Yes Virginia, There Is Life Without Internet

For two weeks I lived without my laptop. No big deal, right? I had a PC upstairs that I could use but it turned out to not be that easy. It seemed like whenever I went upstairs to use the computer, the children took complete advantage of the lack of supervision. Yeah, not a good idea. But my laptop is back, well my old backup one anyway, and there's no excuse now for my absence, right? But what in the world have I been doing? After the first few days of DTs from interweb withdrawal I found some tasks to fill up my days.

1) I Cleaned

Denise say what? Yes, I clean and organized things you probably never expected me to clean. I cleaned closets (didn't I just do that about 6 months ago?) I cleaned out my garage--washing it out with the hose no less! I even, wait for it... cleaned out my----- car! And shampooed the carpet and floor mats! Say it isn't so! All that cleaning was inside so after awhile it was time to get one with nature, but doing it inside because it's hot outside. How did we do that?

What is inside that oval by Ryan's foot?

Why that would be a dried up toad. How did a dried up toad get in my house and meet it's demise on the carpet in front of the piano? And was it alive before it came into my house or died it get carted in dead? Beats me, but I have a feeling I'll never find out.

Yes, that got cleaned up too. But what else did I do?

2) I figured out what my tattoo will be

Julia's friend Anna came home with us from Tennessee so took the girls to paint pottery. While the girl's painted mugs and purses, I painted a bowl. A bowl that turned out so awesome I was beyond thrilled. On the way home I kept talking about my bowl and how happy I was with it that I was so happy I had decided to get a tattoo of it on my back. Life size. And it's a big bowl. I'll be sure to show you pics. I pick up my bowl on Wednesday and then you can be the judge.

3) I redecorated my bedroom

One thing just kind of lead to another with this project. First it entailed Trace's visiting friends from Tulsa helping move my massively large and heavy armoire up to my bedroom from the garage where it had been sitting for a year. I used to be in my Living Room in Tennessee but it doesn't fit here. With the help of a tape measure I realized that it would fit in my bedroom with about 1.5 inches to spare for ceiling clearance.

But getting the armoire in my bedroom meant rearranging things. So I moved my bed to the opposite wall which changed the entire feel of the room. And then, of course, I had to paint.

It used to be a pale yellow (the yellow in my entire house) but I wanted something cosier. This is Mannered Gold from Sherwin Williams line. There's no pictures on the walls yet and I need another lamp and some accessories but I'm loving it so far.

4) I Traveled

First, I flew to LA to see Carey from Life in The Carpool Lane. Of course, you all knew that. That's when I fell off the World Wide Web Radar. That's when my laptop died. But what you don't know is what we did and you haven't seen pictures.

This is Carey and her son Jack at the park. Astute readers of both of our blogs might recognize that she is at the park taking the photos for one of her Tuesday's Tips for Summer Survival posts. These photos were taken on Friday and posted on her next Tuesday post. Apparently Carey plans ahead much better than I do. I usually wait until the night before. Anyway, there are just too many photos to share in this composite post so look for something in the future that goes into more depth. Suffice it to say that it was a wonderful trip, other than the dead laptop, of course.

But I traveled some more. I traveled to Tennessee to get Julia. Two whirlwind days, 18 hours in a car. Amazingly my children traveled pretty well. Thank God for DVD players and Yo Gabba Gabba. Just sayin'. Also thank God for iPods. (Or should I thank Steve Jobs? Whatever.) I listened to the Time Travelor's Wife on an audiobook downloaded onto my iPod. But on the way home:

5) I bought the world's most expensive Starbucks Grande Non-fat, No Whip Mocha
Sure the mocha only cost me $3.80, it was the new iPhone I got because of the mocha that cost me a bundle. I know, I know, I lost you. Let's just say that spilled mochas and Blackberry's don't mix very well. It's sure not like those old Reeses commercials where peanut butter and chocolate collide. Nothing wonderful happens, in fact just the opposite. At first I lost all ability to text and check email (Oh, the horror!!!) and trooper that I am I simply thought "Okay, I don't really need to send text messages." But when my phone started spontaneously making calls on it's own somewhere in Kentucky and I couldn't figure out how to end the call other than taking out the battery, I knew I needed a new phone. Sure, a possessed cell phone is great to have a parties and all but it's not very practical for real life.

So I got my latest toy, which is not actually shown here. This is someone else's iPhone. And mine's not Cingular-- in fact, is there even a Cingular anymore??? Man, that's an old photo! My iPhone is much cooler looking and has my new favorite Application button for:

Who knew watching videos on your phone could be so fun??? From Jon and Kate Plus 8 parodies to Lost videos, one thing just lead to another and before I knew it I was searching for things I never would have searched for before on my laptop. And it lead to my newest obsession:

6) Watching Korean Dramas

Yes people, Denise did go off the deep end without her laptop.

