Not So SAHM

Weekend Review

FRIDAY

My chick flick movie night turned into a girls’ night. AND I was able to find Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Score. Thanks to all of the movie suggestions. Those will be bait for another weekend.

I remembered that in this small town there is another choice besides Blockbuster, two actually. We have a Hastings, and a quick call revealed they indeed had ONE copy of GJWTHF and they’d be happy to hold it for me. I made sure they did, because you know Murphey’s Law. If I hadn’t have had them hold it there would have been a second person in America wanting that movie on that day.

Talked to a friend when I got home. Asked her if she remembered the movie. She had never heard of it before! What?!?! She and another friend (who also was a GJWTHF virgin) ended up coming over. We sat back and had a good evening reminiscing about all things 80s.

DIGRESSION: This movie is the epitome of 80s culture. There were references to Tab and walkmen. They were excited to be watching a 25″ tv. The wardrobe selections were hilarious. And we admitted to wearing all of it: leg warmers, baggy sweatshirts that fell off one shoulder, super tight pants that were tapered at the ankle, scrunched socks, socks with flats, Guess jeans, and the list goes on. I realized while watching this that movies from the 80s had a fascination with synchronized dance scenes. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (another fave), Dirty Dancing, Can’t Buy Me Love (mating ritual dance), Thriller video… Really, what is believable about a bunch of people breaking out into dance and all doing the exact same moves at the exact same time? I’ve always disliked those parts. I realize movies are a fantasy world I’m entering into, but the dance sequences impart even more cheese into otherwise already cheesy (but great, don’t get me wrong) movies.

Reagan had a friend sleep over. They stayed up until midnight, which means I had to stay up even later. I needed me time. Girl time was great and absolutely necessary, but so is me time and therefore I stayed up until 0130. Six year olds and one year olds don’t care how late Mommy stays up.

SATURDAY

Reagan and friend did not sleep as late as they should have seeing that they didn’t go to bed until Saturday anyway. Giggles and noises escaped her room starting at 0700…and then screams and shreaks came from Ashlyn’s room because she didn’t want to be left out of anything. So Mommy dragged herself out of bed.

Wanted to continue my movie marathon. I found Ever After in our stash of movies and watched that while folding laundry. Laundry took sooooo much longer to do (and I really didn’t get anything else done that day). Another girl from down the street came over to play and my stress level increased accordingly. I want Reagan to play over here with her friends. I want our house to be the cool place to hang out. (Granted, at 6 I shouldn’t be worrying about that yet…and we’re moving soon…so I really shouldn’t be worried about what these friends think about how cool I am as a mom.) So, I should be willing for just about anything and everything to happen. I can’t stand for ~~crap~~ toys to be strewn all about the house though. This stresses me out. And inevitably when more than one friend is over something gets broken. Yes, they are just toys. But we bought them with our hard-earned money (oops, Du’s hard-earned money) and they should be treated like toys not test subjects in Consumer Reports product reviews. We survived the multifriend hangout with only a headband meeting it’s demise.

The Pampered Chef boxes came. Five boxes that, when stacked, were taller than Reagan. 3+ being full of stuff for me…it really did pay to host a party in Feb. y’all (Note to self: must cook more now). With hosting comes extra duties though. My dining room and kitchen ended up looking like the PC warehouse blew up in them. Stuff was everywhere and needed to be sorted into piles for each person. And Ashlyn was more than willing to try to help me out. Food is always a good distraction for her.

Ended the evening with a third movie watched. This was Reagan’s choice because she wanted to “cuddle up on the couch with the red blanket like we used to do when we watched American Idol.” Can you tell that I’m a good parent? We watched Charlotte’s Web 2. There is too a 2. And I slept through a lot of it so I really can’t tell you what it was about. I was making up for all that sleep I didn’t get last night.

SUNDAY

Geez this is getting long. Are you still with me? Truth Project in Sunday School–AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME. This is great fuel for my brain. Lots of thinking going on. And Pastor Bob was particularly funny this morning.

Ok, I needed pen refills for this pen Du has and WalMart doesn’t have them. Office Depot is across the street, but I have two kids and cold stuff in the truck (and it’s actually in the 70s today), so I don’t really want to have to go over there, drag the kids out, and find these pen refills myself. Like a good old person I have a phone book in the truck. You wouldn’t believe how many times this has saved me. I thought today would be one of those. I called Office Depot and after the phone rang for, oh, six or so rings, a girl answers. She asked “which department” to which I said, “I’m looking for pen refills.” “Hold on please.” I hold…and hold…and hold…for over three minutes. She came back on and admitted that they were short staffed would I be willing to have someone call me back. I let her know my situation and where I was sitting, but yes, someone could call me back. So I rolled down the truck windows, turned up the music and proceeded to wait for someone to call me back. After waiting for over five minutes I realized how stupid I was being. I could have been in the store, done my business, and have been on my way by now.

