The election results are in!

I knew it...


BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I thought these were neat...

Survey Says!

1. What is a difference between the last two people you kissed?
One is my dog, and one is my cat. Gaucho hates Izzy, but tolerates her because he loves me.

2. Do you believe that there is always room in your heart for your first love?
I guess. I haven't seen him in about ten years. I know there's room for him in my hope chest, though! All my serious boyfriends get a freezer bag full of space where I keep love letters, special memento's, and the like. He drew me a lot of cute pictures, and my corsage from the prom is in there, too.

3. Where is the next place you will travel to?
The Caribbean with Pete in may! Woohoo!

4. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed?
Because I thought I was going to drive to the Grand Canyon right after my last kid went home today, and I wanted to kiss him goodbye before I left. Turns out I'm not going, though, because the road is all snowy and yucky.

5. Have you ever worn the opposite sexes underwear?
Sure. Pete's boxers are quite comfy, and I sometimes wear them as PJ's.

6. Have you cried today at all?
Nope.

7. What were you doing at 8:00 this morning?
In the shower washing my hair.

8. When was the last time you cried?
That depends. The last time I legitimately had a good cry was when Ciera left. However, since the birth control went kaput, I've been a super-girlie wimp and will steam up at the first sign of anything emotional, triumphant, or heartfelt. Usually a television commercial or something good that happens on the news like a kitten being saved from the jaws of a shark.
9. Do you say sexy a lot?
No, but i say "flippen" a lot.

10. When was the last time you had a sleepover?
It's been too long, and I think this questionnaire may have inspired me to have one.

11. Do you have any gay friends?
A couple a few.

12. What is something you currently want?
I'm pretty sure everyone and their mother knows what it is I want. I never stop yapping about it.

13. When did you last throw up?
Actually, I haven't thrown up for a while, but I had a kid throw up all over the place today. He puked all down the front of his shirt, pants, and shoes. Then he spit out what was left in his mouth into his hand, looked at me, and said "french fries." Classic. I've also been puked on, but that's another kid story that I won't delve into right now.

14. Do you want to get married & have children one day?
Heck no! : )

15. Do you still think about your exes?
Occasionally. I'm on good terms with them all, but I haven't seen any of them in ages. They sometimes pop up in dreams, which is weird. Nothing gross or anything, I'll just bump into them, or they'll serve as a character in whatever the plot is. My dreams vary from first person to third person randomly throughout the dream, and almost always have some kind of plot.

16. How old were you when you had your first kiss?
My first steamy kiss was in eighth grade at Charlene McDermott's birthday party. We were all holed up in her bedroom, and her mom made herself scarce while we all played Truth or Dare and spin the bottle. The boy I kissed was a twin, and I'm not sure which one it was, Justin or Jason. The best part is, that my best friend (still to this day), Laura, was there too, and the exact same thing happened to her. We may or may not have kissed the same boy for our first kiss on the same day at the same party.

17. If you could, would you date a jock?
I could date a jock. So... what the frick is the question?

18. Ever made out in a pool?
Oh, yes.

20. Have you ever gambled in a casino?
Heck yes! I always give myself a budget, which is usually something like $25. Once I lose that, I'm done. However, if I win I can keep going, but I can never go beyond spending the original $25.

21. Do you like to have long hair or short hair?
I look retarded with short hair. Long with layers all the way!

22. What is your favorite place you have traveled?
Believe it or not, Gulf Port, Mississippi was pretty awesome. It wouldn't have been so great if I was just there for a weekend or something, but I was stationed there for a few months and spent lots of time there having fun with friends. It was faaantastic.

23. Do you like ice cream?
Yes, but not too much or my tummy will hurt.

24. What is your favorite color?
Green.

25. What was the last thing you bought?
A taco salad and some french fries at the zoo, which was promptly thrown up all over the place.

26. Where do you keep your money?
In the hands of the person who just sold me the random thing that I didn't really need, but I really wanted. That seems to happen to me all the time! Good thing Pete is a miser or we'd be flat broke.

27. What was the weather like today?
Partially cloudy, breezy, cold, early springish.

28. Where are your mom and dad?
Peoria and Mesa, AZ.

29. What did you want for Christmas?
World Peace.

30. Last vacation destination you went to?
Phoenix for a little birthday cake, shopping, and a whole lotta Bingo!

31. Do you want to cut your hair?
No way, it's just getting long.

32. Do you like to eat ice?
No, but i used to love the crushed Ice from the Chow Hall in Gulf Port. For some reason that ice machine made it just right.

