Juggling Life

Homecoming And Thanksgiving All Rolled Into One

Over the next few days all these kids will be making their first trip (for most of them) home from college--from places ranging from Los Angeles to Colorado to Wisconsin to Cambridge (yes, Harvard). Are their mom's a little excited? Maybe.

The mom of the tall redhead? That would be Jenn and she has a choice to make tonight and tomorrow--blog or bake. Since MVP is looking forward to some non-dorm food made by his very own mother, I have just this to say: "I'll be in the kitchen." See ya'!

Straight Teeth and Strong Arms

 

    The day you get your braces off is a happy day day indeed.

                Anyone up for going to the Gun Show?

I would feel nostalgic for when my arms looked like this, except they never did. Remember when it wasn't considered "feminine" to have visible muscles? Thank goodness Serena and Venus smashed that notion. I convinced her to pose for this picture because (as we all know) someday she'll want photographic evidence of how buff she used to be.

Why Would You Have This When You Could Have This?

This is a food product I consider absolutely worthless:

Why would you settle for Cool Whip when with so little effort and a

and a and a little

you can have this?

It's especially amazing when served with this:

Photo credit and recipe from Suz. The Pumpkin Crunch Cake was a big hit at dinner Saturday night, at book group Sunday afternoon and as leftovers for Danger Boy all weekend long.

Letter to the Editor and a Few Photos

I am so proud of San Diego--the biggest turnout in the nation. Laid back who? (photo from the San Diego Union Tribune).

I'm also proud of this girl:

 

The following is a letter I've sent to the San Diego Union Tribune. I'll let you know if it gets published.

I am a heterosexual woman, married for 21 years and the mother of four children. My life, and my marriage, is about as “traditional” as can be. My youngest daughter, 14, and I were among the thousands who marched on Saturday in protest of the passage of Proposition 8.

I marched because when I hear people say things like the quote from Janae Perez in Sunday’s article about the march, “We simply believe in traditional marriage” I want to cry in frustration. In my lifetime traditional marriage in many states would not have included interracial marriage. Should we have held to that tradition?

When people say, as the article states, that “those wanting to support same-sex marriage should have rallied before election day,” I agree and I feel ashamed. My only excuse is that I never believed that California, the state of my birth and where I’ve lived my whole life, would do this. I overestimated the compassion and belief in civil rights of many of my fellow citizens. I march now to attempt to right a wrong.

I don’t have gay kids, or gay relatives, or, really, any gay friends*, so this is not particularly personal for me. It is about right and wrong and equality and fairness and civil rights and the separation of Church and State. So now I must march.

Jenn

My apologies to Jason--I didn't feel that I had the space to get into the whole bloggy-love friendship thing!

                          OMomK, Bugs, Jenn, Social Butterfly

  (I'm pretty sure everyone thought OMomK  and I were a lovely lesbian couple with two beautiful daughters--not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Photos by Social Butterfly and innocent bystanders pressed into service.

Today's Economy

Yeah, it's like all the kids are getting one these days.

Overheard Around The Economic Downturn (And Other Places)

We took Social Butterfly and some friends out to dinner for her birthday (we can do that now that Mr. Fix-it has a job!). Mr. Fix-it was fiddling with his new employer-issued Blackberry.

SB's Friend: My dad used to have that phone. He loved it. Then he got laid off and the company took it back.

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I was putting on my p.j.'s and brushing my teeth. SB was sitting on my bed. MSNBC was on the TV and they were playing a clip of Sarah Palin saying she was excited about Barack Obama's presidency and that she wished people would quit focusing on her because this was his shining moment. I peak around the corner at the TV.

Me: Wow. I almost like her right now.

SB: Same.

Me: Is that really what you were thinking?

SB: Yes.

I was all verklempt that my 14 year old was not only listening, but also having an opinion about anything political after the election was over.

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SB and I were driving in the car listening to the song Can't Believe It, sung by Lil' Wayne.

Song: Put you in a mansion, somewhere in Wis-cansin . . .

