Out with the old, in with the new or is it the opposite?

Shouldn't be doing this right now with a ton of work on my desk and the Devil that wears Prada and the Big Guy running around here acting like they actually work more than 4 hours per week... Sorry, I will not rant...

But, as I was cleaning out old 2009 files from my computer I ran across a lost folder that I didn't know existed. Well I guess it wasn't really lost since I didn't know it existed it was more of an unknown folder. Anyway, it appears that this folder contains blog entries dating back 3 years from my old blog! Not all the entries but some. And for some reason it brought joy to my heart. I haven't had time to read them all but I really can't wait. Maybe I'll even share a few so you can see that I was a lot funnier then than I am now...

So on this eve of New Year's Eve while everyone is busy making resolutions and cleaning out the old and bringing in the new, I had to stop for a minute and say I sure have missed blogging and my blog buddies. I've missed the friendships and the stories and even the worries. I don't make resolutions because I always break them so why bother, but I do want to try harder to get back here more and visit all of you more. Anyone want to join me?

I tip my hat to each of you and hope that you have a safe and blessed New Year and all your dreams come true!

Love, Kat

Another one down...

Well I made it through Christmas and managed to be done and ready before Christmas Eve! We actually had a "WHITE" Christmas here in Texas! Yes, we had a blizzard on Christmas Eve and it snowed all day long and into the night. It was beautiful and lovely and colder than crap! Of course by evening the roads were iced over and made for some treacherous driving so the annual party with in-laws was almost a total bust, but those of us who showed managed to have a good time. Guess what a 50 year old drunken male does when it snows in Texas?

  

He makes the Perfect Snow Angel, such a proud moment from Hubby!

I know our blizzard wasn't a blizzard in some of your standards, BUT, this was the first white Christmas in Fort Worth Texas since like the 1930's and it was a blizzard to us.  Here's C3 having a good time in the snow:

Christmas Day was good, a little different with M joining us for the first time. But I like her and hope she's around for a long time. Christmas afternoon was at my mom's and actually wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Sometimes getting together with LOADS of people is not so easy but Hubby and I discovered that a shot of tequila before heading over there helped A LOT! Will have to remember that for next year.

Hubby and I spent the day with C1 and M at their apartment putting the grill together that we got them and then having a cookout with his friends. I really enjoyed that and it didn't even feel weird to hang with them and their friends. Is that a sign?

Today my oldest sister and I took our Mom to see the New York Radio City Rockette's Christmas Show. Actually was dreading hanging with my sis for that long, but it was a really good show and my mom enjoyed it so much, her joy brought tears to my eyes.

Now it's Sunday evening and I can't believe that I have to go to work tomorrow. Thankfully it's another short week, which I should be thankful for, but I know that this short week and another long weekend will bring on a very LONG couple of months ahead with no time off. I really need a vacation! I do have one thing to look forward to, if I can make it until the end of February! I am finally going to meet two of best buds in the whole world whom I met here in blogland! Yep, Hawkeye Chick, Sarah and I are finally meeting for a 24 hour whirlwind meet-up and I cannot wait. It will get me through the next two months of hell, that's for sure!

Hope all of you had a WONDERFUL and MERRY CHRISTMAS and here's to a very BLESSED NEW YEAR to all of you!

Christmas Swap!

This was my first Christmas Swap and I was so excited to come home from a long day and have a package waiting for me by the front door! Thank you so much Stacy, it was perfect!


A perfect ornament, titled "Mi Casa su Casa" (which just happens to be one of the only things in Spanish I know!)

And a beautiful Christmas kitchen towel, I'm assuming it's homemade, and I don't have a Christmas kitchen towel and it looks perfect on it's new home the oven:

Something for me to make for a Christmas snack, how did you know that I love Tastefully Simple?

And last but not least, a perfect way to end my evening! I've been wanting to get this book, but haven't found the time... Some perfect chocolate, along with cinnamon candles and a lovely homemade bookmark. All just waiting for me on my pillow! A glass of wine and now I feel so special!

Thank you so much Stacy, I couldn't have asked for a better gift! Merry Christmas to you too!

A pictorial Merry Christmas to all...

