Legos!

You know how much we love our Legos. Here is a fun little YouTube find starring the awesomely spectacular little toys:

Insanity

Just got back from a week in Wisconsin to visit family -lots to write about, but not enough time right now. Here's a teaser: new babies, old feuds, an afternoon at the hospital, and a great day on the lake enjoying the fall colors. And to top it all off, we came home to a busted water heater and a wet crawl space. Oh, the joys of adulthood...

Whew, I'm getting exhausted at the thought of things. I need a Valium.

One More Day...

Tomorrow is the big day... I'm donating ALL OF MY HAIR to Locks of Love or a like organization. The good person in me is excited to be a part of something that is bigger than I am, but the vain Parker Girl in me is a little nervous about losing all of my hair.
I have a love/hate relationship with my long hair. When I actually take the time to do something with it, I love it. Most days though? It ends up in a giant knot on top of my head. Not a good look, but it is easy. Short hair can be so adorable and fun if it is done right. My problem? My face is a perfect circle. If this isn't done right, I'm gonna look even rounder than I am now. Not a good look. Luckily, I have the most amazing, gifted stylist EVER, and I'm counting on her to make me look fabulous. No pressure though. If anyone has any suggestions for cute cuts, you've got 24 hours to post them in the comments!
Because I have no shame, I have added a "before" photo. Please note that this was taken tonight after a very hectic workday. It looked a lot better about 10 hours ago! If the results are good, I'll try to get some photos tomorrow to share. Keep your fingers crossed!

Meltdown Update

Alright folks, its been nearly a week since my "poor me" tantrum, just thought I'd post a little update.

I've been doing my back exercises religiously, accepted a new position at work (more on that after the announcement is made), got TWO new pairs of sassy boots from Prince Charming, put my costume together for this year's Race For The Cure (go Pink Pirates!), and have for some odd reason decided that I need a stripper pole for "exercise" in my house. All in all, a pretty good week.

I am very aware and a little worried that the good vibes are coming from all of the "new" going on. I am one of those people that is recharged by new. New job, new shoes, new makeup, new clothes... See where I'm going here? Luckily, the upcoming weeks involve lots of "new" for me. Next week I will start with my new at work, and I'm cutting FOURTEEN INCHES off of my hair to donate to someone who has lost their hair because of chemo. I'm heading over the mountains to Denver for a week of the Race For The Cure, a visit with my new neurologist, a conference for my new position and only two days at home to regroup before a trip to Wisconsin to see family.

I am a little concerned about what happens when all that craziness slows down, but for now, I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the crazy. For some reason, when life is crazy, I'm a bit more sane.

As If You Didn't See This Coming...

Well, after my "rah-rah-go-me" girl power post yesterday I freaked out. Lost. My. Shit. Who didn't see that coming?

One minute, we're cleaning up the house, the next minute I'm sobbing on the floor because my husband made a crack about me being lame and I took it as an attack on my character. Not cool.

My husband wrote down some things that I said in the height of my little crash to rock bottom for me, and I thought I would share:

• I feel worthless
• I am a burden to this family
• I feel like giving up
• I hurt all the time
  
• I don't want to try anymore

Wow, you'd think that someone that went to school for psychology would've seen some of these textbook warning signs. Unfortunately, it took my husband writing this down and making me read it out loud to realize that my mind is in a very ugly place. Until my mind is in a good place, my body is not going to get better.

Long story short, I spent an hour or two sobbing on the floor before my husband talked me into putting my big girl panties back on and righting myself. I've given myself 60 days to start liking myself a little bit better, or I'll suck it up and ask for help beyond what my ever-supportive family and friends are giving me.

After a lot of snotty sniffling and soul searching, my ever-amazing husband came up with a new list for me. I am to do the following:

• Do my back exercises three times a day
• Spend 15 minutes a day of quiet time to re-focus on my determination to get better
• Pick up my shit around the house
• Ask for help
• Stay focused (0n getting better)

He is going to do everything else. I am no longer allowed to feel guilty that he is doing the laundry, mowing the lawn, or lifting heavy things.

Sounds pretty easy, right? Unfortunately, dealing with chronic pain is exhausting. It can make the simplest of tasks seem daunting. You start out well, with a positive attitude and a smile on your face. You can't do it all, but you can hold your own. Life is pretty good. Things start getting overlooked at home, but the important things get taken care of. You're tired, and a little stressed, but you manage. Soon, little things start piling up, you start feeling helpless, and it all builds until it all comes crashing down. By the end, it is too much to even get out of bed fifteen minutes earlier to do my hair. It sounds silly, but sometimes, that is the straw. The cycle I'm on seems to last about six months. The positive side? At least every six months I start over with a smile on my face and a renewed sense of faith.

Today, life is good, and my hair looks great.

Yaar, Bitches!

Ahoy, mateys! Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, so grab a jug 'o grog and brush up on the lingo! (if you have trouble with that, check out the TLPD Translator!)

I myself plan to make it a short day at the office today to get an early start on my evening of plunder and pillage!

One Down, 75(ish) More To Go...

We made it through our first year! YAY!


Congratulations, Team Jones.

