Alright, I'll Do It....

So Shanna, best friend extraordinaire, has been bugging me to do this, so here I am, doing it. Alright, she really wasn't BUGGING me... more like, insisting. So, Sunshine, this is for YOU.

Seven Random Facts About Moi:

1) Guess I'll go with Shanna's idea, and start with my name... which, contrary to popular belief, is not Jenna. It's Jennifer. But everyone, with the exception of my family, calls me Jenna. My mother was going to name me Jasmine, but decided that to go with Jennifer, because, you know, it was wildly unique...

2) I have about a million and one freckles. I know, not that random of a fact, right? Yeah, except that, for whatever reason, people don't seem to really notice them unless I point them out. I don't know how they're missed; I have them all over my face and shoulders. Maybe because they're fair...? I dunno; I just know that peeps seem to miss that little factoid about me...

3) I can crochet. I just hardly ever take it up.

4) I took twelve years of ballet, modern, and jazz. Well, only two years of jazz and six of modern, if you want to get technical. Modern dance was my favorite.

5) If I could suddenly develop and cool and interesting talent, it would be the ability to DRAW whatever I wanted. I can barely draw a straight line!

6) I am a NERD. I know, hard to believe that someone as cool as I could possible be a nerd... but there it is, I am that!

7) I believe in past lives.

Alright, good enough for snuff. Later, all!

Shhhh... Don't Tell....

For now, this must remain strictly between us.

I did a bad thing.

I don't think that my husband is going to be overly thrilled with me, and with possible good reason.

I made him a promise...

Well, not a promise, exactly.... more like, I said I wouldn't do a specific thing.

The words 'I promise' never actually left my lips, but I don't think that he is going to take that into consideration when he finds out that I went ahead and did this thing that I said that I wouldn't do...

And I don't know how accountable I can be held for swearing... erm... saying I wouldn't do this thing because when I said it, I was two margaritas deep into a very pleasant buzz.

Again, I'm not sure that's going to really count for much when he finds out I went ahead and did... what I said I wouldn't do.

And find out he will, for I am wretched at hiding stuff, and besides, what I did will become very apparent here very soon.

I have a little problem with saying "no".

I didn't mean to do it; it wasn't planned or anything, merely impulsive on my part.... but I still did this thing I said I wouldn't do.

See... I have a habit that needs to be fed. I can't stop it. I can't control it. Rather, it has control of me. Normally it's a non-issue; my friends and family are well aware of my habit, and they give me space to indulge myself. They may not always like it, but they do not hinder me in it. And as long as it doesn't get it out of control, my husband even supports it.

And while I don't think it's gotten out of control... well, I don't think The Man will quite agree with me after he finds out about what I did.

See, I like to read. No, wait. I love to read. And the thing is, I read a lot. More than most people I know. And I read kinda fast. I try and go through two, three books a week, and usually can do that... as long as the kids are in school, that is.

So anyway, I usually have a few books in reserve. Back up books, if you will. I like to have a few books, at least two or three, ready to go. It's not unusual for me to buy a book, here and there, maybe once or twice a week... or three or four times a week... in order to keep me supplied. What can I say? It's my favorite thing to do... read.

Well, this brings me back to the subject at hand. See, the other nite, The Man and I indulged ourselves a bit. Went out to dinner, had a very romantic, very delicious meal. We went shopping, and further indulged ourselves by buying some choice items... in my case, a book. Um, four books, in fact.

And as we were making our purchases, my husband expressed to me that he would like it very much if I would NOT order anymore books "for awhile" from my online book ordering site. Feeling indulgent, and quite sated from our recent dinner and book shopping spree, I agreed to not order books for "at least two weeks".

*ahem*

Yesterday, said book order site sends me an enticing email.

I probably shouldn't have even looked.

But I did.

I probably shouldn't have then gone to their site.

But I did.

I told myself, I'm only going to browse. Maybe add some books to my Wish List. Maybe take a peek at the Editor's Pick list. Maybe just take a gander at the New Releases section. Just looking. Browsing. NOT ordering. Nope. Because I PROMISED. Well... indicated that I would not order for at least two weeks... and I won't! I told myself. I... won't.... I.... can't...

...pass up that great offer! I thought. My eyes had been drawn by the "Order two books at the Club Price and we'll give you the third one for only $1.99!" deal. And the shipping and handling? Lowest I have ever seen it. And gee, there just HAPPEN to be three books in my Wish List. Well. Imagine that...

