Oh, There's More...

Just having a flooded car wasn't enough to make yesterday go down in history as one of the Top 5 crappiest days I've ever had.

After dealing with all of the car stress, Kaeli and I went inside to clean up and try to relax a little bit. Up until this point, our dog, Maverick had been seriously neglected because so much was going on. We put his leash on, and took him for a nice walk.

Things were going just fine. The sun had come out, and all of roads had dried up. Quite frankly, unless you had spent your morning trying to salvage your car, it was a pretty day.

I noticed a couple of kids petting a dog that wasn't on a leash. I thought nothing of it until the rather large dog started CHARGING my 11lb. poodle mix. I told Kaeli to get away, and I tried to pick up Maverick before the dog could get to him, but the mean dog was too fast. He's barking and trying to bite Maverick, Mav is trying to get out of the way, and I'm trying, in vain, to get my little dog off of the ground to safety. The next thing I know, mean dog has a hold of Mav's tail and Kaeli is watching and FREAKING OUT. I'm trying to scare the dog away, but it's not working. Maverick manages to wiggle out of his collar (since I still have the leash) and take off running towards home. In hindsight, I guess I could have let go of the leash and let Maverick go running right away, but I kept picturing mean dog chasing him down and hurting him since I wouldn't have been there to protect Maverick. Finally, the mean dog runs the other way. I get Kaeli and Maverick into the apartment, and go looking for mean dog's owners.

The mean dog is chilling in the grass, and the kids are petting him. They don't know who's dog it is. In fact, no one in the whole complex knows who owns this dog. The kids totally ignored me when I said that they probably should be more careful around it. He seemed okay around people, but they had just watched what he tried to do to my dog. It didn't seem to phase the kids at all.

He had a collar, but I wasn't going to get close enough to look. I'm assuming that he got out of someone's yard. I was going to call animal control or something, so that they could handle the issue, but then the dog disappeared.

Thankfully, Maverick seems ok. As soon as we got into the apartment he was wagging is tail. I checked him for puncture wounds, but I don't think the mean dog ever got a good grip on him. Maverick is little, but he's scrappy.

I walked away from it the most injured. I have a huge burn from when the retractable leash wrapped around my arm during the dog rescuing efforts. Not to mention that now I'm totally terrified to take Maverick out for a walk. I'm also rethinking the retractable leash idea.

Maverick has always driven me a little crazy. He has destroyed my shoe collection, chewed up Kaeli's toys, and, when he gets really mad at me, he urinates in his crate and rolls in it so that he's completely soaked in dog piss. Then, as I was petting him and showering him with extra attention last night, I realized that I would be devastated if something ever happened to him. As annoying as he can be, he has firmly implanted himself as part of this family. I don't want to wish bad things on an animal, but I seriously hate that other dog for even coming near Mav.

The whole incident probably lasted a minute, but it was a seriously long minute. Like a slow motion minute that was just icing on the cake of one of the longest days ever.

I Will Never Look at Water the Same Way Again

Yesterday was one of those days that just sucks ass. There is no eloquent way to describe the shittiness of my Tuesday.

3am - Early Morning Storms

Kaeli came into my room, and asked to sleep in my bed because she was scared by the thunderstorm. Until she came in, I didn't even know there was a storm. It turned out to be a really bad one. The thunder was so loud, and the lightening was so bright that I couldn't fall back asleep. There was hail hitting my windows so hard that I was sure they were going to break. It was insane. I just sat there watching the ridiculous amount of rain. I have never seen so much rain in my life.

6am - Happy Ignorance of the Day Ahead

It was still raining so hard. I turned on the TV to check out the morning news. OMG. There was flooding EVERYWHERE. And, of course, my side of town was hit really badly. Kaeli's school was delayed 2 hours, the park and ride wasn't running routes, the power went out briefly, and the weatherman was very adamant that if you didn't absolutely have to be anywhere then stay home. I watched the pandemonium for a while, then emailed my boss to let him know that I was going to wait out the storm, and I would be into work after I dropped Kaeli off at school. Then I smiled because I was going to get to sleep in on a weekday. I blissfully climbed back into bed.