33. What is your favorite place to shop?
I couldn't possibly name just one. It really depends on my budget and what I'm shopping for. Is this a trick question?

34. When do you go to sleep?
Usually between 10 and 11pm.

35. Who was the last person of the opposite sex that you talked to?
Kai's dad, Eric.

36. Would you ever consider moving to another state to be with the one you love?
Yes. We're considering it now, in fact.

37. Do you like sushi?
I LOVE SUSHI! Especially volcano rolls and Philly rolls. They are so decadent! I can't stand sushi that has really, really huge pieces of raw fish, though. I don't like the slimy, mucous ball feeling in my mouth. It has to be in a roll, and it can't be ginormous. Texture is key.

38. Do you lie?
I never lie, but sometimes I change perspectives.

39. Do you have empty bottles of alcohol hidden somewhere?
Why would I hide the empty ones? I toss those ones out, I hold on to the ones that still have liquor in them. Fumes just don't get you hammered the way the real stuff does. (I stole Raven's answer. Excellent!)

40. Are you over the age of 25?
Unfortunately. Blasted Father Time is creeping up on me.

41. Are you typically a jealous person?
No, but once I had a dream where I found Pete and my sister Katie making out in his truck. I opened the truck door, yanked Katie out by her shirt, and proceeded sucker-punching the crap out of her face until Pete pulled me off her. I woke up and hit Pete.

42. Own bright colored underwear?
Pretty much all of my underwear are brightly colored, if you must know. Including the tinkerbelle chonies I bought at Disneyland after getting drenched on one of the rides. It was something like October, and I was freezing. I bought some sweatpants and asked if they sold undies too. I was soaked to the skin. They said they only sold kids' undies, so I bought the size 10's in kids. They fit me then, and still do, believe it or not. I'm so proud. Those ar like my superhero undies (kinda like the ones from Calvin and Hobbes that he feels all powerful in).

43. Who is the last person to text you?
Tanya, Kai's Mom

44. What was the best movie you have seen in the past two weeks?
Pan's Labyrinth. I've already seen it multiple times, but Pete rented it to do a paper on so I watched it again. So good. Not appropriate for kids, just so you know.

45. Are you going to have a good night?
I guess. I dunno. Nothing special planed.

46. Do you have strange dreams?
Always, but they're usually pretty fun. I love the ones where I can fly. I have to get a running start first. One time I dreamt I was Superman. I saved Lois Lane, and then dropped her off at my Jr. High School field because I had some other heroic deeds to do. Also, I have a lot of dreams in the same geographic places. There was this one lot on a corner that I'd never seen and assumed I made up in my head that was a repetitive one, and then one day while I was driving around I found it. In real life I found the place from my dream. There were very specific landmarks, and they were all there. It was trippy.

47. When was the last time you did the dishes?
Last night.

48. Do you trust all of your friends?
Sure. I'm one of those people who pretty much trusts everyone until they give me a reason not to.

49. What are you listening to?
The humm of my computer, and Izzy sniffing and chewing her Nylabone.

50. Have you ever had your heart broken?
Actually, no not really. I usually do the heart stomping.

51. What is something you learned today?
I learned what taco salad and french fries look like after being digested for 5 minutes.

52. Are you happy?
Heck yes, but I'd be happier if I had a bun in my oven. If I get pregnant in the next couple months, I decided that for Halloween I'd be an oven with the door open and a cinnamon bun on my belly. It'll be flippen' AWESOME.

53. What did you do today?
Watched kids, went to the aquarium, went on the train over to the zoo, cleaned up puke, took the train back, drove home, naptime, did laundry, called Dan to let him know I didn't want to drive in the snow by myself, changed diapers, gave Kai a bath, surfed the net, and now this.

54. Would you have sex with the person you are with?
I don't see how we can have a baby any other way without spending a lot of money. So, yes.

ZOOM! Time to Graduate

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get a little cosmetic dentistry done this year. Well, I went and had my teeth bleached at the dentist's office with this spiffy little machine called ZOOM! They basically slathered my teeth with bleach, put wax over my gums so they wouldn't get bleached too, and then sat me under the blue light three times for 15 minutes each. Ten the dentist re-shaped my front two teeth a little so they matched a little better and voila! I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm still contemplating whether I really need to straighten my bottom teeth or just go the way of Jewel and rock the crooked. I'd post a picture, but my stupid digital camera is broken. I'm too poor to buy another one because I just spent all my money getting my teeth bleached!

