Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Long-awaited Results

In just a few months, I expect that these will be very swollen.


Not much to look at now, I know. They'll look even more pitiful once they've been toting around a couple of extra chillins.

Yes, I said a couple! Both of the embryos did not make it, but the one that did had a little surprise in store for us. It split and now we are having identicals!! Dr. J is all smiles and excitement, I'm still a little overwhelmed.

We have so much information to pass along but the most important is that we want to thank everyone for their prayers. Our friends and families' prayers have meant so much to us, particularly the prayers that took place when we were finding it so difficult to pray at all. We thank God so much for our gifts.

We do ask for your continued prayers. Carrying multiples is always high risk, carrying identicals is even more high risk, essentially they share a food supply. If my ability to share is any indication, it doesn't bode well for one of our little ones. So, particularly in the next 5 weeks or so please keep all of us in your prayers. We are almost 8 weeks now, and we'll feel a lot better once we move into the second trimester (in both confidence and indigestion).

We wanted to tell our grandparents in person so we did put off telling everyone for a few weeks. We also hid the twin info from everyone and that's been fun to spill. More to come, more to come....

My Date in Dallas

About a month ago, Dr. J asked if he could take me on a date while we are in Dallas.

Date stop #1 ...

Yes, indeedey, there could only be one location for our date. And yes, these are the posh "paper towels" on top of the granite countertops that reflect a beautiful Dallas Cowboy blue when the light hits it just right, inside the new Cowboy Stadium.

And since I only had Ivanka to take photos with, you'll have to bear with me as you squint your way to see the lockers of Miles Austin, Tony Romo, and Jason Witten ... made of African hardwood.


Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of JJ's (Jerry's) private elevator that ports him from his private nook to the field in a matter of seconds ... so he can speak with Coach Wade about what a great job he's doing.

We actually had to skip out on the last stop on the tour (the Cowboy Cheerleader's locker room) because we had a dinner reservation. Seriously, I had nothing to do with this. I think those girls are just so wholesome. In any case, we had dinner at Five-Sixty, the restaurant on the floor above where our wedding reception was. How romantic is that!? Five-Sixty gets its name because it's 560 ft in the air, on a rotating floor so you get great views of the skyline. It's in Reunion Tower, a Dallas landmark, that made for a beautiful wedding reception locale.


See the "ball" shaped tower on the right? Our reception was there in 2005, on the bottom of the rotating floors, the restaurant is one floor up and was just remodeled a few years ago. I highly recommend it, if ever you come to town and want to splurge. We had beautiful views all evening and the food? Wow. Too die for. Did I mention the chocolate souffle that we finished the evening off with?

Friday, December 11, 2009

The Crazies

So Wednesday night, there was this guy that was straight out of a SNL skit that mocks the crazies who go out to dinner alone, at 5 pm, and murmur themselves. I actually snagged a picture of the scenario when he got up for a refill (right before I ran for my life).

Picture me at 5 Guys next to This Guy:
- white guy, mid-50s with a combover
- has four LARGE ketchup containers lined up in single file
- ever fry he ate was dunked into each of the four ketchup containers (in order)
- he alternated the dipping direction with each fry. One fry starting with the furthest ketchup container and coming towards him, the next fry started with the closest ketchup container and went away.
- when the fry cup was half empty, it was refilled from the bag

I'm so grateful that my darling husband met me for dinner so I didn't add to The Crazies. Maybe I did though. Perhaps he's blogging about me right this very moment. My hair did look really, really scary, but I didn't see a mirror for another 2 hours.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

If you aren't already

You gotta start watching Modern Family.

I think I may get a bumper sticker. I'm gonna do everything in my power to keep this hilarious-ness around.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sometimes, I'm too smart for my own good

By Saturday of Thanksgiving break, I was starting to feel guilty that I hadn't even started grading all those lab reports that were due the day before Thanksgiving. By tonight, I felt really guilty about it. So at 8:15, I sat down to grade them ... and opened my bag ... and remembered that I left them at school on purpose knowing I wasn't going to grade them, so why carry them?

And for all of you that think it's harsh to have lab reports and tests on the day before a break ... well, you have a point. I just tell myself I'm preparing the leaders of tomorrow, but I'm probably just preparing more physics teachers.

2 weeks and 4 days of school until Winter Break and the annual 17-hour drive to Dallas!!!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Productivity

I got the following things done:

1. I ate two chocolate chip cookies and drank two IBCs with sugar in one day. This is a pretty intense amount of sugar for me. ok fine, and I definitely ate a bunch of pringles. and some cashews...

