Ten Things Thursday

Yeah, I know I complained about this last week - about how difficult it was to come up with ten things to randomly talk about.  But, I'm going to try it again.  I'm a "If at first you don't succeed..." kinda gal.  So, I'm gonna try, try again...

1.  I woke up in a perfectly good mood, but it has taken me 30 minutes to get my computer started up and to this page in order for me to write my blog...which has caused my blood pressure to raise just a little.  The power went out last night for a minute causing my computer to shut down.  It then took 30 minutes to get through the downloading updates, loading the screen, and pulling up my browser just to let me type.  I so need a new laptop!  Or maybe I should shut my computer down more and install updates when I'm supposed to.  Yeah.  No.  I need a new laptop.

2.  Why is it so difficult for children to do what they are supposed to do?  It was Butter's turn to wash the dishes last night.  I must have told him about 15 times that if there wasn't enough room in the dishwasher, that he needed to hand wash what was left.  I get up this morning to discover dishes all over the counters.  UGH!  Peanut's just as bad.  I've been getting on to her for weeks about her room.  It's still not clean.  Why do they insist on making me ground them?  I don't ask a lot of them, but I sure can't get them to do the little things I ask them to do.  So.  Frustrating.  And, I know full well that Butter will be all ticked off when he finds out his grounded today.  He'll get mad and sulk around the house all day blaming the world about how unfair his life is.  One day I plan on getting through to my kids that they have it better than so many kids out there, and it's not too much to ask for them to clean the dishes a couple of times a week.

3.  I'm actually excited about going to work completely alone this morning.  I'll be able to control the radio, listen to what I want to listen to, and none of it will include children bickering in the back seat.  Pure paradise, I'm telling you!

4.  I think I'm going to take the opportunity to stay at work a little longer today and get some much needed work done.  It will be quiet.  I'll have everything I need right in front of me.  So, there's no reason to bring tons of work home with me... I just need to get it done before I leave so I can actually enjoy the rest of my time off.  Did I mention that there won't be any children bickering through it all?  If you haven't noticed, I've been dealing with the kids fighting a lot lately... as if I didn't make that obvious enough.

5.  I don't care what anyone says, but the cutest thing in the world is a 4 year old when she first wakes up.  It's an image that doesn't last long, but a 4 year old wakes up with the cutest face and loveable attitude.  They want snuggles and hugs.  Then, they fully wake up and they fall right in to that normal, mode where they are still cute - but not near as loveable.  And then the "Can I have..." starts up, and I'm wishing she'd just go back to sleep.  Oi, I am in a mood this morning.  Stupid computer!  It's all your fault.

6.  Is it just me, or does writing look a lot more fun to read when it's brightly colored?  Now, I just have to focus on the pretty colors.  Negative breath in, positive breath out.   

7.  There's only 61 days until Christmas.  That excites the beejezus out of me.  Last year, Christmas seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye.  I'm going to make it a point this year to soak up every bit of Christmas - starting with the trimming of the tree on Thanksgiving night, to weekend Christmas movies and hot chocolate, to dragging out the gifts being unwrapped on Christmas morning. 

8.  I just realized that I missed the deadline to decline this month's movie from the Disney Movie Club - and so now I've been charged $30 for a movie I don't want.  Why does that never happen when it's a movie I actually want?  Those clubs always seem to get me somehow.  I don't know why I ever signed up for the thing.  Oh, wait.  Yes I do.  I got 10 movies for $1.99, and thought that was a great deal.  Now I'm just realizing that I'm going to buy 4 movies at regular price - which is about double what I'd pay in the store.  I never seem to get it when I'm being duped.  

9.  Ten things Thursday is a lot easier to write when I'm a little grumpy. It's so easy to find things to complain about.  There's something wrong with that statement.  I really need to work on finding more things to be happy about.  But, I guess I can look at it that I'm writing out all of grumbles and leaving them here.  I don't want to let out the good things that keep me going.  Those are the things I want to hold on to. 

10.  I'm going to end with saying that I'm very happy I get an extra day off this weekend.  Thanks, Fall Break!  I just caught a bit of the weather forecast for this weekend, and it's supposed to be much colder than it's been the past week.  We had temps back up in the high 70s.  Now, the temps are going back down in to the 50s and 60s.  Perfect weather for cleaning my house, snuggling on the couch, and maybe getting out for a little while.  I don't know why I'm such a fan of cold weather - but I am.  It excites me and makes me happy.  If you think I'm happy with temps down in the 50s, just wait and see what happens when the temps go down in to the 30s!

Wow, I zoomed through my 10 things this morning.  Now, I have to go and get all dressed up for my half day of doing parent-teacher conferences.  I hope they are as fun as the Tuesday night conferences were.  Yes, I like doing conferences.  I know, I'm a dork.  And I'm perfectly happy about that!