Back when I was sequestered in an apartment/hotel room in Hanoi, Vietnam with a 4 year old and a 3 month old, I discovered the Korean channel on my tv and toward the end of my extended stay I became acquainted and enamoured with Korean dramas. I have no idea what prompted the idea to search for them on YouTube, but obviously I did and before I knew it I found a series for Korea's latest and hottest drama that was shown on KBS from January to March of this year.

Boys Over Flowers

But that's not how I found it listed as. It's listed as "Love Story" on YouTube where you too can find it and watch it in Korean with English subtitles. The only thing is that all 25 episodes are really about 60 minutes in real life, obviously too long for a You Tube video so it's broken up into 6-10 minute segments. I'm currently beginning Love Story Episode 4-1 so I guess I have a way to go before I finish. But that's okay, with no new Lost episodes for another 6 months I need something to keep my occupied. If I have somehow inspired you search for Love Story 1-1 Korean Drama. Keep in mind 1-1 is a bit on the slow side but it really picks up after that!

So, that's what I've been up to. What about you???

Happy, Happy Birthday to Me!

Birthdays have never been a huge deal to me. Don't get me wrong, I try to make them a big deal for the kids which often results in a multi day event now dubbed "Birthday Week." But for me, not so big a deal. Usually all I ask is that I get out of cooking and someone tells me Happy Birthday.

But last year was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. The day of my birthday found us days away from movers showing up at our door and a house that wasn't completely packed yet. To say that I was feeling some pressure was an understatement. I was packing and working on a long list of projects that needed to be tackled before the day of the big move which started practically at sunrise and ended long after sunset. My birthday was no different and the boys, who were mourning the leaving of friends and significant others. were gone most of the day. Throw in dealing with a 10 month old, along with a 5 and 10 year old, and I was one cranky momma. So it came as no surprise that when Ross popped in around 3:00 in the afternoon to just grab something and go about his merry way, I lost it. I'm not proud of this fact, and I don't recall the entire contents of my verbal barrage (which incidentally continued on throughout the day to make sure no one was sparred) but I do remember using phrases such as "the least someone could do is say Happy Birthday" and "I'm going to remember this when it's your birthday."

One of my finer moments, for sure.

Needless to say, this year my birthday was remembered, and remembered well. For weeks my children having been asking me what I wanted for my birthday and secretly scheming planning.

Today was my birthday and I had told my children that the only things I coveted were sleeping past 8 am and not cooking the entire day. So promptly at 8:01 I was awaken by Julia and Jenna singing Happy Birthday. As I was about to roll over and beg for more sleep, I saw that they were carrying a tray of food, breakfast in fact, and it was good food. Breakfast in bed. I dined on a feast of bacon, scrambled eggs and toast. When I was finished, I was lead downstairs (blindfolded-- I accused them of planning to push me down the stairs) and into the living room where I received a mini spa treatment which included a hand rub, back scratch and a facial. Now this is the life.

Later I got ready for my sister-in-law Janne' to pick me up and take me out to lunch. We had a wonderful afternoon which included a delicious lunch, a mini shopping trip to by Janne' some clothes and a trip to Starbucks. Ah, Starbucks...

(I will add that Janne' felt it wrong to be shopping for her when it was my birthday but I told her I refused to buy myself any more clothes until I lost weight because I was no longer going to enable my fatness.)

Janne' took me home, announcing that she had to go to the bathroom before driving herself about a half mile home and I didn't find that unusual at all. Some days I can be so obtuse.

We walked into the house where I was greeted with Surprise! It was a surprise party-- for me!

{Yes, that is a Starbucks cup in my hand}

Julia, Jenna and Cody had picked up the house and decorated it with streamers and signs. Julia had even invited a couple of my neighbors Lori and Kristin. Also in attendance where my parents, my brother Rick and my nephews Dillon and Zach. Kevin and Janne' had to tag team because my niece Caitlin was sick.

The theme was a tea party and they got every conceivable treat you could think of to go with tea.

My cake says "32." I tell everyone that I'm 31 so Trace decided that it was finally time for me to age a year. (Okay, okay, I'm really 45.)

Next it was time for gifts. The bag says Sassy Pants and I'm pointing to my pants to show that indeed, I am Sassy Pants. Carey will be quite proud of me because that gift bag has been recycled countless times in this house, including being used for my father's birthday gift a few nights earlier.
Emma was wanting to help open cards and gifts. Notice I'm "hiding" a card on top of my head. Old and talented.

The kids all pooled their money together and bought me an iPod Touch. My nephew Zach is looking over my shoulder asking if he can have it if I don't want it. Sure Zach, stand in line. I also got a spa gift certificate from Ross and a large rattan chest from Trace, Cody and Julia to hide the toys in the living room. I guess it really does pay to complain.

Soon after everyone left we found Jenna on the living room floor--

Asleep. I guess all that partying wore her out. Light weight.

PS> I really expected nothing from my children this year other than the opportunity for someone else to provide the meals for the day and for my birthday to be acknowledged. My children went far and beyond what they should have done and they will be punished severely for spending so much of their own money.