This just makes me so angry....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_god_button_home_depot

Ruth's Chris

Chad and I had a gift certificate to Ruth's Chris that someone had given him a couple of weeks ago. We were so excited about going, we were counting down the DAYS before our date. The gift certificate was for $100. Well, we knew as expensive as Ruth's Chris was, that we'd be out of pocket between $20 or $30. But, that was okay, it was still affordable, and well- we were just plain excited about going to a restaurant that didn't serve drinks out of plastic cups and no kids menu.

So, we get there and we get seated and someone comes to our table to offer us sparkling water. I could have SWORN he said he would be attending to us that evening. Well, a few minutes later a lady came to our table and said SHE would be attending to us that evening and went over the specials they were having. Our eyes must have glazed over because she said, "I have one more special to tell you about, and I'll quit boring you." By the time the night was over we had about 3 different people attending to us, and every time they would take something off of our table, our waitress (although I'm sure at a place like Ruth's Chris, she has a fancier title) had this really cool contraption that picked up any and all crumbs and food debris from our table. I felt like I was being really messy and she was trying to tell me something, then I realized how totally cool that contraption was. I meant to ask her where I could get one.....

Chad and I ordered our food, and of course you can't have steak without a good glass of wine. So we ordered an appetizer, entrees, wine, and our bill came to a grand total of $170. I about fell over on the floor. I'm sorry, but there is no steak in this world that is worth about $75 a piece. I will settle for my Kroger special cooked in my own backyard (marked down because the sell by date was two days ago), thank-you-very-much.

Well, today I went out to get the mail. There was a nice little handwritten postcard from our MAIN waitress. (She has some fancy handwriting, too). So, I've come to the conclusion that Ruth's Chris is a nice place. Really. But, a person pays for the service more than the food. They have to pay all those people waiting tables. Two or three people at a time per table adds up very fast. Oh, and they have to pay for those really fancy bathrooms......... But, the bathroom is another story in itself. I'll save that for another day.

Marathon......

So I volunteered for the Marathon Makeover Half-Marathon and Marathon this morning. This is the same group I trained with 2 years ago, but instead of doing the Chicago Marathon, they have now created a local marathon. I was at the hydration station at mile 14. I saw a few familiar faces run by, but most of my old marathon friends decided to do the half marathon, so I missed them by a mile. (Literally) It was SO cold and windy outside. My hands were frozen, my face was frozen, and I decided that if I ever take up running again, I will enjoy the summer months and loathe the cold win slapping against my freezing body. Although, my running days are over at this point. Unless I come close to a nervous breakdown again, I will NEVER have the desire to haul myself 26.2 miles. I don't even think I could do 13.1. More power to the people who like to run. As for me, I get my marathon training in chasing 2 boys around the house 24/7. Actually, I feel like I'm in better shape now than I was 2 years ago when I ran Chicago.

Well, I guess it's been a while since I've blogged. Life has been a little hectic the past few days. Nothing too exciting. I went to see Beth Moore live in Memphis with 59 other girls. It was definitely a girl trip I needed. Very refreshing.

I'm getting so excited about fall being here. I love this time of year, and next to Christmas it's my favorite time of the entire year. It just starts off one big holiday season for me, starting with Halloween and ending with New Year's almost 3 months later. I look for any excuse to decorate during these next few months. I love the chill in the air and the leaves changing and falling. It's just a fun time of year.

In a few weeks I am going on yet another girl trip to Foley. Sadly, I will have no money to shop with, but it's fun to just get away for a day or two and spend time with friends. But, I am also sad because it's the same weekend as Mistletoe Marketplace. I haven't missed that in years, and it ALWAYS starts off my holiday shopping. Chad gets a couple of free tickets through work, but I guess I won't be needing them this year.

Other than just life in general, nothing exciting has happened amongst us. When something good happens, I'll be sure and post.

Parenthood.... one tough job description

So, last night Brennan absolutely broke my heart into a million pieces. You could pretty much say that I'm a no nonsense kind of mother. I don't put up with a lot and I certainly use discipline on a very regular basis. Brennan is a very energetic, typical boy. We are constantly trying to make him settle down and behave. Of course, that's a never ending battle.

Last night he and Chad came in from mowing the yard, and they were getting something to drink. Brennan climbed onto the bar stool at our counter and was not sitting like he was supposed to nor was he sitting still. Well, the bar stool slipped out from under him and hit the wall. Of course it knocks a hole in the wall. Not a big hole, but a hole nonetheless. Chad is not very temperamental, it takes a lot to get him upset. Well, this upset him. It also upset me. At first Brennan tried to shrug it off and pretend like he was more upset than he really was. That made me even madder.

Chad and I would never in any way say things degrading to our child, but we wanted him to know that he had done wrong and he was going to have to be punished for what he did. I think Brennan couldn't have cared less about the possibility of being punished, but he saw his #1 Hero (Chad) and how he reacted to the hole in the wall. And Brennan kept asking us "Is it okay, is it okay?" and we had to tell him no, it wasn't okay. There was a hole in the wall and now we had to spend time and money to repair it, and try and find the paint to match it. Chad left the room to start running Brennan's shower water. While he was gone Brennan turned around to me and had the most heartbreaking look on his face and real tears streaming down his face. Then he said, "Mama, I just wish I could go back to school and stay. And then everything would be okay again."

I don't know whether it was what he said, how he said it, or the look on his face, or all of it combined, but I burst into tears. I have NEVER reacted that way. I was just so taken aback by his sincerity. Once he realized what he had done, and that it could have been avoided if he would have obeyed us in the first place, he became really distraught. I normally would have sent him to timeout or to bed 30 minutes early, but after he reacted the way he did and with the sincerity he showed, I thought for that particular situation it was punishment enough.

I know that is the first of many things he will say to break my heart. Some may be that sincere and some may not. I also know one day he may say something like that and say it out of anger rather than being sorry for something he has done. I certainly don't look forward to those days. It's tough being a parent.

Friday nights at my house....

Brennan just walked in the room after eating a big bowl of tomato soup and said, "Mama, don't let me bend my tummy, because my tummy is full." That kid says the darndest things.

One year pictures.

Ethan's one year pictures. There aren't many because Ethan wouldn't stay still long enough for the pictures, but the way I look at it, the less pics there are to choose from, the less money I will spend.

http://www.jenniferblackwell.com

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