I have seriously been a blogging slacker lately. I don't know why since I really do love to write. I guess I am really feeling crunched for time to try to fit everything into my days and still I miss important things...you know....like making sure that I take good care of myself. So a quick run down of what has been going on...
First, the closing on the sale of my house was today. I drove down last night in a rented pick-up truck and cleaned the rest of my things out of the house. The truck was jam packed with mostly books, but the gun cabinet my dad built as well as my childhood rocking chair and some other things. I called my neighbors tonight to see if anyone was in the house, but I am sure they are out trick or treating. A chapter closed, I guess.
We carved pumpkins with the Norwegian Princess tonight. She dressed up as a butterfly and was covered (tightly, but covered nonetheless). This was a huge improvement over the slutty Strawberry Shortcake outfit she had wanted to buy. Yuck.
I have tried to post pictures, but it doesn't seem to be cooperating, so I will try again tomorrow.
Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
By special request...
Here are new pictures of Belle! She is getting long and leggy at 23.8 pounds. She really is this shiny - it's not just the flash! Here she is at 16 weeks....
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Hanging in there!
I have not been successful at getting back into any kind of exercise routine even though I keep saying I am going to. Every day is "the day," but it never turns out to be that way. Soccer is almost over and that will cut down on some of the running, but not much. I haven't been to many games lately because of classes. That might not be a bad thing.
The exchange girl was actually quite pleasant tonight. She had her first chorus concert and they introduced her from the stage. She actually looked happy. When we got home she played with Belle, which is an incredibly rare thing. I go back and forth on how I should be treating her. On one hand she is incredibly entitled and inconsiderate (she left the house at 9:30 last night to go tanning without asking....stood in front of the door at Macy's with her arms crossed until someone opened it for her, etc). On the other hand she is 17, in a different country, with parents who are pretty recently divorced. She is out of money and owes Amy and I a decent amount. I am still feeling out how to deal with her.
Belle is awesome and I need to take some new pictures of her. She is stinkin' adorable and getting to the point of being really really independent. She makes me laugh on a daily basis and is overall very even tempered. She is a nice distraction to my busy life.
Okay....it is an early day tomorrow, so I should get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be "the day!" Cross your fingers for me.
As Grace Anne would say "See ya later, crocodile."
The exchange girl was actually quite pleasant tonight. She had her first chorus concert and they introduced her from the stage. She actually looked happy. When we got home she played with Belle, which is an incredibly rare thing. I go back and forth on how I should be treating her. On one hand she is incredibly entitled and inconsiderate (she left the house at 9:30 last night to go tanning without asking....stood in front of the door at Macy's with her arms crossed until someone opened it for her, etc). On the other hand she is 17, in a different country, with parents who are pretty recently divorced. She is out of money and owes Amy and I a decent amount. I am still feeling out how to deal with her.
Belle is awesome and I need to take some new pictures of her. She is stinkin' adorable and getting to the point of being really really independent. She makes me laugh on a daily basis and is overall very even tempered. She is a nice distraction to my busy life.
Okay....it is an early day tomorrow, so I should get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be "the day!" Cross your fingers for me.
As Grace Anne would say "See ya later, crocodile."
Sunday, October 14, 2007
swamped.
I am completely swamped with school work. Much like undergrad I have waited until the very last minute to work on it. I know. Stupid. Anyway, I need to get a move on and get it out of the way. I am actually critiquing an interesting research study on the possible effects of developmental assets on the delay of sexual activity in single-parent households versus those for youth living in two parent homes. Kind of cool.
The extra computer has been removed in our home and the exchange student no longer has access to Facebook and email. She will be "tracked" over the next few weeks by the Aspect Foundation (the agency that brought her here) and will need to check in with the coordinator at least once a week to report on how she is progressing. We (Amy and I) will also have to report in to let them know if she is reporting accurately. This is a yucky process and I can imagine this is difficult for her. I can not imagine going away for a year and speaking to my family one time per week or emailing one time per week. It would be hard. On the other hand it is what she signed up for and knew up front that was the way it would be.
