Had to take some meds, guess my crazy was showing

I've been a bit snappish this week, not sure why. It's not PMS, I've just been a bit impatient and crabby and I don't know why. I'm not unhappy, just crabby. This morning, my ever so charming son asked "Why have you been so MEAN this week? What was the tantrum about this morning?" The tantrum was my putting his sister in a time out for not listening/cooperating and the only reason he knew about it is b/c he climbed into my bed in the middle of the night (hmmm, perhaps interrupted sleep is affecting my mood?). Whatev. As annoyed as I was by his questions, I figured a little sleuthing may be in order. I may be a bitch, but I'm not a completely thoughtless idiot. So I called Jamie and asked, "Have been unusually bitchy this week?" To which he replied, "You don't want me to answer that. Please don't make me answer that." Ooops. So I decided that perhaps a happy pill was in order. And maybe some yoga this afternoon...but definitely the pharaceuticals first!

Last night Chase somehow messed up my cell phone. I admit I was pretty mad. Then I realized I may get a new phone out of the deal and who doesn't like new stuff? After about 2 minutes of deliberation at the Sprint store, I ended up with a Blackberry Curve. I almost bought the Palm Pixi b/c my sister swears by her Pre, but the saleslady essentially said that the Pre is an unreliable POS and the Pixi is a slightly more reliable POS. Since both cost more than the Curve, I figured I would take her word for it. Plus, Jamie was pushing for a Blackberry b/c he seems to think that Palm is about to go belly up. The Curve isn't that different from my Centro and my contacts & dates are already transferred, so I'm happy. Chase has been banned from using my phone though--at least until I'm ready to upgrade again.

I just read an article on Yahoo that proves that our President is either an idiot or completely delusional. Despite the fact that Congress has a 17% approval rating and (per Rasmussen) 49% of voters support state challenges of the new health care bill (which is a majority since some polled had no opinion), he genuinely believes that Republicans' stance on this bill will hurt them in the polls in November. From a dyed in the wool conservative, registered Republican point of view--I'm thrilled that the Dems will be so easy to defeat in eight months. As an American, I'm horrified that my Commander in Chief is such a blooming idiot. Unless they're going to use their abuse of power with the Cencus to take voter fraud to a whole new level this year. But that's awfully underhanded, even for a bunch of thugs out of Chicago.

As horrifed as I was when I heard Chase pipe up (from nowhere in the backseat this week), "Barack Obama is a shithead," I have to concede that he has a point. For the record, he's never heard me call the POTUS that. His response was that I said the first part, he added the "head." I DID tell him that wasn't acceptable and that we could disagree with the policies without disparaging the man. But man, Obama is making that awfully hard when he acts like such a moron.

I'm off to sign Chase up for summer camp and hit hell on Earth (Wal Mart) for coffee, diet coke, & overnight diapers for Cass (she leaked last night).

On Healthcare

In the Museum of Westward Expansion underneath the Gateway Arch, there is a quote from a pioneer-era worker stating, "It was a hard life to swallow, but I couldn't just sit back there and look to someone to feed us." How times have changed. We have a Congress for the people, of the people and by the people with a 17% approval rating. 83% of our population disapproves of Congress, yet year after year we reelect the same idiots to do the same self-serving, what-can-I-get-for-my-district-so-I-can-get-reelected pols. We the people could send a strong message about our disapproval at the polls this November, but will we? Probably not because we're too worried about getting our stuff for our community, so we'll send the same career politicians right back to Washington to do their own bidding. And we'll get EXACTLY what we deserve!

I'm having a hard time finding the right to free medical care in my Constitution--am I missing a few pages? Jamie pays approximately 6K a year for our health care, in addition to co-pays, deductibles, etc. His company matches that. We have good coverage, but we PAY for it. Just like we pay for our car insurance, homeowners insurance, earthquake insurance, etc. Is car insurance also an inalienable right? What about life insurance? Where does this end?

I finished Cassie's blanket and she LOVES it! Now I'm in the middle of one for Chase, it is twice as big as Cassie's and is taking a million times longer than hers did. I've also got 13 patterns saved on the Lion Brand Yarn web site to try when I finish Chase's blanket.

We visited my sister yesterday. She showed me a very cute outfit a friend of hers bought for Hadley. It gave me some ideas...I'm really thinking about upgrading my sewing machine (which is a very basic machine I inherited from my mother) to a serger that does embroidery for my bday this year...which would allow me to perhaps turn this crafting hobby into something that pays for itself...

Slacker blogger

At dinner with friends a few weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that I've been slacking on the blog a bit. When my laptop crashed last month, I took all the time I normally spend online (curse you Facebook, the great time suck of the 21st century) and found my crafty side. 10 1/2 dresses (I've got one in progress for my niece, Hayden), 2 skirts and 2 1/4 afghans (1 for my niece Hadley due in July, 1 for Cassie and 1 in progress for Chase) later--I've discovered a new hobby! In fact, I may start making dresses & skirts to sell when Cass starts preschool in July...I recently bought her an adorable outfit on Etsy and discovered that Iris & Petunia's sewing skills aren't really any better than mine! Perhaps I will make just enough to finance my new Hobby Lobby habit...that would make Jamie very happy!

The afghans I've crocheted are super easy, essentially crocheting for morons. Lion Brand yarn has a fabulous website with free patterns and instructional guides. The afghans I've made have come from a baby afghan pattern on that site--I followed the pattern for Hadley's blanket then enlarged it to make bigger blankets for my bigger kids! The photo is of Cassie's blanket in progress. With a super-sized hook and three strands of yarn at a time, they come together quickly and the kids love them. I'm planning on making lots of scarves for Christmas next year, also modifying that pattern!

I know I have lots of readers who enjoy my political commentary, but (surprisingly, I know) I don't have a whole lot to say. Obama is midway through his term, the Dems are in control of Congress and to paraphrase my favorite President, Ronald Reagan. "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?" Is our country? SIGH. Government is never the solution to our problems, frequently, it IS the problem.

I'm midway through House Rules by Jodi Picoult and am off to finish it. Her books absolutely infuriate me, as I usually enjoy them until she cops out at the end. I don't know why I continue to read her, knowing that I'll probably be disappointed in the end, but here I go again!