2. I got caught up on Ugly Betty (5 episodes), The Office, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy

3. I prettified my blog. By comparison to the other things I did, this actually might have been worthwhile.

4. I watched a Christmas Movie on ABC Family / Lifetime (is there a difference when it comes to made for tV movies?) I can barely remember what it was about but I remember that I was so in suspense that I held in going to pee for a good 15 minutes in spite of the fact that we have a dvr and I could have paused it.

5. I read an entire book of the bible (a long one!). I wish I had time for that every day!

6. Cowboy Game (those are some seriously short shorts on the cheerleaders. I know they always have been but whoa, they just really got to me today, maybe it was the cookies)

7. Defeated another 3 levels of Batman Lego for Wii. All except for one evasive bat canister that me and the Wii are currently disagreeing over. I say I got it, Wii doesn't think so. It may win because it's a dictator and has total control, but it will never convince me.

8. A little smidgen of work done for my national boards. Boy am I going to regret that. All that nonsense and nada to show for boards.

9. I washed my hair (I got so little done that this seems very significant) ... I haven't straightened it yet so this process is hardly complete.

10. I finally got some overdue baby gifts bought online and shipped. I found this one super cute thing that I'd love to put here but one of the recipients tends to read this blog, so I'll keep it to myself (but it's a giraffe teether!!)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

You might hear a lot from me this weekend

I just called Ashley to find out what the weather is like and to have her describe her every movement. She's supposed to call me if the weather changes. I'm trying to be a good couch potato and I was looking forward to it all week long. I'm just not one to sit for so long. I think I'm gonna go hit the wii here in a bit, now that I've got my blog all pretty, and pass some mindless hours finding the rest of the bat canisters on Batman Lego (which totally rocks by the way).

I will leave you with this photo, because the Professor is totally cracking me up today. Last week, I got a pair of boots and decided we should keep the giant box because Christmas is right around the corner. Prof M LOVES herself a good box to sit in, so every chance she gets she looks like this ... sitting upright ... in the box.

Friday, November 20, 2009

New Layout

A perk of lounging ... I need to be distracted or I'll go nuts! I've always hated the look of this thing so I'm working on making a few changes. The first few changes truly were just a mere click of a button but now I've got a photo frame sitting atop my subtitle. Since I know I'm not the only one that doesn't speak html, there must be an easier solution here but for the time being I'm just gonna wait until Dr. J gets home to do a little diagnostics.

I did however find some easy to add buttons that go on the bottom of posts! And in case you are wondering, Professor McGonagal loves the new background.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Attempt 2

Dr. J and I are going through our second round of in vitro this week. There is a good possibility this will be our last, one way or the other, this roller coaster is a little much to take. Please pray for us for the next few weeks.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

The jealousy may commence

Dr. J just asked me if he could take me on a date while we are in Dallas for Christmas.

I'm so spoiled.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ahhh Christmas

So I was talking to mom today and she's definitely working the weak, invalid, post-surgery angle. She plumb wore herself out today with online shopping. Apparently her shoulder was exhausted from all the computer usage. How cute is that :) Thankfully an order she placed a couple of days ago came in, to give her a little material comfort in her time of need.

Me: [Being dutifully supportive] So what do your new sweaters look like?

Mom: I wanted to get a new Christmas sweater that didn't scream Christmas

Me: [sighing of relief and remembering the sweatshirt with the reindeer whose antlers were tangled with Christmas lights that I wore through middle school] Nice.

Mom: It's green and it has these trees on it

Me: MOM! Trees?? What on earth? How does that not scream Christmas?

Mom: They aren't bad, I promise! And there's a bear .... [interrupted]

Me: MOM!!! A BEAR?!?! For the love of God, you bought a sweater with trees and a bear and that doesn't scream Christmas?

Mom: It's not like a "teacher bear" (somehow implying that there is such a thing as a non-teacher bear outside of collegiate gear)

Me: Yes because there are good bear appliques and bad bear appliques

Mom: It's really not bad you can barely see him peeking through the trees.

Me: [Dial-tone]

And my mother wonders to this day why I didn't go shopping until I was in my twenties. I mean, what was really the point if even the non-screaming attire were iron-ons. I guess when she said it doesn't scream, she meant in the literal sense.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

I really, really like those chewy blonde brownies

They are so rare and I always forget how delicious they are.

But I don't get why they call them brownies. In any case, people should make them more often.

Monday, November 02, 2009

It was only a matter of time

I'm officially a hooker.

