Lazy, Negligent, Impressive, and Exciting

Oh, shoot.  I've totally become one of those people who feels the need to apologize in every post for not posting as frequently.  So let's just toss out one big giant sorry that will cover all past and future blog negligence.  We've been busy soaking up the last couple of months of being a family of three, lying around and snugglin', eating too much (but like 75% healthy food, so that's okay, right?), and watching too much TV*.

The most impressive thing that I've done all week (if you don't include whipping up a batch of candied bacon ice cream) was taking down the Christmas stuff.  I think I need to find someone who will do that for pay.  Don't you think that person could make tons of money?  I mean, who actually likes taking down the Christmas stuff?

The most exciting thing that has happened lately was our discovery of the new dog park that the City of Savannah built FIVE BLOCKS away from our house.  I've basically been freaking out about its awesomeness since I found out about it.  There are red decorative fire hydrants, and picnic tables (for humans and for dogs), and there's a water source, and. . .wait for it. . .they are putting in dog pools that are SHAPED LIKE BONES!  I think this dog park has restored my faith in the universe.

The second most exciting thing that has happened lately is that I only gained 2 pounds over Christmas (for serious--I usually gain ten times that over a normal, non-pregnant Christmas holiday) and I passed my sugar test, so I don't have to feel guilty every time I inhale a loaf of bread or eat a 3 lb. serving of macaroni and cheese.  And the boy is looking good in there.  It was a little less exciting to learn that his head is measuring three weeks ahead of schedule (thanks, Matt) (giant head for giant brains?), but good to know that the boy is healthy and happy.

And my favorite friend of Matt's came to visit and now I'm trying to find him a bride (preferably not child or mail-order) and a dog so that he'll be less crotchety (but let's be honest--it's his crotchetiness that makes me love him).

We've got a big ol' exciting weekend ahead of us, so stay tuned for that.  And I think I'm giving myself a March 1 deadline to have the nursery done, so at this rate it'll only be like four blog posts away.

Baby wolf was so tired after dog park fun.

 If you insist on making silly faces, I will put them on the internet.

 Goodbye, old friend.  I will fill this void in my heart with ice cream.

 Why is pot roast so good?

 It makes me feel better about myself to put my Sam's club purchases in bags from hipper, more respectable stores.

 I think they thought they were in a police lineup.

 This man needs a bride.  Any takers?  Also, should he get a husky or a golden retriever (for a dog, not for a bride)?

Mitch loves his brother.  Either that or he is trying to smother him.  Let's hope it's the former.

I totes need to wear a big ol' H on my chest.  I have hated these 4-d ultrasounds every time I've seen one because I think they are scary and terrifying.  But when our sassy ultrasound lady flipped it into 4-d mode (which I didn't even know she could do), I was mesmerized.  Also, I think he is about to nibble on his toenails.  And Chloe says he is melting.


What was the most impressive or exciting thing that's happened to you all week?  And did it involve a pool shaped like a bone?


*I don't know about you, but here at M Cubed we LOVE presidential election time.  The Republican primaries have been especially entertaining, though they have caused a little bit of division in our home.  Mitch, our staunch Tea Partier, was devastated when Michele Barkman dropped out of the race.  It was almost as sad as when his previous favorite, Herman Canine, dropped out.  Now he's all about Ron Paw.  Matt and I were rooting for any of those, or just for Jon Huntsman--the others because their craziness was sure to lose the GOP the general election, and Huntsman for his actual brains and raw good looks.

A Boring Account of My Day, and Potential Last Words

This week has been tough. And not even tough because anything bad happened or because of illness or misfortune. It's just been tough because I'm a spoiled little baby, and after having 17 days off of work, I found it very hard to transition back into real life--which includes getting up in the morning, wearing pants that don't have an elastic waist, and actually having real responsibilities again, both at home and at school. What! You mean my entire life can't be devoted to watching Mad Men and making waffle cones?! That's rubbish!

So from Monday through Wednesday I was a complete worthless blob. I would go to school and try to muster up energy to be good while there, and then I'd come home and take a coma nap. The coma naps were getting progressively longer, and by the time I woke up from Wednesday's 4-hour one, I knew I had to make a change. But then I didn't want to, and I instead talked to Matt and ate burgers (from the new grill) and watched tv and laughed and tried my hardest to ignore the messy house and the fact that I would have to get up again in the morning. I hate getting up in the morning. I prefer to exit slumber in the early afternoon. (True fact. If I had my druthers, I'd stay up until 4 a.m. and sleep until noon every day.)

So yesterday was my day to be active. And, boy, was I! I went shopping and bought these, the perfect trouser pants from Gap that I'd had my eye on since September. (Shoot yeah, 50% off clearance prices!)

 and here I am wearing them

And I got this shirt, which is kind of like a fancy robe.

I also went to the grocery store and accidentally broke the bag and dropped my loaf of sourdough French bread in the middle of the parking lot. And I ate it anyway. And it was delicious.

And I took down Christmas. That took what felt like eight days, except that it was really like two or three hours. I think Christmas decorations are kind of like having family visit--you're so happy to put them out, and then you're just as happy to put them away.

While listening to to a few podcasts.

And I cleaned. And vacuumed (three times). And I ellipted. And I took a shower. And I did laundry.

And then the dryer went kaput. And I was mad. So I made Matt put on an episode of Mad Men, thinking that the dashing Don Draper would help me to forget about the inconvenient death of the dryer, but then I fell asleep during the episode.

This morning I found a guy on Craigslist who says that he has 30 years of experience fixing dryers and that he'll fix it for $40 plus the cost of parts. Hopefully that's not code for "30 years of experience murdering silly women," because I called him and he's coming to the house soon. Anyway, if I get murdered, you'll know it was "George" the "dryer repairman."*

*Don't worry, the dryer is out in the shed, so I don't even have to let him into the house.**

**Also, I'm going to hide a cast-iron skillet in my jacket, just in case. That's my weapon of choice to use against potential murderers.

Sunday Self-Improvement

I've been in a funk lately. It's been nothing horrible, but I've just fallen into old, bad habits: taking coma naps every day, eating terrible food, neglecting to exercise, etc. Basically, I've lost the routine on which I thrive.

Saturday night I decided that it was self-improvement time. Time to stop being a disgusting lazy fatbody, time to get myself together, to re-energize, and be more productive.

In short, I need to go from being one of these. . .

[source]

To being this.

[source]

And I can do it. The funny thing is, it won't even be all that hard. It'll require a little extra planning, and a little action, but in the end I'll feel better and sleep better and get more done. Hopefully I won't be such a cranky bitch, too. (Let's be realistic. I'm always going to have some element of cranky bitch, but maybe the exercise and healthy eating and being on the ball will tone it down.)

What does this self-improvement plan include, you ask? Here it goes.

• No more coma naps
• No more going to bed at 2 am
• No more meals of candy bars and/or cookies, and or cookies that are made with candy bars
• More exercise
• Thorough meal planning
• Walks with the pup every day after school (to replace the nap, though I doubt that the walks will ever be the four hours that the naps were)

It is imperative that I get myself back on track before the holidays; otherwise I will fall into an even deeper fat spiral.

Self-improvement plan started today. Today I

• Took the pup for a long walk
• Showered
• Did all of the laundry, and folded it, too
• Ellipted for thirty minutes
• Graded stacks upon stacks of papers
• Scrubbed the refrigerator
• Cleaned out the pantry
• Lunched with a friend (AT TACO BELL! Woot, woot!)
• Only ate about five miniature candy bars
• Began to plan Christmas gifts

And you know what? It's started to pay off already.

I love laundry earnings.