Will I ever learn?

Corinne had a very hard time getting to sleep last night, and then after sleeping fitfully all night she woke up at 5:00 a.m. So, I should be catching up on my sleep now that she is sleeping, but instead I am wasting time on the internet. For some reason I got it in my head I want to get Corinne an cuddly bunny wabbit for Christmas, the kind she can hold and slobber all over and then carry around everywhere when she gets older. I got lost on etsy.com because they have the most adorable things, and some of the ugliest things I've ever seen. And then I found tedde.com, which sells the weirdest, uncuddliest, most expensive teddy bears I've ever seen. I just want one, cuddly bunny. Is that too much to ask?

I hate it when I think of something I need to get from another room, and then forget what it was that I was looking for by the time I get there. This is something old people do. I don't want to be old :(.

So, 7 years ago...

Today is Ethan's 7th birthday. We actually had the big party with his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents over the weekend when everyone could get together. Tonight Brian, Corinne and I took him to Red Robin (his choice) where a group of enthusiastic servers sang happy birthday to him and gave him a sunday. I made cupcakes for him to take to his Tiger Scout meeting tonight. He was pretty wired after the sunday, and I am bracing myself for when he comes because he may be unbelievably hyper or completely crashed. I think he is having a happy birthday, though, despite the fact he missed the bus this morning and we had to walk home in the rain and get there before Brian left for work. But I think the day has improved for him since. It's also kind of neat that tonight there is a full moon, since he is so interested in space related things. I can't believe he's 7! My baby boy is growing up *sniff*.

Four things I need to get off my chest

1. What has happened to Heroes?? It use to be a great show, but this season it's dying a slow death. Not one episode has lived up to the potential is showed in its first season. I think my disappointment started in the first episode, when Sylar finally caught up with Claire. For two seasons Sylar has been the somewhat unstoppable bad guy, and they convinced us that if Sylar ever got ahold of Claire and her power of regeneration, he would kill her and then he would take over the world. I mean, the first season was all about keeping Claire safe from Sylar with the implication being who knows what bad things might happen. Then in the first episode of Season 3, he catches up with Claire, the thing we were suppose to fear happening for two seasons, and it ends up being the most anti-climatic scene in the history of television. Sylar took her power, and we found out Sylar couldn't kill her if he wanted to. WHAT!?!? THAT'S IT!?!? And the season has just gotten worse. So disappointing.
2. While Heroes is disappointing, Fringe just keeps getting better and better. Now, if ABC would just give Pushing Daisies the chance it deserves and not threaten to cancel it...
3. Yesterday it was raining when I went to pick Ethan up at the bus stop. Since we only have one car and it takes Brian to work everyday, I usually put Corinne in the stroller and meet Ethan in the afternoon. The rain wasn't any inconvenience. I found an umbrella in the garage, and Corinne's stroller has a rain shield type thing, plus I am the kind of person who loves the rain for the most part, so we happily walked the short distance to the bus stop. Of the kids who take the bus, we seem to live the farthest away, and there are about three moms with younger kids that see them off to the bus and pick them up everyday. Usually everyone walks to get their kids, but yesterday I was the only one who did so in the rain. The other moms drove. I have a certain pride in this. Mostly it's because I think driving your mini-van/SUV a half a block just so you and your child don't have to take a little walk in the rain is silly. What really annoys me is the one family who drives their kid to the bus stop every morning and then sits there with their SUV running while waiting for the bus. Their house is but 5 houses from the bus stop! This morning, they parked right where the bus stops so that we all had to stand there and smell their exhaust while we waited *eye roll*. If they don't want their child to have to wait in the cold for the bus, why don't they just DRIVE HIM TO SCHOOL?! We like a mile from the school. I think they would burn just as much gas if they drove him to school as they do driving him to the bus stop (that is just 5 HOUSES AWAY) and then sitting there with the engine idling for 5 or more minutes while waiting for the bus. Another thing that bothers me about the bus stop are the all the hooligans that run around and hurt themselves and others, but that's another post for another day.
4. I hate the cold virus in all its incarnations, especially since one has invaded my house and is picking us off one by one. Ethan and Brian have been coughing and sneezing since the weekend. Then last night Corinne came down with a runny nose and this morning she is running a fever. Curse you, rhino virus!!

