Mischief Managed - Or Not

It Ought to be a Crime

2010-12-20T13:53:00.002-06:00

There are certain things that ought to be outlawed this time of year.

Postal carriers that can't read addresses is one.

Cranky people at the supermarket is another - really little girl in the too small Cowboy's jersey. I spend a horrendous amount at Market Street - give me the coupon I left at home so I can pay your salary.

People who take up not one, not two but THREE parking spots at the mall is another. Really you have a Prius. It's a maroon lunchbox on wheels it does not need three spots in front of Nordstrom's.

The final thing that needs to be outlawed are Slimfast commercials a week before Christmas. Anybody selling a diet aid the week before Christmas needs to be rounded up and sent to Gitmo to live until the rest of us have finished sipping the egg nog, eating the sugar cookies with butter cream frosting and sprinkles, eating candy canes and pouring gravy on anything that sits still.

Slimfast commercials, dexatrim mailers and email invitations to join the gym is just one more reminder that my butt is getting bigger, my pants tighter and the fat is clogging my arteries. Let's face it, the only exercise I'm getting these days is walking in a circle around the kitchen for yet one more egg and two more cups of flour.

It's Hard To Type and Hold My Breath = a Letter to my dog

2010-08-31T23:01:00.002-05:00

Dear Rabi -

You are my favorite pet. You are my shadow and my constant companion.

I forgave you when you ate my camera and the bag it was in. I didn't even make you eat store brand dog food and live in your kennel for a month like I threatened.

I got over your ingestion of my favorite black stilleto heels - the ones that were perfect with THe black dress. Even when the cobbler told me they were mangled beyond repair, I forgave you.

I think it's cute the way you and Ginger nap together - even though he's a cat.

I secretly find the guilty look you give me when you lay on the leather couch - even though you know it is forbidden - cute.

I didn't scream or yell when you dug in the back yardand then tracked mud in on the freshly mopped kitchen floor or when the animal catcher chased you home after you followed Joey to school.

But we have to talk.

You have gas.I know as ladies, we don't speak of such things.

Gas that could kill people if used in mass quantities

Green fog-like gas that makes my eyes water and makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

This could be used as a weapon of mass destruction. Heaven forbid you let one go near a military installation - the silent but deadly fumes would make soldiers don their gas mask in fear of biological weapon contamination.

Charles has less body odor after he comes home from a run or a week long campout.

So tonight, while you sleep outside because I don't think there is a clause in pour home owner's policy about natural gas explosions. I'll be contacting the EPA about a warning label for your butt.

Love, Mom

PS - Dear neighbors with the chickens - this is a far more gentle way for your chickens to go to the stock pot in the sky - and a lot less noisy.

Hey God, Are You Trying to Tell Me Something?

2010-08-25T21:37:00.003-05:00

Charles and I were sitting here 30 minutes ago enjoying a movie when the phone rang. Eric is still at work so I answered it, knowing that whomever is calling at this hour had to be family.

A creepyish voice, something like a voice like a mating of Marvin the Martian and Darth Vader asked to speak to me - using my maiden name. I hadn't used my maiden name in years - many many years.

Martian Vader bid me good evening and inquired about my day. Then he launched his speel.

"Mrs. Svetlik have you thought about your funeral in the event of your eventual demise?"

"Mrs. Svetlik is my mother and my grandmother - but she's already intered I hadn't thought about anything other than doing the dishes and going to bed - death isn't on my 'to do' list tonight"

Miss, we here at Restland can help you with all of your funeral preplanning needs so your family won't have to wonder what your funeral wishes are."

"Dude, I'll be dead , they can put me in a Hefty Bag and sing kumbya - I'll be dead I won't care."

"Ma'am imagine the pain and aguish you'll leave your children."

"My oldest child is 15, the only mental anguish he'll suffer is if someone forgets to buy groceries - even upon my eternal departure from this planet. Furthermore, I'm just pleased I finally remembered the brown sugar at WalMart today. The people in my house are happy if there's fruit snacks and string cheese. Titanium inlaid coffins and solid gold overlayed urns are not anything we're ready to give much thought to."

"But ma'am you could die."

"Sir I promise you, we're all gonna die - Prince wrote a song about it, I'm not interested in any tours or time share plans for funeral plots. but you have a good night ."

The economy must be really rough if the Grim Reaper is resorting to cold calls.

Words I Never Thought I'd Say

2010-07-14T12:08:00.003-05:00

"Stop hitting your sister in the head with a beach ball. " (really this did not amaze me - hitting your brother or sister is as old as Cain and Able)

"But mom she likes it - look!"

Madaleine giggles as the brother in question hits her in the head with the beach ball.

"Besides we aren't hitting her hard enough for brain damage."

Yeah. I know. Nice.

Look Into My Eyes

2010-01-08T16:15:00.002-06:00

DSC_7567.jpg
Originally uploaded by blondie478.

Look at those bright baby blue eyes.

Look at that sweet innocent face.

That little face can command nations.

Those sweet blue eyes are capable of controlling and army.

At the age of ten months, she knows how to get those around her to do exactly what she wants us to. Her older brothers gladly do her bidding. She smiles at them and they do what she wants.

Her ability to control minds is astonishingly strong. I fear for the future with her skills. She is her mother's daughter.

Oh My Merciful Heck

2010-01-07T21:24:00.001-06:00

It's COLD. The coldest weather we've seen in 13 years supposedly!

But to my school district - the next time you call to tell me there is no school at 5:50 AM and wake up the baby, you are coming to put her back to sleep.

Long Time Gone

2010-01-05T16:57:00.002-06:00

<
Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past. ~Henry Ward Beecher

>

And here we are on the uphill trod to 2010. I hadn't realized that the last time I visited this space and posted my musing was August, just after the boys went back to school. So here we are in 2010, 359 days until we exit the first decade of the 21st century! Imagine that.

It seems like I've barely had a chance to blink since 2000 and the threat of Y2K. It amazed me how we, as a society have changed.

Ten years ago, the idea that some one would fly a plane into buildings and kill thousands was unfathomable. Tday, we stand in the security line at the airport with our shower products in two ounce plastic bottles - proof that we aren't trying to blow up the plane with shampoo.

Ten years ago DVD players were cutting edge technology, now $30 at walmart buys you a nice player, better than what was manufactured then. Today we carry mp3 Players smaller than a deck of cards that can play music, show movies, play Scrabble and take phone calls almost all at once (God Bless Apple!)

Ten years ago I had two children. Today, I have four. FOUR FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUR Children - finally a princess amongst the frogs!

We saw the collapse of the financial and housing markets.

We lost a Pope - the only one many of us remember, and got a new one. God's Rotweiler.

We had global warming - that turned out to be an "oops, we can't add" (With the weather looks cold and ominous- I want it back

We - well Oprah and the liberal media and a lot of people swayed by a nice face and pretty words - elected Barack Obama - the first black President of the United States.

It's been a roller coaster of a start!

So 2010 here's to YOU! May you pave the way for a nice smooth decade as we venture to 2011 and the start of the second decade of the new century!

And On the Second Day

2009-08-25T08:50:00.002-05:00

there was a great void. Silence filled the house and no cartoons (or game shows) were watched.

Today is the second day of school. I like to think of it as benchmark day. This is the day that will be an indicator of how the rest of the school year will we go. The newness is starting to wear off and the reality of nine months of formal learning will start.

Charles had a good day yesterday. Can I just say I LOVE high school? I L-O-V-E LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it. Charles needed schedule changes. I emailed his counselor and poof they were done - correctly with no gnashing of teeth or swear words. Algebra I and Creative Writing - POOF gone and hello PreAP Geometry and AVID. I LOVE high school. with all the books he's carrying around he's going to bulk up by Christmas.

Tommy had a good first day back. He is so excited to have a locker. There was no homework and his friend saved him a seat on the bus. Really it was a GREAT day.

Joey liked school but did not get to eat his snack and had recess BEFORe lunch - which upset his whole sense of order and justice. He also did NOT get to eat his snack so some one might have to die - he was not amused (proof that the apple does not fall far from it's tree.

What a difference a year makes. Last year on the first day of school, Eric and I walked Joey and Tommy to their classrooms. On the second day, I was prepared to walk Joey to the front door and kiss him goodbye. We got to the cross walk and told me he didn't need any help - he had Tommy and really Tommy was useless so he was good. I kissed him goodbye and watched the boys walk across the street. This year I told Joey i'd help him walk across the street. The he could go in the rest of the way by himself. We crossed the street and I kissed him goodbye and stood and watched as he started up the walk to the front door. Joey kept turning around to make sure I was there. each step he took got shorter and he moved slower. It was a step step - turn and wave at mom. He got the the drive and just stopped and then turn around and came back to me. He needed me to walk him to the school.

Mad About Harry

2009-07-15T12:09:00.003-05:00

I need to preface this post with the disclaimer, I am serious about movies based on books I've read. My thoughts are someone took the time to use their talent to write a story a certain way. Major changes to a story are unsettling and disgust me to no end. I understand the need to condense a story to make it fit the time a movie runs I really do BUT when you take a story and make a movie and change the story to make it your own it verges on copywrite infringement in my opinion - don't bastardize a story just because you can.

Angels and Demons did NOT come after the DaVinci Code in Dan Brown's world. it came before - like the horse before the cart. The remaining preferati did NOT remain - he too died and did NOT become Pope, there is this little thing called CERN and Vittoria's father was PRIEST who worked with anti-matter. The assassin was a militant muslim and - well I won't go on.

The wrong sister died in My Sister's Keeper after a court battle to keep her organs and help the ailing sister die because she was tired of the fight. Alec Baldwin as the 30 something badass lawyer - um no the only thing Alec Baldwin says is foulmouthed bombastic blowhard with a weight management issue. Tell the movie like it is written and don't ad lib to make a movie according to your vision - the writer's voice needs to remain the TRUE voice of a film.

