Sunday, December 30, 2007

Prayer Request


Sounds dumb, but I have the most wonderful dog ever - Champ Bailey - and last night we got home from my in-laws and he couldn't walk with his back two legs. Sarge helped him outside and he seemed better after that. He was even able to climb the stairs to sleep in his usual place on the floor closest to me. This morning, he can't get up. He pushes up on his front paws but the back half of his body doesn't cooperate. I'm pretty scared. Champ's my mostest wonderfulest dog ever and he's only seven.

EDIT: Okay, I'm a worrier right? But turns out Champ is a pretty sick puppy. He's got an ear infection, a skin infection and lyme disease. He's on antibiotics and will hopefully feel better in a couple of days. Give thanks with me, okay? He really is one awesome mutt.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

A Man of Many Talents

The Senator and I were watching the Ghost Whisperer last night and (forgive me, I was knitting multi-tasking) the subject of making music with wine glasses came up between he and I. I informed him that his Papa was an expert on the subject. Immediately the Senator and Khan begged for a lesson and Papa obliged. They were enthralled and, I'm happy to say, both successfully made the glasses sing!

"This is how you change the sound."

Friday, December 28, 2007

He can't say he gets no respect...

One of the Sarge's standard lines in response to "I'm bored!" (aside from the really super-irritating "You're only as bored as you let yourself be" is "Go stand on your head in the corner."

Yesterday, they actually listened:





Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Because on Wednesdays the Blog is Boring Part 2


Horizontal Scarf
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
This is what I started immediately after finishing the keyhole scarf. This one is honkin' long because it's knitted horizontally. I also have several different colors and types of fiber to play with. We will just have to see how it unfurls.

Because on Wednesdays the Blog is Boring Part 1

Here is yet another finished knitting project. JP? Do you want it?

Poetry

'twas the day after Christmas and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring except the 10 year old, the dogs, the damn cat and, well... you get the idea.

The Khan was snuggled up in Papa and Mama's bed.
Upside down, of course, kicking them in the head.
He had a bad dream at 2:05 and bolted to Mama like a well hit line drive.

Fantasy Football is over for 2007
but I won so suck it haters
and will spend the offseason in heaven
2008 should be equally great.

And now you know why I don't write poetry.

I hope all six of you enjoyed your holiday celebrations. Ours were... meh!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Be careful what you wish for!

Make note. When you tell your older brother to throw you in the snow, he will. We might be up to our *bleep* in snow, but we can still have fun!

Dad Lets Me Drive on Saturday


Crunchy hits the ditch 1
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
But today's not Saturday. It's Sunday. He's an excellent driver. Definitely. His boss told him he had to come to work today. He gave it the old college try.

Too Bad I Wasn't Dreaming of One...


Faceplant!
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
We're definitely having a white Christmas. I think we got eight inches and everything's closed. Well, by everything I mean my church a block and a half away but you get the idea...

The boys were anxious to play and the Senator's first act was to throw himself face first into the snow bank the Sarge created by shoveling. Too fun! Needless to say, since he planted himself face down in the snow and since it was a whopping 9 degrees outside, they didn't last long before the hot chocolate urge struck.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Hey Mom! Meet my Friend!


Hey Mom! Meet my Friend!
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
Today the world's cutest four year old finally had a chance to make a snowman. Isn't it awesome? You can't see but the snowman's about a foot high and has pine needles for his eyes, nose and mouth. Too much fun here! We also put the gifts under the Christmas Tree (I still say Bah! Humbug! But whatever, he's now totally geeked and that warms even my grinchy little heart). Next year I'm decorating a cactus.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Because I'm funny like this:

The boys were making up the 12 Days of Christmas for their Papa and I decided to help. Sarge thought it was funny so I thought I'd share. Here goes:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a Remington 223.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me a 2 X 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven millimeter rifle, six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 8 arrow broadheads, seven millimeter rifle, six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Glock 9 mil pistol, 8 arrow broadheads, seven millimeter rifle, six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 10 compound bows, Glock 9 mil pistol, 8 arrow broadheads, seven millimeter rifle, six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me 11 grand slam bow hunts, 10 compound bows, Glock 9 mil pistol, 8 arrow broadheads, seven millimeter rifle, six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve turkeys clucking, 11 grand slam bow hunts, 10 compound bows, Glock 9 mil pistol, 8 arrow broadheads, seven millimeter rifle, six fun safaris, Five GUN Cases! Four big buck tags, three hollow points, 2 x 10 power scope and a Remington 223.

