A meme to do, thanks to Mom

un Official rules:

* You must link back to the origin blog (I linked Snaggletooth)

* Post 7 facts about yourself, whatever you choose, long, short, ect.

* Post the rules, so they know what to do.

* Tag 7 folks, n link them so everyone can hurry up n visit.

* When you're done posting your facts, go comment on their blogs,

so they'll know they gotta do it, (for the fun of it).

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

(There's no nasty curse for not continuing the chain in this meme either...)

Want fun n games?

Want questions? Want more readers n comments?

Just DO IT! N tell 'em SnaggleTooth sent ya-


ok mom, here goes:

1. I taught myself how to crochet, and I love it... when I have yarn. I also like to sew and quilt when I get the chance but without a dedicted sewing room, it is difficult to find space that is occupied by clutter or in range of the kids' paws.

2. I want to go back to school and do what I always wanted as a child? guess... tv? nope.... guess again..... lol... I'll just tell you it's easier that way: teacher.. and I'm thinking of going towards elementary.. I just have to pass the tests and take some classes before I can enroll in a program. I've got to have some money too, atleast some money to pay the bills while I go to school so it has to wait until Evan is in Kindergarten (aka: free school). I can hopefully atleast take some of the pre-req's in the meantime

3. I'm super excited about the upcoming class reunion. I hope we can make it! and I'll be super bummed if I can't.. but I will do my damnest to be able to be there.

4. an easy one. I have 2children. boys in fact.. this is funny because my 1 and only sister also has 2 boys. My mom had 2 girls when she had wanted boys.. now she's got 4! I find it hard to raise the boys, I think, because we didn't have any in our family growing up.. I like to think that I'd have an easier time with girls, but I could be wrong.

5. when I was in High school the comments I got most frequently on my report cards: "concientious", "works well with others", and "too talkative". I hated working in groups. The teachers put me with the lazy and/or dumb kids thinking I could cajole them into doing work, when it never ever worked that way. Once in history class the group members didn't do anywork, so I gave up and did it myself, not including them on the assignment. I did tell the teacher that they did diddly squat.

6. I took 2 semesters of Finnish while in college. I really enjoyed it, but was unable to take any more semesters because my senior year the professor when on sabbatical in Germany for the year. I hardly remember it though which is too bad, but I did manage to retain a good chunk of Spanish in my brain, form the years I studied that.

7. My family is the most important thing in my life.. and not just the kids and such.. everyone!



seven people who I assign to this task..
Amanda * J
Becky K
Eileen D
Christine J
Kelly H
Kristen P
kim w

December already?!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. We did. We spent the afternoon at my aunt and uncle's. It was mellow, and great. By mellow, I mean we were all able to be seated at 1 table, I think, for the first time ever, in the Wallace Thanksgiving History books. lol. so what if my kids filled up on snacks and wanted nothing to do with the dinner. Evan kept entertained by entertaining Uncle Don with sports peg board games, and Kevin shared his Wii. All was good. Evan fell asleep on the ride home, and Liam only got cranky when he realized he was hungry... and he was happy with the cheez-its.

We recieved Evan's school picture a week or so ago, it's amazing to see the difference in just one year... he is getting older and older looking each day. It's crazy and makes me feel old. lol



We've been so busy the last few weeks that Ican't believe December is tomorrow! And did I mention I'm ecstatic about driving to my sisters this weekend? Google says it should take 2 hours 40 minutes, but I don't drive the speed limit on Rt 2 or 495, so I expect that it will take less time than that if I don't have to make any stops, and with a travel time beginning at nap time, I don't plan on making stops.. let's hope Ev doesn't have to pee. lol We made it to Newton without any stops. It's possible. maybe.

It's been far too long since I saw my sister and nephews last, a year. It was last Christmas last time we were able to get together. Cost of gas during the warm season prohibited any long distance driving, except the week we spent in VT on vacation that we had planned before gas got super expensive. But it was worth it, we had a good time.