Cinematically, the HBP was beautiful to look at. The Hogwarts backdrop stunning. The story itself moved and the dialogue was very well written. However - this was the producer's version of the story and so NOT the story I read numerous times. As a movie for the sake of a movie, i suppose it was good - I'll have to watch it again to say anything about that. I was too mad at what wasn't included and what was added to really watch- as were most of the people around me - many of us were not happy.

STOP READING HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOLIERS

GO BACK GO BACK SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!

Okay I warned you.

Harry and Dumbledore setting off from the Underground station - um no.

The opening of the HBP was very MUCH needed We needed to know about the two ministers but more importantly, the meeting with Dumbledore , the Dursley's and Harry. There was also Sirius' will and the bequeathment of the House of Black and Kreacher. Kreacher and Dobby played a part in THIS story as well as what is to come in Deadly Hollows.

Dumbledore placed a charm on Harry so that as long as he was underage and could made a visit to his aunt and uncle's he was safe from Volde. Petunia, and to a lesser extent Vernon, had to agree to this.

The sotry of Voldie's mother and father as well as his grandfather was important.

The revelation of some of the Horcux's and the way Riddle finds them was important. Hello - Harry KNEW about the ring that was Marvalo's, the book, the cup that was Hufflepuff's, the necklace that was Slyherin's are important Harry KNEW about these at the close of the book so that he, Ron and hermione had an idea - even though it was vague of what they were looking for.

There was no Fleur and Bill wedding being planned. the idea that love, even in the face of dark and dangerous times is a key motif of the story as a whole.

Tonks and Remus were NOT together in this story. TONKS found harry on the train NOT Luna. There were members of the OOP at the school protecting it from Voldemort. There was little in the movie about the fear and terror people felt as the dark lord regained power - parents pulled their children from Hogwarts people disappeared daily.

Slughorn KNEW Sirius - think about it - one of Sluggy's favorite students was Lilly (and wtheck was that fishbowl thing - really?) therefore Sirius would be the contemporary and Sluggy's student NOT Regulus. Regulus WAS Sirius' younger brother.

Draco used Madame Rosemerta as his vehicle for destruction. Dumbledore and Harry took off from and arrived back in Hogsmead BEcAUSE YOU CANNOT - EVEN IF YOU ARE ALBUS PRECIVEL DUMBLEDORE- APPARATE WITHIN HOGWARTS .you just can't .

Volde wanted to teach at Hogwarts and his employment with Borgin and Burke's in order to find items to make his horcruxs.

Then there is the little matter of no fight at Hogwarts when the death eaters came in between the OOP and Volde's flunkies. Bill got bit by Fenrir Greybeck and Fleur and Molly had a moment. Dumbledore would have never left the castle undefended.

Dumbledore's tribute scene with the wands in the air like you don't care version of a bad 80's hair band concert - - deplorable.

Finally, what the hell was the Children of the Corn scene? The scene in the book where the MoM came with Percy to the Burrow at Christmas could have easily and accurately displayed here - It was here that Harry told the Minister that he was through and through loyal to Dumbledore. The Ministry and all of their protective measures were almost as heinous as what Voldemort and his death eaters were doing. Instead we had Bellatrix and Scary McSurly leaving smoke trails through a corn field at Christmas (corn does not grow at Christmas in England ) poor poor choice.

I left the theatre sad about what I had scene - the movie could have been so much more and it wasn't. It was just a movie based loosely on a book.

As for the PG rating - it was fine. Very little in this book was scary, I think that joey could watch and enjoy it - unlike the 4th and 5th installments. this movie was almost light and happy.

So there you have it - that's what i have to say about that

So tonight whilest I worked my husband went to Fry's

2009-05-29T22:59:00.003-05:00

THANK GOD he went while I was at work. Seriously, I will never get those hours of my life spent in that store back. For him, Fry's is Nirvana, It 's like the shoe store for me - a new surprise around every corner (though I doubt he'd like to roll around naked on the electronics like I'd like to do among the shoes)

For the "unenlightened - or the blessed as I like to think - Fry's is a place that sells electronics, TV's build your own computers appliances - etc etc etc. It also sells a lot of crappy electronic junk, it's Radio Shack on crack. I hate this place. It makes my head hurt and I want to lay down on the floor and cry at the mere thought of going here.

When I got back from work, the younger boys told me that daddy took them to fry's like it was some secret I was not meant to know. eric told me only spent $30. i wasn't worried. that's about all he spends at that store. he always fonds a gadget or two to buy.

None of it works - but it fills the drawer nicely.

Today's purchase was an adapter that was supposed to plug into our iPods and charge them and transmit the songs over an FM radio station. That grey SUV driving around Little Elm at 10 PM - that was us. Trying out our $30 piece of crap. Mind you, we already have a plug thingy that docks my iPod in the car and plays it out of the auxilliary port. It works and I like it. I also have a car charger for my iPod. Neither of these work on his ipod though.

As I type, he's outside, in the dark trying to make this thing work.

He needen't worry, I threw out a bunch of plug thingy's a few weeks ago when i purged the junk drawer - we have room.

I have found my people

2009-05-21T12:38:00.002-05:00

and they are calling me home.

Joey brought home a birthday party invitation yesterday for Saturday and I called to RSVP. The mom informed me that they will be celebrating at the WiggleTown Indoor Center. Would I be staying?

She sensed the hesitation in my voice and informed me that the play center has a liquor license.

This is brilliant - and answers my question - I knew Anthony Wiggle drank.

So now they want to tax sodas because kids are fat

2009-05-21T10:33:00.002-05:00

and this will pay for universal health insurance. Seriously Mr. President. Put down Karl Marx and open your eyes.

Kids are fat because we make them fat. Taxing each can and bottle of non-healthy beverages isn't going to fix anything. Look at the great State of Texas. Sodas, chips, candy and other sweets have been banned from elementary campuses across the state and yet, The great state has some of the fattest kids in the nation.

Instead look at the guidelines set forth by the federal student lunch program. Those meals - deemed by the government experts of nutrition - are loaded with fat, carbohydrates, sodium and void of any nutritional value. Looking at how mouch kids throw away at lunch time leads me to believe the tatse is foul as well.

Tell me how a baked, breaded regurgitated chicken patty covered in gravy with white rice,corn, canned pears and flavored milk is healthy? Now feed your average kid that crap and then send them back to class. Take away recess and Pe because they are day wasters.

This is why our kids are fat.

If you want to truly make a difference - bring back recess and physical education - make them mandatory. Who cares if a kid is Left Behind when his Behind is as big as a house?

Revamp the federal lunch program with meals like those your daughters consume at their private school cafeteria.

So here we are - three months post having a GIRL

2009-05-20T09:45:00.002-05:00

and the changes and differences are mazing.

This little girl has the household wrapped around her sweet dimpled fingers and she knows it and uses it to her cute baby advantage.

Her brothers adore her. They will do anything to make her smile and then argue about who cam=n or who did make her smile or laugh the biggest. This can be blood sport. The competition is fierce. It amazes me to see how the boys will knock each other around and then two seconds later coo and talk to their sister.

She uses this to her advantage. She can roll herself over now. This is an issue because she does not like to be on her tummy. So she rolls over and calls to her brothers - which ever one is closest. She cries - not a real "I'm unhappy and have tears" cry but a "Come help me because I want to see how fast you can dance attendance one me" cry. This works every time - multiple times in a row because she has learned boys are basically stupid when it comes to cute girls.

The relationship between Madaleine and her daddy is amazing as well. He loves her in a way that melts my heart. I dotes on her in ways that he didn't with the boys. She has to match and he cares about her hair (this could be also because she is the first to HAVE hair) and that she wears a diaper cover under her dress because no one can see her diaper - this cracks me up. He spends as much time in the baby girl section as I do - well almost. He told me the other day he was unsure about our world becoming a pink festooned world but it's grown on him.

I have an addiction - to cute little girl outfits - she needs them all - in every size with headbands and hair bows and shoes to match.

She completes us in ways that I didn't know we were missing.

She I think is going to be a lucky little girl. When she's Charles' age she's not going to be one of those girls who seeks out the attention of boys to make herself feel good because she has that from her brothers. She is never going to doubt that she nneds a boy to make her feel good about herself and that she is going to be good enough - rather boys are going to have to be good enough to her. She'll know how to play hard and dirty. She'll be rough and tough and feminine and girly at the same time.

She is indeed a lucky little girl.

So I Went to Hobby Lobby for Book Report Supplies

2009-05-14T10:08:00.003-05:00

and while I was picking up some little thingies to go into a the project I started wondering - whatever happened to actually writing a book report? Charles has been in school nine years now and he has never once written a book report. He's made a sandwich out of story elements. He's created a movie poster about a book. He's even made a power point about a book but he has never once written an book report. He also has never written a term paper or essay and he's in the Pre AP program.

How do schools expect students to learn to write coherent thoughts? How does making a sandwich out of the plot, characters, main idea, and climax of a story teach children critical thinking skills? How will this help him get into college? How will he handle having to write that term paper in Freshman Comp?

I sit here and imagine the look on Dr. Pressman or Sister Anne's face as today's high school graduates attempt to turn a "story sandwich on War and Peace or Little Women. It make me laugh - visions of smoke coming out of the tape recorder of death - heh.

This is a Pre AP English class project - not a regular class - I can only imagine what those projects are like. And yet, as I look at the requirements for this summer's Pre AP Engllish project and thinks there are going to be a lot of upset 9th graders come August. How do teacher's expect kids to make a jump from regurgitation to ingurgitation and adaptation in a summer?

