Over and Over

I have this song stuck in my head right now... enjoy!

How To Identify A US Census Enumerator

If you don't send back your form, you may receive a visit from a census taker. If a census taker visits you, here's what you should do:

First ask to see their ID. All census workers carry official government badges marked with just their name; they may also have a "U.S. Census Bureau" bag

Note that the census taker will never ask to enter your home If you're still not certain about their identity, please call the Regional Census Centers to confirm they are employed by the Census Bureau.

Answer the census form questions for your entire household (you must be at least 15 years old to answer questions) so that the census taker can record the results for submission to the Census Bureau.

Census takers visit local homes several times to capture resident information for the 2010 Census. If you prefer, you can schedule a visit with your census taker. Should the census taker come when you are away from your home, they will leave a contact number. If a census taker has not visited your home or you have a question about your participation with the census, call your Census Office,

Any questions?

Feel free to visit the 2010 Census Website for more information

Almost

...over!

Tomorrow is my last final for this semester and then I can enjoy the summer.

I am wishing for sitting out by the pool

Playing Frisbee golf in the park

Hiking in the trees

Playing with Puppybutt and her new friends at the dog park

Barbecues and sitting on the porch with friends

I am not looking forward to; working weird hours, being left out, being stressed about school in the fall, waiting for my grades, allergies and all this wind, super-hot summer and no air conditioning in my car, sitting outside in the heat and sun watching baseball games with people who I barely tolerate, weeding the front yard, the pool being over crowded, being self conscious in a bathing suit.

So I participated in Shortmama's Spring Swap!

Look what I got from Lacey over at the The Fowler Family

I love little beauty goodies and I got a box full of them! Wonderful scented candles, seeds to grow bell peppers, lipstick, hand sanitizer, nail polish, cushy socks, mascara, hair goodies and a beauty book! What a fun swap package! Go over and check out Lacey's blog to see what I sent her!

Birthday Ramblings

I have a birthday coming up this week, so does Dear Hubby, we will officially be saying goodbye to our 20's.

When I was a kid I always thought 30 was an adult; like an established adult, someone who has a savings account with more than $86 in it, someone who isn't driving a collection of semi-broken down cars, someone who owns a home and has a matching bedroom set.

I am nowhere near that ideal, I am not even sure that is what I want anymore but I can't shake the image. When I was in my late teens and early 20's I had a collection of young women in their 30's that I idealized. They had careers, or were finishing up college. They were buying homes and everything smelled like cinnamon. They had cars that ran and had air-conditioning. They had 1 carat diamond rings and decorated their homes from Pottery Barn websites.

I guess this is what I thought 30 should be and I am nowhere near that. I may be in school and enjoy spicy cinnamon candles but mentally I am not with those women anymore. I guess somewhere in my journey my trust in this ideal was broken. I still love some of these women deeply but I have also been hurt, rejected and snubbed by others.

I am now on another path, the graying woman with the wrinkles from laughing and smiling. She has clauses and wears only silver. Her fingernails are short, her smile is genuine and maybe she drives a beat up truck. She smiles at the end of a day surrounded by her loving friends and family, whatever form they may come in. Her house still smells like cinnamon but you will find her out on a trail or climbing a rock. Not gossiping or judging.

I guess that is what I envision 50 to be, so check back with me in 20 years to see if I am disappointed with what I find up ahead on the trail.

Report Card Time

and guess what I got?

A Short Post

I had so much fun with Mamarazzi's swap I have decided to do another one, fly on over to ShortMama's at a Family of Shorts and get involved! You never know you could be paired with me!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I was a part of Mamarazzi's Favorite Things swap this week, during the swap we were paired up with another blogger. We were supposed to fill a box with our favorite things, it should reflect who we are as people and as bloggers, it should be a box we would be thrilled to open. I mailed it This week to my swap buddy Roxane from It Really Is, All About Me.

I got her package on Tuesday, she is a planner and knew she would be out of town, so she thought ahead and mailed her package on Friday before heading to DC. I don't plan ahead quite the same and I got it to the post office but missed the Saturday truck, so I have been waiting for confirmation from Roxane that she received my package. I thought it would be fun to publish our post in a similar time fashion.

This was sitting and waiting for me Tuesday

Just a peek inside

Look at her attention to detail! So cute!

