e-filing your taxes is apparently a joke.

When you e-file at H and R Block, they say your return will be direct deposited within 8-15 days... well, tomorrow is day 15, and still no moolah. Oh, and I went on irs.gov and used the oh so "helpful" where's my return function... not helpful. "It can take up to three weeks to process your return. Please check back in a week"

I say, stick it to the man. Jerkfaces!

In other news, last night was girls night... no, I didn't get sloshed, I don't do that... but, I actually hung out with young people without children. I realized I'm socially awkward. I talked about "doody" way too much. Luckily, no one but me was sober, so I will most likely be the only one who remember my doody ramblings.

My name is Christina, and I am a sweet tea addict.

They should have AA for those of us addicted to sweet tea. It's my crack. No lie... at one point on one of my diets, I would skip two meals a day just so I could make up for my sweet tea calorie intake.

Oh man. And Chik-fil-A has the best sweet tea ever. Damn that tantalizing cow and his deliciously sweet caffeinated beverages.

Anyway, so I am currently hyped up on the stuff... I really feel like a junkie. So, today when I was filling out an application to work at Lowes this summer, I came across the question "Are you currently or have you ever been addicted to any substances?" What do you put? Does sweet tea count? And while I'm at it, does Dove chocolate count? Oh, the technicalities.

In the end, I put "no." I mean, I don't want my new employer thinking I'm a crackhead.

I thought about giving it up for lent. I honestly wouldn't be able to function without the caffeine and sugar.

Pitiful.

There's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy.

It's official, Zeke's birthday will be Yo Gabba Gabba themed.. specifically Brobee. Now just to plan it. oh my... I am super excited though. Zeke is going to be two, geez I am so old.

So, for those of you who haven't heard, Ray Lewis might be playing for the Cowboys next season. Now, let me explain....here in Baltimore, we take our football seriously. And we love Ray Lewis.. he is the spirit of The Ravens. In fact, I can garuntee if he stayed with Baltimore until he retired, there would be a statue of him out up right next to the one of Johnny Unitas. I would be crushed... CRUSHED... if he left The Ravens.

In other news, I am getting my first tatto this summer. Originally, I was going to get angel wings with Zeke's name in between... but then people might think he died. So, now I have decided that since Zeke is getting so good at writing his name, I will have him draw me his name, and I will get it tattooed.. somewhere, not sure where yet. Tommy Lee.. yes, that Tommy Lee, has similar tattoos; it's actually where I got the idea.

Oh, and today I found pictures of Nick from when we started dating... so I thought I would share them. He was such an adorable little rebel.

Life advice only a mom would appreciate.

This is a list of 10 bits of advice I compiled for my cousin who recently had a baby boy.

1. If your child has (or had, in most cases) white shoes, the best way to get the rubber part white again is with a magic eraser.

2. Magic erasers are awesome... especially if all the crayons in the house aren't washable.

3. When your child demands a straw, not a sippy cup, use a NUBY. It's a sippy cup, but you can also stick a straw in the tiny hole in the lid.... without spilling!

4. Buy winter coats in the spring before you need them... and always a size bigger than you think you'll need. Clearance is a beautiful thing.

5. Never let you child watch Daddy play video games..... it really does make them more violent.

6. Non chlorine bleach actually works better on getting rid of stains than regular bleach... and it's color safe.

7. Bio-Oil is the best way to get rid of mom-stretched skin.

8. If your child throws a hissy fit, I find it most effective to mock them. Immature, or genius? You decide.

9. Reading a spanish dictionary to your child is the best way to make them bilingual.

10. Always always always be ready for poop in the tub. Before he fell in love with the potty, it was Zeke's favorite method of going.

Busy Business

So, I have had a crazy week.. which is 90% why I haven't posted in forever.

Well, first thins first- I turned 21 this past Sunday. WOOHOO. Honestly though, it wasn't terrily exciting. But, my BFF Lauren came over and we had some daquiris and watched movies after I put Zeke to bed (Nick was at work). Oh, and my Nanna came to visit for the weekend too. She even brought her chihuahua, Taco. Zeke is obsessed with him. She's a pretty fly Nanna.

Which leads me to my other event. Friday night Nanna took my family and I to Olive Garden for my pre-birthday dinner.... and I got salmonella. No lie. So part of the reason I did nothing for my birthday is because I've been sick as a dog all week. But it isn't so bad, it helped me lose seven pounds. Not too shabby.

And finally, I got a new car. And it's b-e-a-u-tiful. it makes me feel a million times better just lookin at it.