Ten years from now (holy crap I'm old) my child's boss is going to want an analysis of whatever and all he's going to be able to do is make a power point on the plot and main idea of his data.

Is the Sun ever going to shine again

2009-05-07T14:27:00.002-05:00

How many more grey, humid days can we have? This is DALLAS - not Seattle.

So Last Night We Were Watching TV

2009-05-04T15:40:00.002-05:00

and a commercial came on.

I know shocking a commercial - it was live TV even and I couldn't blast through it.

It was a coffee commercial (yeah I know me watching a coffee commercial).

The commercial was about sending their son off to college and leaving him with Folgers or Maxwell House or some pre ground swill and it being almost like home.

Eric looked at me, as I fed our baby daughter and asked if I was going to be ready for that in for years.

I snickered and then I stopped and thought.

In FOUR years - FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUR years my first born will be a ready to graduate senior. He will have decided where he is going to start the his adult life. He will be getting ready to leave my nest and venture off to places unknown. He'll spread his wings and fly.

I looked down at the baby, in my arms and looked at the sprawled out teenager on the floor beside me and wondered where has the time gone?

In so many ways he is almost grown. His upper lip is sprouting the beginnings of a mustache - soon - really soon Eric will be teaching him to shave. Then he'll learn to drive. It seems like only yesterday he was my newborn. In the blink of an eye we are selecting high school courses and signing the baby up for the PSAT. He has a top three list of colleges. It seems like yesterday I was changing his diaper and worrying about his runny nose and praying he'd sleep through the night.

The commercial made me tear up. I can't imagine dropping off my child with 18 years of memories and treasures and driving away. Knowing, that when he comes home he'll be more like a visitor rather than a constant resident.

I look at the barrage of shoes and backpacks and baby gear strewn by the front door and know that soon - sooner than I'd like to admit and sooner than I think, I'll be wishing I had some one to yell at about hanging up your coat/hat/backpack. No one will be here but eric and I.

All too soon.

The Difference Between Men and Women

2009-04-30T15:20:00.002-05:00

can be easily summed up in a TV commercial.

This morning while I was getting dressed, a commercial came on in the middle of the News at 9. The commercial asked me if I had a major issue finding space for my shoes.

Why yes, yes indeed I DO - it is a problem that weighs heavy on my heart.

The man in the commercial continued on - asking if I had ever had to decide which shoes to keep so I could by more.

This made me shudder at the thought of throwing one of my pretty precious pairs of shoes AWAY. I'd sell one of my children - well, not the girl, before I parted with a pair of shoes. But I saw the man's point - my shoe stacker thing is full and there is a mountain on the closet floor and another pile by the front door and some in the garage. I have a lot of shoes.

He asked if I was looking for a solution to my problem -

Indeed - I consider this problem right up there with national security, pig flu and the economy.

He then went on to convince me I NEEDED to call this magic number that flashed at the bottom of the screen.

I called that magic number and arranged for my very own closet design specialist to call. In less than two weeks and for a small some of cash - my shoes could all have a happy home off the floor with room for more.

Then I called my husband.

He laughed.

Not a hah ha funny laugh - but a humor-me-but-not-on your-shoe loving-life laugh.

So I called my mother.

She agreed with me.

Not because I was her daughter and she takes my side in such discussions. She agreed with me because I am the apple to her tree in the orchard of needing shoes. she convinced my father - who was the only man among three women for many many years - until mysister left home. Since we are a shoe loving group of women he built my mother a shoe caddy.

So I called my husband again - in an attempt to convince him Lowe's could solve all my problems.

He told me he had things to do.

This is the difference between men and women. Women need shoes and pretty things - men - well not so much.

Now, I am going to be forced to do something dirty and underhanded. I am going to teach the Princess Madaleine to say "Daddy" and use her evil daughter mind control over her daddy powers to get my shoe caddy. Because really - pretty shoes are a terrible thing to waste.

Daddy and his Daughter

2009-04-29T17:40:00.001-05:00

Daddy and his Daughter
Originally uploaded by blondie478.

Okay, So how does a chicken place RUN out of Chicken?

2009-04-28T15:26:00.002-05:00

Sunday, on the way home from work I decided to stop by KFC for dinner for myself, since Eric was out of town and I was sure the kids (meaning Charles) didn't save me anything.

So my friend Angela and I swing through KFC/Long John Silvers.

When we noticed the long line behind the order box and no one actually pulling through to the pick up window that should have been a clue that something was afoot at the KFC.

But, no.

We're both Blonde.

We're a little slow and we just got off of work and we were both hungry moms and - that (Okay a digression who is the new guy hosting Millionaire - what happened to Meredith?). - that erases any error in judgement we may have made.

We get to the order window and we tell the guy that we had TWO separate orders.

I make my order. I wanted the two piece meal with mashed potatoes and cole slaw.

He asks me if I wanted grilled or fried.

I told him I wanted fried.

(okay another digression - who is Billy Bush?)

He repeats my order back to me - a two piece grilled meal

I tell him no, I wanted fried - both dark meat.

He repeats the order back to me - a two piece white grilled meal

I repeat myself again.

This battle of wills goes on for two minutes.

He finally asks me to tell him what picture I ama looking at on the menu.

We tell him - in unison.

Then he asks me what two sides I wanted.

How my head didn't explode I don't know.

He tells me how much my order will be.

By this time, we've been at the order window for five minutes

Angela hadn't ordered yet.

She need food fer her whole family.

It wasn't good.

Green beans and fries don't sound in anyway similar.

They do not.

She wanted chicken and not fish.

She needed two orders of mashed potatoes and one order of coleslaw.

This shouldn't have been hard. It's chicken, potatoes and coleslaw.

It was.

Then he rings the order together.

We get that undone and we finally move up to pick up the order.

My order comes out. I pay for it and he shuts the window.

So we wait.

And then we wait

and we wait some more.

He opens the wndow and asks if we forgot anything

Um - YEAH the rest of the food.

He hands us a bag and we ask if this is everything.

We should have checked.

Apparently my friend Danielle's husband was behind us

they didn't get chicken

because KFC ran out of chicken?

How can KFC run out of chicken?

It's Monday, WHy is it ALWAYS Monday?

2009-04-27T16:00:00.002-05:00

If I where a week day I wouldn't want to be Monday.

Everybody hates Monday - it follows Sunday - the day of rest.

It is the sharp jolt to end the weekend.

I woke up this morning with my human alarm clock and the first thing that crept into my mind, after I made sure she was happy was "Oh Crap it's Monday...WHY is it ALWAYS Monday?"

Then I realized the sound above my head was not the dog running around upstairs, nor was it my boys stomping around getting ready to start the school week. No, it was thunder. All I really wanted to do was go back to sleep.

I think if I were a weekday, I'd want to be Thursday. Thursday is a a day of anticipation. It's a day of promise. The weekend isn't quite upon us. Thursday hold the promise of great and wonderful adventures. Thursday hold the promise of dinner with friends, road trips to the beach, or just lazing around with a good book and a glass of wine.

yes, I want to be Thursday.

Okay, So I joined Facebook

2009-04-25T20:46:00.002-05:00

So I joined Facebook to reconnect with old friends. It has been a blast, a walk down memory lane. I found a girl I have been friends with since second grade. We lost touch after we got married and moved with our respective husbands. Now, we have children that are the same age we were when we met and older.

It's funny to see the progression of life, the circle if you will. We are planning our 20 year reunion. Some of us have children starting or are already in high school. The years that were the best of our lives back in the day are memories captured in pictures.

For my boys, there is proof that their mom was young and hip for the day and thin, very very thin. There is proof that I was more than the kill joy that reminds them to do their homework, nags at them to wash their hair and bathe and insists that their rooms need to be cleaned. I was once young and a lot of fun.

This Place is a Zoo!

2009-04-24T19:30:00.002-05:00

Of course it was because it was an actual zoo.

I don't know what I expected going on a school sponsored filed trip - it's not like this district is run by people that have a sense. But still Eric and I went on the kindergarten class field trip to the Fort Worth Zoo ( the Dallas Zoo is better I thought).

We were SUPPOSED to leave at 9 AM - we didn't and then the busses too the backasswards way of going - you know opposite of the way the school secretary handed out. The the new bus driver was in the middle and went 55 down the I-35. Needless to say, the trip took longer than expected. This week is school week at the zoo so traffic getting into the zoo was lined up for miles. We had to park in the grass. Then we had to eat.

That being said, we had an hour and fifteen minutes to see the zoo. There were no bears. We were disappointed in the trip.

And really - if I treated my customers the way the zoo customer service people behaved - I'd get fired.

A Battle of Wills

2009-04-22T16:23:00.002-05:00

- a battle that I fear will soon become a bloody war.

Charles is in the middle of puberty - one look at the hair growing under his lip is obvious and Tommy is on the cusp. Everything is a fight between these two I'm afraid.

Last night, after we finished dinner, the boys were cleaning up. A fight ensued over who was going to put their stuff in the fridge. Lettuce went flying and a bottle of barbeque sauce was thrown. Names were called - all over who was going to put their lettuce away first.

Really guys - it's LETTUCE. There is no need to fight. The vegetable bin can hold everything you need to put iin it.

I'm back

2009-04-14T17:01:00.000-05:00

and better thanever.

Red - it's not good is it?

2008-09-11T21:08:00.000-05:00

It looks like we're goon get wet and maybe blown around a bit.

Seven

2008-09-11T17:05:00.002-05:00

It is hard to believe that today is September 11th.

There was no 'round the clock coverage of the memorial at Ground Zero. I didn't see a reading of the names of those who lost their lives. There was a mention and a story on the memorial built at the Pentagon, the first to be completed.

Perhaps we as a nation are moving on. Perhaps we've forgotten what happened that warm sunny late summer day. That makes me sad. For a brief moment in time we came together as a nation. We were united.

