2 Things

A break from my normally scattered head...mostly because my mind has turned to goo since our April break begins, umm, now.

The first is kind of a PSA. If you should end up at our house and one of us offers you spready cheese, you might want to pass. We're working on utencils, but Joseph has found that it's significantly more effective to just scoop it out with your hands.

And, the second is kind of one of those philosophy of life kind of things. So, I know that there are people out there who like nice things, but then don't use them. Or people who have something special from a relative or friend that they never use, even though they love it. Like those shoes that were really expensive that you never wear, or that piece of jewelry that you got that you feel is "too much" or "too special" or whatever...you know what I'm talking about. Well, we have a limited number of things that actually make the "kind of nice," "sort of special," or "might actually be worth something" list. One of those things is our coffee table, that Matt happens to hate (by the way). We got it when my grandmother died, and I've always really liked it--I think this qualifies for more sentimental than monetary value. Well, I don't think that you could say that we don't use it to its fullest potential. Do you think she'd mind it's current use? I don't. Despite the fact that it's in our family room instead of our dining room, this table really serves as a meeting place for our family, and I look forward to many more years with it. Thank goodness for Scott's Liquid Gold.

A moment in my cluttered mind

• If it's called a "wood cleaner" why won't it take the jelly and dried on whatever-that-is off of my coffee table/dining room table?
• Do you think that Obama would entertain legislature that provides funding for moms that work full time to get a housecleaner? Maybe there should be a pet requirement...minimum one dog and one cat...oh, good--I qualify!
• Why is it that he can be playing perfectly nicely by himself, and then when he hears the keyboard clicking away, he must be the center of all attention? Joseph, that is...
• Would anyone like a pug? Slightly used...if she doesn't stop barking, she's going to be a flatter pug...
• If the thing with Obama doesn't work out, it's a darn good thing I have an Oreck. It makes me hate vacuuming less.
• This is one of the reasons that I love my husband:
• Do you think that Joseph will ever eat? We're on an "off" week.
• When is it that you double their height to tell how tall they're going to be? If it's 2, I hope that he doesn't develop "short-man-syndrome"...
• Thank goodness for...something...but I'm getting a margarita tonight!

Happy Easter!

Busy, busy, busy...

Matt played trumpet for both services today. We went to the first one (8:00) and he sounded quite nice :) Joseph did very well and he and Matt were dressed alike. I didn't take a picture, but I wish that I had...they were both in khaki pants with dark blazers: Joseph's was an adorable black corduroy (with patches on the elbows) that Matt's folks got him, and Matt's was the standard navy blue. They were so cute! And, the churchy crowd gushed over him (again). This is a picture of Joseph in "patches" from Ben's wedding last weekend. Pretend that he's wearing khaki's...and not sitting on the floor of a hotel room.

Then, we regrouped at our place, opened our Easter baskets from Matt's folks, called Chicago, read Pat the Bunny (from his Chicago basket), and headed over to my folks a little later. My mom got Joseph a GIANT dump truck as an Easter basket and filled it with other toys and candy. It was a hit:

By the time that we left he'd slept for an hour and a half all day and had played his little heart out. So, he was wiped. He fell asleep in the car, and I had a Super Mom moment. I'm pretty impressed: I was able to take him out of his car seat, upstairs, completely change his clothes (and diaper!), and get him up into his crib all tucked in without him waking up at all! See--jacket, sweatshirt, shirt, bodysuit, jeans, shoes off, new diaper, pj pants, and pj tops on. Let's just hope that he stays sleeping...

Sick 'n stuff

So, I'm officially sick of being sick. This has been one hell of a cold/flu season for us, in part due to Mr. Joseph being new in day care, and in part due to it just being one hell of a cold/flu season. Matt and I have been fighting something nasty for going on 3 weeks now. We've just been so busy, too, that we haven't really had time to deal with the annoying coughs, or the achy throat/head/chest. Matt broke down and went to the doctor today. He was told that he's got bronchitis that's most likely due to some residual infection. He was prescribed azithromycin, Mucinex, fluids, and rest. I think that I've got to call tomorrow. I'm reasonably certain that I have strep throat. If I do, I probably have to take Joseph in to be screened too. And, we've all had kind of icky eyes on and off for a while now, too. So...bleh. My throat hurts A LOT and I'm sick of it.

Otherwise, we had an AWESOME weekend this past weekend. An old buddy from college got married in New York (state), and Matt was standing up. So, we packed up and headed out there. We reconnected with a whole pile of Valpo alum and genuinely enjoyed each others' company again...like it hadn't been years since we'd all been together. Yet another reason that I love Valpo and am proud to have been a part of it--so many neat people!

Here's a couple cute pictures from our lives and the wedding:

Joseph likes his tunnel.

So does Charley. Bitches.*

*Matt and I are reasonably certain that Charley is swearing at us whenever he looks at us, which is why statements involving him are often followed by "bitches."

The fam after the hitching.

I guess you never know...

Well, Matt and I are headed out tomorrow morning with Mr. Joseph to a friend's wedding this weekend. It's just outside Albany, and will hopefully be an enjoyable party. Matt's folks are meeting us there to watch Joseph while Matt and I do wedding-y things (like go to the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, and reception). We're excited about the whole thing...now that we've found the video camera...

And, my goodness...we just heard from an old friend (B) here that his mom's good friend died tonight. Did you catch that whole string of relations? Well, regardless, this man lived down the street from us and has been in and out of B's life over the past 4 or 5 years, I think. Matt and I have known him for about that long and have always known him to be a sweet, kind, and giving man. I guess that he had a heart attack (from what it kind of sounds like), and that was it. Yikes. I don't know if it's the seasons changing, or what, but another friend from college lost her dad about 2 weeks ago to cancer, and my students have grandparents dropping right and left.

Now, I understand that death is a part of life, and I'm reasonably comfortable with my views of life-after-death, but, still...geez! It just seems like when one person passes away, you relive the loss of all of the other people who have gone along the way. And, Edward's garden is nearly blooming. Edward was a teacher down the hall from me who was killed by a drunk driver about a year and a half ago. We planted daffodils for him that we all walk past every morning and afternoon. Ugh.

I'm really not okay with the thought of losing people in an untimely manner, and I understand that people make choices that lead to certain ends (FREAKING STOP SMOKING PEOPLE--DON'T YOU GET IT YET?!), but that doesn't make the hole that they leave in your heart any smaller. So, although these assorted people weren't my bffs, I still have pleasant memories of them and I will miss them.

Rest in peace.