Hi!

After being admonished by my Aunt (Hi, Aunt Betty :) ), I have decided that I might try blogging again.

We'll see how that works out, but in the meantime, I'm trying to find a template that I like, and that is cute, and free, and easy to customize.

So, look for some new updates here in a bit.

Jump Rope!

Starting Over

Hello Friends.

I left for a while, but I'm back now.  I'm not sure for how long, but for today for sure.  I can't promise anything past that.

So it seems as though the last time I had anything to say was way back on February 1st.  Now, it's almost May.  So that's......about 3 months. 

Sure!  I've been busy.  We're ALWAYS busy here.  I have two kids in school, a full time job, a cat, a dog and other stuff that I like to do/need to do/am obligated to do.  And most of the time, that stuff takes precedence over typing on the computer for a while.

Also, I'm pretty tired usually when the kids go to bed and mostly just lay on the couch, watching TV.

But also, also, (that's sort of like a P.P.S....or P.S.S.....not sure which way is correct?) I was actually caring about what I wrote, and making sure it was OK for other people's eyes.  As in:  is it PC?  Is it interesting?  Funny?  But actually, what matters is that I am at least trying to document what our life is like.  Because someday my kids might actually like to hear about this stuff.  And I'll be too old to remember it all.  I'm too old to remember it all now already, so I can only imgaine what it'll be like in 30 years when I'm.....nevermind.  I don't want to think about how old I'll be in 30 years.

So.  No more followers on the sidebar....no more caring about whether or not someone has a comment for me.....no more making sure I comment on other people's blogs so they look at mine.  Because it's not for them.  It's for ME.  And the 2 family members who like to hear about what we're doing.

Have a happy Friday tomorrow!  XO

Here Comes the Snow!

**Please sing the title line in the same tune as "Here Comes the Sun"......aren't I clever?

I live in Michigan.  Granted, southern Michigan, but still Michigan.  Michigan is in the north.  Also, surrounded by giant lakes that combined with wind, make lake effect snow.  Those two factors alone guarantee that every single winter, for a good three months, we have snow.  And lots of it.  Depending on where in the area you live, you might have 75 inches of snow each year. 

This year, we've been pretty lucky.  Not too much snow, and hardly any of those "horrible" days where it's snowing AND blowing AND 11 below.

But folks, they tell me it's coming.

Who is they?  I don't know.  But I like to say it because my Grandma always used to say "Well, they say......" and then go on to tell me something.  And I would always say "Who are they?" and laugh.  And she would laugh too.  I miss my Grandma.

Anyway, in this case "THEY" are everyone. 

Apparently, we are in for 10-16 inches in about 12 hours, and 20-30 mph winds, and cold temps.  Brrr.  I am shivering just typing it.  Either because of that, or the fact that I won't allow anyone in my house to turn the thermostat up above 64 degrees.  Whatever.  I am shivering.

They say it's going to snow, and a lot.  The kids are pretty much planning on having Wednesday off school, and I am even getting sucked in, hoping I get a snow day too.  I am planning on going to work tomorrow and ask people who have been there a long time if we ever close.  I hope so!

Even though it's supposed to be a big one, I say "Keep your shirts on people!  We live in Michigan.  It snows here.  Sometimes a lot.  Sometimes it's a pain to drive in, but we have a lot of snowplows and salt trucks and they do a pretty good job keeping things clear for us.   IT WILL BE OK".

Hopefully though, we don't loose power.  Now that?  THAT would blow.

random thoughts. by jodi.

Well hello......(said in my best creepy guy voice).

How are you all?  Pretty good here.  Pretty good.  Busy, as usual!

Did I tell you we have a craft room now?  Well, we do, and let me tell you.....I had forgotten how MUCH I like to craft!  It's so easy now that all of my stuff is in one spot, and it's easy to get to.  I can work on something while Elizabeth is doing her homework, or while everyone else is watching TV, or whatever.  I love my our craft room!

Also, I love hot glue guns and Modge Podge.

Also, the kids love to craft.  We do it almost every day!

Trixie (you remember her, right?) is fine.  Naughty as usual.  Right now she is quietly laying on the back of the small sofa in the living room.  Just like the tiny kitty cat that she is.  Oh wait.  Right.  She's NOT a cat.  She's a large dog.  Why in the world is she laying on the back of the sofa?

