Oh wait....

We decided that we needed to finally get rid of our 70's style doors in our house. You know... the hollow, stained with time and paint, mini-dented up doors with bright yellow brass handles. (Works for some, but not for us).  We were up for it, being somewhat do-it-yourselfers (probably not a real word, but you get it). So we got to work. We discovered most doors were standard size, but two of them were too narrow and had to be special ordered. So we ordered them, didn't really have a choice. I guess we could leave half our doors replaced and half old.... not really. The store called this week that they were in, so we took a trip to Sterling to pick them up from that big orange store. Quick trip in and out. (yeah right... how many times does that really happen?)  Already paid for the doors upon ordering so all we have to do is pick them up, and take them home. Oh wait... while hubby gets the doors, can I pick up some clay pots for the aquarium? No problem, those are cheap. Oh wait... and while you're doing that... can you look for some stones to put in for the fish? No problem, in the next area, those are easy too. Oh wait... and while you're in that area, can you get me a small plant for my office? No problem, easy.  So off I go with the girls, and on my way I spot some cleaner for the shower, put that in the cart too. Got the plant, check. Pots, check. Stones, check. Let's get out of here. Oh wait... while we're here let's just LOOK at exterior doors for the front and see what's in stock, what we may need to order, etc. Let's just look . And we do. And we find a door that's 50% off. And not damaged. Unheard of. We debate for about 2 min and go for it. That also means new door hardwear, and oh yeah, you'll need to paint a UV coating on it to protect it from sun damage. Check.  Oh, and the threshold that comes with the door is that bright yellow gold you were trying to get rid of on the old doors, so we'll need to fix that somehow... Finally, 45 min later, what should have been an in and out trip ended up being a few more things. Funny how that happens in that store. Somehow the possibilities of newer carpet, different paint, fixtures, inspires us to pile on more projects, that we somehow don't have time for but eventually get done. And every time we swear the next house will not be a fixer upper.

Call me "Anastasia"

I found out that I'm from Russia the other day. Yep... turns out I'm really a mail-order bride. That's right... a mail-order bride... from Russia. St. Petersburg to be exact. My husband ordered me (www.russianbrides.com) to save me and my parents from the Gulag... (that's basically the Soviet prison camps). He brought us to beautiful America. However, my parents have no working Visa (shhh... don't tell anyone), so they live the in basement of our house in hiding. Occasionally we let them out to play in the back yard, but have to keep it quiet so they aren't found and sent back.They are great dog poop scoopers, though.  I'm safe due to marriage. But my husband didn't want us to be embarrassed or have others know how we met, so he didn't let me out much either until my English was at the level of most American's and I could disguise my Russian accent. If you listen, occasionally if I get frustrated it will sneak out.

What?!?!?? (you say to yourself) When did this happen? Wow! You're good! Really?!? I've been to your house and have never seen anyone living in the basement??!!?! Yep, we're that good. Truth is, that's the story my husband told at a work team-building event the other day. And now everyone thinks I'm a mail order bride from Russia. So I better work on some Russian stories. I'll just google some phrases and places so I can fake it, I guess... ironic isn't it? An American faking to be a Russian who's faking to be an American? I had to look up Gulag to learn about wherxcde and when, etc.... or did I?

Rest in Peace, Tadpole Cece

Needed to have a funeral today in our bathroom... our tadpole Cece passed away this afternoon... somewhere around 2 p.m. Not sure if she was survived by any family... not sure if she was a she... Cece came to us in the mail, which is probably what made the outcome. You see, we purchased a Grow a Frog kit for our 3 year old's birthday. It's pretty cool . Comes with a "tadpool" for them to grow in, food, sand, and a mail in certificate that you send in to get your tadpole. Unfortunetly for Cece, (named by the 3 year old, who by the way names everything Cece), she came on New Years Eve, and we weren't home. Of course. And of course that was on a Saturday, which means the post office is closed on Sunday, and then Monday for the holiday. So we expected her on Tuesday. Only to find out that the little slip that says "we missed you" has fine print... our mail carrier didn't mark anything so we assumed it would just come the next day. Never assume. When it didn't arrive we discovered the fine print. You now have to go online, fill out a bunch of info, and tell them if you will pick it up or have it delivered. We chose delievered. So by the time the holidays were over, the mix up was figured out, poor Cece had been in a plastic bag inside of a styrofoam for cube for 16 days. Yikes! We carefully pulled the little bag out, and it was still moving! Hope... Read the instructions and discovered that you can't use tap or purified water, you must use spring water in it's little pool. Not sure about anyone else, but we don't really keep that in stock at our house. Better run to the store. $.89 for a gallon, not bad. Get the pool all set up, dump the tad pole in and watch it swim... and then sink... and then not move. Uh oh. If you bump the tank a little it moves, so we breathe a sigh of relief and leave it alone. And watch. First it sits there, then it starts to slowly tip and lay at a 45 degree angle. Now I have no experience what so ever with tadpoles, but I'm thinking that's not a good thing. About 30 minutes later we check on Cece, and she's swimming around, mainly at the top. Is this a good thing? Aren't they supposed to be head down, tail up and swimming down? Oh well... swimming is better than being still. In the morning the poor thing is still alive, but not moving as well. And this time we're not sinking... we're floating at the top, sometimes swimming and sometimes floating... but the mouth is still moving so that's some action, right? Later in the afternoon it's time to feed Cece. So I bring her out, and this time for sure she's dead. She doesn't respond, is floating at a 45, but her mouth moves a little. Again, hope... it's getting smaller that hope, but still there. We feed her in hopes it will excite, but pretty sure it's too late. We go for a walk. When we return, Cece has passed. It's be fun, the 24 hours we knew her. So full of life, she wanted to see the world (maybe). And now it's time to call the company and see if we can somehow get another one and try again. Maybe this time it will arrive faster, and maybe this time it will grow legs. It will probably be named Cece.

My nose is addicted to kleenex

I got the crud. The horrible worse than normal common cold crud. Ugh. I haven't been this sick in awhile. I suppose I was due. Normally it starts with the sore throat, but this time the sneezes hit. I was caught off guard! Then I lost my voice for 2 days. It was sad telling my girls no story time as I had no voice to tell a story with. Then came the cough... wet, or dry and itchy, they are all bad. So to the drug area of the store I go. Menthol, non menthol, daytime, nighttime, generic, name brand. Does it ever work? Tried to go the natural route with a syrup with honey. Didn't work. Went through 4 bags of Reeeeeeeeeeeee-cola though! And i think I have enough tea in my veins to be considered a Chinese herbalist... except I'm not Chinese... so maybe just an herbalist? Ended up with standard NyQuil to knock me out. Worked wonders. Amazing what sleep will do. Next time I'll just go straight to the strong drugs and forget the rest! Lesson learned.