Snap, crackle, and pop!

I'm proud to say I have had no more outbursts at the chiropractor's office. I feel like I've been living there lately. Jesse has had 5 visits so far to clear up her neck issue. I am on the 4 week plan......Mon/Wed/Fri for the next 4 weeks. On my second visit he showed me my xrays and discussed them with me. Aparrantly my lower back is in the "moderate degeneration" stage. I knew my back was not in very good shape, but honestly I was under the impression that it was something that just came and went. He explained to me that he can treat it and get it to where I'm not in pain, but it will never go back to normal. As if I didn't feel old already............

Oooooops!

This past week I finally got back to the chiropractor. Haven't been to one since we moved this past summer. Jesse (don't know when I'll switch to her real name) could not move her neck to the left the whole weekend, so I made an appointment for her on Monday. The doctor was really good with her and so I decided to make an appointment for myself. Woke up the morning after her visit and I couldn't move my neck. I told Jesse it must have been contagious. So on her second visit, I was somewhat forced to make an appt. for myself. Here comes the reference to the title.

If you have never been to a chiropractor before, let me fill you in on a few things. At some point (if you are having your back area worked on) they will sit on you and squeeze every last bit of air out of your body. Yes, EVERY last bit of air. I hope that my fart was disguised by the sound of the popping and cracking of my back. Somehow I don't think so. The worst part is that he is a Dr. McDreamy (thanks Marisa!). He kinda reminded me of a young Woody Harrelson. Not that I think Woody Harrelson is dreamy. Anyways, he was not old and not female (like my old chiro).

Jesse and I go back for another session tomorrow. I will try to remember to not eat any cabbage or beans until then.

Not half the dog I used to be

I called my sister last night to wish her a happy birthday. She gave me the latest Skippy update. He went to the vet to get his manhood taken from him. Before they brought him out (he had stayed overnight) the vet advised my sister that they should try to keep him "calm" for the next week so that he can recover.

Skippy enters the picture.......excited as all heck.......jumps up on my sister's lap.......pees all over her in excitement. I don't think the keeping him calm thing will work very well, but at least he's oblivious to the loss of his reproductive abilities.

I sent off the remainder of Skippy's belongings(milk bones, chew toys, balls) in a package the other day.

Cost of Sam's Club sized dog bones.......$4.99

Cost of sending it to new home..............$24.76

Not getting my lap peed on....................priceless

Happy Birthday, Sis!

It's my sister's birthday today. I hope Skippy doesn't leave her any "presents" for her birthday, if you know what I mean.

I really cannot think of anything interesting to write about in the daytime anymore. But as soon as I hit the sack, all of these really cool topics are running through my head. Lines and lines and lines of interesting things that I'm sure would get lots of feedback from people. So if you're looking for anything interesting here today.......it is SO not happening.

Now wasn't that a waste of your time?

Aaahhhh.......How Sweet!

Jesse comes home from school today and announces that this is the prediction of her future (a result of one of those childhood games like "MASH").............

I am going to marry Michael......who I don't like because he picks his nose

I will have 5 kids

They will have chores and get paid $1 for each one

We will live in an apartment

I will not have a real job but work at home as a mom, like you

And Michael will have a job, of course, or else we wouldn't have any money


I just love her to death

"Hot" Topic

Two topics of discussion came up in our household last night. One led to the other (as usually happens). The first topic was started because Bobby came back from his neighbor friend's house this afternoon questioning me about the shoot 'em up video game issue. We have told him that he is not allowed to play or watch any video games that involve him shooting other people. There are many reasons for this decision. They are too realistic, too many kids (and adults for that matter) become desensitized to the actual act of murdering people over and over and over, if you think it's morally wrong to shoot people in real life than what makes it o.k. to do it in fantasy world. He argues that he is not someone that will ever thinks of hurting others let alone killing people. It's just a game. And if he ever did have a thought that he would want to act out something that he did in a video game, he would come and talk to us about it. Yes, I believe that he is not the type of person that wants to physically hurt others. If anything he is just the opposite. Very compassionate and aware of others feelings. He is often the one to notice first when someone is upset about something. BUT I see the potential for a problem. Kids can so easily get so used to seeing the blood and killing. And the difference between watching that in a movie and video games, is that YOU are the one doing the killing. I don't know when or if we will, as parents, ever be ready to let him play these games.

