Woe is meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Holy good Lord I am sick. I can't remember a cold EVER kicking my ass the way this one is. I suspected I'd get one as Mike had been suffering from a small one last week and my little neighbor Baby P, who I simply cannot NOT pick up and smother with kisses, has been a little sick. I probably put the final...err..nail in the coffin seems a bit to melodramtic...how about "log on the fire" by camping out in the pouring rain, having only one change of clothes thereby spending several hours literally soaked to the bone and then sleeping on the ground. Like that didn't just scream, "Immune system down!!"

I even had to call in sick to work yesterday b/c I seriously couldn't move and it killed me to have to do that b/c I only have tomorrow and three shifts next week left. I was not planning on missing a single second.

Anyway, I've been a little short tempered in the mommy department (you could tell because I usually have sooooooo much patience. *please read sarcasm here*). But that being said, G had a couple good ones today that made me laugh out loud. First, is it just ingrained in us to sing in shower? I let him take his own shower today and was serenaded, as I cleaned the kitchen, by the sweetly made-up songs of a 4 yr old singing at the top of his watery lungs. The best part? He wasn't even aware I could hear him. He was just in his own little world.

These next two I'll just write in convo form:

Me: (exasperated) I don't KNOW, Grant. I'll think about it.
G: (super positive) But, Mama! I ALREADY thinked about it, and it's a great idea!!

(Watched previously mentioned, still sick, Baby P this morning.)
G: (grossed out, teenage voice) Mama? Baby P has the boogers.
Me: (distracted, as usual) Whatever, G. He's fine, he just has a cold.
G: (snotty AND grossed out teen voice) No. Mom. The boogers are weally big. AND he's coming by me. Please, Mom. Do something. Now.

All for now. Oh, and I've been totally neglecting my appreciation part of this blog. Tonight, as usual, my appreciation goes out to my hubby. Thursdays are the nights that he online games with other gamers and he really looks forward to his one night of release. Well, he walked in the door tonight, took one look at me and said, "I got bedtime, babe. You just lay on the couch and chill." Don't you just LOVE him???

What is Wrong with Me?

There are two activities that I really despise. Running and yard work. And for some reason, in the last two days, I've done both. Awhile back I publicly declared that I was never running another step again. I gave myself permission to quit, something I almost never do. But then last week via good old Facebook, my old running coach posted that she was going to run Monday at 6:15 and anyone could join her. Before I could stop myself, before I could remind myself that I'd quit and that it was OKAY that I quit, I found myself writing her to tell her that I would be there. And I actually went. And I lived. And dammit, I actually feel good. I'm going again on Wednesday. What has gotten in to me?

Tomorrow will mark 4 years since we've signed the next 30 yrs worth of our paychecks over to Chase Mortgage. And for four years I've wanted to clean up the brush that takes up, literally, two-thirds of our yard. And for four years anytime I've attempted to do yard work, the single act of picking up a rake or donning a pair of work gloves has been enough to make me turn around and march right back into the house. Yesterday, for some unknown reason, I got the urge to work in the yard. So with Mike's help and about two and a half hours of non-stop pulling, raking, cutting and tossing, we made enough progress for me to actually *gulp* be excited for the next opportunity to get out there. Really. WHAT has gotten into me?

Henry Vilas Zoo

As a general vegetarian rule, I technically hate zoos. But I have relaxed my hatred a little bit when it comes to the Madison Zoo. It sits on a beautiful piece of property, it's free and considering Grant is not likely to go on an African Safari anytime soon, it stands right now as the best place to teach him about animals he'd only otherwise see in pictures. And when he asks why the tiger only paces back and forth all day we are not shy about explaining what his natural habitat should actually be. But animal rights aside, here's a couple photo's from today.
Grant loved this guy and asked me to take a pic. He does look pretty relaxed and happy.

Just a little more to grow before he hits walleye status.

Cutest polar bear ever.

Suddenly 6 feet 3 1/2 inches doesn't seem so tall...