BTW... I love that pic below, Circe. haha

I thought for sure I'd be spending today in the hospital having a new little baby... not so far, no such luck. So many people have told me "it will be the 21st!" so I thought that it just had to be! So many have said it! PLUS its turned cold today. Freezing cold. From 80 degrees yesterday to 40 something today plus the blistery wind. Of course I'd go into labor on a cold day and have to 'weather' the storm! Yep... nope, not me! I'm hanging tough! I also thought it would be today because I didn't want to spend Thanksgiving in the hospital. Sure fire way of getting tossed in the bed to have a baby. Nope. Still nothing.

So, I guess I'll get to eat 20 little Thanksgiving snacks on Thanksgiving instead of a big dinner. I dont have room for all that food!

I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving and keep warm!!!

Jackhammers & Strobe Lights

On our last day of this abbreviated work week and at one week shy of five months, I am once again driving my repaired GP. I was curious as to how I’d feel about that but it actually felt extremely good and very comfortable and I was pleased to be back in the dark gray leather saddle. Sometimes it takes driving a bare-bones, no-frills kinda car to appreciate the additional bells and whistles that exist in newer models. It was so nice to know what speed I was traveling at for a change and to not have to go through the extra effort of lowering my eyeballs to view just how fast I was going. I didn’t have to throw the flopping seat belt back into the interior every single time I exited and it was lovely to check my makeup in the lighted mirror on the visor. Ah, it’s good to be spoiled again. :)

Usually our Grand Exalted Poobah waits until today to graciously bestow on we unworthy peons a shorter workday. It won't be happening this year and I partly blame myself. *sad face* Our new Grand Exalted Poobah's assistant was unaware of the need for tactful silence as questioning His Highness in regards to this ticklish matter has only ever led to a firm "no." Therefore the deed was done with the expected outcome. I should have warned her but I didn't think of it in time and I am deeply regretful of my lack of appropriate action.

It's cold in here. And the light in the hallway keeps wildly flickering. I'd call maintenance but why? Like they are going to come over here and do any actual work on this blustery day before the holiday. HA! And this morning as I was trying to explain something to our courier, there was a noisy jackhammer going in the background making communication impossible. Jackhammers and strobe lights. And no early leaving. Yeah, welcome to Chaos College.

For all my fellow Americans, I’d like to wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving and for our international crowd, have a terrific weekend! See you back here on Monday...

OK Corral

This past weekend we hosted a party at the bowling alley for P's birthday and to help me wrestle all the boys in the hood, I recruited help from Richard and my sis.

Here's them 'helping'.

Isn't That What Your Hand Is For?

Sometimes, I like to catch up on the celebrity gossip. Ok, daily I try to catch up. lol But dang! THIS!!! How weird can this be!?!?

A man caught having sex with his bicycle!?!?!? lmao!

Wouldn't that hurt!?!?

Raucous Reminder

Thankfully, the visit with Dr Drill is over and the molar feels much better. I had minimal discomfort for the remainder of the day though the Grand Poobah did inform me I was as white as a ghost. I shall attempt chewing on it later. (Don’t want to rush it, mind you.)

This morning kicked off with a rare, unannounced fire drill. I thought I was back in elementary school as we all herded out in a timely manner and shivered in the morning chill (30 degrees) to the sound of the persistent, shrieking alarm. While I remembered my purse, my cell phone was inadvertently abandoned in the unexpected flight. More importantly, I totally forgot to flush out “M” and “Cowgirl” ensconced in the cobwebbed corners of our back offices thus leaving them to die a fiery death. Ooops! They really need to postpone these drills until I’ve had my second cup of coffee at which point my fuzzy brain is fully engaged. I profusely apologized to their charred 'corpses' upon my return. The 'corpses' retorted that in retaliation, they pushed the Beast out of its parking spot and into the road. I promised to remember them next time. :)

After this dental dip in my abbreviated work week, today’s outlook is bright and promising for several reasons. A. I have my regular hair appointment to get the ole locks trimmed up and shipshape. B. The boss is blissfully gone. And C. It feels like a Friday for Chaos College as tomorrow is Okieville’s one hundredth birthday and state employees are set free to friskily frolic amongst the fallen leaves and enjoy a three-day weekend. Woo hoo! I smugly inquired if Mz Federal Employee (sis) had the day off and received a negative reply. Ha! For once, State beat Federal in having a holiday off. Go State!

