2006 January | I Should Be Folding Laundry

Archive for January 2006 – Page 3

Breakfast with Oprah and some eye surgery to follow

January 19th, 2006

I’m not sure I should be posting right now because I am really tired. But, I didn’t want to let my fans down. (Yes, I’m talking to you!)

I found out I was going to Oprah last Friday when my very good friend Lynette called me offering a ticket to the Oprah show! This girl has TALENT when it comes to getting on Oprah. She’s been to the show THREE times in one year. (I have been fortunate enough to tag along twice!) They did not tell us the topic which is common. Well, yesterday at 3pm, Oprah’s staff calls Lynette saying they have a last minute change in the show schedule and the new topic is going to be "ask Oprah your burning questions." The staff member asked Lynette to gather questions from herself and her party. They needed all questions to be e-mailed to them by 5pm. So, Lynette called me and I got to work on this task! I called my sisters, I called my Mom and I enlisted the help of my VERY smart FOA co-team leaders. The funny thing was that I hadn’t told them that I was going to the show. I was hoping to surprise them with a good "I went to Oprah today story" but that kinda flew out the window. Anyway, thanks to so many people, we e-mailed a ton of questions.

So, we arrive at Harpo Studios at 6:45am. Long line. Wait. wait. wait. But that’s okay. It’s warm and we’re about to see Oprah. They gave us cards to fill out to ask a question and they pull people out of the holding area (where we sit before going to the studio) to videotape their questions to be aired during the show. So, finally we get into the studio at 8:45am and they tell us we are actually get TWO shows, rather than one. Well, one of the shows they already taped had 2 huge "breakings news" segments since the original taping that they wanted to add, so we got to be part of the audience for that show. (which means Oprah puts the same outfit on she wore for that day) By the way, did you know she doesn’t wear the tall tall heels when she walks out to the front of the stage? She changes once she gets there! At least she did today. So, long story short, our show was not about asking questions at all. We had Breakfast with Oprah!

Right away they treated us to croissants flown in special, just yesterday, from France, and we had a cup of her favorite coffee. Later she treated us to cupcakes that Barbara Streisand had shipped to her from LA for Christmas. (Sprinkles Cupcakes) So, why did they PRETEND like we were asking questions? All for one person. We had a surprise celebrity. The person in the audience was a huge fan of Mary J. Blige. So, we got to see Mary J. Blige perform two songs and Oprah interviewed her. It was a great show. The best part, though, is the way Oprah TOTALLY interacts with us during breaks, or stage changes. Like she’s with friends. It’s crazy. She’s awesome. There are other pieces of information that I’ll share later, but for now I’ll talk about eye surgery.

We get in the car after the show and my friends drop me off about 8 blocks east to where Brian is to have surgery. He picks me up about 5 minutes later and we park and stop at Starbucks and head up for some PRK. The first thing they do is collect payment. ow. They run a test on Brian, give him some valium and take him into the "operating room." Guess what? It’s all windows. I sat in a comfy chair watching Brian get operated on. Not only that, but his EYEBALLS were on flat screen tvs, therefore I saw everything! Pokes, prods, scrapes, lazers, suctions, rinsing. It was terrible!! At first I thought I was going to lose my Sprinkles cupcake, but I got used to it and was fine. It was a little difficult for me seeing Brian’s eye on the screen because there was no doubt it was HIS eye. An eye I love, an eye I have always loved. It just felt wrong seeing someone do that to someone’s eyes, especially Brian’s! But the procedure took about…hmmmm…….7 minutes per eye, so I didn’t have too much time to think about! 7 MINUTES! I was shocked. We got there at 12:30pm and left at 1:40pm. The best part? He could see. Without contacts, without glasses. That will change over the weekend, his vision will get worse over the weekend before getting better, but by Monday he can start driving without any contacts or glasses. It’s just crazy.