1. Seven with Brad Pitt, yummy! Nothing with him in it could ever scare me.

2. Roxane said every queen needs a mirror, every good Wikked Stepmother needs a mirror also!

3. Eyelash curler, wonderful beauty pick and one of my favorites. If you aren't using one go out and buy one... right now!

4. A guide to visiting Disney World, so many fantasy, reading it is like a mental vacation.

5. List, list, list, lists, living with adult ADD has make me a compulsive lister, I love pretty paper to list on.

6. Lavender body wash, smells great and so relaxing!

7. Burt's Bee's energizing soap, I had never used this before the swap and I have found a new favorite, I love the smell and the way it makes me feel so clean!

8. Oops, I mixed up 3 and 8... 3 was a box of nerds... hey if you are what you eat (I am cheap and easy)

9. Burt's Bee's chapstick, love, love, love it!

10. Chocolate

11. More chocolate

12. A brown Pashmina, apparently Oprah owns one also, I am styling!

13. A little gnome friend who is now living in the Pothos of friendship!

USPS - It's Complicated

If my blog were a facebook account this would be the post wherein I change my relationship status with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to "it's complicated".

I have a real love/hate thing going on with my local post-office. I really like the people that work there, it is less than 1/2 a mile from my house and they have an Automated Postal Center (APC) for days when I just need to grab stamps. But they are also "seeing" other people in my neighborhood ('hood) on a regular basis and that makes me uncomfortable. I know the kind of people that live just on the other side of the main street and I don't want to be lumped in with that bunch. Not that I am being snobby and think I am so much better, I just shower regularly and don't talk to the ceiling tiles when visiting with my local USPS.

Last week I had to mail a package, I dropped by USPS to see what was up. They were busy and I am not known for being needy in a relationship so it was cool. I stood in line to use the APC; there were about 3 people in front of me and I was soon joined by a 65+ year old woman who was wearing a long blond "Dolly" wig, blue contact lens and false eyelashes at 3 in the afternoon. I was taken a little aback, I didn't know this was a formal occasion, I worried that I was under dressed. My older friend reassured me that she was cool with the kids as we talked about tattoos
(a side effect of having visible tattoos is conversations about tattoos with people who you may not always have thought about having a conversation about tattoos with)
She shared with me the stories behind her tattoos, she had roses like Cher and a likeness of her son who passed away. I also learned that she liked cats, knew about computers and was comfortable using a "check card" I started to have some misgivings about USPS's choice to spend time with her but then I felt bad for judging.

It was my time with the APC, I made my selections but quickly found out that the scale wasn't registering any weight. I was nicely reminded that there were people standing in line behind me, I must have lost track of time gazing at the APC, a helpful neighbor of mine pointed out that I should stop hitting "accept weight" because I might confuse the machine (no way it was her correct use of the English language that confused APC, it was me, hitting a button) so even though I waited for more than 15 minutes to have some alone time with APC I was forced to consider standing in the line which now stretched out the door.

Frustrated I left, I feel horrible for admitting this but I feel like USPS almost drove me into the arms of UPS (does anyone else think it is weird that all the UPS commercials feature a song by the "Postal Service"?) I had to go to UPS to have my needs taken care of but I came back to USPS this week.

I went to USPS to mail a package this week, I was hesitant, the line looked long again and my neighbors seemed even more disturbing than normal. I am convinced that the rain in Las Vegas drives people crazy, we just don't know how to deal with any weather that isn't HOT! or COLD and WINDY!

I stood in line when a nice postal worker pointed out that I could use APC, I was nervous, I had been embarrassed in front of everyone just last week! I shouldn't have gotten worked up, APC always takes care of me. I sent my package for Mamarazzi's swap away easily and quickly.

For now I haven't given up on USPS, I just wish we could be exclusive.

Mid-Term

I have reached mid-term in my classes. Today I have a test, a home care/plaque control assignment due, extra credit on dental cements and 3 labs due. Tomorrow I have a test in my Integrated Science class, Thursday I have a test in my Introduction to Dental Assisting class.

I have so much I want to update you guys on, Mamarazzi's swap is this week, I can't wait for my swap buddy to get her box! I can't wait to share all my favorite things. The Rapscallion was sick last week and stayed here on Wednesday, usually my one day every other week that I have time to myself, Dear Hubby stayed home to take care of him. I have had more work done on my tattoo, once it stops feeling flaky I will get you guys some pictures. Loads of dental facts I would like to share, I got to observe a dental office on Tuesday, it was awesome!

