wtf

I have a pet peeve when it comes to the correct usage of certain words. You know, there/their/they're, etc.

So tell me, does this look right? I'm thinking about sending an email to the radio station to tell them what fucking idiots they are.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Happy Monday

There's nothing like starting a Monday off by spilling burning hot coffee all over your hands. I can't decide what's worse, the burning of my hands or the fact that I just spilled about $1 worth of a $4 coffee.

The coolest wine bottle ever.

Cheers Holly!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

My husband loves me this much

Everytime we go to my sister's house, he always goes with her to the meat market. I think it's become their "thing". My sister reminded me of this lovely picture that Jack took and sent to me while he was there last time. It's a little blurry, but you get the point.

Srsly

If I wanted to convert my family, would I let Kelsey eat this?

Men and their meat

There are few things outside of my family that I am passionate about. One of the things I feel very strongly about is my vegetarianism. I've been a vegetarian for over a year. At first, I would still cook meat for the rest of the family. That didn't last long. While I will buy meat, I won't cook it. Sometimes I plan meals where Jack and cook and throw meat in it. Sometimes I don't. I'm very contentious about making a well balanced meal even without the meat. Since I'm usually the one that cooks, I have to make sure that Will and Kelsey are getting the protein and other nutrients they need. It's surprisingly easy...if I'm not lazy about it.

Over the last six months or so, I've toyed with the idea of becoming vegan. I really don't think I'd be able to do that b/c it's that much harder to plan meals, go out to restaurants, and buy food. I buy almost all organic dairy products. We add the word "happy" in front of all our dairy products b/c I buy cage free, vegetarian fed, "happy animal" products. It can be more expensive, but as it's something I feel strongly about, that is not an issue for me.

I have never, ever tried to get any of my family to go vegetarian. Ever. I've never asked Jack to stop eating meat. I've never told Will or Kelsey that they're not having more meat. Not only would I have a revolt, but it's a personal choice and I'm not going to force it on anyone. So the fact that Jack and I got in a heated discussion in the organic section at the grocery store last night, boggles the mind.

While some people think that cutting out meat will make you lose a ton of weight, that's incorrect. Not eating meat means that you will probably eat more cheese, pasta, etc. I try to limit my intake of those things, but it is difficult. At the store last night, I got some dairy-free cream "cheese" and mentioned that I'd like to go vegan in some things. For both health reasons and personal beliefs. I swear to God, you would have thought that I told Jack that he was never having another steak in his life. I still get steamed when I think about it. I have never asked him to go vegetarian, yet he basically tells me that he accepts my food weirdness, but there is no way in hell he's going vegan. Excuse me. Have I ever asked you at any time to give up meat? No, I haven't.

I was also told that I'm going over the top w/ not wanting to use animal-tested products. Hello? If I start donating money to PETA and making our kids watch the videos posted on their site, I would give him permission to tell me that I'm over the top. Hello, one of my best friends does testing on animals to cure diseases. You'll never see me boycotting in front of her building.

After that, I tried to get him to buy some steaks for himself and the kids and he wouldn't. Hey, I tried.

Grocery Shopping

There is little in life that I despise more than grocery shopping. I hate it. I hate making the list that you have to make or you spend twice as much w/ only half of what you really needed. I hate bagging the produce. I hate the little brats that run around like maniacs b/c their mom's aren't paying attention to what they're doing. I hate taking the groceries out of the cart at the check-out stand. I hate putting the groceries in the car and I hate unloading them when I get home.

I pretty much hate everything about it.

The only thing that makes it a little bit bearable is when I go without kids. Sometimes I like having Jack along, sometimes I'd rather not. Since I've hurt my back, I can't really lift the bags of groceries, therefore I can't go by myself. So when I would have been able to go by myself on Saturday, I couldn't. It's really been a pain in the arse.

So today after I go to my physical therapy appointment, I get to go grocery shopping w/ Jack. My mother has kindly agreed to pick up the kids so we can get through the shopping faster. I really should be making a list, but I decided to blog about why I hate grocery shopping instead.

I am not a procrastinator.

Why I love fall

Jack & his glass

Jack and I have been married for about 9 years (he's the older man). In our entire marriage, he has been the glass half-full type of person to my glass half-empty.

He's gone and changed on me. So to compensate, I have to be the half-full person. Which doesn't work very well for me.

So what happened Jack? Too much fighting terrorism? Saving the world six times just too much for you?

