Friday, January 30, 2009

Yo-bo-say-yo!

Remember this? We got another call from a telemarketer/fund-raiser tonight. Again, Stretch answered the phone, speaking Korean. He continued to speak Korean until the guy finally gave up with "I'll call back later." But before he got to that point, he was still trying, asking for Stretch and me by our first names (as if he was a friend, hah!), and Stretch was still talking at him in Korean. The funniest part was when he said, "I don't speak Spanish."

I thought I was going to hurt myself trying not to laugh out loud.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

lookin' good!

Eww


...And today's celebrities think they get no privacy.

*Sign was on the wall of "Grossology" exhibit at our local science museum. L'il Sis PreK class had a field trip there last week.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

week 2 of basketball and the shoe quest

Stretch left the state in the early hours of the morning (oh-dark thirty to the fellow milspouses out there) so I was solo-parenting today for the basketball game.

But first... we had to get new sneakers for Big Sis. *sigh*

I really hate shopping for anything that child has to wear. Really. It's no fun for anyone. I made Stretch go with us for the first 2 forays. Last Monday it resulted in Big Sis throwing herself onto the floor of a shoe store in the beginnings of a tantrum. She's 8. I thought it was a bit much. The 2nd try was yesterday. Right after school, we met Stretch and L'il Sis at the mall. We actually ended up buying a pair but that also led to much gnashing of teeth, etc. So this morning, much against my better judgment, I took her to another discount chain (that didn't go at all well) and then after lunch I spotted a small mom-and-pop type shoe store where the proprietor was apparently retiring. We actually found a pair of sneakers there that made her (somewhat) happy. I made her wear them out of the store and threw the disintegrating and stinky pair of not-really-sneakers-more-of-a-casual-shoes away.

Then it was time for the game. Did I mention I was doing all this solo today? L'il Sis was hyper. Dang! I knew I shouldn't have fed her! (that's a bit of sarcasm before you go off and report me) Thankfully, the church's gym lets out onto a playground that only has 2 outlets, only one of which was open during the game (the gym door) so she spent some time out there when she wasn't inside inhaling popcorn.

I was really proud of Big Sis and her team. They were down 8-20 at half-time but came back to tie the game at 28-28. By the end of the game, Big Sis' cheeks were rosy and she was so sweaty that her hair was dripping. She received the gold star for Sportsmanship but told her coach they needed a new color for Sweatiest! I think next week I need to remember to take a bottle of water for her to keep on the bench and a hand towel for her dry off!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Attacked by knife-wielding Lilliputians...

...or at least that's how it felt.

I went in to get waxed today and the technician talked me into trying threading. I'd heard of it but hadn't tried it and, admittedly, was curious to try it. Really, could it be any worse than having hot wax rubbed into your face only to have it ripped off moments later, taking hair and probably some of your epidermis with it? So I nervously said okay.

Holy ouch, Batman! It felt like my face was being attacked by tiny little knives! Hmm... is it supposed to feel like that? Or am I just a total wuss? Or just a hairy wuss? By the time the thread-wielding technician reached my lip, my eyes were welling with tears. (What really added insult to injury was the fact that I abetted in my own assault while she was attacking my eyebrows by holding my eyelid down and pulling my forehead up during part of the process.)

But the sickest part of the whole experience... while it was happening, I was thinking, "I'm so gonna blog about this!"

Anybody else out there try this method of hair removal? And, if so, what did you think? I liked the result but am not so sure I'm willing to go through that again.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Basketball and polo

We've had quite the sporty weekend.  Yesterday was Big Sis' first basketball game with Upward Bound.  It was Stretch's, too.  He coached a boys team.  They both won their games.  Big Sis did a great job.  After the game, the kids are each awarded a star that irons on to their uniforms.  The stars have different colors denoting different awards:  Most Christ-like, Best effort, Best offensive player, Best defensive player, etc.  Big Sis received a star for Best offensive player this week.

Today, we went to our first polo match (hey, when in Rome...).  We didn't really know what to expect so were not fully prepared.  Lessons learned (if we go again):  bring lawn chairs, bring snacks and drinks for the kids, bring a distraction for L'il Sis (or find a babysitter for her to stay with!), and the main lesson learned was do NOT follow another car and drive across an empty polo field (hmm, I actually remarked to Stretch as I was doing this, "this grass seems too nice to drive on") or you may bring down the wrath of a very irate older man driving a golf cart.

So, our first polo experience:  It was interesting and looked more than a bit dangerous.  Actually, one of the players had his teeth knocked to a horrible angle when he was hit by a mallet.  Amazingly, they propped them up and he remounted his horse and continued to play.   During half-time, Stretch and L'il Sis went out to the field to push back divots.  They brought back chocolate-covered ice cream bars for the girls and a glass of champagne for me (both were given out on the field).  The Budweiser Clydesdales also made an appearance on the field.  

Oh, and for the sake of name-dropping, one of the polo players was Tommy Lee Jones.

Friday, January 16, 2009

and the hits keep coming...

Today, I had a dental appointment. My first since moving here. I should probably mention that I hate going to the dentist. I've gotten better about it but I still really HATE it. So I went to the dentist's office. For the most part, it was a relatively okay experience. Until the dentist started trying to sell me on (1) either getting braces or veneers (okay, my teeth aren't perfectly straight but I've gone this long and it's never bothered me); and (2) getting my teeth whitened.

Wow! I had no idea I was such a huge mess. Yes, I often go without make-up and have no clue what to do with my hair. And I'll admit that my wardrobe is severely lacking in anything remotely stylish, consisting as it does mostly of comfortable "mommy" gear. But still... I didn't realize that I needed to start wearing a bag over my head!

Then to add insult to injury, I'm told that to get my 2 wisdom teeth removed it will cost $900 (which I will have to pay upfront) and my insurance only covers $216. Oh, and the teeth whitening, which isn't covered at all, costs $550. (No costs were given for orthodontia.) All in all, I think the bag will be cheaper.

update: I guess I should mention that I have no intention of getting braces or having my teeth whitened. I might be in denial but I just don't think they are as bad as all that! At least, I don't seem to scare small children and no one has running screaming from me except my own children and I don't think they did so because of my mishapen and discolored teeth. (that's sarcasm, by the way)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Can't make this stuff up...

Coming home from basketball practice tonight, this was the conversation in the car:

Big Sis: Mom, don't you have any jewelry that you don't wear anymore?
Me (highly suspicious since Big Sis has been gathering her books and other items to sell in order to raise money for a horse, yes, a horse, and no, we are not getting a horse): Why?
Big Sis: Because you could sell it to Cash for Gold!
Me: What?!
Big Sis: Yeah, and they could turn your gold into cold, hard cash!
Me: Are you quoting a commercial?!
Big Sis: Yeah, what's wrong with that? (highly pleased with herself)

January slump

I've been meaning to post for days. Really, I have. I just have nothing to say. Must be a post-holiday slump.