Settin' the place on FIRE!

It's a guarantee that when my girlfriends and I all get together, we have a good time. We've got story after story, and those stories have led us to nicknames and many inside jokes.

This past Friday, my mom & I hosted our annual cookie exchange and the usual gang of girlfriends came over.

My BFF, Melissa, came in bearing gift bags and asked us to open our special gifts. We knew it was something she made, but you could have never prepared me for what I was about to pull out....



She made us each a pair of slippers.....pad slippers. Pad as in Maxi-pad. They were custom to each of us. For instance, mine said "Snarky".

We howled with laughter, and didn't pay much attention to the candle on the table and the over abundance of tissue paper. Look closely in this next photo .... you'll see the glow of the flame and some tissue which appears to be much too close.



This is the photo I caption: DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!!

Yes, the tissue caught on fire.

And yes, the flames were probably a good 12 inches high.

And yes, it burned straight thru the tablecloth.

And while we're at it, yes, flaming tissue came at me and singed my shirt AND my hair.

No joke. I have some evidence:



After we extinguished the flames and calmed ourselves down, we went on to have a fabulous night.





I really couldn't ask for a better group of friends. I love you gals.

Merry Christmas to each of you!!

Ups and Downs

There are decent days, there are bad days and there are days where I can't imagine making it thru the entire day.

I am bouncing around with emotions - from complete hatred, to disgust, to fear, to sympathy, to complete exhaustion.

Prior to the job loss event, I had plans to go out with friends to Dave & Buster's on Friday night to celebrate my birthday and another friend's. I still planned on going out, and hoped I'd be able to enjoy myself and not bring anyone down with my mood.

I got there and walked in to the table set with party decor; tablecloth and confetti, birthday balloons and a gorgeous cake.



There were presents galore, and best of all....friends. We enjoyed a meal together, laughed (alot!), and then hit the games for a bit of fun.

I've got wonderful friends, not only for remembering and celebrating my birthday with me, but for caring about me. Thank you so much: Kathy, April, Nicole, Jace, Tina and Caroline; for a night full of smiles, laughter and memories.

And a big thank you to my BFF, Melissa, for harrassing me by phone to check up on me, and not giving in to my bullshit, and for going the extra mile just to show you care.

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already this week. Just a few more sleeps and then we'll be listening for prancing and pawing up on the rooftop.

This weekend was spent Christmas-ing with our 3rd annual cookie exchange and grab bag on Friday, gift exchange and holiday dinner with the in-laws on Saturday, and of course, Santa's Landing.

Oh - and you can't forget that there were more Christmas presents bought that now need to be wrapped, even though that has been done for a couple weeks. Stores suck you in with their last minute sales (how can you beat a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for $130, especially when you've been drooling over one for years?).

But, back to Santa's Landing .... this was the 3rd year this has been in existence. The first year we were out there every single weekend raising money to try to help our fire department educate everyone in order to try to get the referendum to pass (and it did! SUCCESS!!!!). My dad has played the part of Santa, which he adores. And you know what? My kids think it's pretty darn cool, too, and I swear - when they are on "Santa's" lap, the look in their eyes is like they forgot it's actually their grandpa playing the part.

(My dad is employed by the real Santa himself. There is no monetary salary, and no health benefits - but the "pay" and "benefits" he does receive are truly magical in the spirit of the season. My dad reports back to his boss, relaying what he's seen in regards to naughty & nice behavior and then sends in his spreadsheet report of the wish lists that the kids give him.)

This year, my mom was also hired. They posed for some photos before I took them to the meeting spot for the magical ride in.



The kids just love that the arrival is by firetruck. The flashing lights & sirens add to the anticipation and excitement of the night.



It's such a magical night. Just look at my kids' faces...it's like right out of a movie!





And sometimes the requests to Santa get you right in the heart. One year was "I want my parents to stop fighting", and I overheard a little girl this year say "I just want to be surprised".