You know I love you. That's why I am going to tell you what you told me when I was sick as hell w/ our Princess (aka Cheeks): Get over it.

Better and Better

My mom just sent me this picture taken from her kitchen window.

Srsly

It's 2:48 and I just got home from picking the kids up from school. It's 40 degrees (F) outside.

If you hear a loud sound, it's me sobbing.

The Dentist & Cheeks

Whenever we have a dentist appointment to take the kids to, I always remember the five hellish days following Cheeks' birth. Since she was my 2nd, I was raring to go and wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as they would let us go. I had gotten the ok from my doctor, all we needed was the Pediatrician to sign off that Cheeks was good to go.

But he didn't.

When listening to her heart, he heard a murmur which means a ton of tests and a visit from the Pediatric Cardiologist who would look at the ultrasounds and determine the course of action. I had major post-partum w/ Cheeks and didn't take it well when I was told that my daughter had a hole in her heart. I didn't care how small it is. It's a hole. In her heart. And at that time, it was somehow my fault. It was the medication I took when I was too sick to get out of bed. I missed my pre-natal vitamins one too many times.

To this day, I thank God for her Pediatrician. When we took her in two days after we got home, he gave Jack and I the best advice I've ever gotten (aside from taping her mouth shut). He told us not to treat her like she was fragile b/c she wasn't. He eased my fears and made me realize that this was not anything that had to do w/ me. It just was what it was. It wasn't something that was going to affect her life at all. Well, except in one small way.

The dentist.

For the four years that he was her Pediatrician (until we moved), he was adamant about the fact that she get anti-biotics before any dental procedure. Though it was unlikely, there was a small chance that she could get an infection in her heart and die. Okay then. So we were religious about it. Even when the dentist told us that she didn't need it (wtf?), we still did it.

Then, less than a year ago, we were told that the American Heart Association came out with new research that says antibiotics aren't needed. This wasn't taken well. So we called her old Pediatrician even though it had been two years since he'd seen her. He confirmed what Cheeks' doctor, cardiologist, and dentist said. So we don't give her antibiotics anymore.

Still, anytime she has a dental appointment, I think about those five days and how terrifying they were. This morning when I was brushing her hair (it was a sneak attack), I was thinking about those days and told myself that no matter how hard it gets with her, no matter how much I want to ship her off to my sister's house, we are so lucky to have her.

Winter has arrived

I've been saying that winter is coming since August. Winter is not something I look forward to. I've been dreading winter since June.














Do you see that SNOWFLAKE in the picture?? There's a 40% chance of rain/light snow. It's mother-bleeping OCTOBER!

Winter has arrived. Kill me now.

It's a man thing

Jack and I own three cars. I have a 4Runner, Jack has a Tacoma, and we have a Honda Civic that is my commuter. About a year ago when gas prices started going up, we decided to get a commuter. It gets about 40mpg (when I drive it as instructed by His Highness). 40mpg is waaay better than the barely 20mpg I get in my 4Runner. Unfortunately, I'm trading mpg for luxury and comfort. Anything is more comfortable than the Civic. A bicycle is more comfortable.

Since I hurt my back (finally found out it's a disc), I haven't been driving the Civic b/c it's that uncomfortable. I was driving the 4Runner for awhile, then I realized that Jack's truck is actually more comfortable. So for the past two weeks, I've been driving the truck. Jack usually drives whatever vehicle is convenient. For example, yesterday we left at the same time, so he took the 4Runner. Today, I work from home, so since his truck was blocking the 4Runner in, he took the car.

I get the kids off to school on Tuesday b/c I work from home. So Jack tells us goodbye and about 10 minutes later, I follow the kids outside where they're getting their bikes ready. And who hasn't left yet? Jack hasn't left yet. In fact, the Civic wouldn't start b/c the battery was dead (we haven't driven it for about 3 weeks).

A little back story is in order here to get the full impact. My aunt taught me to drive a 5-speed in her VW Rabbit when I was 16. To say it wasn't a very reliable car is an understatement. I can't even remember how many times I had to ask strangers to push the car so I could pop the clutch. Needless to say, by the end of that summer, I was an expert at popping the clutch.