8am - The Shit Storm Begins

I get a text from my friend saying that the powers that be decided to cancel school all together. I realize that I'm going to have to call work and tell them I'm not coming in, but I quickly find out that staying home with Kaeli is the least of my worries. My alarm goes off, my phone rings, and someone is knocking on my door all at the same time. I rise from my slumber to my friend calling and my neighbor knocking to tell me the same news.

My car is full of water.

As it turns out, pretty much every car on my street is full of water. Neighbors are informing other neighbors, and in a matter of minutes the parking lot is full of people trying desperately to dry out their cars. The water has receded, so the street isn't flooded anymore, but the damage has been done.

My friends and I spent about two hours trying to soak up as much water as possible, but it really didn't help. I gave up, dirty and exhausted.

Since Rob is truly the best boyfriend on the planet, he left work and drove all the way down here to help me. He spent hours shop-vacing (is that even a word) my car. It didn't really do a lot of good though. There is SO MUCH water. I know he knew that his efforts were futile. He just did it to make me feel better, and try to help me out.

My car still runs. I'm not sure it's such a great thing to be driving it around, but at this point I just don't care. It was still wet this morning. Don't even get me started on the smell. So seriously disgusting.

I called my insurance to make a claim yesterday, but so did everyone in Houston. I have an appointment on Friday with the insurance adjuster. I've never done anything like this before. The only accident I've ever been in was a fender bender when I was 16, and my mom handled everything. In all honesty, I have no clue what the heck is going on.

At first, I just figured they would take a look at it, and decide to take out the carpets and re-upholster everything. Then, I got to work. According to my coworkers, water is a car's kryptonite. They are all telling me to hope it gets totalled because there is no coming back from that kind of water damage. I'm still making payments on my poor little car. I only have about a year left. It scares the crap out of me that it will get totalled, but the insurance company won't value it for enough to pay off the car and have a little left over for a down payment on another one. I'm also scared that the car won't get totalled, but it will never be worth anything ever again because of all the water damage. Apparently, no one wants a car that has ever been in a flood.

I've realized that I do not handle stress well. I have this tendency to just shut down and avoid everything at all costs when things get to be too much.

I'm also annoyed with myself because I've always thought of myself as an independent chick, but the first thing I did was call my boyfriend and freak out!

I know it could be so much worse (one story in the news is particularly awful), but right now, it feels like a lot. I just hope and pray that this all goes smoothly and quickly.

And now for your viewing pleasure, a few hastily taken pictures:

This picture doesn't really show anything. I just think my poor car looks sad and pathetic.

This is inside the trunk. We pulled up all of the mats, and this is my spare tire. Please notice the POOL of dirty brown water surrounding the tire. The tire was submerged in gross rain water and floating trunk trash.

Also notice the dirty water line. It might be tough to see, but, apparently, this is how high the water came up to my car.

I can say, with a large amount of confidence, that I will never be able to enjoy a thunderstorm ever again. No longer will I find snuggling under the blankets while sleeping or reading comforting and cozy.

Because My Google Reader Can Never Be Too Full

New Fun Blog Alert!

New Fun Blog Alert!

I just finished reading through Love Story, and it is such a cute idea for a blog.

I'm a sucker for other people's tales of romance!

Now I Know What Barbara Walters and Perez Hilton are Doing at Every Moment

I did it.

I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon.

So, what do I do now?

I haven't actually left a Tweet, yet, because my first time should be something awesome, right? I mean "I'm secretly blogging at work" isn't really a Twitter worthy event. Instead, I'm checking the Twitterific app on my phone every 20 minutes to find out what else Perez Hilton has to say about Miss California.

Anyone else out there on Twitter? I can't possibly follow only celebrities. That makes me seem lame awesome.

Check baby check baby 123

Email blogger from my phone too? Could this day get anymore exciting?!
Technology rocks.

Kristi

Sent from my iPhone

OMG. Look what I learned how 2 do 2day. Txt 2 blogger. Best day EVER.

Everbody Was Kung Fu Fighting

I totally don't know why that song is stuck in my head.