The Topfive.com’s Signs You've Become Too Involved with an Appliance

• You keep the microwave's clock set to the exact hour and minute you first spotted it in the Best Buy Scratch 'n' Dent section.
• Ninety percent of your body is covered with *perfectly* round hickeys.
• Your refrigerator is wearing a tiger-print thong and assless chaps.
• Every time you walk by your fax machine, it spits out another copy of the restraining order telling you to stay 500 feet away.
• You saved a lock of its first carpet lint in a scrapbook.
• The Radio Shack guys start stacking up the boxes of D-cells as soon as you pull up outside.
• "Do you, Frank, take serial #57-44521RV, to have and to hold..."

Work Sucks

So much happened today I can't possibly write about all of it. However, there is just one thing I'd love to say...

I hate working with liars and people who are untrustworthy and only out for themselves and ready to throw you under the bus and not bat an eye. Especially when they are in your same department!

ALL of us see the little game he's playing and the little plan he has... why can't everyone understand what's going on!? It's so obvious!

Oh well... it will come out in the wash. Oh yes, it will! One way or another we will take this man out!

Drill Master

“It just goes to show you, it’s always something.” Remember that memorable quote from Roseanne Roseannadanna, the character Gilda Radner played so well on the old SNL? Lately for me it’s been tooth trouble and more specifically a pesky molar that has decided to hook up with the dark side. Basically, my gums in this particular spot receded causing decay to get up under the crown and cause problems. Adding to the turmoil is my switching of dentists in midstream. A temporary crown was inserted last week but as I still cannot chew on this tooth, the obvious solution is the terror-inducing root canal which is what I’ll be facing tomorrow morning. *sigh* Oh well. At least “drill masters” aren’t the horrendous Mr. Hyde’s they were in years past and modern dentistry has come a long way in reducing pain. While I cannot say I’m happy about this turn of events, I’m not really dreading it and will be ecstatic to be viewing it from the rear view mirror.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

If you want your fortune so bad, maybe you should consult those tea leaves again—the way you did last week. You didn't think the stars knew about that, did you?

Scorpio October 24 - November 21

When life gives you lemons, why not blame them on your troubled upbringing and consequent inability to show affection? It sure beats making lemonade.

I'm Really a Smuggler

Being preggers can be a trial sometimes. When I'm not comfortable (no one is comfortable) or when I can't sleep (no one gets to sleep) or when I have cravings (we all have to give into the craving) or you get the picture. Through this whole time, Richard has busted his hump to make me comfortable and happy and ... well you understand where i'm going with that too.

The hardest thing is getting bigger. Not fitting into any clothes and here in the last few weeks it seems like it just keeps growing and growing... and it does! Babies put on alot of weight right before they are born. This weekend while we were grocery shopping, I was looking at my profile every time we passed one of the freezer doors at the store... and making comments. About 3 or 4 doors into it, Richard finally stepped in between me and the door so I couldnt see myself and gently explained (again) that it's not fat. It's baby!

Here's us with our babies at 37 weeks.



The guys think I look like i'm smuggling a basketball, so Richard put his basketball in to look like me! haha

Lady Lumps

I think it's great that JLo is finally in the preggers way. I guess she's tried for some time to have kids and she's finally fessed up that she's preggers. However.... can she wear anything else besides a dang moo-moo! I mean dayum! That is all we see her in and it makes her look like a f'ing barn!


She used to dress so snazzy. Now she wears tents in all colors and they are long long long! Why try to hide the bump!?!?

