Poker Night A Success!

Our first Ladies' Texas Hold 'Em night was a success. It was a lot of fun and we played almost 6 hours! Of course, it may have gone faster if we weren't talking so much. Lots of great food too, including Jen's Beer Bread, which is addictive. Maybe she will post the recipe on her blog.

I won it all, so I am going to spend my winnings at the scrapbook store in Oskaloosa today. I have been dying to get in there for a year, but it is closed on Sundays, and we only ever go to Osky on Sundays. Today, though, we are going to a retirement party at the high school, so I will finally get in. I am very excited.

Then it is off to a birthday party in Ankeny. Di and I were supposed to garden at the State Fair this morning, but we decided last night that we were too tired, and then it rained this morning anyway. That made me happy, but sad since I have a ton of plants sitting on my patio waiting to be planted but it is too muddy. Maybe tomorrow...

Reality Show Results

So far I have been extremely, extremely pleased with the results of the Amazing Race and Survivor Palau. I hope my streak holds and Bo wins American Idol. Carrie is cute, but she always looks so darned bored when she sings. I love Vonzie, but no one holds a candle to Bo! He is a hottie.

People Say The Darndest Things

I have discovered that people will say either the most bizarre or most nosey things to you when they hear you are pregnant. My favorite this week is that a someone at work (and pretty high up) asked me if my pregnancy was planned. What the heck? If I would have been thinking, I would have told him that no, it wasn't, but I was really really drunk (I'm kidding).

!@#$%^& That Hurts!

Had a good day scrapbookin' with my sis. Didn't get a lot done, but oh well. She had preplanned.
On the way home I stopped at the greenhouse to specifically buy strawberries because all but one of mine died. $45 later I was home, but had forgotten the strawberries. I spent about an hour outside planting my containers and ripping out the evil loosestrife.

Then I had to make supper. I decided to take the easy frozen way out and have tater tots and McRib sandwiches. I was taking the ribs out of the microwave and tipped the tray spilling boiling barbecue sauce all over my leg, the counter, and MY FINGERS! Todd came running at my screams and got my fingers under cold water and cleaned up the mess. Then he told me he wasn't that hungry and only was going to eat the tater tots anyway. I told him that I scorched my self cooking for him so he damn well better eat one!! I must have looked really scary when I said it, because he ate one. McRibs are now referred to as "scorchers" at my house.

Well, better head home for lunch. My blood sugar has been low all morning, so I am going to chow down.

Sort of Productive Weekend/Mini Nervous Breakdowns

I'm trying to finish things before the big Survivor finale tonight! Altho, we have decided to tape it so we can use the fast forward to watch it. Will definitely zip through the commercials, and I can never stand the part where they make the last two paint themselves with war paint and reflect on "those who have gone before them". Gag. Gag. Will make do with Desparate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy until 10pm.

I sort of got a lot done this weekend. I got more stuff cleaned out of the baby's room. I took two huge bags of clothes & crap to Goodwill and got all our quilts that Sandy and my grandma have made packed into the trunk H got us for our wedding. Todd moved the giant plant to the patio, and the closet is almost totally empty except for some of my hanging clothes. Everything that I decided to keep has been moved upstairs, which means when I start cleaning upstairs, it is going to take twice as long. We also got the wallpaper border and baseboards put up in the basement. The baseboards involved lots of cussing, yelling, and about 100 trips out side to use the saw. fun.

Last night we went and got groceries at Fareway, which was depressing because I can't eat anything good anymore (you're welcome, Baby Stein), but first I robo-cleaned the fridge. I pitched a ton of condiments and skanky beers, then took out all the shelves and drawers and scrubbed them. Todd said he had forgotten that you are supposed to be able to see through the glass shelves! It looks like a new fridge. We also ate at El Rodeo (had a coupon) and tried to purchase baby items, but we both had mini nervous breakdowns in the baby aisle.

My mini breakdown was caused by the price of items, and I totally freaked out at the swings. I couldn't believe that not only do you need a swing, but you need a travel swing! Of course there are the plain swings and then the swings that swing front-to-back and side-to-side, light up, play music, etc. I was overwhelmed, so we decided Todd could pick out one $10 item to buy and then we would leave. So then Todd had a mini breakdown. He was freaked out by the packages of onsies. He kept wondering why everyone says you need onesies if they don't keep the baby's arms and legs warm? The child will freeze! The sleepers they had were a hideous green, so we ended up with a 3 pack of infant gowns and a rattle. Then we got the hell out of there.

Back to the original blog

Well, I tried a pink blog page for a day or two, but couldn't stand it, so back to the original blog design. I did my round of blog checks and see that BarelyControlledChaos has not been updated since Monday.
Went to the bank and for a haircut this morning, but haven't done much else. It is too cold and windy to do anything outside. I guess I have three options - keep sorting/cleaning crap, relax, or scrapbook. Hmmm.... Guess I do need to pay bills too. We were supposed to work in the basement cleaning and hanging stuff back up, but Mr. Stein is apparently not into it now.

