Just about a year ago I posted about a certain company who I have done business with since college. I really do love their products.
I recently ordered myself a new calendar from them - recently as in THREE WEEKS ago. I haven't recieved it. My last three emails to them have gone unanswered, as has Bubblehead's voicemail to them earlier today.
As you can see by my previous post about them, I have always been nothing less than happy with them, but this has got me so mad! I understand that sometimes the postal service leaves out the "service", and problems happen, however the fact that I am basically being ignored makes me furious! They have had my money for 3 weeks! I have nothing to show for that.
Not to mention the fact that I am basically a big kid, my id just barely masked by many years of education and longs hours on my parents' part. Meaning I am impatient and selfish and I want what I want the way I want it - when I want it! It is hard enough for me to wait the usual 5-7 business days you'd expect when ordering something online.
I am going to give them another day or two, (gritting my teeth the entire time)to respond to the voicemail before I start filing a complaint with the better business bureau. I do feel bad that it's come to this, because this is a company I would like to continue to patron. Unfortunately their products are generally only found in university bookstores and large office supply stores, so I pretty much have to go through the internet for this. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
that one day I will tell my children that when their dad and I lived in Seattle, we saw Spoonman perform down at Pike's, and they will be completely unimpressed.
Oh wait, let me guess. You aren't impressed either.
"Alex likes you more than I do." Labels: quips
Perhaps I should note here that this was said in her happiest voice with a smile on her face. I think she meant it as some sort of a compliment - I choose to take it that way, although my responce to her was "What did I do to you?"
asks 437 questions a day. (I read that - I didn't count.) Just think about that for a minute - 437.
My four year old is rather chatty, so I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that she is skewing the average for those less-talkative 4 year olds out there.
I have another theory that really there are only about 50 questions a day, and they are asked over and over and over to equal 437.
At any rate, it is DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!
Here we are how many days past Christmas? And guess what I just found....
Yep - I found some Christmas decorations staring me right in the face - pointing at me and laughing that I've been looking at them for over 2 months without seeing them.
I guess I'm not the most observant person in the world.
Music is a big part of our lives here at Mommy Matters Central. Both Bubblehead and I are musically inclined, and have played instruments from a tender age. (The two of us to this day argue over which of Greig's pieces is the best. - Don't mention Humoresque is all I have to say.)
We have fostered a love for music in our children without even really trying. I always get a smile when I turn on some music in the evening to accompany our clean-up and see them dancing around the kitchen, whether it's music they know and love, or something they've never heard before.
Bubblehead actually introduced me to much of the music I love today. Some of my all-time favorites (Depeche Mode, The Cure, They Might Be Giants) are all bands he introduced me to.
Somewhere along the way, however, our musical interests diverged. (Against my will, mind you. I think I can pin it down to right around March of 2001). I stopped listening to the radio and started listening to lullabies. I rejected a whole series of songs that I refer to as "penis songs" (bring it on Google!) and instead somehow The Wiggles got into my repertoire. I am now enjoying classical music again with The Little Einsteins while he is listening to Dropkick Murphys. I walk around the house singing "You are my friend, good good friend, on you I can depend....", while he is singing "Start wearing purple, wearing purple, wearing purple..."
So I'm not up on the latests bands or music anymore. My brother use to tease me that I knew all the words to every song on the radio, whether I liked the song or not. Now the best I can do is every song on my ipod. I have found these things come full circle. It was a great thrill for me when They Might Be Giants started making children's CDs. I can't even tell you my excitement when I found a version of "Mah Na Mah Na" by Cake. I'll just wait patiently for The Killers to contribute to that Doodlebops tribute album.
I had no idea! I am honored to find out that I have been nominated over at One Woman's World in her new Share the Love Blog Awards. (I was nominated for best blog design, which thrills me, because I do love my new design, with "Sally and Oregon" up there on top.)
Voting is open until February 20th. Head on over and check out the many fun categories, and wonderful nominees. (Oh, and if you feel like voting for me, I won't stop you. ;)
I know the first thing you are going to say to me. "But Christine, Winterfest was Saturday - you're late!" Yes yes, you are correct. Forgive me my oversight please - I've been a little busy what with the festivities and all. Add to that I'm the only one who travels over 100 miles to participate. (Annie, there should be a prize for that next year. Just something to think about.)