But it's under the codename flapper and it's in this PCA Dance performance this week where they rope in some shameless teachers to make fools of themselves with costume and heavy makeup. All in good fun. We have our very own number and in spite of the limited motion "dancing", I do have a bizarre ankle injury (in recovery).

The performance this weekend is actually going to be very cool (I'm only in one number, but I do have a solo for 2 8-counts that has yet to be worked out). The choreographer / writer created a performance that blends The Nutcracker with The Untouchables and it is so clever!!!! It's called the Uncrackables. :)

If you are bored out of your mind and are up for a different variety of entertainment (and really want to see my upper thigh in fishnetting) there are performances at 7 pm on Thursday and Saturday. I'd recommend Saturday. It is $6 / adult (you can buy online if you are super fancy and/or never carry cash).

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Yay!!! I made the list!!

Stressful jobs that pay badly. (according to CNN Money)

Oh wait.

...

I'm not alone though, ADAM.

:)

gotta get back to working so I'm ready for tomorrow!! (9:22 p.m.)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I am very bad at wheel of fortune when my ears are stopped up

You wouldn't think they'd be related, but you'd be wrong. You'd also be wrong if you thought that this would not be important to me. I am the wheel of fortune master. And it stings a little when my awesomeness wavers.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

My students are so talented

The same girl that painted the sophomore banner is my student aid. I was able to help her fulfil a "lifelong dream" of completing the wet floor caution sign. Apparently there is some scene in the movie 300 that it bears a striking resemblance to. I definitely saw that movie, but mostly i just remember a bunch of roaring, bare-chested men on ego trips banging on their chests and dragging women around by their hair. If that didn't happen it might as well have.

Apparently the janitors weren't too happy with her addition, but I love it. :)

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Overheard between students

One of my Jewish students returned today after being out for 4 days. Poor guy, he really didn't look like he was ready to return.

I overhear a student say to him, "Swine flu ... huh. Is that kosher?"

I laughed outloud hysterically. Couldn't hold that in.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Some homecoming banner photos

I took these before the pep rally, so some groups had lights in their banners (i know, these are crazy!) .... and the lights aren't up yet, but this gives you an idea of why they took so long. there is a closer view of the freshman banner because it's harder to tell what it is. all of them are painted expertly, and you can kind of tell that here, but in person they are impressive!!

enjoy!




Monday, October 05, 2009

We lost :(

For the first time in about 5 years ... the senior class lost. It was so sad!!! They really tried their best though and I was really proud of them. The way the competition works here is that the different classes compete in about 8 different activities, one of which is the banner (that's what we were still working on LATE LATE on Thursday) ... one is the skit (ok that ran pretty late too) ... another is raising money for a charity.

And they raised almost $1100 for Families Helping Families and we'll be able to do such a great christmas for some local families here!!

I took some great photos which I have to show you guys but I have to download them first. The banners really don't translate well to photos, you just can't tell how huge they are and how well they are done.

Anyway, I'll post them tomorrow (I hope!)

Thursday, October 01, 2009

It's all done ... So now we wait and see

Please note that it is 11pm and I'm about to go home. Be back at 7:30!!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

It feels like three weeks have passed and it's been three days.

I feel like I'm working two jobs. The teaching thing - that's still on. Plus the homecoming prep work. All the planning and painting and errands and dances and skits and sequins. oh, the sequins.

I got home about 10 last night, 8 tonight ... and tomorrow's going to be ugly, I'm prepared for midnightish. One day left and so much to do. Not to mention my class has been observed about 5 times in two days, plus I have an unbelievable number of meetings this week. I barely even remember teaching amidst the chaos!

Oh to go to Happy Hour on Friday. Watch me be first in line and somebody outta buy me my own bowl of queso.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Latest Fashions

Yesterday, i was too lazy to get up and fix my hair, since the night before I had been too lazy to wash it. As most of you guys know, my hair is actually curly, and although I love it when it looks good on a good day, it just isn't reliable. And being the Type A control freak that i am, I just prefer to straighten it so I don't have to worry about it's own ability to perform.

That and I don't like to walk around with wet hair. Makes me look like a hungover undergrad.

So yesterday i wore my hair curly which caused much uproar and ruckus in my classroom. After the water heater blew in the gym, followed by the fire alarm going off and immediate evacuation of my school, I was standing in the sun, sweating and unable to put my hair up. Of course, the AC had gone out when the fire alarm went off, so once inside, i was teaching and sweating with no AC, with sweat-sodden curly hair that had looked so nice an hour earlier.