Cell-Ulitis

I must possess one of the most well-behaved cell numbers in phone history. The same cannot be said for TBC or sis. Several times now, sis has received texts from guys that want to hook up with her and refuse to believe she’s not the gal they are trying to reach. In September she was in OKC spending the night before taking Jellybean to the airport to catch her early morning flight. Sleep was at a premium but Mr Hot & Horney was bound and determined to score with his elusive consort and kept up the mobile pressure. As a last resort, sis insisted he call her to prove she was not his playful amante and he finally ceased and desisted after the truth trickled its way through his thick skull.

As you all know TBC’s piss-poor luck with mobile numbers continued unabated. Last month, I called Ma Bell and switched his number and was given the solemn promise they were brand spanking new digits that had never been fondled by human hands. Wrong! If you recall, that very night he received a misdialed number at the ungodly hour of 2 am. True, the party wanted (Renee to Erica) had changed, but wrong calls/texts continued on an alarmingly regular basis. Admittedly, the desperate pleas to be bailed out of jail desisted, but still. The most surprising recent text was the proud announcement from what I can only assume was a female proclaiming her upcoming motherhood. Obviously very bored, TBC played along by asking her if it was his. She said yes! (He’s fixed). After several back and forth texts, she called and was told she had the wrong number prompting the immediate missive “a man answered.” Finally TBC broke down and told her it was him all along and she had dialed a wrong number. Yet again I reached out and touched AT&T to secure a third number for him. This last customer rep, Wesley, swore on a stack of well-thumbed Bibles that this indeed was a virgin number. Third time's the charm, right?…

Show Me Your Pearly Whites

I get a newsletter from my dentist every so often, and tonights info was very interesting....

Smiles are an interesting feature of everyone’s life. Everyone has one, but everyone feels differently about their own. Consider a few interesting facts about smiles:.

• 62 - Number of times a day the average woman smiles.
• 8 - Number of times a day the average man smiles.
• 63% - Percentage of people who say they look best in photos when they are showing their teeth.
• 99.7% - Percentage of adults who say an attractive smile is an important personal asset.
• 74% - Percentage of people who say that an unattractive smile can hurt a person's chances for business or career success.
• 23% - Percentage of people who say they look the best with their mouth closed.

Mark Twain once wrote, "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been!" The act of smiling is a very uncomplicated and important human activity. It really isn't important that your smile be perfect- but that you feel good about it and you give it away! If your stingy with your smile because it’s something less than what you want it to be, we can help - Smiles are what we do best.

Guys never smile!!! I am always smiling. Unless, of course, i'm not. I know I at least do it 62 times a day. Tomorrow i'm going to count. Well, actually this might not be a fair time to test that theory... bein's how i'm having a hard time sleeping at night and I can't breath very easily. Maybe it's best to save the test for another time.

Another Baby Day

Our sunday school class held a little baby shower for us this weekend. Check out that cake! It was so cute that I didnt want to cut it! It was too perfect and looked... well, not real! It was beautiful! Angela finally talked me into letting them disassemble it and dig in.


Lil November got her first Christmas stocking and a stocking hat to match.


She also got a fun (noisy) Noah's Ark toy to play with... complete with lights, sound and action. It follows her Noah's Ark nursery theme.


After the shower, my mom, sis and I treated ourselves to pedicure's at the spa. My little lady, who was the sweetest little Asian girl, asked me if I wanted something on my toe. I'd told mom's girl to put a flower on hers (giggle) but then they asked me something about mine. I had no idea what she was saying, so I just smiled and nodded. Scared to death of what I might get... she put rhinestones on me! I got bling!!!

Ghosts and Goblins

I just realized that neither of us did a Happy Halloween entry!

Welp, Happy Belated Halloween!

I hope everyone had fun... I did! I ate too much candy though, so i'm on a cleansing diet today.