Tomorrow the coordinator calls to tell her these things, including the fact that her phone from her mother country gets taken away. This means no more texting back and forth with that country or emailing/facebooking every day. She is dangerously close to being out of the program. Please understand there are MANY other issues/concerns that factor into all of this.
Anyway, I am off to do more school work. I am not going to get it finished this way!
The extra computer has been removed in our home and the exchange student no longer has access to Facebook and email. She will be "tracked" over the next few weeks by the Aspect Foundation (the agency that brought her here) and will need to check in with the coordinator at least once a week to report on how she is progressing. We (Amy and I) will also have to report in to let them know if she is reporting accurately. This is a yucky process and I can imagine this is difficult for her. I can not imagine going away for a year and speaking to my family one time per week or emailing one time per week. It would be hard. On the other hand it is what she signed up for and knew up front that was the way it would be.
Tomorrow the coordinator calls to tell her these things, including the fact that her phone from her mother country gets taken away. This means no more texting back and forth with that country or emailing/facebooking every day. She is dangerously close to being out of the program. Please understand there are MANY other issues/concerns that factor into all of this.
Anyway, I am off to do more school work. I am not going to get it finished this way!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The silent treatment.
Today has been interesting with the exchange student. She has spent the majority of the day in her room snacking on her hidden stash of food. She has come downstairs for dinner and to watch Pocohantas. I don't know. Don't ask. In any case, she is grounded for two weeks. A boy came to the door today to pick her up to go to the football game and she wasn't even out of bed yet. We had to tell the poor kid that she wouldn't be going to the game. Sucks for her.
I think I have settled on a name for Belle. How does "Windswept No Belle Peace Prize" work? It keeps in line with the plan on words like I had with Magpie's name and we spend a lot of time saying "NO BELLE!" It cracks me up now each time I say it.
So, I built a couch and two ottomans today, including upholstery. I'm not kidding. Check out www.homereserve.com. They provided a great solution to my furniture needs with a puppy. 5 year warranty and replaceable faric, plus storage under the cushions. Could I ask for more?
On top of that Penn State kicked some butt. Overall, not a bad day!
I think I have settled on a name for Belle. How does "Windswept No Belle Peace Prize" work? It keeps in line with the plan on words like I had with Magpie's name and we spend a lot of time saying "NO BELLE!" It cracks me up now each time I say it.
So, I built a couch and two ottomans today, including upholstery. I'm not kidding. Check out www.homereserve.com. They provided a great solution to my furniture needs with a puppy. 5 year warranty and replaceable faric, plus storage under the cushions. Could I ask for more?
On top of that Penn State kicked some butt. Overall, not a bad day!
Okay....I am ready to have my life back now, please?
So many things....
Last weekend I went to Wellsville to check on the house and start emptying what was left. Thankfully, that is not a lot, but it is still enoughyh to have to make several trips and rent something that is decent size to bring things like a lawnmower and bicycle back to Seneca Falls. It was strange to be in the house when it was completely empty again, but it has been such a long time since I was in it that it was okay. Easier than I thought it would be, actually. It also freaked Belle out to be there since she was confused as to why we would be spending time in an empty house. I should be closing in a couple of weeks. I haven't heard anything from the realtor in a couple of weeks and should probably touch base tomorrow. Oh wait...it already is tomorrow.
Yes, it is 1:09 a.m. Why am I up? Well, because our sweet little Norwegian Princess "missed" curfew again. When I say "missed" I am being generous. Curfew is 11:00. She came home at 12:05. The last time she did this she was grounded for a week. She is now grounded for two weeks. I don't understand why parents ground kids because realistically it just sucks for the parents. The kid gets used to it and the parents suffer. Now, because she is sneaky and irresponsible I have to pay by having her in the house more often than she already is. Are you catching on that maybe the whole foreign exchange thing isn't going so well? Yeah. It isn't.