Finally I find a rubberband and put it up, against all the objections of my students that were either 1. enjoying the curls or 2. pandering for a better grade (just do your homework guys!). I still had a floppy mess of bangs and no safety pins, but being the resourceful engineer that i am, I found a solution and spent the rest of the day with two pink paperclips atop my head.

Witness:

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Allow me to define irony for you

I've spent my life mocking cheerleaders and pep rallys and all the hoopla that goes along with the glittery madness. Now I'm in charge of the senior skit for the homecoming pep rally and that's what I'll be spending all my free time in the next two weeks doing.

Monday, September 07, 2009

I love priceline

This month is full of interesting and fun, which is a nice change. Dr. J and I have been saying we needed to take Victoria somewhere a few times while she is here. She is going to Dallas with us for Christmas and will experience her first (and maybe only) 17 hour road trip.

This weekend (in 4 days) we are going to Asheville for the weekend. We got a good deal on priceline to stay at Doubletree in downtown next to Biltmore Estates, where .... as you may know ... they give you hot chocolate chip cookies when you check in. And if you are bold, like I am when it comes to warm cookies, they will give you more later. mmm ....

I am so looking forward to going. I intend to saunter a lot. And read in cafes, undisturbed while Dr. J and Victoria go check out Biltmore (I've been twice and it's $$$$$$ or I'd happily go again). Speaking of, does anyone know a way to get discount tickets?

Saturday, September 05, 2009

Where I get it: Part 322

I picked my parents up at the airport yesterday (yay!) and when I went to give my dad a hug, his nose was covered completely on the left side with black soot. So much so that I was afraid to hug him because it would spread over me like a disease.

While he was in the bathroom powdering his nose (sorry, I couldn't resist) my mom shows me that she has spent the entire day at work and on the airplane, not with two different socks, but with two different shoes.

Witness:
This photo is now set on my caller ID on Ivanka.

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Update on In Vitro

It was not successful.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Oops!!

So this morning I was making a shortcut for my iPhone "desktop" for my blackboard classes. Ivanka (the iPhone) shortens the name of everything you save and drops out the middle. I wish I were kidding but she renamed my blackboard classes to "black asses".

My phone is racist. And apparently likes booty.

Great.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Did anyone else see Dr. Oldendick interviewed on WIS tonight?

That name pretty much says it all.

Peace out.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

This was so tacky, But I was laughing inside the whole time

We have been trying to correct a problem with our credit card number on one of our bills for the past 6 weeks. This was my fifth attempt and it just sort of made itself available when they sent an automatic call to me today.

After some time on hold, I got to speak to a salesperson and explained the entire scenario to her. It probably took me a full minute to explain. To which she replies, could you speak up, I really can't hear you.

Uh .... you couldn't hear my minute long explanation and you are just now mentioning that?

Yes.

(this was on my home phone that works extraordinarily well in sound quality)

So, I raised my voice. To a level that was just below screaming at the top of my lungs and proceeded to have the calmest, loudest conversation I've ever had for the next 10 minutes. And she still hasn't fixed our problem, but oh how I'm laughing inside.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

We can't do anything normal

We really need to do laundry. I wasn't aware how bad the situation was until today, when Dr. J was asked to put on a pair of scrubs (leaving only his underoos) ...

and I was surprised to see that he had broken the cardinal rule of not actually wearing the silly flourescent yellow boxer briefs with the large mustached face on them that your mom gave you for Christmas.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Fun with Dr. J

This morning we were talking about how they are making a movie on the book, Where the Wild Things are and saying that Victoria should read it as her first English book. Then we can all see it when it comes out.

Dr. J says, "I love this wild things stuff".

So cute. but not as cute as this. She is just very upset right now that she can't sleep on my tummy.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Pin Cushion

I've added several new things to my routine in the last few weeks. I should be getting ready for school but for the most part - I'm way ahead of ya! In an effort to keep my world as low stress as possible I did Let's Dish at teh end of July and have those meals ready-to-go in my freezer since then (we are partaking in the first tonight ... salmon ... mmmmm), I got my room and courses ready for school early, and I've started acupunture (what's a few more needles at this point, right?).

Acupuncture is something I've been considering doing for years anyway because I have a chronic back pain that my very patient husband will try and massage out from time to time, but truly, it's pretty bad. People have recommended Eastern Medicine to me for years and I've gone from thinking I'd rather have 3 squares a day of tofu and berries to being so desperate that I'd stick myself with needles if it would stop hurting.

Then our fertility specialist recommends doing acupuncture throughout our treatment, partially to increase blood flow, but partially to just de-stress. So my acupunturist (I feel very elitist saying "my acupunturist" by the way) is also treating my back pain.