Okay, life has not gotten any easier nor has the workload decreased. In an effort to save time and money I asked my sister to come take family portraits for our Christmas card. I had to use bribery and cash to get my entire family there and looking HALFWAY decent. Unfortunately I should have used some of that bribery money towards a real photographer, nevertheless - here is my family and if I don't have time to visit each and everyone of you before Christmas - may yours be merry and filled with many blessings. The only thing I've asked for from Santa is time and sanity, probably not going to happen...

C1 C2

C3 The Boys
The Family
Hubby and I
Me and My boys

where does the time go?

So what has been happening in the past month? Really don't have to time to think about all of it but will try to hit the highlights, surely I will forget most of them.

• I am actually stiIl alive.
• I've missed my blog buddies, really I have.
• Due to the decision of insurance carrier to leave the States of Texas and Illinois, in which my company had approximately 1700 policies with, I've been dropped into crisis mode in attempting to contact all of these policy holders to ensure that they can move their coverage to another carrier without losing coverage. This has meant hiring 6 temporary employees and working non-stop 10-12 hour days... Deadline was today.
• In the midst of that major crisis, another insurance carrier filed bankruptcy and basically decided to stop paying the agents their commission. To the tune of approximately $2.5 million of income to our agency per year. Major hit financially and currently working through this mess and stress.
• I hate my job.
• I am thankful I have a job.
• C1 moved in with M and I'm the worst mother E.V.E.R. because I have not taken the time to visit their new abode. When am I supposed to fit that in?
• C2 has dated and broken up with approximately 10.5 different 'girls' and I've given up on who's who...
• C3 is finally in drivers ed, which is killing me. 3 1/2 weeks of class from 6:30 - 8:30 every night, to be followed by 3 weeks of drive time - definitely don't have time for that.
• Was suckered into hosting Thanksgiving at my house for the in-laws on the condition that they could use my house but I did not have time to plan or organize. Hmmm... started cooking at 5:00 Wednesday until 2:00 AM Thursday, took short siesta and was back at it at 7:00 AM, won't even go into the details. The bitches.
• Hubby turned 49 this weekend and his employees wanted to throw him a birthday cookout. At MY house. That happened on Saturday. The good thing was I didn't have to do anything, they did it all. The bad thing I was the only female there, well unless you count the stripper that C2 brought as his date... I have pictures but I'm too tired to transfer them right now.
• Have not given Christmas a single thought, nor do I know when I will...
• Got fired by liver doctor because I 'failed' to make my 6 month MRI check up. Tried to call immediately to set appointment and left a message for the nurse to call me. That was on November 9th, no call yet. Hmmm... decided I would do the firing and sent a very nasty letter to said doctor.
• Found a new liver doctor, go on the 15th, I think, have MRI on the 8th, I think.
• Squeezed in annual exam, found out my cholesterol is still high, WTF? Why have I been taking that damn pill once a day for three years?
• Pretty sure I've forgotten something, but I'm hungry now.
• Calling for snow tomorrow through Friday? WTF?
• Will try to catch up soon...

Technical Difficulties...

Due to technical difficulties, er...life, this program will postponed.

Calgon take me away, please!

Catchy Title Should Go Here...

Well I suck at blogging lately... But I did just spend the time to go visit everyone as I sit here at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning in my pajamas, all alone, still drinking coffee and listening to MY music, ahhhh..,

Nothing too exciting happening around here. Only two more football games left for the season which is kind of sad since then I won't have anywhere to go on Thursday or Friday's for awhile. Won't even discuss the Booster Club bullshit, it constantly infuriates me to the point of tears. Just about ready to throw in the white towel on that deal...

Hubs hasn't had a Saturday off in as long as I can remember thanks to the wonderful rain that seems to never want to end. Seriously thinking that we have mysteriously transformed into Seattle or something...

Kids are all cool, at the moment, seems that C2 is in one of his 'good periods' right now and that makes life good.

Work is overwhelming. It seems that ObamaCare has scared the masses into buying health insurance before it's too late. Which is FANTASTIC for me and my company but I haven't worked this hard in many, many years and truly was on the verge of considering retiring but now... Well, seriously can't pass up the money right now...