I've got to get the gifts wrapped up before we head down on Friday, and clothes to pack, not to mention, helping in Ev's class tomorrow, a day off Wedsday because dayceare is closed, and Evan's doctor's appointment, and teacher conference before we leave on Friday! AHH! why do I do this to myself. lol.

I had a dream.... and then I woke up

I was back at Wareham High- not as and 18 year old, but as my current 28 year-old self. And I was a student. Apparantly it was half way through the year or so, and I had not come to class since september or something. I couldn't remember where my locker was. hmmm. i walk by the computer labs on the first floor to see Jeff Turlik teaching a class. He was in front of the class playing a song on his guitar. It was a recent Coldplay song. I stopped to listen (I like coldplay). Upon finsihing he says something along the lines of "many people consider this very harsh style in rock".. and all I could think was, I dont' think so.. but I woulld say System of a down or Serj Tankian as fairly harsh music..

I move on.. head upstairs via the foyer, and see Nik O. We wave and smile, and he mentions something about a reunion as I go past. I did not seem to think this was not normal- as if we've been friends since the days of Hammond school... lol I see Jeff T as I round the corner, and I say, "hey Jeff, what's going on?" his reply- "I'm Mr. Turlik here", "oh crap", I say, " I forgot", he says, "many other students are forgetting to call me that too". I wanted to ask him when he left Blue-Man Group,and went back to teaching, but he was gone.

I turn left and head down the hall and see the Phinn-dog. and we get talking. I say I don't remember what class I'm supposed to be in, and he brings me down to the teacher prep area- (which never existed when I was a student) at the end of the hall. The back window area was made in to a very nice very large teacher room. so big I think they took out 2 science rooms and had that space incorporated. I say to Malcom, 'wow this is a huge teacher's room", he says, "oh this isn't the real teacher room, this is the prep area", I said, "This room can fit three of my husband's teacher's room from where he teaches at" (wtf?) Oh and some how I managed to get my paws onto a Woodchuck, Hard Cider. And was drinking it. at school. legally.

so Malcolm tryis to get me to tell him why I haven't come to school in several months, that I've missed a lot of classes, and won't be able to pass the year. I don't remember saying anything. I remember other students coming in and watching tv.

I can't remember anything after that. I think I woke up.

All this reunion buzz has got my brain remembering some weird shit.. and yes I was on a first name basis with teachers. not so weird in real life, as I am no longer a student, but a bit odd for a student to be on a first name basis. oh and the other weird thing. Nik and I were never really friends, not that we hated each other, just not friends.

I'm so smart

My complete and utter inability to focus at work has to do with the simple fact that I'm bored. what's more interesting than weighing and labeling 100's of vials, peeling tape off of 4000 test tubes, and washing (then acid washing) dishes??

1 word:


Computer.


my brain just can't handle the lack of critical thinking or god.. even just interesting thinking involved with this "monkey work" (that's what my boss calls it).

utterly hysterical

So I was driving, well stopped at a stop light, in fact, in Westfield, in my truck. Windows open, like usual (Love to have the windows open)
A blue pick-up pulls up in the lane to my left. Windows open. Big white burly dude driving.. think landscaper. He turns up his radio. it took me a minute to realize the song...


Hungry Eyes. Best known fromt he Dirty Dancign soundtrack. The light turned, and I drove away in hysterics.

and we're back

I feel guilty having been on vacation this past week, when it seems many people that I know are grieving a terrible loss. I didn't even know her, yet I feel terrible for what happened. She was killed by a drunk driver on her way home from work. She was 25 and a mother of 3. Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking... When my sister called me I couldn't believe it... something like that happening. I was in shock, and my heart goes out to everyone who lost a piece of them with Lindsay's passing.
______________________________________

Our vacation went well. went up to Alburg Vt (which is a long friggin' drive!) do you see how close to Canada we were? we saw Québéc many times during our stay.