This led to the next hot topic. The issue of the game Grand Theft Auto came up. I said I don't think that it is even appropriate for adults(although it is their choice as an adult). I've never seen the game being played but from what Hubby has told me, it seems rather disturbing. My question is why would people want to play act being a gangster stealing cars and picking up prostitutes if you feel that it is morally wrong in real life? Hubby says that it's just fantasy and it gives people a chance to live out a "fantasy" without the consequences of real life. My question is why would someone have a fantasy about something that they believe is morally wrong?

This escalated to a lot of other side topics. Why do men feel the need to look at and drool over half naked pictures of women when they have a woman of their own at home? Hubby: because it is just a fantasy and something enjoyable to look at. Me: Maybe having their partner looking at other women makes some women feel like they are not good enough to look at or pretty enough to turn on their partner. Hubby: we're not talking about people in general anymore are we? Long pause......I am now shaking and tears brimming. Hubby: and how long has this been bothering you? Me: I don't know, but this is the reason why I don't discuss it. You don't agree with me. You think that looking at women from the safety of your home, getting excited by looking at someone other than me, is perfectly fine and not supposed to have any effect on me. I feel that it is the same thing as going to a strip bar and getting excited from scantily clad women. You can go to a strip bar, sit back in the corner, not have a lap dance or any contact with the women, and get the same effect as sitting at home oogling over these suggestive pictures. He argues that there are slutty pictures and then there are tasteful pictures. I disagree. If a woman is using her body in a sexually suggestive manner, no matter how much skin is exposed, than they are selling their body. Why do women feel the need to sell their body for the enjoyment of others? I've heard before that women know the power that they have over men by using their sexuallity as a tool. I agree with this. Why does it bother me so much that my partner feels the need to look at other people instead of just asking to go in the bedroom and get so much more than "looking". Does it make me feel like I'm not good enough to look at? Yes. Maybe this is a result of so many years of him asking for this and getting rejected. I have no idea. Maybe now this will give him something to think about the next time he feels the need to waste time sitting in front of the computer to enjoy the view.

The list of fun facts was a sign on the door of the bathroom stall. If you notice the last fact we made a "funny" out of it:

• Cost of raising a medium-sized dog to the age of 11, $6,400
• Cost of shipping a dog to a different household $200
• Not having a dog at all........priceless

And, yes, that is Skippy in the picture.

Our day in Columbus

Skippy's plane should be landing in Sacramento any minute now. He is no longer a resident of Ohio, but a cool California dude. Our 2 hour drive to the Columbus airport went rather smoothly. We had planned on stopping somewhere before "checking him in" at the freight facility to let him run off some energy and go potty. Beleive it or not, but there is a pet cemetary (not like Stephen King's) adjacent to the airport grounds. We figured that was a pretty appropriate spot to let him have his final run before being caged up all day. Since none of us had ever been to a pet cemetary before, it was quite entertaining. Most of the markers were pretty old, dating back to the 1940's and 50's. Some even earlier than that. It was interesting to see how the popularity of certain pet names has changed over the years. We found a few to be very entertaining and had to take pictures of them. I hope y'all get a good kick out of them, cause we sure did. There were lots of markers with the typical cutsie names, only one Fido, lots of Skippy's(yah!), and plenty of Mitzies and Rusty's. There was even one that hubby announced must be the trailer park dog because it's homemade marker was a sign on a pole with those stick on letters/numbers that you typically use for address markers on a mailbox. I agree it was quite tacky next to all of those beautiful stone markers. Some people go to great lengths to bury their pets. When I was growing up we had quite a few animals (horse, chickens, goats, pig, dogs, cats, fish) and we always just buried them in the side yard with a small wooden cross.

Our next stop was the freight facility. We found it with no problem, were getting all the dog stuff situated, papers in place, kids where they needed to be, and locked the van. Just as the final door was being closed, "Do you have your keys?" "No, do you have your keys?"

