So yesterday morning started off pretty much like any other, except when we were leaving the house to head to work/daycare I couldn't find my purse anywhere. I had, though, noticed that my glove box was open and my car door didn't seem to be latched all the way when I hopped in to start it up. Fast forward through another house-search, when I finally got in the car and just said, F^&% it, I have to get to work, I noticed my purse lying behind Thad's truck. Empty, except a million pay stubs, my sunglasses case, and my Special K cereal bar.
Alright, preemptively let me just say, YES, MY DOOR WAS UNLOCKED. Why, because apparently small town habits die hard. I'm normally a door locker, but some days I take for granted the safety of my possessions when parked in front of my own house.
So they got my wallet, my checkbook, $4 cash, and a receipt from my last massage. And a pocket knife. My mp3 player was in the house when this occurred, so I was pretty tickled when I got home and found it sitting on my baker's rack. That was after a full day of feeling violated and keeping my shit together despite wanting to both cry and hit something.
The lesson in all this: Lock your god damn car. No matter where it is. No place is safe. Not home, not work. Or if you leave the car unlocked, don't leave your god damn purse in the car.
I got the message. Lesson learned. Hopefully if they make me get a new driver's license I will either get a super hot picture, or I will look like Billy Corgan before his shaved head phase. Please, after this harsh lesson, please Lord don't teach me the Smashing Pumpkins lesson.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Picture post - Colter turns 2!
There is no breaking news for this blog post. Just keeping myself from letting the blog languish for months at a time.
Colter did turn 2 on Sunday, and Thad made us some amazing bbq pork shoulder that just melted into your mouth and had amazing flavor. My mother in law made the Pablo cake below.
We're gearing up for some camping over Labor Day weekend, and I am so ready for a couple nights in the wilderness and cooking over an open fire. Oh, and the beer.
So without further ado, here are some other adorable pictures!
Colter B being adorable and crossing his arms
Elora riding her tricycle in heels
Pretty girl going to the pool
My handsome birthday boy
Colter did turn 2 on Sunday, and Thad made us some amazing bbq pork shoulder that just melted into your mouth and had amazing flavor. My mother in law made the Pablo cake below.
 |
| From Drop Box |
We're gearing up for some camping over Labor Day weekend, and I am so ready for a couple nights in the wilderness and cooking over an open fire. Oh, and the beer.
So without further ado, here are some other adorable pictures!
Colter B being adorable and crossing his arms
 |
| From Drop Box |
Elora riding her tricycle in heels
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| From Drop Box |
Pretty girl going to the pool
 |
| From Drop Box |
My handsome birthday boy
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| From Drop Box |
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Scheming
During a recent camping trip Thad brought up my "score-keeping" in our relationship. "Score-keeping" is where I keep track of every time he gets to go do something fun, without children or the need to hire a babysitter because these types of fun activities don't include me. Now, I'm not calling my husband a liar, because I AM, in fact, keeping score, but it's easy to keep score because I NEVER SCORE. Ever. Everytime I've gone anywhere, I either take my kids with me and arrange for childcare in my hometown so I can go out for an evening, or I schedule a babysitter for both of us to go out, or he just goes and does whatever activity it is without the worry of a wife and kids tagging along. And I've had enough. ENOUGH. Imagine me as J.Lo in a movie by the same name. I'm fed up.
Admittedly, this isn't anyone's fault but my own. I don't blame Thad for wanting to chew his own arm off with a desire to do something fun; the man works his ass off for us all the time. But I do blame myself for not making it more of a point to find things to go do by myself. Because I also work my ass off for us, all the time. So I'm forming an action plan.
This year has been all tied up with saving my time off to have surgery. Well, currently that surgery isn't scheduled until November, and I have some excess PTO to do away with, so I have a couple ideas rolling around in my brain.
A good friend of mine mentioned the possibility of a trip to Vegas with a group of her friends for her birthday in October. I'd consider making the trip, but I'm definitely leaning more towards staying a little closer to home. Vegas may be an awesome place to go and have a good time, but I can't really imagine myself there without either my husband or a group of my own friends, at least not for expense of plane tickets and a hotel room. I'm a fuddy duddy, but that can't be helped.
