Take 90 West

I've Got My Move On

2008-02-14T00:47:00.003-06:00

I don't blog here anymore.

So please, come visit me at my new site;

http://www.take90west.com/

Go there. Now! Please?

Because it would just be too easy if everyone smiled.

2008-02-03T22:33:00.000-06:00

Trusty Random.org has spoken!

2008-02-01T21:41:00.000-06:00

And the winner of the Bloggy Giveaway is...

jhebein, lucky number 45!

I'm going to send you a quick email right now and then the Marley book and the lavender goodies will be on their way to you!

Excuse me while I have myself a Martha moment.

2008-02-01T00:28:00.000-06:00

I don't know what has gotten in to me.

I have a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter.

I made homemade chocolate chip cookies.

It is amazing the things I have time to do around here when I am not posting on the ol' blawg. Or reading and commenting on other blogs. Or looking for new blogs to enjoy. Or deciding what to do about the future of this blog.

Yes, that's right, the future of this blog. I am stressed right now about all things blog related. I am working on a switch to a different platform, and I know even less about computers and code and metas and propogating and servers and everything else, than I had tricked myself into thinking I did.

And on top of all of that, some of the stress is coming from the fact that I cannot believe I have acutally stuck with this blogging thing for six months. I don't stick with anything that long. I am the queen of quitting things because I didn't think things through first. I have at least a dozen journals with one or two pages written in them. Because that's what I do...I start things with the best of intentions and then I don't finish them. Yet, here I am putting out the inner workings of my brain for anyone to read.

The thing is...this blogging thing? I enjoy it. I enjoy looking back through the archives and reading about what was on my mind at the time. I want to continue, to stick with something and be good at something. And the only way to become a better writer is to keep on writing. The only way to be able to keep on enjoying looking back on my archives, is to keep on writing them. The only way to record my thoughts about life and the kids right now is for me to keep on putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard as the case may be.

I'm afraid if I quit my blog, I could wind up with the same fate as Britney, locked in mental ward because the thoughts, they could not get out. I'm also not sure I'd look great in a pink wig.

Oh, what would Martha do? Because she makes it all look so easy.

Have you ever had any thoughts of giving up your blog?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-01-30T00:17:00.000-06:00

Head first is not the way I taught her to go down the hill, but she likes to do things her own way.

Two little piggys went to the orthodontist. One little piggy went home to chew bubble gum and eat popcorn, and one little piggy could not.

2008-01-29T00:36:00.000-06:00

The giveaways have my fingers aching. But with a little luck, I'll be the lucky recipient of 7 home organizing books, 13 handmade purses or tote bags, 4 pairs of earrings, an iTunes gift card, countless Amazon and Target gift cards, a handmade dress with a pinafore for my Gracie, a pendant or 6, 37 candles, 9 hand made bead bracelets, 24 Jan Karon books, 2 wristlets, a ton of chocolate, a Backyardigans DVD, an afghan, and a mp3 player shaped like, I think, a rock?

That's cool. I like rocks.

Maybe with my new rock shaped mp3 player and my iTunes gift card, I'll download the theme song from the Clapper.

Clap On!

Clap Off!

The Clapper!

Yeah, you're totally gonna have Clap On! Clap Off! stuck in your head all day. Me too.

You're welcome.

It's a Giveaway today!

2008-01-28T00:18:00.000-06:00

*****Times's Up!*****

Comments are closed, and I'll announce a winner shortly!

There's a giveaway carnival going on today at Bloggy Giveaways. Thanks, Shannon!

Last week, I mentioned my fondness for the scent of lavender. I don't wear a perfume, and some days I don't even shower. And it is usually at the end of those non showered, pony-tail days, that I find myself in need of a warm bath before I crawl into bed.

While I enjoy a nice bath, I usually don't have time for one. Most nights, after the kids are in bed, I am ready for bed myself. Or, I'm at least ready to sit down and watch Jon and Kate plus 8 so that I can take comfort in the fact that there is a mother out there who is indeed, more crabby than I am. But, crabby or not, when I do take the time to indulge in some time for myself, I feel so much better.

A little lavender scent in my tub and some lavender lotion on my so-very-dry winter skin helps me to really relax and have a good nights sleep. And who couldn't use a good nights sleep?

So I'd like to pass along a little of that lavender relaxation to you.

I have for you, newly purchased, unopened bottles of lavender scented body wash and body lotion to give away. They are from Bath and Body Works' Aromatherapy line, and they smell great. Subtle, not overpowering, and clean.

But, wait!

There's one more thing.

I'm throwing in a book for you to read after you're all soaked, bathed and moisturized in lavender.

Because I love to crawl into bed with a good book.

I also love yellow Labs. Especially my new little yellow lab.

So the winner of my giveaway will also receive this book. Marley & Me by John Grogan. I laughed out loud, I cried, and I thanked the Patron Saint of Pets that I didn't end up with a dog as crazy as Marley. My book club read this book a year ago and it was enjoyed by non-dog owners as well.

I think you'll enjoy it a a lot too. Especially since you'll be so relaxed and smelling good.

So, if you think you'd use and enjoy these lavender products and would enjoy reading Marley & Me, leave a comment and I'll draw a winner on Friday afternoon. I'll ship anywhere, too!

That's it!

Koko and I wish you Good Luck!

Oh, and no emails from you PETA fanatics please. It's a crate, not a cage. And we use it humanely, and for training, and all that jazz. And I would never turn her into a coat. Or a muff. If I used muffs. Actually, I still have a white rabbit muff from when I was six, so I don't even need a muff. And I only put her in the crate for this picture because she won't move more than 12 inches away from me and it's kind of hard to take a picture that way. Then she was let right back out and free to continue on thru her three bowls of food a day. Food that is natural, healthful and organic. So see, she's fine. She eats better than my kids, OK?

Okay.

Maybe my little samurai has matured a bit more than I gave her credit for

2008-01-27T22:09:00.000-06:00

I can't thank you all enough for the wonderful responses I received from Friday's post. Your words of encouragement and understanding have been so uplifting for me to read.

I often tend to overreact in situations like this one, that mama bear instinct is a strong one, but this time I think the calm voice of reason prevailed.

The Girl was at it again on Friday, this time swiping Fiona's paint set right off of her table during art class.

And my girl?

She walked right up to The Girl and asked for her paint set back.

And she got it. Simple as that.

She was feelin' pretty good when she got home that afternoon.

And so was I.

I think everything worked out okay, this time.

If only it was always going to be this simple.

"Mental bearing, not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai"

2008-01-25T00:19:00.000-06:00

It has started. And by 'IT' I mean the situation I thought I wouldn't have to deal with until junior high.

I'm talking about bullying.

We've had our first honest to goodness straight out of a scene from Mean Girls, bullying incident. And I'm already out of advice.

I'm also sorry, but not shocked that this bullying is happening so young. I expect it in high school and junior high. I'm not quite ready for it in fourth grade.

Fiona came home from school today upset that a girl stole her dessert at lunch. From what I understand, Fiona had her lunch in front of her, and was sitting sideways in her seat facing and chatting with the girl next to her, when The Girl seated across from her grabbed her little pack of Oreos.

When Fiona turned back to the table she began to look around her lunch table for her dessert and said 'Where's my snack?'She saw the already empty package in front of The Girl, and as they made eye contact and Fiona realized that was her snack, The Girl started to laugh.

And my girl, she got up and left.

She walked away. Like I've always preached, time and time again. "Just walk away." But has it been the right advice all this time? Ultimately, she should have walked away, but should she have stuck up for herself first? Maybe just made a small comment, a declaration that she would not be a victim of this girls mean-ness?

At the very least, if she was going to walk away as she did without a word, she should have done so with an attitude of "Whatever" and not have let The Girl's actions eat away at her all day, leaving her frustrated and upset.

My advice to her, as we talked after school, was that had she noticed it sooner, before or during The Girl eating the Oreos, she should have held out her hand and firmly said "Give me back my snack."

And if that didn't work, she should have gone to find the lunch mom. Because although, it is only a pack of oreos, stealing is stealing. And, in case The Girl was raised by immoral hooligans, I would like her to know that it is also wrong.

Fiona told me she couldn't say anything, The Girl would just laugh 'cause she does it to everybody.' She couldn't tell the lunch mom, because supposedly 'they don't do anything.' There were fourteen excuses why she couldn't stick up for herself. And one of them was that I always tell her not to be a tattletale.

I do say that. And she never listens.

I suggested that if Fiona asked for the oreos back, half eaten or not, and The Girl laughed, Fiona could've said something along the lines of 'I'm sorry your parents don't make enough money to buy you your own oreos.' But apparently, Fiona doesn't see the beauty that is a good comeback. I offered a few more, all of which were shot down.

I'm not proud to resort to playground trash talking. And I certainly don't want her to learn a finger snap and some 'yo, Mama' lingo. (Although I do have a few good ones she could use.) But, if the supervisor in charge is not approachable or helpful, and my child is left to handle this on her own,I want her to be able to stick up for herself.

It's not even about the cookies.

It's about tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.

If today it's a package of cookies, who knows what it could be after that. I do know, that if Fiona goes on saying nothing, The Girl will go on taking.

I know I don't know a thing about The Girl, or her situation and her baggage. Because we all have it and who knows what is happening with her at home right now. But I do know a thing of two about My Girl, and she needs to find some confidence, real quick.

I hear her at home yelling, barking orders, being bossy to her siblings. I see her this way with neighborhood kids and cousins. She is a typical,take charge, likes to be the boss, first born. I hear her disrespect her father and I, when she can't have something she wants, with a door slam or a 'You're so mean.'

There is a voice there, this I know for sure.

Where was this voice when she needed it today?

As I type this, with this situation weighing heavily on my mind, I am sitting at Fiona's Tae Kwon Do class watching in awe as she breaks board after board with the strike of her hand or the snap of her foot. I see her form; stiff and controlled and strong. I hear her voice yell loudly as she makes contact time after time, sounding clear and firm, with a confidence that is so familiar when we are in this place. I watch her spar and back her opponent into a corner, I hear the snap of her kick as it hits their chest protector, her kick strong and landing dead center on her opponents chest protector. I see her stand right back up, quickly, ready to be challenged again, when it is her turn to be knocked down by a square kick to the heart.

This is why we are here. To find focus, confidence, and inner strength. To respect ourselves enough to know that even though we can fight, we won't. Because there is always a better way.

So why didn't she have the same courage she has tonight in this Dojang, today in the lunch room? Why didn't she use it to speak firmly and clearly and let The Girl know she would not be picked on?

Even if she doesn't want to carry on the tradition that is my snarky remark in situations such as this, why didn't she handle it the way she is being taught?

With confidence, with self-respect, and with courage.

Fiona disrespected herself today. She allowed herself to be taken advantage of and she let the person that did it make her feel badly about herself. She needs to remember that she is worth more than that.

I'm trying to teach her this. This non-tangible thing called 'the right thing.' And it is so hard. Especially, when I don't always know what is 'the right thing.'

Ultimately, the day is done, it's over. She's over it, and so I guess I am too. I just want it to be different next time.

Because there will definitely be a next time.

Unlike the Golden Globes, This Award Show Will Go On

2008-01-24T08:20:00.001-06:00

Look! Somebody thinks I'm Excellent!

Nope, it's not Bill and Ted...it's Stacie!

And I can't thank her enough. Blog awards are fun, to receive and to pass on. And to get this award this week, of all weeks...well, it makes me want to put a little bit more effort into the blog than I have this week.

Because trying to post this week has been a struggle. I have been in a bit of a writing slump. A fog. A haze. A bit of writers block.

In other words...I got nothin'.

But not today. Today I get to pass this Excellent! award on to 10 blogs that I think are excellent in their own special way.

So, in no particular order, and without any further ado...

MOTY! Come on down! Moty has a new blog and she is an amazing digiscrapper. She just recently posted this layout, and I tell ya', the girl has the whole Photoshop thing goin' on. I would love to see more of her mad skillz in action.

And while I'm in the category of digiscrapping, which I have absolutely NO IDEA how to even start, but really admire the pages these ladies create I would also like to award SnapHappyInkyMomma and Janmary. They to, are fantastic digiscrappers. I sit and read their blogs and admire their pages and imagine how caught up and full my scrapbooks would be if I to, went digital. I mean, surely I could keep on top of the whole scrapbooking thing if I was sitting in front of the computer. I happen to have a lot of talent in that area.

My blog is Excellent!, remember?

Another talented lady whose blog I think is excellent is the fabulous PLO. PLO is one talented chick. She is vintage and retro and hip and crafty and a million other things, but she is mostly FUN! She is into art and creating through all different types of mediums, from beads, to vintage papers, to scrapbooks, and much more. Her art is her expression of herself and it is beautiful.

(Whoa baby! Don't I sound artsy? 'Mediums'...It almost sounds like I know what I'm talking about.)

If you are looking for an excellent blog read, you should check out Jenny from Chicago. Jenny blogs at Chased by Children and she cracks me up. She lives, literally, just up the road from me, and yet we've never met. But someday soon, I hope we do. And I'll have to wear a Depends when I meet this chick, because I think I'll be laughing A Lot. Jenny is funny and clever and quick and smart. Who loves ya baby?

Another blog I read, who also happens to live super close to me, yet I wouldn't know her if I walked right by her in Target, is the New Diva on the Blog. She is beautiful and funny and so sweet. And have I mentioned she is beautiful? I think it's because of her sweet personality and also because she does this thing, you may have heard of it, it's called working out? It's not something I'm all that familiar with, but whatever.

Okay...next up for the Excellent award is Holly, the Marathon Bird. Holly is seriously into running and she just finished her first marathon. Amazing. Did I tell you guys I walked the new puppy around the block last week? I sure did. Anyway, Holly's sweetness comes through on her blog and I think she is great. She makes me laugh and I feel like she's the kind of person you could meet in real life and it would feel as though you were old friends. She's just that great.

Mary! I think you are most excellent! Mary is an amazing mom and an amazing Christian. She writes so eloquently and so honestly about trying to live her life and be a good Christian woman, she writes of home and faith and setting good examples and sometimes I think I learn more from her posts than I do at church. She speaks to my heart, this girl. Mary can post anything from reading the Bible all the way through, to her newest bling, to a no-sew craft. And she can rap out the Beastie Boys like it's 1989. We love the same type of music, from the Beastie Boys to Brad Paisley and I just love Mary!

Have you ever been on a Viking Conquest? Heidi and her family are on one right now, and it has been so fun to follow their journey. Heidi and Mike are the cool parents I wished I had when I was growing up, you know the kind that take you skiing, instead of to school? Heidi would be so fun to hang out with and she is definitely my kind of mom.

And last, but in no way the least is one of my favorites, The Queen B. The Queen is laugh out loud funny. She takes care of the King and Princess, and their menagerie of animals and somehow she makes her everyday life sound like a funny sitcom. And not like The Office funny, either. I mean a really funny show, like back in the eighties and nineties when 30-minute sitcoms were FUNNY. That is the kind of funny that is The Queen and her palace.

That's all! I wish I could've just put every blog I read up, but the rules say 10, so 10 it was. But really I think that the blogs I read are all excellent, otherwise I wouldn't read them, right? Right.

Lavender; you can't barbeque it, boil it, broil it, bake it or saute it, but it smells real good.

2008-01-23T00:46:00.000-06:00

I love lavender.

Which is actually a surprising thing for me to love. Because I don't really care for flowery smells all that much. I don't wear purple clothes. I don't eat eggplant, and I've never even seen The Color Purple. So for me to have such an affinity for something so purple, is pretty surprising.

But I can't help it. I love lavender like Bubba loves shrimp.

I took this picture in October, the house next door to me has beautiful lavender plants that line the front walk. The smell envelopes you as you walk past them.

Now, I don't have quite as many uses for lavender as Benjamin Buford Blue had recipes for his beloved shrimp.

(Holy cow. Can you believe I just pulled Bubba's real name off the top of my head like it was my favorite flavor of ice cream?)

(My mind, 'tis a scary place.)

However.

I do appreciate the plethora of goods which derive from the versatile plant known as lavandula angustifoliant.

(And that, I did not know off the top of my head. Go figure.)

(Useless fact obscurely related to a shellfish I enjoy; no problem. Scientific plant name that I'm sure I had to know for my high school horticulture class; no clue.)

(In my defense though, I only took horticulture because my high school had a green house. And I thought it would be an easy A to go and water plants for an hour.)

(It wasn't.)

(Hence the reason I did not pursue anything remotely related to anything remotely horticultural once that class was over.)

I guess the thing I enjoy lavender the most in is my body cream. I love the way it smells. I love that it is subtle and calming and smells clean. It feels so good when I rub it on my legs and feet before I go to bed at night.

There's also lavender body wash, which is my favorite thing to pour into a warm tub at night.

I like to burn a lavender candle in my bathroom and I think a little misting of lavender linen spray on my sheets before climbing into bed would be like transforming my bedroom into a room at a 5 star resort.

Clearly, as scents of lotions and candles go, lavender is my choice.

You might be wondering why all this talk of lavender during the long cold winter? Well, my skin is dry, for one thing. And also, there is a big new pink button on my sidebar. Have you checked it out? Are you giving something away next Monday?

I am.

Can you guess what it is?

Wintertime Is Not My Favorite Time

2008-01-22T00:01:00.000-06:00

I think that January and February are my least favorite months. It is always about this time of year, mid January, that I find myself with a bit of the wintertime blues.

The anticipation and excitement of the Holidays are over, the novelty of the New Year is wearing off, and Spring seems so very far away.

Valentines Day just doesn't seem to hold my interest like it once did, so the weeks leading up to it aren't exactly crossed off my calendar in red pen like they once were. But then again, I used to get flowers delivered to my office on Valentines Day. And then a nice dinner out in a restaurant where it didn't matter if the wait was an hour. Because having to wait for a table was Great! We can sit in the bar! And order an appetizer! And talk!

These days I find myself getting antsy if the drive thru line at McDonald's has more than four cars in it, because it means I will need to explain at least 32 extra times why they no longer have Polly Pocket toys. Even the recent Strawberry Shortcake offerings were not enough to erase the fond memories of a Polly Pocket Happy Meal.

And, on the occasion when we don't dine at a place with a drive thru, if the wait is longer than 20 minutes, we must think about leaving. Because 20 minutes gives each of my children exactly 5 minutes of their own to hold the your-table-is-ready-red-light-is-flashing-beeper-thingy. I think the adult word for it would be a pager?

And if the pager has not paged us in 20 minutes, look out. Because things tend to get a little heated. The pager gets grabbed and pulled and yanked around like a it's a hundred dollar bill, each kid hoping that during the time they have it in their hot little hands, it will go off. And they are not afraid to wrestle each other for it. Meanwhile, every other person in the waiting area is PRAYING TO THE GOOD LORD ABOVE that they do not end up seated near us.

I don't blame them a bit. I often end up wishing I didn't have to sit near us.

And what our lack of restaurant etiquette has to do with my wintertime blues, I have no idea.

Anyway.

I think I was really feeling the wintertime blues today, because while I was outside with the dogs it seemed that there were reminders everywhere that Spring was not even close to being around the corner. Which means that Summer is not even on the horizon. And I love summer.

I had my favorite winter boots on. I mean I love these boots, I just wish I didn't have at least twelve more weeks left to wear them.

They are cute though, don't ya think? A little cowboy-ish, but yet with a rubber sole and rounded toe that says, "Hey, I'm really a suburban mom who, while with no real reason to need cowboy boots, thinks that they pretty cool with my jeans."

And as much as I love my boots, I'd give them up in a minute for a good pedicure and some sand between my toes.

Then there's the grill. Were no grilling is taking place. We tried to grill some burgers a few weeks ago, and it was just too cold. The grill never really got hot enough. Which is actually why we ended up at a restaurant with the infamous pager system that causes me great amounts of stress, when we had a taste for steaks a few nights ago.

Not too far from the barbcue is the pool. Which is frozen solid. And obviously, covered with snow. And lately the only thing that has been stressing me out more than the questions about Polly Pockets is the question that will not die.

"Can we go ice skating on the pool?"

Ummmmm, NO. And the answer will still be NO Every.Single.Time.You.Ask.

And look at this poor, lonely, cold little playhouse. It sits outside in the freezing air and cold winds probably wondering where the little girl and her Polly Pockets are. It was below zero here yesterday, and no one even bothered to care enough to close the front door. Poor thing.

Inside, the cubbies are filled with vests and coats and scarves. Where bathing suits and baseball uniforms used to hang, there is enough down to fill a king size comforter.

Of course, another sign of wintertime indoors is the ever present bottle of the 'pink stuff' on the counter along with some form of cough syrup or cough suppressant or cough inducer. Whatever it may be, for the love of a good nights sleep, JUST MAKE THE COUGHING STOP.

And finally, the biggest sign of all that it's winter, it's cold and it's snowing with no end in sight? BOTH of our cars are in THE GARAGE. At the same time. Together.

Why does this make me sad? Well, for one, it means a lot more of the driveway is going to need shoveling.

But really, it means we're not playing outside. The garage is not strewn with bicycles and scooters and jump ropes that are supposed to get put away when the playing is done, but never do. The powerwheels are hung up high and the driveway hasn't seen a chalk painting in ages.

As much as I like having the garage picked up enough to have both cars in it, these wintertime blues really stink. I need some sun. I need some warm temperatures, and the smell of some fresh Springtime air.

Mostly, I need to snap out of this funk.

I need to quit moaning and groaning about winter, and the cold, and the snow. The snow doesn't even bother me that much. It's just this feeling I have that the greenness, the newness of Spring is taking forever to get here.

I need to be grateful for each day, each moment. Cold weather or not.

I probably need to go play with some Polly Pockets.

I Think I'm Too Young To Need Retin-A

2008-01-21T00:25:00.000-06:00

Greetings Internets. Koko here. I'm taking over the blog again today. I've got skin care on my mind.

My humans seem to think I am having a problem with premature aging. My wrinkles seem to be the topic of a lot of conversations around here. All which end with people laughing and rubbing the top of my head.

They also seem to think my skin is starting to droop a bit.

Aren't wrinkles supposed to be a sign of age and wisdom?

I'm getting older. I'm a smart pup. I think I qualify for a few well placed wrinkles. I like to think of it as my signature look.

But, I'm beginning to wonder if I should be focusing on anti aging instead of chewing the leg of the coffee table. And eating three times a day.

Today my human was on the phone and I'm pretty sure I heard the words Oil of Olay. And Nivea. I'm really starting to get a complex.

It's what's on the inside that counts, you know.

Saved by the Meme

2008-01-18T00:02:00.000-06:00

Last week, Chrissy tagged me for a 7 Things You Didn't Know About Me Meme.

I am so conflicted about the art of the meme.

On one hand, I think;

Hallelujah.

Something to write about that I actually don't have to come up with all by myself.

And on the other hand, I think;

Oh Crap.