And if that doesn't convince you that I'm a closet heathen redneck, perhaps this will:

Our Brett Favre, who art at Lambeau
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy pass thrown, thy game be won
At home as it is away.
Give us this day a victory
and forgive us our penalties as we forgive those who penalize against us.
Lead us not to defeat and deliver us from sadness
For thine is the MVP, the Super Bowl Ring and the Hall of Fame.
Now and Forever
GO PACK!

Truth be known, I love to make my family laugh. Do you think this worked?

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Hug Me Now. Hate Me Later.

This monumental announcement I promised? Yeah. I could make it, but after a lot of consideration, I just, well, I can't. It's stressing me out too much right now. I will say this:

No Adoption
House didn't sell
Nothing else major like that. We are all healthy and (for the most part) happy. Okay?

One of my blog readers knows but I'd ask her not to say anything. It's important for the moment, k? Tal, I'll e-mail you.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Big Bad Blogger Book Club

After this meme a few weeks ago, two really smart people and me decided that we'd give a book club a try. We'd agree to read the same book at the same time and blog about it. If you'd like to sign up, leave me a comment. Remember, a facebook or myspazz blog is fine too.

Because someone needs to make a decision, we'll begin with A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry).

After that's finished, we'll select by group consensus from the following list:

A Prayer for Owen Meany (Irving)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
Dune (Frank Herbert)
The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
Great Expectations (Dickens)
The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
War and Peace (Tolstoy)
Catch 22 (Joseph Heller)
Les Miserables (Hugo)
The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
Shogun (James Clavell)
The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
The World According to Garp (John Irving)
The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
Not Wanted on the Voyage (Timothy Findley)
Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck)
Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
Blindness (Jose Saramago)
In The Skin of a Lion (Ondaatje)
The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
Ulysses (James Joyce)

Leave a comment (with a blog link preferably) if you'd like to take part. I'm going to start reading it one week from today. Hopefully Ian and Tal will too.

Monday, December 17, 2007

I. NEED. A. LIFE.

I did not intend for this baby to become a knitting blog. I mean, I like knitting. I'm a bit fidgety by nature so knitting and its ability to keep my hands busy really suits me. However, you, my six loyal readers (yes, I fear I've lost a few and I may have gained some but the lurkers won't reveal themselves - leave a comment! It won't hurt. I promise!) are probably growing tired of my yarns about knitting. It's finals week now and sitting in my classroom for two hours while the students write exams is so damn boring! I almost brought knitting today. I regret not doing so.

But I did say that this is not a knitting blog so I'm done talking about that for the moment. I mean we could talk about the house, right? But that's hardly a feel good story (unless losing $30 - 45 Grand makes you feel good) now is it? No. So we won't talk about it. I mean the good news is that we haven't lost the money yet because it still hasn't sold. The bad news is we know its coming and it will hurt. At this point, I look at our house as a zit. It is growing uglier and uglier and soon it will pop! It will ooze all over as our hearts break (again) over the financial devastation and then, it will heal, our hearts will heal and we'll eventually (hopefully) recover from the damage. I just want it over so we can begin to move on.

I could update you on my Seven in '07 but that's an easy one. We accomplished none of them. I will roll them over and add one for the Eight in '08. At least I'm not so foolish as to attempt a Forty before 40 list. It is already depressing me that this milestone birthday looms large in the coming year. I really thought it'd be different but its not, it's my own fault and I'll be moving on through it.

Stay tuned. I may have a monumental announcement on Thursday. Good news? Bad news? Both! Neither. Curious? Stop back later.

Meanwhile, more gratuitous kid stuff as they provide fodder and I take pictures of it. I hope you are liking that part at least!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Fin!