Not looking forward to the holidays, can already feel that doom and gloom feeling coming on, bring out the Prozac! But I am thankful that the weather here feels like fall, a true fall, like other places - wow! C3 announced yesterday morning when we left the house in the morning that it smelled like Christmas? Dude, you live in TEXAS what exactly does Christmas smell like? Normally sweat...

This must be the most boring post ever...

I know, I know, who cares?

I know that high school football might not be as big everywhere else like it is in Texas, and I know that you probably REALLY don't care about our little ol' school...

BUT, each week one of the local TV stations has a game of the week and it is a big honor. They come film at the school, during the pep rally and at the game. This week are game is up for the vote and again I know you REALLY don't care, but we are neck and neck in the standings with another game and WE WANT TO WIN!

So if you have a minute, it REALLY only takes a minute, please go vote for our school.

http://foxhilitesdfw.ning.com/contests

The one to vote for is Colleyville Heritage vs LD Bell. GO BELL BLUE RAIDERS! And REALLY how can you say no to this cute face????????????

Thank you...

Homecoming 2009

Wasn't on the top of my game this year with the homecoming mum but here's C3 and his date (and yes it's the same date from last year, but supposedly they are just friends...) One difference in this year's photo that I must point out, her boobs don't look as big as they did last year or C3 is taller, not sure which...

However the ONE thing that didn't change, I still made the Mum all by myself, uh, hello, June...

Because Betsy asked so sweetly...

Wow what a difference!!!!

Sixteen

Happy Sweet Sixteen to my baby boy! I can hardly believe that he is sixteen already, man how time flies....

Maybe...

Peace and serenity. I feel it coming, hopefully soon. Thanks for all of your for being here for me!

This too shall pass...

I don't think that I have ever described in full detail what life is like being the mother of a bipolar child. I'm not even sure I know how to describe it to be quite honest with you. I can tell you that it is gut-wrenchingly hard, it breaks my heart and it destroys my soul during the bad times. During the good times there is no love better than the love of your child. I wish I knew the secret. I wish I knew the answer. I wish I had the cure. I wish that the fog that has been hovering for so long could be lifted. I wish I had the sweet, loving little boy of years past back in my fold. I wish I could hold him in my arms and instead of promising that everything will be alright, that I could make it alright. But I can't. And I never will have that power. I just have to try and make it to the end of the latest fog and pray that it does clear. I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I just have to hold my head high. I just have to continue to pray to the higher being. I just have to keep believing that HE will answer my prayers. And on days like today, it's okay if I lose my ability to do all of these things and lay in my bed in the fetal position and cry my heart out and grieve for that little boy that I miss so much. And hope and pray, that this too shall pass. Even though the feeling to scream and get mad at HIM for placing this burden on me and my son is overwhelming. This too shall pass... Please God let it pass.

just when you think you've seen it all...

I'm all for equal rights among the genders. I think women can do anything a man can do, and of course be paid the same for any job. But I guess I've been guilty of reverse discrimination when it comes to men doing the same things women do...

Tonight at the high school football game, on the other team there was ONE male cheerleader. Okay, not too out of the norm, have seen this before, especially on the college level. But then there was ONE boy on the drill team. You know the high kicking, dance group that performs at half time? A little strange, but probably the best high kicker on the squad, but when they ended the routine with the entire line going down into the splits? Weird and painful to watch. Still yet, they had ONE male on the flag corp with the band. You know the girls kind of like the old day baton twirlers but they now do routines with flags and such, throwing them in the air and catching them? Now that was definitely weird, and goes into the things I never thought I'd see category.

Most impressive were his fellow flag throwers, all female, wearing their sparkly HALTER tops, all wearing bras. With their bra straps showing! With halter tops! I guess they don't sell strapless bras in that town? My favorite though was the variety of colors of the bra straps, from the traditional white and clear straight to the black ones and a pink one and to top it off a purple one!

Just when you think you've seen it all...

It's Here!

It's Here! It's Here! It's Here!

Season Premiere of THE BIGGESST LOSER starts TONIGHT!

Happy Dance, Happy Dance, Happy Dance.

Even though this day sucked....

Shhh... I have a secret

I'm pretty certain that most of you are aware that I can easily be classified as a strange bird. I know, it's true, and it won't hurt my feelings if you admit it...