Who wants to read about mememememememe?

But, because Chrissy tagged, I will do.

I'm sure you were all wondering what on earth you could possibly not know about me yet, and today, I'm able to put your mind at ease.

1. I love brown. Love it. It's my favorite color. To wear. To accessorize with. To decorate with. It's warm, it's chic, it's classy. Because you know I am all of those things. Warm, chic and klas-say.

2. And grey. Dark grey, light grey, a grey crayon, whatever. Grey is a classic. It's not like a Crayola Crayon called Jazzberry Jam. Or Mango Tango. What the heck kinds of colors are those? Grey is grey.

3. I don't love cats. They are sneaky. Sorry to all my bloggy friends who love their feline friends. I am sure your cats are very sweet. I just don't like cats. Or birds.

4. I wish I were more organized. I'm a mess. Just today, I realized that every pencil in our house needed to be sharpened.

5. I'm lazy. I didn't say I actually went ahead and sharpened all those pencils that needed it.

6. I LOVE Star Wars. The complexity, the family dynamics, the battle between good and evil, the struggle between the Dark Side vs. the Light Side of the Force. What can I say? I love Star Wars as much as I love brown. And that's A Lot.

7. I wish I could be a back up singer for a big star. I don't need to be the center of attention or the star of the show. Who wants to deal with all the paparazzi anyway? If I was a back up singer for someone like Justin Timberlake or Shania Twain, I could be up there on the stage in my cute little matching outfit singing along and doing the choreographed moves just like a rock star, without actually being the rock star. How cool would that be? Of course, I would need to be able to sing. And dance.

And fit into the cute little outfits.

So I guess I'll probably never be a back up singer. That's okay. I'll just stay home, watch Star Wars and wear lots of brown.

What a relief it is to have you all know that about me. Phew.

If you want to give this one a try, consider yourself tagged.

It's Thursday So That Means I'm Rambling. On. And On.

2008-01-17T00:07:00.000-06:00

I can't begin to thank you all enough for the get well wishes you've sent me over the past few days. I truly, truly am thankful for your kind thoughts and words. I've slacked a lot this week on my blog reading and commenting, but please know that I really appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to check in on this blog of mine. This whole Internet thing, it does amaze me.

I wish I was the type of person who can trudge thru an illness like a supermom, but I'm not. I'm actually a big baby when it comes to being sick. When I am not well, I just cannot function. Luckily, K ran the show around here for me and I've caught up on every missed hour of sleep that I've ever lost since 1998. With lots of moaning thrown in for good measure.

I have discovered that the more I sleep, the more I want to sleep. I kept thinking, at some point, my body would just refuse to fall back to sleep. I was expecting to be up all night last night, because I was sure my eyes just wouldn't be able to close and take in any more sleep.

That turned out not to be the case at all. The more sleep I got, the more I wanted. I could not stay awake for more than 30 minutes at a time without my eyelids starting to droop and my head looking for the nearest horizontal surface.

Anyway, I promise no more talk of the sickness that left visions of Axl Rose dancing in my head.

And the dream about the puffer fish? Scary. They are still there every time I close my eyes. Those puffer fish are some mean dudes.

The narcotics? They can really mess with your mind. And leave your limbs feeling all heavy and wonderful. But the messing with the mind part? It's scary what's going on up there.

And did I really say "That's how I roll?" Forgive me Internets. It's all a blur.

I've been wanting to mention a few Thank You's, long over due, but better late than never.

I won a contest last month from The Simple Wife, and I've been wanting to show you all what I won. It is way cuter than this photo, but you get the idea.

It is a handmade, small zippy purse. It is fully lined and I love it! I use it every day and each time I zip and unzip it, it makes me want to run out and buy a sewing machine so I could make fantastic things too. Thank you, Joanne!

I also won a contest a while ago over at Bloggy Giveaways. I know! I am totally on a lucky streak right now! I won the giveaway sponsored by Loop De Lou. I chose these cute little gifts tags and instead of having a name put on them like the one in the picture, I had them customized with To: and From: They turned out awesome! They are so easy for my kids to fill out and slap on a gift whenever they are going to a birthday party. In the past, I always either bought a card, or had my kids make one, and this has turned out to be so much easier! Because you know why? The kids, they don't care about the card that was handmade by my daughter with 17 perfect rainbows on it. They just want to open the gift.

I love them. Thanks Loop De Lou!

I also wanted to share with y'all our Christmas Card from 2007. It turned out better than I ever could have imagined and I owe a huge Thank You to Jamie at Wee Little Designs.

Seriously. Jamie rocks. She put up with my total JPEG emailing ineptitude and my numerous requests to see how it looked in black and white.

Then in Color!

Nope, let's try B&W again!

Okay, I'm going with the color, 'cause of the water! See the pretty blue of the water!

I'm a bit of a nut case about the whole Christmas greeting thing, and I'm pretty sure I was driving Jamie crazy.

I actually found Jamie from a giveaway she did for Bloggy Giveaways. I would have never heard of her and her company otherwise, but I'm sure glad I had the chance to check them out!

And last but not least, are any of you out there on the Good Mail bandwagon?

Honestly, I had never heard of it before, but I was reading one of my favorite blogs Marathon Bird, (who by the way just ran the Houston Marathon, You GO Girl!) and she mentioned this whole Good Mail concept from a blog that she read and so basically, it's sending some mail to someone that is not a bill, or an ad, or a request to save the children in Zimbabwe and if you don't send money right away you are A HORRIBLE PERSON.

(Not that saving the children of Zimbabwe is not a very worthy cause.)

(It most definitely is.)

(It was just an example, people.)

(Rock on, Sally Struthers.)

Holly sent me a piece of good mail just before Christmas, and I tell ya, it was a hand stamped thing of beauty that made me smile! So now, I am a good mail fan too! And I have Holly to thank for introducing me to this great idea.

I'm working on a card to send back to Holly, but of course, I can't show you, because she hasn't seen it yet.

Keep in mind that I don't rubberstamp.

Or know how to do anything fancy with vellum.

Or have a lot of time to invest in the fine art of card making.

But it's the thought that counts, right?

So as I'm putting the final touches on my card for Holly I thought;

This was Fun!

I could do this again!

I should spread the joy!

So if you would like some good mail from me, hand made by me, and sent from me to you, send me an email (my address is on my sidebar) with your address. And I'll send you a piece of good mail! Hopefully before my tulips bloom.

And think about challenging yourself to put a little bit of good mail out there. It's fun to get mail. And it's fun to send it!

And when you find yourself in a joyful and happy mood after recieving good mail from me, go ahead and think about the poor children and the plight of Zimbabwe.

Or you might have a really scary dream involving Axl Rose and a puffer fish.

Or Sally Struthers.

In my dreams, I'm apparently still a fan of Guns N Roses, and I've been too sick to tell myself this isn't 1991.

2008-01-16T00:11:00.000-06:00

The bronchitis, it has beaten me.

It has beaten me so far down I hear Axl Rose singing "Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven's Door" in my dreams.

Or would the appearance of Axl Rose in my dreams qualify them as nightmares?

Thanks to my codeine induced coma, I have been in bed since Sunday. Only waking to down some more codeine or take another dose of the steroids that have been keeping my airways open.

Obviously, open airways are an important factor in breathing. Or so they told me at the non-urgent Urgent Care on Sunday night.

But the 'roids? Well, they have left me in dire need of a trip to the salon for a chin wax.

So, as soon as I can keep my eyes open for more than 45 minutes at a stretch, I'll get right on that wax.

And then, blogging around here will return to normal.

Hopefully, my last coherent thoughts before the Codeine kicks in

2008-01-13T22:36:00.000-06:00

I dragged myself out of bed to the Urgent Care this evening.

And it's a good thing I was not in need of any urgent care.

Because when Jimmy John's delivered the subs, the only thing urgent going on was the eating being done by the medical professionals.

Some four hours later, and with a hankering for a sub sandwich, I'm home. With a sore hip from the injection of the antibiotics and a little bit more Codeine to add to my stash.

Is it wrong to love Codeine?

Because if loving it is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Testing. I Repeat, This is only a Test

2008-01-12T16:23:00.000-06:00

Just testing the 3 column waters here in the land of 90 West.

And is it just me or it the font size unbelievably huge?

I need to fix that.

I don't think I have much of a senior citizen readership. If I do, I apologize, you'll just need to put your reading glasses on.

If I can't get it fixed, I'll have to just put a little desclaimer on the ol' blawg that says

"NOW BROUGHT TO YOU IN UNBELIEVABLY LARGE PRINT"

And now I'll stop typing in all caps. Because the only thing worse than me screaming at you, is me screaming at you in a large font.

I'm considerate like that.

Warning: Urban Slang Used By Suburban House Frau On Death Bed

2008-01-11T12:59:00.000-06:00

Greetings from my deathbed. Or death couch, as it may be.

I'm sicker than sick. I may have even caught the Black Plague from too much reading on Big Mama.

Whatever it is I have, I am sure that it is the exact same thing that killed half the Pilgrims in 1620.

Those poor, poor people.

And amid the moaning and the fever and the chills, the profuse sweating, not to mention the swollen and puffy eyes, what is the only coherent thought I could put together?

Well, the only coherent thought besides the one about my throat closing up?

It was 'Must.Do.My.Post. Must Get Post Written. Have Not Posted Yet Today.'

Clearly, I think of myself as more than just a mere cog in the wheel of this great big blogosphere.

Because though laundry may sit unfolded in the dryer for days on end, beds may or may not get made daily, and my children had Easy Mac for breakfast because it was the most nutritional thing left in the pantry, I feel I MUST crank out a new post every morning.

Because that's how I roll.

(Excuse me.)

(I just have always wanted to say 'that's how I roll.')

(And I don't get many opportunities to do so out here in vinyl-sided suburbia.)

(And I'm on Codeine, so I don't need to worry about making any kind of sense.)

Roll on in peace Internets, and have a great weekend.

What is it about Thursdays that have me full of so much randomness?

2008-01-10T00:43:00.000-06:00

Hey all. It seems as though my new pup took over the posting for a couple of days this week. I tell ya, that dog, she can get away with just about anything.

Yes it's true, we bought a new puppy because it seems as though all my talk of wanting another baby, or two, put the fear of God himself into my husband, so he is hoping this new little yellow lab will distract me. And, it is working. She's a keeper.

Just wanted to pop in to say Hi to you all. I'm having a busy week here in the land of 90 West. Various projects have been started around the house, but thanks to the newest arrival, they are not getting finished in a very timely fashion.

I also have been practicing a little bit of my HTML skills. Actually, not skills. No where close to skills. More like I've been limping along in the world of HTML like a 90 year old woman with a walker who is in desperate need of a double hip replacement.

Yes, it has been going that slow.

A while ago, I applied for a BlogHer ad, and Oh! The Luck! It finally came through. So in much anticipation of at least $26 rolling in this year, I decided I should optimize my sidebar/ outer/inner/wrapper/background/widget/header/footer/ WHATEVER/space. Because I'm real technical like that. And have lots of time to waste teaching myself HTML. Or XML as I think it might now be called in this new age of web design. Really, I have no idea. But I think frustrating might be just the right word for it.

I had naive thoughts that a three column blogger template would look so much better with a BlogHer ad. And it probably will. If I can ever get it done. I'm tinkering around with it every day. But in small doses. And slowly, it's getting there. As slowly as a ninety-year old with a walker and bad hips.

You don't really care though, do you? And I don't blame you, 'cause right now, I'm not caring all that much either.

Remember a while back I complained about my kids and the Webkinz and how I couldn't get near the computer during their winter break? I was afraid Nicole Richie would spit out her tattooed baby and I'd miss the live birth on Peopledotcom? My friend, Leslie, swears she is still pregnant. And relief washes over me.

However, if it weren't for World News Tonight, I would've totally missed the fact that Miss Jamie Lynn Spears is with child. Imagine, having to rely on a reputable news outlet for Ok! caliber news! I just had that gut feeling I was missing something good. And then, the soon to be Aunt Britney goes and gets herself put in a 72 hour MENTAL LOCK DOWN and I missed the live feed of it all going down because of Webkinzpalooza on every computer I own.

I may just have to sign up for Peopledotcom alerts sent directly to my cell phone. Because I NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS PEOPLE!

Dang Webkinz.

They are just like the Beanie Babies. In a year or two I will be THROWING THEM AWAY.

I hope.

But I bet Peopledotcom will still be around. Because I know staying power when I see it.

And, I was totally wrong about the whole "here today, gone tomorrow" internet thing.

Continuing on with the randomness.

I should thank you all for the wonderful words of encouragement and support you sent my way after my post last Friday about wishing for simplicity. It truly is encouraging to know that I am not alone in my struggles. It was amazing to me that we all seem to share a common bond of needing to slow down and simplify the craziness that is life these days.

Have I mentioned I heart bloggers? Y'all are a great community of support. And, you people make me laugh. I love to laugh.

I plan to be laughing alot this Friday night. I'm getting together with the Gang, and it promises to be a night filled with chips, salsa and margaritas.

Life is pretty good right now in my neck of the woods, and I hope it is in yours as well.

Speaking of good, my friend Kelly finally had her beautiful little Sparkles yesterday. And Jen? She's lost 15 pounds! I know! 15! Oh my! Heidi lived out my dream of going back to bed this week, and my mom-I-wanna-be-when-I-grow-up-idol, the gorgeous Pedaling, started a new diet blog. I know! Like she needs it! Oh, and Beth??? The girl is having Twins! I know! Twins! How cool is that? I want twins.

Oops. I better go pet my puppy.

2008-01-09T01:21:00.000-06:00

It's me again. Koko. I'm cute. Really, really cute.

I also have a serious side. I like to study things very intently. See how my forehead crinkles up when I am studying things very intently?

I am the best puppy my new humans have ever had. And the cutest too. And the best. I don't want to brag or anything, but I came to my new home on Saturday and I have not had an accident in the house yet. AT ALL. I'm just sayin'. No accidents. My new humans keep saying they are waiting for a real puppy to show up. Do you think I should pee on the rug?

This is me, waiting for cheese. Have I mentioned I love cheese? I must have been a mouse in a former life. All I know is, if you don't pee on the rug or anywhere else in this house, and you take your personal business outside, you get cheese. I prefer American, but Muenster works too. Or String. Or Monterey Jack. Do all humans have so much cheese in their houses?

My new human mom has been going on and on for a while about wanting another baby. I think I was brought in by my new dad to keep her distracted from all that nonsense talk. Piece of cake. Or should I say piece o' cheese?

I've got this lady wrapped around my fat little paw.

Pulling myself away from my new baby to get this post written. If I have to.

2008-01-08T00:39:00.000-06:00

Mary's Tiny Talk Tuesday came at just the right time for me this week. I was talking to my sons teacher today and she was so excited to tell me about something my son said to her before Christmas break started.

Another teacher asked Mrs. L, my sons kindergarten teacher, if she had all her Christmas shopping done. Mrs. L responded that she just had her brother in law left to buy for.

My son overheard this and said "Mrs. L, I didn't know you had a brother. Is he in jail?"

Get it? Brother in law?

That's my boy.

2008-01-07T16:39:00.000-06:00

Hello. I'm Koko. I'm taking over the blog because I'm afraid my new human may never post again. She is too busy holding me. And kissing me. And playing with my ears. And taking my picture. And feeding me pieces of cheese. Oh, and carrying me around everywhere like I'm a baby. Which I am. But still, I'm telling you that this lady is crazy. Somebody should tell her I'm a dog.

On second thought, let's just keep things the way they are. I love cheese.

I'm Trying Something New Today, And Be Warned...It's Deep

2008-01-04T02:15:00.000-06:00

A while back I had an email from the mommykelly and she had invited me to join a carnival she hosts on Fridays called Flaunt It Fridays.

I responded to her that I would check it out, and I did. And then I never did a Flaunt It Friday post. Because I was a little intimidated. In reading the mommykelly's blog, I realized that she doesn't just blog, she writes.

And me? Well, I think we all know that the effort I put forth on this blog daily probably wouldn't count as writing in fine literary circles.

Rambling? Yes. Writing? No.

(Did I just sound like Ross Gellar or what?)

(Great.)

Anyway, the point is, I just didn't feel like my rambling and pecking away at the old blawg was really something that would be appropriate for a Flaunt It Friday post.

Yet, here I am. I'll give it a try. If for no other reason than maybe I will finally be able to quit staring at the mommykelly's email in my inbox and thinking 'I really should either just do it, or delete it.'

So let's get to the heart of the matter. The challenge for this weeks Flaunt It Friday is to reflect on one special dream I have for 2008.

Could they make Diet Coke taste like regular Coke?

I really feel that is a valid dream. Especially for me. Think of all the calories I would save. Imagine how skinny I would be if Coke had no calories.

Okay. Seriously. A real dream for 2008.

A dream of mine for 2008 would be Simplicity. To live simply. To live without chaos and clutter. Both the kind in my home and the kind in my heart.

I feel like so much of my time is wasted searching for things.

Whether it is searching through my house for some obscure thing that I know I just saw somewhere, or searching through my heart for some peace within myself.

I am spending to much time searching, and not enough time doing.

(Now is a good time to run if all of my deep, italicized, thoughts are scaring you. See you next week.)

The peace, the calm? They do elude me. There just seems to be nothing simple about life right now. The simplicity in daily living is no where to be found near my home.

I don't mean simplicity as in hanging my clothes out to dry and baking my own bread. I mean something along the lines of 'A place for everything, and everything in its place.' I walk around my home feeling every day as though I am the maid. In order to keep everything picked up, orderly and clean, I must do it. I know this is one of my primary jobs as a stay at home mom, but still, I can't help but feel resentful sometimes. I often feel as though I am the only who cares enough, who respects our home enough, to try and keep it orderly. And when I drop the ball in this area, and K picks up the slack, I feel guilty, instead of grateful.

Wouldn't it be so much simpler if everyone cared? If everyone in my home was just as responsible for their things as I have to be? I know it would do wonders for the chaos I feel inside.

I don't always know where someones brown belt is. But I would guess it's right where they left it, and that it is probably NOT on the hook where it should be hanging. I can't keep track of two Tae Kwon Do Belts that look exactly the same. If they are not in the appropriate child's cubby, then I don't know where they are. But I would guess they made their way down to the basement to be used as some kind of tie up for either a 'robber' or a 'mean bull.'

Wouldn't it be simpler if the Tae Kwon Do belts just stayed in the cubbies where they belong, and our actual toys were used for playing?

Wouldn't life be simpler if we weren't rushing around at the last minute looking for some specific item that should be 'there' but isn't?

Yet, I feel alone in this daily struggle. And sometimes, I just don't care. I get tired of being the only one to care. (Mature, right?) It's sad, but true.

I've hung the hook for the belt, and I've designated a cubby for each child. But have I failed in the simple teaching of how to respect ones things? How to simply put something away when you are done with it?

This leads to me wanting to simplify things within my heart, too. It's like a big huge cycle that keeps going around and I cannot seem stop it. My heart is angry. And choatic. And unsure if it should just trudge along as the designated finder of all things within our four walls. If I weren't always resentful and crabby and overwhelmed about home keeping, would I be able to simply and freely give of myself to my family?

Would I be able to sit down and read the requested 6 stories at bedtime, instead of only 2? Would I have time to play more than one game of Sorry with my kids, instead of sitting there wishing the game would end because 'I have things to do.' Would I be able to sit and just 'be'?

I feel like if things were simpler I would.

But I don't know. Maybe this is just how life is with 4 kids and a dog and activities and friends. I have never lived in a house with this many people before.

I don't regret it. I just don't understand it.

My heart tells me to just enjoy them, raise them, be with them while they are young. But my senses get overwhelmed at the chaos around me. My senses long for simplicity.

And yet, despite this struggle between the need for simplicity in my life, and the ongoing chaos that surrounds me, I know that I simply don't want to miss a minute.

Do you think Suzanne Sugarbaker ever went bowling? And more importantly, would she have used Blogger or Wordpress?

2008-01-03T02:15:00.000-06:00

So, it's a new year and I'm trying to get back to blogging regularly. It was nice to have a break from feeling like I needed to post everyday, but at the same time I sometimes felt a bit stressed, like I needed to get my thoughts out before my head exploded.

I will say that my house has been noticeably cleaner, the laundry is (almost) done and put away, and there are groceries in the pantry thanks to all the extra time I've had on my hands while staying away from the computer.

My holiday decorations are still up, we are still enjoying our lit tree in the evenings, but it will have to go soon as I am getting a little antsy over all of the Christmas clutter that seems to cover every flat surface.

I took the kids bowling yesterday. I know that many things improve with age, but my bowling skills have not. I am one awful bowler. And I can't figure out why. I always manage to get eight or 9 pins down on the my first turn and then I can never pick up the spare. EVER. Those one or two pins are just left standing there as my ball rolls on by. So I admit it, I did get beat by a nine year old. I guess I'll just have to be okay with that.

I also am struggling with blogger. I managed to figure out how to download a three column blogger template, but other parts are giving me trouble. I am still too nervous to leave my safe and easy home here at blogger and switch to the unknown, or Wordpress as it's called, even though I've been practicing and I have to say that auto-post rocks. So, I'm kind of at a standstill with that whole decision.

It is funny how I can walk into a store and know instantly which, for example couch, I like, but where to blog is really causing me to loose sleep? Why is that? I can see a couch as soon as I walk in to a furniture store, know it's the one I want, browse the whole store, and go back to my original selection. Not that, you know, I've been out shopping for couches lately. But if I was? Well then, that is how I do it.

And why exactly am I rambling on about couches? Who knows. Maybe I ended the blogging break a little too soon.

I am wondering how you all are doing? Anyone else ready for the holidays to be over and routines to return to normal, even if means setting an alarm clock? I'm ready, but I have enjoyed not setting the alarm for almost two weeks.

Believe it or not, somehow my kids have been sleeping late every day. Until almost ten o'clock in the morning. Yes, I know! Where are my real children? But I'm not complaining. At all. Because you know who else has been sleeping until ten o'clock everyday right along with them?

Me, that's who! And if I could just wake up, flip on the television, order a pizza and lay around until noon watching reruns of Designing Women while procrastinating on some studying I should be doing, I'd swear it was 1992 and I was back in college.

But these kids of mine? They sleep till ten and then they get up and need to eat. And they don't really enjoy sitting down with a pizza to a good episode of Designing Women like I do. So we go bowling instead.

Could You All Join Me In Spreading Some Bloggy Love?

2008-01-02T11:50:00.001-06:00

There's a new blogger in town, and it is my real life friend, Col. She is one of the most honest, funniest people I know and I really would like for her to see what a warm and welcoming community the blog world can be.

Like any new blogger, there is a fear of the unknown, of putting down in print what you are really feeling and the worry that people may read and worse, judge you for what you write.

And since you all come here and read my ramblings, and support me in ways I'd never imagined, I know for a fact that there is no judgement in the blogworld.