The other idea I've been bouncing around is a winter trip down to Los Angeles. The only reason I'd even entertain this idea is because Allegiant Air offers some cheap airfare down and back, but they don't really have super cheap flights until January. So this idea is still in the running, but doesn't solve the immediate problem of wanting to do something NOW.
The other idea involves me, a gal pal or two, and Chico Hot Springs. This is the one I'm most inclined to do, since it's closer, more affordable, and allows me to drink in a pool, but it will mean coordinating with Thad because he goes hunting ever year with one of his friends. I wouldn't even consider Chico until the weather gets cooler, so October is my tentative idea for this trip. Sort of a mini-"Boobs Voyage" party.
So there, as long as it's written down, it's basically set in stone. Mary Rose is going to make it a point to spend a weekend this year doing something SHE wants to do. Now I just have to DO it.
As for August, we have Bluesfest, Montana Fair, Colter's 2nd birthday and Thad's on-call filling up every weekend until Labor Day. But Mary Rose is a thinker-aheader, a planner, a font of ideas for the future. Labor Day weekend is going to be a FOUR DAY WEEKEND, thanks to my foresight and PTO planning skillz (street cred!). Casa Swan will be loading up and making it's way to a mountain. Not sure what mountain, but my plan is that we will spend at least two nights roughing it in the wilderness with Morgan, the Blanche DuBois to my Tammy Faye Bakker craziness, and her lover Joel. Morgan is a wonderful planner, even better at the art of planning than yours truly, and I utilize her planning skills for birthday parties (I am terrible at throwing my kids parties) and other various situations that require someone to poke me into making decisions.
Thanks, internet, for allowing me a vent for the frustration that stems from being a fabulous martyr! You can barely make out the marks on my hands from where I nail myself up on a cross on a daily basis! LOLing like crazy!
PS It wouldn't kill husbands to try to take their wives out occasionally without making them do all the work. So if you're a husband (which I doubt I have many of in my readership), surprise your wife sometime, even just get the kids out of the house for an evening and make dinner at home. You'll TOTALLY get laid.
Admittedly, this isn't anyone's fault but my own. I don't blame Thad for wanting to chew his own arm off with a desire to do something fun; the man works his ass off for us all the time. But I do blame myself for not making it more of a point to find things to go do by myself. Because I also work my ass off for us, all the time. So I'm forming an action plan.
This year has been all tied up with saving my time off to have surgery. Well, currently that surgery isn't scheduled until November, and I have some excess PTO to do away with, so I have a couple ideas rolling around in my brain.
A good friend of mine mentioned the possibility of a trip to Vegas with a group of her friends for her birthday in October. I'd consider making the trip, but I'm definitely leaning more towards staying a little closer to home. Vegas may be an awesome place to go and have a good time, but I can't really imagine myself there without either my husband or a group of my own friends, at least not for expense of plane tickets and a hotel room. I'm a fuddy duddy, but that can't be helped.
The other idea I've been bouncing around is a winter trip down to Los Angeles. The only reason I'd even entertain this idea is because Allegiant Air offers some cheap airfare down and back, but they don't really have super cheap flights until January. So this idea is still in the running, but doesn't solve the immediate problem of wanting to do something NOW.
The other idea involves me, a gal pal or two, and Chico Hot Springs. This is the one I'm most inclined to do, since it's closer, more affordable, and allows me to drink in a pool, but it will mean coordinating with Thad because he goes hunting ever year with one of his friends. I wouldn't even consider Chico until the weather gets cooler, so October is my tentative idea for this trip. Sort of a mini-"Boobs Voyage" party.
So there, as long as it's written down, it's basically set in stone. Mary Rose is going to make it a point to spend a weekend this year doing something SHE wants to do. Now I just have to DO it.
As for August, we have Bluesfest, Montana Fair, Colter's 2nd birthday and Thad's on-call filling up every weekend until Labor Day. But Mary Rose is a thinker-aheader, a planner, a font of ideas for the future. Labor Day weekend is going to be a FOUR DAY WEEKEND, thanks to my foresight and PTO planning skillz (street cred!). Casa Swan will be loading up and making it's way to a mountain. Not sure what mountain, but my plan is that we will spend at least two nights roughing it in the wilderness with Morgan, the Blanche DuBois to my Tammy Faye Bakker craziness, and her lover Joel. Morgan is a wonderful planner, even better at the art of planning than yours truly, and I utilize her planning skills for birthday parties (I am terrible at throwing my kids parties) and other various situations that require someone to poke me into making decisions.