Me: Wis-cansin? That's not a rhyme. And word to the wise--if you want a mansion you can buy it yourself, not wait for some guy to give it to you.

Song: Ooh, ooh, she all on me, on me . . .

Me: She all on me?! What is that supposed to mean?

SB: Mom! Lyrics aren't subtle these days like Little Red Corvette was.

Me: I don't remember thinking Little Red Corvette was particularly subtle.

SB: Well it was compared to nowadays.

Little Red Corvette Lyrics

Girl, u got an ass like I never seen
And the ride...
I say the ride is so smooth
U must be a limousine

Subtle? I think not.

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In other news . . . SB, me and my BFF and her daughter will be here on Saturday.

San Diego March and Rally for Equality!!
Saturday November 15
Gather at 6th and Upas at 10:00am
March at 10:30am
Rally at County Administration Building at 1pm

Please remember to PROTEST PEACEFULLY. The San Diego Police will be involved in our protest and this protest is NON VIOLENT.

We are well on our way to building a great march, a great rally. To recap, here's the information:
We will meet at 6th and Upas and we will march downtown to the County Administration Building.
We will rally at the County Administration Building with speakers, music, and more information about how to stay involved in this growing movement!!

In Which I Have To Call A Plumber On New Year's Eve

Suburban Correspondent, over at The More The Messier, has been sharing stories of a plumbing problem she's having. Her stories are leading me to . . . let's see, reminisce doesn't really cover it . . . maybe re-live is more the word--anyway, I've been thinking of some of my own plumbing nightmares. That's right--nightmares plural.

This is my humble abode. There are many things I love about it. When I first saw it, almost 14 years ago, I loved the big, cul-de-sac lot, the canyon in back, the school my kids would attend. The house itself was too small--only 1100 square feet--but I figured I could change the house. And change it I did. After 2 major remodels the house is 2600 square feet , completely updated and perfect for our family.

The plumbing disaster that Suburban Correspondent's story evokes happened on New Year's Eve 2002. We had, quite literally, just finished adding a master bedroom upstairs and down and adding on to the existing bedrooms. We'd just gotten to our house as part of the progressive New Year's Eve party in the neighborhood. Everyone, including me, had indulged in some cocktails as we were all on foot. The main course was to be at our house.

First, of course, I had to give the grand tour of the remodel. I proudly flung open the door of the new downstairs master bathroom (part of Grownup Girl's new room) and was greeted with an overpowering stench and the sight of raw sewage floating in the tub. If you have a strong stomach and want to see what it looked like, here's a link. If not, I'm sure you're imagination will suffice.

You know all the plumbers that advertise that they work 7 days a week? That does NOT include New Year's Eve. Finding a plumber to come out to your house on NYE while entertaining and feeding those of your guests that still have an appetite? Requires continuous consumption of the alcoholic beverage at hand.

I'm not really sure the plumber appreciated our revelry and champagne toasts as he snaked the line, but I was a very grateful client.

That back-up was the first of several similar incidents (that bathtub being the low point of the house apparently). There were several more plumbers before  the problem was resolved.

I will never forget the conversation/argument I had with a plumber while he, the general contractor and I stood in my front yard. The plumber tried to tell me that the disposal of feminine hygiene products was the problem and that we couldn't flush said products down the toilet. I had the weirdest sensation of thinking, "I cannot believe I'm having this conversation" while I told him emphatically, "I have been flushing tampons in this house for 6 years and in my mom's house for 20 years and that is not the problem!"

Finally the contractor popped for a camera in the line to diagnose the problem--it turned out to be a large nail wedged crossways in the pipe causing "things" to catch on it. I may have crowed a lot little to the plumber--"I told you it wasn't the tampons!" They cut the nail out and that particular problem has never happened again.

COBRA Bites

For those of you who've never had to pay for health insurance while unemployed, thank your lucky stars. The system is ridiculous. The Consolidation Omnibus Reconciliation Act or COBRA  is designed to allow employees to continue their employer-sponsored health benefits (at their own expense) in the event of a job loss. In the absence of universal health care the idea seems worthwhile.