This year, good friend Jules, sat on Santa's lap and asked for a baby. It's been a year of trying for her & her hubby, with no luck. We're all hoping that the real Santa can pull some strings with the big Guy Upstairs. We don't know many more people more deserving of a baby.

What giggles and goes bzzzzzt in the night?

Friday night was spent celebrating my BFF's birthday with a few of the girls.

We headed to The Melting Pot for dinner first. Over a 4-course meal, raunchy conversation ensued. I think we even embarrassed our waiter, though at one point towards the end of the night, it seemed that every employee passed our table several times.

Sometime during the conversation, we discussed toys. And if you know my group of girlfriends, you know they weren't the Fisher-Price kind. So, I suggested we take a little trip to Studio 21, one of the "classier" adult shops in the area.

So after dinner, we hit the road. At this point, it's after well after 11pm, and we slowly make our way into the store.

We pause for a moment, wondering which room to start in. The lady behind the counter immediately zones in on us and exclaims "It must be your first time here! I can tell!"

We started in the lingerie and party fun area, where we giggled at pecker whistles ,penis cake pans and other fun stuff.

Once in the other room, it got a little crazier. Who would have thought you could buy one of these?

It was an adventure to say the least. Especially when they put the batteries in & make sure your new purchase is functional before you leave the store.

Tall, Dark & Handsome??

My BFF, bless her heart, her birthday is tomorrow and I've got a size 7.5 just for her!!

You see, since she graduated about 100 years before I did, she thinks all the guys I find good looking, look as if they are 12 years old.

She didn't mention there that she met someone.

Someone not so tall, but dark.

Someone a bit exotic.

Someone with bad fashion sense.

His name is Freddie.

I'll let you be the judge.

Boob-A-Thon (Round 9)

A few more! One that has come over from Sage and a couple of my very own girlfriends!! You ladies rock!

Madame X:


Janet:


Nanci:


That puts us over $60 in my donations alone! Plus, there's going to be a matching donation from Rob as well as a contribution from Sage.

You can still participate in The Boob-A-Thon so send your photos in!

Birthdays and Presents and Cubbies, Oh My!

Last Friday I was woken up by my daughter peering at me, saying, "Mommy....you knows it's yours birf day?"

It was a normal work day and all that jazz, but I was looking forward to that night with all my girls. And I was hoping that one of my birthday gifts from Mike and the kids was my Aramis Ramirez Cubs jersey.

At work, my boss gave me a gift and then early that evening Mike and the kids gave me all my goodies. The girls came over a bit later, and I was spoiled with plenty more stuff!

It was a wonderful day. Spent with people I care about (and care about me!), talking, laughing and having a good time (and the presents aren't all that bad either!).

I made quite the haul - and I GOT MY JERSEY!



Plus, my birthday festivities continued this week as Tuesday me, my husband and son were all treated to a Cubs game (with my dad). It was a joint present for mine and my husband's (the White Sox fan) birthdays. The game was awesome (Cubs won 9-5!) and it was nice to share in my son's first visit to Wrigley Field (one of the greatest places on Earth!) with my dad.



I'll admit, I was spoiled. But who doesn't enjoy that?

Thanks to my girls (Melissa, Donna, Nanci, Julie, Karyn, Deb) for celebrating with me, and for your thoughtfulness. I appreciate and love each of you. Thank you!

(And Thanks to my hubby, kids, & of course mom & dad (who I am still not sure if they are reading here or not) ... Love you Guys Too!!)

A break from the boobs

Don't worry, there is still plenty of time to submit your ta-ta's to the Boob-A-Thon! I'm just taking a break, awaiting a few more entries before I bombard you with photos of their gloriousness (is that a word?).

However, I did want to tell you that Rob over at The Nerdy Redneck has offered to MATCH the amount raised here. So in the grand scheme of things, folks, that means every pair of ta-ta's earns $4! So, go on ..... submit your photos now!