We have a dog and his belongings all set to go.....and now no way to pay for him to go on the friggin' plane. Hubby and I each have those handy dandy credit card size car keys that AAA will make for you.......except they are BOTH stuck in the van also. So we go inside the freight office, the woman working the counter is quite helpful and let's us fill out the paperwork while we wait for AAA to come rescue our keys out of the van. Luckily, LUCKILY we had planned ahead and were at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

Bobby got emotional and Jesse was only concerned with how hungry and thirsty she was (and all of our drinks and food were locked in the van). He asks, "Now why is it that we have to get rid of Skippy?" I thought we had gone over this a million times already, but in the last couple of weeks he has become quite attached to the dog. Of course it was probably related to the fact that he knew his days were limited with him. But still, the guilt feelings had already set in with me. So I tried to explain to him AGAIN that Skippy turned out to not be the type of dog that would be well behaved around lots of others kids and adults which would not work out with daycare in our home. We don't want to have a dog if he has to be caged up or contained to a small area of the house all the time. I don't think that's fair to the animal. They deserve better in my opinion. I explained to him AGAIN that he will be in a home where he gets lots of attention and has lots of space to roam outside.

After we bid Skippy goodbye, we went to the COSI. It is a really cool Science Museum in Columbus. The kids loved it, we loved it and we plan on going back sometime in the next few months or so. They are opening a new snake exhibit where you will be able to handle snakes and actually get to milk a snake. How cool is that?

So long Skippy ole buddy. Hope you like your new home. Hope the plane ride wasn't too rough. Hope you remember us when we come to visit you this summer.*sniff, sniff*

Cheap movie.....expensive giraffe

The kids had the day off of school today so I decided to bring Jesse to the movie "Dreamer". The one about the little girl (Dakota Fanning) that gets an injured horse to race in the breeder's cup race. It was a pretty good movie and we only had to pay 75 cents per ticket. How cool is that?

Then I took her to the mall to use her $25 gift card for Build-a-Bear workshop. When I got her the gift card for Christmas I figured it would cover most of the purchase. WRONG! Warning: If you plan on entering the build-a-bear shop, you will pay dearly. I did like the miniature Sketchers that they had though. She didn't pick those out although I was trying to steer her towards them. Oh well. I will post a picture of the creature that we went home with as soon as I can pry it out of her hands. Let me just say that we spent more than double of the price of her gift card. And it could have been worse with all of the accessories that they have in that store.

So long Skippy

I must say that I am not sad to be shipping Skippy off this Sunday. He pretty much put the nail in his coffin today (or pet carrier) when he ripped to shreds many a thing in the living room. I was in the basement actually getting work done to get ready for daycare when he decided to go on a rampage. He, AGAIN, jumped over the baby gate and shredded a library book (on bipolar syndrome), my Family Fun magazine that I had just received in the mail, a junk mail cd (no big deal) and my to-do list (which included the airline info for his flight on Sunday). Then this evening as hubby and I were making dinner, I asked Bobby to go get some wood from outside so I could build a fire later tonight. He tracks in dog poo across the entire living room rug (off white, no less) without even realizing what he had done. Great.

I love cats.

Cats rule, dogs drool.

Skippy will be arriving in CA at 10:50 p.m. and I have already warned my sister that they will probably not be getting any sleep that night. He is going to be so wound up from being in his cage for 12+ hours. Good luck with that, sis!

Too old to be hip?

Here's one more funny from my vacation:

I took my 16 year old niece to the mall. We were shopping in Ross (the store which I am still mad that we don't have back in Ohio--Mervyn's too) when this creepy guy starts giving her the up and down look. He and his buddy were not so non-chalantly browsing through the clearance section in the women's clothing. I told my niece that I did not think it was women 's clothing that these guys were shopping for. So to avoid them, we headed for the shoe section. I found these really cute pink Sketchers. They fit and were comfy so I decided to buy them for myself not thinking much about it. When checking out, the mid 40's cashier hands the bag to my niece saying, "Here hon, I'll give you the bag cuz I know your momma ain't buyin' no pink sneakers for herself." I calmly replied to this assuming bee-atch, "First of all, I'm not her "momma" and second, those ARE my shoes." She seemed to be in quite some shock as we walked out the door. It was quite entertaining.

Aren't they cute? And I didn't even realize until I got home that they match perfectly with my pink puffy vest jacket. Totally rad, man.

Now you can call me a dork. I deserve it after all.

Update-ola

Here are a few tidbits of the last two weeks:

Spotted man on flight to CA wearing a suit, tie, and santa hat. Later on the flight Bobby and I are tugging on this fluffy, white ball not realizing that it was the man's santa hat. Very funny at the time.