Engine Envy

TBC and I seem to possess a fleet of vehicles and are therefore never without transportation should the unexpected (car accident) occur. Basically, we have double the vehicles to people ratio. Therefore, for the majority of October and some of September, I’ve been driving The Beast. *reverential moment as we bask in its awesome glory* The Beast was and still is a very popular muscle car that inspires lust and envy in every red-blooded American male gearhead within a fifty or possibly even hundred mile radius. I watch the heads swivel around and jaws drop in wonderment when I whiz by, and it’s with mixed emotions that I realize it’s not Mz Circe’s contours that are causing all the fuss and commotion. I realize there are a few minor accessories that no longer work such as the horn, the clock, the radio, and most recently, the speedometer, but it still looks and sounds magnificent.

Monday afternoon, one of the construction guys stops at my door and inquires if I’m the proud owner of The Beast. So we chatted for awhile about what a terrific car I own and I cheerfully rattle off its stats and background. A little later he pops his head in again and declares that it was almost backed into by their trailer. And laughs. At which point I solemnly proclaim that if even one drop of its primer paint is harmed, I will cheerfully and single-handedly throttle him within an inch of his careless life. By God, that’s a classic car, people! I’ve since changed my parking spot to avoid possible mishaps and believe me, he noticed and asked me about it. Duh! You almost plowed into my baby, ya dolt, of course I’m going to change spaces! Anyway, I guess we are good buddies now as every time he saunters down our hallway, which is often, (just when does that boy do any physical labor anyway?) he tosses remarks and money offers for it my way or stops and chats. For some reason he thought I was a Packers fan and said something about that team winning the game Monday night. My puzzled look caused him to question my football loyalties by which I then pointed to my Browns mousepad. This saucy pup retorted that if I was a Packers fan and owned The Beast, he would give TBC a run for his money. *snorts coffee out nostrils* I warned him to enjoy the view while he can as my preshus GP should be out of the shop soon and it’ll be goodbye Beast. :)

Power User

I have just been awarded the Yahoo! Power user reward.

I'm a Yahoo! Power Mailer!

Power Users are the heaviest and most frequent users of Yahoo! Mail and were selected by Yahoo! to participate in this pilot program. These users spend an incredible amount of time using Yahoo! Mail, so the Power User program is our way of thanking them.

That is awesome.

Bruiser Bears

(love these costumes...)


In other news: I finally won my first FFB matchup. After eight
l o o o o n g weeks. And I beat the No. 1 team in the league. And I had the highest score of anyone. Ah, victory is sweet... *sigh* :) Go Teddybears!!!
(and the Browns won last Sunday)

The Top God Billboards We'd Like to See

• You're going to hell! Ask me how.
• Stop that fighting or I'll turn this planet around right now!
• My son has no middle name, let alone initial. If you're gonna blaspheme, get it right.
• Actually, on the seventh day I went to Wal-Mart.
• Change your ways. Or don't you consider telemarketers a pestilence?
• I made you in my image -- so pull up those pants, you little punks!

Sharpies in All Colors

This weekend I got my hair colored and I'm going this weekend for a pedicure. I'm getting all prettied up to have lil November :) haha... as if it all makes a difference. But at least I'll know my toes look good and my hair is a new color!

Here's me at 35 weeks and a new shade of hair!


Another shot of the new do...


Can you guess what this is!?!?


Did I fail to mention that my sister did my hair... and afterwards we got a little bored and she came up with the brilliant idea of drawing on my tummy. She guaranteed me that the sharpies would have NO affect on Lil November (as it does us... sniff sniff). If you look closely, you can see my scar right about my belly button, where my belly button ring used to be. Looks funny... ahhaha

With This Ring

It can be tricky trying to dress for a funeral and wedding but I felt I pulled it off with a certain grace and aplomb. I opted for a fancy dark plum blouse with a black skirt and low black heels. After the funeral rites, TBC and I hopped in the car and sped toward the structurally pleasing backdrop of the cowboy-themed, chilly, outdoor October nuptials. Knowing this family well, I expected one glorious affair and was far from disappointed. The blushing bride was resplendent in a gorgeous, strapless ivory confection complete with a dazzling tiara atop her golden curls and cascading veil. Groomsmen sported cowboy hats along with semi-formal attire and I suppose it was anxious nerves that kept those bridesmaids from breaking out in a massive epidemic of goosebumps while wearing their chocolate-hued, bare-shouldered creations. After the ceremony, we headed inside to enjoy the tasteful elegance of the meticulously decorated site. Always a hit, I gobbled down many a gooey, drenched strawberry baptized in the chocolate fountain holding court on the groaning appetizer table. From there we entered the dining room where boxes of fancy chocolates awaited each seated guest. Catered by a local BBQ restaurant, we supped on brisket, twice-baked potatoes, green beans, and rolls washed down by either water, pop, or a nice selection of mixed drinks and beer. I chose the Heineken. :) There was dancing and laughter as the jovial crowd kicked up their spit-shined, polished boots and a good time was had by all. I do love a good wedding!