Boobs aside, I am celebrating my 28th birthday today. And I get to celebrate with a doctor's appointment this afternoon because I've got a swollen gland that is tender, along with some tingling/pressure/slight pain in my ear on the same side as the swollen gland.

At least I have this evening to look forward to. My girls will be coming over to spend the evening with me. I'm sure we'll share lots of laughs and eat too much. Oh, and we'll be drinking Rum Runners and Fuzzy Navels. I can't think of a better group of girls to spend my birthday with.

There Really Are No Words......

I really have some crazy friends. But, God, I love them!

We were missing a couple of the clan; maybe someday we'll manage to get a photo with everyone at once!




And of course.....one of our girls celebrates a monumental birthday (I am sooooo far from climbing this hill!)

Because So Much is Riding on Your Slogan

If you like a lot of Melissa on your biscuit, join our club!

I have to say. We had a great time with the Slogan Generator at girl's night tonight.

Who would have thought that a year later we'd come across campaign slogans that would have been a sure fire shoo-in.

For instance:

"Come one, come all to Melissa"

"Melissa - The Freshmaker!"

"Get More from Melissa" (though I hear she was handing out plenty! hehehe)

"You've Got Questions. We've Got Melissa."

Or how about?

"Melissa Saves Your Soul"

"Come see the softer side of Melissa"

"You're in good hands with Melissa"

But the one that really would have taken the cake? No doubt about it....

"It's the Melissa Fizz that does the Bizz."

Her World Almost Crashed

My good friend is going through a tough time right now. She lost her father last October, and has been trying to make her way through married life with 2 kids. Without going into too much detail, it's been a tough road.

I get a text messages from her this morning telling me that she kicked her husband out last night (they are now living with her widowed mother) and that he threatened suicide, he didn't show up to work today, his cell phone is off, and authorities were pulling a car out of a river just a few minutes from his mother's house.

Just like the morning she sent me the text that her dad had passed away, my stomach dropped and I'm sure all the color drained from my face.

Coincidentally, I have plans for after work with her, and I couldn't help but think -- God, I could be going over there to console her on the death of the father of her two children.

Thankfully within a few minutes, the news reported the time the car went in, and she knew it wasn't him since he was still at home at that time. I breathed a sigh of relief for her.

Yes, even if their marriage is rocky and even if it doesn't last, he still has two children in his life and those kids don't deserve to lose either of their parents.

It was an emotional morning for me, so I can imagine how she's feeling. In just a little bit, I'll get to see my friend and spend some time with her. Because one thing is true - I'll be there for her, no matter what happens.

Cookies and Candy and Groping, OH MY!

We hosted our 2nd annual cookie exchange last night, and of course, it was a blast.

What else would you expect from a house full of women, cookies, food, good conversation and plenty of laughter?

I honestly don't remember what time it was when the last guest left, but I do know that it was after 2am by the time I finally crawled into bed. And I think it was about 7:30am that my daughter came in, punched me in the back of the head and told me it was time to get up. Yeah, she's lucky she still has teeth.

So, there was joking and laughing and pervertedness aplenty last night. Even some groping! (The scary thing is, we weren't even drinking!)



I love these chics. Happy Holidays, friends!

We Survived!

Today we had B's birthday party for all of his friends. We decided on Pump It Up again this year since it was such a hit with his preschool class and because it was so easy.

They literally do it all - from supervising, to serving the food, to writing down the gift and gift-giver name for you .... I could just sit (or stand .... or bounce .... or slide) and enjoy.

This time the adults got in on the fun. Of course, when Melissa said she wanted to go down the big slide, I said if she did - I would. Well, she did. So I had to hold up my end of the bargain and go down, too. Even Nanci and my husband got in on the action and had some sliding fun (Nanci and Mike even hopped in another bouncer for some basketball, and another dad that was there was joining in the fun).

