Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream

I have dreamt very strange dreams all my life. Freak of nature strange. I think my mom used to wonder about me. Even in to adulthood I dream about very strange things; and people in the very distant past. There have been reoccurring dreams, often disturbing, but lately they have subsided. The house dreams, the teeth falling out dreams, and the “I can’t remember my locker combination” dreams (hello, I graduated high school over 13 years ago) have mysteriously ceased from haunting me. I seek out people who have studied dream interpretation. Why don’t I study it myself? Then I might find out how deeply disturbed I am. Last night’s dream was a first and I can’t seem to shake it. I dreamt that someone beat the crap out of me. No, not my husband. A stranger. But this guy pulverized my face. I kept having to tell my friends and acquaintances what happened, because it was visible that I had an accident or something. The stranger knocked out some of my teeth (which is strange because I haven’t had a ‘tooth’ dream in quite some time). I refused to look in the mirror or feel with my tongue to see how many teeth were missing. Why do I dream these things? I consider myself a fairly nice person without enemies. I don’t lead a life full of crime. I couldn’t me more boring. Am I worried about someone attacking me for the $2000+ worth of Girl Scout cookies that are cluttering my home? The person who clobbered me in my dream wasn’t trying to take anything from me. Maybe it’s time I studied the whole dream interpretation concept and get myself figured out.

When I'm In Town...

Since the purchase of the golden tickets that will provide us the opportunity to be with our family at Christmas, home is all I can think of. While I am there I hope to: 1.) visit the ocean. They don't have one of those in MT. 2.) visit the mall. I don't even have a Macy's here. 3.) visit the nearby Chevy's, Baja Fresh and Round Table. Often. 4.) Sisters, sisters, sisters. Okay, I only have 2 but I can't get enough of them. 5.) then there's the brothers. They're pretty great too. 6.) Grandma's house. Not a fancy house, but a magical place to be. 7.) may sound pathetic, but I can't wait to take mom on in a game of Scrabble. 8.) maybe this time I'll tag along when my dad takes my kids to the $1 store. With so much to look forward to I'd better prepare myself for the inevitable: coming back to MT.

So Long, Benny

While I sit here at work, on the edge of my seat, praying for a project (any work at all will do), I can't help but wonder if Maddie will ever forgive me. Benny the Big Black Lab no longer resides in my home. The kids and David said goodbye to her on Saturday. I drove her to the shelter we adopted her from. Our original plan was to tell the kids that she ran away. It wouldn't be too far from the truth. Just last Thursday night the kids and I had to drive around looking for her in the dark. Secretly I hoped that we wouldn't find her. While some of you might think I'm heartless, the list of destruction caused by Benny is long. We told the kids the truth and it broke Maddie's heart. Isaac was sad, but Maddie was devasted. She's had her share of cats come and go (run aways and even one hit by a car). But this was our first dog. Benny was long awaited and we were very excited to have her. Unfortunately she was more than we bargained for. Yesterday a friend told me that she never forgave her mom for getting rid of their biting dog. I hope that Maddie will forgive me and understand that I want the best for Benny. I guess I could have told her "kid - it's me or the dog".

When Good Pets Go Bad

She pulled down the insulation in my basement. She destroyed a perfectly good full-sized mattress. She ate one of my favorite sweaters. She shredded her 2 (expensive) doggy pillows. She knocks down any person who gets close enough. She is unbelievably strong. She chewed the posts on my deck. She has all but ruined my brand-new house. My shoulder will never be the same after trying to maintain control of her on a leash. I’m ready for her to not live at our house anymore. PS This is my 100th post. Whoopty-freakin'-do.

Never a Better Time to Roll Back the Clocks

Caution: the following was written during extreme exhaustion. A point to this post is not guaranteed and statements may not be clear.

I have been blessed with some wonderful friends here in MT. A couple of them are real treasures. Last night my favorite MT treasure, S.S. came over to watch a movie. The movie was over at 11:15pm, but we visited until 3:30am.

Now, this might not seem late to some of you, but friends, my inner-clock wakes me at 5:30 every day. No alarm clock exists in my room. My eyes just like to pop open at 5:30 EVERY day.

This morning my eyes thankfully remained shut until 7am, when Isaac SHOOK me awake. He had me by the shoulders and literally shook me awake in excitement because Madagascar is coming out on video Tuesday.

I did not strangle him. BUT since then he has been like the little dog on an invisible trampoline, and was 'refueled' when he then found out that on Tuesday, not only is Madagascar coming out, but so is Revenge of the Syth.

I am painfully tired. My face hurts from the exhaustion. To rub my nose in exhaustion, David (who was up just as late as I), is still asleep. Would you wake him if you were me?

So now the inevitable guilt that a mom always has set in. I barked at Isaac enough that his invisible trampoline was ripped out from under him. I have so, so much to do today (I started to list, but that just causes anxiety. Let's just say that I need to 'winterize' my house). I need to recover from this quickly. I'm allergic to coffee, otherwise I might be tempted to take on that bad habit just to I don't ruin my children's self esteem in one foul swoop.

Pull it together woman!

Check on us later today. Our safety may depend on it.

Surprise, Jess!

Nobody loves surpises more than I do, and last night the surprise was on me. Dad and Grandma K. flew into visit. How wonderful it will be to have them here for the next few days, taking part in our routine; something I've missed very much. It's great to have gone out to dinner with them last night, to buy groceries with Grandma last night, to have them sit in my living room, these little things that I've missed sharing with my family.

There' more fun to have. They will be able to attend Maddie and Isaac's last soccer games on Saturday, and get to see them rehearse for the Primary Program on Sunday; more of the little things, more of our routine, more of our life away from our REAL life back home in CA.

and so it begins

You wouldn't believe it if I told you. Or maybe you would. After all, it is Montana.

No friends, this isn't from last winter. I just took this picture less than an hour ago.

Somewhere under there are my mums.

They say that we will climb back up to the 60s by the weekend.

I'm just now ready to take on fall(let alone winter). But already Maddie and Isaac are wearing their fancy board jackets from the GAP that I scored for $13 each.

So now that the weather outside is frightful, and since inside it's so delightful, we have to bring the outside in:

Today she decided to add to her list of ruins (the box of my winter sweaters, the insulation from the basement, etc). I get to break the news to her out-of-town daddy that today she ripped the screen off of the sliding glass door and (as if that didn't satisfy the satan inside of her) then shredded it.

The question of the day: how long until spring?