Please remove all sharp objects from the area.

So I'm already slightly depressed by Iowa's loss to Iowa State on Saturday. Not that Iowa played so great that they deserved to win, but neither did Iowa State.

Anyway, what do I decide to do today? That's right, edit and burn DVDs. I hate doing this. No matter how carefully I think I'm doing it, something always goes wrong and it ends up taking about 50 hours longer than it's supposed to because every step takes forever and if (when) I screw up one little thing, I have to go back and start over. For example, I downloaded the footage, edited, put in titles, and saved it. Then I downloaded a trial for a burner because I still haven't found one I liked. Then I try to open my file. No go. Apparently I didn't say it as a wmv. file. Finally, I figure this out and spend an hour (yes, an 80 minute video takes 45 minutes to save) only to discover it's too long to fit on one DVD. So I try to edit it down. Apparently, that's impossible to do unless you have the tech skill of someone who has tech skills. I can look at each frame individually, but clipping them and moving them around takes a special gift. So I go back and do it on Windows and have to resave it- another 40 minutes. I put in the chapters and titles without much wailing and gnashing of teeth and now it's burning. 24 minutes in and it's 6% complete. I have another copy of this one to burn and two more discs to do. It's worse than baby books!
Edited to add: I did, however, discover that I have video of Claire and Delaney's first Easter. It may not be still pictures to put in their baby books, but at least I don't completely suck as a mom!

All I can say that it's been slightly more successful than trying to hide veggies in macaroni and cheese. Delaney can chew up the pasta around the veggies and then carefully spit them out once she's swallowed the pasta. Now that? That is talent. With genius like that, I'm going to be able to turn over video editing to her! Here's some more of Delaney's talent:

Guilty Pleasures

Wednesday is my TV night. Lately, Bob's been at the hospital most Wednesday night delivering some babies so I chuck the kids in bed and watch Bravo's Top Chef. I don't know how I got hooked on that show. I mean, I hardly ever watch a whole show start to finish anymore because someone always needs something or I get sucked back to the computer, but I love to watch Tom Colicchio make his "I'm sure this is going to be a horrible dish, but I'm let you hang yourself because I'm going to have to eat it anyway" face or listen to Anthony Bourdain, the funniest of the guest judges, tell some poor chef that he's eaten better food pulled out of a log under some beaver dam.

Of course, I'm not ever going to make anything that looks like anything anyone's ever made on that show. I generally hate fish, wine, olives, bleu cheese, honey, and all sorts of stuff that people seem to throw together in the name of "haute cuisine". I'm more of a Lean Cuisine type girl, although since LC is owned by Nestle, the evil purveyor of formula and opponent of breastfeeding, I should probably become a hippy, farmer's market type girl. Thank goodness Nestle didn't buy Ben and Jerry's. There's my reality show niche! I'd kick butt on a TV show about trying new ice cream flavors.

Gymnastics

Kevin had his first gymnastics class tonight. It's for 3-5 year olds so he's probably the youngest one in the group. I'm pretty sure he's the smallest too...like a head shorter than the next kid. He was very excited and had a bit of a time sticking with the group, preferring to go off and bounce around on his own instead of following in line, although he could do a mean somersault when he wanted. The teacher and her assistants had to go round him up a few times and he tried to come out into the lobby area a couple times, but when class was over, he came out and said, "Mom, that was fun! I had so much fun!" I guess we're going back next week:)

My little fashion victim

Kevin is walking around wearing a Diego t-shirt, navy shorts (his size 9 months ones), and, to complete the look, his new Columbia snow boots. He's taken quite a shine to them and has worn them for at least an hour a day since they arrived on Wednesday. Any guesses to how much he'll fuss when he actually has to put them on to wear out in the snow?

Baby books

Kevin's baby book is pretty complete. Claire and Delaney's (yes, they each have one) are somewhat less so. I've been writing in stuff as we go, but I need to copy a lot of stuff into both books, put pictures in, et cetera et cetera.... Why I didn't do this when I was in the hospital waiting for them, I don't know. Oh wait, it was because I couldn't lean over a desk or table because my belly full of babies was in the way!

Anyway, if any of my children complain because they feel their book is inadequate in any way, they're out of the will. Delaney and Claire may not have any pictures from their first Easter, but it's just because they insisted on being held the whole time and I couldn't get my camera out. So there!

Labor Day fun and games

Bob and I did the 5K "Partners in Spirit Around the Lake Fun Run" sponsored by St. Ed's this morning. We walked most of it except for a little jogging down the hills and in some of the shady spots. The mosquitos were out in full force, but it was nice and sunny and it always helps to have someone to visit with while walking. We finished just under 39 minutes, which was well ahead of my goal of around 41 minutes. My everyday 5 mile walks have been around 70 minutes- 14 min miles-but I'm slower when I walk with Bob because we talk so I was very happy when we finished the first mile in 13:36 and were at the second in 25:26. Bob admitted that he was surprised that I was doing it at all. Apparently last year I swore that I'd never be in any sort of shape to even walk it.

Last January, I tried to do a training program for a 5K but I think I was trying to go to fast and it was really hard on my knees and toes. Bob and I are going to try to do some jogging, but hopefully having him with me will help me pace myself a bit better. I'd like to eventually break 30 mins.

We've still got one 5K walk for sure next weekend- the Arthritis Foundation- where we'll be a part of "Team Austin" and we may go down to Marshalltown for their 5K on the 22nd. We'll see if we can round up a babysitter and Bob and I can sneak away the night before, otherwise getting up and leaving by 5am may be more than I'm willing to do.

Sports and such

Went to the Dayton Rodeo tonight. We took Kevin and he seemed to enjoy it. The more PC part- or maybe it's the mommy part- of me cringed during the calf roping events, but the bulls and broncs are pretty evenly matched with the cowboys.

Iowa beat No. Illinois. It might be a long season unless the offense and special teams find some consistency. At least we won, unlike Michigan. Michigan got beat by Appalachian St.- a I-AA team. I like college football so much better than the pro version. No, it's not pure as the driven snow, but every now and then there's a really good upset.