Yesterday Pete and I had lunch together at Einstein's Bagels, and then went across the street to the UNM bookstore and bought his graduation package. He got his robe with the neat master's degree hood, and the frame he always wanted to put his diploma in. He got a smokin' $50 off the frame for buying it with the robe. It's one of those spiffy ones with the school's crest on the acid-free border. I was thinking about it, and he's going to be graduating in May. That's just three months away! It'll be strangely nice having him home all the time, but I have a feeling I won't be watching nearly as much ANTM (that's America's Next Top Model to the lay-person) or Brett Michael's Rock of Love. I can't help myself. Those shows are my drug of choice. Pete pretty much moans until I change the channel if I try to watch them when he's here, though.

In preparation of Pete's new entry on his resume, I've been spending my free time searching the net for a new job for Pete. He loves where he's at, but realizes that there is no hope of promotion at Emcore unless his boss drops dead. We don't foresee that happening since she's in her late 20's. So, he knows he's going to have to leave if he wants to get the all-coveted rank of HR Manager (and the extra 20 grand or so that goes with it). I went online and looked up all the solar panel tech companies in the country, since he loves the one he works for now. I also looked up any and all high-tech company HR postings I could find in the Albuquerque or Phoenix areas. He also said he'd work in a medical research setting, but he knows I'll be more difficult to land one of those jobs because he has no prior experience in hospitals. He really just wants to work for a company that's on the cutting edge of something good. Pete really, insanely wants to stay in ABQ, but his chances aren't looking good if he wants to stay in his chosen fields.

We talked about it, and decided that if Pete found his dream job (like if a Fortune 100 company hires him) we would pretty much move wherever they need us to go. However, when we have kids old enough to attend school we are dropping anchor. We don't really know what's going to happen or where we're going to move next. It really all depends on his job. He wants to move up the corporate ladder, and I'm all for the big paycheck that goes along with it (his boss' boss makes $180,000!). But the only way to do that quickly is to follow the work and hope he can land something at a major corporation where there's lots of room for promotion.

Pete hates Phoenix, but I'm secretly hoping he can find something in AZ so our kids can hang with their cousins and Grannie. Phoenicians, keep your eyes peeled!

Leather, Plastinized Bodies, Leather

I didn't really know what to get Pete for Valentine's Day. So, I checked out what was going on around town this week and I found something that was somewhat gruesome, but educational and a one-of-a-kind experience. Anybody who's seen the latest James Bond movie will know what I'm talking about. It's an exhibit called Bodies Human, Anatomy in Motion. It's actually a knock-off of the one displayed in James Bond. The Pharaoh's (the scooter club I recently de-pledged because they wanted more time than I wanted to commit to any club) were going on their latest Sunday ride there after meeting up for brunch at Two Fools Tavern.

So, we went and got some shepherds pie and corned beef hash, hung out with friends for a couple hours, and were off to....the mall? Yes, the exhibit was going to be displayed at the mall. When we got there, we wandered around because we weren't really sure where in the mall was an appropriate place to display stuffed people posed shooting hoops. Apparently, that place is sandwiched between Wilson's Leather and some other random leather goods store. We thought it fitting yet disturbing. Seriously, someone who worked in the mall either has a sick sense of humor, or no tact (or both!).

The place was actually set up just as it would be in a museum. There were also lots of friendly people there to answer questions and teach us a little about the bodies we were looking at. There were a lot of fully plastinized bodies, as well as pieces of bodies and casts of the circulatory system. It was really weird, but at the same time it didn't seem real. Kinda like looking at a taxidermied cat. You knew it used to be alive, it just didn't look right. The eyebrows, fingernails, and toes were the things that disturbed me the most, though. They looked the realest.

The ones I thought were the craziest, and the most educational, were the woman on the rings, and the body that was sliced into 3/4 inch slices. The woman was posed like she was swinging from Olympic rings. Her arms and legs had rings of flesh cut away so you could see the bone, but you could also see how much muscle, fat, and veins were in her arms. It was really mind-blowing. The other one, the sliced body, was cut vertically into slices and then displayed one after another in long plastic square sheets. You could see each layer and how they fit together.

It was really bizarre to see the human body this way because it's not like looking at a book that shows a cartoon of the muscles, nerves, brain, circulatory system, heart, etc. It's right in front of you, and it's life-sized (because it was alive). I kept catching myself looking at one of the displays and then feeling my own muscles looking for, and finding, those displayed in front of me in gruesome detail. There were also body parts with tumors, enlarged hearts, and other maladies that caused the person's death. It really made me think of my body as a working machine rather that a vessel that just carries me around from place to place.