So won't you please, please, go HERE and welcome my friend to blogging? Let her know that she is welcomed and give her a comment to show her what a warm, friendly and safe place the blogworld can be?

Thanks, guys! I will totally owe you one.

And on a totally unrelated side note, my kids, although I love 'em, are driving me crazy! Let me emphasize that. C-R-A-Z-Y with a capital CRAZY. Seriously, this is like the winter break THAT NEVER ENDS! I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and it will be time for them to go back to school. And yet, five more more days of togetherness, await me.

So, I think it goes without saying that I have really missed posting daily and 'talking' with you all, but I CANNOT GET NEAR THE COMPUTER. Either one of them. It seems as though Webkinz and Miley World and DisneyChanneldotcom trump my existence in the blog world. And seriously, I'm a little twitchy, because I don't know what is going on at Peopledotcom and oh my goodness WHAT IF NICOLE RICHIE HAS HER BABY AND I CAN'T GET ONLINE TO READ ABOUT IT?

Now I ask you, would that be any way to start the new year?

A New Year's Eve Reflection

2007-12-31T01:12:00.000-06:00

2007. It was a good year. But I don't ever really think of any year as bad. Each year that I'm alive and happy has got to be considered good, right? Of course, every year has it share of hurts and disappointments. There are years that bring more hurt than others. The death of a grandparent, a loved one, a friend. Financial struggles, marriage struggles, questions about parenting abilities; these all ebb and flow over the course of the years for me, but not one year stands out as marked forever by one event.

Of course I look back and remember things about myself from years past that I am ashamed of. Things that disgust me and fill me with shame and regret. Memories of horrible things I have done that I will never shake and still regret to this day. I wish I could be someone who could say they have lived a life of no regrets, but for me, it seems as though every time I open my mouth I have a 50/50 chance of saying something I will regret, eventually. I have not yet mastered the art of thinking before I speak, even though I have been conscious of the fact that indeed I have been afflicted with stick-your-foot-in-your-mouth disease for at least 25 years.

I have many regrets, but it is who I am. I have one though, that for whatever reason, has been weighing heavily on my mind lately. And in the big picture of areas of my life in which I have really screwed up, it is probably the one that caused me the least amount of repercussions, yet the one that still fills my heart with hurt and regret some 22 year later.

I was a sixth or seventh grader, I can't remember exactly, but no matter the age, I was definitely a brat. I rode the bus to and from school every day and after school walked to my Grandma's house where I stayed and had dinner until my mom came home from work. My Grandma's house was always warm and cozy with a homemade dinner and fresh baked goods in the oven or in the cookie jar. My Grandma took care of my young cousins while their parents worked and somehow, her house was clean, her laundry done. She sewed, she knitted, she wrote letters, she hung laundry out on the clothesline, she cooked and canned and baked and she ironed. Oh boy, did Grandma love to iron. She ironed everything including her sheets. A tradition I tried to valiantly carry on myself, because boy are freshly ironed, crisp sheets, amazing to climb into bed with.

However after 1 child, I realized that I was not my Grandma and something had to give. And sheet ironing was the first to go. Followed closely by sewing, knitting, canning and writing letters. Oh, and growing my own vegetables.

Honestly, I don't know how she, or any woman of her generation, did it. They were amazing home keepers and yet I, with all the modern conveniences available to me, can't seem to get it together. I digress. My Grandma's home was warm and inviting, and I was glad to go there everyday after school, to have someone waiting for me.

One day, my grandma had my young cousin in his stroller and she was waiting for me at the bus stop. I don't know if they had been out on a walk, or if they had come outside with the specific purpose of meeting me. In any case, they were at my bus stop waiting for me. And me? I was embarrassed. Embarrassed of the old lady with the stroller who came to meet me like I was a five year old. I walked right past them like I was not the person they were looking for. Walked. Right. Past. Them. So the kids on the bus wouldn't know it was me that the Grandma came to meet at the bus. Apparently, I was too cool to be met at the bus stop by my Grandma.

And Grandma? She was hurt. And instead of apologizing, doing the right thing, saying that I was a stupid kid who was worried about what the kids on the bus thought, I yelled at her. For embarrassing me. For treating me like a child. I may have even said that I "didn't see her."

And I'm so sorry. This one event, this one hurt I caused this amazing woman who raised me, who loved me, who was always there for me, leaves an ache in my heart that I don't think will ever go away. How do you apologize to someone for ignoring them? For walking right past them like you didn't see them? For not acknowledging them and their existence? I don't know. Because I don't think I ever did apologize. I was a brat and when I was right, I was right. She was the one that was wrong for embarrassing me.

Y'all, I can't even say how much, 10 years after my Grandma's death, this one event still weighs heavily on my heart. Maybe it's because I'm the mom now. I'm the one waiting at the bus stop. And I know how hurt I would be if one of my three bus riders walked right past me. Like I didn't even matter.

And yet, my point with this story is that even though I remember that year by that one event, I know it was not a bad year. I know the next day I bounded into my Grandma's house after school to cookies and a glass of milk, the radio playing, and the dinner on the stove. I know my Grandma loved me and I loved her. I know that year I won a Battle of the Books championship and my Grandma was cheering me on. I know I had a fantastic softball season with my Grandma in the stands. I know I went on a trip to Alaska and saw things I probably will never see again. So while I am probably forever haunted by that one bad memory, I don't think of any year as a bad year. Any year, or day, or minute even, is a gift from God. And I don't take any of it for granted. How can any moment you are alive on this Earth, surrounded by friends, family and love, be bad?

So I want to record a few random happenings from this year, because even though I know there were many fights, arguments, disappointments, bad test grades, piles of laundry, un-ironed sheets and daily struggles, we are still here. Together. In a house with the heat on, the Christmas Tree glowing, non-homegrown vegetables in the fridge and more luxuries than we need. It was a good year.

2007 was a lot of things. It was the year we didn't win the lottery, the year we didn't get a new car, and the year we didn't come one step closer to our dream home.

And yet, oddly enough, my memories of this year of good.

2007 is the year I stopped buying diapers after almost 10 years. Pampers stock will surely plummet.

2007 is the year an acquaintance turned into a good friend. And I love her.

In 2007 we went on a wonderful family vacation. We enjoyed the sun, sand and sea and still smile about this trip whenever we talk about it.

2007 is the year K re-purchased his beloved Blackhawks season tickets. And yet, still no dream house.

In 2007 I was able to leave the house with no diaper bag, no snacks or sippy cups, and no extra changes of clothes. I have children that can put their shoes and coats on by themselves and we are finally able to make plans without worrying about nap time.

2007 is also the first year I have a child that WILL NOT TAKE A NAP. So it would go without saying that in 2007, my naps have been considerably less frequent.

In 2007 we were healthy. I am healthy, my husband is healthy, and my children made it through the year with no major illnesses or injuries. My son had a successful ear surgery and I think we only made 3 visits to the Urgent Care all year for various kids related emergencies.

2007 is the year of the summer that Choppy won her first 1st place ribbon in swimming.

2007 is also the year that Taco began playing hockey. And he loves it.

In 2007, we have had no deaths in our family. We have grandparents and great-grandparents still with us. And we are better for it.

In the summer of 2007 we caught more frogs than ever before at the cottage. There was a frog population explosion in Wisconsin this year and our buckets were ready.

In 2007 I was lucky enough to go on a girls only getaway to Galena with some good friends. And I had a wonderful time.

2007 will always be the year I started blogging.

2007 is also the year that I have really fallen away from the Church.

But yet, 2007 is the year where I have prayed more than ever before.

2007 found me as disorganized as ever.

And 2007 is the year where, again, I tried to get my act together.

In 2007 Fiona and Choppy have flourished in Tae Kwon Do. Breaking boards now not only with their feet, but their hands too. It amazes me. And they both swear it doesn't hurt. Which I don't understand at all, but love to watch them practice their art of focus and discipline and skill.

In 2007 we were able to see family from all over the country, and all over the world.

2007 will be the year I remember for the best vacation I ever took with K, to Hawaii.

2007 brought me success in the weight loss department, and also failure as I fell off the proverbial "wagon."

In 2007 I stopped drinking Coke for the first time in my life. And I felt great.

I also started drinking Coke again in 2007.

In 2007 I hugged and kissed my children everyday.

And, in 2007, I said "I love you" every single day, and meant it every time.

In 2007 there was good and there was bad. There have been good times, laughter, and fun, but there have also been struggles and worry and tears. And when you put them all together, they make up a life. And a good one it is.

Happy New Year!

We Interrupt This Holiday Blogging Break To Bring You Random Thoughts Floating Around In My Son's Head

2007-12-30T00:38:00.000-06:00

It was late, the open highway stretched out in front of us, the car was quiet, and all three girls were asleep. But one little boy was awake. A little boy whose 5 year old mind was still working, despite the late hour. A little boy who evidently watches way too much TV, and even worse, apparently pays close attention to commercials.

"Mom?"

"Hey Mom?"

Keep in mind that my son will not speak unless you acknowledge the fact that he has your undivided attention.

"You should get a Life Alert."

Now I turned around to look at him. He had my attention.

"You should get a Life Alert in case you have a Serious Fall. Or a fire."

Ummm, okay. Go on.

"If you have a Serious Fall, you can press your button on Life Alert and an ambulance will zoom right to get you."

Okay honey, try to close your eyes now. It's late.

"Mom? What if you have a Serious Fall? What if there is a fire? You need a Life Alert."

Sure honey. Maybe when I'm older, if I'm all by myself. You can get me a Life Alert then if it will make you feel better.

"Mom, Serious Falls can happen to old people. You know, people that are old that get smaller? You really should get a Life Alert."

Do you think I remind him of the old lady who has fallen and can't get up? Because I may be getting older, but I definitely am not getting smaller.

I prefer to think he just really loves me. And cares about me. And is looking out for me. And why are they showing Life Alert commercials during Tom and Jerry on the Boomerang network? Are Life Alert customers really in the Tom and Jerry watching demographic?

K laughed and laughed. I guess I know what I'm getting for my birthday this year.

"Finding Fiona"

2007-12-22T21:54:00.000-06:00

Congratulations Martha! You are the winner of my 100th post contest! And the new owner of a brand new TV! Get your address to me and you can ring in the New Year watching the ball drop on 15 inches of LCD flatness!

"Finding Fiona" made me imagine how I felt when I first saw my newborn baby girl, how I feel now everytime she says or does something new, something that gives me a little glimpse of her style, taste, opinions, and the woman she will become. She is trying to find something in this photo, with that intent look on her face, and it did remind me of that little fish Nemo, trying to find his own way in the great big ocean. Just like my Fiona must do for herself.

I don't know if I'll ever do another Name That Photo! contest again, because honestly, it was torture! Seriously, I have been struggling all day.

"Island Girl" by Jessie was some tough competion! I loved Island Girl, it made me feel all warm and beachy and I wanted to hop online and book a flight to St. Thomas. Seriously, Jessie? You almost nailed it with Island Girl. The only hang up was that the Island Girl? She's also a snowboarding queen. Winter time is her time. So while she definitely enjoys the islands, the beach, the sun, I know she'll never be far from a snowy hill. Not that you would've know that or anything. Oh jeez, can you tell how guilty I feel? I really loved Island Girl. I wish I had two TV's.

Other titles in there until the bitter end were:

Moonchild's "Beauty and the Beach" Because I love that movie. In fact, I am a beauty myself, married to her beast.

alwys_shoppin's (no blog, no email) "Girl Uninterrupted" Loved it! Sounded like an Angelina Jolie movie to me. And I love me some Brangelina.

Mom of 2 Little Princesses "Carefree Concentration" I was totally into the play on words with this one. Carefree, yet concentrating. Get it?

And of course, another great entry by Jessie (Jessie? Jessie? With no blog or email? Tell me who you are girl, 'cause you're cracking me up!) "Bahama Mama's Girl" This one had me chuckling all day. Just chuckling through the crowded Toys R Us today, I was. Yes indeed.

And that's all she wrote on that, folks. See you in 2008, and thanks for letting me get to know you over the course of 100 posts!

Merry Christmas to you all.

It's A "Give That Photo A Name" Contest to celebrate my 100th post!

2007-12-21T00:25:00.000-06:00

Time's Up! Thanks for all of the great entries, I'll have a winner announced sometime tomorrow, after I finish my Christmas shopping, that is.

With the Pioneer Woman's go ahead, here is my very own version of "Give That Photo A Name!"

I love this picture. I have a large version of it leaning on the counter in my kitchen. This photo is my oldest daughter, strolling the beach in the Bahamas. I love this picture for so many reasons, I love seeing the beach, the water, and the bright sunshine every day. This picture reminds me of a wonderful vacation we had, but it also reminds me of our love of travel to different beach destinations. I love how she looks so lost in her thoughts, and I love how intently she is looking for shells with her green bucket. I also love the reminder that while we are here in the icy cold of a Midwest winter, this beach is still there, in all its warm, Carribean glory, waiting for us to visit again.

Not only do I love this picture, but I LOVE this girl. She is my oldest, my first, my guinea pig, and she is fun! She is at such a great age right now, not yet a teen, not a child, but a really cool kid. Her personality is changing and developing and I am loving getting to know her at this age. My emotions run deep for this one, she has me wrapped around her finger. We have a special bond, her and I. When I was nine months pregnant with her, I lost my grandma, suddenly and unexpectedly. It was the darkest time of my life. And this baby, my first baby, she pulled me back, she gave me my life back. She needed me. And I desperately needed her.

So your job internet friends, is to give this photo a title. What would you call it? Get those creative juices flowing, because the winner receives a prize! A prize! That you could win! You could win a TV! A brand new, still in its sealed box, LCD, flat screen, 15" TV, identical to the one I have on my kitchen counter. Cause a girl has to to keep up with an E True Hollywood Story every now and then while she's working in the kitchen.

So there you have it!

Now get busy and give me a title for that photo! I'll leave the comments open until tonight at 9pm, CST. The winner will be announced on Saturday, and one of you creative people will have a new flat screen to start off the New Year!

How's that for a 100th post?

I believe a little clarification is needed

2007-12-20T13:40:00.000-06:00

Y'all are really killing me. Seriously.

I was just reading the comments today from my previous post and I do think I detect a little bit of Pioneer Woman worship in your typing. I hate to be the one to burst the bubble, but I didn't say I was the Pioneer Woman's BFF. I merely said I've had a nice exchange of pleasantries with her via the ol' email.

That's it!

I'm sorry to disappoint you guys. Really. I hope you'll still come back and read. Even if I am a great big looser.

And if you do plan on coming back to read the blog of someone who has in no way, shape, or form ever laid eyes on The Pioneer Woman, well, tomorrow just might be a great day to do that. Because I know, that you all know, about a certain contest she holds, and I've got the go ahead to hold a little contest of my own.

It'll be my first ever Name That Photo Contest! And it is happening right here, tomorrow, with one of my current favorite photos. All in honor of my 100th post...and to honor all of you great ladies who read and who I consider my internet friends.

(Which is not at all as weird and creepy as I thought it was about 100 posts ago.)

But seriously, internet friends? Y'all need to get all life.

Quit stalking the redhead out on the prairie. You guys need a support group.

I've been shopping and I may have even picked up a little something for you

2007-12-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

Did you think I went out to do my Christmas shopping and was never to be heard from again?

No, I am still here. And I'm not yet done with the shopping. Just 4 more stores. And that's it. I swear.

Really, that will have to be it because I am almost out of money. Seriously, have you seen the price of Legos lately?

I can't even blog it, because then K will see. And I'll be in a bit of trouble. It seems as though the mortgage company doesn't care that it is Christmas.

Anyway, my 100th post is rapidly approaching.

I could do the traditional 100 things about me post to mark the occasion, or I could spare us all a ride on a train bound for boredom and kick it up a notch.

I could have a giveaway. Or a contest.

Or I could just tell you all that I had a mighty nice email from the P-Dub herself and I am indeed going to do something fun.

And giveaway something pretty great.

All of the beautiful homes have wore me out

2007-12-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

I must take a break today from the blog world. Because, as much as I love visiting all my blogging friends, I have things to do. And it's not sit on the couch and visit 55 bloggy home tours.

After touring some beautiful homes yesterday, and finding some great new blogs to read, I must get off the couch and venture out into the world.

I was thinking about going out and starting my Christmas shopping.

I kid, I kid. Of course I've started.

I ordered two gifts online yesterday.

Today, I must hit the Toys R Us. And the mall. And while I'm there, the great Mexican place in the food court at the mall.

It's a marathon, not a sprint, people.

Come on in, the decorating is done and the Rescue Heroes are ready

2007-12-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is. The much anticipated and long awaited Christmas Tour of Homes, hosted by the Southern hostess with the mostess, Boomama.

I am excited to be actually participating this year, instead of just stalking you all and your beautiful homes like I did last year.

The halls are decked, so let's get started.

This is our front door. Which we never use. But I love the sparkly fruit wreath and the urns artfully filled with greenery by moi. Oh the joy the festive urns bring me. You have no idea. Martha would be proud. All those years of subscribing to her magazine have really taught me some useful skills.

(Please excuse the leaning greens. It's been a bit windy around here, and they are too frozen in to straighten. Just know, that I know, that they are crooked.)

(And don't judge me by my leaning greenery. I didn't have the staff at Martha Stewart Living to help me start over.)

Let's go on in.

You're in. Welcome to the place where chaos reigns, it is never quiet and the laundry is never done. Drop your stuff anywhere, everyone else does, and I'll come by and pick it up.

When you walk in my front door, the living room is to your right. We use this room a lot for reading and talking. And time outs. But mostly reading and talking. Which is good. Because I grew up in a house where you couldn't walk on the fresh vacuum marks in the living room, and this room is nothing like that.

This is a good representation of the ornaments on my tree. The gold ball was my grandmother's and when you pull it it plays Silent Night. I can remember listening to this ornament every year and I'm so glad to have it now. The house is just one of about 30 that my mom started giving me when I was a kid. I have a few scattered red birds on my tree, also as a memory of being at my grandparents house. Everyone who knows me thinks it is very strange that I, of all people, would have a tree full of birds. Because everyone that knows me, knows I am not a bird lover. Rather, I am a bird loather. It is a hate that runs deep, firmly rooted in a childhood bird traumatization. But I think of these red feather cardinals not as birds, but as reminders of Grandma and Grandpa's house, looking for cardinals out their kitchen window.

And besides, this is Christmas, so I don't want to think of the bird unpleasantness, the terror of it all, now.

This is the coffee table in my living room. It holds a nativity set my mom gave me along with a picture of me as a child with my grandfather during a blizzard in the 70's. I'm so excited to see this picture every year. And not just because I was vision in bright red snow pants.

Yes, those are Rescue Heroes helping to stand guard over the baby Jesus. We believe that we are one people under God, regardless of race or plasticity.

As soon as you walk in the front door, there is a long hallway in front of you leading from the foyer to the family room. At the end of this hallway is the family room where we have our second tree. It is a real Frasier fir, decorated by the kids with all of their own ornaments, their handmade ornaments, as well as K and my ornaments from our childhoods. It really is a pretty tree. If you can appreciate the beauty of overly glittered, clumped together, made with love, ornaments. Which I can, and I do.

Just not near my pretty tree in the living room.

This is the nativity under the kids tree. Or as Gracie calls it, Jesus and the peoples. It is played with and rearranged daily. For some reason though, the Rescue Heroes prefer to do their worshipping at the other nativity scene closer to the pretty tree. Apparently, they are not fans of overly glittered ornaments.

The entertainment center in the family room is decorated with my Santa collection. I started collecting these when K and I first got married and I love them. They are old-fashioned and rustic and homey, which is not really the way I decorate, but I love to bring them out in December. We buy a new one every year, and date them all. (Notice that animal print accent, Martha?)

Here they are. My jolly fellas. Happily residing among the fresh greens and berry garland.

And, I had to throw this picture in for K. When I was going around the house on Sunday afternoon taking pictures, I made him pause the game so I could shut the doors and snap a picture of my Santa collection that didn't include the Ravens or the Dolphins. He said I should photograph the house the way it really looks and leave the doors alone. So the stockings are hung by the TV with care. And how was I supposed to know the second I shut those doors to take the picture the Dolphins would win their first game of the year? Sorry, K.

Last stop on the tour is the dining room. It is across from the living room and is to your left when you come in the front door. I think the dining room is my favorite room in the house, Christmastime or not.

This is the dining room table centerpiece. It looks very pretty at night with the lights reflecting off the glass vases. I'm sure it would look even prettier if the candles were lit. But those are my prized Pottery Barn glitter candles. And they were to expensive to you know, actually burn, so they come out every year as a reminder of a time when I could actually afford to spend that kind of money on candles, instead of a Wii. Ho Ho Ho.

This is the nativity on the sideboard in my dining room. I love this piece. It is big and heavy and, along with my Grandma's gold ornament, is my favorite Christmas decoration. It is, after all, the reason for the season.

Thanks for coming over.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Santa is not the only one who should be making a list and checking it twice

2007-12-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday afternoon, Choppy burst through the door after school, she had a huge smile on her face and was so excited that she had a wiggly tooth. She bravely wiggled it out as soon as she got home, and promptly placed it under her pillow to await the tooth fairy.

And the tooth fairy? She forgot.

The tooth fairy had stayed up way too late on Wednesday night, watching important shows like Kitchen Nightmares and Criminal Minds. So when the tooth fairy finally headed upstairs to bed, she made a quick check of the kiddies, dug through the laundry basket full of socks so everyone had a clean pair for the next day, and was asleep the moment her head hit her pillow.

And when she awoke in a panic the next morning, that moron of a tooth fairy knew it was too late to sneak the money under the pillow. It was prime waking up time for the kids. Any sudden movement or noise then would have been met with the start of the morning chaos. And the outing of the tooth fairy.

It didn't take the long face of Choppy that morning to tell the tooth fairy how badly she screwed up. This tooth fairy felt so bad, but there was nothing she could do to take the hurt away. Except make excuses for that moron of a tooth fairy. Whose wings had most likely iced up in the cold night making it impossible for her to fly.

Any guesses as to who this tooth fairy might be?

Y'all are just so smart.

I have not always been so disorganized. I used to be quite organized and on top of things. I was formerly a big fan of The List. I made a list for everything, and it was with great flourish that I would cross off my tasks, one by one. In colored ink, of course.

I had a list for every occasion. And the lists were kept in brightly colored spiral notebooks. Of course, I had lists for the obvious reasons; groceries, meals, cleaning projects, errands, but I also had lists that were a bit more detail oriented.

There was the Books to Read list, and the list of Movies to See. I had a list for Restaurants I Wanted to Try, and one for Cars I Wanted To Own. Of course I had a list of my favorite baby names, a boy and a girl edition, which I even signed and made my then boyfriend, now husband, sign too. In ink. And he didn't even run screaming away from the crazy lady with the colored pens.

