First Aid Kit

We went to the STL Zoo today. I thought I was pretty prepared with my new Eddie Bauer tote bag; just right for carrying step-kid stuff. I'm such the organized together step-mom don't you know?

The oldest asked me what I was carrying in that big bag and I rattled off a list - sunscreen, sunglasses for their young eyes, disinfectant wipes for their dirty hands, camera to capture all the zoo moments. He then asked me ' and a first aid kit'? I replied a bit deflated 'no , no first aid kit - I'm still trying to figure this all out'. To which he said 'it's ok you're still new at it'. Just one of the reasons I love him ;)

It's a pretty good metaphor for how I feel when it comes to this step-momish stuff...I've got a few of the necessary tools but no first aid kit, and extra tools I need to get rid of, like limited patience, a potty mouth, a quick temper, and low tolerance for whining. But other than that I'm kicking butt at the instant family thing.

Things you NEVER want to hear at a buffet

Mom to small child, "Billay why you eatin' the pig knuckle?"


Me at the next table - gagging - literally.

Reunion pics

Blair family reunion - Holland MI

Holland is a lovely place to visit - seeing family, eating as much Hudsonville Ice Cream as you possibly can, hanging out with Mom, visiting a cool dairy farm and farmers market, all in all a wonderful time! First pics of the market..







Holland is a lovely place to visit - seeing family, eating as much Hudsonville Ice Cream as you possibly can, hanging out with Mom, visiting a cool dairy farm and farmers market, all in all a wonderful time! First pics of the market..

Vacation pics

Jared got his wisdom teeth pulled

In bloom

I love my mom's flower gardens.

VB3 on vacation

Is the air thin up there on your high and mighty throne?

I ran into someone I used to work with. She has always been rather outspoken about her Christian values and how church going her and her family are...and yet she's got a hateful, self-righteous streak that has always made me cringe.

Well today I saw her and she was telling me about her son's engagement and even though they are young she knows they will be ok as long as they put God first in their relationship and pray.

She went on to say that she told her son to remember that marriage is forever - but she's certain it will work out b/c 'that's the way he was raised - he knows marriage is forever'.

Fine fine fine whatever - pray all you want but I have a few problems with her telling me this BS without my asking to hear it.

1. She knows I'm divorced and the tone and message was definitely a jab - guess I didn't pray hard enough.
2. It's just such a simplistic way to look at things - let's say for instance you're in an abusive relationship - pray about it and it will magically get better.
3. Her attitude was so condescending and judgemental - there was nothing Christian about it.

She then went on to comment about how her husband won't fix the grill b/c he doesn't like to grill and doesn't like to do anything but watch TV and play on the computer. I wanted to say "well just keep praying about it and maybe he'll stop looking at porn on the net and start paying attention to you."

Day two

Class today was better - there was more touchy feely management stuff and a tad less math but still it all made me feel like the picture I posted. (Rese sent me a text with the message "I'm losing my mind over here" with the pic attached. I love it).

Some of the babble that I've heard over the last two days:

• 'I2D2'
• 'Widgets and failures are normally distributed'
• 'POTUS' (an abbreviation for president of the united states) and it makes me laugh to say it and I think GWB is a POTUS.
• 'Special Q'
  
• And a comment about aborted cows

I'm looking forward to a few days of R&R at Casa Caliper next week - laying by the pool, maybe reading a book, getting some sun and hanging with the family. Also looking forward to spending time with the boys.

STL

I'm in St. Louis this week for training - which I think I may have already mentioned...

Got into town on Wed afternoon and stopped by my parent's house to drop off VB3, take a dip in the pool and have dinner with the family.

The big excitement, if you want to call it that, is that VB3 took her first dip. She swam like a champ. I don't think she was exactly happy about it but Jared and I kept putting her back in the pool anyway so we could watch her swim. She was so cute and I don't think too traumatized.

Today was spent in flashback hell. I'm taking a prep course for a safety exam I want to take before the end of the year and I've got some serious info-overload going on.

I've been putting off taking this test for a long time so it's time to suck it up and do it ~ and I'd like to have some more letters behind my name and some more $$ in the bank ~ but I think these three days might just make my head explode - if the allergies don't do it first.

We went over things today I haven't thought about/used in almost 10 years and even when I was learning/using it I didn't get it. I AM SLOW when it comes to MATH and chemistry. S L O W. Borderline short bus I think.

Sitting there in class listening to the instructor talk about truss compression/tension, logarithmic this and that, moles and Avogadro's number, ratios, Atomic weights, conversion factors and on and on brought on a mild panic sensation in my chest. It also brought back just how bad it feels to be so bad at something that everyone else seems to get. Questions? the instructor asks...Yeah - can I miss all the math/chemistry questions and still pass the test?

Bwah!

On a happy note ~ there are 8 people from Murray State here ~ a few of which I know, one who happens to be a sorority sister. I also got to see Kory & Andy tonight ~ had dinner with them, pizza and cheesecake. Perfect!

The Alphabet Meme....try it!

Saw this on Sarah's blog and since I'm hanging in a hotel room with not much but celebrity circus on TV I thought it would be a great way to kill time...try it too.

Accent: A mix of southern twang, new england attitude, and mid west 'accent'

Booze: Captain Morgan's and coke

Chore I Hate: mopping

Dogs/Cats: both

Essential electronics: Cell phone and laptop

Favorite perfume/cologne: YSL Cinema

Gold/Silver: Silver but I've bought some 'gold' recently for when I wear brown

Hometown: Mascoutah (ooh ooh) IL

Insomnia: Used to happen quite a bit but I have a little help to turn the brain off and engage the REM - although I never have a problem falling asleep while driving or working at my desk - go figure

Job Title: Safety & Risk Mgt Specialist/Bus Dev Coordinator ( I don't know what it means either)

Kids: two cute step sons

Living Arrangements: renting a house

Most Admired Trait: I have no idea

Number of Sexual Partners: 1 of course - my hubby

Overnight Hospital Stays: Only one

Phobias: Not a fan of bugs, the dark, tight spaces, crowds, or being a passenger in a car

Quote: Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift that's why it's called the present (heard it a long time ago and again while watching Kung Fu Panda)

Religion: Recovering Catholic, questioning spiritualist

Siblings: younger brother

Time I usually wake up: alarm goes off at 4:45 - i usually am up and around about 5:15

Unusual talent: I used to 'drink' coke through my nose (with a straw) in jr. high, i really can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue

Vegetable I refuse to eat: beets make me gag

Worst habit: Cussing

X-rays: dentist, ribs, ankle

Yummy foods I make: brownies biatch

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Who knew

My dog is a bed wetter.

I had suspected something was up - I had been noticing her bedding would sometimes be wet even though she is walked during the day and when she has to pee when she's in her cage she lets me know so I wasn't quite sure what was going on until tonight...

She was laying in my lap, sleeping (something she rarely does as she's always running around being a puppy) when I felt something wet...then realized she was peeing on me. Totally asleep, she had no idea what she was doing. Gross I know but it is cause for concern - I can't have a dog that randomly pees while she's sleeping, maybe there's something wrong with her, etc.

So of course I googled 'my dog pees in her sleep' and there was a ton of info. Who knew? I love Google. I'll get her checked by the vet but it looks like it can be taken care of with meds.