Out in the Rain/God Bless the Sump Pump

Since we live on top of an underground stream, our sump pump runs daily for most of the year (even winter). Tonight when I was in the bathroom I could hear it running, but there was this horrible gushing noise. It was also running about every 45 seconds. Turns out the hose had disconnected from the house, so the water was shooting straight out of the house then running back into the sump pump. Todd was elected to put on the raincoat and go out in the dark with a drill, screws, and a flash light. He had to fix the hose connection and then disconnect the sprinkler because it was slowing down the pump. He was out there about 25 minutes. I would have been freezing, but he seemed rejuvinated when he came back in!

Now that that is taken care of, I am sorting scrapbooking stuff so I don't haul too much to Indianola tomorrow. Also, I want to sell some more stuff in the consignment corner.

Looking Forward to Tomorrow

Again I ask, is it Friday yet? I am swamped at work and we are busy at home too, doing paperwork, paperwork, paperwork for a possible small business. I am looking forward to Friday for several reasons 1) TGIF 2) Its' Payday! 3)Its croppin' night 4) Diane and I always go out for lunch on payday 5) I don't have to cook supper for Todd!

Not much new this week. I was thrilled with the outcome of the Amazing Race! And happy with who got voted off American Idol last night. I love Vonzell, but I really love Bo. Carrie is to nicey-nice for me. I have been cross-stiching away for the baby's room everynight.

Is it Friday yet?

One day down, four to go. This is the busiest week of the year at work. I can't wait until it's Friday! I made porkchops, waffle fries, and green beans for supper tonight. It was good, and hopefully the exact amount of carbs needed because I continue to have low blood sugar. I am not entirely convinced that there aren't two babies in there. If it's just one, it is sure sucking up every bit of food I eat. Oh well, I'm not the only pregnant lady in the world. As long as Brittany's and Bennifer's babies are healthy, that's all that matters! Gag. I think I am going to boycott Access Hollywood and The Insider until Brittany's baby is born.

Quiet Day

Today is day 99 and I am 15 weeks pregnant! Other than that, nothing exciting going on. My Mother's Day plans with my mom fell through and we saw Todd's mom last night, so a quiet day here. Mr. Stein is still snoozing. I have a long list of things I want to do, but they all require a lot of effort (make curtains, clean closets, purge the upstairs of unnecessary crap, take pop cans back, take stuff to Goodwill) or require money (buy baby stuff, buy fabric for new curtains, rent movies, buy groceries) so looks like I won't be doing any of them! Maybe I will clear out a space in the blue room big enough for me to scrapbook...

I did manage to get my perennials divided without having to do any actual work. I told Mike he could have as many as he wanted as long as he did all the digging, so he came and got them last night. Then Todd weeded, so I am not feeling quite so overwhelmed about the garden. I worked at the plant sale yesterday and it was pretty fun. There were probably 50 people lined up before we opened the doors. I have decided that people who garden are nuts.

Just checked my regular round of blogs, and nothing new. Jen and H are probably out doing fun stuff. Looks like it's for insulin and lunch, so I'm off....

Some Doctors Should Not Be Allowed Around People

Forgot to tell you... when I went to get my diabetes checked the other day (at a different Dr.'s office than my OB), the PA said the most horrible thing to me. He was telling me that some OB's make all their diabetic patients have c-sections. When I asked why, he said "Haven't you ever seen Steel Magnolias?" Such a nice thing to say since in Steel Magnolias, the diabetic mother dies from the strain of having a baby!!!! Asshole. By the way, my OB is planning a regular delivery for me with no complications other than I will be on an insulin drip during labor.

Another Dr. Appointment

Off to the diabetes doctor this afternoon. Time for more bloodwork - yay! Todd and I both fell asleep watching tv last night. (Todd pulled an all-nighter Tuesday night to finish his business plan, and I'm just tired.) Fallen Idol was a disappointment, but I was pleased to see Scott got kicked of American Idol. Hopefully Anthony will be next and Bo will win. Off to work.

Progress, I think...

I acutually spent less time in the recliner yesterday, and did a little cleaning. I managed to clean out the dresser in the nursery aka The Blue Room. You can see the floor in there too, but I still have all my scrapbook stuff in there, and a recliner and end table that are eventually going down to the basement. I am on a mission to purge my house and closets of any unneeded possessions before the baby comes. Yes, I am aware that I am nuts.

Today is my day off, but I need to go to the post office to return all the maternity pants I ordered from JcPenny's that don't fit, WalMart for food (Todd spent $100 there Friday night but bought nothing but junk, so I can't eat any of it), and Tires Plus to replace the two 11-year old tires on my car. They are still originals! I also need to clean the rest of the house because I am watching Mr. Caleb tomorrow night. Oh, and I need to pay bills. So much for a day off.

