Save the Birds!

As seen on my instructions for my new frying pan...

CAUTION: For safety, please keep pet birds out of the kitchen. Birds' respiratory systems are sensitive to many kinds of household fumes, including the fumes from extremely overheated non-stick pans.

My Friend Thomas

Today, David, Nate the Great and I went to Perris, CA. to visit THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE! (Or My Friend Thomas as Nathan calls him.) It was a fun event and despite some rearranging of our day, I dont think it could have been planned any better!

While waiting for the MAIN EVENT, Nathan was on my shoulders yelling, Thooooooooooomas! Thooooooooomas! Like he was calling a dog from 4 blocks away. That kid has quite a set of pipes! We had a cool ride on trains pulled by My Friend Thomas and Nathan had such a look of peace and happiness on his face. Not over excitement or even enthusiasm-just a look like he was where he needed to be and how at home he was. I wished the train would take us forever...

After the ride and after Nathan said Thank you to My Friend Thomas we walked around a train and cable car graveyard. The sights and smells were amazing. The beautiful aged trains-and busses too-were wonderful to look at. Nathan even really enjoyed checking them out. This was after Nathan TOTALLY confused the very aged Museum guide when he ran up to the old man and said, Um, excuse me. Can I come look at your trains here in Tidmouth Sheds?(For you non-Thomas people, Thomas and the other trains sometimes reside there.) The old man had no idea what this young lad with the mop of hair was talking about and when I told he guide to just say yes, He became even more confused. We got it sorted out-I think and life went on just fine with David and I laughing at our son with the wonderful imagination.

After offering a chance to have Thomas-sorry-My Friend Thomas painted on his arm (No.) we rode on a trolley car around the Train park. We considered doing more but it was near closing time and we decided to head home. On our way out, we got to see Thomas coming back into station after pulling his last load of passengers. Nathan waved good bye and told Thomas to have a good nights sleep in Tidmouth Sheds. He then turned to us and said, It was a fun day seeing My Friend Thomas, wasnt it?

We smiled and said Absolutely.

You can see the pictures here: http://thezabs.smugmug.com/gallery/965372

We are The Happy but Tired Zabs

PS: Fret not, Lucy was not forgotten. She was with my dear friend Kristen while we had our Date with Nate.

OK, Who Are You and What Did You Do With the REAL Bethany???

So I don’t know what was in the air but when I came home after attending some sort of home decorating Tupperware Party, I wanted to DO something! I had an agenda but I wasn’t sure what it was. I lit candles because I needed to relax and looked around my house.

Suddenly, as if lit from heaven, I was able to see through the mess on my kitchen counter. Quickly, items were practically flying off the counter and into their designated places. I made David get his butt off the couch and put the dishes away. Pretty soon, the kitchen was clean.

But it wasn’t good enough.

I had to put the toaster oven away, find places for counter clutter. Wires were organized, baskets acquired and papers sorted and stashed in an accessible but tidy manner. I moved on to the “dining room” and the table was cleaned, mops and Swiffers found a better home. The piano was cleared off and dusted and even reorganized as to better display some of our things.

I don’t know what got into me but my kitchen is practically spotless! The camera is still on the piano (it really is the safest place for it) and the floor isn’t clean because I HATE cleaning the kitchen floor. I even put my damn bananas in a funny shaped bowl!

You all need to find your way to my house soon before I mess it all up.

Now I need to sit down, my asthma is SO bad now!!

Silence...Is THAT the Racket I am Listening to Right Now??

I am not going to allow myself to be distracted by the computer except to say:

LISTEN...do you hear that?

It is the sound of SILENCE

It is the harmonious melody of two children napping in unison

Who knows how long it will last?

So I will FIGHT the urge to crack open a soda, sit on my butt, watch a movie and look at all your facinating MYSpace [and blogspot!] Pages.

Instead, I will RISE to the occasion and

CLEAN.

MY.