There was even a list on Routes to Take Whilst Walking The Dog.

Eventually, the lists stopped. The more kids I had, the less lists I wrote. And really, I think it worked out for the best. Otherwise I would have four kids named Shelby, Darby, Jackson, and Gretchen.

Apparently around 1993 I was a huge fan of movies that starred Julia Roberts. And also, was extremely proud of my German roots.

Now, I don't even have time to sit down and make a list. And if, on the rare occasion I do make a list of things I need to pick up at the store, it is usually written on some random scrap of paper found in my purse. And most of the time, when I get to the place where I need to pull out the haphazardly written list, I usually cannot find it.

I need to bring back The List habit.

And the first thing on it needs to be Remember You Are The Frickin' Tooth Fairy.

Wordless Wednesday - Because Opening Day seems so very far away

2007-12-12T00:01:00.000-06:00

Bear with me, I'm HTML challenged

2007-12-11T00:01:00.000-06:00

So with this new blog design has come a few problems. The biggest one being that when the blog was viewed on Firefox, it looked horrible. It may have looked horrible on other browsers too, I just only was able to view it on Internet Explorer and Firefox. I really like how it looked on IE, but on firefox it was missing my whole middle column. The posts were in brown on a brown background. And the links? They were bright, screamy, neon blue.

This put me in a panic.

I felt my eyelid begin to twitch and my neck got all scratchy. I even sent off a desperate email to my friend Jul, who knows that in real life I am not a fan of bright, screamy, neon blue.

But the links on firefox? They are still blue. Jennisa was able to fix the brown on brown look for me, but I have no idea about the links. Please know if you are reading on firefox, the blue links should not be blue.

I ask you to not judge me by my neon linkage.

I would love to get my middle column back too, and use the chocolate brown for the border, but that seems to be beyond the scope of my html knowledge.

I would work on it a little more extensively tonight, but with the TV writers on strike and all, I have found myself watching National Lampoon's European Vacation. And I am laughing. And fondly remembering my purple jelly shoes. And that I used to say "That's so rank."

So I ask again, TV writers please end this strike. Now.

Before I am forced to rekindle my former viewing relationship with the American Gladiators.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

2007-12-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

Mary is hosting a holiday edition of Tiny Talk today. I made the cutest video of Gracie, but I am having some trouble getting it to load. So, unfortunatley, I will have to type it out instead. But when I was recording her while we were talking, it was so cute. You'll just have to trust me on that!

Gracie, age 3, and I were talking about being a good girl and Santa bringing a present to girls and boys that have been really good.

I said to her "Oh, I hope Santa brings you three presents, 'cause you are such a good girl!"

And she said "Or six!"

Yes, You are in the right place!

2007-12-10T00:01:00.000-06:00

It's still me!

I have been wanting to spiffy it up a bit here at the old blawg, and this weekend I had the pleasure of working with Jennisa at Jennisa's Bloggie Designs.

I am so lucky to have found her! She is super reasonably priced, she is super quick, and she is super flexible. Can you tell I think she is super?

It can't be easy working with people you don't know over the internet, especially people like me. I emailed her with requests like "Can you darken the ink?" Or "The font is not quite right." And of course, "I know I told you to keep it simple, but can you add another pattern in?"

I believe my indecisiveness is well documented in this blog.

If you are thinking of a something different for your own blog, check out Jennisa!

An Impassioned Plea

2007-12-07T00:22:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Saturday, December 8th.

Or

The Day Miley Cyrus will be in concert at the All State Arena and Fiona and Choppy will not be there because their mother sucks.

And I do. I really, really do.

I feel like I am depriving my children of the chance to see the Beatles. Or Elvis. Or my personal preference, Tim McGraw. Whom they have totally already seen. Because when someone I LOVE comes to town, I make sure that I have tickets.

But for Miley/Hannah...I tried. I really, really tried. I hopped online, only to be stuck indefinitely in the online waiting room that is Ticketmasterdotcom. I even tried to get the tickets the old fashioned way. I programmed the TM number into the phone and hit redial 14,946 times.

I called a local radio station to try and win the tickets. And when it was 1991 and I needed to get through to a station to request a certain song I needed to record off of the radio for a mix tape I was making, I never had a problem getting thru.

But now? Not so much.

Apparently, every other sucky mother out there had also honed her radio station speed dialing skills in the early nineties.

So my plea is this. If you had a spare ticket or three to the EVENT OF THE YEAR, would you consider me?

If your neighbors brother-in-law knows the guy who plays poker every Saturday night with another guy who supplies the nachos to the arena and could possible get us in during a covert nacho delivery mission, I'd be forever in your debt.

Or perhaps your sister has a great hairdresser who is divorced from a loser whose mother has a third cousin whose son's girlfriend just happens to be an usher at the venue in question and could possibly get us some spare tickets, I would really owe you big time.

Or even if you went to college with a cute tri-Delt who moved to LA and married a guy who ended up being, say, Miley Cyrus' manager, or publicist, or bus driver, for pete sakes, maybe now would be a good time to call her up and remember the good ol' days?

And maybe during your trip down memory lane with the tri-Delt you could casually mention this blogger that you know who could desperately use 3 tickets to see Miss Hannah/Miley in concert.

And then I wouldn't be the sucky mom with the slow trigger on the redial button, I'd be the really cool mom with the best bloggy readers in the whole wide world.

And to pay you back for this once in a lifetime chance to see Hannah Montana I'd even make a mix tape for you. So really, it's a win/win situation.

Okay, It's Part Two and we're still not the family from a Norman Rockwell painting.

2007-12-06T00:29:00.000-06:00

So, we are in the middle of a field of Christmas trees. When I left off this story on Tuesday, I had just discovered that my eight year old had no socks, my husband had no gloves and Fiona's shoe was taking on water. The Clydesdales and their wagon have left, we see Iowa in the distance and Gracie's chin, it is still stinging.

Probably due to the fact that by now little ice pellets were bouncing off of us like freshly popped popcorn at the movie theatre.

I am in the middle of a rousing rendition of "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Are you still with me?

Good. Let's continue with the tale of how the Chritmas karma came back to bite us.

There we stood for a few minutes in disbelief at the great vastness in front of us that was to be our selection of Christmas trees. Literally, our mouths hung open. Except for my son, whose mouth was open due to the fact that he was screaming over the pain of tripping continuously over tree stumps.

K and I looked at each other and gave a nod towards Iowa, and we began to walk. I had quit leading the sing along by this time, because nobody was joining in. They are a rude bunch when they are out in the elements, my people.

We zigged, we zagged, we made our way through the rows of trees. As we walked, we would stop and debate over one tree vs. another, but no tree seemed to be The One.

Because apparently, no matter what weather conditions we may be stranded in, we are a discerning bunch.

Fiona was only interested in the big trees. And I must compliment her, despite the hole in her gym shoes and the wet feet, she was a trooper. She was running ahead like a white tail deer during hunting season, scoping out possibilities for us to look at. The only problem with Fiona's tree selection is that they all were rather large. And wide. Finally K had to tell her if it was a tree that wouldn't fit in our backyard, it probably would not fit in our house. But still, this girl turned out to be someone I'd be proud to hike to Iowa with during a winter storm warning any day of the week.

That is, if I were stupid enough to ever find myself in this situation again. Which I won't. But if I did, I'd so want her to be my wing man. The Goose to my Maverick.

Anyhoo, have I mentioned about the two large, and now rather wet, blankets I was carrying?

Because I was.

Even though K did not have the foresight to bring gloves, I had the gumption about me to not only remember the saw, but two warm lap blankets for us to snuggle under on our horse drawn ride out to the Christmas tree field.

Remember, I'm all about the Fun! and the Christmas spirit! and the Memories!

I really was recreating a Norman Rockwell painting. Or a plate, at the very least.

The only problem with the blankets, is that they got so SOAKING WET on the ride out to the field, now that I was forced to actually carry them through the field, on foot, they were rather heavy.

So I did what anyone would do. I set them down. Right next to a tree where I knew I would remember them. My load was lighter, and we continued to walk.

Oh, and in case you were needing a weather update at this point, yes the little ice pellets are still raining down on us. Or should I say beating? Because really they were beating down on us.

Therefore, I think it would go without saying that Gracies' chin, it was still stinging.

You would think we would somehow, someway, manage to dig deep and JUST PICK A FRICKIN' TREE ALREADY.

But the elusive ONE, was not to be found.

I suggested a tree I may have seen on the wagon ride out, that I thought would be perfect. So we turned around and began to walk back toward the civilization from which we had come.

Because I'm sure out of roughly 8,238 trees, I would have no problem remembering which one it was that I had seen while whizzing by on a brisk, two horse open sleigh ride.

The only problem with the return trip to civilization was a slight problem with the heavy lap blankets. The blankets! Where were the blankets!

Now, where had I laid those pesky things down?

Who knew we had covered so much ground in between all that carolling, and tripping over tree trunks and least we forget our stinging chins.

Apparently, we had done alright for ourselves in that department. Because the blankets were no where to be found.

So I went one way, while Fiona went the other way and the rest of our people...well they just stood there.

And then I heard a call, and I liken it to how Tatoo must've felt every time he spotted da plane! da plane! For it was music to my ears. da blankets! da blankets!

There they were, covered with their own fresh little dusting of Christmas, right were I had left them.

K had the saw, I had the blankets, Fiona was still doing her white-tailed deer impersonation, and the other three...well they were wet. And tripping. And Gracie? That chin of hers was still a stinging'. Because those ice pellets knew no limit. They were going to beat us down until every last ounce of Christmas joy that was left in our bodies was gone.

And amid all this, still we could not find the right tree. They were either too big, too small or had *huge gasp* too many bald spots.

Because although we appreciate the beauty of nature's bounty in the form of a Frasier fir, we are not fans of the bald spot.

So we walked, and we walked, we tripped, and we walked some more.

And it was decision time. We were cold, we were wet and some of us were a bit cranky, while others were fresh out of Christmas carols to sing.

K has his hands tucked so far up in his sleeves he looked like he had two stumps where his arms should have been hanging. And his ears? They were mighty red. I think it is safe to say that baseball is a summer sport because the baseball hat? It does not provide the warmth that one might expect they would need outside of the months of May, June, July, and August.

So we were faced with a dilemma. Do we keep tree hunting? Searching for the still elusive one? Because the closer we walked to civilization, the slimmer the pickings got.

I'm not sure how fresh trees, still firmly rooted in their growing spot can turn half brown around the trunk, but the needles on half of these trees were indeed, brown and falling off.

And I know we were desperate, but not desperate enough to buy a half dead tree.

And then K said it. The words that no one wanted to hear, but that had to be said.
"Do you just want to go?"

WITH NO TREE? What about the FUN! and the MEMORIES!

But, the ice pellets, they had beat us down. So we decided to get on that Clydesdale pulled wagon and head for home. Or at least, the warm car.

And so we made our way to the spot where the Clydesdales should be returning. We shivered, we waited,we laughed at the craziness of the day, and we even were kind of aggravated at the rather half dead tree selection. And even after all this, we were still waitin' for those darn horses.

We were getting desperate, because aside from a three year old with a stinging chin, the only thing worse is a three year old WHO WANTS UPPIES. And I with my wet blankets, and K with his saw, were not exactly in the position to carry her while dodging 1,463 tree stumps covered with snow.

With no Clydesdales in sight, we had no choice. We must begin to walk back to the tree farm. All the way back.

But surely, we thought, we'd see that wagon coming for us while we were walking back. It would stop and pick us up. Of course it would.

Or maybe, a more likely thought should have been, we would never see those horses again and we would walk all the way back, at least a mile, to our car.

Yes, that seems to be more like the plan we went with.

And when we made it back to the car, faces red, feet wet, and chins stinging, K looked at me and said "I guess maybe we should've just gotten our tree at the nursery."

Really? The nursery where we pledged to take all of our nursery needs until the end of time?

Maybe we should have. Maybe if we had just gone to that nursery in the first place, Karma would not have had to unleash the fury of Mother Nature in the form of a windy ice storm, upon us.

Point taken, karma.

Wordless Wednesday

2007-12-05T00:01:00.000-06:00

Okay, so we aren't exactly the family off of a Norman Rockwell painting. Because I'm sure they wear gloves. And boots.

2007-12-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

I must preface this story with a little background information. Every year since we have lived in this house, we have bought our real Christmas tree from a nursery near our house. Every year, for 4 years.

We go the weekend after Thanksgiving, pick out a fresh Frasier Fir, and the nice boy at the nursery loads it up on top of our car for us.

We even bought our fake, prelit tree from this nursery. And this year our prelit tree, would not light. After about 3 days of turning bulbs, replacing bulbs, and a lot of swearing, K called the nursery in desperation.

"Bring it on in!" they said. "We'll fix it for you...no problem!"

So we loaded it up and drove it back to the nursery. And the next day they called to say they couldn't fix it.

SO THEY WOULD GIVE US A NEW TREE, FOR FREE!

Never have we experienced such customer service. We jumped for joy. We vowed to be customers for life. Any and all future nursery needs would be brought to this mecca of cutomer service.

So this year, when it was time to make the purchase of our real tree for our family room, do you think we would head back to this nursery, like we had done every year before, and where we vowed to shop for all of our nursery needs for the rest of our lives?

No, we did not. Of course not.

And you know that saying about karma coming back to bite you?

It sure did. Or maybe it was the frostbite. But either way, we learned our lesson.

We are not Tree Chopping Down people. We are Go To the Tree Lot and Let Them Tie it on Your Car people.

And this is the story of how we found that out.

It all started a couple of weeks ago. K said to me "The kids are getting older, why don't we try and go cut down our own tree this year?"

And I said, "Sounds fun!"

I immediately got some recommendations on where we 'had' to go, if we were going to go and cut our own tree.

And still, despite a tiny nagging voice in my mind that was screaming "DON'T DO IT" I thought, this could be fun. Cause I am all about fun childhood memories for the kiddos.

And, when K actually offers to leave the house on Saturday and tear himself away from college football, I will go anywhere he wants to.

So, a friend suggested a place about 35 minutes away from home. A place whose website had me firing up my Cocomotion and getting ready to blog my little heart out about all of our new, warm and fuzzy, Christmastime memories.

The website said:
"We're about those long lost traditions from your childhood, when the crisp, cold air held EXCITEMENT while you hunted for the perfect tree with your family by your side. It was knowing that beyond a doubt you had the freshest tree possible while the SMELL of pine & fir saturated every breath you took. It was the JOY of adventure while huge horses pulled an old fashioned wagon into the fields. It isn't a long ago memory....it's still here at XXXX's Tree Farm."

I'm such a sucker for good copy. And breaths that are saturated with the smell of pine.

Now would be a good time to insert in this story about the Winter Storm Warning that much of my area was under for Saturday. I'm sure some people would've take this in to consideration when planning to ride on a wagon out to the middle of a field and be dropped off. But we are not some people.

I believe K even said that "a little snow" would make it perfect weather to go and get a Christmas tree.

He did not however, mention the sleet, freezing rain and STINGING WINDS in this perfect tree chopping weather scenario.

We arrive at the farm, and the snow is really coming down. We visit Mrs. Clause, in a little cute cottage, she gives us candy canes and even writes down the kids names on the 'Good' list. After our little chat about good behavior and good manners with Mrs. Clause we went outside because Gracie had to have a ride on the ponies. And by this time it, the snow, was really coming down. But we persevered. And loaded that girl up on the pony and smiled and waved and took her picture, all while standing there looking like we were Having Fun! And Making Memories!

This is the only photo of our whole day. Sadly our memories of this day of good old fashioned fun are not forever preserved in mega pixels. Because the darn camera got so wet while I was taking pictures by the ponies, it literally shorted out.

After the pony ride is finished, we go and get in line for the wagon, drawn by two Clydesdales, to take us out into the field so we can find that perfect tree. It's snowing, we're wet, and it is just a bit breezy on the wagon ride. But still, we persevere.

The wagon pulls up to the middle of a large, hilly, rocky field and drops us off. And it leaves. Oh, yes it did. Bye-bye Clydesdales and wagon. Don't forget where you dropped us off.

And now, I can tell K is rethinking this whole chop your own tree down thing.

Because upon looking at him carrying the saw, I realize he does not have any gloves on.

I guess when I called out 17 times that morning "DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THEIR HATS AND MITTENS?", he didn't realize that I was talking to him.

Or else I just didn't make it clear enough that everybody should, in fact, bring their hats and mittens.

At least he had his baseball cap on. That sure kept his ears covered and dry.

So we start walking, because of course, all of the trees that used to be near the wagon drop off spot, are gone. I asked someone who had a tree where they found it and they dropped their shoulders, hung their head, and pointed to a hill in the distance that looked to be in Iowa, and said 'right over there.'

Now, have I mentioned it is cold? And wet. And raining/icing/sleeting at this point. And did I mention about the wind? Because, oh the wind. I believe Gracie may have screamed "MY CHIN IS STINGING" about once, or even 14, times. It was like someone should've issued a winter storm warning or something.

And you know the most dangerous thing about walking through a Christmas tree field? It's not the saw being wielded by a very cold and crabby, under dressed dad with no gloves. It's not even the threat of frostbite. It's the stumps on the ground from the trees that have already been cut. And did you know that when they are covered with a dusting of snow, they are nearly invisible to see? My son may have found this out the hard way. Fall after fall. Which of course caused him to cry. Like he wasn't wet enough. The extra moisture on his cheeks was really necessary in the cold, stinging wind.

Now I know that nothing screams holiday memories like a crying, whining five year old who wants to be carried through a tree field.

I also found out the hard way that my Fiona needs new shoes. Because her foot started to get a little wet. From the big gaping hole in the bottom of her gym shoes.

I could not make this up if I tried.

And then there was Choppy, whose feet were cold. Do you really think I need to remind an 8 year old to wear socks in December? When we are going to a Christmas tree farm? And it is snowing? And she is the most responsible child I have? Apparently, I do. But, at least she had her hat and gloves on.

And, I may have snapped at my three year old who was still screaming about her STINGING CHIN. And even though I'm sure the people at the Iowa border could hear her, I probably did not handle her freezing-rain-bouncing-off-her-chin-problem, very well. I may have told this three year old to "Suck! It! Up!"

I'm not proud.

Or mother of the year.

I was able to regroup enough to start singing "Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!" at the top of my lungs in an effort to be Cheery! And Fun! And make the best of it! Because we were making memories people!

My people on the other hand, were not that into it. They were acting like they were out in the middle of nowhere during a winter storm. With no socks. Or gloves.

But for now, that is about all the horror my brain will let me recall of this tree chopping expedition. Tomorrow, I'll let you know just how long it took for those Clydesdales to come back and get us.

That is, if they ever did come back.

Oh you shouldn't have...but I'm so glad you did!

2007-12-02T14:21:00.000-06:00

Be warned...I use the word funny approximatley 147 times in this post. Next time I promise, I'll get off my couch and go find the thesaurus.

She likes me! She really, really likes me!

I received the Underblogger Award from Jenny at Chased by Children.
I'm honored. So Thank You, Jenny! When I read Jenny's blog and she wrote that she passed this award on to me, she said it was because I make her laugh out loud. And I am flattered, because she is one funny chick. And now I feel a lot of pressure to be funny. So Jenny will keep laughing.

Thanks again, Jenny.

The underblog award was started to help recognize blogs that are in need of a little recognition.

We all know there are the blogging rock stars of mom bloggers out there...The Pioneer Woman, Big Mama, Boo Mama, Shannon and Dawn. Moms like you and me who blog and have a rather large following of readers. And some of them, I've heard, do alright in advertising dollars. And calendar sales.

And yes, I'm a dedicated reader of these blogs, contributing to their bloggy fame. They are well deserving of it.

(And if one of them could even notice that I am alive, I would be so grateful if they could perhaps tell me how to get into the whole givaway thingy? Because I like to give things away. It's fun! But nobody just randomly sends me free stuff to give away. So how does that come to be, anyway?)

But there are so many other bloggers out there who are posting thoughtful, inspirational and funny stuff. And you may not know about them because the don't have a huge readership. So this Underblogger Award is supposed to go to bloggers who I think deserve to be recognized. They may never rock the world with calendar sales, but they will make you laugh. And think. And a blog like that is always a good read.

So I pass the Underblog award too:

Martha at Elizabeth Hill Cottage. Martha is a fellow P-Dub follower and she is the one who makes me laugh out loud. I love her sense of humor and I love the house tours she does on her blog. Because I am nosy like that.
And Martha says dude. A lot. Go see for yourself, dudes.

Heidi at Viking Conquest. Heidi is a regular commenter on my blog. Why she reads everyday...I have no idea. My best guess is that she is living her dream of being a slightly chubby, SUV driving, McDonald's eating, TV watching, American mom who is stuck in the suburbs, through me. She is living abroad with her family and writes about their adventures in Norway and around Europe. Heidi is kind and smart and funny and when I read her blog, I feel as though I am on her family adventure with her. And it is very cold.

The Queen B. My newest favorite read. The Queen cracks me up. She is fairly new to blogging, but I think she's a future rock star of the blogging world. She will make you laugh too. And she just went to see a Miley Cyrus concert, but try not to hold it against her.

Kelly at Love Well. Kelly is another new favorite. She is a self proclaimed weather geek. And....she makes me laugh. Are you seeing a theme here? Kelly used to live a hip life in California, and she is now a stay at home mom in the Midwest. But no matter where she lives, I think she rocks.

Jen at Jen on the Edge. Jen is witty and sassy and a real smarty pants. She writes honestly about life in Jenworld, and she tells it like it is. That may not be for everyone, but it is definitely for me. I don't think Jen really falls into the category of needing any blog recognition, but she falls into my category of cool.

And now my five underblogger award winners...go forth and spread the wealth. I can't wait to see who you think I should be reading!

We may have been dashing thru the snow in a two horse open sleigh, but we definitely were not laughing all the way

2007-12-01T21:31:00.001-06:00

We are in the middle of an ice storm here. And so of course we picked today to trek out to a Christmas tree farm in the middle of nowhere. And get dropped off in the middle of a field by a two horse open sleigh.

It was a family memory worthy of its very own Christmas carol.
I kid you not.

And after being gone all day on this merry holiday adventure filled with joy and quality family time where absolutely no one cried, whined or fell down in the snow, would you even believe me if I told you that we did not even come back with a Christmas tree?

Well please do.

Believe me, that is.

Because I kid you not.

How does a family drive to a Christmas tree farm in the middle of nowhere, ride out to the field full of Christmas trees just ripe for the picking and come home with no Christmas tree?

The fact that the dad of this family realized he had no gloves when they got out to the middle of this field may or may not have had something to do with it.

But I'll let you know on Monday. Because right now, the memories, they are still too fresh. And painful.

So I've been home all evening, and I had plans to be decorating the tree. Since those plans kinda fell thru, I have spent the night aimlessly surfing the web.