I found this letter. It made me cry.

Just a Hodge Podge

2008-09-09T10:14:00.003-05:00

We are three weeks in to the school year and already I am regreting my decision to send Charles and Tommy back.

This week for the first time, Tommy went to his dyslexia pullout. We have our first 504 meeting Friday and it is NOT going to be polite. I am going to tear into them like a pitbull with rabies. He still can't write. I mean he cannot form letters, the look like some odd form of the Cyrilic alphabet and hieroglyphics. He's supposed to wrote and essay by the end of the school year? Um yeah that's going to be fun to see.

Charles finally got his schedule changed - but I am not happy at the lack of direction these people give the AP students. I don't understand how they think that just because a child is smart and academically gifted, organization and the ability to do things beyond there years is present. Charles had to wrote and essay using MLA documentation but wasn't told exactly what it was he was using. I have spent the better part of two days helping learn in text citation and how to put a quote in your writing to support your idea. A little primer from the school would have been helpful. It's been 15 years almost for me so thank goodness for google.

Joey still loves kindergarten. That is good but I am working with him at home.

In other worlds I am in love. I LOVE LoVE LOVE Sarah Pallin. John McCain did good!!!!! A republican woman we can be proud of. I think she opened some people's eyes - showing that the republican party isn't just bluehaired old bats - but we are young and fresh and we can do more than spin words into a wonderful speech. I can't wait to see what happens.

Missing You

2008-08-27T22:16:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, my very well loved boxer dog had an adventure. She decided she missed Joey so badly that's she'd just walk herself up to school and wait for him to come out for recess. Animal control brought her home.

Since Rabi came home to live with us, she and Joey have been companions. He used to lay on her and nap. He'd throw the ball and she'd applaud when he caught it (boxers don't fetch). so now, she's lonely. There's no one to play with.

And There Goes Another Piece of My Heart

2008-08-27T07:52:00.002-05:00

This morning, when I walked Tommy and Joey to school, Joey looked at me as we were halfway there and said "Mommy I don't need you to walk me across the street and up to the school, I know where I'm going."

When we got to the crosswalk he let go of my hand and moved up beside Tommy, took his hand and crossed the street, on his own. Each sneaker covered step a little further away from me and one more step closer to independence.

In other worlds I think I LOVE Tommy's teacher. She is setting the classroom up as a community. Each student will earn money based on their "work" Students will set up "jobs" within the community and receive extra pay for them. Children with and A or B average at the end of the week will receive extra cash. Students who are failing will owe money.. Each month students will pay rent for their desks (homeownership is a privelege) If you fail to keep a tidy home you must pay a cleaning fee and a fine. I love this idea.

An Open Letter to Mall shoppers

2008-08-26T11:13:00.002-05:00

or shoppers in general,

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen (these terms are used, in some cases, the loosest sense of the word)

Thank you for coming into my store. I really hope you found everything you were looking for. I have a few things to say. Please don't treat the people who work in this store - or any other for that matter - like we are less than you. We're not. We are wives, mothers, daughters and friends some of us are students, others teachers all of us are working for whatever reason (I'm working for private school tuition for my oldest child. We just happen to work in a mall store.

When I greet you, it's because they pay me to. I get paid to stand there and greet you - please be polite and return my greeting - if our roles were reversed I'd do the same for you.

Put down your cell phone. I mean really, your life is so friggin important that you can't walk through a store without a piece of plastic attached to your head? If you feel you MUST talk on your phone, don't complain that no one would help you find the Japanese Cherry Blossom body cream you need and you had to look for 45 minutes - all the time flapping your lips on the phone - talking about how badly you're being treated in this store. And do not even have a fit because it took you five minutes to pay for your crap because you were still ON THE PHONE and had to be asked six times to verify the charge amount.

They pay us to ask you if you need help. They want us to ask you over and over and over.

If you have children please control them in the store. Yes the shelves are glass and yes they will break if your eight year old repeatedly runs her four year old sister and the stroller into them multiple times. Also, we have enough work to do without watching your spawn fight with each other and beat the tar out of each other with rubber ducks. Keep your kids in check, it's called parenting. If they cannot behave in public, don't bring them until you teach them to behave themselves.

Please do not let your baby or toddler scream all the way through your 30 minute body lotion search. I mean really? A child that upset does not need to shop. Attend his or her needs - I promise the body cream that you can't remember the name of but was pink, will still be there when your child has been fed, changed and rested.

We have no say in scents being discontinued. No really we don't. I am sorry it was your favorite but things and change - life goes on. Last year's Fresia is this year's whatever.

I am sorry you had a perfume emergency at 8:45 PM and you can't possibly go to school smelling like sweet pea when everyone else is wearing something else. We have to close our gates at 9 PM. The mall is not 7-11. Come back when we open the next day, the scent you want but don't know what it is will still be there. Don't threaten to call customer care because I told you we were indeed closed, there is never a perfume emergency - really.

Thank You,
Methusula Honeysuckle

A first day Overview

2008-08-26T08:36:00.003-05:00

Tommy learned that fourth grade is not like kindergarten. While the teacher was glad he was there, she expected him to get straight to work. Then there was homework. Tommy was the only kid who had homework. The other two did not. Tommy was not amused and grumbled about how much harder he had it than his other two brothers.

We learned the junior high has idiots for counselors. They lost his course selection guide and his AP permission stuff somewhere. We know - at some point in time they had it - because a course change sheet was sent home by MAILm if I wanted my child in Pre-AP Physical Science instead of the course (AP Biology I in his case) he was selected for. Now they can't understand why we are livid with him not being in these classes - well DUH. We are letting eric deal with this because we all know if I have to get involved - it's not going to be nice. We are impressed with his art class. They are going to talk about art history, the concepts behind making art and they'll learn the principles of sketching. I am even more impressed with the art fee. I send in money. The school purchases stuff in bulk. I don't have to look 851 places for art supplies.

After he gets his AP classes fixed he'll be taking five classes for high school credit.

Joey made a robot with hair- he brought it home because the teacher put a star sticker on it. Lunch was way to early and he needed a nap after recess. Half the kids fell asleep during rest time.

I straightened the dining room and broke the vaccum (eric fixed it for me) today is the hall bath and computer area.

All's Quiet on the Western Front

2008-08-25T12:44:00.002-05:00

It's quiet here. No one has told me to turn down my iTunes because they couldn't hear.

No one is watching PBS kid's programing

No one is FIGHTING or whining or protesting some gross injustice of sibling rivalry.

It's quiet.

Almost too quiet.

The First Day

2008-08-25T11:14:00.002-05:00

and we were off - up and running - errrrrrr stumbling by 6:30 this morning. Joey was so excited to actually go to real school, where the teacher is a boy - just like him - that he didn't fall asleep til midnight.

Tommy was not amused. He walked into his classroom and was told his first assignment was on the overhead. No "welcome to fourth grade, we're happy to have you." This year they gave him a teacher who means busineess and is not a pushover backless pansy like he had the past four years. She'll be good for him.

It looks like the crackwhores are in charge again this year. we couldn't got back to the classrooms until 7:40 AM so we had to hold all our supplies and wait. This year they also divided where the kids wait to go to the classrooms. Some one in the braintrust decided the kindergarten kids needed no adult supervision.

We shall see how this works out.

The Countdown is ON

2008-08-20T10:02:00.002-05:00

In 4 days school will be OPEN. My children will be back in school. All of them

School clothes are cleaned or soon will be.

Supplies are purchased and ready to be sorted into backpacks.

AP summer projects are in the process of being done.

This time four days from now my living room and dining room will be cleaned and they should STAY that way. The idea that a room could be clened and clutter free for a full morning and afternoon, well that's been a novel concept for me.

Tired

2008-08-06T02:11:00.002-05:00

I am tired.

I am tired of the crazy that keeps infiltrating my women's group. I mean really - 8 years and 4 crazies. I have born the brunt of them all to some extent.

I am tired of people quitting just because things didn't go their way. No one gets their way all of the time - that's life. If I had my way I'd weigh 125 pounds and have a sculpted shapely body without ever having to step foot in hell errrrr the gym. If I quit something just because I didn't get my way - well I'd not be here - but that's life some days your the windshield and somedays your the bug.

I am tired of seeing supposed Christian women trat each other this way.

I am tired of people criticizing every decision I make because you know they had a chance to elect some one else - and they didn't do it. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem and if you refuse to step up sit down and shut the hell up and don't friggin bitch.

Looking Back but Do I Want to Look Ahead?

2008-08-04T13:49:00.002-05:00

Today, I was at Wal Mart picking up a few back to school supplies. My friend looked at the school stuff, neatly arranged in bins by price was waiting for my cart. My friend looked at her not yet two year old daughter and told her that she didn't want to have a child old enough for rulrs and note book paper and colored pencils. I thought about my 13 year old notaboybutnotaman at home, loading the dishwasher and said I can't imagine having a child old enough for dorm room supplies.

In five years I will be buying those things and packing my child up to send off to college.

Like college - away from me

Where I won't see him every day.

where he won't be able to tell me his corny made up jokes

or reguile us with what he learned that day.

Change in the Air?

2008-07-29T17:26:00.002-05:00

It's time for school to start.

It's not the back to school ads or the cheap school supplies at walMart that tell me this - it's the attitudes of my children.

They are being bratty and snotty because they are bored.

It's too hot by 10 AM to go to the pool and the mall has lost it's allure. The video store is picked clean and honestly, I have to watch one more episode of a child aged program I'll go off on some one - so it is time for school to stzart.

Next week, we'll begin our school week

Things that try a pregnant woman's soul

2008-07-18T18:23:00.002-05:00

or appetite.

