Alright, between what Jen was able to take from being so sneaky with her amazing camera, and what I was able to find trolling the internet, i have a reasonable visual tour of my time at the chicago museum of science and industry's harry potter exhibit.

i will warn you - it is 66 images. if you do not have brilliant fast internet, it will KILL YOUR CONNECTION. i sowwy. but i love you all!!!

under a cut, but not shrunken at all bc eh - its my journal and i can do that sort of thing :)

( the greatest museum exhibit ever )

http://fortuna-major.net

come. join. rock on. nuff said.

happy belated birthday to my darling friend lils, sualocin, who is amazingly wonderful and a bigger disney fanatic than even i am! love you, babe!

1. i really hope this girl buys tony's car. see, tony had two vehicles. a truck, bc he loved it and wanted it, and a small itty bitty POS stick-shift 92 saturn. when he moved, he left the saturn behind bc he couldn't afford to tow it to arizona. so he craigslist'd it, and this girl is interested in coming over and driving it tomorrow. please, please, PLEASE DEAR GOD let her buy it. bc i don't want it in my driveway anymore.

2. my neighbors are made of irritation and nosyness. see, we live in a subdivision with a housing association, with rules and bylaws and covenants. and evidently, we let our grass grow a touch longer than they prefer. now, i like a more natural-looking lawn, but evidently that doesn't matter around here. so, they called the local association guy, who called me all snotty last weekend, whose phone call really sort of offended me. not in the whole 'ok, i need to mow' way. but in the 'i am not two yrs old, i'm not retired, i don't have ten thousand hours of freetime weekly, plz to not be talking to me like a petulant child.'. it was just bad. hopefully the situation is over, but after this lawn situation, you can see why i want the car out of my driveway.

3. work. i'm tired and i really am sick of hitting my head on a brick wall. the usual nonsense. just want my job to be a job, please and thank you.

4. my cats really need to learn that peeing on mommy's clothes is not acceptable, no matter how irritated with me they are. end of story. no, really. twice in one week is not cool. marking territory? not necessary. grr.

so tired, and will be going to bed soon. nothing really to discuss in my life. cleaned the house. mowed the lawn for the first time ever. yes, i mowed for the first time in my life. i don't want to hear any comments from the peanut gallery. leave me alone. :P hosted a small baby shower. billy's taking me to chicago for the taste tomorrow. work drained me tonight for no real reason. i want to sleep. i'll be babysitting a pair of dogs this weekend, which i'm looking forward to (and, small wonder, my cats are not entirely thrilled about). oh well.

sorry to be so boring.

every once in a while, i just get burned out and frustrated and irritated with the drama that is my family. no, seriously, burned out and frustrated beyond belief.

1. my mother, who never seems to be healthy at any point in my life, who eeeeeeeeevery time she calls me/i call her has some reason to be 'not well'. but then makes it out to be this mysterious thing she 'will not' talk about. (and yes, i know she's borderline personality disorder, and i know she has a pain medication addiction, and i know until she finally gets help this will continue, hence my lack of frequent contact. sadly, in the month of june, there's at least 3 mandatory phone calls - my birthday, hers, and her wedding anniversary. bleh.)

2. my brother christian, who refuses beyond any belief to consider moving away from my cracktastic family and come live with me and bill, because (and yes, i am WELL AWARE this is 'pot calling the kettle black', and i do NOT want anyone to point this out to me because i KNOW!) he 'can't leave adam and jesse because who would take care of them?'. *headdesk*

3. my brother tony, who has enough drama right now for all of us. he quits his job thursday, begins moving to arizona sunday, does not yet have a job, just found out that, because of his accident last month, state farm is dropping him until winter (when the jetta accident of almost 3 yrs ago is off his record). so, he will have no car insurance for several months. and yes, he can always get the cheapo state-minimum car insurance stuff, but YOU try telling that to THE MOST STUBBORN MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. he seriously is like eeyore on PMS - gloom and doom, add sarcasm and a crapload of anger.


there are just some days where i can't take it anymore.

happy birthday today to one of MY favorite people, someone who truly does her best to live life fully and minimize those silly regrets, ms katie, stevenghost. All my love to you, bb!

much love and many thanks to everyone for their text messages, facebook comments, calls, cards, and loving wishes sent to me today. thank you so much for reminding me how blessed and fulfilled my life truly, TRULY is. every one of you help make me a better person, whether it's by helping me grow, showing me a new way to see the world, kicking my ass when i need it, letting me cry on my shoulder, or giving me the chance to grow. you all are, quite honestly, the best gifts i could receive.

thank you. ♥♥♥

(ps - who sent me the LJ gift certificate?!!? BC ILU!!!!)

i'm so damn tired. BUT...the garbage and recycling are out, the office is set up finally, the ugly room is picked up so erin can have a place to sleep (YAY), the bathroom is clean, and the house is about 89% presentable. i'm asking bill to vacuum downstairs, and for tony to help in the kitchen. i am so tired.

couldn't sleep last night, AGAIN. tried, i really did. bleh.

but TOMORROW...i drive to chicago, spend time at the in-laws' house, then go to OHARE to pick up ERIN!!!!!!!!!!!! and then we'll drive downtown and go to navy pier, bc navy pier is the greatest thing ever...and I have to swing by the Build-a-Bear there and pick up supplies for us bc we didn't order what we needed because we fail miserably. LOVELY, RIGHT? but eh, it IS the navy pier store, and navy pier = ♥, so it's all good. besides, it's something touristy to do with ERIN!!!

friday - i don't really think we have plans, lol.

saturday - the vast majority of the cicero clan descends upon us. food will be grilled, margaritas will be blended, and (contrary to my wishes) presents will be presented. which...whatever, i shall be quiet and accept them graciously. it is meant in love and happy wishes, and although all i asked for is time with my family, if they want to spend money on me, who am i to argue?

(well, i argue quite a lot, but that's beside the point)

i think i may well try to go to bed early tonight, especially if i'm still this tired.

(did i mention tomorrow i see ERIN!?!?1?)