And I am so sorry to here that Lindsay Lohan and her latest boyfriend have broken up.

And if Jessica Simpson says she has not had any injections done to her lips, then I believe her.

I did however stumble upon this and I thought I'd perhaps like to play along too.

1.) State the name of your blog, your real name or your online name, and link to your "about me" page. My name is Lisa, and this is my blog Take 90 West. My "about me" page is a little bit lacking, but there is no shortage of mundane and useless information about me within the archives of this blog.

2.) Say you want to be profiled on BlogHer as a family blogger and link back to this Me and Mine 100 original post. I do and I did.

3.) Tell how long you've been blogging. I've been blogging since August 2007.

4.) Pass this meme on to three other bloggers that you think should be profiled/interviewed, and ask them to do the meme. I don't think I can pick just three, because all of the people I know that read my blog are really cool. So if you think you'd like to be profiled on BlogHer then do this meme.

Apparently, my size has misled my husband into thinking I should give a good massage

2007-12-01T10:11:00.000-06:00

K hurt his back at work yesterday. I actually feel bad for him, he is wincing enough to have me convinced that he is really not faking. Which would not be such a stretch for him, considering we had planned to go and chop down a Christmas tree today. And Christmas is not one of K's favorite times of year.

Apparently, he is not a fan of hemorrhaging money. Except of course, when it comes to something he really wants. Like a Wii.

Anyway, this morning he said his back was really stiff and would I mind rubbing it for him?

So I started rubbing his back, doing my best imitation of a therapeutic massage. Because we are in this together. When he hurts, I hurt. In sickness and in health, and all that jazz.

I tried.

But apparently I give crappy massages. Because K has had so many sessions with a professional masseuse that he would really know what constitutes a crappy massage or a good massage. Right.

Apparently he was a bit disappointed in my skills as a masseuse. Apparently, I give wimpy massages "like I weigh a hundred pounds or something."

I think he was expecting a little bit more from a relative of the Michelin Man.

Do you think anybody has even bothered to tell the reindeer that they are out of a job?

2007-11-30T00:18:00.000-06:00

I ventured out to Walmart yesterday. It was delightful.

And when I say delightful, I mean that in the most sarcastic sense of the word. Just in case you took it to mean that my little shopping excursion was indeed, delightful. It was not. Now normally, Walmart doesn't bother me all that much. I get in, I get out. It's not my first choice, but its cheap. And I am a fan of cheap. Because my husband just paid two hundred dollars over retail for a Wii.

It was very crowded at my local Wally World. I don't know if it was senior discount day or half-price Thursday, or what. I just know that elderly discount shoppers were well represented today at the old Walmart. Delightful.

I have nothing against the elderly trying to pinch a penny. If I was able to get a senior discount, I would most certainly go for it. 15 percent is nothing to snicker at. Especially if you are purchasing 64 bags of white socks to give as gifts to every member of your family. I personally do not wear white athletic socks, but five members of my family do, and they tell me they are delightful.

Despite the large crowds doing their Holiday shopping in the sock aisles at my Walmart today I actually found a great buy.

This cute, yet totally unpractical, piece of outerwear was rolled back to just 9.98. How can I not buy something that is not even ten dollars? I can not. I mean 9.98? HOLLA!

So I winked back at that little yellow rollback smiley on the sign and grabbed one for myself.

And I even remembered to pick up the Tide that I was there for in the first place.

I noticed there seemed to be a bit of a back up in the check out vicinity, which I believe was probably due to the fact that older Walmart shoppers seem to STILL WRITE CHECKS. Very slowly. And they insist on filling out those pesky checkbook registers right there in line. Whatever.

So, I thought I 'd be all sneaky and smart and head on down and pay in the garden center. Which is now kind of looking less like a garden center and more like the North Pole.

But there was a line there too. Which gave me plenty of time to take in all the eye candy that is Christmas in the garden center at Walmart.

And it was cute, festive even. There was music playing, the blow up snow globes had their fake snow a blowin' and the pointsettas were in full bloom. I may have even heard myself humming along to a Christmas carol.

And then I saw this. And I stopped humming. Because my mouth was hanging open at all the tackiness that was before me.

It seems that some holiday inflatable designer person couldn't just leave well enough alone and let the reindeer pull the sleigh. Like good ol' Rudolph has been doing since the BEGINNING OF TIME.

Somebody must've thought that these two guys were not getting their fair share of the Christmas time glory. Seeing as how it is winter and all. And they are tropical birds. And they are pink.

So they went ahead and came up with this.
Look! The pink flamingos! They are blow ups too! The pink flamingos are pulling the sleigh!

Delightful!

But you know what I found that was even more delightful?

I found that if you collect and display something like this

you can actually buy this to put right in between your white church and your little country store.

Because every small village, with snow dusted trees, twirling ice skaters, one room schools and flickering lights in the windows should have its very own Wal*Mart Supercenter.

Complete with its very own delightful little greeter in front.

Oh, the randomness of a Thursday

2007-11-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

The Wii has arrived. I repeat...the Wii has arrived.

Yes indeed, the Wii has made its three day priority mail way to our house, and we now hold it in our hot little hands.

And to add insult to injury, the conscientious eBay seller was kind enough to include the original receipt with it. A receipt that shows he paid about two hundred dollars less for it than we paid him.

Nice.

In other news, I went out Christmas shopping today. And I came home empty handed. Well, that's not entirely true, I came home with things in my hands for me.

I have been eyeing these at Kohl's for some time now.

They are sheets for my bed. And yes, they are a brown zebra print.

But they are sassy, people.

I am not a huge animal print fan. I like an accent here and there. Just to keep up with the trends, 'cause you know I'm nothing if not trendy. And sassy.

I like these towels from the Pottery Barn. But really, what don't I like from the Pottery Barn?

These are some cute towels. Of course, I do not own these towels. Because anything that is described as plush or jacquard woven or as having Turkish cotton in a 600 gram weight, whatever that means, I do not own.

Because my towels have been used by the kids to clean off the slide when it rains. Or by my husband to dry his wave runner. Or lain on the bed so the vomit from a sick kid doesn't get on the sheets. Because good Lord, I have enough laundry to do.

And also, my people seem to be too good to use a mere rag for any of their jacquard woven, combed cotton needs. So that is why I do not own these pretty towels. But I would. I so would buy them if I knew they would not end up drying a freshly washed Yamaha.

So remember, the important lesson here is less is more when it comes to decorating with animal prints.

Think a throw pillow, a towel, something small and you know, accenty.

Not this

Please not that.

Because remember, what goes in style, must go out of style.

Remember the palm tree craze from a few years ago?

It's over.

Moving on, I'm thinking of switching the blog to Wordpress. I'm having blogger issues. With uploading photos. And spacing. You know I need to hit return every 2 or 3 sentences. Apparently, blogger hates this. And is making it kind of a pain for me to space my own blog as I see fit.

The problem is, I have been testing out the Wordpress blogs. And it's a little more complicated than blogger. And even though I have nothing else to do but sit around and test posts on Wordpress, I'm not sure I can get it figured out.

On Monday, December 17, I am participating in Boomama's Christmas Tour of Homes. See the button on my sidebar if you want more info. But basically, after I'm done decorating the house for the holidays, I'll take some photos, hook up with Boo's Mr. Linky, and presto! You all get to come on in for a little tour. I'll even show you my animal print accents. And I'll try not to capture the naked people that live behind me in any of the pictures.

And since I'm inviting you all in, how about inviting me over as well? I know Jul, my friend and fellow Boomama follower is participating, but how about some of you people out there that I know have fantastic houses? I'd love the chance to ooh and ahh over your decorations.

Well, that about covers all of the random thoughts I've got going on for today. Oh, one more thing. In addition to figuring out how to use my sitemeter thingy, which provides some interesting information, I might say, I have now figured out the whole Technorati thing. Because like I mentioned, I really don't have a lot going on which leaves lots of free time to spend on my laptop all day.

Anyway, now I realize that there are people out there linking to my blog that have never even commented. Or said hello. And now I know who you are. But keep lurking, I don't mind. Or say Hi. I don't bite.

I'm just a little sassy.

Unlike Ebony and Ivory, they do not live together in perfect harmony

2007-11-28T01:24:00.000-06:00

I had a weird dream. It was about my 9 year old daughter, Fiona. I dreamed she kissed a boy.

This dream woke me up and I sat straight up in my bed. It was vivid and in color and looked as if I were watching it on TV. And it freaked me out.

The kiss was just a simple little peck, and she looked to be a teenager in this dream, but still I was not prepared to see this. She is 9. She should still be 9 in my dreams. And she should not be pecking anybody. Even this very cute, tall, blond boy in the dream. She should be running through a field in a long, white sundress, carrying a basket and picking daisies to bring home to her mama. She should be a little girl. She is growing up too fast.

This dream got me thinking. About both of my older daughters, and how different they are.

Why was the dream that involved kissing a boy about Fiona? Why not Choppy? Do I stereotype and compare my daughters even in my dreams? I'm sure I don't. I'm sure it was completely random, a dream, for pete's sakes.

But this strange dream of mine has called to mind all of the differences in my girls. Two girls who have been raised in the same home, with the same parents, with the same discipline, the same rules and privileges. Yet they are so very different. It amazes me how different two girls, just one year apart in age, who share the same DNA, can be.

Choppy is generous and giving and thoughtful. Fiona is selfish and always looking out for herself. She will always decide if and how something will benefit her, before agreeing to do it.

Choppy is slow and deliberate. Fiona flies by the seat of her pants.

Choppy spends time in the bathroom in the evening and the morning. She cares how she looks, and she spends time taking care of herself. Fiona has to still be reminded to brush her teeth and her hair before she walks out the door.

Choppy studies and reads and is a responsible student. She gets good grades, because she works hard for them. Fiona gets good grades, straight A's, and I have no idea how. She hates homework, rushes through everything just to get done and has a backpack loaded with crinkled up paper, late library books, an iPod and crumbs. Lots and lots of crumbs. Choppy's pristine backpack looks like it did the day we bought it and no paper is out of place.

Choppy will plan ahead, bringing home a book that she may or may not need to work on a study guide and she faithfully practices her spelling words every night in preparation for the weekly test on Friday. Fiona has a book report due this Friday, that she has known about for a month, on a book she has not even finished reading yet, and she informed me this morning that she is not even sure where the book is. She is going to check the library at school to see if she already returned it. Because that would make a lot of sense since she ISN'T EVEN FINISHED READING IT YET.

Choppy picks out her own clothes, and dresses everyday. She matches from the headband all the way down to the shoes. She is always all dressed up to go nowhere. I am still picking out Fiona's clothes for her. When I ask her what she would like to wear, she always says "I don't care. Whatever you want." And on the weekends in the winter, if we are not going anywhere, Fiona will put her pajamas on Friday night, and they will not come off until Monday morning. This drives Choppy crazy. She is dressed and accessorized as soon as she is up. Fiona takes the term 'jammy day' to a whole new level.

Choppy makes her bed every single day. Without fail. Her room is always perfect. Fiona's room? The term war zone comes to mind. Things that go in there, never come out again. Like library books.

Fiona has loads of friends. She knows everybody and everybody knows her. She gets phone calls, goes to sleepovers and gets invited to all the parties. She has notes and silly doodles galore in her backpack. She is outgoing and funny. Choppy is quiet and reserved. She is funny in a different way. She has a harder time in the friend department. She has two good friends that she just made this year, and I hope they will be around for a while. Last year, she never really found that one friend that she clicked with, and I hurt for her. While Fiona's social calendar is often full, Choppy is usually home.

Fiona will tell me anything I ask about school, boys, friends, troubles. Trying to get Choppy to share her thoughts is a little more difficult.

Choppy internalizes everything. Fiona deals with things by screaming at anyone and everyone.

Choppy will admit when she is wrong and apologize. Fiona will blame others . For everything. Nothing is ever her fault.

Choppy has her coat on with her matching hat, mittens and scarf and is ready to go 10 minutes early every morning. Fiona is still loading her backpack, can't find her gloves, doesn't remember where she took her shoes off and still has to brush her teeth as the bus is coming down our street.

Fiona can stay up late and get up early. She is very easy going and up for new adventures. She travels well as she is very adaptable and can still function on little sleep. Choppy does not do so well when her schedule is broken. She needs her 11 hours every night. Choppy likes to know ahead of time who, what, where, when and why.

Fiona is a bossy, take charge, first born, who demands no real extra attention from us. Choppy is a soft spoken follower, she is needy and can be clingy and when this happens, we know she is needing a little extra attention.

Choppy eats healthy, fruits and vegetables. She counts soup and green beans as her favorite foods. If we have McDonald's for dinner, she will make herself a turkey sandwich. Fiona could live on oreos and coke. She eats too much junk food, no fruits or vegetables and hates to try anything new. Unless it's a new type of cookie.

Night and day these two girls of mine. I don't even think I've scratched the surface on their differences. And yet when I see these differences in print, it makes me a sad.

They fight, they argue, they bicker. They play together, but enjoy doing their own thing as well. They would not have a lot in common had they been born into different families and had a random meeting. I don't even think they would be friends. One puts more effort into their relationship than the other does. The other takes the one for granted.

As much as Fiona is selfish, disorganized, a scatterbrain and an all around mess, things come so much easier for her. She always lands on her feet. Nothing ever bothers her, she is so good at just letting things roll of her back.

Things are not as easy for my Choppy. And that hurts. She is so good, so honest and so genuine. She is one of those people you meet in life who you think is a truly good person. She is kind to people with disabilities, understanding of peoples differences and takes the time to get on her knees to talk to a three year old. She has never said an unkind word about anyone. She is a good friend, when she makes a friend. But she can be very judgemental, people do not always measure up to her high standards, so making friends is a little harder for her.

And so back to the dream, why would I dream that it was Fiona kissing the boy? Why not, Choppy? Is it because I think Fiona will be interested in boys and have a boyfriend first? is it because I view Fiona as the more popular of the two and therefore think she would be the first to be out with a boy and possibly kiss him? Is it because I picture Choppy home on the weekends, reading in her room? Do I have her labeled as the 'good girl' to Fiona's 'bad girl'? I don't know. And I feel bad. As an only child, this whole sibling thing is new to me. It confuses me and has me constantly second guessing how I parent the kids. Do I parent them all the same, across the board? Or do I tailor my parenting to their individuality? I try to do that, but is that destining them to be come what I shape them to be, rather than who they truly are?

Am I the same kind of mom to both of these girls? Am I giving each of them what they truly need, or what I think they need? Have I categorized and labeled them prematurely and worse yet, incorrectly? Am I parenting them according to how I see them, rather than how they actually are?

It was, after all, just a dream. But it really got me thinking.

I'd call the old blawg From Under the Laundry Pile today, but I think that one is already taken

2007-11-27T08:15:00.000-06:00

Today Goggle Girl and I are staying in. Because I'm cold. And also because I have roughly 40ish loads of laundry that need to be done.

I have finally realized that the laundry is not going to do itself, even though I've given it nearly three weeks to try.

A story about what happens when Shii is Right and Hii is Wrong

2007-11-26T00:01:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time, one warm August evening, a Mom and a Dad and their kids were shopping at a local Large All-Things Electronic Store Where the Sign is A Yellow Tag.

As this mom and dad walked into this store, they walked right past a large sign taped to the door that said "WE HAVE Wii'S IN STOCK! RIGHT NOW!"

The mom said to the dad, "You should come back here and pick one up so that we get it out of the way before the Holidays get closer. We'll never get one if we wait too long."

The dad shrugged the mom off, as usual.

The mom and dad went on with their kids and did their shopping, wasting money on CD's and DS games.
Because there were still 4 weeks left of summer vacation, and the kids were driving the mom crazy.

And that dad never did return to the store to buy that Wii. That was IN STOCK! RIGHT NOW!

The kids went back to school, the summer ended, and Halloween came and went. As the Autumn air grew cooler and the leaves began to fall, The Mom reminded The Dad that "We should think about picking up that Wii soon, because once Thanksgiving comes, we'll never get it."
And the dad shrugged the mom off, as usual.

In November, upon seeing a commercial on TV for the Local Large All-Things Electronic Store Where the Sign is A Yellow Tag, the mom again mentioned to the dad that perhaps they should not wait until after Thanksgiving to purchase this Wii because it would really stink if all the stores are sold out.

"Won't that be stressful to have to chase all over for this Wii that we've been planning to get the kids all year long? Let's avoid the Holiday stress and get it out of the way now," said the well organized and always thinking ahead Mom.

To which the dad replied "Wii's are last year's thing. They're not going to sell out. There will be plenty. PLENNN-TYYY"

And the mom said "Mmmm-hmmm."

Because when The Dad thinks he is right, he is not going to listen to The Mom. Even though The Mom's track record clearly proves that SHE IS ALWAYS RIGHT. Especially when it comes to matters involving shopping. The Mom is very good at this. The Dad should know that by now.

So the mom and the dad and their kids enjoyed their turkey, their stuffing and their desserts. They talked, they laughed, they shared what they were thankful for, and they made fun of all the crazy shoppers going out at midnight to get the best deals.

But, on the day after Thanksgiving, the mom woke up in a panic. She knew that while they had been peacefully sleeping late, all snug in their beds, their bellies full of turkey and pie, THE REST OF THE WORLD WAS OUT BUYING UP ALL THE Wii'S.

And on that Friday morning when she awoke, she found out she was right.

And even the dad started to act a little shocked at the fact that the STORES WERE OUT OF THE Wii'S. Because they were last year's thing. And the stores had PLENNN-TYYY.

The dad even hopped online, and all of the Local All-Things Electronic Stores that sell online, promptly informed the dad, in big red letters, that they were SOLD OUT. Just like the mom may have mentioned once, or seven, times.

Even at the online mega store that is Walmartdotcom, Wii's were SOLD OUT.

The moms' foot began to tap and her finger began to point, and even the dad was starting to sweat a little bit.

So the dad went to Ebay.
And of course they had the Wii on the Ebay.
Like the commercial says, whatever 'IT' is, you can find 'IT' on Ebay.

For a price, that is.

Of course the Wii's were not the same price that the dad would have paid had he just gone to the Local All-Things Electronic Store Where the Sign is A Yellow Tag back in August.

And of course the mom was right.
Again.

And the dad knows it.
Again.

So somewhere tonight, over the great western part of this vast country, a Wii is slowly making it's 3 day priority mail way to our house.

Where the mom is right, and the dad knows it.

Because my extreme OCD has been dwelling on the sideways-ness of this poor bird all day

2007-11-23T20:29:00.000-06:00

I finally fixed it.

And I will be able to sleep tonight without tossing and turning all night over the sideways turkey in my computer.

Don't they make some type of medication for this?

Cue the Montgomery Gentry music, 'cause This Is MY Town

2007-11-22T07:22:00.000-06:00

Every year, the day before Thanksgiving, a local bar in my small town hosts its annual Turkey Testical Festival.

Yep, you read it right.

That would be a festival in honor of fried turkey balls.

Deep fried, that is.

And, I read somewhere that like 5000 people attend this thing.

5000 people?

Eating these?

Prepared like this?

I feel like at this point, I should write something funny.

But clearly, I am not at the top of my game when it comes to turkey ball humor.

Because the thought of eating a turkey's reproductive organs, frankly, makes me a little queasy.
Although, that seems too specific of a statement.

Let me broaden it to include all reproductive organs, of bird or mammal. Or reptile. Or fish. Or bug. Basically, anything that might be out there reproducing does not need to live in fear of me deciding I'd like to chop of its manhood to enjoy as a snack while I drink beer and listen to live music until 2am. Because I prefer peanuts with my beer. Or nachos.

So, even though I do not participate in the festival of the testicals, I do not mind the festive signage that pops up around my town every year.

In fact, the longer I live here, the more it feels like home.

Especially when my Thanksgiving company gets such a chuckle out of driving by these signs on their way to my house every year.

This is wrong. On so many levels. Like the fact that someone made a cartoon out of a turkey getting his balls chopped off. And I think it's funny. And the fact that I have to explain this 'joke' to my kids, because I giggle every time I drive by this sign. Because this picture is 9 feet tall and is in the center of my town. And I must drive by it no less than 7 times a day.

(Please excuse the sideways-ness of this picture. I hope you still get the idea. I've tried to fix it, but blogger hates me. And it's a holiday. And I have about 142 other things to be doing. Like cook a turkey.)

(And I don't even want to know what happened to his manhood, as long as it's not in one of those white bags I pulled out of my bird.)

(And I am writing about deep fried turkey testicals, so how picky can I really be?)

And on this day of giving thanks and being grateful for our blessings,

I am sure that someone, somewhere this morning, is very grateful that Miller bottles were $4.00.

ALL DAY!

My husband may or may not be that someone.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Did somebody say tomorrow is Thanksgiving?

2007-11-21T00:05:00.000-06:00

God is Good!

My mass, my dark spot, is, for now, being classified as non-cancerous. The radiologist, oncologist, and my own doctor have conferred and gone over the many tests and feel that the darkness on the right lung is damaged lung tissue from a previous bout of pneumonia. The lung is a tricky thing, my doctor told me. It's not the best place to go in and just start cutting cancer out. Other parts of the body, sure they can lop off a leg if they need to. But the lungs? Much needed. And once you start messing with them surgically, removing parts of a lung...well, from what I've recently been educated on...scary stuff.

And thank the Lord, it is not stuff I need to worry about right now. And hopefully, not ever.

Thank you Lord, with every ounce that I am, I thank you.

I will be re-scanned every three months for the next year to make sure that there continues to be no growth of the darkness on my lung. That the tissue they've looked at and tested is still normal, albeit damaged, lung tissue.

And the even better news?

My lymph nodes came back clean! The tests! The sticks! The big needles! The worry! The heartache! It is gone. The lymph nodes, my lymph nodes are clean! Those carry-the-cancer-to-all-parts-of-the-body-lymph-nodes ARE CLEAN! Given that they are in such close proximity to the dark spot on the lung in question...this is just amazing news. All the more reason to believe that the lung is damaged and thickened from the pneumonia, not cancer.

To say I feel I've dodged a major bullet is an understatement. In fact, I feel bad as I write this that I am not able to properly convey my gratitude, my joy.

BECAUSE I COULD LIGHT OFF SOME FIREWORKS RIGHT ABOUT NOW!

If I drank, I might go out and get sh*t-faced. And if I was a smoker, I'd buy the biggest cigar I could find. If I was a gambler, I'd go out and let it all ride on red.

But I'm not any of those things. I'm just happy. Over the moon, hug my kids tighter, wake up with the sunrise, HAPPY!

I have been given three months in which I can say my lung is NON-CANCEROUS! Three months where I don't need to worry about leaving my children motherless. Three months where I don't need to worry about teaching K how to be a good mother to three girls during those awful teenage years that are ahead. And I just know that it will continue to be so, for many scans after that. A whole lifetime worth of scans. MY lifetime. Where I get to be the mother.