Jack knows this b/c my aunt and I reminisce from time to time, laughing, b/c now it's funny. So this morning when the car wouldn't start, instead of coming to get me, he tried to push the car, jump in, then pop the clutch. All by himself. After that was unsuccessful, he told himself the reason that it didn't work is b/c you can't pop the clutch while in reverse. Conveniently forgetting that the last time this happened, that's exactly how we started it. Again, instead of coming to get me, he gets out the jumper cables and a spare battery and gets the car started.

Because Jack is a stickler for being on time to work and he was already late as it was, I decided that it must be a man thing. Right Jack?

Bleeping Road Work in Boise

This is a picture of what I was looking at this morning on my way to work. Notice that I'm under a bridge. I hate being stopped under (or on) bridges. Like if there's something I'm scared of, that's it. The point is, there was no need for me to be stuck under the bridge (or in what is referred to as "traffic" here). [side note: Jack, you really need to do some inside cleaning.]

There is one freeway that goes into Downtown Boise. Instead of doing any road work AT NIGHT (wtf), they pretend they're going to do it in the morning. So what do they do? They setup signs starting 6 miles ahead of the actual lane closure. SIX MILES!

So you have all these people getting out of the left lane when there is no bleeping need to get out of the left lane b/c it doesn't close for six bleeping miles. Bleep! That 2nd picture is pretty good considering I just pointed and clicked.

So I was stuck in traffic when there was no need to be stuck in traffic. Then when I got to the actual lane closure, guess what? No bleeping workers! Yep, that's right. So bleep you Idaho Department of Transportation.

Why I love my plant

Jack went out of town today for work and I've already heard "I want daddy" more times than I can count. So I decided to be happy for the little things. Things such as making my plant come back to life.

Here it is at 8am before I watered it:















Here it is at 12pm:
















The only thing I can kill and bring back to life. And here's Molly the cat, wondering what the hell I am doing.

Why?

Why do women wear so much perfume it feels like you're choking on it as you walk through the hallway?

I work in a huge office building which houses many different companies. When I walked out of my office and down the hall, it smelled like my grandma's house used to smell. I could taste it, it was so freaking overpowering.

Obviously the person wearing all that perfume goodness doesn't work for the same company I do. If she does, she ignored the email we received yesterday titled "Fragrances".

Unspectacular Things About Me

I got this from Larissa's blog and since I'm bored at work, here we are.

The rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
4. Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each person’s blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

1. After I vacuum, I don't like rolling up the cord. I just leave the vacuum there until my husband sees it and does it. I think it's just an unspoken understanding. I don't ask him to do it and he doesn't ask me WTF.

2. When I take off my shoes, I put them next to the shoe closet, not in it.

3. I won't (ever) drink out of the same cup as my kids. I'll give them my drink, but I won't share. I usually don't share w/ my husband either, but I'm getting better about that.

4. I always hold the remote when we're watching DVR b/c he always goes too far.

5. When I'm reading, I never stop reading in the middle of a page. Ever.

6. I only have crushed ice when I'm drinking Crystal Light.

Listed all together, these unspectacular things make me look a bit strange. And that's not a question.

Things you see in Boise #1

All the strange things I see while driving that make me think "Only in effing Boise" have made me want so share. Now that my Blackberry actually has a camera (w00t!), I can take pictures while driving. Yes, I know it's not the safest thing to do, but I live in Boise, remember?

This one is by far the smallest one I've seen on the road. Just wait until I show you one taking up two lanes on a two lane road. I know you can't wait.

I'm almost 30

Or so my sister says.

I've never heard myself described as almost 30 before. Even though I'm 27, it still feels like 30 is a long way off. Which is weird, b/c I feel so much older than 30.

The weekend was great. There was a football game (which I usually don't like), Nordstrom Rack, IKEA, and two birthday parties.

Oh and we want to move to Vancouver, WA.

Living in Boise: Trash Day

I think the thing that surprised me the most when we moved here was how the garbage wo/men will take anything. And when I say anything, I mean anything. Do you have a recliner that isn't worth putting on craigslist? No worries. Just set it on the sidewalk beside your garbage can on Tuesday. Do you have a box that your 60" TV came in? No worries. Just set it out w/ your garbage. Though I've never actually seen anyone leave an old toilet or refrigerator out, I'm sure they'd take that too.

So even though the commute to work sucks, at least the garbage wo/men make my life easier.

Sisters

Only my sister could get me to drive seven hours with a 7 y/o, a 6 y/o, and this man.

I’ve put the drive time out of my mind. I get to see my sister (and nephews) tomorrow night! w00t!