Since Eric is sleeping at church with the campers so they re all on time for tomorrow's 6 AM departure, I decided to NOt cook. I ordered pizza from pizzahut.com.

My boycot of pizzahut for super slow delivery times and updates in their online ordering system have deleted my old user name.

It took me three log in attempts before they told me my acoount no longer existed. It took me 30 minutes to order the darn pizza and wings. I'm hungry - I want easy.

So I finally get my order entered and then it came time to recreate my account. This exercise in futility would be good for teaching your preschooler his address because oyvey - this wasn't right, that wasn't right and then this was incorrect and finally my user name was taken (uh yeah I took it two years ago)

each change resulted in me having to fill out the dadburned form all over again.

Futility.

Finally - just as we get to the end a little pop up add appears - would I like to order apple pies .

Dude - I've been trying to order food for 30 minutes you bet your sweet bippy I want apple pie.

It should be here at 6:57.

After 6 PM and

2008-07-18T18:22:00.001-05:00

He's out the door.

his trunk is packed and he's on his way.

He wasn't worried but I almost killed him.

Almost four o'clock

2008-07-18T15:57:00.002-05:00

and now the trunk now holds a deflated beach ball, a hammock, a package of AAA batteries, the pair of water shoes, a book, his mess kit, and his cot.

We still don't have any clothes packed. They are still are in the dryer.

Thirteen going in three

2008-07-18T11:23:00.002-05:00

The oldest kid is getting ready to go to summer camp. He leaves tonight and as of this instant, his trunk is empty - save a pair of hiking boots and one water shoe.

He leaves at 6PM.

The child is going to Colorado - so it's not like we can just drive up with what he needs. It's not like this is his first year at summer camp either - he KNOWS he needs to be packed.

As of right now he has three shirts, enough pants and his swimwear. He has one pair of socks and one pair of underwear.
I pity the person he tents with - that's gonna be stinky

"But mom I can wear my swimsuit one day"

"No child you are going to the MOUNTAINS in COLORADO - the high is our LOW - this time of year, it is going to be in the low 40's at night you are not going to walk around in your swim trunks."

"but mom"

Summer Days - Drifting Away

2008-07-17T13:04:00.002-05:00

Sad but true, we are in the middle of summer vacation. Before we know it kids will be back in school. The sun will dip into the sky a little earlier each night and we'll return to our hustle and bustle of activities.

This summer has been slow for us. We've been lazy and, with the exception of the weekly movie at AMC's summer movie camp, we've not gone much.

We've been to the pool numerous times and celebrated the fourth of July Charles' birthday - but not much else has happened. And we like it. We are enjoying the slower pace.

I'm Wordle

2008-07-16T17:17:00.002-05:00

What a difference a number makes

2008-07-16T15:19:00.002-05:00

When it comes to children how many is too many and who gets to determine that?

we are expecting - a newly conceived fourth child. A child that is wanted and will be well loved. Most people are happy for us but there have been a few- "y'all have too many kids" and "don't you guys know what causes that."

I have heard from my friends who have more children than we do - that this is common and that it does hurt to hear. Indeed it does. We are not stupid nor are we living in abject poverty. we don't drink or smoke or use crack. We raise our children with the idea that THEY are our responsibility and we are responsible for their development.

One hundred years ago - four children was almost a small family. But as families become smaller and smaller - four is A lot.

I guess miscarriages have softened me. But I see every child as a blessing - a gift from God.

Some things MeMe

2008-07-08T11:52:00.002-05:00

SOME THINGS MEME

What Was I Doing 10 Years Ago?

July 1998.....I was living in New Mexico and had just found out we were expecting Tommy. (funny how were expecting again due the same day)

5 Things On My To-Do List Today
1. Mop the kitchen and bathroom floors
2. Clean the bathrooms
3. Finish up my invitations
4. fertilize the back yard
5. water the front yard

5 Snacks I Enjoy

1. Dark chocolate
2. Pickles
3. Bean and cheese nachoes
4. Chips and salsa
5. pretzels

5 Things I Would Do If I Were A Billionaire
1. Buy a house in the Hill Country and raise peaches
2. Move my parents out by me
3. Be totally debt free
4. Go to Europe first class
5. Set up a scholarship fund

5 Places I Have Lived
1. New Mexico
2. Weisbaden Germany
3 Arkansas
4 san Antonio
5. Here

Blink

2008-06-27T11:09:00.002-05:00

It seems to me that you were just a wee baby the last time I looked - your tiny hands were tightly clenched to my fingers and you were brand new. Together, you and I set off on a journey - that of mother and child. We learned together you and I. Ilearned to be a parent. I learned to be YOUr parent. You learned to walk and talk and laugh and play - you developed an imagination. Oh how you developed an imagination. Then I blinked.

You were in kindergarten. Your little legs could barely reach the bottom step off the bus. Your backpack dragged the ground and you were gone - with barely a wave and look back at me waiting on the curb. You learned to read and write and made friends. I learned it was okay to let you go. Together we learned how to make a darn good Pinewood Derby Car. Then I blinked

Now you are 13 - almost taller than me. Your voice deepens with each word you speak. You look more like a man and less like a child. You've learned about responsibility and have had to make some tough decisions. I've learned to let you make your mistakes and if I wait - patiently you will come to me when you need me.

I am afraid to blink.

You Know What I Miss?

2008-06-25T13:16:00.002-05:00

I miss toilet paper dispensers in bathroom stalls that let you get more than ONE square of of toilet paper.

Today, the kids and I went to the movies to see AMC Summers Kids Camp Movies. They show an older movie and charge $1. Being an experienced mother I KNOW - from experience that kids always HAvE to go usually at the moment the movie peaks - their need to go NOw is equally proportionate to the swell of music and upswing in drama. I make the boys go to the bathroom just before the movie starts.

Today, I took Joey one last time before the movie started and the dispenser in the stall had toilet ppar - a whole big roll of not cheapy thin toilet paper but it dispensed ONE sheet at a time. There was a sign next to the dispenser saying that it would spill out what was environmentally needed to do the job. Um yeah - unless oompa loompas or Cheryl Crow are doing "the job" trust me -one sheet is not enough.

I am not saying one needs half a roll to do the "job" but we certainly need more than one sheet.

We did discover though that if you fold the sheet up and wave your hand by the sensor you can get it tospit out a few more sheets.

In our search for a greener world we've gone a little overboard I think. I'd rather wipe my butt and have it clean than smell like poo.

The Last day of spring

2008-06-20T16:41:00.001-05:00

The Last Day of 12

2008-06-13T02:12:00.002-05:00

Thirteen years ago right now, I was not a mother. I was waiting to be a mother, counting down the minutes to my induction. Thirteen years ago he was still inside me, dependant on me for everything. Thirteen years ago has come and gone in the blink of an eye.

Today, he is almost grown. In a few months he'll be taller than I am He has his own tastes in music and clothing and room decor. It's funny hear him talk about his own political thoughts (rest assured they are elephantine rather than equine patootie in nature)

Today he is still a boy - not yet a man.

Not even a week and it's begun

2008-06-12T12:12:00.002-05:00

Tommy: I'm smarter than a rock

Charles: "smarter than a rock yes but smarter than a squirrel - no"

Tommy: "you have to be smart to have dyslexia"

Charles "you have to smart to have ADHD

Tommy: "So"

Charles: "and you get drugs"

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE

What's that sound you hear? No it's not me beating my head against the wall - it's the sound of the blender making margaritas.

As Vast and As Wide As the Desert - That's How Much I Love You

2008-06-05T09:50:00.002-05:00

Last week when we were in Monahans , Joey had a wonderful time playing in the sand. At one point I looked out at him out in the dune field, with his violet colored sand disk bobbing behind him I realized how small he was and how vast the desert is.

All around my son was sand. As far as I could see in any direction there was sand. It made me think how much I love my children. I realized how much He loves us. Even when we are a tiny figure in the deseret. When we see nothing but sand, He is there for us and around us - surrounding us with love as vast as the desert.

And the wind came rolling down the plain

2008-06-05T09:38:00.001-05:00

It is windy today. So windy that I think I saw the wicked witch of the west fly past my window on her bicycle.

Sand, Sun and More Sand

2008-05-27T11:15:00.001-05:00

Here's a preview of my wekkend trip to Monahans.

2008-05-16T22:17:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, Joey and I decided to walk to the park. We went to the red park by the pool not the blue park with the hard brown mulch- there is a difference.

He felt the need to lead the way

when we got to the park, he was ready to run

As he was climbing into the play are he found a lady bug. He held the bug on his shirt for a minute and the watched it fly away. Ladybugs are a symbol of the Blessed Virgin. The lady bug is a friend of the rose – the Virgin’s flower. Also, the three dots on each side og the bug are said to be a symbol of the Trinity.

After digging in the mulch – he decided to show me how dirty his hands were Joey decided it was fun to make animals with his hands. Here are his Duck Hands – quack quack!

Here is a flying bird – flying away

What animal hunt would be complete without a snake – y’all know how much I LoVE snakes

There was of course hissing because what is a snake without lots and lots of scarey hissing?

Public vs Private

2008-05-14T16:24:00.002-05:00

We live in a crappy school district.

It's our fault. When we bought our house, we looked at the district's state rating and their test scores. We looked at drop out rates and college acceptions. We thought we knew what we were getting into.

Oh how wrong we were.

The issue however is not just a district one. The real issue is what our public education system has become.

The issue began way back in the 1980's when Mark White instituted "No Pass No Play" This was to make some necessary changes to our state education standards. Ideally, no student athlete would graduate from a Texas school unable to read.

I am a product of No Pass No Play. I took TABS and TEAMS but the bastard step sibling of today's TAKS. way back when - teachers did not just TEACH the TEAMS. for all intents and purposes - a monkey could pass the test. If you had a pulse and sat upright - the test was a cakewalk.

