There it is, the view out my back slider door. You can't see the houses on the other side of the field because of big fluffy snowflakes. Not that you can see much of the houses anyway - it's mostly just their roof tops. But I'm tired of snow. So So incredibly tired. The snowfall totals in this area this February have been more than twice the average. Now, had my parents still had their snowmobiles, they'd have come in handy!

I'm pretty sure the snow is the reason for my laziness. I hate dragging the kids around in the snow. The slosh, the mess, the salt on the van. So, I've been bunked down here for awhile. I managed to keep my library books over by 4 or 5 weeks. (Stupidity on my part for not just calling and renewing.) And when I finally get there, the superb list that This Guy suggested for me, I left at home. Couldn't remember a darn thing on the list. So I picked up a Stephen King book I'd never read and the book "Chocolat". So we'll see where this gets me. Note to self: Call and renew the books when their due anyway until I can get them returned!

I haven't gotten my paperwork turned in to take boards yet either. A few of my classmates that graduated in December have taken boards and passed. Granted I finished up my work late... But It still takes a few weeks for this paperwork to be processed. And this paperwork is complicated with notaries, money orders, pictures. It's a pain.

But I think I'm finally enjoying my time at home. We replaced some furniture. We had it all cleaned up (at one point). We have a routine down. I'm realizing that I'll probably only work part time when I finally get to work. There's so much going on with the kids that I'll miss if I'm working all the time. And I'm not sure how much I can entrust to Mikey when he's home on a daily basis (Go to the comments link in THIS post). And I kinda like my kids. I'll admit it.

So for now I'm stuck in an Ice/snow/wanna-sleep-all-winter-like-a-bear RUT.

Me: Are you going to watch the debate between Obama and Hilary?
Mom: Oh hell no. Both of them are idiots!
Me: Oh? Why is that?
Mom: [slightly horrified] Did you know Obama is a civil rights activist?
Me: [hearty laugh] Oh mom, is that such a bad thing?
Mom: Not when he's saying blacks should get this blacks should get that. Slavery happened how long ago? I heard that and I quit listening.
Me: [thinking... oh you just didn't] Mom, there are other people who need civil rights protected. Civil rights isn't just about black people.
Mom: Well he's all about saving the black people.
Me: How would you know? You quit listening after you heard civil rights.
Mom: Well yeah, you're right.

Now, my mother isn't prejudiced as this bit of our conversation the other day made her out to be. However, she has been deep rooted in conservative thought. (Just as terrible in my opinion! :P) My grandmother (who I adore) has voted since she was very young and told me she always, ALWAYS votes conservative. My mother has never voted in her life. Neither my father. And even though I know my siblings are registered, I'm pretty sure they've never voted.

Which leaves me to look at my democratic nominees. Last night at the debate in Cleveland, Clinton sat to the left, Obama to the right. I watched, listening carefully to their answers. I tried to identify the answers I felt reflected what I would want from my democratic nominee. Before the debate I was undecided. I may still be slightly undecided. I like Obama. I like the message of hope. I like that he wants to rally our communities and together we can have change. I'm ready. However, sometimes it's not sheer numbers of people wanting a change, it's the plain ol' politics that gets things done. I believe Hilary has the experience that will come in handy. Provided that issues are dealt with at the base of their problems and not with a handy rebate in an election year.

Now I'm not a political savant, nor do I claim to be. But I'm a concerned member of this country who knows that things are going terribly wrong and without some kind of change - I'm afraid to see what kind of world my poor children and grandchildren will inherit. It will be interesting to see what happens in November and the coming years.

Mikey surprised me with jewelry of all things... real jewelry that he typically says is a waste of money and kills little children in Africa. However, according to him, getting me something I would love favored more heavily than anything he had on his wish list.



I've been in a very foul mood lately and Mikey's pulled out all the stops to try to cheer me up. Not a bad try I'd say!

Like I knew I would! How about Amy gettin' all those Grammy's? Maybe she'll clean off her slate and start over. Then again... NEXT!

