Tagged! I'm weird

Apparently I'm supposed to be weird- or at least have six weird things about me... Of course everything about me is completely normal! I got tagged by Bon a couple of days ago. I've been lax in my blog reading and commenting and writing lately- so today I'm playing catch-up.

1. I don't like cake... which wouldn't be weird except that I'm a baker. I LOVE to make cakes and decorate them (and sell them to other people)- but they aren't my favorite dessert. They're okay if I make them (and usually I don't like store bought or other people's cake) but still I'd rather have cookies or pie or brownies or ice cream or... yeah.

2. I can't eat turkey. At all. Makes me sore and gives me migraines. Most other meats do as well- but I can eat some, occasionally. Turkey not at all.

3. I was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure (early menopause) at age 22- then went on to have three kids with no reproductive assitance.

4. I've met a lot of my closest friends on the internet- and then met them IRL. To me (and probably a lot of you) this is completely normal. To a lot of the world it's very scary and the worst thing you can do. So far, so good.

5. I don't drink alcohol, coffee or tea. One of those things that's not weird to me- but really to a lot of the world it is very strange. (Part of the Mormon thing)

6. I'm a lazy perfectionist. I'm stealing that term from my friend Sheri. I'd love to have things perfect but I'm too lazy to do it.

Tagging some of my good friends who are new to blogging:
Sheri
Char
Sabey
Val

Works for me Wednesday!

A fellow mommy blogger Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer has started 'works for me Wednesday'. We post something on Wednesday that 'works for me' (hence the name... catchy huh?) So today I'm playing along. My tip is for traveling with kids as well (to go with the theme). I frequently travle 5+ hours to my mom's house with 4 kids by myself. In order to make car snacking easier I divide up goodies into sandwich bags and then give each kid a brown paper sack full of snacks. Then they can choose what they want when they want and I'm not tossing things to the back seat- and getting distracted while driving.

Funny from Ashley

Last night at dinner we were commenting on how mean Annika has gotten and how she learned it from Megan. Ashley said, 'yeah, Megan did it to Annika and that's how she learned.' So I asked Ashley how Megan learned then (thinking from Ashley). Ashley immediately responded, 'the hard way.' I'm still giggling.

Ways to get me to not consider your bid for our home improvement project

We're pricing patios. We need cement poured and a cover built. I hate the way I'm treated by contruction workers. I'm the one doing the research, I'm the one that'll be home when it's being done and I'm the one who knows what I want. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that I'm incapable of making a decision about 'manly things' like concrete...

#1 Refusing to come over unless my husband is home will almost automatically kick you out of the running.
#2 Coming over and telling me stuff- then the moment Steve walks in the door saying, 'oh good, the boss is home!' (To which Steve replied, 'um, she's the boss' - he knows the right answer!)
#3 Insisting that your product is different then Alumawood (made from aluminum). When we ask what it's made of you reply, 'aluminum'. So when I try to clarify that it's the same material just thicker you insist that it's not made from the same stuff... Apparently we're not communicating.
#4 Ask me repeatedly if my husband is going to pour the concrete. When I inform you that it's not something he is planning on ever doing you ask again. Like by virtue of his testosterone he has innate knowledge about all things construction??
#5 Quote me double the price of every other estimate- then talk trash about the competition.
#6 Be creepy
#7 Be way to interested in my kids and keep asking them, 'do you want to come home with me?'
#8 Try to 'close the deal' by saying you'd take us out to the buffet at the Rio when the project was completed. Yeah, not really a selling point.
#9 Ignore me and my opinions/questions once Steve is present. Thank you for valuing me as a human being.

So yeah- we didn't choose him. BUT we did choose someone else and construction will start in a week or so. THEN we'll get our grass in! The lawn guy is already figuring up and estimate for us. YAY!!!

The pushy piano guy

So as part of our hot date last night we decided (Steve suggested- I willingly complied) that we would go visit the grand opening of a new music store in town that was having a HUGE SALE on pianos. 15-45% off! <-- Exact font of ad. So we walked in and I was immediately giddy, the endorphins were pumping and I was a wonderful musician!! Nevermind that I've hardly touched a piano in recent years. Just being in the same room with all of those beautiful instruments made me happy. Sigh...

The Sales Guy (Craig) asked what we were looking for (um, a piano- duh) and asked who played. (Me- sort of, a long time ago). He showed us piano #1- which was their 'best deal' (translation- not the one that is the lowest price- or even the highest price- but one that they have the most of that they need to get rid...) He played a little song- then invited me to play. Um- I think he missed the "sort of, a long time ago" memo. I declined. Even when I was in my piano playing prime I couldn't just whip out a song, I'm not very good at music memorization.

So he played a couple of little ditty's- then showed us their music school with 15 soundproof practice rooms for lessons. Then he showed us a baby grand (sigh...).

Salesguy: Do you have room for a baby grand?
Me: Yes (We really do- even if we didn't if one was gifted to us I'd make room- I'd sell a child to clear out space even)
Steve: Um, no
Me: for sure yes- I promise
Steve: where would we eat?
Me: doesn't matter- who needs to eat??
Salesguy (a little annoyed but sure that it was me he should be talking to now): So Amber, have you seen the new player options??
Me: um no
Salesdude: Something something something, expensive computer, something, free if you buy this $15,000 piano, play a song, something something
Me: um, cool
Salesdude(piano playing itself and there are drums and horns as well): now that makes a statement...
me: giggle- sure
Salesdude: Do you celebrate Christmas??
Me: Sure (chortle)
Salesdude: This (white high gloss grand piano) looks beautiful next to the Christmas tree
Me: did I mention my four small children with sticky fingers?? Pretty sure whatever piano we buy will not be white or high gloss.
Salesdude: You know we finance
me: for pianos starting at $7,000 you'd better or you'd never sell any
Salesdude: these pianos will not be here by this weekend... at least not at these prices.
Steve: whew
Salesdude (sensing he was not closing a deal tonight): well, you remember my name right? You won't need a card.
(Guess he sensed that he shouldn't even waste a business card on us.)

It was fun and there is something about being around all those beautiful instruments that just gets me- really. Steve didn't understand and unless you're a musician you probably don't understand either. But really, it's a beautiful thing. Now I need to start checking the classifieds...

Eight years ago...

Yesterday was our eighth wedding anniversary. The seven year itch is finally over! We decided we'd 'strengthen our marriage' for FHE and go out to dinner alone and leave the kids with a friend. We had a lovely dinner at Chili's and then decided to go look at pianos.

In a lot of ways I can't believe that it's only been eight years. That doesn't seem long enough to do all that we've done. But in other ways it seems like it was just yesterday that we were dating and young and carefree.

Happy Anniversary Steve! Thanks for being the great husband, father, friend, provider and all around good guy that you are. You're a keeper!

musings with megan

I went out into the kitchen and found Megan with a box of wheat thins. I took them away from her and she said,
"I only want two"
so I gave her two. She got upset and said,
"no! I want two!"
I told her that she had two and she said,
"No! See? one, two"
she paused to think about it and said,
"okay, I want three"