The along came No child LeftBehind Mandating that reading skills need to be learned earlier - like by the end of third grade. Really? you think so.

No Child Left Behind and it's culture of "teaching the test" has bastardized our education system. Only TAKS skills are taught - well killed and drilled.

The result kids can read and comprehend BUT they cannot think for themselves. There is no room for interpretation. No longer are Texas children learning to think critically.

Children with special needs are spoon fed JUST enough information to pass this test. Teachers and schools are awarded or penalized based on these test scores.

we have lost site of what is important. Learning for the sake of knowledge and the desire to expand your way of thinking. Instead of turning out young adults who can think on their feet and look at an issue and analyze. we are turning out kids who can regurgetate basic facts in bubble filled multiple choice form.

Is this what we want for our children - our future?

Poor Poor Pitiful Me

2008-05-09T13:24:00.003-05:00

Today Joey came and crawled into my bed - after everyone had gone for the day and told me he had a 'stummy attic". He had a stummy attic because I made him eat fish and not cheeseburgers last night for dinner.

Turns out it, it was the half a bag of reese's mini cups he ate to go along with the fish.

He was feeling puny until I told him it was too bad he was sick and didn't want to bathe because I'd have to cancel our playdat with his friend down the street.

The cure was amazing - nothing shy of a miracle I am sure.

He bathed and got dressed and ate a huge bowl of cereal in nothing flat.

So just a warning - tilapia fish is sure to induce a stummy attic in five year olds but it's nothing a bowl of Lucky Charms and a playdate won't cure.

Should I be Flattered

2008-05-08T13:07:00.002-05:00

Because right now, I am flumoxed.

The shoe chick at Stride rite thinks I'm hot.

She likes me.

No.

really, she likes me likes me.

She wants to have drinks AAAAAAAAND with me.

Maybe because I am blonde or maybe because I am so not attracted to women I was totally clueless to the signs and signals she was sendin me.

On Monday she came into my store and was flirting (I didn't recognize it as that - because y'all all know I'll talk to anyone)

Tuesday night - more flirting over the trash compactor. She told me I was the best smelling thing out there. Again I was clueless. I made a joke about Lord only knowing what I demoed that night. I didn't think to be flattered because the trash aroma is rather rank

Then last night she asked me out for drinks and some other types of demoing.

I dropped my teeth, quickly put my trash in the trash compactor and ran back inside.

So the Stride rite shoe chick thinks I'm hot.

Is Public anything ever good?

2008-05-05T12:27:00.002-05:00

I have been wondering this for a while. Can making everything fair and accesible to everyone in the country - really just as bad as making things inaccesible to some people. Maybe privitazation is a good thing.

I am thinking in particular about our public education system and the push to publicize our health care system.

Fifty years ago - children went to school,they learned reading, math, science and history. There was art music and PE - there was also recess - twice a day. If you didn't learn what you were supposed to learn or failed the grade - you were held back - you dealt with it. There was no worry that being held back or being labeled slow was "detremental to your self esteem"

Today - thereis still reading and math but only as it relates to the TAKS or what ever test they kids are required to take - students are drilled on TAKS concepts until they can regurgetate them. In some schools there is no recess. In others there is silent lucnh - I mean really kids cannot play outside and must remain silent at lunch? This is good how.

In my middle son's schoolthe words "boys and girls" and "students" are not permited - they are all "friends" Boys and girls might be labeling to some one who is gender confused - I mean really how the hell can a fourth grader be gender "confused"? I mean what kind of crap is this? Mental differences aside children are boys or girls. and they are all students.

Local community colleges report that today's college student is ill prepared for college because they cannot think out side the box and lack the critical thinking skills required to get a college education. I am not surprised - The TAKS test is a multiple choice memorization feat. All you have to do is color in the bubble that relates to the correct fact. You don't have to be ableto relate theat fact to another fact.

Our education system has become a fill in the blank multiple choice world. Anything that doesn't relate is unimportant.

A Line in The sand - Jedi Style

2008-04-17T16:36:00.002-05:00

I've written before of Joey's love of all things Star Wars. It is a love he gets from his father. Joey would like nothing more than to be a Jedi Warrior. For his birthday, we bought him a light saber. It has been a part of his anatomy since.

This year at our house, Charles has been taking texas History. They finished the Alamo and the Independence of Texas just after Christmas. Charles has led Tommy and Joey in the fight for the Alamo and Colonel William B Travis' speech on the braveness yet daunting task that lay ahead for the 190 men who defended the Alamo. They have reenacted the line in the sand many times. Being good texas boys (for the record Tommy was born EAST of the rio Grand and if we stand by the sovreignty of our origional borders - he was born in Texas by 8 miles) .

Last weekend, Joey was playing with his light saber in the back yard and he began his version of the Travis speech and line in the sand.

His take is that if JEDITEXANS had fought the battle a few would have been saved and there would have been no reason for San jacinto. Light sabers are more powerful than steel swords, cannons and bullets. and the tiger tale for balance would have let the Mexican army know that the JediTexans meant business.

Oh to have the imagination of a five year old.

really, I Mean REALLY???

2008-04-15T09:08:00.002-05:00

For the love of all that is holy - Yesterday it was 35° here in the morning. Today it was 46° when the minions left for school.

DUDE! It's SPRING. I mowed the grass. MOWED it down and you send near freezing temps???

It's APRIL.

Yeah, I know remember this back in August when we get up at 7AM and it's already 95°F. I'll be sayin g I wish it was April and 35° again.

Oh what a Happy Day

2008-04-12T11:44:00.002-05:00

Hobby Lobby opened just down the street from me yesterday.

I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. I LOVE Hobby Lobby.

My friends and I went and sat out in front of the store at 8 Am yesterday JUST so we could be first in the store.. Losers, we know but you have no idea how exciting it is not to have to sit in traffic for an hour to go ten miles for a craft supply fix.

When it was first announced that there would be a Hobby Lobby in the strip mall at the end of the block I was in oblivion. When they started building the center - Eric wanted the gym to open first, I wanted the Hobby Lobby to open first. I won :-)

Now I can craft to my heart's desire. And who doesn't love scrapbook paper 5 for $1. Now all I need is a local scrapbook shop to go in next to Starbucks and life here in the Little E will be complete.

Oh and the "but it supports our tax base and it's in our school tax base" discussions will be coming soon to a house near me.

We all wanna be Big Rock Stars

2008-04-08T16:30:00.002-05:00

or at least Patrol Leader of the Hawks.

But alas - that was not the case.

In a moment that I think shows the man my oldest is in the makings to be. He ran a fair race (remember what those are like? - no? me neither) He didn't bash the competition. He went and stated what he wanted to do and how he planned on doing it. Simple words - good ideas and a plan.

When all was said and done and the ballots were counted - he didn't ask for a recount or a hanging chad inspection. He went and congratulated the boy who won.

Five Years Ago Today

2008-04-03T19:56:00.000-05:00

Five years ago, today, Joey was born. He was the answer to a prayer. He was wanted and, after two miscarriages needed. He filled a void in my heart.

His entrance into the world was dramatic and scary. He had a knot in his cord that was pulled tight. I had an issue with my blood pressure that caused his 37 week arrival. But, after all was said and done – he was in my arms, big, beautiful and healthy.

Now, my baby boy is five. I look at him running alongside his brothers or learning to write his name and I wonder how time could have passed so quickly? Soon enough – way too soon – those little hands that always reach for mine when we go anywhere will be waving goodbye and headed off into adulthood.

He is so much like me, it’s not funny. He is obstinate. He is determined. He’s happiest when he’s creating something, either on paper or beside me in the kitchen.

So to my sweet blonde haired blue-eyed mini me – Happy Birthday!

We've added on

2008-04-02T22:53:00.001-05:00

to our blogworld -- Now we're in the kitchen drawing knives and taking names

http://mischiefmanaged-ornot-inthekitchen.blogspot.com/

Grab a spoon and an apron - oir not and join us

March went out with a ROAR

2008-04-01T11:09:00.002-05:00

The last day of March saw Joey, Tommy, the dog and cat and I huddled in the laundry room as tornado sirens wailed. The wind howled

The storm started just after Tommy got home from school. The rain dropped in buckets. Then came the hail and wind. we lost two screens, one on either side of the door. The two outer windows remained in tact.

When the sirens stopped so did the rain. In a matter of minutes, the sun was out, the skies were blue and the window blowing again. Birds were singing and the humidity was way down.

Gotta love a Texas Spring.

Since We're on the Subject of Confessions.

2008-03-28T00:19:00.002-05:00

Today - and yesterday too I had a play date. Yes, *I* had a playdate with my friend Rachael. We ran errands, had lunch, chit chatted and then played board games.

It was good to go and play. However, the "what did you do today" questions - not so much of an answer. So I had to run home. Throw dinner together and then corral the kids into helping with the chores.

The downside- well I have clothes in the washer that will need to be dried before morning. Here I sit. waiting for the washer to buzz and for the dryer to finish spinning.

Analyzing Lent

2008-03-28T00:11:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter!

Lent is now OVER OVER with all capital letters O-V-E-R!!!!!!

As a family - well yeah we flunked. We made it three weeks before we gave up giving up TV.

So if we were the grading kind of people which I am - we got 50%. we all know 50% is a big fat F - grade wise.

Visions of family bonding over board games - well yeah those were hallucinations.

After about 25 games of cars Uno with an 8 year old and a four year old who is just learning to read and write - well yeah - I am not that patient.

We did miss all the Obamamessiah and Her Thighness commercials. That was a blessing.

so we try try try again.