Last weekend was homecoming. She won homecoming princess after bullying her way onto court. Tight pants and telling the boys they needed to vote for you will accomplish that goal when you are 16, blond, and well endowed. Anyway, after the dance she blessed the school by yelling across the gym "I rule this f*cking school!" She actually told Amy she yelled this across the way. Her general attitude is one of entitlement and disrespect. Rarely does "thank you" cross her lips. it is getting old and there is eight months to go....or is there?
School is going well. My intro to concepts of social science research class is good, but a lot of reading. I have a heavy academic weekend with projects and reading. We have two papers and a do at home test due on Monday, plus about 150 pages of reading. My brain is feeling satisfied, though, so that is a very positive aspect. Happy girl in the schooling area.
Belle had her second vet appointment today. She is weighing in at 23.8 pounds and is healthy and beautiful. She has the shiniest coat I have seen on a dog in a long time and her tail never stops. Dr. Gill noticed that today. She was wagging even when she was getting her shot. She generally has a fantastic disposition except for one day out of about every four. Every once in a while she turns into a true demon and you never really know what she is going to do next. In any case she is really growing into quite a nice little lady. Blood showed up for the first time on a chew toy today so that means teething is in full swing now. Nice.
I guess that is what is going on for now. I am tired as usual.
Last weekend I went to Wellsville to check on the house and start emptying what was left. Thankfully, that is not a lot, but it is still enoughyh to have to make several trips and rent something that is decent size to bring things like a lawnmower and bicycle back to Seneca Falls. It was strange to be in the house when it was completely empty again, but it has been such a long time since I was in it that it was okay. Easier than I thought it would be, actually. It also freaked Belle out to be there since she was confused as to why we would be spending time in an empty house. I should be closing in a couple of weeks. I haven't heard anything from the realtor in a couple of weeks and should probably touch base tomorrow. Oh wait...it already is tomorrow.
Yes, it is 1:09 a.m. Why am I up? Well, because our sweet little Norwegian Princess "missed" curfew again. When I say "missed" I am being generous. Curfew is 11:00. She came home at 12:05. The last time she did this she was grounded for a week. She is now grounded for two weeks. I don't understand why parents ground kids because realistically it just sucks for the parents. The kid gets used to it and the parents suffer. Now, because she is sneaky and irresponsible I have to pay by having her in the house more often than she already is. Are you catching on that maybe the whole foreign exchange thing isn't going so well? Yeah. It isn't.
Last weekend was homecoming. She won homecoming princess after bullying her way onto court. Tight pants and telling the boys they needed to vote for you will accomplish that goal when you are 16, blond, and well endowed. Anyway, after the dance she blessed the school by yelling across the gym "I rule this f*cking school!" She actually told Amy she yelled this across the way. Her general attitude is one of entitlement and disrespect. Rarely does "thank you" cross her lips. it is getting old and there is eight months to go....or is there?
School is going well. My intro to concepts of social science research class is good, but a lot of reading. I have a heavy academic weekend with projects and reading. We have two papers and a do at home test due on Monday, plus about 150 pages of reading. My brain is feeling satisfied, though, so that is a very positive aspect. Happy girl in the schooling area.
Belle had her second vet appointment today. She is weighing in at 23.8 pounds and is healthy and beautiful. She has the shiniest coat I have seen on a dog in a long time and her tail never stops. Dr. Gill noticed that today. She was wagging even when she was getting her shot. She generally has a fantastic disposition except for one day out of about every four. Every once in a while she turns into a true demon and you never really know what she is going to do next. In any case she is really growing into quite a nice little lady. Blood showed up for the first time on a chew toy today so that means teething is in full swing now. Nice.
I guess that is what is going on for now. I am tired as usual.
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