Also, although she has mostly stopped eating toys, I think it's just because the kids have finally learned to put them away.  But she HAS stepped up the eating of bathroom trash (read:  dirty kleenex) and pencils.

Is lead harmful to dogs?  Or maybe the decorative paint on the outside of the pencils?

Also, we are pretty sure Trixie has epilepsy.  Yes.  Dogs can, and do, develop epilepsy.  Yes, dog seizures are very frightening.

Something else that was frightening?  My work today.  Wow.  But, tomorrow is a new day and things will be juuuuuust fine.  I am sure of it.

I think that is all for today.

Have a fantastic tomorrow!

One Month!

Well hello!

It's been almost one whole month since I last checked in with everyone.....how are you?

Things are the same here.  Busy.  And I've pretty much felt like besides that, there's really nothing else to tell you about.  So I haven't really been around.  Even though now there's probably no one that even checks back anymore, since it's been so long.  But that's OK.

I've also been feeling like I should be spending my time on other things, like interacting with my husband and stuff, rather than spending a bunch of time on the internet.

But he went into work tonight, so I have some free time, and here I am!  Yes, it's Saturday night, and yes, he went into work, but he had to stay home Friday with Elizabeth because she was throwing up, so he's behind and wants to get caught up before Monday.  I know the feeling - I had to stay home with Alexandra on Wednesday because SHE was throwing up and it took me until Friday to get caught up.  It's not easy for me to go into work at night like it is for him.  First, I work a bit farther away from home than he does.  It's not far, maybe 15 minutes, but he literally works 4 minutes from our house.  Also, my work is much larger and there are security guards and stuff there during non business hours, and since it's so big, when most of the lights are turned off it's super spooky there.

Anyway, speaking of my new job, things are going really well with it.  I felt like I was drowning at first, but the last few weeks I've really caught on.  Also, one of the things I was tasked with when I was hired for this position was to "get my customer under control".  Obviously I had said "Well, of COURSE I can do that"  although I wasn't really sure what it meant.  And then I did.  Without totally boring the two of you who have actually returned to see how I am, we have date ranges that our customers need to order their stuff within.  That way, we can plan for material, and also for our manufacturing plant's capacity.  Well, my customer pretty much ordered what they wanted, when they wanted.  They didn't care if it was withint the date ranges we have set or not - they needed their stuff and they needed it now.

But, they've actually been behaving really well for the last couple of weeks.  I know that they'll have some bad days sometimes and drive me crazy, but that's OK because they are not the norm anymore.

Well, enough about me.  On to the people you really care about - Elizabeth and Alexandra!

They're both fine.  I mentioned they were both sick this week, and that totally sucked (especially since Elizabeth seemed to forgot how to make it to the bathroom in time and threw up on the couch, the floor and the floor again).  But they're seeming to be OK now.  Whew.  Hopefully now Greg and I don't get it.

We went to their conferences last week, and they're both doing well.  Elizabeth had A's and B's, and Alexandra did well too (no letter grades in Young 5's).

I bought their Christmas dresses last weekend, and have a pretty good idea what I want to do for our Christmas card this year; I just need to find an hour or so when everyone is well and wide awake and in a good mood so I can take the pictures for it.

The girls' redecorated bedrooms are finally done....they look super cute and fit their personalities.  Alexandra was upset that the rocking chair from her room is now gone (we had rocked her in that chair almost every night of her life), but it went to Grandma's, so it's not totally gone.

The craft room......well, it's still a work in progress.  I have most of the stuff in it now, but it's not really organized and it's still a huge mess.  But I am glad that we did it.

And, I think that is it, for my latest boring update.

Happy weekend to you all!

What's Happening

Hi Friends!

This will be a quick post, with not a lot to say.  But I figured I would let you know that I am actually still alive.  Also, it will give me a good excuse to tell you about how busy I am.  Again.

So, here's what we have in the works right now:

1.  Elizabeth's room has been redecorated.  We painted, bought new bedding and curtains, a rug, a new storage thing, etc.  Actually all very small and easy changes, except for the fact that we have about 16.5 free minutes per day.  So that means it actually took us about a month to do it all.  But it's **finally** almost done.  Just a few things to go through and put away!
2.  Alexandra got a new bed.  She also got new bedding and a few other things for her room.  And a miracle happened and we finished that all in one day!  Grandma helped that one along by taking the girls to the movies and gave us 2 uninterrupted hours to work.  It's amazing how much we get done when it's just the two of us.
3.  Craft room is still very much a work in progress.  Pretty much nothing more has been done besides getting the furniture and computer in there.  The rest?  Well, it's pretty much a disaster.