Kaeli brought home a VERY bad grade on her math test this week.

The thing is, she had all of the answers right. Except the last 10 which she just DIDN'T ANSWER. When I asked her why she didn't answer the questions, she says that she doesn't have enough time, but I seriously doubt that is the case. Especially since, when we go over the questions, she knows the answer immediately. It's simple subtraction, and she has managed to complete the same test format in previous weeks.

I need to contact the teacher and find out if Kaeli is just getting distracted or playing around when she should be taking the test, but that is a different post for a different day.

Anyway, I know she is only in the first grade, but poor performance on tests (when I know she understands the material) is just unacceptable to me.

Her punishment was no TV and an early bedtime until she brought home a better grade. Presumably on next week's math test.

She did not take this well one bit. It's actually the first time she has ever seriously complained about being punished. In the past, she has just taken whatever sentence I have handed down and accepted it with no comments.

In all honesty, her punishment is super lenient. I told her that it wouldn't count over the weekend (because of the holiday and all), and it is okay if, after she does her homework, she watches TV at her grandmother's house. This is a strictly in our house punishment. When we get home she has to study her math and be in bed at 7:30 (normally it's 8). This all started Wednesday night, she's out of school Friday and Monday, plus the weekend, so, essentially, there are only 4 nights where the punishment will be enforced. I don't really care about the actual punishment as much as I care that she realizes that she is being punished for her grade. Does that make sense?

Back to my point, she is not taking this well AT ALL. She burst into tears while we were talking about it. She cried out "This punishment is HORRIBLE." She kept saying that she is a good kid, and it feels like I don't appreciate her. I had to stifle my laughter as I explained that I do love her and appreciate her. Why did I almost burst into hysterical laughter, you ask?

Because I used to say the exact same shit to my parents! Whenever I would get in trouble for breaking curfew or talking back, I would tell them that they don't realize how good they have it. I could be out doing drugs and drinking, but I'm not. They are so lucky, and they don't even APPRECIATE it. Of course, I was a teenager before I brought out this logic on my parents, but Kaeli is pulling out the big guns at 6!!! I think I have created a monster.

I know I should call my parents and inform them of this new development, but I don't think I can handle the pure glee that I would hear in their voices.

Health Conscious Much?

Look what I found at the grocery store this weekend.

I know that I unsuccessfully try watch what I eat, but I've never thought that I should be counting calories for my dog too.

American Girl

I've been meaning to post some pictures of Kaeli's trip to American Girl for, like, a week. For those of y'all with sons, or girls not into dolls, American Girl is a BIG DEAL. I know y'all have been waiting on pins and needles to see all the crazy things that go on behind those big huge doors.

Tess* came into our lives last summer, when Kaeli's great aunt presented Kaeli with her very first American Girl. She's been a pretty important fixture since then.

When Kaeli was on Spring Break, I wanted to do something fun and special so I decided that her first trip to AG was in order.

I wasn't quite sure Rob could handle that much girl-ness, but he was a total trooper.

The one thing I took away from the AG visit is that little girls are freaking crazy when it comes to dolls.

Kaeli giving Tess some love.

Tess at the DOLL HAIR SALON. I still shake my head when I think about the fact that I paid $20 to get a DOLL'S hair done.

Kaeli posing with the finished 'do

The amount of stuff in this bag is unreal. Earrings for the doll. (I convinced Kaeli that stick on earrings were better than regular earrings because we shouldn't poke holes in Tess. That's right folks, you can choose to have your AG Doll's ears pierced!) A new pet cat, Ginger. A new sporty skateboarding outfit for Tess (I think Rob influenced that one A LOT). A sleeping bag for Tess. And her favorite score of the day, matching pajamas for Kaeli and Tess. She's been begging for matching outfits since the moment she got the doll, but I'm not ready to make that leap into crazy just yet. Maybe next time. I had to literally hide the pajamas one night so that I could finally wash them!

Tess after a wardrobe change.

Next was lunch with Tess. There is a whole lotta pink in that bistro! It was a little overpriced (Duh), but the food was good and Kaeli really enjoyed herself.

