And Cosmo It Is

After a very democratic, or survivoresque depending upon your view, meeting last night the family has named the cat Cosmo. Like the mascot for the Cougars or the first name of Kramer, your choice.

Everyone is still fighting over the chance to hold him. Of course, I have no desire to hold him or really interact with him. But who does he bug all day yesterday? Me. He took a nap on my feet. I kept pushing him off, he kept climbing back on. (Photo by Kelsey)

It is all hallows eve and since we had our dress rehearsal on Saturday we are set. Of course, we need some more blue spray and some more white face makeup since Kelsey, the Spider Queen, needs some as well.

I have purposely NOT bought any halloween candy yet - I did not want the tempation to eat the whole bag too soon. So, I will need to get this today as well. That on top of my "other job" and the day is full and it is only 6:00 am.

Happy Halloween!!

Sophie as Dead Bride

Now it decides to work!!

I Love Daylight Savings Time!

At least for the first few days. It gets dark at night and everyone will go to bed a little earlier, even though they complain, it is dark. Then, everyone gets up earlier. It is not as hard to push these folks out of their beds. The only down side is Allie has been up since 5:45 - that will not bode well for tonight.

I used the extra hour yesterday to clean up at least the bottom level of the house. Eric was gone at a Triathlon, so the kids had no one to complain to about having to work. We all worked for a solid hour, OK some of us worked longer than that, and we came home from church to a clean house. I can't tell you the last time that happened. Saturday is so busy with everything going on that we usually don't get any cleaning done, and there is lots of "kids alone" time which only spells disaster for the cleanliness of the house. Now if I can just get to the bottom of the top. Much harder since we have over a month of everyone just shoving stuff in corners since Mom has been gone. It's a project - as if I don't have enough to do.

This is Sophie's Halloween costume this year. Gone are the days when I can talk her into being something nice - everything she wanted to be this year invoved being dead or killing. We settled on the dead goth bride. It works.

Now, why did Allie wake up do you ask? Well, Eric has struck again. Those who know us are aware he has a knack for doing all things I don't approve of while I am gone. Or of bringing other living things into this house when I am not looking. While I was gone last week he got the kids a kitty. Yes, another living, pooping, eating thing. He knew I did not want any animals, but clearly my opinion does not matter. I have said I will not take care of the thing. He will need to take it to the vet and the kids need to handle the daily care and feeding. I am going to hold firm... We will see if I can. Kelsey took some pictures I will have to try and get them. The cat name debate is going on - some like Homer (I am going for creater of Illiad and Odyssey but they are going for father of the Simpsons), some like Cosmo (as in Kramer on Seinfeld), and the little ones think he should be tiger. I guess we will have to see.

Happy Monday
(NOTE posted without picture because of technical difficulties with blogger. I will try photo later)

Thing One and Thing Two

For many years now, I have been saying I was going to dress the twins up as Thing One and Thing Two for Halloween. I have never followed through. This year I actually did it. We had a "dress rehearsal" for Halloween at the church party on Saturday night.

They were pretty convincing... two things that come in and ruin an entire house - I think I can relate to that.

Travel is Glamorous?

Yesterday was one of those days that had me asking, why am I doing this? There was rain and storms in Houston. I was on a Continental Express Jet from Houston to El Paso. I knew there was no way the flight was going out on time. But, according to Continental the flight was showing as "On Time."

Now, although I knew this could not be the case, what choice do you have but to try and believe them? So, I get to the gate 30 minutes prior to departure time. What do I find? The flight BEFORE my flight is still there. Needless to say, the flight was late.

If you have never flown on a Continental Express Jet, they stick all of them in a pit in Terminal B and it is crazy cross section of the human race. There are lots of people who clearly do not fly very often. After jumping back into travel again, I think there should be two airports in each city - one for those who know what the heck they are doing and one for everyone else. But, that is a rant for another day.

So we finally get on the plane, everyone is on. We are sitting at the gate. Mr Friendly Pilot comes on to tell us we are waiting for catering to bring ice and cokes to the plane. They are running behind and it will just be a few minutes. 30 minutes later Mr Friendly Pilot comes on again and tells us we have now been filled with ice, but while we were sitting there a light came on with some sort of issue, so now we have to wait for maintenance to come and look at the plane.

Maintenance comes and we leave the gate only to find that we are like 25th on the runway trying to take off and since there are storms they are spacing the planes out more so it will be 45 minutes to an hour!

We do leave, and I do arrive in El Paso. I am now getting ready to meet with the El Paso Public Library, but this afernoon I get the opportunity to do it all again. And they tell my traveling is glamorous??? Clearly, I have missed those trips.