I know.  3 things?  Doesn't seem like all that much, but combined with working, kids in school, laundry and cleaning.....well, it is.  But have no fear!  We WILL be done soon. 

And....there will be PICTURES!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Crafty!

Hello Internet.

So, since I last checked in with you, things have been moving right along, as they tend to do.

My new job is getting better.....I still don't really know what's going on, but I am getting my legs under me and can at least get through the day without someone supervising me 100% of the time.

One girl was sick and had to stay home for two days, but the other one wasn't.  Whew.

And....Greg finally convinced me to turn our "den" into a craft room.

I call it a "den" because in reality, it's just a small room off of our living room that we watched TV in.  And the living room didn't get a lot of use.  But that's how I liked it.  I'm the type of person who thinks your living room is more of a "sit and talk" type of room, rather than a messy room that you watch TV in.  I also have a formal dining room that we eat in about 2 times a year, but....that's how I like it!  Now that we have fewer toys downstairs, and the girls are doing more homework and crafts, it became apparent even to me that the living room was really just a big wasted space.

So I finally relented.

Plus, the idea of a craft room that our computer could be in sounded really cool to me.  I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that our computer was in the basement and that I didn't use it a whole lot because of that.  But now?  Well, the computer's been upstairs now for about 2 hours and I've already been on it more in those 2 hours than I have been in the last week.  Maybe even 2 weeks.

Good or bad?  I haven't decided yet.  But at least I can be on the computer and not feel isolated, and if the girls want to play on it we can supervise a lot more easily.

None of my actual craft stuff is in here yet.....we have to clear off the bookshelves (there are two of them, floor to ceiling and they are full of books) and buy some storage containers, but the desk and craft desk are here and I'm digging it.

So there is my non newsy update for you.  But hopefully you'll be hearing from me a lot more now that my computer and I have joined the land of the living!

Oh and PS:  I read today that Tom Cruise has been givin an offer to come back and film Top Gun 2.  At first I was like "Oh!  I love Top Gun!" and then I was like "Oh.  Maybe not."  I also read something that a friend of a friend on Facebook said:  "Iceman better get on the treadmill".  Which is mean, and I should be the last person to make fun of anyone who is a bit heavy, but I have to admit.  I laughed out loud at that one.

Yes, I Fell Off the Face of the Earth

And, I'm pretty sure I will be staying there for a bit longer.

As I have said the last few (and far between) posts, things have been super busy around here.  Seems as though starting a new job, making sure your mother gets moved into a new house and having a 2nd child start school is more than even I can handle.

Go figure.

Pretty much all I have energy for at night after the kids are bed, lunches are made and laundry is washed is to sit on the couch and not think.

In my old life (at my previous, super easy job) I had all sorts of time during the day to check in on my internet friends to see what was going on and even to comment on their blogs.  Now?  Well, I actually have to work from the time I get to work until it's time to go home.  I might have 3 or 4 minutes to check in real quick and read what's going on, but that's about it.  So please don't think that I have forgotten about any of you, because I haven't!  I just need to make sure my priorities are set in the right place.  And you know....the internet is down pretty far.

*****************************
On an unrelated, but also overwhelming note, please pray, think healing thoughts, whatever you do, for one of my friends.  Her husband was in a motorcycle accident on Tuesday and he passed away today.  He was 35.  My heart is breaking for her........it's just so sad.

*****************************
Until I find some more time!  XO

Pictures

I don't know if you remember, but I used to take a lot of pictures.  And then, I sort of stopped.  I'm not sure why, but it's been about three weeks since I even pulled out my camera and that was for the first day of school.  And before that, I'm not even sure when it was.

But for some reason, now that fall is coming, I've been really missing my camera, and tonight while Elizabeth was at CCD, I went out to one of our local parks and took some pictures. 

For those of you from around here, I went to Crane Park, and don't ask me why, but I've never been there before!  It's really pretty though, and I can see why people like to get married there.

Anyway, I also managed to get a picture of a full rainbow (and a very light 2nd one) behind the church when I sent to pick Elizabeth up.

Sorry there are only a few, but, Enjoy!