I know, this blog post is particularly boring. I promise the next will have something juicy, I swear.

Memories and tokens... not for everyone?

I found a car to buy, I believe. An old man in the city recently lost his wife to cancer- he is selling me her Subaru for half of what it's worth. He told me, "I just can't look at it, and I want you to have it."

Nice man, really he is. But it got me to thinking- is it generally common to get rid of your loved one's things so quickly? Is it better to hold onto things, or push them away? My cousin passed away this past fall, and my aunt has left her room just the way the little 11 year old dreamer had it when she passed, clothes and all.

If Nick were to suddenly pass, what would I keep? What would be unbearable to see everyday? If, God forbid, I should lose my child, what would I save? My best friend compared it to the "your house is on fire, what do you save?" theory. However, I think it's different. If my house were on fire I would save my child and my husband.... not one possession is a precious as they are to me.

Memories are such a strange thing. One minute you want nothing more than to hold onto them, and the next they are too painful to recall.

So, my question is, if you lost a loved one, whether it be pet parakeet or Aunt Lucy, what do you keep? Does it matter?

Birthdays and Bounce-abouts.

My birthday is a week from today. The big 2-1. I know.. normally it's such a huge deal, but it really doesn't feel that important. When you have a husband and kid already, sitting home for a movie night looks so much more appealing than a night out drinking. Plus, I'm a wimp when it comes to alcohol- I can't handle anything stronger than Arbor Mist.

And to top it off, I am starting to plan Zeke's 2nd birthday in April. We ordered a moon-bounce, and Ezekiel is thrilled. He yells "bounce!!!!" And we can't choose a theme. Right now we're juggling between Yo Gabba Gabba, Finding Nemo, and Spongebob Squarepants. Such a dilemma! Planning his 2nd bithday is so.. different. Last year I planned whatever I wanted, he could care less. This year he's telling me who he wants to invite, what theme he likes, and even what flavor cake to get. Crazy.

So, I'm getting old, my child is getting older. It's a welcome change... but the older both of us get, the more I want another baby. My ovaries are practically glowing I want a girl so bad.

Whatever Happened to Good Samaritans?

So, my car is dead. And by dead, I mean I'm pretty sure that the damages it received in an accident yesterday is more $ than it's worth.

So here's what happened. A car 2 cars ahead of me slammed on his breaks, the man in front of me slammed his, I slammed mine.... I stopped in time, and thought THANK GOD. Then my car started moving, and I couldn't stop it... the guy behind me knocked me into the car in front of me. I cried, and hurt my neck, the back and front of my beloved Subaru were smashed, and etc etc.. then I turned to look at the car behind me, and he left before I could see what kind of car it was!!!! He went around me and the car I hit with the rest of rush hour. Plus, no one stopped. The elderly man I hit had no clue what the hit and run driver's car looked like, neither did I.

So, what ever happened o the Good Samaritan. Why did no one see fit to stop and say "Hey, that car looked like this" or even "Are you ok?" My car was in pretty bad shape! And, who hits some person, badly at that, and just drives away????? Luckily I got out with just a minor neck injury.

Ugh. Oh well, hopefully my car is fixable, and if not, I hope they give me enough $$ to buy a new one.

In better news, hablo espanol! Y yo estoy muy bien! Me gusta mis clases este semestre.

In other words, I've greatly improved my spanish, I can actually speak it. And, I quite like my classes this semester. Even my calc class is bearable, which says a lot for me.

Text books, new notebooks... and I always manage to forget a pen

I started a new batch of classes today, including math, blah, Social Psycholoy, Sociology (Social Issues) and Spanish 4.

Well, actually, Spanish starts tomorrow. Anyway, so the same drill- buy textbooks, which in some cases cost me more than it did to enroll in the course, but new notebooks, etc.... and I get to class without a writing utensil.

As I scavenged through my purse looking for anything at all to write with, I realized I am such a mom. I had a diaper, hand sanitizer, band-aids, desitin, lollipops, a pack of fruit snacks, my iPod (which has Zeke's music on it), tissues, handi-wipes..... and the only writing utensil I could find was a pack of crayons from the kids meal at Olive Garden. Luckily, there aren't many notes to be taken the first day of classes.

My purse is like Mary Poppins' bag! Honestly, it isn't that big- so how is all that stuff in there. I suppose in this scenario, opting out of a diaper bag isn't always more convenient.

Le sigh, all is well. I am on a break between classes and I ran top the store and bought a pack of pens.