BOY TRAPPED

Where the inside of my mind leaks onto the screen.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Help Settle an Important Debate

When it comes to toilet paper, do you fold, or do you crinkle? Please vote at my friend's site:

http://davidandkristenkane.blogspot.com/2008/11/fold-vs-crinkle-revisited.html

Friday, November 21, 2008

A Bit of History

I saw this tag on Christy Henrie's blog, and I learned so much about her reading it, so I thought it would be fun to give you all an insight into Kirk & me.

1. Where did you meet?
On the internet. Yep. Match.com

2. What was the first thought that went through your head when you met?
I'm going to go with when we met in person here... I was so flustered because there had been some issues with getting the date going. We were supposed to double with my friends, but they had car trouble so I had to go pick them up. Kirk beat me back to my parents house, so he was already chatting with my parents and sister when I got there. I mostly remember thinking, "Ok, stop talking now so we can go..."

3. Do you remember what he was wearing?
I don't. I know he looked good, but I have no clue what he was wearing.

4.Where was the first time you kissed this person?
On my parents' front porch (on our first date)

5. Where did you go for your first date?
We went to the Old Spaghetti Factory (or something like that). We've only been there once since, so I'm not sure if that's what is is called. We also went bowling. Again, I don't know the name of the place. Wow, I'm not that great at this!

6. How long did you know this person before you became a couple?
About 48 hours. The day after our first date, he came with me and my family to a region conference at the conference center, then he had Sunday dinner with us. On Monday, I met his family, and he told me he loved me. It was pretty much over for us by then. :)

7. How did he ask you out?
He didn't really. I said to him (via IM), "So when are you going to ask me out." Then he asked me out. Kinda lame, I know.

8. Has this person ever proposed to you?
Unofficially, he proposed one week after we met. We were up in Logan visiting some of my friends, and we were just kinda hanging out. Ok, we were making out. He asked me to marry him, and I didn't really answer him. About an hour later, out of the blue, I said, "Yes."
Officially, he proposed 3 weeks after we met. We were on our weekly Thursday lunch date at my parents' house. I was making Ramen Noodles. I turned around and saw him kneeling down. I thought he was making fun of my height (I'm pretty short), until I saw the ring.

9. Do you and this person have kids together?
Yes. We specialize in boys. Adam is almost 4, and Alex is 1 1/2.

10. Have you ever broken the law with this person?
No.

11. When was the first time you realized that you liked this person?
Probably the first time we IMed each other. We had so much to talk about, and he seemed so witty.

12. Do you get along with his family?
Yes! Even though it sometimes seems like we have very little in common, we all get along great. The Fifes have welcomed me in as one of their own.

13. Do you trust this person?
Obviously. I mean, he knows where I sleep.

14. Do you see him as your partner in your future?
FOREVER

15. What is the best gift he gave you?
Besides the obvious (my kids), the best gift is one he actually hasn't even gotten me yet. We recently decided to not get each other gifts for Christmas this year (to save some money), and later we were talking about what we had planned to get each other. I was so proud of myself because I was going to get him a GPS for his car (he's been talking about wanting one). He asked me if I wanted to know what he was going to get me. I was honestly surprised he was even thinking about it yet. He then told me that he was going to get me a cedar chest. I've only mentioned it to him once or twice that I would love to have a cedar chest, and I was floored that he'd even remembered. Not only that, but he had talked to my mom about it, and had even discussed that maybe someday my mom would pass down her cedar chest, which belonged to her mother. Just knowing that Kirk wanted to get me that means just as much as actually getting it.

16. What is one thing he does that gets on your nerves?
Only one? J/K. Kirk is actually really easy to be around. It does get on my nerves when he leaves things on the counter, but he's been a lot better about that lately.

17. Where do you see each other 15 years from now?
Hopefully we'll be in our dream home with some financial stability including a retirement fund. We'll be getting ready to send Adam on a mission. Hopefully, Kirk will be getting close to his dream of teaching high school math.

18. What causes the most arguments?
Stupid stuff. Like "What was the name of that actress," or the meaning of words, or who said what and who didn't listen. Fortunately, the internet solves most of our arguments.

19. How long have you been together?
Almost 8 years!

20. Are you Married?
Yep.

21. Who do you tag?
Anyone who wants to partcipate.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

TROUBLE

We've always joked that Alex's middle name is Trouble. Now I'm considering having it legally changed. Right now he's really into the idea of washing his hair. Here's a list of things he's washed it with lately:


Bath and Body Works hand soap (from my guest bathroom)

Conditioner (from my bathroom)

Ranch dressing (at dinner)

Oil-based white paint (Uncle Tony had been painting downstairs)


--AND THE MOST RECENT SHAMPOO IS --
Blue paint (while I was painting my bedroom)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Why Do I Always Argue?