STD, Parasite, or Bilirubin Issue?

While talking to a coworker about a weekend at the lake with her dog...

coworker: "what if he got gonorrhea from the lake?"

me: "you mean giardia?"

coworker: "yeah, that"

15 minutes later...

same coworker: "what is it called again? jaundice?"

me: "no honey, giardia"

You can't make this shit up..

My Greatest Lego Moment Ever (via Cap'n Jones)

So we received a comment on E's post about the awesomeness of Lego's and asked for people's best Lego moments ever. One response we received from Cap'n Jones was just too good to leave buried in the comments section and had to be posted itself for the enjoyment of the masses. For your reading pleasure:

When I was a child, I was a Lego prodigy. I mean it. I didn't do much of anything else to be honest. While all the other kids were playing tee ball and learning to skateboard, I was tucked quietly away in the corner of my bedroom, building a version of what I call the "Lego demise" that you cannot even comprehend.

The setting for this moment began around Christmas time. I had just unwrapped the ultimate gift from Mr. Claus....the Legoland Forestman's Hideout.

Best. Present. Ever. Period.
























I unwrapped the present, and I immediately knew what it was. I tore into it right then and there, determined to build the hideout before I opened any other gifts. I pulled out all the Lego’s, sorted them (as any experienced Lego engineer would) by color, then type. It was at that time that my dreaded nightmare…the day I hoped would never come to fruition…began:

My grand father wanted to help “little baby Jones” put this “dang ol thing” together.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I despise my grand parents. I just hated, and I mean HATED the idea of someone trying to manage a project…something of this unbelievable magnitude, with no experience. And, this wasn’t the first time someone tried to baffle my progress with silly nuisances like instructions, foresight, and reasonable timelines. What!?!?! This is fucking LEGO LAND! This is the only sacred ground that Lego engineers had left! I wouldn’t stand for it. I decided to fight back.

“Grandpa, here are the instructions” I said calmly to him.

I had set a trap for him. I set the bait, and waited as patiently as a 5 year old kid could for him to take a nibble at the bait I presented.

It seemed like months went by…tick tock….tick tock. Then it happened.

“Sure thing, let me get a hold of these instructions and I’ll show you how this is done boy” My grandpa said, as he took the bait.

“FISH ON!!!!” I thought to myself. I couldn’t believe my plan worked. As I handed him the instructions, I took the box back. The box contained all my little hands and head needed… the parts, and the picture of the finished product.

Five minutes passed. The instructions were opened and displayed as they should be (for a rookie….sheesh) and my grand father was ready to begin.

“You ready to tackle this son?” He said, as he turned around.

“Grandpa, thanks, but I’m done!?” I said, rejoicing inside.

“How the….what the….no instructions…My lord son, that was fast..”

My grandpa was baffled. He didn’t understand how someone could get something done that fast without instruction, and guidance.

I smiled, and played dumb. He didn’t need to know that my plan was a success. There was no need to hurt his feelings. I mean, it’s not like he wasn’t needed. He filled the political role of staring blindly at a set a prints beautifully. And, his marketing, it was genius. He not only sold the new fortress well, but the complements about my idiot savant ways were an addition only he could have conjured.

I learned two lessons that day that still haunt me. First, Lego’s aren’t a toy. Legoland is the premier place where builders go to be uninhibited by garbage politics and relentless processes that inhibit innovation. Second, for 25 years I’ve been striving to recreate a real life version of the Legoland Forestman's Hideout (set 6054 if you’re doubting me) and I still continue to have the same problems. Well, that and I can’t find any land with conveniently placed round tabs to connect my blocks to.

Toodles, Cap’n Jones

Damn...

It is official, I've let myself go. I had been worried that moving to the mountains and getting married might have this undesirable side effect, but the full impact of my actions wasn't realized until I went to a party for a co-worker this past Saturday.

The hostess opened the door, took one look at me with makeup on and my hair done and blinked. Twice. And then said "wow, you look great!"

Me: "heh, yeah, I showered... And put on some mascara... And clean clothes. Apparently I haven't done that in a while?"

She made a quick recovery, as my husband snickered in the background.

Anyone want to donate a spa day for this poor girl who's been living in the sticks too long?

Beautiful!

Went to scout a camping spot for next weekend. Found a snowshoe trail still covered in snow even though the weather is gorgeous! I love that I can snowshoe in a tank top and then hit the lake in a cheap raft.

Only complaint? This guy got sick in the car. FIVE TIMES. Guess he needs some more practice on the 4wd trails...

The Husband Has Tourette's ...Or Something

A (relatively normal) Instant Messenger conversation with the husband:

Me: You should take care of that

H: yeah...I got no balls.

H: seems I misplaced them.

H: oddly enough, about 8 years ago

H: you're going to have to do it.

H: I mean, you've got 'em.

H: the balls I mean.

H: you have my balls.

I can't even make sh!t like this up... Seriously.

Life is Good...

The sun is shining, I got flowers delivered to me at work yesterday, and to top it all off, the parking ticket lady is not around today, so I've been in 2 hour parking ALL DAY LONG.

...I don't need much.