The Decay of Western Society

Or at least of me... according to my sister.

I spent all weekend with my sister. She is just finishing up her first year of medical school and consequently is at the stage where she is pretty convinced that she knows everything. To say it is annoying is an understatement. A BIG understatement.

Look, I know that eating Burger King is probably not all that good for me. But hell... it tastes pretty good!! I DO NOT... however, need to spend all weekend being lectured about how the trans fat in the french fries that I love so much is going to damage my brain cells. Or about how if I become pregnant it will damage my baby because it is not broken up by my body and will therefore travel through the placenta and cause irreparable damage to an unborn child.

When I got to work yesterday, she had sent me some medical articles stating that trans fat MAY compromise fetal development. Not that it will, just that more studies need to be done. Isn't it funny how to a first year medical student MAY is the same as IS? For now, I think I will continue to enjoy my once a week or once every other week indulgence. Get back to me when MAY turns into DOES.

Case of the Mondays

Ah crap... it's Tuesday.

Well, I guess that means I just need to go home and start again tomorrow. You think my boss will understand? Yeah, neither do I.

So, our weekend, in a nutshell, busy. On Saturday my aunt got married so we attended her wedding. It was outdoors in the 90 degree heat so it was a little warm. One of the grooms sons (this was a second marriage for both of them) didn't realize that in that kind of heat it is better to eat something than to not, so he ended up sitting down towards the end of the ceremony.

After the ceremony we headed over to the house of one of my Aunt's friends. She lives in a VERY ritzy neighborhood. I think you could fit our house into hers twice. We had two long tables in her sitting/living room area for people to sit and then one table in the kitchen. I think there were around 30 people there and we all sat comfortably.

In my house I think I can sit 10 - 15 if we crowd and a few more if we make them go to the living room and sit. After that we all headed down stairs where she has a pool table and a couple of game tables (Card type games I think... I know NOTHING about these things!!)

Sunday found me in the car for an hour and a half with some other relatives to go visit my cousin for his graduation. And where was my wonderful husband you ask? At home on the couch. On Saturday he told me he had no desire to go and wanted to just stay home. So Sunday morning I didn't even bother to wake him. Of course when I got home Sunday night and told him he missed a good time his excuse was well I told you I would go but you didn't get me up. Very easy to say that after the fact!!

Yesterday was supposed to be my day to finally get caught up on laundry from our vacation and get things picked up around the house. You notice I say supposed to? Yeah, I basically surfed the internet, watched old movies, and took a nap. Very productive don't you think?

Driving

Dearest Driver on the Interstate:

Feel free to drive the speed limit. I get it, it is your right as a law abiding citizen (and heaven knows someone has to obey those laws). Feel free to drive the speed limit on every road to every destination that you choose.

Put PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, for the love of all that is holy, and for my mental sanity, do it in the RIGHT hand lane!!

Sincerely,

Your friend, the one in your rear view mirror (look back see... I'm waving and I'm even trying to use all my fingers) slowly pulling out her hair as I follow you and attempt, without success, to pass!!

New Website

Hey everyone!! No worries, I'm going to keep this website up and running. I am just starting a new one for a few months. We've got some things going on in our lives that we don't want to share with every Tom, Dick, and Harry. So, we've decided that since we have lurkers we don't know who could just stumble upon this website.

If you would like to have the address of the new site e-mail me using the link on the right or this e-mail address hamiltonfamilycircus [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Watched

Do you ever feel as if you are being stared at in your sleep?

As if every move you make is being tracked so that in case you awake and attempt to make a run for the door without filling the food dishes you can be promptly tackled and eaten alive, lest the natives starve?

Yeah, neither do I

WOW!!

I just read a post from another blogger that I just had to share with you. I have been on the fence for a long time about what we would do in regards to spanking when we have children. I was spanked, and I lived. However, I have never felt that it is really the best form of punishment.

This blog post offers some incite into some other ways to discipline a child without resorting to physical punishment. Part of the article is written by the blog owner and part by another blogger who runs a daycare business and has used these techniques successfully not only with her own children but also with her day care children.

I liked this article so much, in fact, I printed it off and am going to take it home for Jake to read. (Or more like I will probably read it to him while he's making dinner.) But in any case, whatever position you take, I thought it was a well written (although admittedly LONG) post with some good ideas that I think I will be trying when we have our children.

I'm back!

Just wanted to put up a quick post to let you all know that we made it back safely and in one piece. The trip was very relaxing and just what I needed after dealing with all of these doctors visits and homestudies over the last few months.

I didn't take as many pictures as I figured I would as there was too much shopping and napping to be done. However, I will write a bit about it after I dig out from all the stuff that was awaiting me when I arrived at work!!

Also, I will be attempting to get caught up on everyone's blogs from the last week or so, so forgive me if I'm a little out of the loop for awhile!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Okay, well actually I already left. I'm writing this from Jake's aunt Kim's house in TN. From what I can tell the next time I may have internet will be next Friday evening. I've been told that Tybee Island, GA is still civilization, but with an in that doesn't have an internet connection for guests to use, I'm starting to doubt it. :-)

So, dear internet people... I will return next week. Try not to post anything in my absence or I will NEVER get caught up on all of your lives!! ;-)

WWPM Award

Okay, I am the WWPM!! (World's Worst Pet Mom) What did I do you ask? What could possibly earn me this title? I left my boy outside all night, by himself.... and I didn't even look for him!! In fact I had no idea he was out there until 5:30 this morning when I went to let the dogs out and there was a cat on the back step.

