The gerbil story and other rantings

When I was about 7 or 8, I had gerbils. Anyway, my first gerbil was a girl named Princess Leia. My best friend's mom somehow pawned my friend's gerbils on us because they were a boy and a girl and were having babies like CRAZY. I think they were Popeye and Olive Oyl, but I'm not 100% sure on that. So...my mom told me you could never EVER get the 2 female gerbils together in the same cage. She failed to mention the reason why was that they would KILL EACH OTHER. I guess she assumed I would know that, but I was a very naive 7/8 yr old who still loved unicorns and rainbows and was convinced the Tooth Fairy was real and entered our home through the garage for some reason.

One day my mom was busy doing something, not watching me obviously, and since she told me this gerbil rule I was dying of curiosity as to why in the world you couldn't get these 2 girl gerbils together. I decided she had only said I couldn't put them in the same cage....she had said nothing about holding them at the same time. I decided I was going to get each girl gerbil, holding one in each hand and slowly move them toward each other -- in hindsight, this was definitely not one of my smartest ideas.

So I got them both, one in each hand and sat down on the couch and slowly brought my hands closer and closer together. Everything seemed find and then at about 8-10 inches apart, Princess Leia goes berserk and rares up and tries to stab her giant front teeth into Olive Oyl, but her aim was slightly off and instead she sunk her teeth into my middle finger. It hurt like HELL and it bled all over the place. I was too scared to tell my mom because she would kill me, but I was afraid to even look at my finger to see if it was still attached. Eventually cleaning my finger myself trumped telling my mother about my stupidity. But I still bear the scar today almost 24 years later.

So why am I telling this story? Because my two children are apparently the equivalent of 2 female gerbils. They could not get along at all today. They could not be in the same room today without one trying to kill the other. All day long they fought and fought and fought. And Mr E is apparently going through a let's throw things across the room phase. Today was one of those parent conference days where there is no school and you go meet the teacher. Do you remember having those as a kid? I sure as heck don't. And we went to McDonald's after the conference for breakfast and the stupid playground was closed with just pissed us all off. I wished we had a bathtub that was large enough to accommodate someone over the age of 4 as I seriously needed to lock the bathroom door and have one of those Calgon moments (do they still have those commercials?). Apparently when you get your official mother card it states in fine print that you no longer can use the bathroom alone and all children and dogs in the household must be standing within 6 inches of the toilet while you are sitting on it.

And then today at swimming lessons at the Y, some clerk put my kid in the Tues/Thurs class instead of the Mon/Wed class last week when I signed up again. And blah, blah, blah, the clerk today couldn't change him without authorization because the other kid in the Tues/Thurs class would have to be canceled since 1 kid doesn't make a class. And wouldn't you know, the guy with the authorization was at a meeting somewhere across town at another Y. Sheesh!! I'm sorry that kid has a problem, but MY problem is you stupid people put my kid in the wrong class (for the 2nd time, this same idiot clerk did this in February too... I'm vowing to not allow that guy to ever sign us up for any program again). I told the guy I wanted the same Mon/Wed class at least 10 times last week when we signed up. We have been in the Mon/Wed class for 3 months now. Hello?? So the little girl clerk told me today they would "let" my son take the lesson, but that I will have to get a call from the director guy to authorize it so we can come back on Wednesday. Uh huh? Excuse me? I'm not the one who messed this crap up. And my child is in preschool on Tues/Thur, so we can't do that class...so either way that other kid in the Tues/Thurs class is getting a cancellation.

Skating / Baton Dresses For Sale

I'm starting to go through my daughter's costumes and I'm going to try selling them here first, but after a few days I'll put them on eBay.

US Priority Shipping IS INCLUDED in the price for each dress. If you would like to purchase both dresses, there will be a discount of $5.00 off each dress ($10.00 total). Paypal only will be accepted for payment. Please email me at the link to the right --->

If you would like to view my feedback, please check me feedback here at eBay.

These are both brand new dresses purchased by me. My daughter tried them on and they were too small for her. I would say both dresses run small and they are for the smaller end of these measurements. They are both gorgeous and I purchased them for twirling costumes, but are great for skating costumes as well. They are both well made and exquisite.

Pink Dress - $65.00

**This dress came to me with one slightly loose sequin at the bustline. It would not be noticeable from far way, so I wouldn't worry about it, but I just wanted to let you know.

Bodice is made of stretch velvet with a double chiffon skirt. The color of this dress is truly stunning. Dress has amazing cut outs, is exquisitely hand painted and adorned with hand sewn sequins. It is fully lined and comes with a matching hair scrunchie. You'll love this dresss, it's so beautiful and incredibly sparkly!

Un-stretched measurements are:

Chest: 29-31 Waist: 24-26 Hips: 31-33 Girth: 49-51



Red Dress - $65.00

Bodice is made of stretch velvet with a double chiffon skirt. This color is truly stunning on ice. Dress is exquisitely hand painted and adorned with sequins. It is fully lined and comes with a matching hair scrunchie. You'll love this dresss, it's so beautiful and incredibly sparkly! Pictures don't do justice.