I will update by Wednesday, sorry this is short and for the absence I will make it up to you

Favorite Things

I have joined Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap!

I will be partnered up with another blogger and swap a package with our favorite things. I am excited to be a part of this for a couple of reasons:

#1 Dandelion Wishes is a blog I have enjoyed for while, Mamarazzi is a strong woman and I respect her for organizing this swap after everything she has been through this year.

#2 I love the sense of community that blogging and the Internet can have. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories and getting to know them. This swap really is one of my favorite things!

I will update more as more becomes known to me.

14 Days of Valentines Day 3

Dear Hubby loved the "I 'chews' you" valentine, I got a text from him at 5 a.m. that said "I chews you too" he loved that I snuck outside after he went to sleep to hide the valentine in his truck. It has been so fun to think of these little valentines and most of them are very, very affordable. Tomorrow's valentine "U R my sweetie pie" only cost me about $.60.

I got a little pie from the store and made the valentine, I attached it to a stick and stuck it in the little pie. I am going to place it in the fridge, with his keys so he will find it, I am leaving a note on his cell phone about where his keys are.

Someone also asked me how my hearts looked so nice, before anyone thinks that I am talented with a pair of scissors I should admit that I have a cricut. I got it for Christmas and it has been the coolest craft accessory I have ever gotten!

I can't wait to show you what I have up my sleeve for the next few days, I have a challenge because I will be out of town over the weekend and I am trying to think of sneaky ways to surprise him.

14 Days of Valentines!

I got this idea from a friend of mine, she guided me to Love Actually where I got a tons of ideas!

I am trying to leave Dear Hubby a little Valentine everyday until February 14th, nothing large or expensive but just little ways for him to know that I am thinking of him during the day.

I will try to take pictures and keep you guys up to date on the ideas, if you have any please leave me a comment it would be great to have a few extras!

I didn't have alot of time this morning, so excuse the glue you can see under the letters, on the "I am nuts 4 you" valentine. I left it for Dear Hubby on the counter, on top of a jar of almonds, I was at school when he came home and saw it. He said it made him laugh. I can't wait until he see what I have waiting in his truck for him tomorrow!

(his truck is pretty dusty, maybe I could clean it as a valentine... 'nahhhh, not until he fixes the squeaky belt on my truck)

Quickie

Overwhelmed a little... tomorrow I finish the kitchen, Thursday is class again. Tonight was my first Dental Assisting class... I showed up late (go me) I got stuck in the rain, not the best way to make a first impression... I would like to clean my carpets by the end of this week before the rat comes back over, then I would also like to get runners to cover the hallway and front walkway... I need a spending spree at Target to make my house feel more grown up (not everything being a hand me down) oh and the Coachella lineup was announced, I want to go to Friday and Saturday as my 30th birthday present to me and Dear Hubby...

I promise to give you guys a real update later this week... until then you get...

A Toast to my Sister and Brother-in-Law

My little sister got married this weekend, I was asked to give a toast and here for your reading enjoyment is what I shared:

I met Lil Sis a while ago, I was living with my parents at the time and they let her move in. Things were pretty good in the beginning, but you know how roommate situations go.

Bro-in-Law, I want to welcome you to the family. To be honest, I always thought I would be saying this to Michael Jackson or Alex Trebek, good luck.

I want you guys to start your marriage on a fresh note, so here is the $1 Bean and I owe you for sneaking out your window that one time.

I love you guys and wish you a lifetime of happiness.

The Cost of Saving Money

I didn’t want to spend the money to have my hair professionally colored before my sisters wedding (Kerri, if you are reading this you might want to stop here) ETA: The wedding is Saturday and yes, Kerri is my hair dresser. My patient, wonderful, hair dresser who puts up with me cutting my own bangs and normally coloring my own hair (she did it for a while and it was always wonderful, I don't know why I stopped having her do it) anyway...

I have colored my hair at home on and off for years, I have had some disasters but in the past few years things have turned out fairly well. I have been using Natural Instincts in a color called Cinnamon Stick. It is close to my natural hair color, just a little nicer.