The execution though . . .

It took 2 weeks to get the information from the outside vendor the employer pays to process COBRA benefits for them.

We sent in a check for $2800 (2 months worth of benefits) the day we received the packet.

It took 2 weeks for them to receive process the check. Ummm, I get mail from my MIL in Minnesota the day after she mails it.

They require 7 days to make sure the check clears. 7 days. Are you kidding me? I'm pretty damn sure that if I were to bounce the check I'd know about it within 2 days.

After the check clears it requires another 24 hours to notify the insurance company which requires 72 hours to update the coverage status.

Thank goodness the prescription I'm needing to fill isn't for a life-threatening condition. I could just pay out-of-pocket and get reimbursed (I'm sure that would take no time at all), except that the  mail order pharmacy that has my prescription only fills prescriptions for people on Humana insurance, so no go on the pay out-of-pocket.

No worries though--I don't have anything better to do than call the insurance company daily (and attempt to have a conversation with voice-recognition software) to see if our coverage is updated yet.

Frustrated who?

For Her I'll Even Go To The Mall

This is Social Butterfly's birthday present--tandem paragliding at Torrey Pines International GliderPort. Unfortunately there wasn't enough wind for tandem flying today, so we'll try later in the week or this weekend. Who could complain about kicking back and waiting for an hour in a place with one of the most stunning views in the world though? I certainly won't.

Since she couldn't go paragliding she wanted to go shopping--thank you Charlotte Russe for carrying reasonably priced jeans in a size 1 long. Thank  you SB for realizing that 1+1/2 hours in Charlotte Russe and Forever 21 really is my outside limit. Also, thank you Nana for the shopping money.

 

Social Butterfly and mom--14 years later. My how the time does fly.

Happy Birthday to Social Butterfly!

Being born on Veteran's Day has it's advantages--it's always a day off school and you get to educate everyone on the fact that Veterans' Day is always observed on the 11th of November--not on a Friday or Monday as with most other holidays. You would not believe how many people want to dispute that fact.

14 years ago there was a big crowd to welcome Social Butterfly into the world. After a certain point, giving birth is not really the private event it was the first time!

                                                                                                                                                                                  (Pardon my triple chin--some people carry high or low--apparently I carried in the face!)

After 5 grandchildren my mom decided to get in on the action herself--she delivered SB. Though she was a little nervous after the doctor had to take over momentarily to push her back up and unwrap the cord from around her neck.

                     A little waxy to start, but she cleaned up pretty well

       

I tried telling all the people in the pictures above that they shouldn't give her everything she wanted because someday she wouldn't be a baby anymore and she needed to realize everything wasn't always going to go her way. They didn't listen. Boy are there days they regret that decision!

When I started to gather photos for this post, I asked myself what do I want to say about her? A word popped into my head. DICHOTOMY. This girl is quite the dichotomy. Sugar and spice doesn't begin to cover it.

          This girl was all about dressing up and playing babies.

While this girl was all about keeping up with the boys and never being left behind. She was 3 years old when she learned to ride a two-wheeler. The bottom shot is of her at her 6th birthday party at a BMX track. That girl could (and still can) ride!

I had in my mind that she was all about the pretty when it came to photo shoots--but no, it turns out she was frequently all about the personality.

                       Dichotomy.That's why the girl that used to do this

                           became the girl that loves to do this.

My cheerleading, make-up wearing, babysitting, shoe fetish girl is also a mountain-bike riding, snowboarding adventurer whose okay with getting dirty.

Any guesses what she wants for her birthday? Some clues--it's not a thing, it's an experience; her oldest brother can't believe he never thought of it and it's dependent upon the weather. Also, she's lucky her mother isn't a nervous Nellie or the response would be "no way!" 

Hopefully you'll have the answer in an (Almost) Wordless Wednesday photo tomorrow.            

I think her brothers started training her early to live a little on the wild side.

 

                 Happy Birthday Baby Girl!