Thanks, internet, for allowing me a vent for the frustration that stems from being a fabulous martyr! You can barely make out the marks on my hands from where I nail myself up on a cross on a daily basis! LOLing like crazy!
PS It wouldn't kill husbands to try to take their wives out occasionally without making them do all the work. So if you're a husband (which I doubt I have many of in my readership), surprise your wife sometime, even just get the kids out of the house for an evening and make dinner at home. You'll TOTALLY get laid.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Weekend always end with "end"
Isn't that a depressing post title? It feels depressing on a Monday, more so than on a Friday, when the weekend is fresh and new and filled with promise. On Monday the weekend is filled with "I wish I would have"s and work.
My mom and dad (plus Tona) spent the weekend with us, and it was pretty nice. Thad had to go work in Miles City all weekend replacing computers, so the kids and I enjoyed some time with Nana and Papa Wade, as well as Tona. We were more of a hindrance than a help when it came to getting Tona's school shopping done, but I blame that solely on Colter B.
Speaking of Colter B, he's getting some two-year molars now. It's really annoying for parents to get lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to teething, when in fact there are bigger, badder, MO FO-esque teeth lurking in the back of a toddler's mouth.
In summation: Mondays suck, and two year molars suck DOUBLE TIME.
My mom and dad (plus Tona) spent the weekend with us, and it was pretty nice. Thad had to go work in Miles City all weekend replacing computers, so the kids and I enjoyed some time with Nana and Papa Wade, as well as Tona. We were more of a hindrance than a help when it came to getting Tona's school shopping done, but I blame that solely on Colter B.
Speaking of Colter B, he's getting some two-year molars now. It's really annoying for parents to get lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to teething, when in fact there are bigger, badder, MO FO-esque teeth lurking in the back of a toddler's mouth.
In summation: Mondays suck, and two year molars suck DOUBLE TIME.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Happy lunch hour!
This picturesque setting is where I come and lounge when I'm on a break at work. It smells like pond, of course, and there are ducks all over place, swimming and splashing and.... well, doing duck stuff. Today is a lovely day to just watch ducks swim, but alas, I must go back to work.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Maybe I Will
I'm seriously considering returning to higher education. There are several reasons for this "decision" (I say that word using it as the loosest definition of what it means possible), none of which are very interesting. But since you're so interested here are those boring reasons:
-The desire to make more money. I'm not numbering this list, but you can consider this the unofficial #1 reason. I've gotten better at being lower-middle class, but I'd really like to reach upper-middle class income again, like back in the days. Or, dare I say it, lower-UPPER class. Did that last sentence just give you shivers, or is it just me?
- I want to utilize the sweet skill I've got. I know I'm not all that and a bag of potato chips, but I'd also like to believe I'm a slightly bright. I have a head full of facts, ideas, useless trivia, that I use to about 43% of it's capacity on a daily basis. I'd like to increase that to 76%. That expectation seems low enough to be reachable.
- I already have some credits. I have some credits with a few various institutions that I could probably apply to whatever I pursue, at least get me one year away from an associates degree. Those credits are like money in a bank that is accumulating no interest, but since it's there I might as well access it. I can't use those credits to buy groceries, but I could use them to make more money to buy groceries, which is just as good.
That's actually a pretty short list, but it's simple and it is to the point. My employer offers a tuition reimbursement program, so I could look into that and see if I can dip my toe in the lake of online college in the spring. For now I'm actually going to try a Continued Education course offered by my local library, Parmly Billings Library. If you don't have a library card, I would suggest you get one. They are pretty much the bees knees.
On the home front, Colter is sleeping in a big boy bed! He may not be going to bed before 10 pm on a nightly basis, but by God he is sleeping in the big boy bed. His vocabulary has expanded, not by leaps and bounds, but when he give you a kiss he says "ank you", he says "bye!" with fervor and zeal, he loves to answer questions with "NO WAY", and when it's bedtime, or an hour and a half AFTER bedtime, he says "nigh". Potty training will be our next adventure, but I've been in no rush to start potty training before he turns 2. Which will happen in 19 days! I can't believe the little spud is that old, it seems like yesterday Elora was kissing my belly and we were getting a baby room ready.