Happy Trails

2008-03-26T09:12:00.001-05:00

This Spring Break, we had planned on heading south to San Antonio. Gas went up and my mom had to work so we decided to do Spring Break here. Even though we’ve lived in the local area for seven years, we hadn’t done a lot of touristy things. We decided to visit the Ft. Worth stockyards. The Ft. Worth Stockyards was a main cattle holding area in the 1800’s – before the days of the train. Cowboys would drive their herds to Ft. Worth for distribution throughout the country. After the advent of the railroad – Ft. Worth was still a big town in the cattle industry. The Stockyards are now a tourist destination and night spot. Ft Worth is still known as Cow Town.

Every day – rain or shine, the cowboys simulate a cattle drive through the middle of the stockyards twice a day.

Here are the boys waiting for the “cattle drive” to start Instead of “Cheese” Charles had them all say “Beef”

Here’s the start of the cattle drive.

There were cowboys!

This man is the drive boss. He leads the drive

This guy was the leader of the pack. Later on we learned that the leader usually wore a cowbells. Stragglers could hear the bell and follow along.

As the “drive” progressed we didn’t hear a lot of mooing. In fact, most of them were not real happy to be walking down the street while people gawked and took pictures. I think some of them were teenaged cows. I swear I even heard one of them sigh. All in all they had a BTDT air about them.

This man is called the drag. Charles and Tommy thinks that the side riders were called drags because they dragged slow cattle.

These guys appear to be sulking. I guess I would too if all I had to do was walk along the road twice a day

This is the end of the drive

We ate lunch at Risky's BBQ. The ribs were YUMMY and the beans and fixins were DIVINE. On the wall they had neon signs and Texas memorabilia. One of the signs was for Lone Star Beer. Lone Star Beer and it's neighbor - Pearl - are a college studen't dream - cheap - and well yeah cheap. Both are really bad beers.

Lone star was founded the Adolphus Busch. in the 1880's and made san Antonio a leader in brewing. Today Lone star is owned by Pabst ands brewed in Ft Worth.

The Stockyards have a lot of replica stores – little specialty shops and an old timey General store that sells Texas things. They had rocks. Because we don’t have enough rocks, the kids thought we needed some

they also had spice rubs

and salsa

They also sold Dublin Dr. Pepper – Dr. Pepper made with pure cane sugar not corn syrp and blue bell ice cream – can’t get much more Texas than that. Seriously, Dublin Dr. Pepper made the ORIGIONAL way is a taste treat.

This “Indian” guy cracked me up. You could take his picture for tips. He wasn’t a real Indian and didn’t know anything about the stuff he was displaying – a bad combination for a smart aleck 7th grader who delighted in pointing out inaccuracies in the man’s costumes. Joey want to get on the horse so I gave the guy a couple of bucks (Eric almost belted him when the guy made a comment about the $5 tip we gave him because we had an expensive camera) - any ay I took the picture of Joey on the horse and when I uploaded it died laughing at the “stoic Indian warrior” pose the guy gave. I call thise one “Cheesy Like Velveeta”

Beefy Bison Chili

2008-03-14T14:22:00.001-05:00

Chilli

Because it was so cold, last week I had to make chili – kind of a thermodynamics thing – create heat from the inside out - so here is my sort of recipe for Beef and Bison Chili. I have a new “thing” for bison meat. I buy mine at Central Market. It’s similar in tatse and cost to beef but lower in fat. It does not make great meat loaf because it is so lean – unless you add some oil.

Take various spices ( use cumin, oregeno chili powders – this time San Antonio, New Mexico and Chipotle – chipotle adds some smokiness) and some other things.

Chop up an onion – or two

and some garlic

Heat this in some olive oil Then add the bison and ground beef once the garlic gets fragrant. Add half of your chili seasoning.

Once the meat is bround and crumbled add water, the rest of the seasoning and some chopped tomatoes – I add fresh jalepenoes here as well when I use em because I don’t like icky black char on my peppers. I also usede yellow tomatoes this time because I thought they were prettier than the red ones at Kroger.

THEN add some canned tomatoes in green chilis. Let the whole thing simmer until it’s done – I go about two hours at least. We like our chili with fritos and cheese.

Is it THAt time already?

2008-03-10T11:49:00.002-05:00

Joey was watching his kid shows this morning. As I looked up from scrubbing the kitchen counter I noticed that PBS si having another pledge break.

I mean really? Do they need to do this every three months? Just how much does it cost to air the same six episodes of cailou? I have seen these episodes since Tommy was 2.

I donated in November but they manage to make me feel guilty now -especially when the indian woman with the high class British accent says "inculcates" Any one who uses that kind of word to get money from people watching kid TV makes me want to run for my wallet and grab my VISA.

Then I remember I still hadn't gotten my mystery box for my "last donation of $50 or more"

Snow Play

2008-03-08T17:43:00.000-06:00

I find it funny – that even though we rarely get measurable snow, the kids know exactly what to do when we do

You notice he and his brothers are not wearing gloves. I apparently have no clue when I told them that they needed them to play in the snow because it was colder than a well diggers behind.

While he’s looking for a target – he didn’t know his big brother had a snow ball aimed at his head

Seconds later he got hit in the head by his oldest brother.

Target acquired

Poor Daddy.

Charles took the more is better additude when it came to making snowballs (Joey liked his round and Tommy liked his packed and hard)

Socks as mittens? Why not – Tommy grew enough since last wintere that his old gloves wouldn’t fit so he pulled some garden socks out of the garage and put them on

Tommy was the only one brave wnough to lay in the snow and make a snow angel

What would winter be without an epic Snowball fight (notice everyone has finally relized mom is right and they did need gloves in the snow – but Joey took of his hat because it was making his head hot)

Please Send Back Global warming

2008-03-08T15:54:00.002-06:00

Winter Storm

On March6, a late winter storm blew through North Texas. Light snow started falling around 11 AM. It stopped just leaving a light dusting of snow over the ground.

That was followed by sleet and freezing rain then more snow then more sleet. Around 1 PM the snow started really sticking

Here it is on the sidewalk

The snow started falling harder

Normally, we can see the town water tower clearly from our back door. The snow was coming down so hard we could barely make it out.

We got about 5 inches total.

A Yummy Late Winter Dinner

2008-03-06T10:45:00.000-06:00

Roasted Lemon Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes

You need:
Chicken (I used natural free range legs)
Green beans
Potatoes
Lemons
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic

I added
Onions
Rosemary
Marjoram
Italian Seasoning.

Cut up two or three lemons - because it couldn’t be lemon chicken with out them.

Layer them in the bottom of your baking dish. Drizzle the Lemons with olive oil. Here at my house I am lucky to have a talented sous chef who takes care of the laying in a pan

While you have the EVOO out – pour some in a bowl and add the juice of a lemon – at this point my sous chef is done rearranging the lemons in the dish so I let him whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together – we also added sea salt and some cracked pepper and smashed up garlic

Trim the icky edges of the green beans. At this point all of the children and the cat were in the kitchen.

The children needed to sample the green beans – because you know I’ve never fed them a green vegetable – at least today any way.

Charles in particular found that dipping the green beans in the olive oil and lemon juice was tasty.

(The cat for the record, decided green beans were not his particular favorite and once he realized I wouldn’t be dropping the chicken, he stalked off to the living room where he napped – to rest up for his dinner time nap.)

Okay now we have de-ended green beans. Toss those in your bowl of EVOO and stuff. Then dice your potatoes.

Add those to the bowl on top of the green benas – you’ll notice onions – yes we sliced and diced those too but they made me cry so I didn’t take their picture. Toss all the stuff together in the bowl and get a nice lemony oily coating on everything.

Toss it in the pan on top of the lemons.

If you use bone in chicken place this on top of the veggies and bake at 350 ° F for an hour. If you are using boneless skinless bake the potatoes and stuff for 30 minutes THEN add your boneless, skinless chicken.

This recipe came from http://www.notesfromthetrenches.com/

SNOW???

2008-03-05T16:40:00.000-06:00

It snowed Monday and now more snow today.

MOOOOOOOOOOM!

2008-02-29T07:02:00.002-06:00

"Do blue plaid and blue stripes match?"

This is the question confronting me this morning before there was any coffee brewed.

If he didn't have any well crap that thought derailed.

See I'm not a morning person.

CHICKEN CHICKEN let's eat chicken

2008-02-28T13:47:00.001-06:00

Curry Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Rice

2lbs chicken pieces (I used boneless skinless breast sliced into tenders)

4 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
1 onion diced
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp curry powder
1 clove garlic - mashed**
2 tbsp raw sugar **
salt and pepper to taste

in a crockpot place chicken, salt and pepper. Cover with onion and sweet potatoes. In a measuring cup combine, orange juice, garlic and curry powder. Pour over chiken and veggies. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

The larger the chunks of sweet potato the less mushy they'll be.

I added four cloves of garlic because one is never enough. I used fresh squeezed orange juice so I added the raw sugar - after a taste when the dish was almost finished it needed something so I added the raw sugar.

Coconut Jasmine Rice -

1 1/2 cups rice (i use Jasmine because it is more fragrant that regular but hey use what ya got)
15 ozs coconut milk
enough water to make three cups of liquid

heat water and coconut milk to boiling and add rice. Cook over low heat until liquid is absorbed.

Nine Years ago tonight

2008-02-27T02:21:00.002-06:00

I was in labor waiting to meet my soon to be born second son.

The one who was determined to BE. A determination and stubborness that he still has today.

He was conceived on my last month on the pill.

He was my biggest baby, but easiest delivery.

He was my easiest pregnancy a text book pregnancy.

He's the middle child. The middle brother.

He's my Tommyboy

Orange Muffin's recipe Courtesy of Chris

2008-02-22T22:45:00.001-06:00

First off I have to say my friend Chris is an awesome baker, friend and mom. She can sew and can kick anyone's butt in scrabble

She rocks

Orange muffins   

1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt  
1 teaspoon baking soda  
3/4 cup cooking oil  
1 cup sugar  
2 eggs  
1 teaspoon vanilla  
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
 2 tablespoons grated orange rind   

Mix flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.