HOUSE.


(or at least the downstairs)

Sing a Song of Lucy

Lucy
by Bethany Zabrosky

sweet child
so soft, so clean
baby girl
smelling of bananas and love
my heart forever changed
smiling face
chirping sounds of joy as my fingers dance on your tummy
laughing eyes

my daughter

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ is... Join the Fun!

This is a cheater blog and is possibly more of a Bulletin but I am choosing to blog it instead. I got this off my MUSICAL GENUIS FRIEND's Site...

Directions: Type "(your name) is" with the quotes, into a Google search then pick out your favorite responses. Copy, then repost your responses:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bethany is~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bethany is a deep well of creativity, which is the hallmark of a great artist
(who didn't know that already??)

Bethany is having a prosthetic arm fitted next month
(Oh, you didn't hear about the accident with my KitchenAid Stand Mixer?)

Bethany is trying to describe how she feels when she uses her power
(Ummmm, powerful??)

Bethany is an 11" vinyl doll with curly auburn hair
(Okaaaaaay.)

Bethany is a triple-certified yoga instructor
(I'm very bendy)

Bethany is not just a correspondence school offering courses by mail
(Lesson 1: How to properly operate your KitchenAid Stand Mixer)

Bethany is currently serving in 77 locations and 15 foreign countries
(I am everywhere! How do I do it all?!?)

Bethany is going to have a kissing booth
(The line starts right here!)

Bethany is always grateful to receive donations
(Cash is preferable but baked goods and gift certificates are also acceptable.)

And the winner....
Bethany is an even better mating, with better udders and extreme size and stature
(Quit looking at my udders!)

They Make House Calls Now?

I was driving by a house that had a van out in front that read:

Down Under Plumbing

When did OB/GYN's become mobile?

Tales From Customer Service

My friend BigPhatMomma inspired me to post MY Customer Serevice experience I had this morning.

"Thank you for calling PayPal, how can I help you?"

Didn't realize those words would take any coherent thoughts I ever had and twist them into a swirling mass of goo by the time I was done talking to the kind and "helpful" PalPal guy.

I have what is apparently a recycled e-mail address with Cox. Once, some guy who has a name like mine had it and now he doesn't, I do. Every once in awhile I get a goofy forwards from a friend of his who hasn't updated his e-mail account and then I also get quarterly statements from PayPal. After 2 years, I decided to fix that this morning in person and over the phone. (What was I thinking??) I have tried e-mailing before but I think when you e-mail PayPal, they have filters that remove all your vowels, insert q's in their place and THEN try to answer your question.

20 minutes later, after I have had to spell and re-spell my name, the other man's name, the e-mail address, my shoe size and whether I like chocolate or vanilla ice cream, I am told that it is an ISP problem and good luck and have a nice day.

Getting this guy's e-mails is no big deal to me; I have been deleting them for the last 2 years. It just confounds me that a human being who is supposed to be helpful could have such a hard time understanding a concept. The only thing that could explain it is if he was taking two calls at once, or he is two years old.

I Love the Nightlife...

It’s 1:30am and I am up after a brief bit of shut eye. I have a headache from this blasted cold I feel like I have been fighting all of my life. It has moved into my chest so my coughs sound like I need to be trimming my 2 pack a day habit to just 1. (Or just switch cigarette brands.)

Being up at night when the rest of your family is sleeping feels like sneaking around a store after it is closed. You don’t turn on as many lights. Moving objects around, you take great care to keep them quiet. It is a rich feeling, like you have unlimited possibilities of what you can do. Time ceases to exist and the world (as confined by pajama clad activities) is your oyster. Will you clean up your house a little? Do you pay some bills? Start a book? Finish a book? Snack and watch TV? Or write poetic e-mails to your friends about your nightlife?