Pilot, who is a passenger on one of our flights, has to be reminded by the flight attendant to put his seat back into the upright position to prepare for landing. Funny part is that neither of them seemed to even notice the irony.

Jesse decides to bring up a very personal subject in the middle of the airport. This past summer, she witnessed something that no child should ever have to(or ever wants to) witness. Hubby and I on a Sunday morning thought the bedroom door was locked. Unfortunately, Jesse opens the door and very quickly and quietly closes it. She knew that it was something that she should not be seeing. Well, she really did not want to talk about this subject until we were sitting in the airport. She says, "Remember in our rental house when I opened the door and saw something? Well I think I saw something but I hope I was just dreaming. Because if it wasn't a dream than I wish I was dead. I am NEVER going to get naked for anyone that I love. Why do people even want to do that anyway?" I tried to reply as calmly as possible (as her reaction was quite comical) "It is something that people do when love each other." I was not going to enter into the many other reasons why people do it....this is an 8 year old after all. This is the same child that has also decided that she is going to adopt children because she "doesn't want her skin stretched out". Yes, she has seen my damaged abdomen.

While the kids and I are gone, hubby is in charge of the animals. He decides that we need to follow through on our previously held conversations of getting rid of the dog. Jesse was very persuasive the first round of negotiations. She said we still have a chance to train him. He's 4 months old and has not grasped at all the concept of going potty outdoors. We have done everything you are supposed to do to potty train. He has also destroyed pretty much anything and everything in the house unless he is contained to the kitchen area. Even then, he has chewed the paint off the lower portion of the kitchen walls. We have discussed this with each other and with the kids and said that it is not going to work once I start doing daycare again, as it will be much harder to contain him to a certain area of the house, it is not always weather friendly to leave him outside, and we are probably going to have to find him a new home soon. Jesse still did not want to hear any of this. We went on our trip, mentioned this to my sister, and she said "I would love to take him". I'm thinking that this is the last thing they need in their chaotic house. But never-the-less she talked my bro-in-law into taking him, I talked to Jesse again, she thought that it would be o.k. since she would still get to see Skippy. Even though I don't like to do a trade off, we kinda sorta agreed to get a kitty if we got rid of the dog. I know, you can't replace an animal with another animal, but we were getting desperate to make this a positive transition. So our puppy is going to be making his move to CA as soon as we get his shots updated and a bigger cage for his plane trip.

Bobby enjoyed getting to "hang" with his older cousin that turned 18 the day we got there. He got his first car for his birthday. A mercury wagon style car that seats 7 (including the jumpseat in the back). He was very psyched.

Both kids got to see the friends that they wanted to. Sleepovers galore. I did not get to visit the beach like I wanted to. It rained for two weeks with only one day break. Unfortunately we didn't take advantage of that one day cuz we didn't realize it would be our one and only chance.

We had a red eye flight on Sat. at 6:30 pm. Saturday morning we woke to a somewhat pleasant day and sis and I were contemplating going to the beach before we had to leave. In the next hour the wind picked up, the rain came back and it looked as if our chance had passed. Not long after that, my bro-in-law called and said that on his way back from kidney dialisys, he witnessed 150-200 foot eucalyptus tree crash down and shatter onto the highway. He then encountered many fallen redwood trees on the way up to their house. It took him a good 2-3 hours of helping to clear the roadway by chainsawing through some large/some small trees blocking the roadway. On the way to pick up Bobby from a friend's house, it took us 2 hours instead of the usual 20 minutes. Needless to say, we did not go to the beach. In fact we almost did not get to the airport in time for our 6:30 pm flight. We hauled wet laundry back to Ohio, but thanks to my industrious sister, we had dry bankets for our many late night/early morning hours spent in Sac and Chicago airports. They are still without power and probably will be for the next few days. Fun times.

This was my first new year spent above ground level. We left Sacramento airport at 11 pm, they turned on "Wallace and Grommet". I was halfway falling asleep, the kids still wide awake. Most of the people on the plane were sleeping. I looked at my watch at 12:05 am and leaned over to quietly wish my kids a happy new year. Twas strange.

Happy Burfday!

Today is hubby's birthday. He will be home from work soon and we may be going out to dinner. I will update later as I know all of you are biting your nails to hear how my trip and holidays went. ***note sarcasm in last statement.