…and I was born without wisdom teeth. (Shut Up) Tomorrow at the ass crack of dawn we're getting up to drive from Portland to the Bay Area. With stops it is about 13 hours. I just don't have it in me.

But at least it will be 2007, or at least that's what the people in the hotel room next door keep yelling.

Whoa, I leave town and instantly go all Admiral Stockdale on my blog. I guess this answers the question about how much mental energy is required to take 3 boys and a husband on a 13 hour drive, see relatives, attend a funeral, celebrate Christmas, and get everyone to sleep every night.

So much for multitasking. But we have been having a good trip. Every day is an endurance adventure, but it is a fun vacation and we're out doing different stuff every day. So that's good, right?

Be thinking of me while you're recovering from your hangovers on the 1st. I will have gotten up at 5am to get started on the way back home. Ouch!

Last night Chip started counting in Spanish. Not a huge surprise since all his teachers speak Spanish, but I think he just possibly is unclear on the concept. It went like this: "UNO, DOS, TRES, WHACK-A-MOLE!" Hmmm. Do they make that with chocolate?

Update: Invites are long gone.

Hey folks, I've got a few Blogads invitations to share. Blogads is a decent way to earn a small income from your blogging, but the only way to sign up is by being sponsored by a current member. Jay was cool enough to get me started with it a few months ago, and now I'm paying that forward.

Here's what they have to say about the blogs that Blogads will work best on:

What is the minimum daily user number a blog should have before they can consider blogads?
Blogs without a laser-sharp focus on one topic or community AND an audience of 1000 readers a day usually do not attract advertisers. But some blogs with a sharp focus AND an audience of thousands a day do NOT get advertisers. One test: have more than a handful of companies expressed an interest in advertising on your blog?

And here's some info that I found on my 'sponsor blogger' page:

Thank you for helping grow the blogads network by sponsoring good bloggers. Invite great bloggers, folks who understand the blogads network is a human collaboration, not an automated cashmachine. Your help is essential to make the network thrive and grab advertising with traditional corporate publishers.

We've slotted you with some number of invites. Depending on how well your invitees do (staying sane, writing good posts, exciting advertisers), we'll add more invites to your account. While you remain a sponsor, you'll receive 5% of their gross revenues from sales of Blogads.

If you think it may be a good fit for your blog, just leave me a comment or email me and I'll hook you up as long as the invitations last.

UPDATE: There's been a lot of interest and now that I've given out the first set of invites, I'm making a list of interested bloggers for the next set. Thanks!

I am thankful for our advent calendar. "Mommy, is it Cristmas??" "Look at the calendar, honey." Now they just blame the calendar and not me.

I am currently trying to finish up the blasted Christmas stockings. I've mostly finished Mike's, and Robbie's will be done enough to be recognizable, but I make few guarantees about Chip's. That's the burden of being only 2.

Daycare winter closure started today, and I need more coffee… The kids and I are still in our PJs!

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the giveaways and contests I've had over the past month or two. I'm done for the year, but never fear, there will be more in 2007. Previous winners include the lovely and talented:

• DD
• Robin
• Ran
• Posy
• Diana
• and Flo

And of course, it is time to announce the winner of the last contest of 2006. The fabulous Izzy! It should take nothing away from her win that she was the ONLY entrant. :) She's funny and her entry was too! Congratulations!

I've been trying to imagine what people see when they first come across this blog. That is always a good thing to do, but right now I'm getting a bunch of new folks stopping by from 9Rules.

So. Let's see what they see, shall we? Hmmm. Well, this "Plain Jane Mom" person blogs about urine. And she clearly hits 'post' a little soon. Sheesh, why didn't she notice she'd typed that she was extending her 'context'… Was that a metaphor, or did she really mean 'contest.' Oh, well, let's move on.

So hi nice new folks stopping by! I can usually spell, and I usually proof my posts better, but if you don't like reading about pee, then I guess you're out of luck.

(And my contest does end today, and there is currently only ONE entry! Good lord, people, does nothing funny happen to you? Or am I just a sad, lonely, unpopular person? And please, that's a rhetorical question…)

What else, Mike and Robbie loved peeing outdoors.

I was poking around some school supply sites looking for a table and chairs for the boys for Christmas when I stumbled on something called a Toddler Table. It sounded like just what I needed.

Good lord, who is rack-mounting their children? I understand that it is for schools, but what do they get strapped into after lunch?

This is just all kinds of weird. And oh so wrong. Yet highly bloggable and therefore offered up for your snarky pleasure. You're welcome.

In October I applied to join the 9Rules network. It is a very cool place, but I just applied on a lark. You know, so I wouldn't be disappointed when I didn't get in.

But today I popped over to the site to see what was up, and this is what I saw. And now I can't stop grinning. And by admitting that I am incredibly happy to have gotten in, I have lost all cool-factor street cred I ever had (SHUT UP).

If you're not familiar with 9Rules, here's what they have to say about themselves. (Or you could read it over there if you prefer.)

Anyone can join 9rules — you don’t have to be well-known, networked, rich, successful, or beautiful — but you do have to have a fiery passion for the medium. Here are the membership responsibilities:

• Great content, updated regularly. A nicely-designed site might draw readers in, but it’s the content that keeps them coming back.
• The desire to improve your site and your skills.
• A commitment to the 9rules community, whether that means helping fellow members or just giving advice to a new writer.

But one thing I like best about them is that they really do have 9 rules!

1. Love what you do.
2. Never stop learning.
3. Form works with function.
4. Simple is beautiful.
5. Work hard, play hard.
6. You get what you pay for.
7. When you talk, we listen.
8. Must constantly improve.
9. Respect your inspiration.

Anywhoo, I'm pretty jazzed about this, but the rest of you can feel free to move on with your day. I don't think I have the clout to declare today a national holiday. Oh, the injustice…

Whoo hoo!