All. But. Gone.

The biggest stress in my life right now is that my acupunturist is always running 30 minutes to 1 hour behind schedule. But thanks to Ivanka the iPhone, I'm kicking some Oregon Trail Tail.

Allow me to pass on the raving reviews that acupuncture works!!!

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Nonparenting a 17 year old

Dr. J's sis (Vito) is living with us until mid-January. Vito is coming from a different culture, can understand quite a lot of English but rarely attempts to speak it. She's been here about three weeks and I think she's averaging about 1 sentence every other day. And then we have Spanish Day every Saturday ... and then it's like living with a mute-turned-hummingbird-paced talking for 16 hours straight. I think she even gets up early.

At home, Vito has a very different culture, having someone to cook all your meals, do your laundry, and clean your home. I think she's been blown away by the nonstop amount of things to do at our house. If we aren't cooking, we are cleaning up, or the dishwasher needs to be emptied, or the trash should be taken out. You guys are Americans, you know what we do all day long.

So she's been helping and hasn't ever resisted when we've asked her to do things, which has been great. But she isn't always familiar with how. Things she's learned since she's been here:

- you can't stack bowls one on top of the other in the dishwasher
- there's a lever on the vacuum so that the upright handle reclines
- how to run a dishwasher, washing machine, dryer
- how to clean a toilet
- every one has to stop at stopsigns (this was scary and driving lessons warrant their own post)
- that she likes peanut butter. a lot.
- that she likes eggplant, tuna salad, fish, and blue cheese. all of which she said she didn't like
- and she's already found a love of Aeropostle

That about summarizes our first few weeks with our houseguest (minus the driving lesson days). I'm now in my weeks that I'm going out of my way to stay low stress ... so I may turn over all driving lessons to Dr. J for a while. :)

Saturday, July 25, 2009

This is hard to write

I want my friends to know, because I'm tired of making myself an outcast with so much unspoken between myself and my friends (whether they know it or not) ... and because Dr. J and I definitely need some serious prayer, but it's still difficult to just put it out there. A few of our friends are aware, but Dr. J and I are doing in vitro this month. Please pray for us, this has been a very long struggle even getting to this place. And since I just gave myself my first shot, we are sure to have a stressful month ahead of us.

I'll be on a lot of medication, so pray that I'm good at taking it and Dr. J is good at giving it. I'm not allowed to exercise, so I need another form of stress relief and I really don't know what that will be. And of course school starts this month (and we have a house guest) ... so it's just a lot. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to take it all on. There is a pretty good chance I'll miss the first day of school, too. So in the next week, I need to get a LOT done in terms of school preparations.

I will try and post some updates, but I (actually we) do ask that you not ask about how things are going. It's hard to explain all of the emotions that you have leading up to and during this process. Most of the time, I'm pretty easily offended because, yeah, most people just say the wrong thing. If I could figure out what the right thing to say is, I'd let you know. So mostly we just ask for prayer.

Friday, July 24, 2009

You know when large businesses think they can screw customers because we are little and they are big?

I feel it my duty to warn others of those companies. I used ABC Distributing (catolog / online) for the first time this past month and was charged incorrectly. I thought it would be straightened out easily but gave up. I was forced to write the following letter to their website.

I am writing to state that I will never do business with this company again and will encourage others to stay away.

1. My billing was bizzare (3 separate charges for a single order), I was not charged the amount for shipping that was stated to me.

2. I looked at items in May, I did not buy them until several weeks later in the middle of June. I know because my car was stolen on June 19 ... I sat down a few days later after having some free time and then purchsed. Your system recorded my order date as May 30. That is wrong. It is bad business to put incorrect information like ORDER DATES wrong.

3. Your customer service rep I spoke to was reading excuses off a paper and kept talking over me. She transferred me to someone to help me with a credit card charge. This person was kind, but told me I should have gotten a refund from customer service.

4. You don't even have 800 number. I had to PAY for this useless phonecall.

5. I like my products, but this is a shady organization that cannot be trusted.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Ok fine.

i was in the hospital last week. so there you have it.

i'm fine, it's probably an ulcer. it was a long irritating and painful day. as you can imagine i'm not the most patient patient.

How on earth did patients ever come by that name? I can just see a bunch of exhausted, unjustly-beaten down doctors lounging at the end of day in a sauna just listening to the silence ... when one lifts his head, cracks open an eyelid and says "you know what we oughta call them ...."