As I sit here in my pj’s (and a lot of you know what THAT means) I struggle over what to do while waiting for my 1 (one!) Extra Strength Tylenol to kick in. I have a book I started awhile ago that I haven’t really absorbed enough for a late night read. I will probably need to start it over but my internal CPU is operating on insufficient memory right now. If I add more information, things like my children’s names, my shoe size and what kind of car I drive will come running out the other side of my head, lost forever. I emptied the bags from my Target shopping spree (I can never go in there and get just ONE thing) and I could probably clean off the counter a little more. TV is always an option, I have 1,483 channels to choose from, there must be SOMEthing on. I have crocheting to do-I will be managing my own sweat shop from now till Christmas as I make scarves for everyone in my family as presents. (Family who may be reading this: Forget I said that. It isn’t scarves, I am getting you all hundreds of dollars worth of fabulous gifts and prizes!) Or I can simply continue to sit here surfing the internet, glad that no one can see me here in my pajamas (!!) and sandals.

Then there is my most favorite option: one of the above sedimentary activities coupled with falling asleep on my couch. It is so glorious to nap on my couch-a big hug that leaves you wanting for more pillows instead of a husband in your bed. (You are thinking, “Does she really mean that?” YES, I do!) Although sleeping on the couch is wonderful and feels like such a glorious treat, in the morning the magic in the relationship is gone and you can’t understand why the cushions are poking you and how the couch is trying to launch you onto the floor and the pile of clean laundry you were using as a pillow has flattened into an uncomfortable lump. The ends of your feet are slightly numb because the couch is too short by just thismuch and walking feels like a whole new sensation now that you are toeless. You could say it is a hangover (HAHAHAHA bad 1:30am joke!)

I think I will opt for the unmentioned activity of lying in bed and willing my headache to go away. I can feel it fading now and wonder if I gripe too much about only taking 1 (one!!) Extra Strength Tylenol since it does seem to be working a bit. I feel funny sitting here in my pj’s (a bit drafty, really) and I am all too aware that in only 5 hours, I will have a sweet faced boy kissing me awake. (It isn’t as sweet as it sounds, most of the time he forgets and instead puts his face up close to yours and you get to awake to the delightful feeling like you are being watched. And you ARE.)

Good Night.

Welcome to The MexiCocina Open Air Theatre

Nate the Great, Family and our friends Jeremy and Marissa Mann went out to eat last night. We went to what is possibly the BEST Mexican Restaurant at least in Poway-MexiCocina. We decided to sit outside since it was a) a nice night and b) less people to drive crazy with our kids. We ordered some yummy food for the grown ups and we knew better than to get anything for Nathan. He was perfectly content eating chips and chips and chips and rice and chips. Oh, and stirring everyone’s drinks. Besides, he was to preoccupied to eat-he had an audience.

As is his current style, anything Nathan holds is a guitar. This particular night, it was a dinner knife. He stood in his outside patio chair and played his knife. He sang his usual repertoire of songs consisting of Newsboys’ “He Reigns” (how-a-you-yuh) and various U2 selections. When he got to his favorite U2 song, “Vertigo” he decided that his audience needed to really rock it out and he cranked the volume up all the way to 11. We realized that many things converging at the same time got us to this point.

1. We had only a 45 minute nap at about 11:30am that day.
2. We weren’t telling him to be quiet.
3. He really wanted to impress the friends dining with us.
4. He was on a serious tortilla chip high.

We look around and while he is singing, three tables have stopped eating. They have stopped talking. They are all smiling and listening to my son sing. He realized this at the same time we did and like any good performer, straightened up, flashed a smile and began his set list again. He got applause after each song, he had people signing up to join his mailing list and Crayola autographs were handed out by the dozens. And as with the most exciting of rock concerts, it only ended when our singer rocked the stage so much that he almost fell off it. (Remember #1 on our list?)

Regardless, he got quite the ovation and left in rock star spirits with a jacket thrown over his head so the groupies wouldn’t attack him as he climbed into the car seat of his tinted window SUV.