Joe Dirt

Today Ryan got to dress as his favorite character for Red Ribbon Week. He chose Joe Dirt - he just wanted to wear his mullet wig! The thing that scares me is how he can pull this look off. It is a little too natural. I think we have been in Tomball too long!

Glamour Shots by Kels

While I was gone last week, Kelsey did the lion's share of the entertaining of the twins. I guess one day, maybe encouraged by Napolean Dynamite, she decided to get Allie all gussied up and do a photo shoot. I am happy she was actively involved with her, but the pictures are slightly disturbing.

Where did Allie learn her alluring look? I think she is a little too good at it. Caroline was the one who liked to climb on the table and dance sans clothes, but this is a new thing from Allie. I guess we are going to need to watch her closely.

I did the should I run or not dance this morning in my head. I knew that if I was going to run, I was going to need to get up and out the door by 5:30. So, I woke up at 4:30 and the to run or not dance began. Well, I could run later couldn't I? I could go tomorrow? This went on for 30 minutes until I gave in, got up, made Ryan's lunch (which he forgot), and went out for a run. I love the feeling of being done with the run, not so much during the run. I get a big checkmark on my list for finishing that one!

Fall in Houston

The weather has even cooperated to make us feel like it is fall - cool and sunny. I even bought the twins jackets. Of course by the end of the week the humidity is coming back and the rain will be back.

Eric took the kids to the pumpkin patch to pick out some pumpkins this year. I did not go, but Kelsey went as the official photographer. She got her camera for her birthday and has really taken to using it. It is nice to see her wanting to document the events of her life.

She took one of the pumpkins to YW last wednesday and carved it. We just had to throw it out - it was full of mold. That is the real fall in Houston!

Monday

It's Monday again. Why does that keep happening? Every time I turn around it is Monday. I just went out for a run - ok, it was more of a walk but there was some running in there. I have got to get back on track for the 1/2 marathon! It was perfect weather, sunny and 50 degrees. I love it. These are the days you are glad you made it through a hot Houston summer.

This day will be made up of work, shopping and organization. Trying to get this family back on track. I was gone too many weeks in a row, and it shows. Thats fine because I am only out on Thursday night this week - back on Friday. After last week, I can make it through anything. Three demos in one week. It was killer. At the beginning of my career it was not uncommon to do five different demos in one week. How did I do that? I don't know. I guess youth does have something on this old age.

Happy Monday!

School Projects - OUT OF CONTROL

I think we have hit the bottom in terms of school projects. Ryan is taking advanced science - chemistry this year. Their project for this six weeks is to make a mole. Now in chemistry speak, a mole is a unit of measurement. But some teacher who had nothing better to do with their time, came up with the idea that they should make these kids sew a mole, name it and dress it in a costume.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH CHEMISTRY??? How does a 16 year old boy learn anything from watching his mother sew a mole? I tried to tell him this was going to be his project, but than I took pity on him. This is the dumbest thing I have ever seen. This is a waste of my time, his time and if they are taking time out of learning about real chemistry to do this crap, no wonder our TAKS scores have gone down!

Now, since he had to be creative, meet Elder Mole, a Molemon missionary. I am guessing that he will be the only one who is going to bring a missionary, so I guess he should get extra credit for creativity.

That is my rant for today. I am off the Dallas to demo at the Dallas Public Library. No pressure - it will just either make or break my year next year. No pressure...

The Tradeshow

For anyone who has not worked a trade show, it is quite the thing to behold. There are large shows, and small shows and right now I am at one of those smaller shows. This is a mix of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the American Indian Library Association, Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, the Chinese American Librarians Assocation, and REFORMA, the National Association to provide library and information services to Latinos and the Spanish speaking. So much political correctness all around me.

Regardless of the show, at least as far as librarians are concerned, when we open they run through the convention center walking into each booth just asking what you have to give them. Excuse me? Can I tell you what we do, how we can provide you with service at your library? No, what can you give me? Can I have that pen?

Then you will have some people walking around who are serious and want to talk to you about what you do. But you can only talk to them in spurts when they are not in sessions learning about librarianship. So what do you do while they are in session? Talk to the other vendors and wonder why you are standing here on this concrete floor which is killing your legs.

I am next to this guy who is a kick. He sells some kind of library binding machine, so it is a transactional sale - people can buy one while they are here. He reminds me of a ginsu knife sales person - it slices, it dices and it even cuts through a can. He keeps stopping people, plying them with halloween candy, and going through his sales pitch. I am watching as some of these people are trying to be nice, but this guy will hardly let them go.

I have had some good contact with those I wanted to see, so I am good. I am here with my boss, who has decided that I can leave early. Yeah!! Instead of staying until Saturday afternoon, I am going home tonight. Good thing because I leave again Monday morning, and I will be gone all week next week. So much for my part time job...

