To Fulfill a Dream

One of the things on my "Life's To Do List" is to sing the National Anthem at a Mariner's game. I realize that this dream is a bit unrealistic, because the M's often have opera singers (great voices, but c'mon . . . it's not very 'baseball') or different professional groups. And while I may be good, I'm just not quite that good.

So today I heard that the Everett AquaSox (the M's single A team in the area) are holding auditions for the National Anthem on May 17 at the Everett Mall. They call it "AquaSox Idol". I went right to their web page to find out more informaion.

Participants have to preregister, so as to get a spot to audition. The form was on-line, and I sent in my registration. And just moments ago, I heard back from the good folks in the AquaSox organization. I got my registration in on time - I WILL BE AUDITIONING!

I'm very excited!!!! I'll keep you posted on the whole experience. Now let's hope that I'm not in labor on that day between 1 and 2 pm.

By way of a side note, Doug and I had our first date at an AquaSox game, and are already planning on attending 7 games this summer (they have a nice little promotional ticket plan we are taking advantage of).

Mine Sweeper

One of the great things about the computer game Mine Sweeper (MS), is that you can have your game interrupted, but you can return to it and continue playing without really having to worry about "now, where was I and what strategy was I using?" I think that Free Cell falls into the category of needing some sort of sustained concentration, which is not ideal when you keep getting interrupted.

Which is to say, I've been playing a bit of MS while my students have been working on their assignments. I'm available for questions, but am keeping myself 'busy' in the mean-time. I should actually be working on cleaning my room, filing papers, etc. But the less time I spend on my feet these days, the better!

I enjoy playing the 'expert' level, where one is trying to clear out 99 mines. I usually just start out by doing a bunch of random clicks until a reasonable space opens up, and then I start clearing away.

What annoys me about the game, though, is that sometimes I just have to guess as to where the mine would be. Is it in Spot A or Spot B? Could be either, and no amount of logic will find the answer. Having a game killed because I'm forced into a 50-50 guess is annoying.

I'm lucky if in a given day I actually clear all the mines and win. A part of that is due to the 50-50 guess. Part of that is due to just moving too fast and not actually clearing the mines that I'm supposed to.

It seems I'm spending too much time and thought on this. But it is such a lovely, quick and easy game!

Random Duck Fact

Here's what I just learned from one of my students, via a Snapple fun fact.

A duck's "quack" doesn't echo.

I love learning new things!

Random Duck Fact

Here's what I just learned from one of my students, via a Snapple fun fact.

A duck's "quack" doesn't echo.

I love learning new things!

Sewing Help

Yesterday I was working on a quilt for our baby. Cutting fabric, using the sewing maching, etc. Tigger REALLY wanted my attention through the whole process. I tried telling her that if she sat within arms reach, but generally not on top of what I was working on, I'd keep petting her.

She'd sit on the fabric. She'd walk in between me and the sewing maching as I was sewing. Generally cute and annoying at the same time.

The fabric Tigger is sitting on here is not from the quilt, but from some burp cloths I was working on. She's giving the "Pet me, don't move me" look!

Cat tested and approved

Of all the baby things around the house (swing, carseat, crib, changing table, cradle), the bouncy seat wins the cat approval. Tinker has taken a liking to it! And I can hardly believe that between the other three cats and the above mentioned new things in the house, it's the only thing that has been 'cat-i-fied'.

Nursery all ready (perhaps!)

The nursery is pretty much all together. Except that the baby isn't here yet. Over the weekend, Doug and I went to Babies R Us. Probably the first and last time he will go there. I tried to warn him!

While we were there, shopping off of 3 registries (no kiddin'), we picked up the bedding for the crib.

A look at the quilt tacked up to the wall.

A "far" view of the crib.

A closer view of the crib.

Also of note in the room, the walls are all painted.

A little taste of heaven

Today it was very difficult to get out of bed. It's Friday. Our spring break begins next week, which makes it quite possibly the last school in the whole United States to have spring break. And while I had a blast at the baby shower yesterday, all that it entailed and getting home at 7pm was clearly a little bit too much for me to do.

So as I was getting around in sloooooooow mooootion today, I felt like a semi-truck (as I am feeling large these days) that had some sort of sludge build-up in the engine, causing it to only operate in 1st gear. And with lots of dead bugs splattered on the windshield.

I arrive at school, to find out that our principal ordered a portable latte cart to serve the faculty and staff this morning.

Now, with pregnancy, it's advised that you limit caffeine intake. I've been having 1-2 diet colas a week, but have completely eliminated coffee, basically because I'm an addict. It's a slippery slope from one 'normal' cup of coffee (6-8 oz), which would be acceptable, to 4+ 'normal' cups a day. I know I have very little self-control in this area, so it's been all or nothing.

Except for today. I figure that since the cart is only here this morning, the temptation is very limited. A single 8 oz. vanilla latte, please.

Oh, so tasty. I love this nectar of the gods. Drank every last foamy drop, savoring the coffee-flavored goodness it contained.

And now I think the semi-truck might make it into at least 3rd gear!

