My "Qwest" for Internet Continues

How many days ago did I post about not having an internet connection? Was it 10 days? Yes. Was that a long time to wait for Qwest to get out here to put some tiny clamps on a few wires so I can get online? Yes. Should I be surfing the web like a woman possessed today after suffering such a lengthy isolation from all my social media activities? Yes, I should be. But alas, I am NOT tweeting and blogging with a vigor. I am sitting here wondering how I can survive another 2 days while Qwest reissues my order because apparently my first order was never submitted. So I waited 10 days for nothing.

So am I mad at Qwest? Yes. Actually it's more like fury. I kind of wanted to scream out loud and lay on the floor and kick and scream when they told me what had happened. But I didn't, since I have no other viable options for internet service. Does not having options suck? Yes. Does Qwest suck? I don't know yet. That depends on whether or not they expedite my installation and follow through with the other promises the CSR offered to try to keep my business.

Was I right when I surmised that CenturyLinks new name had ominous overtones? YES! And although I may not have to wait an entire century to be reconnected to cyberspace, it FEELS like an eternity! Am I over reacting? Maybe. Wait...NO! Hello!?! I just moved! I need to pay bills and change addresses and communicate with people with whom I am no longer geographically close! I can't do the Pony Express thing in this day and age! AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!

Two days from now will I appreciate the dexterity skills I developed because I had to write blog posts on a tiny android smart phone keyboard? Yeah, actually I might, because I'm gettin' wicked fast now at pounding out texts and tweets from my cellphone. Can I get paid for that? How ironic would it be if I ended up getting a job as a Master Texter Chick making major coin because Qwest screwed up. Could it happen? Yes. Anything's possible. Will it happen? Probably not.

Will I have DSL on Thursday? One can only hope.

Livin' on Boise Time

Things are a little slower paced here in Idaho, which is what I thought I wanted.  Until I tried to get my high speed internet connection set up.  When they told me the earliest day they had was August 30th I started hyperventilating.   The CSR had no sympathy and thanked me for my patience, then hung up.

So this is what I'm reduced to...writing my blogpost from my cellphone because Qwest (now Centurylink) is so busy getting BSU students set up with high speed that I have to wait 10 days for them to get to me! I think there might be a clue in Qwest's new moniker (Centurylink) as to the length of time you might have to wait for service.

ANYWAY...I have so much to write about my recent relocation adventure, but my giant ham thumbs make writing a lengthy blogpost on a tiny cellphone keyboard a very exasperating experience. Not to worry though, I remember every single detail and will make sure to include each and every thought and feeling about my move to Idaho so you don't feel like you missed out. Because I know all of my readers are waiting with bated breath to hear about the journey. I SAID, I know you are all extremely excited to hear about my trip, right? **Crickets**

Gifts of Nature

The entire 4 years that I have lived in my house at the edge of the desert, I have watched all my neighbors' agave plants bloom and grow and put forth that giant stem thingy that shoots out of the middle of the plant right towards heaven.  Mine just kind of sat there not doing much.  I worked hard to care for my agave, pulling the weeds that kept trying to choke it out, making sure it got some water now and then, threatening the neighborhood boys with hours of chores if they didn't quit running over it with their bikes.  And still nothing.  I finally gave up believing that my agave would ever flower like everybody else's. 

A few weeks ago, as we started packing to move, the agave plant must have sensed that change is on the horizon.  Imagine my delight when I walked out one day to find this:

This thing appeared overnight!!  Out of nowhere!  And it grows like an inch a week, I swear!   I don't think I'll be here long enough to see it actually flower on top, but that's okay.  I'm good with the efforts my little plant put forth. 

Thank you, Little Agave Plant, for the wonderful going away present. 

Reconnaissance or Bad Landing?

As a Boymom, there are things I see in my home that I don't think Girlmoms see very often, if at all.  Like this:

It's a toy paratrooper.  Hanging out of one of my kitchen drawers.  I happened to catch him out of the corner of my eye as I was grabbing my purse this morning.  He kind of caught me off guard.  It's not something I expected to see at 8 a.m. in the morning. 

So I immediately did what any other good Boymom would do and started talking to the guy.  "Hey Dude!  How long have you been hanging here?  Let's see if we can get you untangled and to a more stable location, away from enemy fire."  As I was talking I noticed Blackie Chan the Ninja Cat staring at me.  I couldn't tell if he thought I was talking to him or if he was mad that I was removing a potential play toy from his path.  Either way, he looked disgusted with me. 

I started to open the drawer to remove the guy, then didn't.  I know.  I KNOW!!  How could I leave that poor paratrooper just hanging there, waiting to be attacked? Well...because it occured to me that this guy might be there because someone wanted him there.  He might be part of an elaborately strategized battle plan that I know nothing about and by removing him, I might sway the entire outcome of this war reinactment.  I didn't want to be responsible for that. 

I've done that before, you know.  Ruined an entire 2 weeks of planning and staging, along with the outcome of a major battle because I moved 1 army guy from his post on the bathroom counter to the top of a dresser.  It was utter chaos for 15 minutes while everyone had to adjust strategies and move guys around to compensate for mom's lack of military training and knowledge. It was a big "Duh, Mom" moment that I don't care to repeat. 