I tried to add a picture, but it didn't fucking work. It might just be b/c I'm at work. If I remember, I'll try to add it from home.

Jack Bauer watching football

When Jack Bauer watches football while drinking beer, he thinks it's funny to slap himself in the chest to see the hand marks. He also fluffs his chest hair so it looks better in the picture.



He also tries to talk me into slapping him on the back and when I don't agree, he tries to swing his arm around to slap himself. I think he dislocated his shoulder.

He wants to make sure I let everyone know that the cause of this is football.

Have I ever mentioned that I hate football?

ETA: This is NOT a porn blog!

It's not because I'm blonde. Srsly.

The weekend before last, I did a complete overhaul of Cheeks' room. My parents had taken both kids camping, so I decided it was the perfect time to get rid of things she'll never know are missing. It was splendid. Until I hurt my mother-f-ing back. When I first started feeling pain, I attributed it to PMS. I generally get backaches w/ my period, so I just took a couple Midol and moved a six drawer dresser and carried the vacuum up the stairs (among other things). It was only when I woke last Monday that I realized that it's not PMS related and I'm fucked. I could not sit down, I couldn't walk, I couldn't do anything. So what did I do? I drove to work. Maybe that part was a little blondish.

After visiting the Chiropractor on Monday and again on Tuesday, I realized I couldn't take it anymore. My doctor couldn't see me that late on Tuesday, so I went to one of those Urgent Care clinics. They're everywhere here in the Boise area. All I wanted was some pain meds. That's it. Since I was planning on seeing my own doctor, I didn't really care about anything else. All I knew was that I had been in pain for more than 48 hours straight. I would cry when I had to get up from the couch (or the floor). I couldn't even empty the effing dishwasher (which is wonderful, but not). The doctor gave me muscle relaxers and let me tell you...they relaxed me. Oh did they relax me.

So on Wednesday, Jack and I had an appointment, which we had to leave early b/c I could barely keep my eyes open. I also wasn't very coherent. This is what I asked Jack on the way home:

"Do you think I feel tired b/c the muscle relaxers are relaxing my eyelids?"

And that I can blame on the muscle relaxers, not my blondness.

Do you swear to tell the truth

the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Waaaay back in March I was a witness to a horrific car accident. I wasn't surprised that the drivers involved were men. Whoever says that women are worse drivers than men don't know what they're talking about. Anyway, I was behind the truck that eventually rolled over three or four times, ejecting the driver. Both drivers involved were charged with reckless driving. Lucky for me, I am the only witness and have been subpoenaed to testify.

Ever since I received the subponea, I've had nightmares of something like Law & Order meets Eli Stone.

Oh and when the accident happened, the guy that was ejected asked someone to call his wife. So I called her using my cell phone. The wife has since given my number to about 142 lawyers and insurance companies. I finally had to let Jack handle it b/c I'm so nice that I would talk to anyone. He just told them to read my witness statement. I guess I haven't watched enough Law & Order.

Not mad enough

I was so freaking mad when I left work today that I thought about going on a run when I got home.

I thought about it for 2 minutes.

I think I'll have a beer instead.

Boise Drivers

Before moving to Boise, I didn't consider myself as a person who would be prone to road rage. That was before I moved to the land of people-that-don't-know-how-to-fucking-drive.

I work in downtown Boise, which is about a 30 minute commute. I've learned to just accept how idiotic these drivers are, but there are days like today when I wish I could just give another car a friendly nudge w/ my car.

First of all, these mofos drive in the fast lane while going over the speed limit. And they don't get out of the way. Anywhere in California if someone comes up behind you in the fast lane and you don't get the hell out of the way, lights are flashing and there's a little horn blowing. At the beginning, I flashed my lights, but then I got sick of getting flipped off. So I usually just go around them. There are the a-holes that speed up, which really pisses me off.

I've recently noticed a new driving trend. Pulling out in front of me. I generally don't care if someone pulls out in front of me as long as they accelerate quickly enough so I don't have to slam on my brakes or rear end them. These drivers have a lot of faith b/c they pull out no matter what.

I'm disappointed to say that I think Jack is going to turn into a Boise driver. I haven't decided what I should do about that.

Test Blog

Casee thinks Holly is the most wonderful, amazing, kind, sweet, adorable person in the whole entire world and is so super glad to have her as a BFF.

*g*