I think of the 80 photos I took, these are the best ..... 1) Because we all look quite goofy and 2) It was fun to blend in and be a 'party-goer' for a few minutes rather than the responsible adult. No comments from the peanut gallery .... Yes, I realize I look like an idiot, and No, I really don't care (well, I do, but I know if I put up my friend's photos, they'll be pissed if mine isn't up there with theirs). :)

Rough Day Ahead

All fun and kidding aside for a moment.



I just placed an order with a florist to have an arrangement sent to the funeral home for Katrina's father. The obituary is in today's paper and visitation is tomorrow evening.

Since reading it online, I've been in sorts and not able to think clearly. I couldn't even remember my zip code when I was placing the order.

Tomorrow is going to be a rough day. I don't handle seeing others upset very well, so I imagine there will be many tears tomorrow.

Life is so unfair

I'm sure you all recall my post about my friend Katrina's friend, Dana, being murdered not too long ago, right?

Well, with deep and utter sadness that I write this ... Katrina's father passed away this morning.

All was normal this morning, and I was busy with the normal Monday routine at work when my cell phone bleeped that I had a text message. I flip open my phone and see that it's from Katrina, and I'm thinking she's just going to be sending a Monday Morning greeting. Until I open it and read these simple words:

"My dad died this a.m."

How can I just send a text message back to that? I immediately called her back, the tears already springing to my eyes and when I heard her voice, I lost it. The tears fell quickly, I could no longer hold them back. My heart was breaking apart for her, and I still feel an ache, knowing just what she must be going through right now.

I thought back to how unfair I thought it was that my husband at almost 30 lost his mother. How much more unfair that my good friend lost her father when she was just 28? I'm pretty sure her folks are younger than mine - maybe not by a tremendous amount, but my folks are not quite 60 yet. There's still a couple years until the big 6-0.

I feel helpless....like I should be doing something more for her. I told her how sorry I was, and that if she needed anything, to call me. I guess that's all I can do at this point, while she grieves with her family and helps to make the arrangements.

My heart is hurting.

Girls Weekend & First Week as "Boss"

So - the girls weekend was nice. It rained which was a bummer, and dinner wasn't fantastic -- but we were together, and we laughed and had a good time anyway. Sunday I woke up not feeling so hot, so it made for a long 2.5 hour drive home. :( Ugh....I hate that tumbly, queasy tummy feeling.

I survived my first week as the "boss" .... then again, it's not too difficult when it was a 'slow' week, and things had already been done and that I'm still not trained. Next week is going to be a killer --- on top of working the full week, I'll be also training the new part-timer and sticking around after hours to be trained myself. Long days + lots of work + lots of 'teaching' + lots of 'learning' = one very tired lady. So, come a week from today, I'm going to be exhausted and probably ready to hit the remainder of the 6-pack of Smirnoff's raspberry.

Calgon, take me away!

A weekend for ME!

The timing really couldn't have been better. Yesterday my boss put out an official memo to the employees that as of Monday, I'm the new General Manager.

This weekend I'm going away to Galena with 6 girlfriends. This has been planned for months, and it's funny how the timing and everything just fell into place. I get a weekend to myself -- no kids, no responsibilities, no nothing ..... just me with my friends; shopping, eating and laughing.

We leave at 9am this morning....I can't wait! I've been up since 6:15 when the little one came in to use the potty and then I couldn't fall back asleep. This is earlier than I get up for work......I'm a bit backwards, I guess. Just shows my excitement!!

Girls Getaway, here we come!!!!

Wicked Weekend

The news I received on Friday of my husband being unemployed was tough to digest and by Saturday I was feeling pretty down.

We got out as a family for a little while, heading to the mall to look for a birthday gift for my mom. We stopped in the Disney store with the kids, and they fell in love with these soft, adorable stuffed characters that look like they are wearing pajamas. Since we had returned some of their Christmas gifts, and had used that cash to purchase some things for us at the time, we 'owed' them. They looked adorable cuddling their new friend at bedtime that night. It was rather depressing, though, knowing that the money situation just isn't the same right now. Not that it was great to begin with, but at least we had two incomes.