Many, many years ago when I was a wee child, my mother got me addicted to, uh, well, um, soap operas. A little embarrassing to admit but yes, no matter how professional I may appear in the workforce, nor how sophisticated and divaish I appear in social situations, in the privacy of my bedroom, in the safety of my home - I am addicted to soap operas.

Not so addicted that I have to watch them every single day of my life, but addicted enough to record them every day and read the synopsis of the episode before deleting it. I'm also addicted enough to read the weekly update in the newspaper and if nobody I know is around to see, I might pick up the Soap Update at the grocery store checkout and sneak it into my purchases. How sad is that?

I have such fond memories of watching soap operas with my mom. There was nothing more special than having a sick day from school and being able to lay on the couch with my sprite and crackers, snuggled up with a blanket and pillow sharing the daily soaps with my mom. It was a bonding experience like no other. Summer vacation days were scheduled around the daily soap schedule so I could catch up on everything I missed during the school year. My senior year of high school when we were allowed to leave campus for lunch was spent at my bff's house drinking sweet tea, smoking cigs and watching our favorite soap before hustling back to the real world of school.

The greatest thing about soap operas is that you really don't have to watch it every single day to 'know' what's going on. Occasionally some new character might show up that you're not quite sure where they came from, but all I had to do was call my mom and she'd fill me in and instantly I was caught up.

Everyone has their own 'favorite' soap opera and there are a few people in the world besides my mom that I share this secret obsession with so it's always fun when I get to talk about my soaps with another human being instead of keeping my addiction inside the closet. Since I'm spilling my guts now, my favorites have always been (in no particular order and always varying in ranking) The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

Back in June I heard that they were planning on taking the Guiding Light off the air after some 50 or so years of production. I was stunned! This was the one soap that my mom and I shared a passion for. Still to this day I can go to my mom's house and we can watch a recorded episode and talk for hours about the lives of our favorite characters. How sick is that? Still I found it sad that I was going to be losing this part of my history.

I never have time to watch my soaps much anymore and even though I record them daily, I usually erase them at the end of the week after reading the highlights. Since June I have been keeping all of the episodes of the Guiding Light because I thought one day I might like to go back and watch them so I could see how it all came to an end. Last week we were having some cable issues and when the tech dude came out he told me that the box was going out and we needed a new one and unfortunately I was going to lose everything that we had recorded to the DVR. I almost died! But none the less, I soon got over it but vowed to start watching my Guiding Light episodes just in case something else happened and I lost them too.

Friday afternoon, after an extremely long and tiring week, instead of going to get my nails done or a pedicure, which I desperately needed. Instead of taking a long afternoon nap, which I desperately was coveting. I sat down and watched a week and a half worth of Guiding Light episodes. As I sat on my couch for 5 solid hours, I cried and I cried and I cried. I then called my mom and cried with her about all the story lines and how I could 'feel' them coming to an end. I know that sounds really hokey and probably a little psychotic, but the Spauldings and the Lewis' and the Coopers and all the other great characters that I had grown up with had become not only my friends but my family.

I hardly know what the world will be like without Josh and Reva, Philip and Beth, the Bauers and all the other great characters on this show. It's like a death in the family and even though this show has gotten pretty hokey in the last couple of years, okay it's always been hokey, I will miss it and I will miss all of them. Farewell Guiding Light family, thanks for being part of my like for the past 46 years!

And shhh... all of you need to keep my secret!

WTF is up with that?

Just when you thought you finally figured me out and you thought I was going to get on my soapbox this evening and nag about health care reform and the Prez' speech tonight, (didn't you?) I throw a curve ball and today I'm just going to be totally random... wtf is up with that?

I would like to send out (and request please) some thoughts and prayers for my niece. She left today for a tour of duty in Iraq. Not only does this make me extremely sad, but I am frightened for her. I know she will be okay, I know that she will be fine. I know that she knows I love her because I made sure to tell her at least a million times in the past month, mostly in the last week, at least half of those last night. And this morning. Okay will stop that now because the tears are flowing... wtf is up with that?

I have two birthday boy's this month, C1 turns 26 and C3 turns 16. What to do, what to do? I don't have a clue what I am supposed to do or what I am supposed to get either one of them. Maybe I'm birthday'd out? wtf is up with that?