Un-stretched measurements are:

Chest: 28-30 Waist: 24-26 Hips: 30-32 Girth: 48-50



I have 1 or 2 more skating dress style costumes that are already beaded with rhinestones, then I have several dance costumes - ballet, tap, jazz, etc. I'll try to put a few up every day.

Almost to the 200th post

I'm going to try to get a little box of crafty goodies and fabric and have a little contest by the end of the week to celebrate my 200th post. My blog has grown so much this year, and I'm so thrilled. I cannot wait to finish my school in the next 2 months so I can go back to my crafting and sewing and clean out my sewing stuff and create my tiny little craft room in my vanity. I'm hoping to get an Esty shop up and running this summer too.

I'm working on a dying tutorial but I have to wait for the finished products for pictures before I can put it up here. I love to dye fabric and clothes and it's so easy with supplies you can buy at the fabric store or Walmart, but not that yucky Rit dye stuff. It's a wonderful way to make one of a kind fabrics.

And last but not least, I watched The Mist today. This is the one based on a Stephen King novella. OMG! You have to see this if you like thought provoking scary movies. I thought this would be a typical horror movie, so I really wasn't into seeing at the theater, so I rented it. But it's not a typical horror movie, but I probably should have figured that out since it was based on something Stephen King wrote. It's very scary, like edge of your seat...I Am Legend kind of scary (sheesh wasn't I Am Legend scary? I felt stressed out after that movie). There are these horrible creatures in the mist and these people are trapped in a grocery store, and one of them is a crazy religious zealot who is quickly turning most of the people into her little cult. Just about anyone who goes out in the mist dies from these horrid creatures, they hear screams and sometimes they can see the bloody bodies. Without giving too much away, I have a very vivid imagination and what scared me so much was that you can see yourself in their situation with complete and total hopelessness with no way out of the mist.

So after my 1000th viewing of Enchanted....

it dawns on me. Have you ever noticed in the animated scene where Giselle is creating her true love from her dream, it's not Prince Edward, but Robert from the scene at the Queen's Ball? I always assumed it was Edward. I never noticed it til we watched it for the thousandth time today. Just a weird thought I guess and felt like sharing.



Wouldn't it be cool in real life if a large giant group of people out in public somewhere just came together in a broadway caliber singing and dance number? Can you tell I've been watching this movie too much? It's just soo cute...I cried in the theater at the end when you see all the happily ever afters....so sweet. My daughter things I'm crazy because I cry at movies. You should have seen me at Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. I was near sobs for most of that movie.

Sigh, I just love movies....ok enough weirdness I gotta get back to work.

Michael's Clearance Score!!

Get thee rear to Michael's for some super cool deals in their clearance corner.

So I went to Michael's for some of this moldmaking stuff. I want to make a mold of a toy of my daughter's to go along with a neat idea for a shadow box I'm making for my sewing studio.

If you want to see more, here is a neat site called The Enchanted Gallery, I found that shows what they do with this mold-n-pour stuff.

Anyway, I was there to buy that stuff, which wasn't on clearance or sale or anything, but I happened upon the clearence section on my way to the checkout, and I found Paton Classic Wool skeins for $2. They had a bunch of a burgundy color and I picked up the last 3 skeins of Rich Red - and all in the same dye lot. I'm debating on felting or crocheting or maybe both.

And my sweet little Mr E found himself a monster foam stamp, those cubed foam stamps. This one was pretty cute with monsters and a pair of monster feet, and it range up for 1 cent, originally $3. Pretty good!

So just an FYI, they had tons of scrapbooking stuff and toys and lots of other stuff too in the clearance section for cheap.

Okeydoke, I'm hungry, it is past lunch, Mr E is having naptime and I'm making a bowl of Life cereal and headed to off to spend 15 minutes watching a little bit o' Jericho. And, I just read they canceled it AGAIN. I hate CBS. So, if you want to get it back on the air AGAIN, head over to the community part and there are several posts that tell you the links to go to join the Jericho Rangers and get it back on the air again.

Sickies!

So we are still sick here at the house o'fun. I seem to be coming down with what everyone else has had. Mr E had to go back to the doctor again to change his drugs, which are finally working - yay! So...we spent all spring break sick and I get poor Miss Em up for school -- drive 35 miles to school, and she gets so sick, she can't leave the bathroom at school. So....we drive back home and the poor things sleeps for 7 hours straight. I feel so bad...I thought she was faking.

My mom (who reads my blog too) said my blog was loading slow, so I cleaned it up a bit and now it seems to be loading faster for me.

More sewing and crafty stuff coming this week when I get over this crud...ugh. Off to take a shower and get the snot from my dear children off of me.