For the wedding I decided to go a bit darker, to bring out my eyes. I bought 2 boxes of hair color in a dark brown, it turn BLACK with weird ashy/green tones to it. So I washed it for a couple of days but it wasn’t lightening.

Last night I decided to fix it (I know, I know, I should have just called Kerri then) I went to find hair color remover, I had used a product called Color Oops in the past and it was great, it reverses the oxidation process and takes the color deposits out of your hair. I couldn’t find it and used another hair color remover, which was a bleach based. My hair turned funky orange with yellow roots; I washed it out quickly once I saw what it was doing. This morning, I tried using the Cinnamon Stick again, thinking that I would just go back to my normal hair color.

Nope, now I have brownish hair with orange’ish roots, it is a great look.

So now I have a dilemma, do I go out and find the Color Oops, get all the hair color out of my hair and then use a permanent hair color in a lighter brown shade to cover up all the damage (and pray that Kerri forgives me when she sees what I have done) or do I bite the bullet and have Kerri fix my hair? I don’t really have the money to have my hair professionally colored (it would be around $75+) the best part:

2 Boxes of Dark Brown Hair Color $8
1 Box of Bleach Hair Color Remover $12
2 Boxes of Semi-Permanent Cinnamon Stick $16
1 Box of Color Oops $14
2 Boxes of Golden Brown $17
Total = $67 + tax and stress

I maybe saved $8, maybe, what a joke at saving money I am!

Little Birds

may my heart always be open to little

e. e. cummings

may my heart always be open to little

birds who are the secrets of living

whatever they sing is better than to know

and if men should not hear them men are old

may my mind stroll about hungry

and fearless and thirsty and supple

and even if it’s sunday may i be wrong

for whenever men are right they are not young

and may myself do nothing usefully

and love yourself so more than truly

there’s never been quite such a fool who could fail

pulling all the sky over him with one smile

Vegas Baby

My rain drenched friend AmyK posted a little list on living in Washington since she is a native. I love these lists even if I didn't get any of the references on hers. They make me remember the fun, little quirks that living in any area bring.

I am native to Las Vegas and so is my little sister, our Dad moved out here when he was a teenager and when we were younger he would take us on "tours" showing us all the places that had affected his life and how much they had changed (Las Vegas isn't a town known for cherishing it's history and historical buildings) Check out this link for a page showing the 14 casinos we have imploded so far.

So here is my list, compiled mainly from other lists out there and a FaceBook group I belong too.
Have fun! Vegas is a crazy town to be from but I love it!

First, it's pronounced LOSS VAYGUS, NEVA-A-A-DA (not Nev-ah-da.). It doesn't matter how they say it in other places

All directions start with, "Go down 95...' cause you DON'T want to get on 15!"

Las Vegas Blvd, Charleston Blvd, and Torrey Pines have no beginning and no end.

It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the same street that you started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls this a "scenic drive"

The 8:00 am rush hour is 4:30am to 11:30am. The 5:00pm rush hour is 11:30am to 10:15pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning and ends some time late Sunday night.

Just remember that Camino Al Norte is Martin Luther King Blvd., Boulder Highway is Fremont Street, Eastern Ave is 25th Street or Civic Center Drive, Desert Inn is Lamb Blvd., Spring Mountain/Sands/Twain are all the same street. Don't try to figure it out. Just accept it. If you question the intelligence behind this naming convention, people will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you.

Henderson is the only place in the world where THREE "parallel" streets intersect at one traffic light. That would be the 4-way of Green Valley Parkway/Eastern Avenue/Maryland Parkway. For laughs, ask any middle school Geometry teacher to try to explain it

Many major roads just end abruptly in somebody's garage, a Home Depot, a Casino or McCarran International Airport Runway and start again after the interruption. That was done to encourage you to "see the sights" and meet new people. For fun, just try to take Harmon Avenue from Rainbow to Nellis.

You have no idea what a scarf does but think it looks good.

You know how to get to any casino on the strip without taking Las Vegas Blvd.

You can now predict where construction signs will be misleadingly placed.

You accept the fact that stop signs and red lights mean very little to tourists.

You become nocturnal between the months of April to October.

You know the seasons: Really hot, 2 weeks of nice, not so hot, 2 weeks of nice.

When you go to different cities, you're amazed things aren't open after 9 pm.

It doesn't faze you to see slot machines in grocery stores or gas stations.