C1 and M are planning on cohabiting beginning the first of the month. I'm not sure if I'm getting old or menopause has taken over my soul but I really don't have any feelings about this, one way or the other. Hell I don't even care if my Mom finds out, wtf is up with that?

One of my stupid cats in currently in my room and won't leave. I don't like animals in my bedroom. Each time she comes out from under the bed and C3 or I try to pick her up and take her out to the garage (her official home), she swats at us and runs back under the bed. I probably wouldn't care so much except she won't quit meowing, wtf is up with that?

I am watching a double header recording of the Duggars' 18 and counting. I honestly think these people are strange, having that many children is just not normal, wtf is up with that?

I went to the doctor today because of some recent stomach issues. Maybe this is TMI but I'm on Day 12 of stomach rot and explosion. Serious explosion issues. Since I refused to join in the festivities of specimen collection, we are going on the assumption that perhaps I have a parasite or intestinal infection and I'm on medication. Anyhoo, I've been a little testy since I fully expected to have lost a gazillion pounds due to the issues, yet my scale at home shows that I have not lost any weight, at all, not one friggin OUNCE, in the past two weeks. Every day same weight, no matter how I stand on that scale. But today at the doc's office, their scale showed I had lost almost 10 pounds since my last visit... wtf is up with that?

Even though I have rotting gut, I really needed a chocolate fix so I just ate a Dove dark chocolate. Yes it tasted really good and yes my stomach is not pleased with me. My message for today - "Start a good habit today" - wtf is up with that?

Can we do this three day weekend every week?

I really could get used to having a three day weekend every week, well only if Hubby only got a two day weekend...

Saturday, with no direct intention, I stayed in my pajamas ALL.DAY.LONG. It was heaven! Actually didn't even realize I was in my pajamas until Hubby came home from work at 2:30 and caught me playing Wii, in my pajamas! Slept in until about 9:00, sat on the deck and read the newspaper and drank a pot of coffee, C3 challenged me to a Wii bowling/golf tournament (I won), he got pissy and went to sulk, so I kept playing and Hubby showed up. Oops. Then I decided that since I was still in my pajamas, what would be better than a nap? Woke up around 6 pm and sent Hubby out to rustle up some dinner. What a wonderful day!

Sunday got up around 8:00, read the paper on the deck and drank a pot of coffee, went to church, came home and took a short nap. C3 decided that he wanted to go to the zoo, so off we went! We hadn't been to the zoo since he was really small, probably before he started school! They have done tons of work at the zoo and it was actually a really good time and of course we forgot the camera!

Today, I had to play catch up for my two lazy days and did a week's worth of laundry and went to the grocery store, made fried chicken for dinner and took a long walk with Hubby to work that off. Now I'm just relaxing and looking forward to a short work week. Well not really looking forward to work, but at least I'm relaxed enough to handle it!

Hope your weekend was great too!

Dead Creatures and Varmints

Back in the day raising three boys it took a LOT to freak me out and get the heebie jeebies. For some reason the older I get the easier it is to freak me out.

Things that freak me out to the point of dry heaves and possibly hurling:

1. Rodents and varmints, including but not limited to mice, rats, chipmunks, squirrels, opossums, raccoons
2. Flying bugs, including but not limited to flies, mosquitos, bees, wasps, dragon flies
3. Blood, including but not limited to fresh blood but pictures of blood
4. Open wounds, including but not limited to bloody open wounds
5. Smells, including but not limited to body odor, dog crap, dead animals

Monday when I came home from work there was a 'smell' as soon as I came in the house. My first thought was now that C3 is back in school the trash does not get taken out on a daily basis and that was were the stench was coming from. Empty the trash, sprayed the trash can down with Lysol, lit some candles and went on with my business.

Tuesday when I came home from work there was a more potent 'smell', actually it smelled kind of like someone had just cooked Brussels sprouts. My first thought was that since I am have been severely slacking on the cooking and shopping department that there must be some rotting food in the fridge. There was, so I cleaned that out and scrubbed it down and took the trash out, lit some candles, sprayed some Lysol and went on with my business.

