The twins

Congratulations to my SIL and BIL! The twins have arrived - a little early at 32 weeks, but they are doing well and we are so happy to have them in the family. It is going to be a little hectic for a while as they are in the NICU, but they are doing good and growing stronger every day. Peter weighed in at 3 lbs 15 oz and was 16.5 inches long; Isabella weighed in at 3 lbs 14 oz and was 16.5 inches long. DSIL is in a little bit of pain after the c-section but is also doing well. DBIL has been there to help all in his family along to better health :-)

Now it's just waiting to go visit and begin spoiling them.

Tiki Bar Building Weekend

This weekend was dedicated to getting the tiki bar built. Jason's new pride and joy.

First and foremost, I would like to thank and recognize all the hard work put in by Marty and Marty (father and son), for the foundation and roof of the tiki area; the volunteered hard labor put in by Mike, Bruce, Rick, Matt and, of course, Jason for the hauling of wood, cutting and building of the actual - wonderful - tiki bar. Joanne, Kerry and Kathy for the watchful eyes and helpful comments on bar construction (not to mention drinking some wine with me :-)) And, last but not least Lucie, Kira and Penny for keeping us company.

The guys rallied together and pretty much finished building it. Now we just have to apply the finishing touches - bamboo on front, thatching on the roof, tiling on top of bar etc.

Here is a link to view the process of getting the bar built - I have a few other ones I have to get from a friend which show the finished bar off a little better.

http://picasaweb.google.com/drearosson/BuildingTikiBar4262008

My Earth Day Present

SMART Grocery Bags

In celebration of Earth Day 2008, [Firm Name] has generously provided each attorney, paralegal and employee with a 'sustainable' gift, the SMART grocery bag. Made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles, the SMART bag is particularly timely for our teams in Paris, San Francisco, and Shanghai, where local governments are limiting the distribution of plastic grocery bags.

Did you know...shoppers around the world use 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags per year. This translates to approximately one million bags every minute across the globe, or 150 bags a year for every person on earth.

Be SMART and reduce your impact! Use your [Firm Name] SMART bag whenever you visit the grocery store, pharmacy, local farmers' market or retail store.

I do plan on using the bag and I think it's a really good idea and I know that I'm being selfish -- but - this is what they gave us for our gift or acknowledgement for Staff Appreciation Week, which we have in our office. How is this Staff Appreciation when every person in the firm got one?? Ok, I'm done being a witch and selfish.

Happy Earth Day everyone.

P.S. I also bought some totes from the Greater Good Network which helped save 4580.0 sq. ft of rainforest land - and for Earth Day the site is planting a tree for each order made today at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Upcoming Weekend

This weekend is apon us. We are actually going to go camping this weekend. I know, I know it doesn't seem like something that would be up my alley. It's actually going to be the second camping trip of this kind for me and I figure since I made it through the first one, I will make it through this one as well. To make things better, we actually even have our own tent this time - a wedding present. Now, I grew up camping, but camping for us was a pop-up trailer with kitchen and it even had a little toilet for us to go in when needed. I'm going to take pictures just to prove that I did it (hopefully I will :-))

Ok, that's it. I'm going to go home tonight and probably rest up - fighting off an infection all week and I'm being a big wuss about it. Jason's been a doll and I feel bad that I haven't been up to going out - I tell him that this is what living with boring Andrea is like :-)

SIL

By the way, my sister-in-law has still not had the babies, but is still in the hospital the last time I received an update. I'll have to do a follow-up call tonight. She was getting ready to be release on Tuesday when she started having contractions again. I'm thinking why even try it, just stay in the hospital if it's better for the babies. Not sure about insurance though and I'm sure it can be very boring. I'm still keeping her in my thoughts and prayers. I'll have to find out if she has access to a computer - maybe I'll start sending her little notes or stuff to help stop some of the boredom if there is any.

ok, seriously got to go before I'm late.

Going Out - Alot

I don't know, maybe I do go out a lot, especially lately, but, seriously is it really any one's business. I mean, I know that there is room for an occasional comment here and there about how we always seem like we are going out, but some people just beat that horse to death. I enjoy going out, I like it alot. I find it energizing - well, at least usually, when I'm out. I might be tired as heck the next day, but am all for the rally to go out again that evening. And, if it means I don't do anything at all on a Saturday, I think that that is my prerogative to decide on what days I want to do things. Choosing a Saturday to sleep all hours or just veg in front of the TV is my decision. I don't care if Saturday is a day where a number of other people who don't go out during the week do go out and I don't care if it's such a beautiful day that they want to be outside - doesn't mean I do.