April Showers

Yesterday my coworkers hosted a most wonderful baby shower. We were at my friend Katie's house. Fiesta platers from Azteca. Strawberry margaritas (non-tequila ones were available!) Lots of love and laughter.

Among the great and wonderful presents, the one below was probably the most unique. And the most enjoyed by Doug, though the Mariner sippy cups placed a close second.
Okay, since I can only get a small image copied into the blog, here is the interpretation. A sheep saying, "Baaa", plus a rock. The green text says, "Barack Obama 2008".

The support of this presidential candidate is high in our household. So much so that Doug is an alternate state delegate, with the possibility of going to the National Democratic Convention in Denver this August. But it's just also funny to have such a onesie. And if you are looking for other fun and silly t-shirt type things (not just political), check out www.cafepress.com.

By the way, did you know that the phrase "onesie" has been copyrighted by Gerber (I think), as on their packages it say that the onesie is celebrating 25 years. Though we all know they've been around longer than that! I probably owe Gerber money just by writing about the onesie in this blog.

Baby Names

Doug and I are still working on figure out baby names. We have a first name for a girl, and a middle name for a boy (and, no, we're not telling!).

I thought it'd be a fun exercise to have the last question on today's calculus test be "Optional: What should Mrs. Brouillard name her baby?" Below are the results from first period.

Girl: Maria, Sylvia, Sawyer, Kate, Olivia, Jordyn, Corey, Grace, Elizabeth (x2), Cecelia, Emma, Krista, Beth, Michelle, Rebecca, Kelsy, Isabelle Marie, Elizabeth Rose

Boy: Hayden, Carson, Easton, Eli, Cartaer, Gareth, Jeremy, Jesse, Jayce, Jay, Jonathan, Nathan, Sean, David, William, Roy, Jackson Taylor

One student wrote this essay. Since I am just this kind of girl, I have already picked out the names of my three kids: Christopher Adam, Nicholas Jason, Gabriella Isabel (In that order, if possible.) Feel free to use a combo of any of those and/ or these are other names I like in general:
Girls- Savannah, Sienna, Ashley, Angela, Theresa, Claire
Boys- Anthony, Preston, Sean, Zachary, Thomas, Andrew

Other student essay: Never let your child's name be confused with anyone else's! Uniqueness all the way. Boys - Alphonse, Theodore, Bruce, Hans. Girls - Betsy, Betty, Sylvia, Helen

My personal favorite of the day, though, was the following: Boy- Jezus, Girl - Hello Kitty.

Toes to Nose

Last night.
4am.

Owwwie, owwwie, owwwie, owwwie, owwwie, owwwie.

Yep. My first leg cramp of pregnancy. I remembered from some distant part of my brain that when you get a muscle cramp (though this advice may have been for a foot cramp), you should flex your toes toward your nose.

I figure some one came up with that little rhyme, because when you are jerked out of sleep, real thought is far, far away.

So, I pointed my toes toward my nose. It helped (mostly). But I still have residual pain in my upper calf (almost at my knee).

Just one more of the joys of being a human incubator!

Opening Day

Today was opening day for the Seattle Mariners. We won over the Texas 5-3. It was a COLD game (it even was snowing - thank you retractable roof!), but we basically appropriately dressed. Didn't pull out the blankets, but really thought about it. Above is the obligatory self-portrait of Marla and me.

We also hung a brilliant poster, though we did not get on the big screen with it. Perhaps on TV? Any sightings, viewers?

4 cats. 2 adults. 1 house.

Doug and I have two cats: Tinker and Gabby. With my mother-in-law being in the hospital, we've added two more to our household: Tigger and Charlie. The two pictures below are of Gabby. In the first one, she's just being darn cute, wanting her tummy rubbed. In the next, she's 'hiding' under Doug's knees. She also LOVES to help you make the bed by hiding under the sheets and blankets as you are putting everything together. She a bit skiddish around strangers, but once she warms up, she'll talk your ear off, hence the name.


Next up, Tinker. One day I put an extra pillow from the couch onto the top corner of the couch. It's been her spot ever since.


Charlie. In every picture I've taken of him, he has the super-glowing eyes. He enjoys getting brushed out as part of my bed-time routine. And he's taken to making sneak attacks on Tinker, which she most definitely does not enjoy.


Tigger, in a scratch-my-belly pose. She also enjoys spending a lot of time on my lap while I am watching TV. She is not helpful when I want to get up, however. Doesn't take a hint, to the point where I am practically standing up (which takes me a while these days) and she's still hanging on!

Now that you have been formally introduced to our pets, I'll be sure to share more stories.

Nursery Prep, step 1

Sunday we began painting the baby's room - a nice Easter project. The title of this blog entry is actually a bit misleading. Last weekend we did a bit of drywall work to prep the walls. And the taping happened last weekend, too. I love taping. I'm good at it, and have real skills with it. From what I've heard from others, they hate taping for painting. I think I could make some good money off of my talent in this area. But I digress.

In the picture below, you can see many things. The bright medium blue and yellow wall color belongs to the old room. It's been edged with a primer coat, designed to cover dark colors. I've yet to be convinced that this will actually cut down on the number of coats of paint needed, so I'll be sure to update.