Today when I got home from work there was a 'stench' a very indescribable stench. Hubby had already lit all the candles and sprayed the Lysol but it had not made a dent in the stench. My first through was that the toilets had overrun and possibly backed up into the tub. Hubby's first thought was that the line in the kitchen was backed up. I checked that and it was clear, toilets were fine, nothing in the tub and Hubby said it smelled like really strong mildew or mold. His thought was to check the laundry room to see if the washer had been leaking, which it had not. I do not know why,maybe a calling from God, but for some reason I was compelled to open the closet that hosts the air conditioner and heater unit.

It didn't take me long, kind of like a split nano second, to slam the door while excreting a blood curdling scream that would not stop nor be controlled as I ran around the house alternating screeching and screaming, violently shaking and only stopping for the dry heaves. My reaction freaked Hubby out so bad that he was afraid to open the door and all he kept doing was chasing me around the house, shouting "What, WHAT, WTF is WRONG WITH YOU?"

It took several long minutes, but between the drive heaves, I managed to blurt out "Dead, Dead, Dead!" This only freaked Hubby out more and from my reaction he was thinking I saw a decapitated head or something and was too scared to look in the closet. When I finally made it outside to the back yard and I finally stopped dry heaving and hyperventilating by placing my head between my knees, I screeched "DEAD OPOSSUM IN THE CLOSET!"

Hubby thinking that by my reaction that it must be a big ass frickin opossum, geared himself up like he was going into a nuclear reactor plant and headed to the closet. I can't actually tell you what happened from that point until he came back outside to tell me he took care of it because I was busy doing the labor breathing outside in order to not hurl all over the deck, but his explanation that it was a 'tiny, baby opossum' that must have crawled through a crack into the attack and fell to his death from the vent in that closet, didn't ease the hurling reflex, nope they got worse. Bad enough that we had to leave the house for a couple of hours until I was brave enough to come home.

Even as I sit here typing this, the hurl reflex is in full force. What if I fall asleep and some crazy ass Momma Opossum decides to find her way into my house and kill me in my sleep for allowing her baby to die? I may never be able to sleep again. I know I will never be able to eat again, the hurl thing is to strong. AND I will NEVER in my life open that closet door again, E.V.E.R!

Conversations with Da boys

C1...

Phone Message from C1 - "Mom, I need you to call me as soon as you can, I really need to talk to you about something serious."

My initial thought:

 

Reluctantly I call him back....

Me:  "What's wrong?"

C1:  "I really need to talk to you about something serious."

Me:  "Well just spit it out."

C1:  "Well you know M and I are talking about moving in together, and I wanted to know how you feel about that?"

Me:  "Son you're 26 years old, an adult making your own way, I don't think my opinion really counts."

C1:  "But I want to know what you and Dad think about her?  About us?"

Me: "We like her just fine, she's a sweet girl, but it's not us that will be living with her."

C1  "I really think that I want to spend the rest of my life with her.  We've talked about a future together."

Me: "Uh, um, uh, I think that's wonderful for you."

C1:  "I love her Mom, I bet you never thought you'd hear me say that."

Me: "Actually, no I never did.  I tell people all the time I will never have a daughter in law or grandchildren.  I've kind of came to terms with that."

C1: "She wants kids, a couple of them at least.  But am I too young to feel this way?"

Me: "You aren't too young to feel this way, but you are too young to start having babies.  You should wait AT LEAST 4 years."

C1: "I agree, but why 4 years?"

Me: "Obviously you forgot what I told you many years ago.  You make me a grandmother before I'm 50, I'll have to whack it off!"

C1:  "GAWD MOM!  I tell you I'm in love for the first time ever and you threaten to whack it off?"

Me: "There are rules son.  You KNOW the Diva rules.  These rules can't be broken..."

C1:  "I was expecting something more like, congratulations."

Me: "Did aliens take over your brain child?  This is your mother you're talking to."

C2...

Text message to Hubby:  "Wow Dad, today was the greatest day ever!  It reminded me why I love this job and working with you!  Love you Man!"

Text from Kat to C2:  "Wow, I don't ever get such loving texts from you?"

Text from C2 to Kat:  "Who is this?"

Hmmm...

C3...

Upon getting in the car after football practice...

