Nerd Family Values Part II

I just overheard my 10 year old ask her friend over the phone,

"Who is your favorite president?"

I see my history nerd husband is rubbing on her.

Which reminds me, I have been meaning to mention this interesting little bit of toilet trivia.

My husband is reading a book about Andrew Jackson. Did you know that Andrew Jackson and his wife adopted a baby which was one of twin babies that were born to one of their siblings? Yeah, apparantely twins were such a financial burden that the two women got together and cooked up a scheme arranging for the adoption of only one of the babies. Can you even imagine someone doing something like that now?

Yeah, I'm a nerd too.

Snow Day Induced Cabin Fever

I am home with the kids today because they had another snow day. I am irritable.

Why are kids so gross? I swear one or both of them is either leaking some sort of bodily fluid or disgusting smelling vapors or both at the same time.

Really? Blech.

Can someone explain men to me?

My husband has been a total grump lately. Granted, he has been under an enormous amount of pressure and stress at work and he has been working like a zillion hours a week, but I don’t get men. When I am really stressed out at work, I love to go home to my man and curl up on the couch with him.

It seems like I read Men are from Mars years ago and I remember something about men having to retreat to their cave and how you should leave them alone.

Okay, ya’ll, I am not good at the leaving alone thing. Our house isn’t that big, how do I ignore him when he is right there in my face being a BFG (big fat grump). Not to mention, this is the first time in our marriage where I have felt like my husband truly does not like me. And of course, that makes me more henlike.

I’m not so self-absorbed to think that this has anything to do with me other than I am there, but it is really bugging me.

So do any of you seasoned married ladies have any advice for me on this? How do you support your man through stressful situations when everything that would make you feel better seems to make him grumpier?

Your Life, My Life, A Reminder

This drawing has been hanging in my cubicle since I quit my first real job almost 9 years ago. Many of you will remember that I was in the midst of a personal crisis and quitting that job, while a very uncomfortable proposition, was a necessity. As much as I wanted to stay in my comfort zone, I knew that I had to go. It was the most painful transition of my life.

But as it turned out, quitting that job turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. I could never have imagined at the time how well things would turn out for me in terms of my career and my personal life.

I found myself gazing at this drawing this morning and I realized that while I have been staring at it for 9 years, I have stopped seeing it. It is time to move forward, stop looking back and hanging on with desperation to something that is no longer an option. It's uncomfortable and scary, but as in the past, a necessity.

The way things change

Tomorrow it will be 6 years since Dave and I started dating (we have been married for almost 4). The date was on a Saturday, so I figure that would actually be tonight.

That night we went to dinner and a movie and then back to my place. I think right about now we were sitting on my couch having a beer and talking. We had so much to talk about back then because neither of us had heard each others stories yet. I don't mean that to sound wistful because we still talk a lot, but we have definitely heard each others stories. It is fun to remember the times at the beginning of love when you can't get enough of each other and talk on the phone for hours and the thoughts of that person consume you.

Right now Dave is playing Call of Duty with Sam and I am in the office blogging. It is 10:30 on a Saturday night. It's funny how things change.

I came home yesterday to find that Dave had purchased me a spa package and scheduled it for tomorrow. So I will be getting a 90 minute massage tomorrow morning followed by a manicure and pedicure. That man has come a long way on his gift giving. I used to have to tell him exactly what to buy for me or he would freak out and not buy my anything (this includes my engagment ring, he was too afraid to pick it out without me)

My point is that while it is fun to remember what it was like at the beginning, right now is exactly where I want to be.

Postscript to the Lying Bitch

Dear LB,

Now that I have given it some thought, maybe you were right. Maybe I do need to lose 20lbs.

I'm going to miss food.

Laundry list

First of all, did you know that Panera Bread does not have ranch dressing? Yes, I found this out yesterday. I guess it isn’t cool enough (actually that is me editorializing. I don’t know why they don’t carry it and the 15 year old who was taking my order didn’t have a clue)

Second of all, I am t-i-r-e-d today. Mainly because I stayed up past my bedtime on Sunday night and it is now catching up with me. I should have treated myself to a triple this morning, but I wanted to hurry up and get to work before the snow started. I am figuring the kids won’t have school tomorrow and I am planning on staying home with them if that happens.

#3 I am dreaming of somewhere warm, and it isn’t Michigan.

#4 I am not going to be able to buy new pants for at least a year or however long it takes for the ridiculous skinny legs to go out of fashion again. I refuse to buy them. I refuse, I refuse, I refuse. I hate them and they are ugly and you can call me a fashion reject for saying it. Banana Republic, are you listening to me? All your pants this year are UGLY. Please bring back the wider leg and you could throw some cuffs at me, that would be great.

#5 Is it bizarre that we use our grill all year round? Yes I stand in my garage in 10 degree weather and grill.