And last but not least, a picture with all of the Dolls of the Year. Each one of these dolls is only available for one year. I'm considering getting her this year's doll.

All in all it was a lot of fun. I can order the stuff online, but actually going to one of the few stores was really exciting for Kaeli. She already has her next trip planned. In her mind, that trip includes another doll (because Tess needs a sister) and bunk beds for the dolls to sleep on. And more matching outfits, of course. Oy with the poodles already. (If you know the show that line is from then you get to be my new best friend!)

* Kaeli named her doll Tess after one of the characters in Camp Rock. Tess happens to be the blonde bratty mean one. Then, I realized that Kaeli also prefers Sharpay, the blonde bratty mean one in High School Musical. Then, I started wondering if that meant that Kaeli aspires to be a blonde bratty mean girl. But then I realized that I spent alot of a few months ago my late teens and early 20s being a blonde bratty mean girl. I'm definitely seeing a little bit of a blonde bratty mean girl in my future. Fortunately, she's the sweetest funniest little girl, but I'm not sure that I can avoid it. My mother always told me that you reap what you sow. Damn. I really really hate it when the things she said when I was younger turn out to be right.

Some People Should Not Be Parents

This might seriously be the most disgusting thing I have ever read. What kind of mother does something like this?

Police: Mom drugged daughter so she'd get pregnant
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A mother in Pennsylvania has been charged with giving her 13-year-old daughter drugs and alcohol so the woman's boyfriend could get the girl pregnant, police said Thursday.

Shana Brown, 32, is no longer able to have children but wanted to have a baby with her current boyfriend, Duane Calloway, said Uniontown Police Det. Donald Gmitter. The pair decided to drug the girl so Calloway, 40, could have sex with her without her knowledge, he added.

"There's some sick people on this case," Gmitter said.

Brown has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and was to turn herself into police later Thursday, Gmitter said. Brown's attorney did not immediately return a call for comment.

Calloway faces several counts of attempted rape. He was arrested Wednesday and remains in Fayette County Jail.

The three incidents occurred in Brown's home in Uniontown in western Pennsylvania, according to the criminal complaint.

The girl told police the plot was apparently hatched sometime in December after she rejected her mother's proposal that she allow Calloway to impregnate her and then marry him.

In the following months, Calloway attempted to rape the girl three times, Gmitter said.

The first time, in February, the girl was alone with Calloway while her mother went out to buy pizza, according to the criminal complaint. Calloway began groping her and she kicked him away, the documents stated.

A few weeks later, the girl believes her mother spiked her Pepsi with rum, according to police. The girl told them she felt ill after drinking the Pepsi, passed out and later threw up. She was also partially naked when she woke up and Calloway was in the room, according to the criminal complaint.

The third incident occurred in mid-March, when the girl told police she came home early from school because she was not feeling well. She said her mother forced her to drink tea, and then she immediately fell asleep.

The girl said she pretended she was asleep until Calloway made a move, at which point she bolted upright and he left the room.

In a search of the Brown residence, police said they found an empty rum bottle, Tylenol PM and a pill crusher.

Toothless Wonder

Kaeli lost her very first tooth Monday night!

(I feel kind of guilty because I missed the actual falling out of the tooth because I was at the Britney Spears concert. Pictures to come!)

This tooth has been loose for WEEKS. I seriously didn't know a loose tooth could last that long. It gave me way too much time to stress over the going rate for the Tooth Fairy. In the end, I decided that $5 was perfect for a first tooth. She told me she's going to save it for her next American Girl trip. I didn't have the heart to tell her that she's going to have to lose a lot more teeth to buy anything at AG!

It's so weird looking at her now. She suddenly looks so much older to me!

Now, I have a pressing question. What the hell do I do with her tooth? I know my mom kept mine and my sister's baby teeth, but I get this serious feeling of ICK when I think of keeping random teeth tucked away in my jewelry box. At the same time, I can't just throw it away. It's the 2nd tooth that was ever in her little baby mouth. It's like sentimental and stuff. So, Internets, what should I do with it. What did y'all do, or plan to do, with your babies loose teeth? Inquiring minds need to know!