On the flip side, if the darkness on the lung becomes larger, if it does in fact, grow...I could be screwed.

But for now...I am thankful for the answers I finally have. Thankful that this week, of all weeks, I have something to be thankful for.

And you, dear internets, I am thankful for you. I cried when I saw how many people were praying for me as I went to face my news today. The emails, the well wishes, the good thoughts, and prayers. There are not words that say Thank You as much as I want to say it. Thank you.

And thank you to my K. Who walked this with me, every step of the way. He was the only person that knew, and his optimism and support were unwavering. You're stuck with me, dude.

And the list? The list is in the trash. Because does it really matter?

I am not good at waiting

2007-11-20T06:48:00.000-06:00

The list? Yes, the list is coming along.

But today? After speaking with my doctors office yesterday, I am thinking that today may be the day where I actually get an answer about the Thing. The C word thing.

It's been a long few weeks of tests and I hope that today will be the day where I get some much needed answers.

Because the waiting? It ain't pretty.

The waiting is torture. The limbo. The not knowing. The put a smile on your face and go out and face the world. The waiting sucks.

And how did I handle the eve of possibly finding out that I have cancer? Did I kiss my husband? Cuddle my children? Play trains with my son? No. And I'm not proud of it, either.

Instead, I had a small meltdown. Complete with some tears, a whiny voice and yes, I even stomped my foot in the middle of the kitchen.

I am 3.

Because I'm sure that stomping your foot while whining "I don't want to have cancer" is the key to the success of the Mayo Clinic.

And my wonderful K. He made me my favorite sandwich and he said "I love you. Go to bed."

So I did. At 7:27 last night, I was asleep. And I was woken up by my crying Gracie at 7:44. Apparently, the mom should not go to bed before the 3 year old. The 3 year old cannot handle a change in her routine.

Even if the mom just wanted to be 3 for one night.

But then, the sleep came. The sound sleep I desperately needed. It was like catching up on 3 weeks of sleep. I burrowed under those covers and didn't peek at the clock until 6:40 this morning.

I feel ready to face the day. Sort of.

Teetering on the brink of reality

2007-11-19T00:51:00.000-06:00

I am hosting 24 people for Thanksgiving dinner in a few days. And I'm not even freaking out.

I am in control. I have a plan. A schedule. I have a list.

My list currently has 21 things to do on it before I go to sleep on Wednesday.

1. Fix the light switch in the foyer so the outside lights actually turn on, thereby lighting the way down the fronts steps for K's 91 and 86 year old grandparents.

2. Patch and paint all of the nicks and dings in the basement walls so that people actually think my children play nicely together instead of hurling toys at each other in fits of rage.

3. At some point, get to the grocery store to buy actual food to serve to the 24 people on Thursday.

4. Plan a vacation, because I'm experiencing a bit of post-vacation-is-over-and-it-sucks-to-be-back-in-the-cold-with-things-to-do-that-don't-include-laying-on-the-beach-depression-disorder.

5. Find and buy mini taper candles at Williams Sonoma because while I had the great idea to buy taper holders in the shape of turkeys while I was there two days ago, I did not have the foresight to realize I would need the actual tapers for the taper holders.

6. Call every Williams Sonoma in the Chicagoland area to see who still has mini tapers in stock since the one located closest to my house in now sold out of them. Then, spend a morning driving to go get them. Because if the food sucks, at least the table will look nice.

7. Repeat step 6. for the Turkey Brine seasonings. Because the one jar I bought is only good for a 20lb. turkey. And I bought a 22lb. turkey. And my OCD will not let those two extra pounds go unbrined.

8. Reorganize my kitchen cabinets and drawers so when people look in them they will be fooled into thinking the rest of my house is just as organized.

9. Clean out the fridge so it is shiny bright to anyone who opens it. Because I think nothing says disgusting like sticky apple juice with a few stray dog hairs in it stuck on a refrigerator shelf. And that is not exactly the impression I'm trying make on my dinner guests. Whose food has been stored in my fridge. With the sticky apple juice. And dog hair.

10. Repaint the family room ceiling. Because the family room is just too dark. And after all, I have three days.

11. Tidy up the front coat closet so that actual coats fit in it.

12. Learn to speak some french, since I found out this weekend the French cousins will be coming. To Thanksgiving. THE AMERICAN HOLIDAY. Not the holiday in which the pilgrims that came over from France introduced us to the croissant.

13. Decide what to feed French vegetarians for Thanksgiving dinner.

14. Sweep the back patio in case anyone goes out there. Or at least looks at it, out the back window.

15. Clean the sliding glass door so that in case anyone did want to look out at the back patio that was freshly swept for their viewing pleasure, they would actually be able to see it through a clean window.

16. Make ahead dressing, mashed potatoes, squash, and sweet potatoes, and anything else I can think of that can possibly be made ahead of time. And find my recipes for all of these dishes. They are definitely around here somewhere.

17. Get the turkey brining started. Once the 2nd jar of seasonings is bought, that is.

18. Figure out where I am going to seat 24 people and set the table.

19. Figure out if I even own 24 plates.

20. Go to Target and buy more plates.

21. Get a manicure.

Because a manicure will make me look like I had it together this week. Manicured hands will say 'Look at me! I'm so together and organized I had time to get my nails done while shopping, cooking and repainting for 24 people!

And tomorrow, I will be back on this side of reality. And the freaking out will begin.

Here you go Heidi. I bet you thought I forgot.

2007-11-16T00:15:00.000-06:00

Nope. I didn't forget.

The other day I did the 5 Interesting Things meme that Chrissy had tagged me for.

I didn't mention that just a few days after Chrissy had tagged me, my friend Heidi tagged me for a 7 random things meme. And I am just now getting to it. I couldn't do Chrissy's without doing Heidi's, and vice versa.

(Or Vicey Versy as my daughter says. Okay, I say it too. Sometimes.)

I am thrilled to be tagged, anytime. It's like being elected to the Homecoming court. Which, I never was. But if I had been, I think it would feel pretty exciting...just like I feel when someone actually thinks of ME! on their blog.

And while I am always thrilled to be tagged, it is the actual doing of the tag that I seem to be struggling with. I'll work on it. Sorry again Chrissy and Heidi. I have no excuse, I think it was a simple case of so many meme's, so little time.

And now I have the added pressure of knowing that Martha reads my blog even before she reads P-Dubs blog everyday (thank you, thank you) and OH MY GOODNESS THAT IS A LOT OF PRESSURE TRYING TO START MARTHA'S MORNING OFF WITH A LAUGH.

So without further ado, seven, highly random, things about me.

1. I am deathly afraid of flying. I am a wreck for days before I fly. I clutch a bible and wrap a rosary around my clenched fists. My heart pounds wildly, and I feel nauseous. I have been known to take a few Klonopins during a flight, but my kids don't always care that I'm a nervous wreck. So being unconscious is not always convenient. They need GUM MOM! MY EARS HURT MOM! ARE WE THERE YET MOM?! All while I am in the midst of my panic attack and their father is sleeping like a baby. Then when I safely arrive at my destination, and I always do, I spend the entire trip worried about the flight home. I am a pleasure to travel with.

2. I love a good road trip. 4 hours or 4 days, it doesn't matter. Hitting the road is fun to me. See number 1.

3. My car is always a mess. It drives K crazy. Somehow my front passenger seat is a dumping ground for toys, coats, school papers, mail, library books, whatever. Not to mention the healthy assortment of fast food garbage. I just cannot keep the car clean.

4. I love Survivor on Thursday nights. I've been watching it since the 1st one and I enjoy every single season. I love the challenges, the strategy, the backstabbing. It's a show I can sit back and watch, have a laugh, and not really have to think to hard.

5. I love to eat at Cracker Barrel. And Sonic. And Krystal. Not that I live near any of these places any more. But whenever I am near one, I have to work it in. I love the chicken and dumplings at Cracker Barrel, the tater tots at Sonic and just the straight up cheese Krystal. I think it's much better than a White Castle burger.

Another three reasons to love a good road trip.

6. I have mentioned before that I love Coke. I am addicted to Coke, it's a fact. What I have never mentioned is that I have driven almost 2 hours out of my way to order a Jumbo Cherry Coke from the Cone Palace in Kokomo, Indiana.

I don't know what it is about Indiana and their flavored cokes, but if I had a reason to move to Kokomo, I totally would.

This Jumbo Cherry Coke is 44 oz. of love in a beautiful styrofoam cup, with the perfect little chippy ice and the cherry, oh my word, real cherry syrup and cherries FLOATING ON TOP OF THE COKE. But truly, we have decided that it is the combination of the cup and the perfect ice that makes us drive two hours out of our way for these babies. The Cherry Coke is my tried and true favorite, I never get anything else. K alternates between Banana Coke, Pineapple Coke, and Vanilla Coke.

Those Hoosiers are serious about their flavored cokes.

7. I will only drink bottled water. Preferably Voss. I know, I know. Bottled water companies are scamming us and it's really just tap water. I've seen World News Tonight. But to me, it just seems cleaner. Weird. Silly. Nonsense. But even so, it just tastes better to me. Especially Voss. You may know it as The Most Expensive Bottle of Water They Sell at Target. But I love it. I honestly feel like I can taste a difference. What I love most about Voss is the bottle. The opening is larger, wider if you will, than your average bottle. Why this matters to me, I have no idea. Clearly, I have some issues, but you probably had figured that out if you read number 6.

As with all meme's I am supposed to tag 7 people for this 7 Random Things Meme. 7's a lot.

How about just three? That is almost half of seven. And it's the best I can do right now.

Three special, lucky ladies to share 7 random things about themselves.

Jul! Tammi! Martha! It's you. You're up! Have Fun!

No meme's next week. I promise.

I am channeling the Pioneer Woman

2007-11-15T00:46:00.000-06:00

Look out! I'm cooking! Yesterday was K's birthday and a special birthday dinner was in order. A home cooked, made from scratch sort of meal. Since I had recently seen Stie's post about sharing recipes, and since I am obsessed with the Pioneer Woman and the Pioneer Woman Cooks!, I thought I'd share my recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese with you. It's really pretty good. And I don't make many things that turn out pretty good. This mac-n-cheese is a meal in it's own, it's very filling. It makes a great side dish too, but you will probably have quite a bit left over. No worries, it reheats very well in the microwave.

So here we go, my step by step recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese, passed on to me by a dear neighbor, as told Pioneer Woman style.

(I realize that the PW does not need this linky love, since she probably has about 101,000 hits a day, but I do believe in bloggy etiquette.)

(And even though I am fairly, or 110%, confident that the PW will never read this blog, if she ever did, why then I would sure want her to see what a respectful fellow blogger I was.)

(And if by some chance she did ever see this, I just would want her to know that I call her P Dub like I actually know her. And think she's my friend. It's just a healthy little obsession I've developed over this world wide web. No biggie.)

So here's the basic ingredients. It's pretty simple stuff, but when it all comes together...it melts in your mouth. You'll need a box of pasta shells, half and half, vegetable oil, sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, muenster and monterey jack cheeses, plus a small box of Velveeta. (That's right, five cheese varieties. Use them all, it's not called macaroni with a little bit of cheese. It's Macaroni and Cheese. The cheese being just as important as the macaroni. Or shells, in this case.) 2 sticks of butter, 2 eggs, and some salt and pepper.

Now get a pot of water on the stove and turn on the heat. Salt the water and add a tablespoon of the vegetable oil.

While the pot of water is coming to a boil, get the cheese ready. You'll need 2 oz. of sharp cheddar. Carefully and precisely weighed out, of course. You wouldn't want any extra cheese to creep in.

Throw the 2 oz. of sharp cheddar into a bowl where you already have 4 oz. of mild cheddar. Or live dangerously, switch it around. It all melts the same.

Now that the convenient, pre-shredded cheese is set aside it's time to get busy. We must shred our own cheese. It adds to the whole 'homemade' quality of this recipe. That, and I can't find shredded muenster and monterey jack at the store. But if you can, totally use it. Yours just won't be quite as made from scratch as mine.

Shred 2 oz. of monterey jack and 2 oz. of muenster cheese and then throw it in the bowl with the cheddars.

Then I toss it up with my hand and Look! All the cheese looks so pretty together. Let them sit for a while and let those cheddary, muenstery, jacky flavors combine. (And yes, my hands are clean.)

Now your water should be boiling.

So dump those pasta shells in and let them cook. But don't overcook. Mushy noodles are never a good thing.

Now that is what I call a professional rolling boil. I have some mad cooking skillz, I tell ya.

Now, since I am all about multi-tasking, while the pasta is boiling melt a stick of butter. Real, unsalted butter. Do not use margarine. Or Imperial. Because that would be gross.

Now drain the noodles well. And return them to the pan.

Now the melted real butter is ready.

So pour the butter over the noodles. And they won't be sticky, because that is why we put the vegetable oil in the water when the noodles were cooking. Mad skillz, I say again.

Measure 2 cups of half and half and pour it on in.

Then go ahead and throw all but about a 1/2 cup of the co-mingling cheeses in. The time has come to let this macaroni meet its cheese. Just be sure to hold a little back for later.

Cube up that 8 oz. box of Velveeta, and introduce it to the rest of its friends.

You are all done with the cheese now, so feel free to let your child, or even yourself, go ahead and just take a bite right from the block of monterey jack. And make sure they leave purple stains on the cheese because they have purple crayola marker fingers.

This is what I call an action shot. Lightly beat the two eggs together.

And add the eggs to the buttery, cheesy, shelly mix.

Add a little salt and pepper and stir it up. Which I forgot to do. So if you forget the salt and pepper because you're too busy blogging while you cook and taking pictures with one hand while handling hot pots in another, it'll be fine.

And then pour it into a lightly buttered baking dish. Not a sprayed with Pam type of buttered dish. Use the real stuff. You've come this far, why cut calories now?

Now sprinkle the shredded cheese mixture you saved from earlier and sprinkle it on top. Cut up a tablespoon of butter, or just a little more, and dot the top with it.

Now cover it, and put it in the oven for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

And this is what it will look like when it's done.

And like I said, it's pretty good. And yes, I believe that the tableware should always match the food you are eating. Is there any other way?

After we had our fill of the birthday dinner homemade macaroni and cheese, it was time for cake. But don't worry, I won't give you the play by play on the cake. Because it wasn't made from scratch.

It was made from this.

I may grate my own cheese, but let's not get carried away with the whole

'made from scratch' thing.

(Here's the recipe, real recipe style. Not Pioneer Woman style. In case maybe you prefer one over the other. Or not. I was really just trying to make this post a little longer.)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole. Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot. In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter. Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Was it a bad day? Or was I just crabby?

2007-11-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Cable Company,

When your OnDemand service is not working, it is very hard to explain to a three year old that we cannot watch Dora right now, this very second. In case you don't deal with a lot of three year olds in your business, they are not the most understanding group of people. Please fix, thank you.

Me

Dear Jewel Food Store in Huntley,

When I am running in for a few quick items, the last place I would look for the blocks of Velveeta cheese would be in the cracker and cookie aisle sandwiched between the frosted animal crackers and the Nature's Valley organic raspberry tart bars. Could you maybe put the Velveeta someplace where someone could actually find it? Like maybe by the other cheese? Or even the prepared foods aisle? Even the dip section by all the chips would've made more sense to me than looking for cheese in the cookie aisle.

Me

Dear Fiona's Tutor,

If I am paying you thirty dollars per hour every week, I would really feel better about it if the girl would not bring home a big fat F on her spelling test. I could save the thirty bucks and tutor her myself if I wanted her to bring home an F.

Me

Dear Old Man in the Parking Lot,

If you are waiting in the car to pick up your blue-haired wife while she runs into the grocery store, she's probably going to be awhile because the Velveeta is very hard to find. So, I would really appreciate it if you could not parallel park, while waiting for her, across the closest 4 spots to the door. Someone might actually want to park in those. Try waiting in the fire lane next time. Just a thought, thanks.

Me

Dear Ikea,

When I buy a clip on light for my son's headboard so he can read in bed, it would be so much easier if it took a standard size light bulb. Like maybe one that I could find among the 3,527 choices of light bulbs at my local Home Depot. Why is it that every light fixture you make seems to only take weird sized bulbs that require me to make a trip to Ikea? It's just a tiny bit inconvenient.

Me

Dear Laundry,

If you could get yourself done, that'd be great.

Me

Dear Hospital Pre-Registration Lady,

If you could not say cancer as many times as possible over the course of a six minute phone call, that would really help. Just a thought.

Me

Dear Neighbor Across the Street,

If you are going to go to the bus stop every morning and make others look at you, could you please change out of your pajamas? The thought of looking at you in those flannel cat pants every morning, all winter long, has me seriously considering driving my kids to school. I'm just sayin'.

Me

Dear Neighbors Behind Me,

If you are going to walk around your downstairs naked, could you please close your sliding door curtain? Personally I think being naked in the kitchen is gross, but to each his own.

Me

Dear TV Show Writers,

Please end this strike quickly. I hate reruns.

Me

Dear Amazon.com,

Could you please get my one click ordering button working? I am a busy woman. It's not like I have time to sit around all day shopping for books and music.

Me

Dear Local Toys R Us,

You are out of stock of the Rose Petal Cottage. If you are going to run commercials advertising something, could you at least make sure you still have it in stock the week before Thanksgiving? Because I really feel like if I am Christmas shopping for a Rose Petal Cottage before Thanksgiving, I am well within the allotted shopping time frame of when you should still have things I need in stock. If it's after Thanksgiving, then hey, that's on me. But the week before? Me thinks that Geoffrey better come up with some more cottages pretty quick.

Me

Dear Family-in-Law,

I don't mind hosting all the big get togethers at my house year after year. After year. But could you please stop using the excuse that I have the biggest house? Or that I am the only one with a double oven? My house is just an average sized, stuck in the middle of vinyl sided suburbia, house. And, for the record, I have a double oven because upon purchasing this house I had the foresight to know that dino nuggets and potato smiley faces need to be cooked at different temperatures, but it is convenient to have them ready at the same time.

Me

Dear Me,

You really should wash your hair everyday, it looks much better when you do. Just an FYI.

Mirror

Well, It sure took me long enough

2007-11-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

Chrissy tagged me for this meme weeks (and weeks) ago and I am just now getting to it. I was excited to be tagged by Chrissy, because I have never participated in a meme before, but I was in the middle of the Great Bloggy Q&A, parts 1 & 2, and so I had put it off because really, there is only so much me that you, and me, can take. So here we go. In no particular order. 5 things about me. Interesting? Maybe.

1. I got married in Las Vegas. *Gasp!* I know, I know. Cheesy. Tacky. Klas-say. I know all the cliches, and I've heard all the jokes. No, I wasn't drunk, and I wasn't pregnant either. I really believe that a wedding is about the two people marrying each other, and not all the stuff. So when my mom gave me a wad of cash for the wedding we thought a) we could blow it all on the party or b) we could use it for a down payment on a house. Or condo as it turned out. And it was one of the best decisions we ever made. I count it as the one and only time I've ever done something responsible when given the option to actually spend someone else's money.

2. I am an only child and I was raised by a single mother and my grandparents. My parents were married and when my mom became pregnant her husband decided that he wasn't ready to be a father. So he left before I was even born. Yep, he just left. And I have never even spoken to him. And now, as a parent, I wonder how anyone could ever do that. And for a long time, it was something I struggled with. But I'm over it. So. Over. It. And yes, I think I have a pretty great Mom. And shhh, I secretly stalk him and his new family on the internet every once in a while. My friends always joke that we should do a drive by sometime to just check out his digs. And maybe we will. But I really don't need to.

3. I got lost in London when I was 16. That tube system is Con-Fus-Ing. Even for a city girl like me.

4. I had aspirations to be an Olympic caliber equestrian. Show jumping was my hobby, my sport and my life. Ironically enough, I had a riding accident on a trail ride, of all places, that left me thrown from my horse and in need of a hip replacement, among other things.

5. My maiden name is long. And hard to pronounce. And when I was young I used to say I would marry someone with a short, easy last name. And I did. And I also used to say that because I had such a tiny family and no siblings, I would marry someone with siblings and a huge, loud, close knit family so that I could finally be a part of a big family. And I am.

Okay...so that's it! 5 'interesting' things about me. I am supposed to tag three people so Tag! You're it! to Pedaling at Pedaling Fast, PLo at For Cry Eye, and Ellen, the mom of Two Little Princesses. I love and read all three of these blogs every time I am doing some blog reading. These ladies have beautiful families and I would love to learn 5 things about each of them. And one of them, I am proud to say, is my real life friend. She describes herself as a 'skull wearing mom of four' and indeed, she rocks the skull look. But she still hangs out with boring old me once in a while and is one of the funniest people I know. Can you figure out who it is?

One Trip, Nine Nights, and One Starfish who is glad we came home empty handed

2007-11-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

You know how sometimes you go on a trip with the family, and the stars just align? Everything that could go right, does?

This was one of those times.

And I know the difference, because I have had a vacation that has gone the other way. The kind where everyone is fighting, the lines are long, the kids get sick, the weather is awful, the mom is miserable, and you just want to GO HOME ALREADY.

Oh yes, I know a thing or two about those kinds of vacations. Because we went to Disney World last Christmas. And this year at Christmas, we will be staying home. And every Christmas from now until they end of time.

But not this trip.

Apparently, travelling in November, on a cruise ship, when no one is sick, and the mom is not miserable, agrees with us.

So, we sailed away. On this beautiful ship where the crew made our beds, served our food, cut the kid's food for for them so I could actually eat my own food while it was still hot, brought us drinks, and had KIDS CLUBS open for drop off anytime you wanted ALL DAY LONG. And they were happy to do it. And they knew our names. And they, and their service, were fantastic.

We found a real live star fish in the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

The kids really wanted to bring it home, and we had to explain about the US CUSTOMS PEOPLE THAT WOULD FINE US FOR BRINGING BACK SEA LIFE THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, ALIVE! And they still didn't really see why we couldn't just BRING IT HOME, because it was SO COOL, and REAL! But we did the right thing, and left the poor, traumatized little starfish to go back to his family. Because nothing can ruin a good vacation like being detained for removing marine life from another country because you totally disregarded all the signs that said PLEASE DON'T REMOVE SEA LIFE FROM THE REEFS.

And also, the ones that said DON'T TOUCH.

And I know that the clear water looks like a swimming pool, but it really was the ocean. The clear, warm, sparkly sea in all its glory.

And here are the kids in front of The Flying Dutchman from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, because even though I tried to cram in as much time as possible a day doing absolutely nothing on the beach, I can make sacrifices so that my family can see things they want to see.

Like stop walking and snap this picture on my way to the beach.

And yes, the locals saw an American sucker who wanted her girls to JUST BE QUIET ALREADY about the hair braiding and took that opportunity to charge me two dollars a braid and then proceeded to cram about 25 or 30 braids on each of the girls' heads.

But I was on vacation.

