Mama Mia Chronicles

Well this year I actually got picture of both kids with Santa. Last year the little one was missing all together. He was/is "scares" the way he puts it.

I have decided that I am becoming more clumsy in my adulthood. Case in point: I am 33 years old, and have never (if memory serves me) burned myself while cooking. Okay, well not badly anyway. Well, the other day while cooking porkchops for the loony masses at my house, the darn piece of meat slipped when I was turning it over in the pan. Hot oil splattered...in my face. I immediately rush to flush it with COLD water...step 1, and then go back to my multitasking (ie cooking, ironing and cleaning). Needless to say I was NOT a happy camper after that. I eyes felt very tender and kinda itchy/burny too. Anyhow, I tell my darling husband about it, and (surprise, surprise) he was not too concerned that I partially cooked my one eyeball and am now horribly disfigured! The next morning I look in the mirror and see three dark brown burn marks on my eyelids...so I show them the the aforementioned (callous) husband and he says, "Oh...um...I don't see anything". Huh? So later I show the other nutcase male in my house and he says, "Oh...um...I don't see anything". Doh! What am I hallucinating?? I felt somewhat vindicated when I asked my daughter if my eyes looked weird to her, and she said, "No, expect for those dark splashes...here, here and here"...Thank heaven for fresh 5-year old eyes. The men are hopeless. And I am boycotting porkchops for a LONG time!

B.
Added a pic of my horrific injuries:

I have just finished reading one of the books that will go on "the list" of the books I've red this year. I read a lot, but not many end up on my public "recommend" list. My "guilty pleasures" list is a really long one, but the "real" list has only one title to it for this year. Well, maybe 3.

The book I'm talking about is called The Book Thief, and it is written by Markus Zusak. The subject of the book is everything I run away from. Just mention me a Nazi Germany and I'm out of there. I'm not into depressing books, and Nazi Germany holds a crown of all depressing books. I've heard that genocide books from different parts of Africa are giving it a run for its money, but I have not read any of those, so I can not say much.

So, how did I come across this book? It started with one review on sparkpeople.com of all places. One lady was singing high praises for this book, and she was so touched by this book that it made me look it up on Amazon. So once I saw that it was set in Nazi Germany I cooled off immediately. I don't do THAT depressing. One thing I look for in the books is for them to lift up my spirits, not put them down.
So, how did I manage to read it, you might want to know. Well, I went to buy a can rack on Amazon, and they have that little thing called "previously viewed items", and it was sitting right there and staring at me. So, the sucker I am, I click on it and read some more of the reviews and synopsis. One thing I found out is that the narrator of the book was Death. The seed was planted. It took me another few months and countless reminders from Amazon, and the book arrived at my doorstep. It took me another few months (till this week) to actually decide to read it.
I must say that the book held my interest quite well for the most part. I savored the characters. It took me back to my grandpa and I was gently reminded of all the things that tied me to him. This morning I reached page 512, and I was sobbing uncontrollably. I will often cry while reading the book, but that one page has made me lose it ugly. Just one page of 550. That one page was worth it. I am glad beyond measure that I have read this book. It is right there on top of my "list", and I think I'll be going back to re read it periodically.

Now, for that one haircut. I had one yesterday. I look like back in 6th grade. The worst part is that I have a picture to prove it. Think Suri Cruise. Actually I'm so cute with my bangs I could give Suri run for her money:-). Now the creepy part is that I'm actually going to publish this last sentence.

Hugs,

Ms D.

It all comes down to this: I talked to my mom yesterday, and she told me that she does not want to come over this Christmas/Winter.

At this point I'm just indifferent to it because she has been changing her mind for the last few months and I seriously got tired of it. For a moment there, I thought that my babies will get to enjoy the company of their grandmother for a couple of months. We have not seen her for over a year and a half now. A lot has happened in that time, and the fact that sheer laziness is keeping her away makes me really sad.

I know that getting visa and going on the plane and all that can be frightening, but I still don't understand why she doesn't want to come and see S and J. On top of that I have a central heat that would keep her warm (which was one of the main reasons why she wanted to come in the first place). Then I made a mistake and sent her money to buy a wood space heater and now she won't be cold, which means she doesn't need to come here anymore. Just a tad bit self centered, don't you think?

Anyway, she said that we will talk again in Spring, so I guess saga continues...

Ms D.

How do I get rid of mice. I don't care at this point about being humane. Two nights ago I had one in my livingroom and I have all the couches pulled from the walls so the cat has easier access. I was working with the cat me holding a broom stick sliding it under the couch where the mouse was (cat was letting me know big time) and then it, the mouse ran to the sliding glass door as my butt jumped on the coffee table with the broom whispering bailey here, here why I'm whispering I don't know. So i'm done being nice and the stupid traps I have don't do squat. I had set a trap with cheese in it and the next morning, no lie, the thing was snaped and the cheese was gone!!!! NO MOUSE! It was like stealing candy from a baby. I bet that little mouse was laughing the entire time eating it. I'm hesitate to do poisen b/c of the kids and animal and I don't want the mice to rot in the house and I can't find them, ewww what a great smell that would be. Oh and I have downey dry sheets stuck everywhere b/c I heard they don't like it and it keeps them away!

Okay fast forward to today. I went to walmart and bought 4 different kinds of mouse traps. I did get a mouse last night but it wasn't by any of the "new" mouse traps it was from the above mentioned mouse trap that hasn't worked for the last week! I feel aweful but the little critters can't live here in this house. So I will bury it and then reset it.

Oh and I can't forget to share this lovely mouse story. On Saturday my lovely daughter Emmy went to the bathroom and she comes tome and says mommy there is some thing yucky on the floor and I stepped in it. So I was like great the cat or dog threw up. Well I was right so I help Emmy wash her foot and send her back to bed. WELL, I put the light on to clean the mess and oh my god it was the most grosses thing I have seen in a long time. Bailey my cat had caught a mouse ate it and then threw it up! GAG. I was a mess of blood guts and little bone must have been the foot or something. Needless to say I was gagging the entire time cleaning that mess and it was a terrible mess and I couldn't eat for a long time just the vision had my stomach turning for hourse. Still makes me shudder.

So there you have my most exciting week thus far. One mouse down, how many more to go? I don't know.

Domestic Diva

PS- I'm on the hunt to see where the rodents are coming in from.

Well, I am back from my 5 weeks in South Africa...dammit. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and am thrilled to see them, but it just sucked to have to say goodbye to my parents-yet again! They are so dear to me, and we have always been exceptionally close...so it never really gets any easier to say goodbye, and anyone who says differently has not met MY parents! They are just adorable:-)

Anyhow, now I am depressed. This always happens after I get back, and (thankfully) my husband has seen it all and understands. I am low...I am sad...I ache...it happens, and I will get over it. For now though, some pics from my trip...

(My parents)

(My brother & his family)