In this next picture, you can see the darker blue wall. That's part of the finished project. The other walls will be green. All the walls will end up with a glazed-paint accent. The goal is to be done with the whole project by this weekend.

Pregnant Woman No-No

I did something today that I definitely shouldn't have done. Saw the warning signs and plunged on anyways.

A little back-story. A few years ago, one of the choir members from my church and his wife had a child. They knew going into the birth that the little boy had severe birth defects. Jeannie and Steve were very upfront in sharing their journey with us at church.

Well, Steve sent out an email this morning letting us know that msnbc.com had written a story about this part of their lives. Below is the link.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23682263/

Even though I knew what I was getting into, I read it anyhow. And cried, and cried, and cried. May have (okay, let's be real, definitely would have) cried anyhow, but being pregnant definitely made it more intense. It's a beautiful story, but particularly heart-wrenching when you are expecting.

What was I thinking!

The Glories of Craig's List

About a month ago, Doug and I made some executive decisions about the landscaping (or lack thereof) in our yard.

First, we planted a rose garden in the front. 7 different varieties. One of my friends who grew up working in a nursery asked what type of roses. To which I answered, "Uhhhh, pretty ones?" Clearly I am new to this. And will take any rose-growing advice that is out there!

Second, we bought 4 fruit trees for the back yard. One apricot, one Gravenstein apple, one apple tree with 4 different types of apples growing from it (thanks to grafting of branches), and one pear tree with 5 different types of pears. I'm really looking forward to the years to come when they bear fruit.

Which leads me to why I like Craig's List so much. The previous owners of our house had surrounded the back yard perimeter with raised flower beds, created with retaining wall bricks. In planting the trees, we knew we'd be taking out the back stretch of bedding to make room for tree growth. And quite honestly, short of planting a vegetable garden, the rest was too much. A very nice place to grow weeds, but those aren't so attractive.


So I counted up the number of bricks we had (around 500), and headed to the internet. Posted on the "Free" section of Craig's List that we were giving these away to anyone who was willing to come and pick them up. Within one hour, 25 people called saying they wanted the bricks. Another 15 emailed me. It was CRAZY! We went with the first guy, Chris, who was able to come out that afternoon. It took him three trips to load them all up. And he lifted every last one of them himself. WOW!

My only mistake in the whole Craig's List experience was leaving the house right after making the posting. So not only was I taking (and then later ignoring) phone calls while on the road, I wasn't able to delete the listing fast enough so people would stop contacting me.

But ALL the bricks are gone. So now the yard is ready for the next step - what ever that might be!

Holy Week Tradition

One of my traditions during Holy Week is to listen to the "Godspell" soundtrack. Over and over. And to sing right along with all the parts. I find it a wonderful way to get into the groove of the week.

I absolutely love the play, have seen it many times (see list below), and one of my life-long dreams is to be in a production of it. Oh, how I love the "Godspell". The play, that is. The movie is pretty horrible!

Let's see how my memory is for play attendance:

Renton Civic Theater
Taproot Theater (with Jesus as a Hispanic pizza delivery person in NY)
Vancouver, WA
Yakima, WA
Pentacle Theater (I think?)
Renton Civic Theater (again, but possibly the worst production of them all - all the actors spoke WAY too fast. I had a hard time following, and I practically have the play memorized. This was my poor hubby's first exposure to the play, and I'm not sure I could talk him into going again.)

Pregnancy Poses

Here are a couple of recent pregnancy pictures. I'm a little under two months away from the due date of May 24. The kid had been quite active, kicking around and all. Yesterday while I was sitting during church, I kept watching my stomach move in odd places!

Victory with Verizon at last

When we last left off with the saga I've been having with Verizon DSL, the customer service representative told me the $200 would be credited to my credit card during the first week of February.

Yesterday, though not an entire week had passed, I decided to check my on-line credit card statement. Low and behold, there was a credit from Verizon in the amount of $170.

At first, I was annoyed, that they didn't get the amount correct. But then I looked at my Verizon billing statement, and realized that they DID give me the $200 credit, but deducted this month's DSL bill amount.

I feel like I've won the lottery, with this ultimate success over the evil corporation.

Snow day!

By the slimmest of margins, I got a snow day today. Not that the pictures would let you know how close it was . . .

All the school districts around me cancelled school. And with very reasonable notice (by 5:30am). But I hadn't heard anything from my school, which is 25 miles south of here.

In looking at the internet, it was clear there was SOME snow down there, but not nearly as much as there was here. So I sucked it up, showered, ate breakfast, got dressed. Dragging my feet while doing so, saying, "I can't believe I have to go to school/ maybe the call will still come . . ."

And then, as I was packing lunch, and a mere 3 minutes from leaving the house, the blessed phone call came. "No school today."

I believe I benefited from the fact that our school draws students from a wide geographic area, and it FINALLY was deemed not safe enough for so many of the students and their families to be driving.

It did leave me with a quandary, however. I was all dressed, awake, and ready to go. Do I stay up and do things around the house? Do I go back to bed (it IS still early, after all)?

The bed won. I read for about a half hour and then fell asleep for another 90 minutes of glorious snow-day sleep!