My mom is one of those people who will make me feel guilty about going out so much. And, she probably is not intending to do so, but she'll ask what I'm doing and I give her the run down and then she gets confused and says, "Well, you go out way to much." "I thought when you got your house you were going to stay home more." I don't remember saying that, but if I did, things change. I also know that some of it is cause she wants me to come over to visit her - and guess what that's not staying home that going out once again, maybe just not out- out, but it's not like I can get anything done like I would if I were at home. And, to top it off, I know that she doesn't give the unintentional guilt trip to my sister about not coming up to visit - because she's married and has kids, so she's extremely busy. The sad thing is that my sister would be the perfect one to live closer to my parents - she loves talking and hanging out with them and would probably stop by at least two or three times a week for little visits. I keep saying I'm going to because I'm going to regret it when I no longer can't but everytime I go over there I'm there for hours. I need to start doing it and imposing an only 1 hour visit - that's it - maybe that'll help.

Maybe when I grow up, I'll stay home more, but right now I don't want to, I like being there and when I am there I enjoy it, but for some reason I'm going through one of those periods, where I constantly want to go, go, go. Even my husband whose younger than me doesn't want to go out as much or wants to go home and play his Call of Duty 4 all night and that irks me - as being boring.

Maybe I do need to slow down... I'm pretty sure this post makes almost no sense and it was a lot of rambling and passive aggressive or maybe just aggressive - or witchy or crybaby'ish definitely selfish, but I needed to vent in my own broken way and I feel better.

Now, I have to go and meet my husband so that we can go out for a friends birthday party near chinatown - woo hoo. Maybe it'll be a bbq and firepit night in the back yard tomorrow night - yeah that sounds like a plan.

bye, rant, rant, babble, babble

April 4 is the Greatest Day

Why??? I'm closing on the condo! I'm also probably jinxing myself by posting about this but I can't help it. I'm so excited. I'm melancoly about not ever being in the place I've lived in for the last 12 years ever again, but I'm so happy that I won't have to be paying double mortgages! I'm excited about even the little bit of money that I'll end up making (since the majority of it goes to pay off the borrowed downpayment for the house we are currently living in). It could be thought of as sad, but as any house owner knows, I'm dreaming of getting the two new windows we are going to get, the fence that is going to be completed and yes, even paying off or greatly towards any credit card debt we incurred while waiting to sell. Very exciting I tell you :-) I will let you in on a little secret - I do actually intend to spend a very small amount on frivolity - a few celebratory drinks and, sillie, yes, but some toys/treats for the Schnoodle Sisters so they can celebrate with us.

I'm also very excited that I got the call from our wedding photographer that our proofs are in. I know that I waited way too long to submit my picks, but they responded in good time. Now, I swear I will not dally over the proofs as I had the thumbnails and I will get my album picks to them in a timely fashion. Now I just have to work on the songs and pictures for the video before they kill me. I'm sure it would be nice if I get all this done before my 1st anniversary in 7 weeks. Most would say no problem, but those who know us will be saying "yeah, right", but I swear!!

Ok, signing off, heading home in all my happy jitteriness!!! pray nothing goes wrong with the closing.

P.S. Also, if you think about, say an extra pray that my sister-in-law stops having contractions - she's 2 1/2 months early with the twins and in the hospital - they might make her stay there. Ok, no sad thoughts only good ones - positive ones - so positive prayers!!!!

Watch What you say to Third-graders

What is this world coming to? I just heard about and read the article at this link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23905909/ about the nine third graders who plotted to attack their teacher in Waycross, Georgia. These are children who are between the ages of 8-10 years old. They had the attack planned out in minute detail. One child was to bring the paperweight to knock the teacher out, another the knife in which to stab the teacher, one was assigned to tape paper over the windows so that no one could see inside and another was assigned clean up duty. Police are seeking juvenile charges against three of the nine children - two girls 9 and 10 year olds; who brought the paperweight and who brought the knife and one boy 8 years old who brought the tape.

Whether they were serious about doing this or not they made a lot of plans and carried through on bringing to the school a lot of what was planned. It was speculated about whether they realized the seriousness of what they were planning - whether they thought it was like a cartoon where they would do this and the teacher would just then get up and wouldn't be hurt. I think that they will be realizing shortly just how serious this is. They could have killed the teacher. If they had stabbed her, whose to say they wouldn't have hit a vital organ or main artery? And, even just attempting to knock her out - they could have caused brain damage or killed her outright just from that.

The parents of the kids knew nothing about the plotting and it is being said they are cooperating fully with the authorities. I certainly hope so. I don't want to believe that there are parents out there who would condone this type of behaviour. I'm sure everyone is thanking God for the fact that there was a student who tattled about another student bringing a weapon into the school.

All this because the teacher told a student not to stand on a chair.

P.S. Glad I just have the "girls".
P.S.S. Must make sure they aren't plotting against me... hmmm, maybe that's why I keep tripping over their toys at the top of the steps lol