The Honeymoon's over.

This picture has nothing to do with this blog post. Motivational posters just give me the giggles, and this is the only (safe) one I could find involving "honeymoons" or "marriage."

Zoe came into our lives on April 24th. She's a perfect dog with a side of awesomesauce.

When we went on our yet-to-be-blogged-about beach vacation, I did NOT want to board her. We had not had her that long, and I wanted her to be comfortable in her house, not cooped up in a kennel, so we hired a local college chick to hang out with her for the week.

That week happened to be Storm Fest 2010.

Having lived in Georgia for her entire life, Zoe had not experienced the "It's a twister, it's a twister!" type storms we have this time of year. Hubs and Zoe have a special connection since he was the one who picked her up. They also, apparently, share the same fear and hatred of severe weather.

The poor pup was a mess with every storm, and to repay us for leaving her, she's continued to pee and poop in the house. Luckily she shares our disdain for our upstairs carpet and keeps her business in there. I would, however, prefer that she go outside. She's also now using her go-go gadget arms, legs and nose to snatch food off the counter. Yesterday, she snagged a banana out of the fruit bowl. A few days ago, she ate Nugget's vitamins when he left the table to go to the bathroom.

And even though we are blowing through Nature's Miracle (and gummy vites), she's still our baby! Her birthday was last week, so we had a little celebration:

dog bone cake

Birthday card with treats from Strip

Big bone from Nugget!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go get more carpet cleaner.

Bright idea

Whose bright idea was it to get the bigger swing set?

Oh yeah. That was mine.

When I stumbled upon the Costco playset, one of my concerns was that it was too small. I didn't want the kids being too tall for it in 2 years. So when we found the build-it-yourself options, I was elated! We took off some of the more expensive options (tube slide, horse swing, etc) and put the money towards the lumber. As a result, we have a great playset, which includes a slide so steep, there should be someone at the top instructing you to lean back, cross your arms over your chest and cross your feet at the ankles, and monkey bars so far off the ground, I've called ahead to the E.R. to reserve casts.

Strip actually went across them tonight, fairly unassisted (she's got strongs!).

Nugget tried, and looked like this:

He then informed us, "I too little. I need a be a little bigger for the monkey bars."

I agree, little friend.

Triumphant return of the To-Do list

But first, a follow up from the last post. Last night, as Hubs and I were settling into watch Forensic Files, an infomercial for a men's sliming T. It's basically a man girdle. And the guy says, "It's not binding!" Really? Isn't that the point? If it weren't binding, it would just be a tank top. Not buying this, don't worry, Hubs.

Back to the point.

A year or so ago, I was looking for a good, daily organizational method, mainly for housekeeping. I wanted a way to schedule out things to do during the week so I wouldn't get overwhelmed, but also wouldn't, oh, say forget to do laundry until we were all out of underwear. Before Strip was born, I stumbled on the Fly Lady. Loved her concepts, but I was getting 87 emails a day, and when I opted out of the emails and would just check the website, I found it too cluttered, which is funny because she's supposed to help you rid your home of clutter (there is also a major over use of "lol." I can't stand lol's in general, but when used as often as punctuation, bleh).

So last year, while googling "to do lists" and "home management" instead of actually just making a to do list or managing my home, I found Simple Mom. Love this site! She's got lots of great resources, and has a wonderful to-do list that you can download and print for free!

I like it because while you can write as many "to-do's" in as you want, you pick three MIT's or most important things that HAVE to be done. You can also map out your day by time. So, I can write in, "Take chicken out of the freezer" or "Start making the lasagna" early in the day and actually do it instead of remembering at 6:00 and saying, "Crap! Who wants grilled cheese for supper!?"

There's also a pocket docket if you don't need a full page (but I'm wordy, so I like having a lot of room). You can see all of her downloads HERE, so go get your life organized!

And now that I've wasted 15 minutes writing about being organized, I'm off to actually make my to-do list.

WOW that didn't take long.

I love infomercials.

I totally get sucked in and fall in love with products. When I was younger I really wanted a Ronco Food Dehydrator , even after my mother pointed out that I hate jerky and dried fruit. But maybe I WOULD like them if I had a R.F.D!

My first infopurchase was the EZ Krunch. I literally put CASH in the mail to order it (ah to be young and clueless again!). To my mother's surprise, they actually sent me one! Giant piece of poo.