Before I quite knew what I was about, I had sent the three items on my wish list into my shopping cart. And my hand, seemingly of its own volition, clicked on the Proceed to Checkout icon. I told myself I wouldn't commit... I told myself, I would stop before I hit the Submit My Order icon... I told myself that I wouldn't REALLY order not one but THREE more books a mere day after I had told The Man that I wouldn't...

But... I did.

So. That brings me to where I am at right now.

My books have been ordered. I cannot take it back.

They are being shipped as I type this.

Nothing except a disaster of epic proportions will stop this from happening.

And, I have yet to tell The Man of my... indiscretion. I hope that he doesn't read my blog before I admit my guilt to him.

I know what you're thinking. No big deal, they're only books, right? Yeah, well, the main reason I said I wouldn't order any more books is because I have a few already in reserve. More so than usual. I said I would go through those books first and THEN order more, or purchase more, as need be. That was how I talked him into letting me spend the extra moolah on the four NEW books we purchased the other nite...

And I have *ahem* about nine books to go through right now. Not including the three I just ordered.

So how shall I go about telling him, do you think? Should I wait until said books arrive, and then play it like, "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... I meant to tell you..." OR should I go with cute and contrite, and tell him... tonite? Something like... "Honey... you know I love you, right? And you love me too, right? Well..." and blink my eyes and look adorable...

Ok, adorable might be a tad beyond me tonite. I didn't exactly...style... my mop today. And I stayed up late last nite, and didn't put on makeup, so there are some lovely dark circles under my eyes... emphasized by my paler than usual skin....

Yeah. Maybe not so adorable.

Maybe I'll go with option three, and let him read this blog. Hopefully, he'll see the amusement in it.

So, honey... love of my life, are you amused?

The Day The Mysterious Strangers Landed ~ A Tale of Battle and Cookies

The other day, I was minding my own business, when these two mysterious strangers just appeared in my living room. Who were they? What did they want? The shorter one didn't say much, just grunted a lot, but the taller, weird one demanded cookies and brandished a pink umbrella at me when I apparently did not comply quick enough....






What could I do? I got them the cookies, of course, and hoped that they would leave. Alas, it was not to be...





The short, round one snatched a cookie from her tall companion, and apparently, that was no bueno, for that began a battle of epic proportions. The two of them duked it out, like Annekan and Obi-wan in Star Wars III. Ok, maybe not JUST like Obi-wan and Annekan; this was just my living room after all, no lava, but still... the fighting was fierce, and there was no telling who would emerge victorious. There was nothing I could do save retreat to the couch and cower behind my book... (Duma Key by Stephen King... good book, by the way)



After a ferocious battle, of which, to this day, I'm not quite certain who really won, they re-united. After all, there were still cookies to be had... however, they noticed that there were considerable fewer cookies left than when they had began their epic battle to the death *not really to the death, but it sounded cool, right?* The cookies, you see, had just vanished into thin air, and a new mystery was born. Although they again threatened me with the pick umbrella, I would not admit that I had nibbled on them, crumbs on my shirt notwithstanding. I was framed, you see, framed, I tell you! At least, that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it...

After several threats, and promises of trading in my wardrobe for one that resembled theirs', I finally admitted that a sneaky elf had come into the living room while they were battling it out, and stolen their cookies (hey, I was under duress! If I had told them I'd snatched their cookies, who knows what they would have done???). They seemed dubious, but after a lengthy description of said elf, were off to seek out this cookie thief and bring it to justice.

And this is what passes for entertainment 'round these here parts. Can you blame me for never wanting to go out?? LOL

Popcorn and P.J.'s

So... Saturday. Would you believe that I haven't gotten dressed today? I showered, and then I put my jams back on. None of the kidlets, with the exception of Cappa, actually got dressed today, either. Why? We didn't have any plans other than spending a lazy day at home.

They played for most of the morning. I made lunch- grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup. Called my best friend. That was lovely, as always. Then we made popcorn and put in a DVD via Netflix. I LOVE Netflix. With the exception of Cappa, we watched the movie and scarfed on popcorn. Then we sat around and dissected the movie. It was, really, a nice few hours.