I managed to do well with the birthday gifts - buying one thing on clearance (something she asked for) with in-store credit I had and another I ordered online and paid with money in my paypal account which was all earned from things I've sold on ebay. Moneywise, we only spent $12 out of pocket. I'll print her birthday card to save even more money.

That night a good friend a few doors down was having a gathering at her house. I wasn't feeling entirely up for it, but figured getting out was probably just what I needed. It was really great to get out of the house, and think about something else for awhile. I enjoyed being amongst friends for the evening, and before we knew it, it was 2am! It was off to bed as Sunday was to be a busy day.

Of course, the kids can't be quiet and let anyone sleep once they're up, so I was up before I wanted to be. This wasn't a bad thing since I had to get ready for the day. I went across the street to meet with the rest of the group, and we all headed out to the train station to get down to the city.

What a terrific time! We saw Wicked, which was just amazing. This was my first broadway show, and I loved it. It truly was a great, great show! Mike kept me up to date on the Bears game (Super Bowl bound, baby!!!!!) by text message to my cell phone, and the game ended as we were sitting in the restaurant waiting to order.

I really managed to "escape" for a little while, and my friends couldn't have been more wonderful. Simple gestures like paying for my train ticket or picking up the cab fare. It truly meant alot to me, as I still came home with money in my wallet that I can deposit back into our checking account to put towards bills.

Now I'm trying to keep a positive outlook, trying not to think about the fact that our income just took a loss of over 50%. Hopefully the job search will go well, and that we'll be a two income family again soon.

Busy, Busy, Busy

The Christmas season is always so crazy. Why should this year be any different? Well, it is different in that instead of having my hand in 6 different pots, I've got them in about a dozen.

You see, this year I'm doing 2 separate parties for Braeden. One next week for just his friends, and then we'll be having family and friends over for cake & coffee that weekend. Makes things a bit crazier with planning and preparing, but in the long run it'll probably be a tiny bit less stressful than having family, friends and a dozen (or more) preschoolers to deal with all at the same time. So, tonight I was out picking up Ninja Turtle goody bags and Hershey's miniatures so that I can get the personalized wrappers on them (granted, I still need to print & cut them all first).

Not to mention that my mom and I are hosting the December "Girl's Night" for our community, which is a cookie exchange/grab bag. There isn't much to do to get ready for that aside from cleaning the house, but it's that much more baking that needs to be done.

Plus, I've still got my photography class once a week. It wraps up next week (makes me a bit sad, but I don't think I could keep up with the holidays and all), and I've got a photo essay to do. I've been racking my brain for ideas, but I'm frazzled. Too much on my mind to focus on assignments, I guess. As it is, this week's is not done yet.

And did I mention about the fundraiser? Yup .... it kicks off this weekend. Music, Christmas lights, candy canes, hot cocoa, raffle baskets, Santa ..... the whole she-bang! It's actually come together quite nicely so far, though we are working on getting broadcast. So far we've made one newspaper, and another is going to do an article - but we want TV coverage. I guess we can't complain .... many members of the community have embraced the idea, and plan on coming out to volunteer their time, or to take part in the festivities. Our entire block is shining with Christmas lights. There are only 5 homes that didn't put up any Christmas lights - but they still have time. And considering the festivities haven't kicked off yet .... we've already raised over $200.

The plan is to see how it goes this year, but we're optimistic that it's going to be successful, and there's plans to do this as a yearly thing, picking a different charity/organization/group to donate to each year. This community truly amazes me, and those that I'm on the committee with are a great group of people. It feels so good to be a part of something like this.

So, I'll be volunteering alot of my time to working "Santa's Landing" (Friday & Saturday nights for a few hours each night), and the rest of the time I'll be working, finishing my class, buying the last few Christmas gifts, baking a billion cookies and wrapping a gazillion presents. Hopefully I'll still be able to squeeze sleep in here or there.