Zhu Zhu What?!?

Have you heard the new latest rage?

My kids nearly had a heart attack in Toys R Us when they spotted this:



I take the box from them and I'm sure there were about a gazillion confusion wrinkles across my forehead as I tried to comprehend just what I was looking at and why they were so fascinated with it.

They then tell me all about the Zhu Zhu Pets and how they want them! And how they must have them! And OH. MY. GOD!

Just then another woman passes by with her children and her eyes bug out of her head and she says "Where'd you find the Zhu Zhu pets?!?"

It was then that I also noticed the 'hamster not included' label, and the fact that the places on the shelves where the hamsters should have been - nice and EMPTY.

It's this point that I realize - great. It's going to be Tickle Me Elmo and 1997 all over again.

I have been lucky enough to find several of the playsets and 4 different hamsters. They are hidden away in my closet and won't make an appearance until Christmas morning. The things we do in order to help Santa.....



So, a word to the wise .... start asking your kids now what they want for Christmas, and if these suckers are on their list .... keep your eyes peeled even if you don't intend to start your Christmas shopping for another 2 months.

Just sayin'

Evil Sleep-Stealing, Snot Drying Drug

I've been having an issue with a gland under my chin that likes to swell and become painful. It has been an issue twice now, in a 3 month period.

This last time I also ended up with some other issues going on when I went back in for my follow-up appointment. When my doctor looked in my throat, I was told it appeared "yucky" and that I had "schmutz" on my tonsils as well. The worst strep-swab ever later, and I was on my way with yet another round of antibiotic and a suggestion to try Claritin-D to help dry up/ease the congestion troubles.

No problem!! I picked some up and signed my life away (is the government spying on me to see how often I'm buying some sort of cold/allergy/booger drying up drug? Really - it's for my nose! I'm not using it for some sort of concoction in a meth lab!!!). About 5 days in, I realize on my 5th trip to take a pee during the night, that this is odd - I haven't gotten up this much during the night since I was pregnant.

About 6 days in, I think, "Wow, I have really been having a lot of dreams lately! ALL night long!"

7 days in, and I'm questioning what the hell is making me wake up every 1-2 hours during the night, pee just as often and continue to have bizarre dreams, all night long, despite being woke up so frequently.

On day 9, I finally decide to research a bit on the net. I read about this and that side-effect, and insomnia, restless sleep, frequent urination. Nothing about the dreams, however. At this moment, I also realize that I hadn't take my pills yet for the day, so I go downstairs to do that (at this point I was still taking my antibiotic as well).

That night was the worst of all. I got maybe 2 hours of sleep - which was not consecutive. But the strangest part - each morning - even after waking so often and sleeping so restlessly - I wouldn't feel super sluggish or tired. At least nothing out of the ordinary. That would hit me later on in the evening, which I would consider to be a normal thing.

I made the decision at 3am, while I was wide awake playing Bejeweled on Facebook, that I would not be taking that drug again.

On day 1 of NO evil-sleep-stealing drug, I slept the night thru until sometime around 5am. It was like graduating from infanthood! But on day 2 of NO evil-sleep-stealing drug.....it was like I hadn't slept in a month! I went to bed, and barely remember putting my head onto the pillow and adjusting myself into a comfortable position. I was abruptly woken up at 7:15am, feeling disorientated as I was deep in REM sleep.

Mike happened to mentioned to me that I was "flopping around" all night, and I apologized and told him I was out cold. His reply was, "Yeah, I know. You whacked me twice. And then when I picked up your arm and dropped it down it went..." and then he proceeded to show me how my arm just fell - dead weight and all - to the mattress. I have absolutely no recollection of any of this. I must have been more sleep deprived than I thought!!

So much for keeping my snot closet clear....but at least I'll be well rested!

Loser with a Capital "L"

You know you're pretty low on society's totem pole when you need to steal from a garage sale.

Just sayin' if you can't cough up the 50 cents to pay for the item you just stuffed into the pocket of your riff-rafferific ghetto pants; then perhaps you shouldn't have even gotten into the car and left home (save the gas money, feed your family!).

I know garage sales don't accept wic or food stamps or the like - but seriously - we ain't made of money either and we're not sitting out there for our health.

Let me actually CATCH YOU in the act next time.....you'll be strung up with our festive multi-colored banner flags (you know, tacky like the car dealerships) until the fancy car with the swirly blue lights and a siren comes to haul your ass away.

Can't Get Enough

I started the Twilight series back in January, after I got the first two books as a Christmas gift.

I LOVED the first book, but New Moon was a bit slow for me. I finished, and still enjoyed the book, however, I found myself missing Edward too much to really enjoy it.

After I finished them, I was at a standstill. Eclipse was not out in paperback yet, and I am not much of a fan of hardcover. I mean, I'll read them, but if I'm going to actually purchase the book, then I want it to be just what I like. So I waited until August when it was released in paperback.

In the meantime, my mom found me Breaking Dawn in hardcover, and it killed me to not be able to touch that book for so long. She found it as a resale store (shocking!) and paid a whopping $1 for it. Beggars can't be choosers for that kind of money.

As soon as it arrived in the mail, I jumped right in. I found myself liking the book as much as the first, and was excited to keep reading. As soon as I whipped through Eclipse, I started right in on Breaking Dawn (man, reading that book is a workout! Over 700 pages AND hardcover? LOL!).

This book BLOWS THE REST AWAY. I am finding myself turning the pages and eating the words as quickly as I can. More, more, more! I've only got about 200 pages to go, and I'm already sad. Whatever will I do without Edward and Bella?

Thankfully November 20th isn't THAT far off, because then I'll get a taste of New Moon, the movie (which, IMO, I think I'll enjoy better than the book). All I can say, however, is that Breaking Dawn, when it finally hits the big screen (at this rate, you know, in 2011. *sigh*), it is going to TOTALLY RAWK.