Look for Nate the Great appearing at a restaurant near you!

Bill Gates vs. Crayola

Microsoft Outlook knows many brands. It knows to put a hyphen in Wal-Mart. It knows to capitalize Kleenex. But I have discovered that Bill must be at war with the Binny and Smith company...

Microsoft Outlook doesn't recognize Crayola. It doesn't tell me to capitalize it. It doesn't acknowledge the existence of the word at all except to tell me that what I MEANT to type is: cariole . I don't even know what that IS!

Clear obvious war.

Was Bill harmed by Crayola crayons as a child? Did he have a horrible pre-school incident? Or was he possibly just raised in a Rose Art family? (The Horrors!!)

Watch the news, I bet this war will be surfacing on Bloomberg any day now.

Things That Make Me Happy (a Living List) Part Three

Things That Make Me Happy
Diet Coke (with Lime specifically but I will always love the original too)
"Friends," the TV Show
The excuse for a solo road tripMy Manhattan Transfer CD turned up LOUD
Cherry Sours from Disneyland
Finishing a good book
a nice cool breeze when I am walking Miramar Lake with my friend Tara
Price Club
People who don't give me grief for still calling Costco Price Club
the DVR Feature on my cable box
Floating on my back in a pool (my Gma taught me and I can float on my back and read a book, you are totally impressed, aren't you?)
Singing really loud in my car
Time spent with some of my oldest of friends
a glass of milk that is so cold that it makes your teeth hurt
getting to tell anyone about how my husband and I met
napping on the couch with my sweet hubby
my washing machine-it is one of the front loaders with the clear door and I still sit and watch it go through a couple of cycles every once in awhile
*Watching my son eat yogurt, I don't know why but it is super cute.
* Pedicures
*Catching a REALLY GOOD picture of one of my kids
*Coloring with my markers in my Suzy's Zoo Coloring Books (haven't done that in awhile, I need the good stress release-Thanks Susie!!)
*The feeling I get before going on stage
* Lucy's Lips (I kiss them all the time!)
* The Crayola color Cornflower

Things That Make Me Happy (a Living List) Part Two

Things that Make Me Happy

Diet Coke (with Lime specifically but I will always love the original too)
"Friends," the TV Show
The excuse for a solo road trip
My Manhattan Transfer CD turned up LOUD
Cherry Sours from Disneyland
* Finishing a good book
* a nice cool breeze when I am walking Miramar Lake with my friend Tara
* Price Club
* People who don't give me grief for still calling Costco Price Club
* the DVR Feature on my cable box
* Floating on my back in a pool (my Gma taught me and I can float on my back and read a book, you are totally impressed, aren't you?)
* Singing really loud in my car
*Time spent with some of my oldest of friends
* a glass of milk that is so cold that it makes your teeth hurt
* getting to tell anyone about how my husband and I met
* napping on the couch with my sweet hubby
*my washing machine-it is one of the front loaders with the clear door and I still sit and watch it go through a couple of cycles every once in awhile

I would love to know some of your favorite things...what are they?

Things That Make Me Happy (a Living List)

I was talking with a friend's mom the other day and I mentioned my borderline obsessive consumption of Diet Coke (pre Lucy). She was so shocked and told me how bad it was for me and proceeded to mention studies...she then wanted to know how I could continue to drink it with that knowledge. I simply told her:

Because it makes me happy.

The group we were sitting with laughed but they all understood. It was after that conversation that I have decided to compile this list of things that make me happy. I am not talking about the obvious like an "I Love You" from Nate the Great or the overwhelming feeling that God exists. I am talking about the daily things that make life great. I will dedicate the blog to those things for the next few days...

Things that Make Me Happy

Diet Coke (with Lime specifically but I will always love the original too)

"Friends," the TV Show

The excuse for a solo road trip

My Manhattan Transfer CD turned up LOUD

Cherry Sours from Disneyland

More to come...stay tuned.