Brian has been resting all night, which I love. He doesn’t rest much, so this relaxation is much needed. He can’t read or look at the computer (what!!?!?!!??!) and if he wants to watch TV he has to wear special glasses, but he’s VERY light sensitive. Luckily, his amazing wife bought him Narnia on CD, so he’s been listening to that since 3pm! I have four different eye drops and one pain killer to keep track of, but it’s well worth it. By the way, this eye institute is great. They do all of the Chicago Bears and Cubs players. A very good reputation. The surgeon operated in his socks. I didn’t like that, but what can you do!

I’m so sorry this post is so jumpy! I’m tired!

Random pieces of information

January 18th, 2006

1. Brian’s surgery is tomorrow. I’ll be with him, it’s in Chicago at 1pm, we have to be there at 12:30pm. He’s having eye surgery, he’s having PRK done which is similiar to Lasik.

2. There is really one TV show that I can honestly say I am addicted to. American Idol. It’s back and I’m excited. (okay, I’m also a little addicted to OPRAH, but she’s my girl. Oh and I’m addicted to Will and Grace, but the new stuff isn’t so funny, but that’s okay. ooooh ooh and I LOVE me some Sex in the City. That’s all, I swear.

3. I learned a helpful tip regarding housecleaning. Every Wednesday, (or once a week) complete a task you dread. Could be cleaning out your closets, or cleaning your fridge, washing windows, vacuuming stairs, you get the idea. Today I opted to complete a lot of tasks that I dread, so I cleaned the ceiling fans, cleaned my microwave, washed the kids booster seat covers, and I met a man. His name is Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Man is he magical! I used him all day. I wiped down all of the kitchen cabinets, cleaned the front of the dishwasher and refrigerator, and wiped down all of my doors. (which are six panel white doors that desperately needed attention.) I also dusted my living room and cleaned off Brian’s desk. It was great, very productive day. (Ariel and Racecar’s birthday party is next Saturday, so I have lots to do!) Brian worked late today, so it was a long long day. I changed FIVE dirty diapers. I also wound up reorganizing three of my kitchen cabinets and bathing Ariel and Racecar, which is typically what Brian does.

4. Brian and I read "A Million Little Pieces" and we both loved it. Even with the latest news about the author "embellishing," it’s still a great book. I started reading Night, Oprah’s latest recommendation, I’ve only read the preface, and that was hard to read.
After that I’m going to read "My Friend Leonard" (James Frey) and after that I’m going to read "Three Weeks with my Brother" by Nicholas Sparks. Anyone ever read a book by Sparks? I haven’t.

5. I received my thyroid test results back and they came back fine. So I bought some B-Complex. My dear friend Megan started taking it and she said she feels better all around. It’s worth a shot!

6. Thank you for all of your prayers for my laptop, my laptop, AKA Julia, is doing VERY well! She is as good as new! oh please…I know your computer has a name, too! RIGHT??

Alright, I actually have to go to bed early! I have to get up at 4:30am, I’m going to see Oprah tomorrow.

Where is that girl?

January 18th, 2006

I sometimes find myself thinking about the girl I used to be. I just asked Brian to describe me when we first started dating at the age of 18 and he quickly said "crazy, sexy, cool." He’s right, I was. I was cute, spunky, stylish, upbeat, confident and skinny. I LOVED to sing. I would listen to the music so loud in my car that my ears would ring for the first few minutes after exiting the vehicle. If I were riding in the car with someone and they wanted to talk, I would ask them if we could talk once we got to the destination because I can’t sing when I get there, but I can sing now.

I loved good shoes, Gap jeans and Clinique. I never thought about food. I was not a party girl. A good night for me was going to a coffee shop and hearing good music, and talking for hours. Once Brian and I got married, I still loved my shoes and jeans, but that’s when I fell in love with my laptop and I learned about the impact a person could have on me in my life. (I worked in Chicago and met some amazing people, and some bad ones!) Once we moved back to Indiana, Brian and I started to play Unreal Tournament with a friend, or I’d play Yahoo! Graffiti or JT’s Blocks for hours.