And since we put that starfish back, I figured we had already saved a bundle on customs fines right there.

A Winner, An Apology and A Bon Voyage

2007-11-02T00:22:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway winners!
Tammy and Parker at Praying For Parker.

They are the lucky winners of

The Best Christmas Present I Have Ever Received.

I printed off the pages of comments, cut them all up, and threw them in a box.

Gracie picked a name, and Tammy and Parker are now the new owners of their very own Cocomotion Hot Chocolate Maker.

All they have to do now is wait for it to arrive, add milk and a couple packets of Swiss Miss and they too, will be sipping warm, frothy, perfect, hot cocoa.

Happy Fall Y'all!

***

I owe a big apology to a few of my blogging friends.

Chrissy and Heidi each tagged me for meme's and I have yet to do them.

I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten, and I'm not ignoring you. It's been a crazy week.

Jenny from Chicago had a post up on her blog, about sharing tips for successfully organizing your home, your kids, your LIFE,

and I never even participated in her carnival. And I love organizational help. I embrace it.

I NEED IT.
I started my post, I really did. It just never got done.

Seeing though, as how I spent most of the week looking like this

I am not really sure that I would've had a lot of helpful tips to offer.

I could go on and on about everything that has landed in my lap this week, but I will spare you the details. Just image lots of vomit, extra laundry, an ear infection, a to-do list that is still not showing a lot of check marks, some health concerns of my own, the croup, 2 doctors visits, pink eye, a car that had to go in for service, more vomit, pizza and McDonald's for dinner 3 nights this week, trying to pack for a vacation, and kids that STAYED HOME FROM SCHOOL SICK.

Indeed, it has been a week full of the type of child raising experiences that a new mother only dreams of.

***

And that's okay.

Because next week, instead of looking like this

I am going to be looking like this

Minus the pink sun visor. Because I don't wear sun visors.

And I don't think K will wear that straw hat.

But I will be totally rockin' the sarong.

But not the electric blue bathing suit.

Oh, nevermind.

Who cares what I'll be wearing, because we will be here

And y'all, I really need it.

See you in a week.

It's the Month That Never Ends

2007-11-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

We went to the pumpkin patch and picked out our pumpkins.

We brought the pumpkins home.

We even carved the pumpkins.

We went trick or treating.

And we came home and surveyed our loot.

We did all of the traditional things that kids should do in October.
And most of them, I did with a smile on my face.
But now, this Mom is glad that Halloween is over.
Finally.

"And I Count It All As Time Well Wasted."

2007-10-31T00:55:00.000-05:00

It's official.

I'm loosing it. And by It, I mean my mind. It is gone.

I know that I have mentioned a time or two that I have a slight problem with procrastinating.

And today, I must mention it again. Because I have really hit rock bottom. I have a to do list a page long, and somehow I managed to only get one thing crossed off of it today.

Due to the fact that I was busy. Very busy.

Entering bloggy giveaways. Catching up on some blog reading. Visiting People.com, because you know Britney's album was released today and OH MY WORD IS ANYONE OUT THERE BUYING IT?

Because I am concerned.

And what, you ask, am I exactly procrastinating from doing?

That would be packing. For all 6 of us. My kids have a fall break next week, and we are leaving Friday afternoon on our journey towards sunny skies and sandy beaches. And drinks that are served with big chunks of pineapple and little paper umbrellas in them.

And I hate packing. Because it is so much easier to pack, when the laundry is actually done. And laundry and done are not two words that are spoken together very often in my house.

So I was busy today doing anything BUT the laundry. And the packing. And the cleaning. And getting a pedicure. And renting movies. And exchanging too small shoes, for Choppy. Because I am too lazy to leave my house.

So instead, I made good use of my time. Of course I did.

There is a blog I like called Creative Organizing. I like this blog because it is so pretty. It is clean and simple and funny and all the projects that Aby shows are just perfect. And I am a sucker for perfect. So in doing my catch up blog reading, I came across this.

Which I found to be...inspirational. And of utter importance. And something I must do RIGHT NOW. Because what if we get sick? And need medicine? And can't find it? And then it won't matter if I haven't packed for our trip if I CAN'T FIND THE PROPER MEDICINE WE NEED. Because we will be sick. And we won't be going.

So see, I really was thinking ahead on this one.

I even pulled out the old P-Touch again. Because hey, Gramma always said if you're gonna take the time to do something, do it right.

When I was in college, procrastinating meant laying in my dorm room all day watching all the Designing Women re-runs and Sally Jesse my brain could take.

Now that I'm an adult, I organize pharmaceuticals. That I've paid 20.00 a bottle for. With a p-touch.

And that Internets, is the value of a college education.

You Can Not Know How Happy My Heart Is With These Two Prints Hanging

2007-10-30T00:20:00.000-05:00

Lara, the Lazy Organizer, is hosting Talk About Tuesday today. It's similar to a show and tell, and I've been trying to think of something to come up with that I could contribute.

And I came up with nothing.

But then, my husband K finally got around to hanging some pictures for me. After I just wrote about how he is rather lacking in the picture hanging department, leaving me to lean photos against my wall, he went and hung something.

Since he actually made the effort, I thought I should share his accomplishment with you. Guess I should not have been so quick to criticize his lack of level-ness in the area of wall decor.

Because this time, he even used a level.

Nothing makes my heart go pitter-patter quite like a man using a level.

Because I love LEVEL.

Look at all that beautiful, LEVEL, gloriousness.

So here they are. Two prints that I bought on my recent trip to Hawaii. I love them. I have been looking for something for 4 years to fill this long, empty, red wall that I have running thru the WHOLE LENGTH OF MY HOUSE.

It has given me many years of anxiety. It has caused my OCD to kick into overdrive whenever I have seen something that might, maybe, possibly, could be considered as a candidate for THE EMPTY RED WALL.

I really think my friends and family members are probably more happy than I am that these prints are finally up because they are sick and tired of hearing about THE EMPTY RED WALL, Every. Single. Time. they come over.

Because I can be obsessive like that.

Anyway, the prints are perfect because they are paintings of signs pointing in all different directions to places we visited during a recent trip to Oahu. Some places are well known, some are hidden gems, but we saw almost all of them. We stumbled upon these prints in a small shop in Kailua, the town we were staying in, and knew they were the perfect souvenir of our trip. Because, we had visited every place but one on the little signs. AND THEY WERE PERFECT FOR THE RED WALL.

So really, even if we had only been to one, or none, of the locations featured on the print, we still would've bought them anyway.

Because I will make sacrifices like that in the name of home decor.

I am not much of a souvenir-y person. I would rather have some shells or a rock or a photo, even a napkin from a trip than, say, a shot glass.

Or a little spoon. Or a T Shirt from a place that sells 4 t-shirts for JUST 20 DOLLARS.

Those things don't look quiet as nice displayed under my bell jars.

So yes, I bring home some different things from my travels. The last time I was in Mexico, I brought home a whole family of ivory and fish bone elephants. And I display them proudly. Indeed.

But this post is about my new prints. Hung by my husband. With a LEVEL.

Here's a close up of the actual prints.

And here they are, side by side. And yes, they are even illuminated. Because we have had lights on that wall installed and ready to go for FOUR YEARS while we have been looking for something to actually, Illuminate.

And I think we've finally found them.

Because did I mention that the EMPTINESS of the RED WALL was driving me crazy?

(Please ignore the unpainted electrical socket, I've just realized upon seeing this picture just how bad that really looks.)

IT'S FALL Y'ALL!!

2007-10-29T08:50:00.000-05:00

Today's the Day!

Shannon's Bloggy Giveaways site is hosting this giveaway carnival.

I know I mentioned during my bloggy Q&A that I love to give people things!

Because it makes me happy! And it makes you happy! So today is a happy day!

This is the happiest blog on earth!

Okay, okay...enough with the exclamation points. Just be glad I wasn't screaming at you in ALL CAPS, 'cause I have been know to do that on a post or two, or even fourteen.

Just know that I really am glad to be able to participate in this carnival because I get the chance to share my favorite cold weather appliance with y'all.

BECAUSE IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GET IT...IT'S FALL Y'ALL!

That's right, I said appliance. As in, small kitchen appliance.

A better invention there never was.

I spoke rather fondly of this item here.

I believe I called it The Best Christmas Present I Have Ever Received.

Oh yes, I surely did.

So go here.

And see what I love to pull out of the cabinet once Fall arrives.

You could win one for yourself!

Then come back and leave me a comment.

On Thursday, I will draw for a winner just as randomly as a three year old can pull a number out of a box.

And you could win!

I will leave the comments open until noon, central time, on Thursday, November 1st.

Then Gracie will draw a number out of box and pick the winner.

I pay all shipping and I will ship anywhere, the US, Canada, even to Norway! (Hi Heidi!)

You don't need to have a blog to enter, but I need to have someway to contact you if you are the winner. So please make sure I can either link to your blog from the comments or leave me an email address.

As soon as Gracie draws the winner, I will send you an email to let you know YOU WON! And to ask you for your shipping information.

Then I'll head on over here and place your order.

And it will arrive at your doorstep.

Paid for by me!

How's that for some Fall Y'all giveaway madness?

Good Luck Y'all!

If I had not labored for 18 hours with this one, I'd wonder if she were mine

2007-10-26T01:03:00.000-05:00

This is what it looks like when I am busy working on all my 'stuff' during the day.

And this is what it looks like when Gracie is busy working on her own 'stuff' during the day.

I'm sure you can tell that she gets her organizational skills from me.

Thank y'all for the very sweet comments yesterday. Rest assured, I am not 20.

Or even 30.

And yes I am still on my y'all kick, since it is Fall Y'all!

So be sure to come back on Monday because I will be doing a giveaway.

And giveaways are fun!

I want to give a BIG thank you to the New Diva on the Blog who awarded me this:

The best part about winning an award is knowing that someone out there is actually enjoying what you are writing. And you get to pass it on to others! And that is what I call bloggy FUN!

So, I'd love to give this to Stie, for this post. Because truer words were never spoken. Or in this case, truer pictures were never taken. And it made me laugh. Go see for yourself!

The other person I want to pass this on to is Cindy, because this post will really make you stop and think. There is so much in the news right now with the fires in California, and this post really got me thinking about what is really important. What would I grab if I had to GET OUT IN 5 MINUTES?

And like Cindy, it would not be my window treatments. Even though they are plantation shutters. And I am a bit obssessive about my plantation shutters. Because I love them. A LOT.

This week my real-life friend, Jul, launched her own blog, Mom's Side of the Story. Won't you please do me a favor and go on over and say hello?

Thanks.

It's Fall, Y'all !

2007-10-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

I just have a few quick thoughts for today given as how my posting this week of the Great Bloggy Q&A, Parts 1 & 2, turned out to be rather wordy, to say the least.

---I got an email! From a reader! Someone actually used that little link on my sidebar that says email me. Thank you, thank you! I actually feel like a real blogger now!

The sweet person that emailed me had recently just seen my post on finding the perfect pair of jeans. She wanted to know if I thought these would work on someone who was not my size?

At first, I was a bit confused. What did she mean by 'not my size'? So I emailed her back and asked her. And she said that she thought that the picture I posted of the jeans, I had selected because that photo resembled my body type and showed the way the jeans actually looked on me.

It does not.

I can assure everyone, that indeed, while I do own and wear this exact pear of jeans, I am nowhere near looking, anything remotely, like those legs in that picture. Not even close. To the legs, the hips, or the flat stomach. Except maybe when I was a too tall, skinny and awkward 12 year old girl.

But really, not even then.

Let me take a moment now to just offer up some praise to Target for the wide range of jean sizes that they offer.

---Mark your calendars for Monday, Sept.29th. I am going to participate in Shannon's It's Fall Y'all giveaway. Because here in Chicago, I don't get many opportunities to say Y'all. So I am really gonna run with it.

And I love it.

'Cause it's Fall Y'all.

So if you go here, you can read all the details and think about participating for yourself.

Y'all should really do it.

And make sure you come back here on Monday, October 29th and see what I am giving away!

It's something I love and I think you will too.

Because it's Fall, Y'all!

---And lastly, I decided to take the leap and post a picture of myself. I am very nervous about this. In fact, I have been having major anxiety about this. Again, my neck finds itself a bit red and itchy. I have no idea why. I just think I am more comfortable saying what's on my mind if I remain somewhat anonymous. Even though I clearly am going to run into the New Diva on the Blog and Jenny from Chicago at Target, at some point.

But, given that I had such a great response to my Bloggy Q&A, and I'm really appreciative of that, AND the fact that one of you sweet, generous, kind-hearted souls actually threw me a bone and thought I shared a similar figure with the jean model girl, I feel I must set the record straight.

So here's me. In the white coat. Looking like The Michelin Man's sister.

Y'all see the resemblance?

Bloggy Q&A, Part 2

2007-10-24T00:03:00.000-05:00

Here it is. The much anticipated and long awaited second and final installment of the great Bloggy Q&A...

(I apologize in advance for the major spacing problems I had tonight. I have no idea what is going on in my blogger but my HTML seems to have a mind of its own tonight. I've spent plenty of time trying to fix it, because Lord knows I start to feel a bit red and itchy on my neck if I can't hit return every 1 or 2 sentences. Because I heart the return key. But tonight, it was not meant to be. SOVERYSORRYEVERYTHINGISCLUMPEDTOGETHER!)

(***Updated!! Woo-hoo! I fixed it. I went a return key happy, but AT LEAST I HAVE PLENTY OF SPACES NOW ! ! ! )

Miss Becky asked me if I have any outside help with my 4 kids? Her mother in law helps her out a lot with her three boys and she was wondering what I would suggest as a type of Thank You gift.

NO. In ALL CAPS. LITTLE TO NO HELP.

Unfortunately.

My mom is great with the kids, but lives in a different state, and my in-laws are often busy with their other grandchildren and kids. They are good grandparents, we just live about 45 minutes away and sometimes get left out of the loop, so to speak. My mother in law helps us out when she can so that we can go to dinner or have some type of date. I do miss having my mom around because I know she would be very involved in their lives if she were closer.

We are really grateful for the times that my in-laws offer to keep the kids. Most of my support comes from friends, who will never hesitate to keep the kids in a pinch if we need it! We are very lucky in that regard. I have a friend who helps me out every couple of weeks so that I can get a free afternoon now and then to do the shopping, my nails, Dr. appts., whatever, without my 3 year old, and I do the same for her. It's worked out very well for both of us.

I am sure no gift is necessary for your mother in law. My mom would say the same thing. But I understand your need to want to get something for her to show your appreciation. I am exactly the same way. I think the best gifts I have given to the Grandma's would have to be a Mother's Bracelet, a framed photo that also has a place to record a message from the kids (mine were really young so I had them sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat), or maybe a favorite food that she wouldn't buy for herself. My mom lives out of state, but loves Garrett's Popcorn, which she would never order for herself. So I sometimes send her a big tin, just because it makes her happy.

Bridget wanted to know if I had a personal chef, what kind of food would I eat for dinner?

Well, I sure would love the opportunity to find out.

Anything that someone else would want to make for me, would work. If a chef were doing my cooking, I would be so grateful, I'd just eat whatever he or she put down in front of me.

Preferably, things that did not come out of box.

Because I am really good at that type of cooking, on my own.

I may suggest some traditional comfort foods though, homemade mac and cheese, as opposed to my blue box of Kraft. Homemade lasagna, instead of the frozen one I buy from Costco. Because that theory that you are supposed to do the majority of your grocery shopping from around the perimeter of the store, mainly just hitting up the fresh fruits, veggies, meats and dairy cases? Yeah. I don't exactly subscribe to that theory. Well, in theory, it's a smart philosophy.

And healthy. No doubt about it.

However, I have actual, real live, picky eaters to feed, so therefore venturing up and down every aisle of packaged, processed and just-add-water foods, is sadly my version of cooking.

New Diva on the Blog wondered what my favorite guilty pleasure was in each of these categories: food, tv, drink, magazine. And anything else I'd like to throw in there.

This is such a fun question!

Food...I would have to say Mexican food. I love it. I would eat it every day, if my family would. I make quesadillas and enchiladas and tacos at home and I try to get my family to go out for Mexican at least once a week.

Food that is filled with cheese, makes my heart flutter. Literally.

I also love to go to the Olive Garden for the Fettuccine Alfredo. But I can only do this about once a year, due to the fact that I have some hardening of the arteries every time I set foot in that place.

And I'm not a huge french fry person, the only place I ever eat them from is McD*nald's.

Shocking I know.

You would think Fried+Potato=Love, no matter where it came from.

But no, for me I cannot settle for any old fry. If I'm going to eat them, they are going to be from the Golden Arches. With Ketchup. Plenty o' packets of ketchup.

Well now, look at all I've written about food and I haven't even mentioned P*rtillo's. I would say a hot dog from P*rtillo's would be my #1 food guilty pleasure. Because I love hot dogs. But hot dogs are very bad for you. So that would be why they are a guilty pleasure. They are in fact the reason why I moved back to Chicago. It's the only city with a P*rtillo's. Enough said.

My guilty pleasure as far as watching TV would have to be reality TV. I enjoy watching Survivor and the Amazing Race with my girls. But after the kids go to sleep, I turn on the real reality of the TV world.

Everybody could use a little Kimora in their lives. Or be a little bit more Hogan-esque. Or remember the good ol' days before tragedy struck Anna Nicole.

If you look closely at the small words under Anna, it says right there in print 'America's Guiltiest Pleasure!'

And that really says it all, right there.

As far as my drink...Coca-Cola Classic. Without a doubt. I believe that has been well documented on this blog. Any drink that has 140 calories per serving, is bound to have a bit of guilt associated with it. But the caffeine and sugar buzz...that's were the pleasure lies.

So those extra calories? So. Worth. It.

And Magazines...I waste way too much money on People. And US Weekly. And OK! It's almost embarrassing to admit that I enjoy myself a bit of celebrity gossip. But I do. And I always waste an obscene amount of money on Scrapbooking magazines. I read them and longingly wish that if I had the time and the talent to actually scrapbook as much as I would like, my pages would look as if they could be in those magazines.

But they do not. And it frustrates me. So therefore, money wasted.

And a few random guilty pleasures...expensive purses, Coach, D&B, Maxx New York, and The Sak are among my favorites. Gadgets...I like to have the latest and greatest that my local B*st Buy has to offer. The Tom-Tom is a recent purchase. And I love my XM satellite radio. The last thing would be vacations. I love to travel. I love to go someplace warm and with a beach and I prefer to stay somewhere that is all inclusive, where I can do nothing but sit by the sea all day and never need to leave the resort for my entire stay. Anything else is not a vacation, it is work with 4 kids. And my camera. MUST. HAVE. GOOD. CAMERA. And of course, Pottery Barn. And jewelery.

So really, I guess anything that costs, MONEY HONEY.

Totally wasteful, totally unnecessary, totally indulgent=guilty pleasures.

And yes, I know it's the best things in life that are free. I am no stranger to sappy sayings and old adages. But sister needs to have some nice jewelery and a good purse while sittin' back and enjoying the simple things in life.

And a really great camera to document all those sweet, simple things.

Martha wants to know what I thought my life would be like now, back when I was a fresh faced college freshman.

It is actually surprising for me to write this Martha, but it is just how I thought it would be. I knew I wanted a large family. I knew I wanted to be home with my kids. I knew I wanted the car and the dog and the soccer games and the birthday parties.

And I've got all of that, and more.

It's not that I didn't have aspirations for myself. I did. And I still do. But, my entire childhood, I wanted to be a mom. And now I am.

The thing is, is I went to school, I got married, I had the experiences I wanted to have, and then I knew I was ready to settle down at home.

I didn't think it would be here, in the middle of suburbia, but it is what it is.

I still have my adventurous side, my urge to travel and move to far flung locals. But I can still do that with my family. Much like when I was that young college freshman, I am still up for anything. It's just a different kind of anything.

Thankfully, my skin is a bit clearer now than it was in those 'fresh-faced' days of my young adulthood.

Mary is a real smarty pants and wants to know where my secret tattoo is. HA HA

I'm happy to report that I am tattoo free. Really. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I have an unnatural, completely ridiculous and highly neurotic fear of dying. Really. And what, you wonder, does this have to do with tattoos?

Well, I hate to fly, I drive too slow, I have never, ever tried any drugs, I test my smoke alarms monthly and obviously, avoid dirty needles at all costs.

(Yes, I know they are not dirty needles. I know this, people I hear you tattooed mama's out there grumbling at me.)

But still. They are needles. Not being used by health care professionals. How safe can that really be? *wink*

McSteamy or McDreamy???

Oh Mary...will you still read my blog if I say McSteamy?

I'm sorry, but I am just not a huge McDreamy fan. I know you are. But for me, his hair is too long and he's too nice and he could do a lot better than Meredith, so he should just Move.On.Already. Please, for the love of all that is Must See TV, on Thursday nights. SHE'S NOT WORTH ALL THE AGGRAVATION! MOVE ON.

McSteamy, now he's bigger, taller, has shorter hair and cracks me up. Seriously, his inflated self-confidence, the arrogance and his one line zingers, make me laugh every week. He is just so full of himself, and rude, that I can't help but wait to watch and see what he will say next. As a matter of fact, I am married to someone who is quite high on himself and full of one-liners as well, so this makes perfect sense to me.

I'm sorry to offend all the die-hard McDreamy lovers out there. So Very Sorry.

But you asked.

And lastly, Mary asked me Years ago what did I think my life would be like at the age I am now?

And that is a good question.

If I said the same and different would that make any sense?

I'm pretty sure that would be a contradiction.

I always knew I wanted a big family. And I knew that I wanted to be a stay at home mom. So I was pretty sure that by this time that is what I would be doing.

But I pictured it to be different. Very, very different. Easier.

Much Easier.

But I love where I am in my life right now and even though some days I am left holding a lunchbox and a pair of size 4T panties that must be thrown away because they are simply not worth washing, I would not change a thing.

I never had dreams to go out and conquer the world. Or save the planet. Or write the great American novel. I just wanted to be a mom.

So I think I'm doin' alright.

Thanks everyone, for all of the great questions. It was fun for me to answer them and dig a little deeper and summon some long forgotten memories.

I hope you think about doing your own Q&A!

And I promise...shorter posts to return tomorrow! Thanks for reading.

Because When You Are Five A Simple Roll of Mints Can Lead To A Lengthy Illness

2007-10-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

It is Tuesday and my friend Mary is hosting Tiny Talk Tuesday, today. Tuesday. Okay?

It's a fun way to hear about other moms' silly little ones and jot down your own memories of all those cute things that your kids say.

I just have one funny story from this week. I was driving in the car with my son, Taco, and we were pulled up to a stop sign. While we were waiting to get thru the 4 way stop, a man approached the car with a collection bucket and his Lyons Club vest on. I rolled down my window, threw a couple bucks in his bucket and he handed me the roll of mints. We thanked each other and I was on my way. Nothing too out of the ordinary about that, right?