We went with some friends, Jeff & Becky, and little Nathanial, and spent the week in a cabin on the lake. It was a great place. If you click on the slideshow, it should bring you to my web albums, which has all sorts of pictures in varying albums you should check out and leave comments. I haven't gotten around to leaving captions yet though, for these.

vaction last day and ride home

2008_aug vacation

2008 Vacation pictures from Becky

the weather could've been better, but hey I guess I can't complain... atleast there wasn't a tornado watch and 2 funnel clouds in nearby towns, like there was down here.

They need new weather people up there. they made us think that it was going to rain the entire week, literally. But it didn't, we actually had several decent days. one of which involved nasty icky green stuff 6 inches deep for the entire day and covered a good chunk of the lack.. I even drove Evan down to the state park to go swimming, and it was neon green there too! Jay took some pictures of it by our dock. It was gross, and I'm not really sure what it was.

The water was a warm 72-ish degrees (according to that lousy weather team) during our stay. It was really nice. The lake bottom is very rocky, but that we knew and came prepared with water shoes. Then there's the seaweed. ick. is reachest he top of the water! During our stay we got the honor of seeing the lake level rise right before our eyes, thanks to all that rain that pounded the region. the water's edge rose about 4 feet, and the depth gained was about 6-8" measured visually by looking at how high it was on the dock. it went from 6-8 inches below the bottom of the dock to touching the dock. and it's not a floating dock either, it rests on the ground. The water level rose so much, we'd wake up and say "I wonder how much the water rose today", and go down to take a look. The neighbor had to raise his dock a couple notches, after it was found to be under water one morning. He was at that thing for the better part of the day!

On the last morning, we wake up to the most beautiful day, just to leave. We drove downt he New York side of the lake and hit Fort Ticonderoga on the way. then we drove South East across VT to I-91. according to google it's nearly a 5.5 hour drive.. and boy did it feel like it too! We did make a pit stop at the outlet malls in Brattleboro to stretch and use the facilities.


Even though we were on vacation for a week, swam, kayaked and walked, and bombed around in the rain exploring New York and Vermont, and accidentally crossing into Québéc during one of our border road explorations (we turned around at customs), it wasn't really restful. The kids, man were they driving us crazy..(mainly it was Evan) but at the same time, they were probably bored and couldn't help it. I only brought 1 bag of toys, which I guess wasn't enough entertainment for a long drive and a week of keeping entertained. Thank goodness they had bored games and disney videos, even though those too were driving us a bit crazy.

it was a good week, ans really nice to get away.

feeling old

I know I'm not old, I'm 28. but with the idea of a class reunion looming ahead I can't help but think about how things were 10 years ago.

One of my guilty pleasures is watching Dawson's Creek. There I said it. I like Dawson's Creek, and it's quite pathetic really. If there was a Dawson's Trivial Pursuit I'd win the game. every time no doubt. I'm not sure why I like it so much. I'd like to think it's because it's supposed to be set on the cape where I grew up, only I know that's not the case-- it doesn't look anything like the cape we have here in MA, but more like what things would look like if set in NC.. becuse that's wehre it was filmed. Maybe it's because I think that I'd be friends with the characters in the show. I had many groups of friends from the outcasts to the nerds to the AV gang. Or maybe it's because I really <3 Pacey Whitter.
The episode this week, which I am able to watch thanks to my DVR because it airs at 4:30 am) was about how Joey and Pacey have to find a way to tell Dawson about how they've been seeing each other. In the end Dawson gives Joey an ultimatum to choose, him or Pacey, and she says to Pacey that it has to end. It was quite sad really. and I'm sure my PMS stricken mood swing wasn't helping either. The only thing keeping it together for me was teh fact that I knew that in the end her and Pacey end up together shortly after and at the end of the series we find out they are married.
In the episodes leading up to the previous on we see Pacey pining over Joey, in sweet subtle ways, that Joey was oblivious to. But you could see the look in his eyes, how he cared about her.