After almost 12 years of raising boys, I've learned my lesson:  Leave the army guys where you find them. 

Sad for Paratrooper Man, but safe for Boymom.

Defiants 4 x 4s Review

This is how we spent last Saturday...

These little Defiant trucks are a blast!  Their climbing ability is pretty amazing.  As you can tell, the boys loved them. 

(I had more boys there, but some of the parents don't like me taking pics of their kids and posting them on the internet...I try to be respectful of their feelings, but sometimes it kinda kills my blog post. Ummm, HELLO!!  How can I rock the review posts when I can't show your kids loving or hating the things I review?!  I'm so KIDDING!  Kind of.  But seriously, I get it...some parents don't want their kids pasted all over the internet because of safety concerns. I don't always like it, but I get it.)

So, the boys ran the trucks until the batteries died (2 AAA's), then we had some snacks and refueled.  Caramel Rocks and Boulders with Road Rally Gully Punch to drink for the boys.  More batteries for the trucks. 

We'll be taking them out into the desert this weekend to see how they do on the rocky terrain outside, so look for some more videos in a few days.  Also, check out the Defiants 4 x 4s website for more product info. 

Defiants 4 x 4s made their debut in Phoenix and so are only available right now in select Walmart and Toys R Us stores in Arizona.  Again, check the Defiants 4 x 4s website for purchase locations. 

I love that the company supports our troops and will be contacting them to see if they will work on a fund-raising project with my non-profit: Helping Our Warriors.

Birthday Gift FAIL

Here's what my husband gave me for my birthday today-

Sunflowers are one of my most favorite flowers.  I absolutely adore them.

Here's what I gave him for his birthday last week -

FAIL!

His gift was so romantic and thoughtful.  Mine was really practical and well...NOT romantic. 

I think I need to regroup for Father's Day and try again.

Here, Home, Hope Book Review

Thanks to One2One Network, I was able to actually sit down and read a book this last week, for the first time in a very long time.  I love reading, it used to sustain me when I was a kid looking for an escape from my weird, dysfunctional life.  I forgot how much I loved the process of getting to know the characters and really trying to put myself into the story. 

Here, Home, Hope is a "chick lit" novel written by Kaira Rouda.  The whole story revolves around main character Kelly Mills Johnson, a stay-at-home mom  living in an up-scale suburban neighborhood called Grandville.  39-year old Kelly has a successful lawyer husband, well-behaved kids and beautiful friends with whom she shares her life, but she finds herself feeling restless and depressed after a breast cancer scare.  When her boys go off to summer camp she finds herself feeling even more lonely and directionless, so  she decides change is in order and embarks on a "Things to Change (T2C)" campaign to improve her life.  The fact that Post-It Notes became part of that campaign immediately caught my attention and made me laugh, because I am seriously THE Post-It Queen. 

As Kelly puts her T2C Plan into motion, she quickly learns that things are seldom as cut and dry as they may seem.  The two perfectly put together, succesful friends she admires so much are not as perfect and put together as she had assumed and have issues of their own that end up becoming issues for Kelly too!   The rest of the book winds its way through Kelly's attempts to make sense of her life and make the changes she needs to make, while dealing with the changes going on in the lives of those around her. 

I read Here, Home, Hope in two days and although I enjoyed the book and definitely  identified with the character's need for growth and fulfillment  as she transitioned from mother of small children to mother of more self-sufficient teens, there were parts of Kelly's life that I could not necessarily come to terms with.  Maybe it was the $300 hair cut and the shopping trip to the high end boutique.  Or the perfect husband who always says and does the right thing at just the right moment.  Or the perfect suburban neighborhood that Kelly describes as her home.  I don't know anyone who lives like that, so that's not real life...to me.  But then again, I 'spose it is real for some people...I just never ran with the "Country Club" crowd, so my version of reality comes from a whole different place.

The book really is a nice, easy read and there was much to enjoy about Kelly's journey to peace and happiness.  I think it does address some very real issues for women.  Trying to be everything to everybody is something with which most of the women I know struggle.  Here, Home, Hope addresses the feelings and frustrations we all feel when we try to bring more joy and fulfillment to our lives.  It also addresses the reality that not everybody deals with their problems the same way, hence marriages end, families fall apart, people inflict pain on themselves and life gets messy.  And as humans, we tend to be judgemental about people's problem solving skills and choices.  I liked the sense of empowerment that author Kaira Rouda tried to bring out in her female characters throughout the storyline.  I loved that the underlying message is one of support and nuturing, rather than criticizing.   And honesly...I loved the T2C Post-Its and Kelly's T2C List.  I have a few T2C's on my walls now.

Here, Home, Hope was a decent, light, quick read that did give me some ideas, some motivation and some hope that I can make the transisitions I need to make in my own life as I struggle to find "my place" in the Universe.  And it reminded me that while I am on my journey, I need to feed and care for my sister friends (T2C #5) without judgement.

Sending lots of love out to all of you who continue to support me as I work through my issues and find my path to fulfillment!

***Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this review and the opinions expressed are my own.  I did recieve a digital copy of Here, Home, Hope from One 2 One Network in order to facilitate this review. ***