Twelve Days

Well, since it's been twelve days since I have checked in, there probably aren't any people left to type this for, but I will so it anyway, just in case.

So.  What have I been up to?  Well, a lot, actually.  As a matter of fact, since school started, we have so much less time than we did before, it's amazing.  And I thought we were busy before.  But now?  Whew.

I am in the den, watching the movie "Rattle and Hum".  Ever seen it?  It's a film about the band U2 (my favorite band - EVAH).  I saw it like 11 times at the movies when it came out.  My friend Christine (also....roommate freshman year in college) and I cut class on the first Friday it was out and took the bus to the theater to go see it.  We went to the theater in Okemos, which is down the road from East Lansing.  Actually, I probably would have cut class anyway, since it was a Friday, and I was a freshman, but maybe not.  It was a long time ago, so my memory may not be the best. 

Elizabeth started CCD this week.  For those of you out there who are not Catholic, that's religous ed class.

Alexandra really likes school.  She had to stay home one day last week because she was sick.  I called her around lunch time that day and she said "Can I go back to school tomorrow?".  And then tonight, we were watching a movie before bed and she said "I wish I could go to school tomorrow".  I am quite happy, because I was super worried about her hating every single second of it.  But, I guess not, which is good since she has a few more years left.

Trixie is laying on the floor at my feet whining because I won't let her upstairs.  But I have banned her from unsupervised time upstairs because of what she did last night:  I was sitting downstairs watching TV and I kept hearing crashing sounds coming from upstairs.  I was ignoring them because I was watching the season premiere of The Office.  Finally, I couldn't ignore the sounds anymore so I went upstairs to find that she had pulled all the trash out of the bathroom trash can and Alexandra's trash can and flung kleenex and fluff (from a stuffed animal she had destroyed a few days earlier) everywhere.  Also, she had gotten into the toy bins in Elizabeth's room and chewed up a bunch of colored pencils, pens and tiny toy animals.  All I could do was laugh.  Because she's a menace.  For real - my dog is a menace. 

I am at my new desk at work.  I have "officially" started my new job.  I say "officially" because I started getting paid for the new job on September 1st, but didn't really start until Wednesday.  And I am now drowning in issues I don't know how to fix and 100 emails a day.  It's awesome!  Actually, I think once I figure out how to fix all the issues on my own without having to ask someone about every single one I will really like most of it.  Lots of problem solving and making things happen and very fast paced.  Which is what I said I wanted in the interview for the job, so I guess that makes it a good fit, right?

We (Greg and I) are playing in my company's golf outing tomorrow.  I haven't played golf in about 10 years.  I should totally suck.  Also, we drove out to the course last night, so we knew where it was, and I saw a dude playing without a shirt.  So, as you can see, it's a super classy course.  It should be a good time.

OK.  I think I am done for tonight.  I am going to drink a little beer and eat a couple of cheese pringles.  I know, they're gross, but they were there at Target when I ran in to get some milk and orange juice and I couldn't resist.

Blah Blah Blahblitty Blah

OK, so besides being so busy I can barely breathe, things have been uneventful.

Because I am too tired to be entertaining, but I know you are dying to hear about what's going on in my life so I will provide a helpful list for you!

• I continued training this week for my new job.  I have pretty much no idea what I am doing, so that's cool.
• I played tennis (mixed doubles with someone that I work with) in a tournament called The Corporate Cup on Saturday.  Unfortunately, we only got to play two matches because it started raining, but the good news is that we won the two matches we played.  Go us!
• Greg played in a golf tournament this weekend, so he was gone all day Saturday and Sunday.
• I had a work party last night at the home of one of the managers in my (old/current) department.   
• I am going out of town Monday and Tuesday for work so I spent Sunday cleaning the house, getting things ready for school for the next 3 days and packing.

So now, I am sitting on the couch, typing this completly enthralling account of my week, drinking a beer and watching TV.  Multitasking at it's best.

One Last Time......

We spent a few days at the lake last weekend with my mom and my aunt.  One more fun thing before the new school year started.

Fortunately for us, we only live about 45 minutes away from Lake Michigan, so it's not a big deal at all to go there often, even though we don't. 

Anyway, we took the girls and did all sorts of fun stuff:  splash park, the beach, a pier, lighthouses, children's museum, pizza, parks, hotel with bunk beds.......

We also saw some sunsets

Watched people fish (this is one of my favorite pictures from the weekend.....I just really like it!)