Finished Keyhole Scarf!
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
Well, it's finally done! Actually this is my fastest knitting project ever so I'm quite pleased with myself. Do you like it? I think that after I've used up the rest of my pink yarn and the blue and the rest of my voluminous stash I may make a Redskin colored one and a Packer colored one and a Badger colored one and....

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Love Them or Hate Them?

Sometimes, I just can't decide. After this post the other day, La Reina and Bratticus do this during some "bonding time" yesterday afternoon:They are OUT of the will, I tell you OUT!

On the other hand, his majesty The Khan, took some time to give us a science lesson this morning:


"See Mom!? There are babies in here!"

He's so cute I may let his sisters live for the sole reason that they babysit.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Friday WIP Update - Pink Scarf

Nearly done! Super easy and I figured out how to make the edges a little neater. Do you think La Reina will like it? I've got lots of this yarn left. Who's interested?

No, I didn't do this myself

See what I mean? Sometimes, they really are good kids.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Sappy....

Since it's Love Thursday, even though I don't normally partake, I'm going to tell you about this crazy family of mine. It occurred to me the other day that it's a pretty great family all things considered.

Now, mind you, I'm not talking extended family. I'm talking about Sarge and I and the six creatures/heathens that have both, one or the other's names on their birth certificates, our mangy mutts and the damn cat. Bratticus and I think the cat's claustrophobic because she always wants in Brat's room, but the minute Brat shuts the door the cat wants back out. I digress...

Our extended family (I've four siblings and Sarge has twelve) is all basically nuts. We're not exceptionally close to any of them. Sad, yes, but true and; since it's been that way for years, not likely to change.

But our family... We're funny! Most of us have this dry, sarcastic sense of humor that allows us to crack jokes that some people just don't get but we find hilarious. We can all hunker down over Shrek, Dogma, The Princess Bride or any similar movie. Four of us (at least) are huge fans of The Daily Show and Colbert Report. Yes, since you were wondering, we do own America: The Book as well as I Am America and So Can You. What? You weren't wondering? Well, sorry then.

Because I don't and never did, I think it's pretty cool that the older kids actually hang out together. Yes, even when Brat and Crunchy skip school together to have a Star Wars Festival. Yes, an entire day. To their credit, they also went toy shopping for their little brothers. Crunchy's awesome at that.

We can finish one another's sentences, we like the same movies, books (well we share a common pool even if we don't all like exactly the same things - Sarge, Crunchy and Brat like Fantasy more than I, but Crunchy, Brat and I like Gaiman, La Reina and I have books we both love... you get the idea), games... Because I have virtually nothing in common with my siblings, I think this is really neat. You should get to know us and see it for yourself!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Amazing


Big bubble
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
This guy never ceases to amaze me. Last night was bath night and he entertained both himself and his brother by blowing bubbles. Evidently this is what happens when you get your hands nice and soapy, pucker your lips and blow!

Too cute and too fun!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Gratuitous WIP Picture


HPIM0664
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
Believe it or not, I've got 60 rows of 200 done in only two days! This one's for La Reina but if it goes well I want to try and finish one for JP before she goes to Kyrgyzstan to meet her son in January. Yeah, I'm a little jealous, but I'm also in complete awe of JP and her awesomeness.

JP: Pink or blue? (I think the blue's prettier yarn, but it's your choice!)

Modeling his scarf and his new haircut


HPIM0662
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
The scarf is my handiwork. The haircut is his own.

Finishing Stuff!


HPIM0663
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
I was really happy to finish that red scarf. Turns out Shrek likes it but not nearly as much as his little brothers! I had to make it so long for him that it goes to the floor on the Senator.

I know, they're adorable.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Finally Done!


Badger Red Scarf
Originally uploaded by lisamarie51
Not that I think you're interested in my nerdiness, but I finally finished this damn scarf for Shrek. I think it turned out pretty good even if I did hate the yarn I used. I wish I could remember the name of it. It's some acrylic thing that was cheap. The end result is a scarf that's thick, should be washable and kind of pretty if I do say so myself. Sarge has requested a black one (he's already got a multi-colored one that's really beautiful) to wear for work and The Senator now wants one too. I do believe, based on my knitting ability that 2008 will be the year of scarf knitting but that's okay. It doesn't take too much thinking so I'm good at that.