My Little Diva

Caroline is a fashion plate - she has her own sense of style and is very particular about it. This morning she wanted to wear a dress from this summer that was on the short side. I tried to get her to put on a pair of bike shorts underneath. She wanted no part of it. She wanted jeans on under her dress.

Now here is the problem. She only has one pair of jeans and she wore them yesterday. I have not had time to get them additional pants. It has not been cold. But, she decided today she would need jeans and the other pair I found do not feel good to her. So up to the attic I trot to look for some clothes for this girl. Lucky for her I found a pair - although they were a little big in the waist, she liked them so it was ok. Of course the outfit was not complete without the necklace. All I can say is we do not have time for this in the mornings.

I am off to Dallas to attend the Joint Conference for the Librarians of Color. Should be interesting.

Tuesday

It's Tuesday - but it really feels like Monday because of the extended weekend. So once again I had the "It's Time to Make the Donuts" feeling when I got out of bed. I have a lot of stuff to do today, and I have to drive both the football and soccer skills camp carpool. Is it really evil to hope that the 80% chance of rain cancels both practices? What can I say?

This picture is from Cowgirl Day at preschool last year. They both looked so cute with their hats on. Even with her fake smile, Allie makes me laugh.

Have a great Tuesday - or Monday.

One Foot In Each Camp

For Kelsey's birthday, what she wanted to do was go to Build-A-Bear with her friend Taylor and have each of them build an animal. This was what she wanted to do for fun. She loves this bear and loves to hug it. This tells me she is still a little girl, or at least does not want to move to the realms of a young woman.

Then I got a call last night from Eric. I guess Kelsey was on AIM and chatting with a group of friends. She said there was a young man who was being treated badly by a group of kids at school, and they were continuing their harrassment online. He signed off by saying he was going to kill himself.

Now, for some reason, Kelsey could see that he was truly distraught. She told Eric that he needed to call this boys mom and make sure he was OK. Now, this is where Eric does not come off so well since it was during The Office, and lets just say he was not overly quick to jump up and help out. Kelsey called the home, and no one answered, so Eric told her to call 911.

He told me that Kelsey was very calm and clear on the phone with the police. Our local Lakewood Grove officer heard the call come out and came over to our house to see what the deal was. Kelsey, calmly told her what had happened and gave her the address.

I do not know exactly what was going on in this home when the police got there. This I do know, the officer called back to the house and told Kelsey this boy's mom wanted to say thank you and that Kelsey saved her son's life.

So, maybe she is not still a little girl, but a maturing young woman. Or maybe that is the joy of being twelve - you can have one foot in each camp. I am proud that she acted on what she felt was a serious situation - even when her dad did not jump up and help her. Her compassion is one of her wonderful traits. I hope she will remember this and when she is faced with a similar situation, she will act again. Good job Kelsey!

Greetings from EWR

Oh that I had a camera phone. The cross section of humanity I can see while sitting here at the le Petit Bistro in the Newark Airport is worthy of documentation. I find myself asking the question, as I do so many times, do these people not look in the mirror before they leave the house??

Not that I am Stacy and Clinton or anything, but having a big blub of stomach hanging out of your pants or skirt or shirt is just NOT attractive. Uh-oh. Could it be that I am just getting old and that I have become my mother??!! Say it isn't so.

I am off to Syracuse in a few minutes. I am looking forward to cooler weather. It is always interesting to go to the home office when you are a remote employee. Some people treat you much like a Big Foot sighting - we thought you existed but we were not sure. I will just have to do my part to leave an impressions. Oh wait, maybe not such a good idea!

Enjoy your day.

Sisters and Daughters

Here is a picture of all of us. Is there a family resemblance? I don't know. I can see it a little. It is hard when you have to take the old lady factor into account. What can I say? I too was young once.

This will be a busy day since I am getting ready to leave again. This will be a long trip, Tuesday through Saturday. For the most part I can control my travel and it is not too hard. There are times, however, when it is show season and I am gone way too much. This is such a time. I will be gone this week, next week, and some of the week after. Of course, Kelsey is trying to guilt me. Here is our conversation upon my return last week:

Kelsey: Is it true that you are leaving again next week, or is that a rumor?
Carrie: Yes, I am going to Syracuse next week.
Kelsey: So you will be gone again?
Carrie: Yes.
Kelsey: So are we ever going to have a mom again?

As my friend Robert says, Nice. Here is what she is missing - guilt does not work on me. I am very guilt free about most things. Oh well, my orphan kids will just have to survive without me for a week. I am sure it can be done!