I usually hate pictures of myself, but Corinne looks so cute I like it despite my presence there. It was taken when we all went to get pumpkins at Linder Farms south of Meridian. And when I say "all" I mean there were about 16 adults and kids, all trying to find that perfect, round pumpkin. It was Corinne's first hay ride AND first pumpkin, so it was a big day for her. From the picture you can see it was an absolutely gorgeous fall day, and there were hundreds of other families milling about, enjoying the petting zoo, jump houses, corn maze, and various other activities there. Ethan also pick out his pumpkin, one of three because he got two more at Scouts. We carved his into a jack-o-lantern that we put a lit candle into on Halloween. Now he is observing how long it will take to decay. It's teeth are sort of sinking in, and everyday when he comes home from school it checks to see what critters are hiding beneath it. He's found slugs, pill bugs, a stinkbug, and some sort of centipede like thing. Speaking of Ethan we celebrated his birthday over the weekend. Saturday we had a little treasure hunt which ended in him finding a surprise Spiderman Pinata in the garage. After whacking the snot (I mean candy) out of that he opened his presents, then we headed to Smoky Mountain Pizza. Grandma, Papa, Nana, Pappy, Grandma Murray, Pam, Chad, Leah, Jon, Melissa, Jackson, Jen, Mike, Ellie, Olivia, and of course Brian, Corinne, and I were all there. I think he had a great party, and on Thursday (his actual birthday) he wants to go to Red Robin so they can sing happy birthday to him and then take treats to his Scout meeting. I can't believe he's almost 7!

yay for democracy

For the record, I voted. Brian and I got absentee ballots, and we mailed them in last week. While voting absentee was so convenient, and I felt like I could sit down and really consider who I wanted to give my vote to, my pessimist side is a little worried about it getting lost in the mail. Oh well. While I would like to see my candidate win, I am of the opinion that either candidate will serve the country well. So, I guess we'll see what happens.

Can you believe it's November already?? Where did October slink off to? Well, apparently I was tagged, so I thought I would play along.

8 Favorite TV shows

Current favorites:
Pushing Daisies
Lost
30 Rock
The Office
Heroes
24
Doctor Who (although I watch this mostly on DVD and reruns on PBS)
Masterpiece

Past Favorites:
Little House on the Prairie
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Northern Exposure
Veronica Mars
The X-Files



8 Favorite Restaurants
Epi's
Mona Lisa/Melting Pot (both fondue restaurants)
The Sand Bar
The Outback
Sonic
The Cazbah
Aladdin's
Gerties

8 Things that happened yesterday
it rained
we went to church and I spent most of Sunday School and morning service in the nursery with Corinne
Ethan and I drew on the driveway with sidewalk chalk
I watched some season 2 episodes of ST:TNG, America's Funniest Home Videos, Amazing Race, and Masterpiece: Contemporary
I made a loaf of bread using a banana bread recipe but instead of bananas I used a jar of pears Pam and I canned a couple of years ago
We watched puppies on a puppy cam
I didn't eat dinner or take a nap like I desperately wanted to, and I stayed up too late.

8 Things I look forward to
This election being over and done with.
Next weekend because everyone will be here to celebrate Ethan's 7th birthday.
The next time Brian and I are able to go out on a real date.
The whole holiday season, especially Thanksgiving.
Our parent/teacher conference with Ethan's teacher (actually I'm kind of anxious about that one).
All of Corinne and Ethan's "firsts".
Someday maybe life making some sense.

8 Things I love about Fall
Getting to wear sweatpants again.
Not feeling oppressed by the heat.
Cold November rain (thanks Guns and Roses)
Thanksgiving
The end of daylight savings time
Hot tea/chocolate/cider
Feeling like you still have PLENTY of time to get your Christmas shopping done
Pumpkins

8 Things on my wishlist
Taking a trip to Disneyland.
Find a way to make money from home
An elf would magically appear and get all the laundry washed, folded, and put away during the night
That our government would ratify the Kyoto Protocol or at least do something equally responsible to reduce our greenhouse emissions
That my family would remain healthy and happy
That we could travel more
That I could live by the ocean
That I could stick to something long enough to be successful at it.

I guess I tag Jen and Brian, if they read this.