Once a year, when it rains, the Las Vegas Wash and the City of Las Vegas are one

The wind blows every day, and it is impossible to live in Las Vegas without some kind of allergy drug.

You have no idea how a lottery works.

Seeing a limo is an everyday occurrence.

You know weddings at Chapels don't have to be trashy affairs with Elvis.

What the hell is last call?

Your most prized possession as a Nevadan is your blue and white license plate.

You know the spaghetti bowl has nothing to do with food and you want nothing to do with it.

You know never to merge right when driving north on I-15; it'll just end anyway.

You think 6 tons of crushed rock makes a beautiful lawn.

The term Lake Las Vegas doesn't seem problematic in the slightest.

You've gone bowling and watched movies in casinos your whole life.


Sunscreen is sold year round, kept at the front of the checkout counter, a formula less than 30 SPF is a joke, and you wear it just to go to the mailbox.

You laugh at people taking pictures in front of the welcome sign.

You don't own an umbrella.

Sixty degrees is cold enough to wear a jacket, anything under 50 and you wear long thermals

You get bored in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

You've never had to pay for parking.

You are outraged to pay more than 9.99 for prime rib and a lobster tail.

You've forgotten what rain looks like.

You know more prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas.

You know more than one person that works as a stripper and you know they prefer to be called "dancers"

And, yes, we all know that man in a teddy and a tiara on Fremont Street. His name is Leslie and he probably makes more money than you do!

A Girl Meets a Boy

A girl meets a boy…

A girl meets a boy; and he is smart, he makes her laugh and he is cute. They talk for hours and he professes to love her more than peanut butter. They go to trashy bars together and laugh easily the boy is articulate, motivated and fun.

A girl moves in with a boy, they both leave socks on the floor and share the chores. They still love going to trashy bars and often spend time with a growing group of friends. One night the boy asks the girl to marry him; they get married 5 days later.

A girl marries a boy, he changes job and races mountain bikes. They still laugh easily, even when life becomes stressful. They go through some trials but remember that they love each other and that is why they work it out. They assume they must be having fun because they are broke. They get a cat and then a dog, the dog has abandonment issues.

A girl meets a boy and falls in love, the boy tells her that he has a son. That girl had no idea what she got herself into. The girl loves the kid and the kid loves the girl back.

A girl meets an ex-wife and things are cordial. The girl respects the kid’s mom but inevitably drama ensues. The girl and the boy begin to fight about the ex-wife, the kid has problems sleeping and the girl feels like she is at her wits end. The girl goes looking for help.

A girl meets other girls just like her, with wonderful husbands and step kids they love, some of them have good relationships with the ex-wives some have more drama than the girl can believe. The girl has found kindred spirits.

A girl takes a risk to met one of the girls in person, she is warm and funny. They talk for hours and the girl feels renewed. The girl takes a crazy trip out of state to meet a bunch of these girls and feels like she has known them forever.

A girl is lucky; she has gotten to meet a lot of her step mom friends in real life. A lot of her regular friends think she is nutty but the boy is supportive because he has seen how the girl has grown as a stepmother and a person.

A girl met a boy, who has a son. That has turned my life upside down but I couldn't be happier. I will be out of town this weekend to meet up with some of my closest friends, my kindred spirits. And the boy will be in Moab, racing mountain bikes.

Happy Halloween from Dear Hubby and Amburgular!

I'll Show You Mine...

If you show me yours!

Again I am accepting a challenge from AmyK. Basically show me the stuffed animal or blankie you have had since you were itty bitty. Tell me, and the interweb, your story.

In return, I will show you mine. In fact I will show you mine first!

I would like to introduce you to Teddy and Red, not the most creative names, I know but I have given them names and changed them when the whim suited me so many times over the years. Somewhere I also have a hard plastic lizard named Little Red Riding Hood, my sister had Goldilocks, what can I say we were weird kids.

Both Teddy and Red currently reside in my hope chest, I would bring them out but I don't want anyone playing with them (evil stepmom moment) because if something happened to them at the hands of the Rapscallion, or Puppy Butt, I would be hard pressed to let that go easily. Maybe not my most graceful confession but it is the truth.

It was fun to pull out Teddy for this picture, I used to sleep on him so he is a little smunched up but still soft and just waiting for me if I ever need him.