I pulled into the Office Depot parking lot hoping to be able to find a space since it was apparently so busy. My truck was one of three non-staff vehicles in the parking lot. Ooh, I should have counted the staff vehicles. I walked in to crickets chirping. There wasn’t a thing going on. There was one person behind the fax counter (not calling me), there was one person ringing up a customer (good excuse as to why she wasn’t calling me), and there were several others hiding throughout the store (not calling me). I found the pen refills and had them up at that register within two minutes. Cashier and one of the hiding out people were chatting and he walked away as I came up. “How are you today?” I reply: “I’m ok. I just called about these pen refills and someone was going to call me back.” “Oh yeah, he (not even sure she said his name) is calling you right now. Hey “guy” (she must have said his name here, but the fuming in my head drowned out the name) no need to call her, she’s right here.” “Yes, I came in and found them myself.” “It’s crazy here today. We’re short-staffed.” “You’re short-brained as well…” Oh wait, I didn’t say that–out loud. That would not be good Christian witness… “I have days like that” is all I say.

Delivery of the Pampered Chef items and despair over dropping temperatures rounds out the weekend. Oh yeah, and Ashlyn fell down the stairs that she was practicing climbing up and down. She’s working on that permabruise, Heather.

I’m getting really antsy to sew something for myself. And I’m feeling that it needs to be something big, like a dress or skirt or top or something… Where will the time come from? Tell me that so I can get started. Oh and I’m also feeling the desire to do some vlogging. I have plenty of stuff to write about, but when I turn on the camera, strangely I have only dumb things to talk about. (Maybe I’m writing about dumb things too. This post sure has dipped into that realm).

As promised: Fluff

I’m taking a break from being controversial. But as Rachel reminds me, I’m a tried and true Agnes Scott girl. We like us a little debate.

Onto the fluff!!

I absolutely love this movie and am not quite sure why it’s not in my library of videos right now.

OH YEAH!!! 1985. This was way before any of these girls were famous because of relational shows, sex shows or bad attitudes.

Helen Hunt was so cool. Who didn’t try to get their hair to stand straight on end, or wonder about the effects a lighter would have with a can of hairspray. Thank goodness Aqua Net was like, pennies a can. I wanted to wear Catholic girl school clothes just to be able to reverse them and have a totally rad outfit.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen this. I wonder if Blockbuster still has it. (please hold while I check Blockbuster online). Not my store. The closest Blockbuster around here that carries GJWTHF is an hour away. Hmmm. Du’s going to be working long hours this weekend. Do I:

Drive an hour to get it and watch it as soon as possible? Or
buy it, wait for it to come in, and then wait even longer to watch it because Du will be off his long hours and most likely won’t want to watch it with me?…

I think the answer will depend on how long Reagan takes to do school today. If she finished soon enough we could travel to Blockbuster, maybe even hit JoAnn and Charlotte Russe. Dinner at the mall and then home with the goods. That leaves tomorrow as girly movie day. The only drawback is that I’d have to travel back up there to return the movie…stupid inventory rules.

Ok, maybe I’ll buy GJWTHF and rent a different movie for this weekend.

First choice:

Highly anticipated (by me) sequel to Elizabeth (my fave). But, alas, my Blockbuster doesn’t carry this one either.

What are some good movies that have come out lately? Preferable chick flick types since I am rarely alone to watch those. I am clueless when it comes to movies. Maybe this is where Rachel would come in handy again.

P.S. I had to include this:

I did not make this (wish I had though). Erin of A Dress A Day linked to this gem. At first I thought it was for a fan of Texas A&M. No, ladies, we all know what this is. And you get extra credit if you’re audacious enough to wear this on Health Class test day. What’s ~~worse~~ absolutely hilarious is that Reagan saw this and said, “it’s a goat skirt! We need to get this because it matches our truck!” (We have a Dodge). Dare I?

Dare to Question the Establishment?

Oooh, oooh, oooh!!! I can’t wait for this to come out. I want to be first in line to watch it. I have been an “anti-evolutionist” for years…for longer than I ever believed it. Though I’m not sure I really believed it even when it was being taught to me in school. At that age you just kind of accept what you’re being taught and don’t think too deeply about it. I don’t know, did you think deeply as a high school student?