Thursday, July 09, 2009

People watching

Is it awful of me to want to take a photo of the middle aged man on the airplane that is wearing tapered (and frosted!) denim jeans with the matching frosted denim jacket?? I so want to post this on my blog. Even better, the set looks newly purchased. He's going way out of his way to remain in his youth.

Friday, July 03, 2009

Closure

At lunch today, we received a certified mail letter from the Sheriff's Dept saying that our car was at XXX Towing. I guess that means it's found.

This past Monday we settled with insurance and have already replaced the car (the new one is grey, instead of red ... sniff, sniff). So insurance owns the car now.

But in any case, we got to see. It was fine. It was found at Big Lots in West Columbia. It's been smoked in and had cigarette butts in the front console, the Temporary Owners didn't take care to keep dirt and sand out of the car, and somehow they broke the rear windshield wiper and had it sitting in the back seat, but other than that, it looked good.

Even the gossip magazine I was reading on the trip back from Dallas were still in the car, and were definitely used. And my iPod was gone, but that was pretty much a given.

So what can we tell about our theives? They are Broadway Showtune / Celebrity Gossip loving smokers that like to buy discount household products probably because they do not bother to wipe their feet before going inside.

Anyway, I knew you all would want to know. I'm praying things are on the way up for us!

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Preparations

Dr. J's sister arrives on July 16. Our guest bedroom has a decent sized closet except that it is overflowing with our stuff already.

Here I go about to install some new shelving. I love an excuse to use a drill :) Wish me luck!!

Ivanka the iPhone

I don't name vehicles, but I do tend to name electronics that talk to me. The navigator in my car is Natasha and Dr. J is guided in his car by Ximena.

Having your car stolen brings about many follow up tasks, including yet another 11 hour drive down I-20 to get another Tiguan. One actually was, since we had been contemplating iPhones and my iPod was in the car when it was stolen, we got iPhones for our birthdays / someone-took-our-car-and-iPod.

I never imagined how much I would use this little guy. And as I sat in the car just now for 82 minutes trying to get the Sirius Account transferred from the stolen vehicle to the new one, I had games to play, facebook to check, To Do Lists to modify. I think it helped me not go nuts as I baked in the car ... in July ... in South Carolina. Because since the car wasn't activating properly, I had to get out from under any trees. and sit. and wait. and dehydrate. I didn't know it would take so long or I would have prepared myself with beach gear.

I have found some cool apps though. (Mancala, fuzzle, and I paid $0.99 for Dominoes). And of course a movie trivia app that's very me. There's a grocery list app that I am still debating whether I will use it or not. But this is the first time in 4 days I've used an actual computer. Dr. J has taken to playing on his phone in bed and we no longer talk.

Maybe I should find an iMarriage app so that we can communicate when we are in the same room.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

oh! my secret yearning to be a writer for the Daily Show has never been stronger than at this moment. Thank you Governor Sanford!!

I couldn't bring myself to vote on The States' poll that Gov Sanford should resign from office because then people would think I want him out based on his not-so-fatherly-weekend-getaway ... and that's not the reason I'd like to see him go bye-bye.

If anyone missed the Daily Show's take on Sanford's latest debacle, The State has them all here. The last two are the best and I can't WAIT to see tonight's show.

http://www.thestate.com/news-extras/story/838938.html

"... someone has to be in charge when Iran decides to make good on its age old threat to attack Charleston with weather ...."

Brilliance!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

It's Crazy that June is Over in a Week

How on earth is that even possible?? This has already been a crazy summer which is a nice change because up until now, I've been taking classes each summer. Now I'm completely certifiable ... err ... certified.

In a couple weeks I'll be on my way to San Fran for an all expenses paid trip to a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Workshop at Berkeley and I am totally stoked about it and I know how nerdy that makes me sound but I do not care in the least!!

When I get back from that workshop (and Dr. J returns from his 2 upcoming trips), his 17 year old sister who has recently graduated from her high school in Colombia is coming to visit. FOR SIX MONTHS. She'll be here through the fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and will leave a few weeks into January. So we're going to have a teenager in the house, who speaks occasional English. Either my Spanish will improve immensely or her English will. I hope both, but truly, I simply anticipate much fodder for the blog.

Friday, June 19, 2009

We get it, you want us to leave, we would if we could, I assure you

Today should have been a great day. Dr. J's career proposal was funded yesterday. This is a big deal and it should mean a lot for him getting tenure. Anyone who knows him knows that he is the hardest worker and he has worked so much for tenure. He's a great researcher and he deserves it. Today is his birthday too.

