Spin Cycle--Love, Love, Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, this week's Spin Cycle is all about Love.  My idea of love has changed over time.  It started out all flowers and hearts.  And with a couple of teenagers, college sweethearts if you will.

Two kids who had no idea what they were getting into.

It became a love that we were sure would endure, so we got married.

Then we went and had kids.

But even though so much has changed and we've grown, I still love him oh, so much.

I also love my kids:

Turbo

Bruiser

I have a life that's filled with love.  And I wouldn't have it any other way. Not that the 19 year old who fell for a cute guy in German class would have thought she'd be here today.
Go see Gretchen for more Love spins.

Going Random

It's Tuesday! That means it's better than Monday.  Poor Monday.  It gets such a bad rap but it does follow Sunday.  Nothing would fare well after a day off.
Now let's get on with the Random:

• Boys are noisy creatures.  Really, they can't be quiet.  It's an impossibility.  Nick and I are starting to revel in the quiet when they are gone.  It is blissfully quiet and we don't get interrupted constantly.
• I'm happy to see new episodes of Top Gear in BBC.
• I got all my laundry done this weekend.  I even got the towels folded and put away.  I rocked it.  It was the only thing I really accomplished.  
• Chocolate is necessary.  I need to get some soon--the good chocolate. 
• The winter blahs have hit.  They always do around this time of year.  Our preferred way of dealing with it is not really an option right now.  We'd normally load everyone up and go find a dirt road to drive down.  However most dirt roads around here are drifted in with snow.  So we can't do that.  And sadly, the snow amounts we have are not good enough to go skiing on. We need more snow.
• Have you seen the people who are taking a Facebook vacation?  I think people take Facebook too seriously.  I can only find so much to do on it before it gets annoying and I go do something else.
• We are a little over a month away from Spring Break.  We are headed out to California via Las Vegas and Death Valley and home via Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.  It's an epic road trip/field trip as we are going with 11-14 geology students as chaperones.  They are paying our way and we get to take the kids, so we couldn't turn that offer down.
• So who's ready for the weekend?  Turbo gets a long one.  He has a half day on Friday and Monday off.  He gets to come to work with us on Monday.  Wish I had his schedule.

So what's your random?  Go link it up with Stacy and check out the other randomers.

And go link up any post with Shawn and Impulsive for Talk To Us Tuesday.

Bleah--Can I Get a Do Over on the Weekend?

For a weekend this last one sure didn't seem like one.  A major case of the blahs hit our house. Mostly this weekend was a bust.
Friday started a bit early for us and we ducked out of work early.  We had a nice lunch with friends and then  I got new sunglasses.  I really needed them as my last good pair got stepped on before Christmas. We came home and I got a short nap before needed to go get Bruiser.
We didn't do anything else interesting Friday night. Well, there was this bottle of wine that mysteriously disappeared.

Saturday started out with a trip to the grocery store with my mom.  It was pleasant.  The kids got to spend time with Papa and Nana. Nick and I didn't really do anything while we were without kids except enjoy the quiet, question free time.
I got a hair cut.  I was supposed to get it cut Wednesday, but my hairdresser had a family emergency. So I went Saturday.

Before with hair pulled back and out of the way

After, with better shape around the face.

It started snowing while I was there.  We got about 3-4 inches out of this storm. Kinda disappointing, really.  I could have gone for much more.
Sunday dawned cold and snowy (but not nearly snowy enough).  Nick had a case of the blahs until about 1. He got some motivation, but really, I'm not sure how good that was for us.  Sunday was a weird day.  Too much beer and not enough time.
I feel like I skipped the weekend.  This Monday will be a long one anyway.  I have class that will keep me late at work.  Turbo has swimming. Yep, today will be busy and probably rushed.  Typical Monday.
A friend dropped off a cowboy hat for Bruiser this weekend.  He loves it.

How was your weekend?  Good, bad. Too snowy, not snowy enough?

Time to Confess--It's Friday!

It's time to confess.  It's Friday.  I'm so ready for Friday!  So let's confess.

