We Are So Awesome/Pathetic

Can you believe how many medals we have? I mean, the athletes representing the United States of America (my country) have earned a truckload of medals so far at the Olympics in Vancouver.

Our athletes are amazing... and a little pathetic. I mean, do any of them know the words to "The Star Spangled Banner"? Some of them seemed proud and honored that they were playing our national anthem.
























Evan Lysacek even put his hand over his heart, and one cute skier knew a phrase or two. Maybe they too overcome with emotion to mouth the words?
I was chastised by a friend recently for feeling that our country is the greatest country on Earth. She says it's conceited to feel that we are better than anyone else, though i don't think i necessarily feel "better" than anyone. I just think everyone should feel allegiance to and pride in their own country. I feel about The U.S. of A. how Captain Von Trapp felt about Austria... or at least how Christopher Plummer's version of him seemed to feel.
I'm just asking you to learn one verse of a not very long song, guys (and gals). Think you can you fit that in between workouts? Put it on your iPod. Listen to it in your private helicopter on the way to your very own private half-pipe.

Bed Rest

So at 26 weeks, but looking more like 36 weeks (Cherie says to me yesterday "maybe you won't get any bigger"), I really did it yesterday. After a morning of laundry and cleaning house (it was an experiment to see if i'd feel better when i was productive... more on that later. maybe), I got in the car and went to Costco... then Home Depot... and then Super Target. I was kind of wandering back and forth at the back of the Target store because i knew they had pump needles for basketballs, but i couldn't find them... nor anyone wearing a red shirt and khaki pants. I was pretty sure no one worked there. Then i saw it: a red phone. I picked it up, pressed "1" at the prompt and was promised that an associate would find me within 60 seconds. Seriously, 7 seconds later, I was "found" and then we quickly found the pump needles. Hah! just as i suspected. on the basketball aisle. Walking away from the basketballs, i thought, "my back kinda hurts... no, it's really my hips." Then pretty soon, I was having a hard time putting one foot in front of the other. By the time I realized I was having a problem, I was half-way between the red phone and the front of the store, so i just kept trudging. 20 minutes later, I'm finally at the register. Luckily with no extra treats or videos or clothes in my cart (Karlee's usually a pretty efficient shopper, but i had my eagle eyes on ).
Needless to say, my laundry didn't quite get finished and i decided that today I would take it easy. Kinda self-imposed bed rest. Before Mike left for work, he brought me half a peeled orange i had him bring me some water, my computer, a book and my journal. i had fully intended to write and read the day away but all i've been doing is surfing other people's blogs looking at pretty pictures. Fun, but not what i meant to do.
And i hope i feel better soon because wow, sitting in bed makes your bum hurt... and one can only eat so many handfuls of "the snack that smiles back" and I'm starting to get hungry. I texted Cherie and she invited me over for lunch... tempting, but then i would have to climb the stairs.

Watching TV the other night, Will says to me, "Della Street looks like Grandma Jeanne."

I can see that. Not as airbrushed and not as much eye make-up, but can you see it?

Can you see the problem?

See how my half-square triangles are all curvy? now what? I can't figure out a way to pull or stretch them back. And do i have to square them up before i sew them together? I was thinking that I could just sew 4 of them into a pinwheel block (?) and then trim up, but it's not really working with this crazy seam thing. How do i avoid that in the first place? and what now?

Before and After

Wade's hair has been growing and i sorta couldn't bear to cut it. Then he asked if i would give him a mullet. What child of the 80s can resist that request? I thought it would only last a day or so, but i think he kinda likes it.
So here he is before:

And after:

Then we were just messing around with before:

And after:

Check out the pectorals... ok, so the biceps need a little work, but he just made the school wrestling team so maybe he'll get a little exercise.

Groundhog Day

was just that kind of day. Some days just require pajamas, slippers and Chocolate Satin Pie from Marie Callender's (all whole pies are $6.99 this month). It was a beautiful day and i was wondering what my problem was, but then my elementary school kids came home to remind me that we still have 6 more weeks of winter.

Baby Love

It just doesn't get any better than this:
I think this picture was taken by Karlee on my iPhone, but that is looking suspiciously like a teenage knee there.