Now the kids are all playing yet another game. I've cut back on their TV and video gaming time, making them actually *gasp* use their imaginations and play games instead, and really, it's been fairly successful. I've also upped thier reading time to an hour a day instead of just thirty minutes. Well, except for Delta, who, at six, is still just getting a hang of this reading thing. She reads for her half an hour and then I let her play *quietly* with her stuffed animals. The other three have really embraced the extra reading time.

Ok, the older two have, at any rate. Cappa is addicted to his DS, and seems to think he's being abused if he doesn't get to play it all hours of every day. He struggles with the restrictions we've placed on his usage of the DS. When his time is up, he'll wander around with the woebegone expression, mumble about being "booo-oooored", and ask me repeatedly "what can I doooo?". After about twenty minutes of that, he gets out his Hot Wheels, or his Spidey action figures, and gets absorbed in a game of his own making. Or he talks one of his sisters into playing a board game with him. Or, *gasp*, he picks up a book, on his own accord, and actually READS. As in, reads MORE than his daily allotment. Be still, my beating heart...

I can't believe how quickly this day has passed. It's almost time for dinner! Aaaand I have no idea what we'll be having... hmm...

Alright, well, that's enough blather. I'm out.

Wasting Time

That is what I am doing. Totally wasting time. Right now, there are things that need to be done that are not doing themselves, and I should be doing them, but, I am not.

I cannot seem to make myself care.

My residence is a mess. My laundry is STILL unfolded. My bathroom SHOULD HAVE been cleaned yesterday but was not...what is WRONG with me? Why am I so L A Z Y??

Garsh. I neeeeed to get up offa my butt and DO something!

Leaping Between the Raindrops

"Valentine, oh Valentine... won't you be my Valentine?"

Today it rained and rained. It's still raining, actually... Love it. The rain makes me happy the same way the sun makes others happy. I enjoy a sunny day, and here in the southern part of California where I live, I get plenty of sunny days to enjoy. However, the rain is truly my sun. I love the rain. I'm happiest when the sky is heavy and gray, the clouds fat with water. I feel at peace with the drops drumming down, down, down.

And today, the weather did not disappoint. It was slightly sprinkly this morning, a tease. I wasn't expecting much of a downpour, since Jimmy Q the Weather Man Extraodinarre did not include a storm in his forecast. But as the day wore on, the clouds grew thicker and heavier and fatter, scudding across the sky, and I could smell the wet on the wind. I knew it was coming.

Then the skies did what they promised, and opened up. A downpour. A deluge. Thunder, even, a rarity in these parts. Gray upon gray, the clouds let loose their hoard of water and down came the rain. That song, "It's raining, it's pouring..." whispered somewhere in the back of my mind as I watched the rain with something like childlike fascination.

Could there be anything better?

It makes me happy.

When Too Old Is Too Young

Where I was raised, getting married and having a baby before your twenty-second birthday was common. Expected, even. If you were a woman and made it to twenty-three and you weren't married or engaged, or even in a serious relationship, your peers started to wonder what was up with you. As in, what is wrong with you, what are you waiting for? If you made it to twenty-three and you WERE married, but childless, people would wonder if you were experiencing infertility issues. If you *gasp* waited til you were in your late twenties (and anything past 25 is considered "late twenties"), then obviously you needed to get your priorities straight, and yesterday, according to popular belief.

If you were a young man and made it to the twenty-five mark without dating with regularity, then there was clearly something was wrong with you. You were damaged or defunct, somehow, and anyone who dated you was cautioned to keep an eye out for whatever issue it was that had kept you from settling down and getting married. And heavan help you if you were born and raised in this area, and made it all the way to the ripe old age of thirty without meeting Ms. Right... you may as well throw in the towel and either move, or be doomed to bachelorhood. Forever.

Where is this Utopia, you ask? Where could these archaic ideals stem from, here, in the twenty-first century?

Why, none other than Mormon country itself. That great state of Utah!

Actually, Utah isn't so bad, really. If you don't mind the Mormons (allow me to clarify something here: I am not knocking the religion, although it sounds like it. Utah Mormons, who were born and raised there, have a somewhat different mentality than Mormons I have met who have lived in areas OTHER than just Utah. IT IS MY OPINION that they seem to be more accepting and tolerant of others. So... moving on). And the snow. I hear there's some great skiing, and those Jazz ain't so bad... but since I don't like organized religion as a whole, and I can live the rest of my life sans snow, and basketball *yawn* well, bores me, the only redeeming quality that Utah has is that it's home of my best friend. Other than that...