• We had a geeky conversation at our house.
• About what super powers we would like to have.
• The conversations I get to have with guys in the house.
• It's supposed to snow tomorrow.
• I'm excited for the snow.
• I hope we get a significant amount.
• I need to figure out a new recipe to make.
• I'm thinking it might have to be a baked item.
• Not sure what.
• It is a wine night I think.
• I've been reading this last week.
• It's been nice.
• I like reading.
• OK, I love reading.
• I could really use some time on a beach.
• With fruity drinks brought to me. 
• By cute cabana boys.
• Definitely need some time like that.

What are your confessions for today?  Go link them up with Aubrey at High-Heeled Love.

Spin Cycle--Ugh, That's Annoying!

So the Spin Cycle this week is all about Pet Peeves.  This has been a topic  couple of times and I've written several posts on Pet Peeves.  Post 1, post 2, and post 3, wow I've done more of these than I thought I had.
Pet peeves are fluid for me.  Looking back at those posts there are some of them that still annoy me, but others have changed.  With kids the annoyances are always evolving.
Currently there are some pet peeves that do jump out at me on a daily basis:

• Bruiser has a new thing where he asks to do something cool.  Not just something, but something COOL.  How do you figure out what is cool to a four year old?  He doesn't want to do most of the things we suggest.  It's worse than living with a teenager, I think. For a teen I can assign chores, not so much with the four year old.
• Finding magic dishes.  You know, the ones that appear out of no where just as you finish a sink full of dishes.
• Turbo trying to be a beat box.  He's had this thing he does, sounding like a drum kit sort of, any way it's oh so annoying.
• Finding random socks--little boy and big boy socks--lying around on the floor and sometimes the couch.
• Slow drivers.  Not the ones who slow down for weather conditions, but the ones who think driving 5-10 miles an hour below the speed limit makes them a safer driver.  What they become is a hazard to those of us driving the speed limit.

I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them right now.  They annoy me, but not so much that I think about them all the time.
Go see Gretchen for more Pet Peeve spins.

WWTK-Sports and Stuff

Kenzie and Scriptor are asking questions again this week.  Go grab the questions and join in the fun!

1. Did you watch the Superbowl? Do you tend to like sports or do you only watch them if it is a big event or something a friend or spouse is in to? We did watch the Superbowl, but more as an excuse to get together with friends and eat snack foods.  We are not huge sports fans, except for the Olympics.
2. What is one thing you really like but cannot understand how or why other people do not? I like to fall asleep to the TV.  Not a loud movie, but more the making of or History channel shows.  Puts me right out.  And with the sleep function on the TV, it turns off by itself.  Nick, however rarely can go to sleep with the TV on.  
3. Describe/explain one thing that annoys you on daily basis. Hearing from Bruiser that he wants to do something "cool".  Almost always said in a whiny voice.  That phase is like fingers on a chalkboard for me.
4. What is one food you've been really into lately or something you have really craved at one point? We have been on a pork kick lately and I have really been craving barbecue.  We watch too much Barbecue Pitmasters.
5. Name one thing you are saving or want to save money for. A new washer.  Ours is old and while it's hanging in there, we will need a new one eventually.  It just needs to hang in there a while longer.

 Now go grab the questions for yourself and link up.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Hi everyone!  It's not Monday any more!  A whole blissful week until we have to deal with Monday again.  Not that yesterday was that bad, but still it was a Monday.
Now on to the random:

• I really hate migraines.  Especially when I can't curl up and hide and sleep it away.  I ahve a class at work I can't miss today or I'd definitely be hiding in a dark room right now.
• Turbo advanced to level seven in swimming.  He does that backstroke and front crawl well enough now to start learning fly and breast stroke. He was so excited to get to move up last night.
• Breakfast for dinner tonight.  Waffles, bacon and fruit.  Sounds pretty good.  And easy. Nick is going to go shoot archery tonight so we need an easy meal.
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is 75.  It was released 75 years ago yesterday.
• I have to remember to get valentines for Turbo to take to school.  This has been a giving year.  Turbo volunteered us to bring treats both Halloween and Christmas, and I signed up for Valentines day. No more treats until his birthday.
• And the potty adventures continue with Bruiser.  Enough said.
• Have you ever gotten a random song stuck in your head?  This morning I have the refrain from I Shot the Sheriff running thought my head and Nick had Shimmy Shimmy Koko Bop stuck in his.  I apologize if you now have either of these stuck in your head.