The Secret is Out!

Our secret is finally out. We are expecting a baby about November 5. I made it to 13 weeks and we got to hear the heartbeat on Wednesday, so we finally started telling people. It feels good to tell people, but I get embarrassed about it. I don't know why.

Last night I went to scrapbook in Indianola. Usually there are just 4 of us, so I bought treats and I was going to walk in and say Treats for Everyone! I am finally pregnant. When I walked in the door, there were like 9 people there! And I didn't even know some of them. So, I told Jen and Lynn and then just put my treats out. Lynn asked if she could make an announcement, but I said no. Don't get me wrong, I am super-excited, butI guess I just don't like to be the center of attention! Jen and Lynn are super-excited too, so that makes it fun! Jen and I worked on paper bag scrapbooks, but I talked so much that I only got three pages done. I will have to post a picture of my book when I am done.

Dinner and a Movie

Had a good day. My mom and I went to see The Interpreter at Jordan Creek. It was a great movie, and it was nice to go to a movie for once. As you know, I don't go to many movies because I CAN'T STAND PEOPLE TALKING. Mom has a theory that if you sit in the very back row, no one behind you can talk. That seems to work. Also, the sound system is so loud there, that I probably couldn't have even heard mom talk!

Afterwards, Todd met us at Joe's Crab Shack for dinner/lunch? When you eat at 3:30, I'm never sure what to call it. One funny thing happened - a new server put coffee in the iced tea machine, so the iced tea sure tasted funny!

Looking forward to vegging out tonight and watching Grey's Anatomy. Looks like Desparate Housewives is one of those stupid clip shows.

Well, it finally stopped raining, but ....

Hallelujah! It has finally stopped raining, but it is really cold. This a.m. Diane and I went to the State Fair to help with the spring cleanup of the Master Gardener's Discovery Garden. It was freezing, especially in the shade. I am on the rose garden committee, and it shouldn't be too hard to take care of since there are only ten roses in it! This afternoon Todd painted a wall in the basement and we painted the trim boards. We had the trim boards set up on sawhorses in the driveway and were painting away when our neighbor came out and started mowing his lawn not 12 inches from where we were painting. We got grass on the boards and in the paint can. Great.
Then I made Todd homemade beef and noodles and brownies for his lunch. I am such a good wife :) Why don't my brownies every get done in the middle though?

Viva Las Vegas!  

Viva Las Vegas!

Well, I am back from a conference in Las Vegas. Everything in Vegas is so surreal, 200 people at a crosswalk waiting to get across the Strip, waiting 45 minutes in line for a buffet when there are buffets every 50 feet, walking until you can't walk anymore, watching the weirdos on the stip, paying $8 for a 6 inch at Subway when it is only $3.69 in Des Moines....

I did everything I wanted to do. Had a good conference, mingled, went to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris, learned to play keno, won on a slot machine, finally found a decent buffet (MGM), went to my favorite - Caesar's Palace, visited all the new casinos built since the last time I was there (Venetian, Paris, Bellagio), saw the pirate ship sink at TI, had a 99 cent shrimp cocktail, and watched the fountains at Bellagio. There was a 40 mph wind the night we went to see the fountains at Bellagio, so the fountain would go off and then you would see a big wall of water blowing toward you, everyone would run away but still get soaked, then go back to see it again, repeat....the only draw back besides the water being freezing was that the music they were using was that damn Celine Dion song from Titanic! And, I walked and walked until thought I would just lay down in the strip and die. This was before I figured out a 24 hr bus pass was only $5. I won $80 on the 40 for 20 machine at the Riveria, so between that and conference, the whole trip cost me nothing.

Todd and I had a big day of gardening and mowing planned, but since it is raining we are trying to figure out what to do. I don't have any cleaning to do because Todd did it all while I was gone. He even cleaned up the huge pile of clothes in our boudoir.

View from the Eiffel Tower 

It's the Little Things

It's the little things in life that make it good. One of the most exciting things that happened this week on Allison Avenue is that I actually went and bought groceries at the Evil Wal-Mart in Windsor Heights. Going at 10 am on Monday morning was the smartest thing I have ever done. The clerks were just hanging out, waiting for someone to go through their lines! Another good thing was that while I was there I picked up a Rotisserie chicken. It was a big risk, but Todd loved it and actually ate it! Whoo-hoo. Add another meal to the list! The other exciting thing, was that after two years, I finally caved in and bought a Sizzix for scrapbooking. I practically fainted at the price, but I am excited to use it! And so is Jen, and so is Heather. I may even start punching out letters and sell them on Ebay. The downer this week was that Diane and I went to work at the MG Greenhouse on Saturday and were assigned to wash flower pots. We washed pots for an hour before someone told us that we were washing the wrong stack and that the ones we washed didn't even belong the the MG group. I was not happy!