Perplexity

quan·da·ry/ˈkwänd(ə)rē/Noun

1. Perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation: "heidi is in a quandary".

2. A difficult situation; a practical dilemma.

Ugh.

This summer my Grandfather is turning 80. The family is getting together for a reunion/birthday celebration of sorts at a location that is approximately an 11 hour drive (not counting stops) from here. My Grandfather is also in the early stages of Alzheimers or Dementia (hasn't been determined which, yet, I guess) so this could be the last chance I have to see him while he's still lucid and knows who I am.

A trip of this magnitude will not be cheap. We can stay with family for most of the trip with 1 or two nights at a campground or hotel. But gas? Oy. Plus all the other expenses that come with road trips. It would mean taking $1,000 from our tax return and putting it on the trip.

I'm not close to my grandparents but I do love them. They're my grandparents! I would like to see my grandpa before he doesn't know who I am anymore. The problem is I feel like I'm stealing from my family to do it.

Sis needs two teeth pulled and a spacer put in. We need a new vehicle. We need to pay off the hospital and our credit card. If we go on the trip, 1 or more of these things will not get done.

So what do I do? The kids would have a blast on the trip and, as a bonus, I would get to see my best friend from when I was 12 that my oldest daughter is named after. I don't really get along with most of my family and whenever there's a get together it ends in drama and people not speaking to each other. If we go on the trip then other things that need done will have to be put on hold for an indefinite amount of time. But it might be the last chance I have to see my grandpa.

Ugh.

What would you do??

Stupid Cold

Dear Columbia:

When you contacted me and asked me to field test one of your new Omni Heat Jackets I admit that I was both flattered and confused. Well, and really, really happy because I was getting a nice new expensive coat out of the deal. You know, in the interest of full disclosure and all.

I'm not an outdoor sport kind of person. I'm certainly not an outdoor WINTER sport kind of person. I haven't been skiing since I was a kid - never been snow shoeing - think winter camping was born of the devil. So I couldn't figure out why you'd want me, of all people, to "field test" a coat.

Then it dawned on me that maybe you were trying to get the message out that your product was NOT just for people that were active in outdoor cold weather sports. Because, like most people, I like to actually stay warm when I go outside and watch the kids sled or when I run from the house to the car and the car to the store and vice versa. So I stopped fretting that I was going to have to go out and rent some skis or something and just put the darned coat on.

Here's a list of places I wore my new Omni Heat Jacket:

To start the car
To the grocery store
To the Mall
To take my kids to school
To watch my kids sled
To watch my kids Ice Skate
To shovel the walk
To get the mail

See? I AM active in the winter. Heh. I have to tell you, though, that I was pleasantly surprised by this jacket! It is seriously lightweight. I'm talking spring jacket feeling. I live in Montana and we have some Arctic Fronts that make the snot freeze right up in your nose and your limbs freeze and just break off (the first week I wore it the temps were well below zero!). Just didn't see how it was going to keep me warm - but it did! And it wasn't bulky or make me feel like Nanook of the North while I was wearing it.

My only real beef was that I have large hips and too much junk in my trunk. Oh, wait - what does that have to do with a coat? Nothing really - except the jacket was cut more for people with a slender build so, while it fit great up top, it was too snug for my liking on the bottom. BUT I didn't get to try on this jacket first - so it might just be this particular jacket and not ALL of Columbia or Omni Heat things.

Oh, you've already seen pictures of me in the jacket. Remember these?





That's my new coat. :-)

We took a couple others but the darn sun was so bright I couldn't even open my eyes!





Bet those won't end up in a marketing campaign somewhere, eh? Eat your heart out, Klum.

Anyway. Thanks for the coat, yo.

Warmly,
heidi

The shame of It

Dear Sienna:

You have seen 2 of your siblings be born. You have sat through numerous developmental discussions through each of your three brother's pregnancies. You watched a Nova special about conception and development - including a money shot delivery! We've had versions of "The Talk" for the past 3 years. I gave you a book to read with information on things like menstruation and development.

So you can understand why I was confused that you failed your sex ed test.

When you brought the test home for me to look at just one thing stuck out at me...

After all that you've been taught and all that you've seen with your own two eyes why would you answer that a fetus develops and grows ...

... in the scrotum?

I'm sure your daddy is extra thankful that is not the case.

The scrotum. *shaking my head*

Love,
Mom

Ice Skates and Loogies

The girls and I took off Saturday afternoon so they could go ice skating. Sienna is pretty good at it but boy did Cara have a tough time! She didn't give up, though, and eventually got it in the end.

(Click to make bigger)














It was a fun time! After ice skating I went ahead and kicked their butts at tether ball. Since, yk, I'm taller and all they never got much past the serve. HA! I'm a good mom.



Then we sat on the swings and had a loogie hawking contest. I won because my phlegm was sturdier and I have way more hot air than they do.

We had fun. I love my girlies. You know you wanna hang with us.







Oh! There was some crazy woman there, too. She just kept chasing Sienna singing this song. It was so annoying!



Word.