Since then, I've purchased Joy Mangano's Huggable Hangers (technically Hubs ordered these from HSN for my birthday, but still a "tv" purchase), Snuggie's, Perfect brownie Maker and a Touch n Brush. Most of those were purchased from Bed Bath and Beyond, but they still count. My online As Seen On TV wants from the past were a clapper and some tinfoil type thing you could cook with in your microwave.

It was no shock that when Wow Containers commercial came on during a show last Christmas, I needed them! Every top is a bottom and every bottom is a top?! Could it get any better?! I resisted the urge to order them online, but have been keeping my eye out for them ever since.

Yesterday, I needed some spinach and after-bite itch cream (not for the same recipe), so popped into the grocery store on the way home from the pool. There, on the end cap, almost glowing were the boxes! A 40 piece set for only $19.99!

We scooted home, and I began to run them through the dishwasher. After the first round came out, I tried to put a bottom and a bottom together. Would.not.click. I told myself it was just because they were hot from the washer and I'd try again later.

Hubs came home and giggled at the sight of our counters covered in drying Wow's, and he too wanted to try to put them together. CRACK. 45 minutes in our home and one's already broken. And still not snapped together. I tried again and could not get them to click (and almost broke two more trying), so back in the box they went.

I am still in the need of storage containers, so if you have some you love, please share. Otherwise Hubs is going to be taking leftovers to work in either Tiana or McQueen snack takers.

Four Strip Sillies

I've been bad about writing down the funnies that come from Strip, so here are four that have nothing in common except for the fact that they all come from Strip:

Stripism 1

Setting: our house.

We've been working with both kids on yes sir, no sir, yes ma'am, no ma'am. Nugget's still learning. Strip asked him something, and Nugget responded, "Ma'am?"

Strip: (with a heavy sigh) UGH! How many times to do I have to tell you?! I'm not a "ma'am," I'm a "what!"

Stripisim 2

Setting: on the way to the pool/water park.

Strip had previously spent the week at PaPa and Ma's who have a water park at their YMCA. They are members there, but apparently, getting a one week pass for Strip is more difficult than than making a bill a law.

Strip: You know? PaPa and Ma have a pool kinda like this, recept it's in Georgia. And only people who live in Georgia can go there. But I don't live in Georgia, so I'm really not allowed to. But I can. You know why? Because Ma is determined. You know what that means? It means even though I don't live in Georgia, I still can go to the pool.

Stripism 2

Setting: Bed time.

We've been working on the whole go-to-bed-and-stay-there-all-night-thing, so Strip's made a chart with a bunch of "Z's" coming out of a sleeping person. Each morning, after sleeping in her bed all night, she gets to put a sticker over a Z and when it's full, we're going to buy Alice in Wonderland (the new creepy version) to "keep forever" as Strip says. The other night, she was stalling at bedtime and wanted to just sleep in our bed, so I said, "Ok, but I guess if you sleep in our bed, you're not going to get a sticker on your chart...."

Strip: That's fine Mom. It's not like this is my last night ever.

I wanted to say, "You never know! We could all die tomorrow!" but figured that would DEFINITELY not help in the sleeping alone category. So instead, I bit my lip to hold back the laughter, agreed with her statement and tucked her into our bed.

Stripism 4

Setting: late afternoon on a rainy day, playing with Bendaroos

Strip was building a campfire out of bendaroos and went on a nine minute tangent about something and how wonderful it was. She finished her spiel by asking, "isn't that wonderful of me?!" to which I replied, "Oh yes! Thank you!"

Strip: Don't thank me, thank the Lord!

I giggled and said, "Ok, Thanks Lord!" She corrected me by saying, "No, say,'Thank you Lord for giving me this wonderful daughter!'"

Amen!

No wonder he upgrades.

I think I've only given Hubs one gift that he hasn't upgraded.

In college, I worked at a fine jewelry store. I sold many engagement rings to many men. It was then that it struck me; why is it that men are expected to purchase a pricy diamond ring, and the guys get nothing? So I figured when I got engaged, I'd buy my future Hubs something nice as well. When Hubs popped the question, he got a Rolex a few days later and has been happily wearing it ever since.

Oh no, make that 2. For his wedding gift, I had a pair of cuff links hand-engraved with the UGA arches. He kept those, too.

So one birthday, he really wanted a shuffle so he could run with music. So what do I get him? A shuffle. What does he do? Trade it in on a nano, purchased the nike + thing and, of course, had to get the shoes to go with them.