One day in August of 2001, at a Cub’s game, Brian said "yeah, I think it’s time we had a baby." I trusted him. So we tried and got pregnant in June of 2002. We started looking for houses, we both had good jobs and we were very independent. I loved to wake up in the morning on weekends and drink coffee, eat Pop Tarts and watch hours upon hours of Trading Spaces. I would then clean the apartment, take a shower and play Unreal or something else. We had a very relaxed life. Very enjoyable. Very comfortable. Very clean.

You see where I am going with this? Then we had a child. I remember our second morning home with Ariel. It’s probably one of my greatest memories. I was downstairs holding this sweet girl, Brian had made coffee and I was in my pajamas, sitting with my favorite things: Ariel, Brian, coffee and my laptop. It was picture perfect. Even though the house was covered in free stuff from the hospital, diapers, wipes, bags, luggage, pillows and blankets, it was home and it was wonderful. Of course, since then Racecar came into our lives.

I look back on the past (BC) before children and realize my life was so good. So, how is it possible that I can reflect back to 2005 and declare that year the most amazing year of my life? Because I have all I need. I am fulfilled. I am confident. I am loved and I love. My house is messy, windows dirty, Christmas mat still on the porch, I’m overweight, but it doesn’t matter. What a year! I do work that I enjoy, I stay home with my children, I love my husband and he (usually) loves me, I enjoy my church and I volunteer with Friends of Heroes. I’m involved because I couldn’t take "just standing around anymore." I had a friend ask me "how do you have time to volunteer." I answer "I have made a choice to help cure childhood cancer, instead of watching TV." It’s that simple. I don’t want anything back. (although, I admit, I’ve got all I need.) The one thing missing in my life? A cure for cancer. Do you know where I can find it?

So, I ask Brian, how would you describe me now? His response "strong, impressive and wonderful." I like that better.

Men vs. Women

January 16th, 2006

Alright, here I go!
Last week, Brian was lovingly preparing us a night time snack. Lately, we have been indulging in a nachos and cheese after the kids go to bed. A terrible habit, I know! I’ll stop soon, I say, in between bites. (literally!) So, Brian was microwaving the queso in these very cute glass containers I have and when he pulled it out of the microwave the glass was so hot that he dropped it directly on the floor. The glass did not break, but there was cheese EVERYWHERE! The countertops, the microwave, the refrigerator, the floor, the rug, the cabinets, Brian’s socks, Brian’s shirt, Brian’s glasses, Brian’s face and Brian’s hair. and it was everywhere THICK. It looked like it had rained cheese in our kitchen! It took me awhile to figure out what had happened as I was asking questions while helping Brian clean up.

After sitting back down and chomping on what was remaining of the cheese, I had to ask myself if I would have just dropped the glass. I don’t think I would have. Now, I’m not saying I’m smarter, because I would have BURNED my fingers off. But in an effort to not have a huge cheesestorm on my ceramic floors, I would have endured the pain and just dropped it harshly on the countertop. I’m not saying I’m better. I’m saying I’m stupid! I would have risked burning myself to avoid a mess. I would have complained the entire next day about my fingertips being burned, (Brian are you nodding??), but if I would have just not worried about a mess, I would have been fine. The day after Brian dropped the cheese there was not a single speck of cheese anywhere, it was just a memory. So, in this case, is a male instinct smarter than a females??
No one knows for sure.

In reality, however, had it been me, I would not have dropped the glass or burned myself, as I would have used an oven mitt.

Questions

January 15th, 2006

What is it about The Teletubbies that is so hypnotizing? Wouldn’t it be great if women had the same quality as The Teletubbies?

Our husbands would never tune us out!

Want to know how I came up with the name of my blog? This is why. I can wash and dry clothes all day, but folding and putting away is for the birds!

Is Racecar manly for mowing or feminine for talking on a barbie cell phone?

If toys were originally in these bins, where are they now and who will have to clean them up?

P.S. Brian took a picture of the laundry just before he folded them and put them away. I am so lucky!

(Shortly after my post, I spilled water on my laptop. I AM freaking out! All seems to be okay so far, but Brian is backing things up! Luckily we bought spill insurance! My screen looks funny….waaaahhhhhh.)

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