I have wanted to record for posterity here the true meaning of Winterfest. I did post about it last year, but of course I did not do it justice. This year as I sat at the closing ceremonies (stifle your giggles please) and listened to my sister-in-law's brother (that makes him my brother-in-law once removed?) talk about the first winterfest and what this holiday has become to our families it hit me that he said it better than I ever could. And so because he is a very generous soul he agreed to let me reprint it here for all of you (and more importantly for Ella and Alex). It may look a little lengthy, but I haven't posted many long posts lately, so indulge me and please give it a read.
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This post brought to you by my beloved little brother. I see it as an experiment of sorts -I can't wait to see your comments.
"Come on, Alex! Let's go where ever I want you to go!" Labels: quips
The first stop on our trip that I was really excited about was Savannah Georgia. As you may or not be aware, Bubblehead was stationed in Georgia for over 4 years in the Navy, so this was visiting our old stomping grounds for me. All the way from the highway into Savannah I am babbling away about my favorite restaurant in Savannah, Snappers.
(aside) Bubblehead and I use to love to visit Savannah while we lived in the Southeast. We had found Snappers completely by accident, and when we went in for lunch they were offering free cups of their shrimp bisque. I wouldn't have ordered it, but because they offered it, I decided to try it. Oh. My. Goodness. That was the best soup I've ever had! And so we always went to Snappers when we were in Savannah so I could get my fill of shrimp bisque. I would even get an order to go when we left, and take it home and put it in the freezer for a later day. I loved it! (/aside)
So it just became a given with my parents and I that we would eat dinner at Snappers after getting settled in the hotel. Because I never did the driving in Savannah (and it had been 8 years) I didn't know exactly how to get there, but we found directions online and headed off.
We pull into the parking lot and what do we see? "Uncle Bubba's Oyster House". Damn it! No shrimp bisque. But we were there, so we went in for dinner.
Everything had changed, of course. They had live music by a local duo, Bucky and Barry, which was very loud. Gabriella had her hands over her ears at first, but then as we sat waiting for our meal, we watched her arms drop down and she started bee-bopping in her seat. Bucky and Barry did some wonderful covers of "Brown Eyed Girl", "Hotel California", and the like, and pretty soon Ella was out of her seat and dancing around her chair, as if she just couldn't help herself. It was the most adorable thing! We enjoyed Bucky and Barry's music so much, and the way they brought Gabriella to her feet, we bought their CD on the way out.
So the lack of shrimp bisque was made up for by a nice evening and good music. I wish Bucky and Barry had a website I could link you to. But if you're ever in Savannah, (and if you have the chance you must go to Savannah!)find out where they are playing and go see them! (And if anyone out there knows anything about the shrimp bisque recipe from Snappers, please email me!!)
This occured during our most recent germ fest, while Gabriella was so very sick she spent an entire day groaning and moaning and sleeping. Alex came into her room, climbed up on the bed and laid his head upon her back, looked at me and said quietly: Labels: quips
"I wuv her, Mama"
All together now: "Awwwwwww!"
Okay, so it's time I start writing about this vacation before it leaves my memory. I will do this in no particular order or deadline.
So there we are at Disney World (on my birthday - you can't do better than that!) and I've never made a secret of the fact that I'm a big kid at heart. I decided, knowing full well that Ella doesn't like characters, that we would go to a character lunch featuring everybody's favorite friends of Christopher Robin.
It was a buffet-style lunch, which Ella loves because she can choose her own foods. The food was very good - not your typical buffet food. As we ate, the characters made their rounds around the room so all the children could say hi and have their pictures taken with them. I told Ella she didn't have to see anyone she didn't want to, secretly hoping she would change her mind.
Of course she didn't, although she was good about it. The result was I got several mediocre pictures of Alex with some of my favorite Disney friends, and one of Ella all by herself. Yes, she's hiding under the table.