So it's late. The snow is falling. Today was a snowday, and because Mikey had a delayed weekend, today felt like Sunday. Now I'm all messed up. I've volunteered at my son's preschool for Wednesday and Thursday, the former for a Jump-a-thon (please don't make me explain) and the latter for Valentines day. But that ain't all that's goin' on this week: My older daughter will turn the big 5 on Wednesday but we'll have the get-together over the weekend. Which means even more for me to do around here. Read: Why oh why did Mikey have to shave in my only clean bathroom?!?!

On top of all that, somehow I've contracted a nasty case of something or other in which my sinuses constantly feel stuffed with gauze paired with an incessant cough that brings up absolutely nothing. I think I've been in a fog for the past 4 days. Can't a girl get some help around here when she's sick?!?! Apparently not, because I suppose the rule is: if mama ain't movin', then neither are we!!

I have managed to get things moving here at home with cleaning up despite said illness. I've donated 2 large black garbage bags of perfectly good clothes to Goodwill, and 1 to my sister for my neice. I now have two more large black garbage bags full, one to Goodwill and the other to my sister and I'm telling you I have more clothes where those have come from. Mind you, it's not so much... but they are there.

Well, my hope is that after typing this all out, my cough medicine has decided to kick in and I can try to go back to bed, again. I hope everyone gets a much more restful night than I probably will.

**********************

February 12th, 11:30am

Well, we got another snow day. The snow just keeps piling up. Mikey is now somewhere in Pennsylvania skatin' around. I told him to be careful. He told me there's no being careful about it - it's downright dangerous.

Oh, and I completely forgot to mention in ravings last night that Mikey did get me a Valentines present albeit early... It was a dozen roses - pink, red, yellow and white. So pretty. Then a gift bag of candles and a card. So all was not lost. I haven't gotten roses in a while, so Mikey isn't exactly in the doghouse after this weekend. Roses get me everytime.

"The baby" is 20 months old! Yes. 20.

Here she is in all her cuteness:


Today she said Juice for the first time. And we have a few toys that sing the alphabet and I've noticed she tries to sing the alphabet along with them!



This is my older daughter at Christmas. She did very well in school today! I'm so proud of her.



And here's my son. Smiling in his own self pic. He's actually very good at taking pictures. But dispite missing a lot of school for short illnesses here and there, he's still doing very well. And READING! He reads to me and only gets stuck on letter combos he's not familiar with. We tackled "igh" last night. Fun stuff!

Let's recap the weekend shall we?

The famous Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Feb. 2. Which means 6 more weeks of winter. However, apparently there's an official Ohio groundhog (who's name I'm not going to bother remembering because it's most certainly not as cool as Phil) DID NOT see his shadow - so Ohio has an early spring. Sorry for you folks in Pennsylvania.

Also sorry to you folks in the Northeast as your empire was defeated last night in a brilliant showing by both Eli Manning and his offense and defense. I'll admit I'm not as big of a "little brother" fan as I am "big brother" but I was so glad to see the underdog come out on top. And if Big brother is allright with it (as I'm sure he is) then it's allright with me.

In other news, my baby is talking up a storm. She's like a little parrot. She'll try to repeat anything you ask her to say, as long as she's in the mood. And at this age the mood to perform on command is as flightly as a feather on the breeze. But I'm aweful proud of her. I'm beginning to think she'll be starting kindergarten at 3. Though I think she's gifted (because I'm the proud mama) I really think it's her attempt at catching up with big brother and big sister who she absolutely adores.

So now, with my unlimited amount of time at home, I've been slowly working on re-arranging and cleaning those far too long neglected corners of my apartment. My previous tentative plans had us moving this spring, but I think we'll be just fine here for another year. One great thing about so many of us in a tiny apartment, keeping the clutter to a minimum is essential, otherwise - we'd all drown.

Okay... I'd just drown since I'm the only one who deals with it anyway!