Monday Mumbles

Happy Monday. I hope this finds you all smiling. Isn't that funny - I'm suggesting that you all be happy and smiling and you all should know by now I'm as grumpy as they come. It's called "Mumbles" for goodness sake. Let's get started.

1. I decided to keep myself too busy on Sunday to get home in time to do a weekend recap. So here goes: Friday - Till went to his mother's mother's house. We stayed home and hung out. I played a board game with TO. Saturday - We had T-ball in the morning and we played a coach who was VERY competitive. His kids could catch and were consistently getting our little ones out. We pretended not to notice and let them run the bases anyway. That's what the rules say! After T-ball, we went home, had lunch, and TO and OJ napped. Then Mama napped. It was Heavenly. After the three of us were up, Hubs napped. Then Hubs left to hang out with some cousins of his and watch that UFC crap. I like nearly all sports, even boxing, but the UFC stuff is too "street fight breaking out" scenario for me. Gives me the creeps. Sunday - We got up early and headed to my college town where my grandparents live. I dropped Hubs, TO, and OJ off with them and my sisters, my best girl friend and running partner met me there, and off we went on our six miler. Ouch. We stayed and visited, and then picked up Till in the neighboring town on our way home. We also detoured to my dad's house to say hi (Really? I just wanted to grab a coke from his fridge.) before heading home.

2. I typically have no problems with handicap situations. I'm comfortable around nearly everyone I encounter, from physical to mental retardation, to just plain stupidity. However, I tend to crinkle my nose in confusion when radio commercials have someone with a lisp advertising something that uses the "S" sound. A LOT. I heard one this morning and it just didn't make the mattress he was trying to sell sound appealing. He kept repeating words like "sleep", "Sealy", "Simmons", "mattreSS", and "sale". Maybe I'm lisp-phobic. I don't know. Why couldn't they hire that guy to sell a radio and couch, or something?

3. During the usual DROP (TO), DROP (OJ), and RETURN (to TO) at daycare, the before school teacher said to me, "He is the sweetest boy!" Apparently TO and his friend Lauren were going to play Connect Four. He immediately asked what color she wanted to be. I guess the other kids always choose their color first. This wasn't at all surprising to me, however. I know TO is special. It's just nice to see others see it in him as well. I think he was blushing.

4. Speaking of TO, the kindergarten teacher was there this morning and she stated that they evaluated them on Friday. She said he knew his ABCs (uhh, yeah), his numbers (uhh, yeah), recognize sounds (uhh, yeah), and could recognize sight words (uhh, yeah). She determined that he would be bumped to 1st grade reading. That made me smile. Uhh, yeah.

5. Last week for the 1/2 marathon training, we had to run 4-2-4 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. We don't run these runs together because we live too far away to meet up each evening. After I'd run the 4 miler on Thursday, I was lounging in my bed and received a text from previously mentioned running partner. It simply read, "Suck." I giggled.

6. I've mentioned before that a hearty wave of thanks when you're let into traffic can go a long way, and can sometimes make or break a person's morning. If they were on the verge of getting grumpy and someone appeared ungrateful, that just might push them to the "Grinch" side of the scale. I just wanted to state here that I let someone into the turn/merge lane when she was inches away from having to go straight instead of right. I got a wave. And now I'm on the "Santa" side of the scale. Well, okay, let's be honest. I'm more in the middle, but it could have tipped me to Grinch if she didn't give that little gesture. I'm sensitive like that.

7. I admit, I have another issue. There is an Irish Fest in town this weekend or next. I love that people take pride in heritage and that there are festivals to support and celebrate them. HOWEVER...and I preface this by saying I am part Irish.....I am having a difficult time taking the Fest seriously in the "celebration of heritage" capacity. Maybe it's the silly accent, the Rs at the end of words, the dancing, the drinking, the term lad or lass that gets abused. Or maybe it's just the image of the tiny dancing leotarded leprechauns. I don't know.

8. Quik Trip has a billboard posted on my drive into work. It reads, "Paninis are for weenies." Maybe you've seen this slogan. I had to giggle. Why? I think I agree.

9. Speaking of lunch, I brought a bag of Doritos to eat with my sandwiches this week. It took all I had this weekend not to open the bag and eat them. They are now sitting up in my work cupboard calling out my name. Oh, to taste the cool ranch.....

10. Saturday night while Hubs was out, I treated TO to a bomb pop. And I made myself some brownies. I strategically gave him the bomb pop as I was prepared to lick the batter bowl. He saw the bowl and requested a lick. I said, "You can have one, but that's it. I don't want you to get sick from the egg and oil in here." He takes his lick and grins at me. He says, "I only get one lick because this is my treat (holding up the bomb pop) and that is YOUR treat (pointing to the bowl). Right, Mama?" Hmm. "Well, yes, but it's ALSO because I don't want you to get sick." He smiles and turns back to his cartoon. He knows me too well.