Beautiful centerpieces



Pink-hued H20 fountain



Yummy wedding cake



Grooms cake depicting the groom’s vehicle. Why does it always resemble turds?

The Great Quizitation

I’ve found my ginormous baby belly to be an attractor of less that desireable people. It’s like it’s a big neon sign for total strangers… and those which you’d rather not touch you… to feel compelled to spark up a conversation with you and ask all kinds of personal questions. Throughout this little pregnancy all kinds of total strangers have stopped me and asked all kinds of questions. When is your baby due? Do you know what you’re having? What are you going to name it? Is this your first? Are you going to breast or bottle feed? Are you going back to work? Are the kids excited? and the list goes on and on and on….

What prompts me to write this is the latest quizzer. The Wal-Mart greeter lady.

I walked in the door this weekend and was greeted by an unusually friendly greeter with her usualy “welcome to Walmart”… I smiled and grabbed a basket and proceeded on my way. She walked swiftly towards me and said “ohhhhhh… when’s it due?” (thinking IT is Lil November and I do not want to discuss this yet again! and especially with you!) I told her in a couple of weeks and tried to keep walking. She was smiling her gnarly toothed grin and kept right on going with the usual list of questions. Is this your first?! NO! Is it a girl or boy? Girl. And I keep going…. and she keeps following me! So, I stopped and turned to face her in hopes to shut her up so I can get on my way (I really hate Wal-Mart) and I’ll be darned if she didnt head straight for me with hands stretched out like she really was going to start rubbing my tum! There was no way in the world that Wal-Mart greeter lady was going to touch me! I grabbed my basket and darted away from her and she kept talking and asking questions. Are you excited? Yes! (you’d think with my one word answers and the fact i’m walking AWAY from her might let her know that maybe I dont want to make any sort of conversation with her… but she’s so excited she’s glowing). She finally tossed out another question and I just smiled and literally ran to the nearest bathroom to lock myself in a stall.

This close attack follows on the heels of another quizzing experience while exiting the baby doctor office building a week ago. Some strange (emphasis on strange) lady (minus about 4 front teeth) proceeded to quiz Richard and I. She started in with the same darn questions and even though we kept walking away from her she kept screaming out question after question and grinning from ear to ear with excitement like she was going to be a grandma or something. I'm not sure what she was doing... maybe a janitor that worked there or something, and was waiting for a ride.

Why do people think they can ask all these questions and don’t they realize that some of them are rather personal!?!? I know little babies are exciting and all.... but dang! Its nine (well, not actually because if you're lucky you can hide the baby bump for quite a while thus delaying the quizzitation experiences) months of constant questioning and its the same thing over and over. I should just have a pamphlet printed up with all the questions and my answers.. and just pass it out as i'm attacked by baby loving strangers.

Glamorous

I'm having a jewelry party today! It stresses me out (somewhat) to have a house full of people ... mostly those I dont know... and to host a party. My friend Tanya and I went to a Premier Jewelry party a couple of months ago and we decided we'd host a party of our own. Today is the big day....

PLUS last night Richard and I went to a Ribbon cutting ceremony for a friends new business downtown and I invited tons of people and told them to bring their mom and sisters, aunts and friends. So who knows who might show up!

I have plenty of tea and lemonade though. Richard helped me clean, and Tanya is bringing cookies. OH and the bathrooms are clean. Thats always important at a party. haha