"That cat looks a lot like... OH MY GOD that's LEX!!"

My poor baby!! He was SO traumatized!! He came right in and had to eat half a bowl of cat food just to recover. So let me give you a little background on how this happened.

Last night when I got home from getting the suitcases for our upcoming vacation I noticed that the dogs were still outside in the pen. I was irritated because it was 7:30 and I knew that Jake had been home since 4:30 and could have damn well let them in himself. (But that's a rant for another day!!)

When I went over to the pen and opened the gate Jack took off towards the trees. I, being naive, thought that he was going in there after a stray cat or even worse a opossum or a raccoon, so I yelled at him to get over here and he came out of the "woods." Looking back I now know that my scared little boy had heard his mommy's voice and had ventured out of his hiding spot to show me, "Mom, I'm outside and I'm not supposed to be." only to be chased back into hiding by the dog.

Once I got to our back porch I noticed that the back door was open but being annoyed by the dogs and preoccupied with all I had to do to get ready for the trip I thought nothing of it. I just figured that Jake had not closed it tightly and when the dogs hit it with their head it opened. So, I went about my evening routine, got something to eat, and went upstairs and watched a movie. Never realizing that my poor boy was outside scared and alone.

That is of course until 5:30 this morning. I feel just awful, and I am SOO thankful that he did not get out onto the road. If you remember, this is not the first time this has happened. It is, however, the first time that his mom didn't come looking for him. Maybe next time the door is left open he will think twice before venturing into the big bad outdoors, either that or I'll have to sell the husband for leaving the door open.

Work Lurkers

I was just recently informed that some people from my work have found my blog and have read it. Now for the most part I don't really care. I have never been to secretive about the fact that I have a blog and if they would have just asked I probably would have told them the address. I think the part that I find weird is that they are reading about my life and I didn't know it.

I learned early on from Dooce not to post anything about work so I think I'm fairly covered there. It does, however, make me re-think what I'm posting about our fertility issues. For instance, should I find out (by some freak chance) that I actually got pregnant, I'm not sure at what stage I would feel comfortable posting about it. I would want to at least be able to tell my boss before I become the center of office gossip!!

So, how many of you have found out later that you know some of your lurkers?

Horsey Names

**UPDATED WITH PICTURES**

Okay.. today we are going to play name that baby horse. Right now the name that is in the lead is Brooke's Gold (see post below) but we are still open to suggestions.














Here's what you have to work with....

He was born on May 2nd (my birthday)
My name is Heather Brooke
His mom's name is Missy Babe
His dad's name is Wild Gold














Your prize if you have the winning name? The joy of knowing a race horse has a name you picked. (I know.. kind of lame huh? What'd you want a cookie?)

So... what are your suggestions oh wonderful internet people?

Birthday Surprise

Yesterday was my birthday. I don't say this to illicit belated birthday wishes, although they are more than welcome. I say this as a segue into why I took an entire day off in the middle of the week to go shopping. Yes you read that right, the girl who hates shopping actually volunteered to go. Although it was only for two hours, so I didn't feel too overwhelmed.

Anyhow, my friend Danette and I dropped her oldest off at preschool and then we went to Wal-mart and Target. At Target I proceeded to try on about 30 items. Really, the women behind the counter were laughing at me!! I ended up buying three swimsuits, and now I'm thinking to myself, what in the WORLD do I need THREE swimsuits for. I think I may take one back. Buyers remorse, it's a killer.

After shopping (can you really call it shopping if it was just Wal-mart and Target?) we picked up Emma and I headed out to meet Jake and his Grandma for lunch. His mom is waitressing at a restaurant so we went there for lunch. It was kind of surreal having her as our waitress as I'm not sure I've ever been out to eat at a place where I knew the waitress on such a personal level.

After lunch I went back to Danette's and we went on a walk around her neighborhood because it was B-E-utiful outside yesterday, and really, if I hope to fit into those swimming suits I need to walk!! When we got back Emma was sitting on the couch and Matt told us that she had cut her foot on the deck but wouldn't let him bandage it up.

Upon closer inspection we noticed that she had not cut her foot, but had instead gotten the biggest splinter I had ever seen in my life. Seriously, this thing was like and inch to an inch and a half long and her feet are not that big!! I would have cried like a baby if I had a splinter like that!! Matt & Danette tried to get it out but Emma was screaming like they were trying to kill her and writhing all around on the couch, so they ended up taking her to the doctor to have him take it out.

After I left their house Jake and I went to my parents house for yet another meal out. (These new clothes are not looking promising...) After dinner we came home and I think we were both asleep before 10:00. This getting old is hell!!

Anyhow, this morning at 6:45 am my mom called to tell me that her colt had been born on my birthday. Apparently they had to pull him and he was born around 11:50 just barely making him my birthday bandit. In honor of that fact his name is now Brooke's Gold since my middle name is Brooke and his dad's name had the word Gold in it.

I don't know about you, but I think that's a pretty nice birthday surprise!!