Guess who looks just like his daddy?
Big Boy Bed Blues
This would be his pouty face
Elora got to run with her dad in the Dirty Dash this weekend. He ran the actual 5k Dirty Dash, complete with hay bale obstacles, mud pits, military-like walls and tubes to crawl through, beer chug, water slide, and MUD PIT. Elora ran in the Piglet Plunge, and boy she sure did a good job. She's reluctantly athletic, she doesn't actually WANT to do a lot of athletic stuff, but when she does she rocks it. I foresee a lot of this type of contrast in her future.
Elora, pre-race pose
Mommy's little mudskipper
Not quite filthy yet
100% FILTHY
We've got at least one more weekend camping trip planned at the moment, Labor Day weekend. I can't wait, even though we don't know where we're going, I'm so excited to get back on a mountainside that I could practically spit.
Alright, Elora just told me dinner is ready, so it's time to wrap this up. Have a groovy evening, do something nice, like eat ice cream or take a nice long shower.
-The desire to make more money. I'm not numbering this list, but you can consider this the unofficial #1 reason. I've gotten better at being lower-middle class, but I'd really like to reach upper-middle class income again, like back in the days. Or, dare I say it, lower-UPPER class. Did that last sentence just give you shivers, or is it just me?
- I want to utilize the sweet skill I've got. I know I'm not all that and a bag of potato chips, but I'd also like to believe I'm a slightly bright. I have a head full of facts, ideas, useless trivia, that I use to about 43% of it's capacity on a daily basis. I'd like to increase that to 76%. That expectation seems low enough to be reachable.
- I already have some credits. I have some credits with a few various institutions that I could probably apply to whatever I pursue, at least get me one year away from an associates degree. Those credits are like money in a bank that is accumulating no interest, but since it's there I might as well access it. I can't use those credits to buy groceries, but I could use them to make more money to buy groceries, which is just as good.
That's actually a pretty short list, but it's simple and it is to the point. My employer offers a tuition reimbursement program, so I could look into that and see if I can dip my toe in the lake of online college in the spring. For now I'm actually going to try a Continued Education course offered by my local library, Parmly Billings Library. If you don't have a library card, I would suggest you get one. They are pretty much the bees knees.
On the home front, Colter is sleeping in a big boy bed! He may not be going to bed before 10 pm on a nightly basis, but by God he is sleeping in the big boy bed. His vocabulary has expanded, not by leaps and bounds, but when he give you a kiss he says "ank you", he says "bye!" with fervor and zeal, he loves to answer questions with "NO WAY", and when it's bedtime, or an hour and a half AFTER bedtime, he says "nigh". Potty training will be our next adventure, but I've been in no rush to start potty training before he turns 2. Which will happen in 19 days! I can't believe the little spud is that old, it seems like yesterday Elora was kissing my belly and we were getting a baby room ready.
Guess who looks just like his daddy?
 |
| From Drop Box |
Big Boy Bed Blues
 |
| From Drop Box |
This would be his pouty face
 |
| From Drop Box |
Elora got to run with her dad in the Dirty Dash this weekend. He ran the actual 5k Dirty Dash, complete with hay bale obstacles, mud pits, military-like walls and tubes to crawl through, beer chug, water slide, and MUD PIT. Elora ran in the Piglet Plunge, and boy she sure did a good job. She's reluctantly athletic, she doesn't actually WANT to do a lot of athletic stuff, but when she does she rocks it. I foresee a lot of this type of contrast in her future.
Elora, pre-race pose
 |
| From Drop Box |
Mommy's little mudskipper
 |
| From Drop Box |
Not quite filthy yet
 |
| From Drop Box |
100% FILTHY
 |
| From Drop Box |
We've got at least one more weekend camping trip planned at the moment, Labor Day weekend. I can't wait, even though we don't know where we're going, I'm so excited to get back on a mountainside that I could practically spit.
Alright, Elora just told me dinner is ready, so it's time to wrap this up. Have a groovy evening, do something nice, like eat ice cream or take a nice long shower.
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