Then, I SUPER surprise him the next Christmas and get him a PS3 with an extra controller and 5 bluray discs. Great right? Even better, apparently, is going out and buying 2 extra games and a guitar hero guitar (on a side note, I ROCK at G.H., so much so that Hubs was forced to also buy Rock Band because he was convinced he could school me on drums. I also rock at Rock Band. All instruments).

His birthday is right after Christmas, so I feel like he always gets the shaft on gifts. Plus, gift exchange wasn't exactly even Christmas before last so when I spotted a Kegerator in Costco, I knew I had the golden ticket. I put off impulse buying it, then talked myself into buying it three days later, but when I called the woman said, "Sorry we just sold it!" It? It! There was an "it" in a box, but the floor model was still there! I'm still in the game! "So you still have the floor model?" I ask and she quickly responded, "Um no we sold that one, too...." I wanted to shout, "LIAR!!" but figured I would just scoot over there the next day.

Strip's last day of school, Nugget and I went to Costco and behold! There was the last Kegerator! And it was marked down! I looked around and resisted the urge to lick it, claiming it as my own. I did park Nugget, in the cart, in front of it while I flagged the nearest employee to cart it off for me.

I did the happy dance all the way home and was trying to figure out how I was going to hide it until Father's Day. Then I remembered we would be at the beach for Father's Day, so I'd have to give it to him right before we left and he wouldn't be able to "play" with it until we got back. Or, I could give it to him when we got back, but Hubs has a crazy travel schedule, so I thought I'd just REALLY surprise him and give it to him now!

He loved it! Had that baby up and running, chilling a keg in no time. And it's been great, we've loved it. With the minor exception that it's plugged into an outlet that is on a funky breaker, so we have to watch the power outages, it's been great.

But...

We've noticed the temp has been slowly creeping up. And the manual temp gauge on the outside won't adjust. No worries. Costco takes EVERYTHING back, but I wanted to try to fix it first.

I called Danby to see if there was a part or something I could order and the nice lady said since I had my receipt, I could call the repair man in our area, show him the receipt, and they could fix it for free! Yay!

I called the number and left a message. 20 minutes later, the service center called to apologize, but they haven't serviced Danby products in 2 years and "apparently, it's just too difficult for them to take our name off our list..." and then went into a three minute rant about it.

Ookie dookie.

I called back and got another number. That number was forward to another number...in Boston. I doubt Boston would scoot someone out to me for a Keg repair, so I call back and ask for at LEAST 2 numbers. Other 2 don't service that company's warranty repairs either. Notice a trend? My opinion now? They sell expensive poop that breaks so often, even the warranty repair people are sick of dealing with them.

Ugh. I finally find an awesome gift and it self destructs. So we are chugging keg beer at our house! All are welcome to join! And I'm sure after I return this to Costco, Hubs will find a double tap kegerator or one that comes with a beer wench to fetch him a fresh pint, just to keep the upgrade theme going.

Cheers!

What would the church preschool say to this?!

Strip has a bag that has this saying on it. I'm feeling a wee bit too lazy to go snap a picture, so I googled it, and voila! Someone makes cups that say it on there, too! Adorable!

Well, we are back from the beach and I *think* we've officially grandparent detoxed the kids. It's nice to get back into the grove of things, even if "normal life" doesn't include a margarita on the beach at 10:30 AM.

One thing Strip (and now Nugget) love is role playing. Earlier today, Strip was calling me "Your Highness," and asked if it was ok if she called me that.

Me: You can call me that, but that's what you call a queen.

Strip: ok?

Me: And I'm not a queen.

Strip: thinking for a minute Ok. I can call you that.

Me: Why?

Strip: Well, I'm a princess, and I'm your daughter, so you have to be a queen.

Simple enough!

Today she traded in "your highness" for "ma'am" because I was the waitress, and they were the customers. This entailed me reading them the specials for the day (whatever they were having for lunch/dinner with their choice of fruit, veggie and beverage) and taking their orders.

For dinner, they were dining at our very exclusive Restaurant al Fresco aka the deck. I went outside to read the specials and took their orders, ladies first.

I'll have the toasted cheese sandwich, cut like a flower (if you can't do that, please let me know and I'll pick something else), with oranges and baby carrots. And to drink, I'd like a margarita, hold the tequila.

Nice. Glad I have one who will just say no, but I'm hoping this order doesn't carry into the kindergarden lunch line.