And that bout covers the random.  Go see Stacy for more random posts.
 

Join up with Shawn and Impulsive for Talk To Us Tuesday.

Sweetheart Swap

So I did it.  I signed up for a swap.  This one is all about having a blog sweetheart.  I get to send goodies to another blogger and my partner sends goodies to me.  Fun, right?  Right!
So Angie and Beth of Chaotic Goddess Swaps  have set this one up.  Go check it out and sign up for the good kind of mail.

I'm Not Ready for Monday

But Monday it is.  There really should be some sort of allowance given after the Superbowl.  Or move the game to Saturday.  Give Americans a day to recover. But since I don't run things, here we are facing Monday.
This last weekend was a nice one. I didn't do much housework, just minor stuff you always have to do. Grocery shopped and didn't do so good there.  Groceries are expensive. It's depressing to go to the store. Some weeks are better than others.
Nick brewed up a batch of Chocolate milk stout.  It looks like it's gonna be a good beer.  I'm looking forward to drinking it.  He also went to a Sportsman Banquet with a friend that was a benefit for the hospital.
Turbo gamed out Saturday.  Tomb Raider Legend, some Minecraft, he enjoyed the day.
Bruiser worked on going poop in the potty. Sigh, it's an ongoing process that goes on and on and on and on.
I took my mom out for errands.  We hit Kmart, Hastings (our local book/game/movies store), Game Stop, and Walmart.  It was a pleasant afternoon.
Sunday dawned early for me.  Since it started early, I got a nap.  While Bruiser napped, so did I.  I also cooked like a mad woman, so everything would be ready to take to our friends house for the Superbowl.  Chicken Wings, Artichoke dip, a veggie platter were our contributions.  There were meatballs, little smokies, and bacon wrapped jalapenos.  Why  yes, we snacked our way through the game.
And about the game, I'm no real football fan, but that game sucked. There were some good commercials, nothing great, but the game itself was no fun to watch.  I've seen college games that were better entertainment. Ah, well, there's always next year.
And now to face the week.  This Monday is off to a slow start.  I just hope I can keep my eyes open at work this afternoon.  They tend to frown on napping at your desk.
How was your weekend?

Confession is Good for You

Yay!  Woo Hoo!  It's Friday!  Time for the happy dance! Just a staff meeting to get through this afternoon and then going home time!
OK, now that I've used my quota of exclamation points, let's got on to the confessions:

• It has been a looonnngg week.
• And it's finally Friday.
• I'm so happy.
• And this weekend it's Superbowl aka junk food coma.
• Really looking forward to that one.
• Bonus, I don't have much housework to do this weekend.
• That's what comes of being home with a sick kid.
• We had meatloaf last night.  
• It was yummy again.
• I hate migraines.
• Wine makes lots of stuff better.
• So does chocolate.
• I don't get enough chocolate.
• I really don't care who wins the Superbowl.
• But if I had to choose a team, I'd probably go for the 49ers.
• Monday might be rough.
• The show King of the Nerds is not so great.
• Turbo likes it.
• I'm less than impressed.
• Mornings come too early.
• I have Turbo reading Harry Potter with me.  
• He reads a page, I read a page.
• It's going better than I thought it would.
• He may like reading one day.
• Insomnia is a selfish witch.  
• She wanted both Nick's and my attention last night.
• Today will be long.
• As evidenced by the fact that I made coffee this morning and forgot to put the grounds in it.  
• Hot water anyone?
• Oh and I hit 900 posts yesterday.  
• Who would have thought I'd have that much to say?

So what do you need to confess?  Join up with Aubrey and feel good going into the weekend.