C3:  "Mom, I've decided what I want to do.  I'm moving to California!"

Me:  "Hmmm... Don't let the doorknob hit you in the ass on your way out."

C3:  "GAWD Mom, not today!  When you cut me off the payroll..."

Me:  "That could be accomplished sooner than you think..."

And the winner is?

When it comes to modern technology, the Kat family is pretty much a day late and a dollar short.

We've had Internet connection at home for a long time but that was mainly because it was a work requirement. Which means we had a computer in the house but until sometime in the last year or so never had a laptop, but once again because of work both Hubby and I each now have one of those.

We've had cable TV or satellite TV or Uverse TV since it's inception mainly due to the fact that I am a TV junkie and the rest of the testosterone beings in the Kat family are sports fanatics. I never really had the desire to upgrade any of the televisions in our house to the flat screen HDTV model and now,in less than one year we have two?

We've had pretty much every game system since Atari but since C3 is a XBOX360 snob we never jumped on the Wii bandwagon despite all the hype. Well until last week when I finally convinced Hubby that we needed some family bonding tools before it was too late and C3 didn't want to bond with us anymore.

Through our journey into the technical device era I was considered the 'techie' of the family and was able to connect and figure out how most of the new fangled devices we bought worked. When we finally got a VCR I was able to hook it up and we could rent movies and watch them although I never figured out how to record anything on it. Of course about a year later that was on the verge of becoming obsolete with the invention of the DVD player but we held firm until we could no longer rent movies on VHS... We finally got a DVD player and while I was able to hook it up neither Hubby nor I could ever figure out how to get a movie to start without calling C3 into the room.

Next we upgraded to satellite dish and didn't actually need that DVD player anymore because we could string that 100 foot telephone cord across the living room into the kitchen phone outlet and order movies directly to our TV. It even had that DVR feature that allowed any brainless twit to figure out how to record shows. The only problem was when it rained or was cloudy or tornadoes were imminent, we had no reception.

We moved up and onto digital TV when we upgraded to Uverse TV and then I could not only record stuff on one channel, I could record stuff on up to four channels and watch something different. So COOL! Thankfully they came and set up all the TVs and remotes and all I had to learn was how to work the remote control.

Then we purchased our first flat screen HDTV and all by myself and some color coded stickers I was able to hook the box back up to the new set and we were still in business. However I never could figure out how to get the TV and the box to work off one remote so we were stuck with keeping up with two remotes. Of course the TV salesdude convinced us that the new TV wouldn't work properly unless we upgraded to HD service from our supplier and we immediately call and ordered that and started paying the badgillion dollars every month. Honestly, although Hubby swore he could tell the difference between the regular channels and the HD channels, they all looked the same to me except the HD channels didn't fill the whole big screen so we mostly watched regular channels.

Then came last Christmas and C2 bought us a surround sound system that we could play DVD's, listen to the radio and I could hook my ipod up and listen to my music. Hooking that up was an experience and because the first system was faulty and not all of the speakers worked so we took it back and got another one which we had the same problem with, then eight hours later and the third upgraded system, we were able to have surround sound with movies but nothing else. We came to the agreement that was the way it was supposed to work and now had three remotes to keep track of.

So last week when I convinced Hubby to pull the trigger and get the Wii system, I finally got it working except I could only get in to work in black and white. GAH! Throwing in the white towel we scheduled the GeekSquad to come out and figure out how to make it all work together.

We learned some pretty valuable lessons today, one that HDTV really does look different than regular TV, who'd have thought? Second, surround sound does work whether you are watching normal TV or a movie or listening to the radio or the ipod, who knew? Third, we also learned that playing Wii is not only competitive but majorly addictive...

As of now, some 12 hours later, I have mastered not only bowling and hold the house record in that game and even though I've never in my life picked up a golf club or hit a golf ball, I am the reigning family champ in that sport as well. The baseball bores me but Hubby and C3 can be really aggressive in that game. Tennis obviously isn't my game and boxing, well we had to hook up the joystick looking things for that and we can't find where we put one of those... I do know that even though I'm the big winner for the day every frickin muscle in my body hurts and my joints are aching so bad that I had to take a whirlpool bath to even lay down comfortably. But, I can not wait until tomorrow...