Looked at some lighthouses

Played on the beach

Left stuff laying around, just like at home

And stood around, while I took pictures like this

School starts one week from today, and summer will be over.  So it was nice for one last time.

It's Almost Here......

We have had a really really hot and humid summer this year.  Last year was really nice - not a lot of super hot temperatures, and even when it was hot - it was just hot - not humid too.

This year?  Not so much.  We've had temperatures over 90 with high humidity on more days than I care to remember.  My hair has been a disaster all summer!

But, things are starting to change.......

I am seeing more of these on the ground:

And the tree that the girls like to climb is looking like this:

My calendar is filling up:

And the temperatures (except for today!) have been bearable:

And lastly, my dining room table has this on it:

Because this is happening soon (now...only 8 days!):

Fall is almost here!

Yippee Skippee!

Hello Strangers!

Once again, it's been way too long, but you know.  End of summer....getting ready for school (more on that later)......blah blah blah.

But I'm here now, so there you go.

So.  This is just a quick little update about ME!  Since I know you're all so interested and all.

I've been at my job for almost 3 years now.  I really really like my job.  Although, since I've been there for so long now, it's getting a little boring.

Typically, at the company I work for, people stay in their positions for 2-3 years, and then they move on and up.  Of course, last year there was no new hiring being done....and the people that were laid off were not replaced.  Finally though, in April, things started moving.  New jobs were posted, people started moving around, and things were looking up.

What does this all mean to you?

Well, it means that I am finally moving on and up to MY next job!

Yippee Skippee!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to be a Customer Rep for a heavy duty truck OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and will be managing their orders and issues.

I am super excited....you know - new challenges, etc. etc.  That, and a lot more money.  Yay!

The end.

Two Red Peppers and an Avacado

OK guys.  I know I talk about my dog a lot.  And I apologize about that.  But I mean, I can't help it.  She provides me with so many stories.  Really - my life would be way more boring sounding without her.

So, I made a run to the store last night to get conditioner (which, incidentally I forgot and had to go BACK for tonight) and bought some other stuff, too.  Some milk, some orange juice, some tomatoes, two red peppers (the bell kind - not the hot kind) and an avacado.  I got home and left the peppers and avacado on the counter.

Tonight, after getting back from the store (to buy the conditioner I forgot to buy last night), I put Alexandra to bed and then came to the basement to do laundry.  I ended up on the computer for a few minutes, and then finally went back upstairs to the kitchen to make my lunch for tomorrow.

Well, I'm at the counter, packing stuff up and I happen to look over at the peppers and avacado and notice that there's only one pepper left.  And Trixie won't stop following me around.

The following me around part isn't really unusual, but the fact that she kept sort of burping at me was, and I even said "Trixie, you are so gross".  But.....even then.....she's a dog and she does gross stuff.  Whatever, right?

Anyway, I see that there's only 1 pepper, so I call Greg and ask if he had cut it up for Elizabeth, and he of course was "Ummm.  No."  I sort of look around the kitchen, but don't see it anywhere.

Unconcerned, I went and sat down to watch TV.  After about 30 seconds, I hear the basket at the bottom of the stairs that I keep things in to carry up when I am too lazy to do it right away fall over.  I go to see what Trixie has stolen out of it and happen to see her at the top of the stairs, looking at me, with a Barbie doll in her mouth.

I do the "TRIXIE" loud whisper-yell thing and she runs into Elizabeth's room and hides under the bed.  I of course give chase, and manage to get the Barbie away from her before she can chew it up.

Then I take Barbie into Alexandra's room because it's hers, and that's when I see it:

A pile of seeds and a stem.

Yes.  Trixie had stolen my red pepper, taken it to Alexandra's room while I was surfing the internet and eaten all of it but the stem:

I pick the stem up to bring downstairs and photograph, and Trixie hid under my bed, because she knew she probably shouldn't have done that.

But you know what?  I say "Whatever Trixie.  You probably have a tummy ache now, but it's your own darn fault!".

So there (said the lady who will have to clean up after her dog who will probably throw up the red pepper she probably shouldn't have eaten).

Twenty Five

Tonight, we have to go to get to go to Greg's 25 year high school reunion.

Can I get a WHOOP? 

Yeah, me neither.  I don't think from Greg, either, but like many other people he felt obligated to go.

He tells me we will be arriving late and leaving early.