Unless you are 5 years old. As we were driving away, Taco asked why I gave that man money? And I said that he was just taking up a collection for kids that are sick.

Taco then asked me, "Am I really that sick?"

And I said, "No, not you. Kids that are really, really sick. Like in hospitals. Kids who need some extra help so they can get better."

He seemed pretty content with that.

Until we got home. He ran in the house and told my husband how sick he was. And then he told him that I gave some man money to make him better.

So we went through the process of explaining the whole donation thing to him again. For kids that are REALLY SICK.

And then we went to Grandma's house and he told her he was so sick he was going to end up in the hospital if lots of people didn't buy candy from the man on the corner.

He doesn't really seem to be comprehending the whole good deed thing.

Bloggy Q&A Part 1

2007-10-22T00:42:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the day for the A part of my attempt at the good ol' Q&A session, bloggy style. This has been so much fun, if you've never done this on your own blog, you should think about it! And let me know, so I can come ask you something!

Here we go...

Heidi asks Do I let my kids read my blog and does my husband read it?

My kids do not read it, not that I would not let them if they asked, I just don't think they've really noticed. I usually rendezvous with my laptop at night, after everyone has gone to bed. I always keep in my mind that everything I write I hope that they will read someday, so I try to be very honest as well as not get into the petty day to day stuff. Like 'So and so really ticked me off because she thinks her kid is better than my kid, oh yes, she does.'

Or things like that, that happen to be equally as petty, such as the very large scratch I managed to put in the side of my car while pulling into my own garage last week. And I won't even say who was responsible for not having the lawn mower over to the side far enough so that I wouldn't hit it.

Because it was me.

This blog is about the big picture of my life for my children and grandchildren to see in the years to come, so I like to focus on the important stuff. Feelings, fears, things I find humor in, a great pair of jeans, you know what I am talking about...things that matter. Not so necessary that they remember me fondly as the crazy lady who got into a tugging match at The Children's Place over the last sweater coat that I had to have for one of my darlings.

Cause although I do love me a good lookin' sweater coat, I don't want that to be my legacy.

I just want them to read this so they will know me and the me that is in my brain, if that makes any sense. When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was always wondering if after I became a mom I would still feel like me. And sure enough, I was a woman in my mid twenties with a newborn who still never missed an episode of 90210. Ever. In her whole life. Still me.

So yes, I had reassurance early on that becoming a mother does not exactly mean you are a full fledged-grown up, especially if now, almost 10 years later, you still watch the occasional 90210 rerun on SoapNet.

I once read great advice from Big Mama, it was something like 'Think of the last person in the world that you would want to see your blog, and don't write anything you wouldn't want them to see.'

Words to live by.

As for my husband, he reads now and then over my shoulder, and I think he may check in occasionally from work, but really I think he thinks I am wasting my time. He doesn't get the whole 'sense of community' thing that comes with sharing notes from the trenches with other mom bloggers.

But then again, he leaves the house everyday and talks to other adults, too.

He is such a great guy, and has always supported me 100% in everything I've ever done, so I think while he doesn't understand it, he is okay with it because I am having fun. And no, I don't usually give him the same respect on things he likes to do.

I believe I already stated that I was not exactly a full-fledged grown up yet.

Stie, asked me If I could trade places with anyone, who would it be and why?

This is a great question, and I've given it a lot of thought. At first I thought I'd love to be Faith Hill or Angelina Jolie or Oprah or even the President for the day. Read between the lines here...I want to be beautiful and rich and famous and have people wait on me. Hand and foot. And have good clothes, and be airbrushed in pictures.

But then I thought about something a little um...less shallow? And I decided I really just would like to trade places with someone who is a philanthropist. Someone who has more money than they know what to do with, and all of it just to give away. You know the saying it is better to give than to receive? I believe it. Wholeheartedly. I love to give people things. It makes me feel good. And I don't need a thing in return. Just seeing someone happy when they receive something I gave them, is enough for me. I wish I had buckets and buckets of money and I would just spend my days jetting around the world giving out things to people in need.

I would forgo the foundations and trusts and the red tape of grants and endowments. I'd be a one woman money giving machine. I would pull up to an orthodontists' office and when a mom walked in with 4 kids and 2 in braces at the same time, I'd understand that it is sometimes a struggle to make that monthly payment for two sets of braces. I would give her a check to pay her balance off. When I saw a mom at the grocery store, trying to get the shopping done, wrangle in her children who are running amok in the store, while she is still trying to price compare and check her coupon book, I'd say 'Here, let me take the kids for you so you can shop in peace. And here is a check. Don't worry about the grocery budget this week. Buy what you need.' That should ease her burden a little.

Then, I'd find that Vietnam, or Gulf War or Iraq War veteran sleeping under Lower Wacker in the cold and buy him a coat and say 'Thank you. Now what can I do for you? You deserve better.' I'd pay for college for someone who was thinking about taking out student loans. I'd build a house, for someone who'd lost their own to a tornado or a hurricane. Then I would jet to Ethiopia and give whatever amount necessary so that no woman, no child, no human being ever had to endure this again. I'd travel to the American Indian reservations, and help these native Americans, 33% of whom live below the poverty level and as much as 50% of whom are alcoholics. I would knock on their door and say 'let's get you some help.' I might then travel to the orphanages of India and figure out some way to get the flies off of those poor children and food in their bellies. I'd save the world, one orthodontic bill and mosquito net, at a time. Because when I see all of this going on in the world around me, I feel helpless. So just once, I'd like to be able to really help.

And before you start thinking what a great, selfless, and noble person I am, I'd also buy this, for myself.

This purse. Long coveted by me. At only $1800.00 from Valentino, a generous, jet-setting philanthropist like myself would surely deserve it.

Beth wanted to know if I could have someone decorate my house would it be Nate Berkus or Martha Stewart?

Couldn't I just have both? Because assuming I can afford an interior decorator I probably have more than one house that needs decorating.

I love Martha. Sorry, I just do. I know she has her faults, I know she's a not so nice employer, and I know she's an ex-con and all, but she has herself some great taste. Classic, elegant, ritzy. When I was first married, I was working nights so I had time to watch daytime TV, and I got hooked on watching her old TV show every single day. This was before the magazine and all the products she designs, back when she was just a show on cooking, gardening, and the Good Things.

So when I would cook dinner I would be standing in my kitchen , talking to only my dog, and pretending that I was doing my own little cooking show, a la Martha. Yes, I'm weird. I even had the yelloware bowls to prove it. But if I am admitting this, you must know that I am being honest. I stood there whisking away some creme sauce with fresh home grown herbs and adding a splash of cooking wine to my concoction and I would be talking out loud giving my viewers, umm, I mean my dog, a play by play. I was the original Food Network.

The thing is, even though I just revealed my undying admiration for Martha, I'd choose Nate.

Martha's decorating style is too perfect, and I'm afraid I'd never keep it up. Nate seems to decorate more in consideration with how people actually live. And we live pretty casual in this house. And Nate loves Pottery Barn. And Nate is a Chicago boy, so how can I not go with Nate?

And my husband's company sublets their downtown office from Nate, who since he got famous and all, has moved on to bigger and better spaces. So I am married to the guy who knows the realtor who works with the lawyer who brokered the sublet with the other lawyer who actually works for Nate Berkus.

So really, we are practically BFF's. How could I not pick Nate?

Beth also wants to know if I am ever going to attend a NW Indiana bloggy meet up because apparently there's more than corn in Indiana. There's really cool blogging chicks, too!

And the answer to that would by why yes, as soon as I have lipo and a nose job and my eyes lifted. And loose weight. And tone my upper arms. And have good hair. And get that Valentino bag. I will be there.

Okay, so that is not my answer. Well, it is, but I do remember I said that I tried not to focus on being petty in this blog.

I will definitely come as soon as a I can, because I would love to share laughs and chips-n-guac with all of you gorgeous local bloggers in person.

Jen asked me three great questions. Where is your dream vacation destination?

Mexico. No question. Vacation there whenever possible. My husband and I hope to retire there. Friendly, laid back people, great language, fantastic food, awesome climate, the beach and only a 3 hour plane ride away from home. Perfect.

What do you do for fun now that doesn't involve your children?

I go out with my friends. I have an awesome group of friends that I get together with at least once a month. I love them all. They make me laugh so hard and are good, genuine people. We can do anything from go to a haunted house, to stay in and play pictionary, or even hit a local dive for a beer, and I, without fail, laugh until my stomach hurts. Every time. You don't find friends like that very often.

I also spend time alone. As an only child, living in a house with five other people still, to this day, can stress me out. So being alone, for me, is fun. Just to watch TV, or go to the library or do anything that gives me quiet, I consider to be fun. I need my alone time. I usually spend some of it dancing around my house singing "I'm by my-se-elf. I'm by my-se-elf."

Lastly, my husband and I take a trip by ourselves together once a year. Sometimes it's exotic, like Mexico or Hawaii, other times it's a road trip to see my husband's family in New Orleans. It just doesn't matter. I love a good road trip as much as a trip to the beach. Which I really, really, really love. I can't think of anything more fun than being with my husband out on a road trip, because he makes me laugh. And laughing is fun.

And Jen's last question, What was I like before I had children? My job, hobbies, great vacations, etc.?

Why, I rocked of course. What else do you need to know?

Actually Jen, this was such a good question that I am going to do a separate post on it in the future. It will be good for me to record all of that for my future generations of offspring to read.

Fernando Down Under jokingly asked if I was pregnant with number 5?

Ha Ha. No, no and no. In fact I am surgically unable to have any more kids! By choice.

I always thought I'd have six kids, but it is hard to be the kind of mom to 4 that I want to be, so I think it was a good number to stop at. I am finally at peace with my decision, but I did have some doubts early on. It is hard finding individual time with each of them, giving them the attention they need, paying for all of their extra curricular activities, and saving for their college. Plus with 4, eating out is expensive, travelling is expensive as well as food, clothes, etc. We just couldn't give them the kind of life that we felt like they deserved if we kept adding more mouths to feed, so to speak. I stopped at 4 because I needed to be a good mom to the kids I already had, rather than just trying to make it to some number I had in my head for whatever reason.

Kari wanted to know what is my least favorite household chore? And with 4 kids, how many loads of laundry I do each week.

To be honest with you, I don't mind housework all that much. It is finding the time to do it, that I really struggle with. I am very fortunate to have had a cleaning lady off and on for the past 7 of the 9 years I've been home with my kids. If I had to pick one, my least favorite chore would be emptying the canister of the vacuum. I hate that job. We have the hairiest floors, our dog is a Golden Retriever, and if I don't vacuum daily clumps of hair can be seen blowing across the floor if there is a breeze. So the daily vacuuming I do, but daily emptying of the vacuum, I dread. I probably only do it once every few weeks, until the vacuum is not sucking up anything. And by then the nasty's are all so wedged in there I am banging it on the side of the garbage can. Then the dust starts flying in the form of a dark cloud all over my kitchen floor and by then I'm coughing and hacking like I've been a smoker for 40 years. So yeah, that would be my least favorite chore. I couldn't decide wheather to say the vacuum, or picking up the dog's business in the back yard. But I really didn't want to get into much detail on that, so I went with the vacuum. Just know that they are pretty much equally gross.

Laundry? I wish I had a weekly total for you, but it is never all done at the same time. It is about 16 loads per week, counting sheets, towels, coats that have gotten dirty, etc. But the truth is I am never caught up. When I am very desperate I've been known to pack it all up and go to the laundromat. It accomplishes two things, the laundry gets done and I get some time alone. Except for the two things I mentioned above, sorting, doing and putting away laundry is my least favorite thing to do. LEAST. FAVORITE. I would rather just not think about it for 3 weeks and then go to the laundromat and knock out about 44 loads in one shot.

As a matter of fact, I did just that last week. I am a model of efficiency.

So that's it...my first installment of the Bloggy Q&A. I had so many great questions, I couldn't get them all in on this one post, so check back on Wednesday and I'll have the rest of the answers for you!

I know the suspense, the anticipation, it really must be almost too much for you.

Thanks for playing!

A Thank You and a Request

2007-10-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness for Friday. I've had a long week and though I am not usually one to wish away time, I am glad it is over.

I still have some unresolved issues with the great fear of which I'm not ready to see in print yet...and as soon as I know more, I promise that I will spell it out so that I can look back at this trial years from now, and hopefully be laughing my head off at how I let myself get so carried away by all of this irrational thinking.

In the meantime, thank you all so much for the support and prayers. Like many other bloggers, I began blogging merely as a way to keep a daily journal, never dreaming that people would actually read this, let alone comment. I plan to print and bind these pages every year, to have some tangible form of my thoughts.

But a funny thing has happened. I've actually made some friends. My internet friends, I like to call them. You link here, you link there, you make a random comment now and then and presto! people actually write back to you. And it is not at all creepy like I would've thought from having seen too many Dateline episodes. No ma'am. There really are good people out there in this great big world known as the WWW. Unfortunately, they just never get interviewed by Stone Phillips for Dateline. It's always about the ratings.

I had tried to keep a handwritten journal many times, but I have always failed miserably. When given the option at night of crawling under the covers with my remote control and all the HGTV or Dateline I can handle, or sitting up in bed with a pen and miles of blank paper in front of me, I always choose the remote. Always. Because at the end of the day, when I crawl into bed, my hand is tired too.

But sitting up half the night in front of my computer? Now that I can do.

What can I say? My good intentions are always there, but the follow thru, not so much. My plans to journal always start off strong in the bookstore, surrounded by all the beautiful leather bound journals. I rub my hands over them and smell the fresh clean pages. The possibilities seem endless and I have visions that someday my great-grandchildren will be playing in an attic, come across on old dusty trunk and open it. There, they will find stacks of beautiful hardcover books filled with wisdom and grace and history. All printed on clean glossy pages with pictures of happy times. They will pour over them, in awe of what a wise and wonderfully eloquent woman their great-grandmother was.

It is like a scene out of a movie, really.

More likely they will find these books in some random pile at the bottom of a closet somewhere, stuffed into a plastic grocery bag, because that's really more of an accurate representation of how I take care of things. I really am all about preserving the memories.

Anyway...I'm rambling, and I believe I was actually trying to say Thank You! I'm grateful to have met each one of you and, while I still can't believe that I actually have 6 readers, I am so thrilled to know you!

So, sorry I couldn't come up with any of my um, hilarity for you tonight. I think it's very strange to get comments from people saying that I'm 'hilarious.' Because in my house, it is more commonly referred to as dorky. And believe me when I say I could list 5 bloggers off the top of my head right now that are really, really hilarious. Like, snort your drink out of your nose funny. And most definitely, I am not one of them.

I really do just type things out like I talk, and yes I do make my friends laugh, but I tend to think that they are actually laughing at me, even though they swear they are not. They. Swear. It. They are laughing with me, they say. But c'mon now...I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night. And besides, if I were a seriously funny blogger, I would entertain and delight day after day, instead of about once every 14.2 posts and fill the rest of the days in with pictures of wild animals stalking my car like we are in Africa on a safari or something.

So, because the theme of this post has been a little bit about how happy I am to know my internet friends, I am going to carry on the great bloggy tradition of the Q&A. That's right. Ask me anything. If you are a regular reader of this blog, and I know in fact that I have 6 of you out there because I am sneaky like that and figured out how to use the sitemeter thingy, there has got to be something, anything that you might be wondering about me. Ask. Me. Things. People. Fire away. I'm an open book. Let's get to know each other better!

If you're not familiar with the Q&A, it's just as the name implies. Leave me a question in the comments and next week I'll do a post with everyones' questions and the answers.

And, have a great weekend!

Have You Ever Been To A Drive Thru Zoo?

2007-10-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

My husband K, and my son have. And I've seen the animal slobber on my car to prove it!

I wish I had something, anything funny or witty to say, but sadly, I'm all out of funny and witty right now.

2007-10-17T00:07:00.000-05:00

I have a lot on my mind this week. And as I sit here to type this, I'm not sure I'm ready to write out all the details. It's not that it's a big secret, or that I don't want anyone who reads my blog to know...it's more the fact that if I actually type it out, see it in print, it will seem real.

And I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet.

So, that which I am not ready to see in print yet, has been weighing heavily on my mind for a while now. I have ignored it, and tried to hope it away. I have forgotten about it from time to time. I have even resigned myself to it. But no matter what I do, I just cannot stop worrying about it.

I realize I'm not making a lot of sense here. But really, I just have some feelings that need to come out, so I can sleep. I haven't been doing much of that these past few days. And I'm tired.

And like I mostly do when I need something, I pray. Selfish, I know. But, I am human.
So I have dusted off my bible this week and re-read some bible versus that I have not read since I was in high school taking Mr. Schneider's religion class.

And my favorite is still As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). I try to live by this. I try to raise my kids by this. My husband and I try and be models of this to our children. For me, it just makes sense. And, I think I've done a pretty fair job. I could do better, I could be better. Of course. There is always room for kinder words, gentler actions, selfless gestures, quicker forgiveness. But I try. And that should count for something, right?

However, with the great fear of that which I am not ready to see in print yet, following me around this week, I find myself questioning everything I believe. My favorite bible verse does not bring comfort to me. It brings resentment. It makes me feel like screaming "I HAVE. CAN'T YOU SEE I HAVE TRIED? I'M DOING MY BEST LORD, AND THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO SHOW FOR IT?"

It leaves me with the feeling of 'why is this happening to me?' Why? Could this really be happening to me? That is the million dollar question. And I don't have an answer for it. I hope and I pray that by the end of the week, this problem, this great fear of that which I am not ready to see in print yet, will be resolved and all of my worry will have been for nothing. Then, I can write freely. I can laugh at the time I've wasted worrying about something that was 'nothing.' I can get back to my life. Because right now, I'm a bit paralyzed. Fear, anger, sadness and worry have taken over my heart and my favorite bible verse does not bring me the comfort I am looking for.

I feel guilty for this. Am I really a person of so little faith? I did not think I was. And, if I am, well it's no wonder that the Lord saw it fitting to deal this great fear of that which I am not ready to see in print yet, to me. But, I've never before had any experience with this great fear of that which I am not ready to see in print yet. But now I kinda do, and my faith jumped out the window about 17 seconds in. I am all for prayer. I remember others in prayers, I pray over my children while they are sleeping. I've had prayers answered. I just don't want to be the one depending on the prayers to get me through this.

Am I still a believer, even if I'm not sure I believe right now?

Because this thing, this great fear of that which I am not ready to see in print yet, it scares the crap out of me. And all those phrases about God and Him not giving you more than you can bear, or the one about If God brings you to it, He will see you through it, those are great as the signature on someone else's email account, but I'd prefer not to have to put all my eggs in that basket. I don't want to worry about having to bear anything. I just want to happily go about my little existence here in suburbia where the biggest problem I have to worry about is did I remember it was silly sock day in Kindergarten?

And as I type all this, and bless you if you're still reading since I won't even tell you what you're reading about, is that while I question my belief and my faith, and ask God "Why Me?" the tiny thought of "Well, why not me?" keeps creeping into my head.

And I don't like how it sounds.

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring some good news.

Beware of Those Stoplights, They are a Tricky Bunch

2007-10-16T11:19:00.000-05:00

Mary is hosting Tiny Talk Tuesday today, so be sure to visit her blog for a peek at the funny things our kids say. This week, Jen awarded Mary a You Make Me Smile Award for hosting this blog carnival. I agree! Tiny Talk Tuesday always makes me smile when I get to read about the cute and funny things our kids are saying. Congratulations on your award Mary! And again, thanks for hosting!

This week, I was driving my son to a birthday party and it was just him and I in the car. We were talking and singing along to the radio.

I came to a stop light and I was waiting in the left turn lane, but the arrow changed before I was able to make the left hand turn.

As cars began going in the other decoration, I pulled forward into the middle of the intersection waiting for a break in the traffic so that I could make my left turn.

My son said to me, "Mom, the light is green. GO!"

I explained to him that I couldn't go because of all the other cars.

He proceeded to tell me, "You've got the green light so just GO! IT"S YOUR TURN! GREEN MEANS YOU CAN GO!!!"

Not quite sure how I ever passed my drivers test without him.

I politely told him, "Calm down. Even thought the light is green, I cannot go right now with all of these other cars coming. I have to wait my turn."

So he thought for a minute and said, "Oh. So that green light was just trickin' ya?"

Sure. It was just trickin' me.

Showing Off My Favorites...No Holes in the Wall Necessary!

2007-10-15T22:44:00.000-05:00

Lara, the Lazy Organizer, is hosting Talk About Tuesday. This is a blog carnival were you can share just about anything! It is a great way to meet other bloggers. And Lara has a really great blog, so be sure to check it out!

This week, I am going to share my way of displaying my seasonal favorite photos. I love to take pictures of the kids, and I love to show them off. But I have two problems trying to accomplish this.

One, I am not a huge fan of small picture frames scattered about the house. I have a couple of them here and there and I am always seeing frames that I like. I just feel like my pictures never look that great in them. I almost never take posed pictures of my kids, I am more inclined to snap away while they are going about their business. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that my "action" shots never seem to look right in the smaller, table top style picture frames.

Second, I have a phobia of putting holes in the walls. I can't do it. Maybe this is because my husband, K is horrible at hanging things level, and I have a thing for LEVEL. If something is off even .000000001 of a cm, it will drive me nuts. And he does not believe in going back and patching the holes he makes while trying to get the object in question, level. Yes, he just leaves all of the mistake holes behind the pictures. It makes me a bit twitchy just thinking about it. I do have some large paintings and prints around my house, that the painter hung for me. They are level, with no random holes behind them. They make me happy. Anything that K has hung, gives me anxiety.

So given these two dilemmas I am faced with, it is a bit of a challenge to display my current favorite photos.

This is the solution I came up with.

It is my very own photo gallery that I did myself. It makes me happy.

It is a collection of my current favorite photos from whatever season we happen to be in.

Some of the photos are color shots, some I've changed to black and white. I don't worry about them all being the same. I also include more than just photos of my kids. This picture above of the Moku Lua's reminds me of happy times spent in Hawaii. The sandy feet are a reminder of our families love for the beach.

These pictures are all ones I have taken over the summer. I will take them down soon, because for the Holidays I decorate the mantel with garlands and lights, but after the Holiday stuff is put away I will run off some prints more reminiscent of wintertime, like sledding or a snowman, or maybe I will frame a photo of a grey winter sky. Whatever photos are my current favorites, will make it in the frames.

So this is what I do to display photos around here. It works out well for me because I don't need my husband to put any holes in the walls. I just lean the frames in an overlapping fashion and I have room for eight frames. No level needed!

I realize not everyone may have a mantel to display large frames like these, but I've used this idea on a counter top, a ledge style shelf and a dresser. Any size or number of frames would work. And the pictures don't need to match!

It doesn't get any easier, give it a try!