It's a fair trade

The second half of November is always an explosion of busy-ness for us. Matt and I both have birthdays, there's Thanksgiving, shopping, decorating for Christmas, and lots of football. We have survived all of this mostly intact, though a couple of times we've come close to giving away one or both of the children.

Yesterday we got some super fun news (said in an incredibly sarcastic voice): we need a new car. Matt's car is a 1999 Altima that he bought the minute he graduated college. Until then, he had been driving his grandmother's 1984 Chevy Caprice Classic. I couldn't confirm this online, but I am fairly sure those were the largest cars ever made. Anyway, he has loved his Altima, and has driven it into the ground. He took it in for routine maintenance, and was told that it could explode at any moment. Well, it was more technical than that, but you get the picture. So, since it would cost 3 times more to fix it than the car is worth, it's time to shop! We went around today and found a few things, but nothing that screamed "BUY ME!" The problem is that there are plenty of cars that would scream that at us, but they cost so much we can't listen to them. The ones we're looking at can't really scream--they just kind of gasp and mutter. To make it worse, we aren't even sure we want a car. We might get a minivan or an SUV. Way to make decisions, I know. Whatever we decide on, we're hoping they'll give us a reasonable trade value for his car. If not, we have two kids that we might throw in.

A number poem

What's 8 times 4?
What's 35 minus 3?
They're 32, wanna know who
Is that old today? ME!
Happy birthday ME!

You think you know, but you have no idea

I have a personal rule that I do not forward emails. Now, once in a great while I will get a video or joke that is particularly humorous, and I will send it to a few specific people that I think might enjoy it. But for the most part I delete whatever I get. ESPECIALLY ones that TELL me to forward them--forget it. And I really don't like the ones where you tell all about yourself and forward it to 15 friends, and then they are supposed to do the same. I love my friends. But. I do not care whether they prefer chocolate or vanilla ice cream or what their favorite cartoon was growing up. Sorry.

Last week, though, I got a forward that I decided to act on. it was a reverse of the "let me tell you about myself" emails--it was a "you tell me what you know about me" email. So as a bit of a social experiment, I sent the email, which consisted of around 20 questions, to a variety of people. Some I've known for years, some not very long at all. I got lots of responses back, and I have to admit it was fascinating seeing what people think they know about me, and what they really do know! Here are some of the more interesting findings:

1. People apparently don't like to look me in the eye. Only 3 people correctly guessed that my eyes are blue.

2. My old work friends see right through the facade. While lots of people guessed that my favorite thing to do was spend time with family and friends, the answers I got back from old coworkers include "Be the boss" and "Talk".

3. People know my addictions. When asked what I would want with me if stranded on a desert island, people consistently picked my many attachments, like Chapstick, scrapbooks, Dr. Pepper, and (love the common sense here) a cell phone.

4. Shockingly, everyone predicted that I am outgoing, and not shy. Imagine.

5. The oldest friends know you best. While everyone really did a great job of getting most things right, the award for all around best answers has to go to Melanie. We have been friends for almost 20 years, and it shows. She said that one of my favorite things to do is sit down with Pop Tarts and a big glass of water to watch tv. Only someone who lived with me in college and witnessed me doing exactly that upteen times would know that. And, only someone who has been on more than a few road trips with me would know that if stranded on a desert island, the only things that could really console me would be Chili Cheese Fritos and chocolate chip cookies.

I guess I'm a pretty open book. I'm okay with that, though. At least people seem to be reading it!

AMEN in 2012

Well, thank goodness that's over. I hate presidential elections, for so many reasons. It saturates the tv, there's so much meanness and confrontation, everyone has an opinion (usually based on misinformation--Obama's a Muslim, anyone?) and in the end nothing really changes anyway. I remember when Jimmy Carter left office and Ronald Reagan took over. I was 5 years old and cried my eyes out. I could not understand why we were going through all this fluff, when we had a perfectly alive president already in place.

If I learned anything in American National Government my sophomore year of college, it was that a president is largely a figurehead and meant to shape the image of the country. Well, I learned that and that there are some really cute Government professors at the U of A. I digress. Anyway, Since the old taunt, If you think you can do it better, go ahead! is certainly valid, here's what I'd do if I were elected president:

1. Make a law that no one could call our country "America" any more. We are the United States of America. Do you know how mad people who live in other American countries get when we do that? Rightfully so.

2. Insist that the Department of Transportation get rid of all roundabouts on roadways as quickly as possible.

3. Invite the leaders of all middle Eastern countries to the White House for a Wii tournament and pizza. Let them get their aggression out in a safe environment, then hash out the problems over a Meat Lover's.

4. Charge a 50% tax on all luxury boats and private airplanes. If you can afford that stuff, you can afford the taxes.

5. Buy the rest of the Virgin Islands from the British. Why do we own half and they own half? It's silly.

6. Deliver my State of the Union addresses on David Letterman.

7. Abolish caucuses and the electoral college. Who thought those up?

8. Require price tags to state the price of an item AFTER tax. I think we're the only country in the world that doesn't do this already.

9. Appoint only mothers to be on my cabinet. High stress jobs with little glory and even less sleep where your main function is to keep peace and appease a bunch of whiners? No problem for mamas.

10. Outlaw all of the following: skinny jeans, spiral perms, spam (both the food and the emails), okra, that obnoxious plastic that half of all consumer products are sold in now that you have to use a chainsaw to remove, buying stuff you don't have enough money to buy (radical concept), dust, #3 pencils (really, there's no need), Tom Cruise, platform shoes and LSU. Yep, that should do it.

Got any other suggestions for my platform?

Rome wasn't built in a day

I've only been staying at home for a little over two months now, but I'm amazed at how much some things have changed. My "norm" is nowhere near what it used to be. Some examples:

1. On Friday, I had to be at Abby's school by 8:00, the same time I used to have to be at work 5 days a week. It was nearly impossible to get there on time. HOW did I get up and ready so early every day before?

2. I USE my Pampered Chef baking stone. For frozen pizzas and fish sticks, but whatever.

3. My most frequently worn piece of clothing used to be a good pair of black dress pants. Now it's a velour hoodie.

4. I snack ALL. the. time. Well, come to think of it, I did when I worked too. Never mind.

5. Surprisingly, I surf the web less. I don't know if that speaks to how busy I am now, or how lazy I was at work.

6. I shop at Wal Mart during daylight hours.

7. I use coupons--yay me!

8. I know the Disney Channel's entire daytime show schedule. And the theme songs to most of the shows.

Now, the laundry is still backed up, and the kids' toys are everywhere, and I have yet to attempt a meatloaf. But progress is progress, right?