The reason for putting you through that torturous recap is that it made me think about when I was in school back in the 'Ham. My Senior year (and part of junior year) was an odd year for me. For the first time in my entire youth people stopped making fun of me.
Middle school was a painful time for me where I was in the class with all the trouble makers, and it sucked they bullied me (and the history sub!) and threw gum in my hair on a daily basis. The teachers didn't see it, but I dreaded going to school. Then I got to high school where many of the culprits from 8th grade ventured over to Upper Cape (thank god!) yet I was still constantly being called named and being picked on. When I became good friends with Ginny Walton, it subdued, aminly because these jerk off boys (richey roomey and charles rider mostly- they alwasy chewed dip it was gross) were, I think indimidated by her. She became one of my best friends. (I miss her even now and have b een trying to locate her since I went to college with no luck- anyone know where she is?)
With her by my side I began to gain some confidence, and hold my own. I think a turning point was in Deb Hodgson's english class- eitheer 10th or 11th grade I can't rememeber, I flipped out on either Richie or Chuck, and everyone was sho shocked to see little sweet me yell at them that from that point name calling ceased for the most part except the proverbial "albino, albs" which became a nick name and "powder" from Ginny's mom.
So when it came to dating boys it came all of a sudden in my later high school years, I had many boys wanting to date me.. I didn't realize quite how many until many years later.. it was weird and I didn't know how to handle it. I did know that I didn't date younger guys. For I didn't want to create any reason to be made fun of by my classmates that I loathed. Too bad I was dating someone who was going to school in Georgia.. During senior year he decided to see someone else as well while he was home. So while at first I remained loyal, I got sick of his need to be with someone else, and I "lashed out" and started seeing other guys. Many of which weren't serious by any means and lasted a short period of time.
There are a couple of people from that time that I wonder where they are now what things they are up to, but they won't be at the reunion for they were in different grades. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutly happy with my family now and all that is going on. Even on those tough days, in the end I'm happy.

There are many people who I'm dying to see to see how they've been, and hell I'll prob even say hi to Richie and Chuck, because I'm polite, but prob won't say much beyond that. I can't wait to show off my family.

I remember--
Mr. Potatohead can make a good bong- only if taped up properly.
Shh.. Keep it on the DL.
"123" - the greatest number of times Ginny and I hit the badmitton birdie back and forth without it hitting the ground.
The day Jared got in a serious car accident and nearly died.
Dwayne beating me to get the Drum Major title and I was devastated. It was supposed to be me and Kevin! we had it planned..
1,2,3 Drums!- the chant we used to say before performances.
Making the video for Mr. Pelkey after he left us under the rule of Shawn St. pierre. I wonder if he still watches it on occasion? I know he's alive he called my sister last month!
Always having to have extra drum sticks on hand in all games and especially parades because the Melissa's and I couldn't seem to keep a hold on them.
Colorguard- and the great shape it kept me in! how is Ruth anyway?
Missing the Nerd Herd Skip day because I had an English final to take- most of the others were in AP but I was in Honors with Mr. Wilson.
Our class didn't have a skip day/trip thanks to those who ventured to canada to get drunk and tattooed. way to go guys.

I have a very clear memoryof high school compared to the last few years. it's very odd.

seriously.

watch your kids at the swim area. as we were leaving today we saw the guards carrying a limp little body out of the water by the little dam. Turns out that CPR worked, or so I believe.. I couldn't really see, but I saw the guards lingering and a woman hugging a wet boy.

the other day Evan left the back gate open while I went inside to get something, and next thing we know the neighbor is holding our baby and said he was down at the corner in the street. ack! I nearly had a heart attack. scary shit.