Why call it the damn scarf? Because I have been hit-and-miss with the knitting so this is finished object number ten or so in the three years I've known how to knit. I'm not prolific by any means but it's therapy and God knows I need therapy. The Queen's been making fun of me because I think I spent six to eight months or more working at it.

My next project is a "keyhole" scarf for La Reina. Hopefully it won't take as long!

Friday, December 7, 2007

I've Created a Monster!

Check out Shrek's blog: Everyone's Favorite

Friday Frivolity!

Tired...

Sorry for the slacking not posting this week, but NaBloPoMo always wears me out! After awhile blogging goes from therapy to being a pain in the ass and by the end of the month, I'm exhausted. I do have topics rolling around but I also have projects to grade so it may be awhile before I get to them. But I promise I'll post more so keep reading!

On the homefront, we've learned that 40% of the home sales in Kent County Michigan were short sales last month. Fabulous. Ours will be next. Net loss somewhere in the 30 thousand dollar range - and that is real cash folks not accounting losses. It could be more depending on how short we actually sell it. Thirty grand is the minimum.

In other news, the party I thought no one would come to didn't disappoint so we canceled it. Why plan it at all if no one's attending? Yeah, that's what we thought. I'm pretty much over the party planning. We invite people who don't come and we never get invited anywhere in return. Time to accept that we're assholes that people don't want to spend time with and drive on. That's what I'm doing. Peace.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

And Now You Will See How Ignorant I am!

And now, I give you this book meme (Stolen from Ian and Tal). This shows you the great gaps in my intellectual upbringing. I will say, however, that I would be open to reading any of them that I currently have not so perhaps someday my chronic ignorance will be cured!

Instructions: In the list of books below, bold the ones you've read, italicize the ones you want to read, put (#) the ones you don't want to read, put a (+) in front of the ones on your bookshelf, and asterisk the ones you've never heard of. I italicized the ones I want to read the most. I'd read them all - or at least give them a try.

1. +The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) - I've not read this, but Ogre loved it - a lot. This fact makes me feel like I should at least give it a try.
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell) I read this about the seventh grade when all girls want a Rhett Butler ;) Love it.
5. +The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) We have at least two full sets of this collection. Sarge loves it. I feel guilty not having read any of them.
6. +The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Tolkien)
7. +The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery) Sappy but a feel good story.
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. +Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (Irving)
15. +Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) Great Book.
16. +Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Rowling) Who doesn't love Harry?
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King) I was on a big Stephen King kick at about 15 years of age but never read this one. I highly recommend The Dead Zone.
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. +The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) Of course I love this book!
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold) Amazing. Great Book
25. The Life of Pi (Yann Martel) I really want to read this one. I'm curious!
26. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. +The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis) I have actually read part of this aloud to the boys. I should re-start it and maybe finish this time?
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. +The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. +The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) Brutal, harsh, amazing book. I absolutely loved it. Life Changing.
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. +Bible Okay, so I've read part of this but I think reading all of it would be beneficial over the long run.
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) I have Tolstoy's Resurrection which I will read first.
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) .
48. +Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt) I loved this book. Teacher Man I don't recommend.
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. +Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough) Another book I read as a teen. It was great. So was the miniseries.
59. The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller's Wife (Audrew Niffenegger) This book is probably at the top of my must-read list just because of Natalia.
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice) I have read the Mayfair Witches Trilogy but not this. I highly recommend them.
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch 22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones' Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell) I looked at this book once and frankly the sheer size of it scared me off.
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) Another I read to the boys I think.
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay) It's now in the queue.
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith) This book has intrigued me for a while too.
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte's Web (EB White) I loved this as a kid. I am reminded to read it to the boys now.
81. Not Wanted on the Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard's First Rule (Terry Goodkind
85. Emma (Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer) I was on a big Jeffrey Archer kick for awhile too. This one is good.
91. In The Skin of a Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum) I have read a lot of Ludlum because my step-dad is a huge fan. Most of his books, like Tom Clancy's are pretty similar but an acceptably entertaining story.
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)