But this morning when we got up our car was gone. Our new one that we just got. After doing every thing right. Our financial planner tells us to save up and try to pay for you car, so you don't have a car payment, so we did that. And we found the car we loved and found one used and drove to Birmingham to get it.

We saved up to have a good down payment on a house. And we got a small house in town that we could afford and got a security system installed since houses in town have more break ins. And it's been broken into twice. So we installed security doors.

And neither of us rushed into marriage. We got our degrees, found each other after grad school. I wanted to have a job that would accommodate a family, so I start teaching and we start trying to have a family but it's been more than two years.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Storm Chasing in Texas

We drove in last night dodging tornadoes ... in and out of green skies and massive winds - anyone from north Texas knows what a green sky means.

We bolted in my parents garage like we'd been shot out of a cannon, and made it in not a moment too late. Everyone was shaky, but safe. No one thought for a moment to call and make sure my grandparents were safe because of course, they weren't sitting in their car at the local grocery store. No wait a minute ...

Turn outs, my grandparents skipped church last night. If you know them, then you know they are The First in the door when it's unlocked. Last night though, under the pretense of "we have lots of guests coming in town for my granddad's 90th birthday party" they opted to go get my Grandad a pedicure and swing by HEB (grocery store) instead of going to church.

Post pedicure-grocery-shopping-trip, they were paying at HEB when the clerk remarks about the tornado spotted in Waxahachie. Trying to speed things along, grandmother tells granddad that he'll have to count the change in the car because they need to get home now! So off they "scurry".

My granddad can't really see, so when they are safe inside the car, she starts handing him coins and telling him the amount so he can make sure the change is correct and she drops a dime ...

IN the gear shift jamming it so they can't put it in drive!

Before you panic too much about this sad lot of senior citizens who have barricaded themselves in the car, remember that they were skipping church so granddad could get a pedicure. :) Of course they got home, we heard the story the next morning. Grandmother muscled up a hearty tug and got them home safely. Why they were worried about counting coins amidst an oncoming tornado ....

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Dr J totally kicks your husbands BEhind

I had a pampered chef party at my house tonight which was lots of fun and I made some yummy appetizers and margaritas to go along with everything. I'm also getting ready to leave town at about 3:45 tomorrow morning for a 17 hour drive to Dallas.

Why did I plan this event the night before I'm leaving? If you are even asking that question, you don't know me very well.

In any case, I didn't make good use of my day so I was really hurrying around getting things ready. Dr J got home from work and I immediately got him to start helping me.

Very long story very short - he waited on me and my friends hand and foot all evening and cleaned up after all of us. It wasn't planned that way, we just needed the help and he stepped in. He just doesn't get bragged on enough.


As a side note, there is a group of spanish speaking (likely) illegals that live down the street that all think Dr. J is employed by the white lady (gringa) to do her lawn.

Monday, June 08, 2009

One Reason Why My Friends Love Me (aka Things My Friends Overlook About Me)

On Thursday of last week I went to Ashley's house to hang out with her and baby Caroline, and watch a movie ... and pop some popcorn. I still had some last minute things to do to get ready for graduation so I was munching on popcorn with my laptop in my lap and watching the movie.

Then I noticed a sweet taste in my mouth. My mind replayed that I had subconsciously picked up a crumb off my keyboard and ate it. I guess my mind also thought it was popcorn, except that I was done with that and had been for about 10 minutes. And apparently my mind thought that if it were popcorn that it would be ok to eat since it had sat on my "sterile" laptop to pass the time.

I am a notorious anti-germaphobe. But I usually don't put random crumbs into my mouth, particularly at homes with new babies. People, that's what I like to call a close shave.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Misadvertisement

I saw the following billboard as I was driving home today (while trying to think about what to make for dinner).

The problem is, that you really can't see that little roast part until you are very close. So I thought, how strange, say no to pot. and a cow. What am I missing? Strange, never woulda put those two together ... in our slumping economy are we completely using up all grain / grass to make alternative fuels so much that the cows are now fed pot and they don't want us to eat pot-fed cows? Or they need to feed cows pot because all the corn's been used up and they don't want us hogging all the pot?


So I see the PETA symbol before I actually see the roast down there in the lower right hand corner.


Ohhh ... I get it ...


As I'm sitting thinking surely people aren't persuaded to give up their carniverous ways with a confusing billboard and my thoughts quickly roll over to ... hmmm ... roast actually sounds really good for dinner. That'll be easy.


Who's with me? Go roast!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

What.