I don't know though.....there will be karaoke (did I spell that right?) in the bar at like 10:00.  That's always good for some laughs, right?

So wish me luck, spending the evening with three people I know (me, Greg and our friend Debbie) and many others that I don't.

Later!

Dog Pedicure

So if you have a dog, you know that their nails grow and need to be cut every once in a while (I didn't - for real!).  Because if they're not, when they jump on you, their nails scratch you so hard they leave bruises.

Anyway, I bought a nice pair of clippers because they showed me how to cut her nails at the vet and it looked super duper easy!

But then I discovered that Trixie knew what nail clippers were and whenever I got them out she hid in difficult to reach places because apparently she didn't like to have her nails clipped.

I finally gave up and took her to one of those big pet stores to have them do it.

Well.  Let me just say:  muzzles, Trixie, and 3 employees holding her down to clip her nails did NOT go well.

I gave her a month or so of respite, but her nails reached critical lengths again, so that time, I took her to a different big pet store.  That visit was MUUUUUCH better. 

Trixie does not respond to people wanting something from her and at the same time being nice and touchy and feely with her - she needs an alpha to dominate.

(Ha ha!  Didn't I just sound like a real "dog person" there??)

Anyway, if you want Trixie to do something (sit, quit jumping on you, drop the stuffed animal she's chewing on....) you need to be pretty straightforward and no nonsense with her. 

So the lady at the 2nd pet shop was great.  She took control and didn't mess around.  Trixie figured out pretty quickly that her nails were getting clipped, so she'd better just settle down and get on board.

Today was round #3 in the nail clipping saga.  I took her back to the last place and Oh! No!  The lady who did her nails the last time wasn't working.

I should have just left - I don't know why I didn't - but I should have.

Also, I had Alexandra with me (anyone with a 4 year old knows how "helpful" they are when you're out and dealing with a somewhat stressful situation).

To make this already long story short, here are the highlights:
1.  One of Trixie's nails bled (ew!)
2.  Alexandra almost wet her pants
3.  I got very sweaty trying to help
4.  3 out of 20 nails got cut
5.  We were sent home and told "Chell works tomorrow.....you can come back then"

Poor, poor Trixie.  It's gotta be tough being her.

Why I Will Never Become A Rich Blogger

1.  Because I go a week, sometimes more, without updating.
2.  Because my life really isn't all that interesting, and most people find me super boring.

With that said.....

Hello!!!!  So sorry I've neglected you for so long, but I am finding this summer to be so busy and hard to do anything except just BE.

Also, I don't really have much to talk about.

Here is what I can tell you:

1.  Trixie now goes downstairs (she's been too afraid, but for whatever reason, overcame that fear this past weekend).
2.  Quinn has been in the basement since we brought Trixie home.  So, this is bad news for him.
3.  I weighed myselft this weekend.  It was NOT pretty.

Aaaaandddd.....that's really about it.

I will try to check back later, when something more exciting happens.

Happy Monday!

Hello From the Basement!

Hi There.

So, I'm in the basement right now.  That's where our computer is.  Because when we moved into our house a long time ago, it seemed SO! BIG! and now that we have two kids, a cat, a dog and a bunch of stuff, it's really not that big anymore and the basement is the only space we have open for a computer.

Anyway, that's where I am at.  And you know what?  It's super lonely.

Usually, when I am updating the world of the internet, I am sitting in the den on the couch, watching TV and typing away on my laptop.  But......my laptop is my work computer, and guess what!?  The hard drive is dying on it.  So I am too afraid to even try to turn it on this weekend, because it could be the last time it ever turns on.  Insert some good news here:  IT guy told me today that the new hard drive finally arrived and he was going to put all my backed up stuff onto it and it should be ready to install Monday morning.  But in the meantime, I must use the computer in the basement.

Because it gets super lonely down here, I tend to do the bare minimum as far as showing you pictures and writing anything because after about 10 minutes, I get to wondering what the heck is going on upstairs, and I end up just shutting down and joining everyone else (except for Quinn.....he hasn't left the basement since we got Trixie.  So he's here).

So my point in that whole long story is this:  I have a couple of new things I'm working on, but 10 minutes only goes so far, so it might be awhile before I finish. 

Don't abandon me!  I couldn't take the rejection.

OK, enough for tonight....I hear fun things going on upstairs and I must go join everyone. 

Happy Weekend!