I'm pretty sure some of my friends are going to start blocking me from their blogs, and I'm pretty sure my husband might just stop talking to me all together. Why is it so hardwired into me to have to argue every little point and to always have to be right? I remember when I was a kid that it always drove my mom crazy how I would pick stupid little arguments with my sisters all the time, and I've carried that annoying trait right on into adulthood.

I guess the point is, if you post something political/thought provoking/philosophical on your blog, I'm probably going to argue your point. Not because I think you're wrong, and not because I'm trying to be mean. I just like to argue. Sorry.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Straight Into Winter

It only took a half hour to get all the kids bundled up and ready to go outside. They'd been out there for maybe 5 minutes when Kaleb said, "Hey, Aunt Andrea, can we make a snowman?" My first answer was, "No." I had no shoes on, let alone snow gear. He persisted, "Why not?" "Well," I answered lamely, "I'm not even sure I can find any gloves." The words sounded hollow even as I said them. I had no good excuse to not put on my awesome snow bibs (yeah, they look JUST like the kids') and get out there to make a snowman. Adam helped with the base, Ryan did the belly, and Kaleb made the head all by himself. We are always swimming in suckers here, so we used tootsie pops to create the face and buttons. Have you ever seen a snowman with purple eyes?
I knew I better take a picture quick, because I'm pretty sure these kids will have just as much fun knocking him down as they did setting him up. But if you ask me how this snowman will meet his demise, my money is on Alex tipping him over while trying to eat his buttons.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Ripping the Band-Aid Off

There's a lot to be said for ripping the band-aid off quickly, thereby combining the pain of fifty hairs being ripped out into only a moment of suffering. Unfortunately, my day was like painstakingly pulling the band-aid off one hair at a time.

It started when I left this morning to go work for my dad. I got into my truck and couldn't help but notice that my passenger window was shattered. I wasn't sure whether I should suspect foul play or if it was just some crazy thing that had happened. I stopped to get the mail, and I started to notice the static noise coming from the radio that indicates that I'm trying to listen to my iPod but haven't actually turned it on. (Side note here, I notice things very slowly. I'm sure any normal person would have noticed everything at once). I went to push "play" on my iPod and discovered that there was no iPod in sight.

Ok, so foul play it is, and my iPod, its adapter thingy that plugs into a cigarette lighter, and my car charger for my phone are gone. Great. Well, I think to myself, I really shouldn't have left my iPod in the truck in the first place, so there's really no one to blame but me.

Then I start to realize that what's strange about my shattered window is that my truck doors were unlocked. I'm not one much for routines like locking vehicles. Apparently, the theif didn't bother to even try the doors before smashing in my window.

Fastforward several hours to when I'm talking to my brother about his costume. (Another side note, my brother went as Hitler, and his costume was made from an old US Army shirt and his scout shirt. I hope he didn't get struck down by lightning tonight.) He asked about Adam's costume, and I told him I could show him some pictures on my camera... "which is sitting on the front seat of my..." My heart sinks. I go out to the truck and search for what I know I won't find. My camera - complete with pictures of Adam putting a spider ring on the finger of his brand new "cousin" Brielle's hand - complete with a little video I took of Adam singing at his school yesterday - complete with irreplaceable memories (though thankfully not too many of them, since I am diligent downloader of pics) - is gone.

Later, I start to think that it was really weird how Adam & Alex's shoes were sitting on the backseat. I swear they had been in the diaper bag. And I swear I had put the diaper bag on the backseat. And I swear I didn't bother to take it in the house last night. And I swear, the idiot who didn't bother to check for unlocked doors stole my diaper bag. Whatever. At least he was kind enough to take my boys' shoes off the top and leave me those.

Fastforward again several hours to a time when I'm managing to ignore all the hairs pulled from my arm throughout the day... I'm getting my kids ready to go trick-or-treating, and I start gathering Adam's clothes. At this point I realize that his pants and shirt were in the diaper bag, because he'd worn them to school yesterday and changed at Aunt Marie's. The idiot who stole my diaper bag stole half of my three year old's costume.

As far as the costume was concerned, all he needed was black pants and a white shirt, which we were able to borrow. But beyond the scheme of Halloween, those black pants were part of his church suit, and the white shirt was his dress shirt. So I'm now left with an adorable black-on-black pinstripe suit, sans pants. I can't for the life of me remember what Alex was wearing yesterday, but whatever it was is gone, too.

I am fairly certain that the last few hairs were ripped from my skin with the discovery of the missing suit pants. I really hope the band-aid is off. I really hope tomorrow will be a better day.