WHAT is your quest?

The same quest I have found myself on for the past two Septembers: To find a fall/winter shoe for my son. Preferably void of cartoon characters and lights. Velcro is a must since though I am gifted with various super powers, the Ability to Tie My Son's Shoes Within the Nanosecond He is Actually Still is not one of them.

This year was surprisingly painless. Maybe I actually have learned from the past and I managed to begin my quest early enough in the season that there were actual choices.

So now Jacob has his "winter shoes". Which he proudly displayed to each and every person--twice--at church this morning (it's a small church). And I managed it all without so much as a flesh wound. For those who know my loathing of shopping--that in itself is a miracle. Uuu...maybe even a new super power. Sweet.

Ahem...there's some exciting news over here...

We managed to complete the bathroom (insert thunderous applause here). Well, mostly completed. The door frame still needs to go back on, the window trim repainted and the ceiling replaced. But other than all of that--it's done. And ya know what? Husband and I realized that we make a pretty good team. And for a couple of people whose skill level was "Clueless", we done pretty darn good!

So, wanna see it? I figured you would. So I put together this here little video montage of the project--before and after pictures. I know, I know. I'm a movie geek--this is what I do. Well, in between home improvement projects, wifeing, parenting and keeping a diabetic cat alive. There's loads of free time in there for my other side job--you know, the one I actually went to college for? Yeah, that one.

All right, Kids, break out the popcorn, turn down the lights, put the children to bed, sit back and enjoy--Adventures In Home Improvement...



Some stills of the "after" shots. For stunningly painful "before" shots check out the side bar over there...Cry Havoc has the beginning of this epic adventure. And, yes, Sean and I did 100% of the work ourselves. My dad helped with some of the destruction in the beginning, but other than that--all us. Yippee. On this side of things, pretty darn satisfying. At the beginning, middle and two weeks ago--not so much.

Reader appriciation night!

Not only do I have the coolest readers in the whole blogosphere--I'm positively giddy that everyone chose to play today and left comments in pirate speak! Yea! I take back the "scurvy dogs" comment. Yer all me mateys. Arrrg.

Anyhoo...one of these fabulous people left me an award. I do believe it's my first. So, thanks Suburbia! And right back atcha.

Let's see...there are rules attached to this thing and even though I really don't like doing what I'm told, since this is a pretty nifty award, I'll play nicely.

Rules...
1. Link to the giver. Check.
2. Nominate up to seven fabulous blogs. Check.
3. Leave messages notifying them of their fabulousness. I'm working on it!

Ahem...I here by bestow this award on Sean (well, I have to, don't I? Because that would just be wrong if I didn't), Marit, Melanie, Tina, Amy, Gina (now that you've decided to blog again :D). Eric should get one of these also because it's my son's favorite site--he always asks to go look at the planes!

Each of you help me through my day, so....thanks!

Avast! Ye scurvy dogs...

Arrr...it be International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

So, you know...talk like a pirate (just say "Arrr" a lot) and tell lots of pirate jokes like these:

How much was the pirate selling his corn for?
A buck an ear...Buccaneer? Get it?

What are pirates using these days to stay in touch?
The AyePhone.

And you can develop your own pirate profile complete with name here.

My pirate name? Mary the Butcher and apparently I look good in spandex. Hmmm...maybe it is the pirate's life for me!

Oh, and the pirate flag? That one was Anne Bonny's colors. Arrr...

just watch, okay?

There, be Dragons!

"Mommy, he just wouldn't quit!"

"Who, Sweetie? Who wouldn't quit?"

All my paranoias kicking in--Someone was after my son!

"The dragon! He kept trying to get me!"

Ah. So it's going to be one of those days, is it?

"I was fighting him and fighting him. And I had forgot to leave the window open so he could escape. But he just kept trying to get me and he just wouldn't quit!"

Rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he made his way down the stairs this morning, excitedly relaying his story. Kitty tucked securely under one arm and his other arm doing double duty as he holds his flashlight and steadies himself on his descent. Dinosaur jammies slightly askew--no doubt due to the fierce battle with the relentless dragon.

"Well? How'd you get away?" I ask incredulously.

"I kept fighting him and fighting him and then I came downstairs and opened the door Dakota uses and then he flew away."

"So that's all right then?"

I really need more coffee to handle these conversations so early in the morning.

He pauses. Then very thoughtfully asks, "Do dragons talk?"

"I'm sure they do," I answer. "Though probably not like you and I do (and who does?) but I'm sure they have their own dragon language."

"Oh. Okay. Well, this was a son dragon. He flew off to find the Mommy dragon and the baby dragon. But the baby dragon didn't talk. Because babies can't talk. Did you know that a dragon starts its life as an egg?"

Yes, I did know that.

I remember a moment of "Mommy Panic" when Jacob was a couple of months old. I spent so much of my time with him enjoying the quiet moments when he wasn't screaming and just reading my own books. Then I read somewhere (stupid child rearing books!) that I was supposed to be talking to him. They didn't tell me what about. "Just talk," they said. Sort of difficult to carry on a one way conversation. But I was so sure that my lack of chatting was going to stunt his development.

Then came the comments made by the doctor at his one year check-up and I was all, well, there ya go. See--stunted. And it's all my fault because I was unable to conversate with my two-month-old son.

Am I absolved yet? Because now I think that maybe we've gone a tad overboard on the interacting with our children.

Ah, the life of a LEO* wife...

"Can I turn the lights on?"

"No"

"How about the siren?"

"No"

"Can I play with the computer?"

"No"

Honestly, what's the point in taking a ride in the police car if I can't touch anything?

"Well, what can I do?"

"You can sit there and exercise your right to remain silent!"

Now, that was just plain rude. Is that any way for a husband to speak to his wife?

Last night was the annual MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Officer Appreciation Banquet. And my officer Husband was one of the ones being appreciated.

Neither of us was really sure of the location of the event. He had been given rather vague directions--somewhere down by the airport. As we pulled into the parking lot and faced a virtual sea of squad cars from at least a dozen different departments, we suspected we were in the right place. Either that or something was going down.

"Uuuu, if something's going down, can I have the rifle?"

"No."

And then he called me a freak. Sigh. Feel the love.

All in all it was a rather nice evening--for a shmooze event. I enjoy observing my husband and his co-workers interacting together. One on my favorite past times is to just sit back and observe the people around me. And last night there was a lot to observe. Eleven departments from surrounding counties and the State Police were represented. Good barbecue. A few speeches. The most memorable ones were from a hand full of supervisors who spoke a few words regarding their own officers receiving awards--none of them were gifted public speakers, they didn't have to be, but one could tell they respected their men and they wanted to let them know that their actions were not going unnoticed.

It was also gratifying to be there as Husband was giving some of the recognition he deserves. Especially for this. Drunks are the most unappreciative members of the "Take a Free Ride To Jail" club. They accuse him of ruining their lives. They throw up in his car and on his shoes. They inflict all sorts of verbal abuse on him. And then they hire lawyers who attempt to impune his honor and abilities as an officer in front of the judge. And yet, he goes back for more. And more. And with each one, that's one more person who doesn't die that night from being hit by an idiot who thought he or she could drive home.

Anyone who also follows his blog will know that drunks driving are one of those things he does not tolerate. At all. This was the second year in a row he was honored by MADD for his numbers in DUI arrests--Husband being the arrestER not the arrestEE (big difference). I was honored to be his date this year since I couldn't go last year.

Well, I guess it wasn't a perfect evening. There was no coffee to go with dessert. A room full of cops, and not a doughnut or cup of coffee to be found. Sheesh.


*LEO: Law Enforcement Officer