There are good arguments out there on both sides of the debate. But why is one side automatically dismissed? Ben Stein can say it better than me so watch him.

Not sure why I’m being all controversial lately. It will stop…for a little while. I promise my next post will be fluff.

Meanwhile–Don’t check your brain at the door. Ever.

Vodpod videos no longer available. from www.expelledthemovie posted with vodpod

If the movie’s not working for you click on the link above or here.

A Sampling of recent life

Our first night truly without any tv was a success. We got rid of cable tv and they finally shut it off for us (we had free cable tv for a couple months because they wouldn’t believe me when I told them we were still getting it). We listened to a cd and played “freeze dance” as a family. It’s one of those family moments that will live as a memory forever.
Turbo Tax is awesome.
The horses in the pasture that backs up to our backyard insist on staying out in the freezing, windy weather… when there is an open barn door only feet away.
Ashlyn travels around the kitchen by using a stool as a walker.
Everyday Reagan impresses me with how much she’s looking and acting like a young lady.
It’s staying lighter longer! I may be the only one who appreciates it, but come on DST!!
5 months and counting…
Nabisco has made it easier to get into a bag of Oreos. Instead of ripping the whole bag to shreds when trying to open it; now they have provided a convenient lift tab that pulls open and then sticks back into place. This, however, is only necessary when Reagan and I don’t finish off a whole package in a day.
I got a new id yesterday. New picture…a little older…so no wiser…
Coffee mixed with coke is gross. Coffee is gross by itself, but mixing coke with it to cool it down and add sweetness does not work.
Du and I got some culture last night. As the last hurrah for my birthday we went to see Irish performers at the college last night. Not on the scale of Riverdance, but fun just the same. We did have to look past the sometimes Canadian, sometimes Irish accent of the lead band member who did most of the talking. And we had to get over the complete love the main dancer had for himself. The nose playing of double tin whistles I think I will remember for a long time.
My Pampered Chef party was a success, and now my kitchen inventory of P.C. products will increase greatly without a great outflow of cash.

Losing my religion

I read a short article today that notes that people are changing their faith almost as quickly as they’re changing their underwear (my words, not the article’s). My guess is like everything else in our lives we’re also expecting quick fixes with our religions.

We expect our food to be fast; dramas in people’s lives crescendo and resolve themselves in 30 minutes or an hour; we expect a war to be fought and resolved within the time constraints of a movie. Our patience levels are at an all time low. It’s no surprise then that people are looking for that quick high with a higher power. And then when they don’t find it within the boundaries of one faith they go looking somewhere else. If I may borrow and reformulate from JFK: it’s not what can my faith do for me? But rather, what do I need to do for my faith.

I have to be careful not to be critical of the searching process. It is wonderful and essential that we search to find something to be meaningful to us. But, it’s a more serious issue than what most people believe it to be or at least what most people end up acting like. There are eternal consequences.

I think today people are looking for peace; a way to feel “connected” to something beyond themselves; maybe a way to feel “connected” within themselves. People are missing the point and it has to do with the immediacy that our culture is teaching us. The first purpose of religion and faith is not about the here and now. It’s to know what is going to happen to you when you die…when you no longer exist as a living human. Once you determine what’s going to happen to you when you die, then you begin to address the applications (and implications) of religion and faith in your present life.

I’m going to posit some questions to you:

what do you believe happens to humans when we die?
if your answer was anything other than “we cease to exist” then: what criteria must you meet on earth right now in order to get you there?
if you believe that this is what happens, then what about all the other beliefs? They can’t all be right. SO: what is the ultimate truth?* Is it really yours?
instead of asking what can your faith do for you ask what do I need to be doing because of my faith?

Think on these things.

*Ultimate truth is a whole other topic itself, so let’s save that one for another post.

22 February

I was going to let this day go as just another day. But then, I thought, it’s not just another day! Today I am 33 years old. Leigh Anne, I’m going to borrow your dad’s quote (I hope it’s ok!): “you are now the age Jesus was when He showed you just how much He loved you.” Isn’t that awesome to think about? And daunting since, what have I done in my 33 years?

If you’re wondering just what has happened on this date in history (4 territories became states) and who shares this birthday (Mr. Washington himself, and Drew Barrymore–who shares my year too. I wonder who’s hours older, me or her) then check out this Wikepedia article on February 22.

Then check out your birthdate on Wikepedia and learn cool new things.