A good friend of a friend of mine lost his son while he was swimming at a pool. just knowing that is scary enough. and I think the scariest part is that Evan doesn't get it. doesn't understand why I tell him to not go past his belly button, to stay near me and swim in the area in front of out things. He's four, and doesn't think. He gets so excited, and just does whatever. My goal last year for this year is to teach him how to swim on his own. the trick is getting him to focus and not want to play with the other kids.

stupid UMass

the accounts dept at the university "forgot" to pay out departments gas card bill. our fleet consists of 2 suburbans, 1 Yukon, and a cargo van.. aka gas guzzlers.

their inability to keep bills paid has made our gas cards unusable. My truck has a 1/2 tank of gas left after today jaunt to the berkshires, and I know I can do tomorrows trip okay, but not so sure about weds.

So my boss and others are saying to use MY credit card for now and I'll get reimbursed for it. ummm.. I don't think so. we use 1 credit card, which we just paid most of the way off with a loan from the bank. I'm not about to put $120 on my card to fill my work's truck which get's 15mpg.. and that's Highway driving. AND in any given week I can fill the tank in my truck about 3 times (it has a 40 gal tank!)! putting in $10-$15 isn't gonna cut it in this beast, and if my car wasn't rattling every time the engine has to work I'd consider driving my car, and then getting reimbursed for mileage.. atleast my car gets good mileage! my car has this rattle that makes me nervous everytime I go on the highway or up a hill/mountain. and now my brakes which were new last year are doing something funny, and I have a feeling there's something fishy with the bearings.. I'm getting that noise when I turn corners.. it's faint but it's there. So needless to say I need to save my credit card moeny in case I need to fix my car.. oh and the dryer is still broke.

*edited to add* my boss gave me $100 to fill the tank with in case I need it before the dingbats in accts get the cards working again. That was very nice of him

just when we think we're getting ahead...

we recieve the notice in the mail that the gas company is readjusting our payment for our budget plan. This is normal, and usually isn't that much. our payment went up nearly $50, so now it's $193. granted we have gas stove, hot water, dryer, and heat the house with it, but our usage was less last year than the year before, with exception for one month I think, and even then it was about the same!! We even got a brand new furnace, because ours was old and crappy. We also got our notice from the electric company and that payment is going up like $30 too. and Health insurance is up another $50. fan-f-ing-tastic.

This sucks, and I know we're not the only ones in this boat, but honestly when is our President going to do something to help out this country that will be more than a short term "fix". Yes I am thankful for the "free money" that is coming our way that will help pay off our furnance and the new washer we got a couple weeks ago that was a phenomanel deal, knowing that it would save us money and that the money was indeed coming by the end of next week. We'll also be saving for the vacation we've planned, and need.

Dubba needs to do something for the little guys, this is crazy. We're having a hard time paying our bills because the cost of living has skyrocketing because of gas, and the sad thing is, that under normal econimic standards (pre- $3/gal gas) we'd be fine. Thankfully our mortgage is fixed and a super duper low rate, and our second mortgage is fixed, and thank god we were able to get a loan to pay off that credit card debt that acrewed when I was pregnant/maternity leave and my boss was being a douche about my hours and pay and ended up bringing home way less money, and will now be paid off in 5 years, when there was no end in sight before. We even switched to direct tv because it's cheaper than Comcast, by about $40. Even when the new customer discount wears off it'll still be cheaper than Comcast. and Thank god we don't have to worry about car payments-that's the second mortgage which atleast the interest is deductible.

the cost of gas in beyond unbearable. Those Stupid "ANALysts" need to keep their f-ing traps shut about what they "think" gas will go to. I think they are the main reason the cost of gas has gotten so bad. They make us all freak out and crap our pants and then the gas companies just do it because now we're expecting it. why can't they say "gas is expecting to drop to $2.50/gal" Think of how grateful everyone would be, when last year we were freaking out not knowing how much more gas would be a year later! and morale in this country would start to lift! Imagine that.

/rant