The way to end the new year...

Is to start with pep talks for all those missed resolutions.

Ugh!!! We NOW return you to your blogging pleasure...

Finally, after a host move and some other fun drama, the blog is back, and just in time for 2008!

Have a happy new year and I'm sure there'll be more to follow. The standing website may take a bit to get back to speed, but I'll hopefully get that running right over the next couple days as well.

Fabulous and 40!

My good friend Karen turns 40 on November 5th, so we went out to celebrate with her this weekend! We had a blast! A bunch of folks met early and went to dinner. We had an earlier commitment so we met up with them at about 10:30 at East Andrews. Now, I have to say I was skeptical at first because of what I have heard about E. Andrews.....that it is as "meat market" etc....so being the married type, I haven't had a great pull to go there. I can honestly say I was wrong and have probably missed out on some great fun. I am sure some of the great fun was who I was with and also the rockin' 80's band that was there. I really wish I had gotten some pics of the band because they were hysterical. Only one guy had his authentic hair, all the other guys had 80's style wigs with bandanas holding them on. Not to mention the tights!!! OMG, the tights! The lead singer could have been the product of Steven Tyler and Axl Rose procreation. The lead guitar player was in a freakin lawn chair because of a broken femur. Gotta give him kudos. I could go on and on, but really they were great all around. Awesome songs, singing, flashbacks to David Lee Roth.....etc!! We then went over to 5 Paces bar and continued the celebration. Now I must reveal I was 100% sober the entire night, only because I was scared straight on our was to the bars. We went thru one of those sobriety check points that you always hear about but I have not actually seen. Holy crap!!! What seems like millions of cops have the road blocked off into a check point where you MUST stop and be checked. If you even attempt to turn around, there are 2 cop cars on you immediately. We know this for a fact because a guy in front of us tried it. Off to the side in a parking lot was 4 or 5 flatbeds waiting patiently for impounded vehicles....Amazing sight! Thus, I drank only diet coke all night. Not a drinker and driver, but I wasn't going to risk anything. I wanted to be able to state I had had NOTHING to drink if the situation arose. So anyways.....it was still a blast to be the only sober one. Drunk people are freaking hillarious! Myself and another unknown woman that seemed quite sober were freaked by a 4'10" man weighing at least 300lbs. Which he promptly fell down in the bar....weebles wobble and they DO fall down!!! :) LMAO! We could do nothing but laugh. Anyways, here's to good friends and good fun! Happy Birthday Karen!

Television...

A show the wife, oldest and I have gotten in to lately is "How I Met Your Mother". The other night, they were addressing the point where everytime you suggest to a friend to a new person who you think they should date, there is always a positive: "Oh, she's sweet and really attractive" and a "but" which you never state: "...but, she makes Jessica Simpson look like a doctorate candidate". Wait, maybe for guys that isn't so bad...

Anyway, they went through on the show lots of their own "buts" which prompted:

Me: Honey, what's my but?
Oldest: The thing between your torso and your legs. What are you thinking???

Yep, I can't kill the kid. Registered with the state and all.

Strike System...

Our friend has a punishment system which works for her family. The middle has once upon a time, tried to instill it here with large failure.

Recently, the wife instilled it, which led to the following conversation with my sister:

Me: Yeah, so the wife instituted a "strike system".
Sis: Really? What is that and how does it work?
Me: Well, when the kids get in trouble, she makes a mark on a piece of paper and calls it a strike. You get 5 and you lose privileges.
Sis: And does it work?
Me: I don't really know. I like my "strike" system better. If a kid screws up and I'm within striking distance, I do. If they really screw up and I have to chase them, they probably get more than one...That I KNOW works...