In case you took way too much NyQuil last night, that's me photoshopped into the middle of that. Yes, I completely humiliated myself in a faculty-student dodgeball game recently. No, I didn't make this poster.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Ultimate in Airport Stories

The length of this story may get out of control, i will do my best, but this is one that must be told.

My family has a knack for coming back from vacation with the wildest of stories and we have our fair share of airport stories, but this one will go down in the books.

Being the rule-abiding citizens that they are, my parents arrived to DFW airport yesterday about 1.5 hours before their flight. Check in, go to the security line, show their boarding passes and passports for IDs at the entry point and get into a conversation with the worker about how they both have the same first and last name (if you don't know this story already, it'll have to wait). Following that, the person behind them in line asks my parents if they were A.G's parents (referring to my brother). Since there are abot 5 million people in the DFW metroplex, you don't often run into your sons former friends in the airport. They talk with her for a few minutes as they go through the x-ray machines and say goodbye. My mom is waiting on the inside for my dad to pass the scan point but the guards won't let him through because he doesn't have his boarding pass. After arguing across the security station about the fact that it is, in fact, not in his coat where he thinks it is (I'm sure the guards were impressed with how cool they were), Dad finally stops and realizes that he must have dropped it into the grey bin that he ended up giving to the girl since they were talking.

But who was she? And where is she going? She's a former friend of my brother's from when? Maybe her name was Smith? Can we page her?

So the paging begins. At 5 minute intervals they begin paging ... Would Miss Smith please report to the check in station? Would Miss Smith that knows the Grubbs please report to the check in station? ... maybe her name was Christy? Would Christy Smith please report???

Let's pause for one minute to point out that my father is standing in limbo security line in his sock-feet. Thank God he selected a non-holey pair for the journey.

Epiphany, let's call our son and see if he remembers. Of course he has a tendency to screen phone calls, so three phone calls and a SCREAMING text later, he calls back. do you remember a girl's name that you once knew ... maybe a smith?? maybe you knew her in high school? amazingly enough he places the girl, but can't really remember her name but knows someone that would know, so he'll call them and call back. In the meantime, they keep paging made up names.

After a few phonecalls and some saavy facebook investigations, he calls back and says her name is C.D. Smith and he thinks she's going to Romania. PAGING C.D. SMITH GOING TO ROMANIA. ... Finally! She's on the phone at Gate 31 (they are at gate 11) and my mother's dream of becoming an olympic track athlete begins!! OFF she sprints and quarter mile down the terminal, finds C.D. and embraces her like she has known her for her entire life!!! Hooray! Boarding pass and passport in hand, mom sprints back, bolts backwards through security (red lights spinning, guards protesting) and hands my dad his boarding pass ...

AND C.D. Smith's PASSPORT!!!!!!

Michael Johnson emerged from those legs at that moment. Off flew my mother at a pace previously unattainable for the over 50 Woman.

She arrives to three lines of people boarding at the gate. Getting no help from the staff, she searches herself and finds C.D. at the end of the line talking her phone, innocently unaware of all the mayhem, with my father's passport.

My father is now reunited with his shoes, and they are safely in London ready to go and visit Ireland on St. Patty's day next week. My mother is going to be recognized with the All-American Track team later this spring.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Kittens and the ER

Sadly, Professor McGonagall hasn't been doing well since we picked her up from her not-so-home-away-from-home where she stayed whilst Dr. J and I went to Dallas for Christmas. Last night she was pretty immobile, had a fever and was in a lot of pain, so at about 7:30 we called it, and off we went to the 24 hour vet.

Two x-rays and some prodding later, we didn't know much and opted out of doing additional blood work since the x-rays fully absorbed our Christmas moneys. We left with about two weeks worth of antibiotics and pain killers for her. I was less nervous giving her meds than I've ever been with a cat, because she is so good and I'm usually able to get the pills down. The cats. Not down me.

Presumptuous. I think she actually laid awake all night plotting.

I think the drop went down. After a half dozen efforts with the pill, it had turned into a slimy mush and was all over her mouth/nose/face. She spent a full 10 minutes afterwards producing thick drool that draped from either side of her mouth, protestesting that we can't actually make her take medication that she doesn't want to take. When I got home today there were still bubbly ringlets sprinkled on the floor throughout the kitchen. I can only imagine how long the sputtering continued.

She is supposed to not participate in physical activity for a week per doctors orders. Specifically, no jumping on furniture - I assume this also includes no heavy lifting on her part. Are there actually people out there that know how to accomodate this request? I picked her up off the bed this morning and sat her on the ground when she woke up. She turned around and looked at me like ...what just happened??? Worse still, I hardly even knew how to explain it to her.