It was a strange display of human biology, but one that I am glad I got to see. Pete thought it was pretty awesome, too.

My Valentine

How long have you been together?
Almost five years! It doesn't seem that long, though.

How long did you date?
We dated for about a year-and-a-half before we got married. Our first date was on June 14th, which I remember because it is both my Mom's birthday, and Flag Day. I thought Pete was maybe a couple years older than I was, so I asked if he wanted to go to Coyote Joe's, which was a local haunt my girlfriends and I frequented. He then informed me that he was a mere 20 years old (I was 24) and that he didn't think they would let him in. So, we ended up going to Chuy's because they had karaoke. He brought his friends Bear and Joni, who ended up being our regular karaoke buddies after that. I brought two girlfriends and my sister Katie. I actually originally wanted to set him up with my friend Bree, but after telling her how great he was she asked why I didn't go out with him? That settled it...he was my prey!

I wound up picking an Elton John song to sing, but when the music started it wasn't the song I originally thought it was (it was Benny and the Jets). I didn't know the words and I hardly knew the melody. So, I improvised and just made up words and looked like a total jackass! Apparently Pete thought it was cute, though, because he still talked to me after that and still flirted with me the rest of the night.

How old is he?
25.

How old are you?
29...almost 30! GAH!

Who eats more?
Pete...no competition.

Who said "I love you" first?
I did, but he was begging for it! We'd been dating for a few months, and he had moved to Flagstaff and left me behind in Prescott so he could attend NAU. I was on one of my many trips to visit him in Flag. Right after I said it he said, "Are you sure?" Romantic, right? That's just what a girl wants to hear after spilling her guts to someone. Then he waited about five minutes and said it back. What a shit!

Who is taller?
Pete is! Hooray! Erica had the exact same reaction to Richard's tallness that I had to Pete's. "You mean I can wear any shoes I want!" I am 5'10, and Pete is 6'4.

Who sings better?
Me by a long shot! Pete can't even whistle without being off key. Seriously.

Who's smarter?
I say Pete, and Pete says me. We used to actually compete when we were in college because we took a lot of the same classes. We met sitting next to each other in statistics class, and even then we would compete for the better test grade (they were usually about the same). I say Pete is smarter because he can do a lot of things really effortlessly like fixing my car and installing stuff. Pete says I'm smarter because I could fix my car if I wanted to, I just need to get off my butt and learn. He thinks I could learn everything he knows, but he could never learn the instincts I possess about kids, or the way I notice little things he never would have thought to focus on. I still say he's smarter. I'm just more of a hippie.

Who does the laundry?
Usually it's me, but I detest putting it away. My laundry usually ends up piled up on my dresser because I'm too lazy to put it in the drawer. I love it when Pete does the laundry, but it's not really all that often. Ask him and he'll say different, but please.

Who does the dishes?
Once again, it's usually me, but if Pete does do the dishes he makes sure to point it out to me so he can rack up brownie points. However, he did do a complete install on our dishwasher, including removing cabinetry and installing plumbing. Before that I was doing them all by hand, which was hell on earth. He is exempt from dishes for all time for that.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
Pete. I'm on the left with our cat Gaucho. Gaucho's learned that entering Pete's side of the bed is like pulling cord on the ejector seat. He will get tossed.

Who pays the bills?
I send out the money, but Pete brings home the bacon.

Who mows the lawn?
I do! I love doing yard work for some strange reason. Pete didn't even want grass when we landscaped the back yard, but I insisted. I can't wait for spring to get here already so I can get my hands dirty!

Who cooks dinner?
I usually do, but I have to admit that a lot of times that equals throwing something in the microwave or ordering pizza. I probably cook two really good meals a week. I was better when we had Ciera around, but when it's just two adults it's really easy to be lazy. I do always have a meat and a vegetable, though.

Who is more stubborn?
Like Erica, I have more of an attitude, but Pete can really be a stubborn butt-hole sometimes! I'm not stubborn so much as completely sure that my way is right. There's a difference, isn't there?

Who kissed who first?
Pete made the moves on me first. He was pretty manly about it, too. It was definitely a Rhett Butler taking his woman moment. Haha! Pete is all that is man.

Who asked who out?
I'm not really sure. I think our first date was one of those "hey want to go out with me and a bunch of my friends?" moments, but I can't actually remember who suggested we go.