So this is where I lived for a lot of my teen years and most of my adult life. Not saying much, since I'm only 31. However, I too bought into the "let's get married and have a baby before we're legal to drink!" thing. I have four children, and all of them were born before I turned 25, if you can wrap your brain around that.

I've since moved, and live in So Cal. And today, as I was parked in front of the kids' school, I was observing the other mothers (and the occasional father) making their way to pick up their children, I noticed that the majority of them were either late 30's or 40's. Not many were in their 20's. And it got me to thinking about the above mentioned age topic.

So what's with that, anyway? Were I to move into almost any town in Utah, women my age would have children my age, and anyone in their late 30's, early 40's with a kid in elementary would be the odd one out. And yet, here, I'm usually one of the "younger" moms in the group. I don't really fit in with most of these women, and for the most part, they tend to ignore me. It doesn't help that a lot of the time, people think that I'm younger still than my 31 years (not bragging, just saying).

My best friend is my age (well, 32), and she has a three year old, a six year old, and an eight year old. Most of my friends back in Utah are within a year or two older or younger than me, and have kids the same ages as me. I have to admit, I kinda miss that. The women here tend to treat me a trifle... different. They're nice enough, but no one ever really goes out of their way to speak to me, and they all kinda group together. I know that in Utah, I would have a lot more in common with the other women (well, if they could cross that Mormon bridge and accept a Witch in their midst, that is, but that's a whole 'nother blog for a whole new day), and would probably have more than a few friends. Out here... well, not so much.

I wonder why that is?

Alright, well, that's that, as they say... later.

I miss you, Shanna. *SIGH*

Raining and Pouring

So, it's pouring rain outside. I remember, even as a kid, I loved the rain. Unlike most kids, I was more of and indoor child, and didn't mind curling up on the couch to read a book because it was too wet to go outside. I'm still that way.

So what am I reading? Renegade's Magic by Robin Hobb and New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. Not at the exact same time; I trade off. But they're both such good books, I can't just read ONE. I rarely only read just one book at a time, anyway. Unless the book is extremely long, or very consuming, of course. But most of the time, I read two or even three in tandem. What can I say? I love to read!

Of course, with the sick kids home from school last week, I didn't get to read all that much. Oh, well. They're all recovered and WILL be returning to school this week. Yay! For them AND me!

For whatever reason, I feel really tired today. Maybe it's the weather; maybe it's that I woke up so early this morning... whatever, I just feel pretty drawn. I would like to nap... but, yeah. Right.

In an hour and a half I need to venture out to get chicken wings for The Man. It IS Superbowl Sunday, and man must have chicken wings, right? I had made a deal of sorts with him yesterday; if he would venture out this morning to get the milk, then I would go out this afternoon to get the wings. I think I made a poor bargain. It was raining this morning, but not remotely the deluge it is NOW. I should have just went and got the milk.

Poor me.

Just kidding.

Alright, I realize how boring and rambling this blog is... I'm out.

Is It A Sign?

So, today.

I had to drive The Man to work, and Beta to school, since Alpha, Cappa AND Delta were all home sick with the flu. And then I had to go to my local Walmart, since we were on our last half roll of toilet paper. Then to the grocery store. And then home again, home again, jiggedy jig.

Now here's the somewhat odd part: every single person I drove behind was driving exceptionally S L O W. I mean, ssslllooowww. As in, ten to twenty miles under the speed limit slow, even on the surface streets.

Well. I sometimes think I see "signs" and "omens" in the ordinary and mundane. I don't always do this, or think this way, but sometimes, I do. And I couldn't help but wonder, today, if that was a sign of something.

But what? What would me getting behind every single slow driver in my corner of the world mean? What kind of 'sign' would that be? What would it portend? Is it a warning? A reminder to slow down when I drive? Or does it mean that I should slow down in life, consider things with careful thought?

Or is this just me, thinking too much?



Or maybe it was just Murphy's Law. I wasn't in a hurry, exactly, this morning, but slow drivers like that really annoy me. And today was a less-than-stellar day. I would go so far as to call it a craptastic day. So maybe, it wasn't a "sign", but rather just one more thing to go somewhat wrong.

Alright... and that's it, for now.