To my fellow blog buddies:

Please keep my husband in your thoughts and prayers. He is getting himself physically sick from a number of stressors outside of the home, none of which he brought on himself but rather, have been thrust upon him by coworkers, extended family, etc.

This week has been scheduled pretty full:

Tues. Morning: Take kiddo to ballet/tap class

Tues Evening: Architect comes over with 25 completed construction-grade blueprints and his hand out to get his last check.

Wed. morning: take kiddo to CCD class

Wed. morning and afternoon: I begin calling contractors to begin the bidding process.

Wed. Evening: Hubby gives blood at local blood center; he has the most-coveted "O-negative" so they pull out, instead of just a pint of "regular" blood, a larger volume (2 units) using the ALYX system which just pulls the red blood cells and puts the plasma back. It means that he'll be pretty wiped out and I'll have to do more of the evening chores. (cripes - that makes it sound like we have a dairy farm or somethng, huh?!)

Thursday: Try to get an appointment with our loan broker to begin the process for construction financing for the addition.

Friday morning: Hubby stays home with kiddo while I travel to a Northshore hospital for another level II ultrasound and a fetal echocardiogram with a pediatric cardiologist. I'm fairly certain I already know what they are going to find - likely either a VSD or AV Canal defect - which, simply put are holes in the lower chambers of the heart (vsd) or in the upper and lower (AV). Both are fixable and common to babies with Down Syndrome. Nonetheless it does mean open heart surgery for the baby so I hope they are able to get a good idea of what's going on so I can work with my healthcare providers (a vertiable TEAM, at this point) to get a gameplan for birth and post-natal care together.

I'm at 20 weeks today...half way there if it goes all the way. Fingers crossed...

My daughter had her first CCD class today. The teachers told me when I went to pick her up that she led the class in a prayer for "her baby brother" while in Church and then requested to say a Hail Mary at the outdoor Mary grotto/fountain. Apparently they were quite impressed with her level of articulation, maturity, and leadership. Ha, my kid the Religious Leader. Now I KNOW God is laughing at/with me.... :)

This morning I get a call from a mom of a kindergardener at my daughter's school. Mom is talking quickly, frantically, explaing that "low-talker gobbledygook...is coming over at 3pm and I need to be here, so can you pick K. up from school?"

I think for a second after not hearing the first part of her request and reply, "Well, um, E. (my daughter) takes the bus home in the afternoons so I don't usually pick up there." I wait for her to back off her request until she states, "Oh no problem, I'll leave K's carseat so you can pick both girls up in the office."

I was happy to read this report about the good fortune (due to good planning) of the animals at New Orleans' Audabon Zoo. 

OK, since my last post was about numbskull marketeers, how about we take a look at some of the more clever things those guys and gals in advertising have devised over the years.

AdWeek magazine is taking a poll for best slogan. CLICK HERE to vote for your favorite.

It CAN'T just be me who thinks the name of this new product is worthy of a snicker, a giggle, and some serious blushing...

Hooray!

I got a call from our municipal administrator informing me that the building permit (and this is JUST for the sewer/water work, NOT the addition) was approved.

Hooray!

And then he informed me that I have the priveledge of paying $1,770 for the permit and $400 for the bond.

Hoo-f'ing-ray. Grrrrr!

Off I go to write a check for a very expensive piece of paper.

My husband was chuckling and shaking his head at me yesterday as I sat glued to "The Weather Channel" and some of the 24-hr news networks awaiting the pictures of devastation from Hurricane Katrina. I was worried about the storm all day - firstly because of all the problems it will cause for residents of that region and secondly for the enormous impact that destrucion of critical ports, refineries, and nautral gas/oil production and distribution facilities will have on the US economy.

Yeah, I have said before how much I hate these quizzy things but since none other than LOZ asked me to do it I will certainly indulge her request!

Seven things that scare me
aggressive drivers
guns
illegal drugs
Pamela Anderson's Fake 'n Bake tan
Most "Reality TV" game shows
All soap operas
Going to bed with my husband after he's indulged in a bean and carne asada burrito, washed down with 2 Negro Modelo beers!

Seven things I like the most
My family
My pets
Our garden/backyard and the creatures who reside there
Cooking original recipes
The beaches of Brigantine, NJ
A nice bowl of soup at a Greek diner
Playing slots in Atlantic City!

Seven important things in my room
Underwear
My ancient palm pilot
Lavender linen spray (handy after a post-burrito night!)
My in-need-of-replenishment Birkenstock collection
My bed
My 13" tv - my favorite tv in the house!
The ceiling fan

Seven random facts about me
I was born & raised in Delaware County, PA
I wear birkenstock size 39 regular
I hate fishing - its too gruesome and smelly for me to deal with
I despise large-screen tv's
A real east-coast "Corned Beef Special" is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches
I also love a good deli tuna salad sandwich...
...and an "All American" hoagie from Planet Hoagie (Hubby's fave is the Sigi)

Seven things I plan to do before I die (More like 7 things I plan to do UNTIL I die!)
Breathe
Eat
Excrete waste products
Do laundry
Do more laundry
Grocery shop
Pick dirty socks and underwear off the floor and place them in the proper receptacle (it's called a HAMPER, folks! Somehow my husband and child can't grasp the concept of the hamper)

Seven things I can do
See list above

Seven things I can't do
Live with clutter
Give a whoot about "American Idol" or Top 40 radio hits
Poop without pharmecuetical assistance
Indulge in pork, shellfish, amoxicilin, or latex products (allergies, yanno)
Have a vaginal orgasm (c'est la vie...)
Store excess bile for the emulsification of fats in my diet (no gall bladder)
Continue chain emails/games/quizzes

Seven things I say the most
No big whoop
Turn off that TV!
I love you (or the more terse yet playful "Love ya'!")
How ya' doin'?
Can I get coleslaw instead of fries?
Hiya (not "hi" or "hello")
"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee..." etc., etc.

Seven celeb crushes