Who proposed?
Pete did. It was another fantastically romantic moment, similar to the "I love you" moment. We were both enrolled in a nine credit hour class called BizBlock. One of our numerous assignments was to create a five-year plan. Because we were not only dating but living together at the time, we decided to do our five-year plans together. I was in the kitchen putting some steaks on, and Pete was in the living room going down the list of things he wanted to accomplish in the next five years. Then out of the blue he asks, "Where should we put kids on here?" I got the "oh no he di'in" look on my face and said, "you aren't going to put any kids on that list until you put a wedding on there first." ....Silence..... About five minutes go by, and just as I was about to open the oven to check on the meat he grabs my hand and gets down on one knee. He asks if I'll marry him, I say yes, and then he gets right back down to business and asks where he should put it on his five-year plan. Unfortunately, Pete doesn't have a romantic bone in his body, and he won't commit to anything until he has at least a good five minutes to mull it over. What a dork. It's a good thing he's so hot!

Who is more sensitive? Well, I've never seen Pete cry, but he's only seen me cry maybe three times in the course of our relationship (twice over jewelry, and once when Ciera moved away). Don't make fun... I lost the stone to my wedding ring! Ever since I got off birth control, though, I've been a roller coaster of emotions! I even caught myself steaming up while watching that Kodak ad where the people are walking through the museum. Hormones are the Devil!

Who has more friends?
Oh, that is definitely me. I am the social butterfly, and Pete is along for the ride. We both are pretty good about keeping the friends we have, even if it's been a while since we've seen them. I can't wait until we're done moving around.

Who has more siblings?
ME! Pete has three older sisters. I have 2 sisters, 1 brother, 1 half-brother, 5 step sisters, and 7 step brothers if you include Wyatt and Eric (from my Mom's previous marriage to Peter who died of cancer). Plus, most of those people are married so I win by a landslide.

Who wears the pants in the relationship?
I think we each have a leg in the pants. Sometimes i get my way (usually), and sometimes Pete gets his. We usually agree, though.

BABIES, BABIES, BABIES!

As many of you know, I've been ready for kids for about the last 20 years. When my friend Sarah and I used to play house, I would always stuff my shirt so I'd be the pregnant one. I've always had babies on the brain. Finally, at the ripe old age of 29, Pete and I are trying for one. I went online and purchased this amazing little thing that looks like a lipstick at first glance, but when you open it up you find that it's a mini microscope with a little built-in LED light. I wipe a little spit on the lens each morning, and if five minutes later I see a "ferning" pattern then I'm ovulating! Ah, the wonders of modern-day technology. The best part is, this little contraption only cost me 23 bucks, and I can use it forever! I was partially skeptical at first, but after tracking all my womanly cycles, it's ferning at just the right time. My advice to all you ladies hoping to get pregnant is to buy one. So rad!







Something that concerns me about the whole getting pregnant thing is that Pete so obsessively wants a boy. I went online searching to see if there is any way we can actually increase our chances of a boy vs. girl (other than ridiculous old wives tales) and I found one thing that seemed almost plausible. It's called Shettles method, named after the Dr. that researched it. Basically it said that the boy spermies are way faster than the girls, but they don't live as long. The girls are slower, but are much more resistant to acidic pH levels and can survive for up to five days in little crevices. The idea is to time it just right, and to eat more alkaline foods that are conducive to the survival of the boys. There are other things too, but I'm not going to get into gory details about it. Research showed a 75% success rate in getting the sex of baby that you were trying for by using this method. While it's not 100% it sure beats 50/50. I'm going to try my darndest for a boy, but secretly if we have a girl I will be so psyched!

I wet on an errand to drop off a bunch of old stuff at Savers, and while I was there I browsed around at the baby stuff. While looking in the furniture section, I noticed there was a crib taken apart and covered in dust and formula sitting in the corner. I went to check it out to see if it was broken or ugly, and I found that it was actually an awesome crib. I didn't see a price tag right away, so I called the furniture guy over to help me. He found the price tag that read $20, and I went on to point out that it was taken apart and there might be pieces or screws missing. It was also in pretty shabby shape (or so I told him). Long story short, I talked him down to ten bucks! Suckker! I knew the crib was just fine. My only concern was that there might be a screw missing or something, but that's $.49 at home Depot. There was nothing missing! Here's the crib I got, but it's a dark honey shade of wood, and there's no ugly bedding or drawer. TEN BUCKS!






While I was there I also got some cheap books about babies, including The Expectant Father for Pete. I strategically placed it on his side of the bed by his other books. I'm pretty sure he's grown quite annoyed with my baby fever. I can't imagine why? Everybody buys all their baby stuff before they're even pregnant....right?