Make sure you have expert quality control tasting errrrrr squeezing the oranges.

Combine oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Mix well.

Add vanilla, orange juice and orange rind. Blend.

Add flour mixture and mix just until moistened.

Batter will be lumpy. Pour into muffin pan.

Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes.

Let sit for three minutes before removing from pan. Cool on rack.

Love Thursday - Little Hnads covered in Dirt

2008-02-21T13:35:00.002-06:00

I love these little hands. For almost five years they have been my near constant companions.

From the time he was a wee babe, his dimpled little newborn hands would grasp my finger as he nursed.

Those little hands have colored (sometimes on the walls) The have helped bak bread and mix cookies. Theyve snuck a taste of creamy frosting waiting for a cake.

I've held them in mine as we crossed the street. soon enough, they'll wave good bye as They, and the little boy they belong to head off into our big blue world.

Signs of Spring

2008-02-20T16:49:00.003-06:00

In my part of the world, Spring is showing signs of impending arrival. I am not a fan of cold weather so I can't wait. I can't wait for the warm breezes and blue skies. I can't wait for butterflies and birs. I can't wait for green to replace the brown. I didn't wait to get out and work the ground. I've had a lot of issues here lately so, the opportunity to work the soil and get things ready for new life and pretty flowers is a welcome relief.

Joey and I are the ground crew. He started the day with his (well his dad's) work gloves.

As we gathered our supplies, we looked in the garage bed and the dafodills have started to bloom

We bought some daylilies, strawberries, onion sets and a rose bush last night to put in the ground. Since it was warm, I decided to start to work on the daylillies. Joey wanted to help clear the bed from it's grass and weeds.

Notice, now the gloves are off - he's determined even though the rake is bigger than he is.

He found a witches hat in the garage, a remnant of Halloween, every gardner needs a witches hat. If you can't pull the weeds out, you can cast them out.

This little green sprout promises that spring is around the corner. Soon enough, these will be a lovely blooming day lilly standing tall against the heat of summer.

Curse words

2008-02-19T15:27:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Tommy and Joey were sitting on the couch eating a snack. Tommy kept takinf popcorn from Joey's bowl. joey was getting exasperated and upset.

Finally, Joey, tired of the grabbing and stealing moved away. He came and sat by me. He told his brother that he was a a a a a a a CARBOHYDRATE.

I am not sure where he got that from, but it was the worst word he could think of.

So I guess Tommy is a bad carb.

Love Thursday - Tic Tac Toe

2008-02-14T13:20:00.002-06:00

Happy Love Thursday.

It's also Valentine's day. Back when I was younger, I love Valentine's Day. what would the boy of the week get me, what would he think of my gift? when Eric and I were dating, engaged and newlywed, I loved Valentine's Day. What's not to love about hearts and flowers and chocolate? I am not sure what changed or when. Now, I prefer not to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Maybe it's knowing tht Valentine's day is a day about martyrdom for Christ - not jewlery in pretty velvet boxes.

Maybe it's because I have been married a while and I know love is more than just one day. Showing your love is more than a date on the calendar. Rather, in order to keep a marriage strong - you need to show your love every day. I delight in the little love text message left on my phone. Love is making home made chicken soup when he's home sick. Love is taking care of the house when you are on bed rest - because bed rest means bed rest. Love means not complaining that the house isn't clean exactly the way you want because he is trying and you are on bedrest. Love is snuggling together on the couch after the kids are in bed. Love is seeing a movie you don't want to see because the other really wants to see it. Love is sharing your favorite snack. Love is letting the other have a day to do what they want without complaint. Love is being mature enough to accept that it does not mean constant togetherness. Love is seeing him in your three children.

Love is knowing that even though you are so mad and angry - it will get better because love believes all things, hopes all things endures ALL things. Love never fails.

How can you confine that to one day and one little Hallmark card?

60 things

2008-02-13T23:12:00.002-06:00

60 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
a pair of boots for the cobbler to repair one of Joey's coats, charles' compass and that's about it

2. When was the last time you threw up
2006 - I had a stomach virus

3. What's your favorite curse word?
it depends - today it's been HELL

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Joey, my husband, and Bette

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
dealing with a crazy person and telling my kid to get his butt to the bus stop

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Finishing the newsletter

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
sleeping

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Nope

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
JUST GO TO BED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
I don't eat ice cream

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
decaf grande two pump mocha

12. What are you wearing right now?
my heart jammies and a brown t-shirt that says B Prepared

13. What was the last thing you ate?
harbo gold gummiw

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
nope

15. When was the last time you ran?
um yeah

16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
I don't do sports

18. Who is the last person you emailed?
my loopy friends

19. Ever go camping?
yes

20. Do you have a tan?
nope

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
nope

25. What did your last IM say?
cya

26. Are you someone's best friend?
I hope so

27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Finish my newsletter, start on my Circle of Love reports, all the mom stuff and - well who knows

28. Where is your mom right now?
At her house?

29. Look to your left, what do you see?
a toy chest that needs to be straightened and the wall

30. What color is your watch?
silver

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?
men with sexy accents

32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
Hell ya

33. What is your birthstone?
garnet

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit thedrive thru?
Drive thru

35.How many kids do you want?
4

36. Do you have a dog?
yep - a slightly spoiled boxer

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Eric

38. Have you met anyone famous?
only in their own heads - actually I worked with Dayna devin when we were both working at a small time TV station.

39. Any plans today?
yes and they all went out the window around 8:45 AM

40. How many states have you lived in?
three

41. Ever go to college?
yep

42. Where are you right now?
here

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
crazy people

44. Last song listened to?
Beautiful day

46. Are you allergic to anything?
cleaning - eggs and sulfa drugs plus various pollens

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
a toss up between my green sling back pumps, my black kitten healed flats and my black boots but really they are all my favorites and I love them all

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
I don't think so

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
LOL! They shouldn't be if they are!

51. What time is it?
11 something

52. Do any of your friends have children?
yep

53. Do you eat healthy?
yes. .

54. What do you usually do during the day?
seat on my butt, eatting bon bons and watching Oprah

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
nah

56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
No. I

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
I;ll be celebrating an anniversary of my 30th birthday

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
yes,

60. How did you get one of your scars?
well there was this guy - oh wait no - I cut my hand on a broken vase when I was 9. I wanted to save the flower I made in Scouts

Almost a week

2008-02-12T16:02:00.000-06:00

since we begin our TV experience and I am not missing it. Everybody else is getting busted sneaking a peak.

Imp

2008-02-11T01:26:00.001-06:00

Imp
Originally uploaded by blondie478.

My sweet little boy

Coke is IT? No coke is HIT.....

2008-02-10T12:30:00.001-06:00

My oldest son and husband just called. They are on their way home for a weekend of camping with scouts. The boys blasted cans of coke .

The oldest child was all full of testosteroney goodness and was proud of himself. He made Coke spew all over the place after a well aimed rifle.

This is the difference between men and women. i would have opened the soda and drank it's caramely caffeniated goodness. Men, even the young ones, see a gun and ammunition and shoot it - just because they can.

The younger brothers were just as excited to learn that the can was hit and injured in this experiment.

this is How we roll

2008-02-09T18:47:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the boys had a day off from school (supposed "staff" development) so we headed to the mall. Charles needed new shoes because he has outgrown the ones we bought in late October. While we were there, the boys asked to ride the carousel. Normally, we're in a hurry but today we had the time and I had my new lens so I needed to try it out too.

Waiting to ride

Come ON Mom!

He was climbing the fence the other day and knocked his face - again. I think he's going to have a permanent scar there he scrapes and cuts there so often

Ready to Ride and Holding on for dear life

(I'm not happy with this - the area has tinted skylights that make a blue cast on everything - these are all done in manual though - and the horses were moving - I like the VR)

Howdy Ma'am!

A Boy and His Horse

the carousel was going really fast. I was getting nauseated watching it - looking through the view finder was worse.

Brown Wins it By a Nose

Giddy'ap

Living My Dream

Charles needed new shoes - his frigate sized feet have grown so much in the last three months. He's in men's sizes but not many stores carry sizes that small (what do you do in the meantime - he can't fit children's shoes - a man's 7 should be readily avaliable) so the salesmen, sensing my - well I'll go to another mall and use my associate discount mood went to the back and brought every shoe in Charles' size. - I made him take back the 6's - why would I buy my kid shoes that don't fit ?

anyway - this is my DREAM a stack of shoes in my size that I'd wear - almost taller than me. we'll leave the rolling around nekkid on the leather part out - i LOVE shoes.

for Charles not so much. He'd have been happy to have me bring him home shoes and he could avoid the mall all together. I promised him a trip to the bookstore if he made a quick decision.

Barren - Lenten Reflections

2008-02-09T14:14:00.000-06:00

Today, as I was editing this photo Tommy and I were talking.

He was asking how many more days until we finished Lent and couldn't he please just watch a little TV - he DID do his chores after all. I told him no and he could go out and play - the day is beautiful and we are supposed to get rain Monday - go enjoy the day God made.

Tommy asked me what barren meant. I told him it meant empty. He thought for a moment and asked if that's what barren desert meant in the song we sang last week.

I told him that yes, that was what barren meant - devoid of anything. But a dessert is not really barren. A dessert, during monsoon is full of life. I told him this tree is not really barren. The tree is dormant. The warmth and rain (hopefully) that comes from spring will help make this tree grow leaves and be green.

We are like the tree. Now, during Lent, we are barren, in the desert of our sacrifice. On Easter, Jesus will rise and fill us with the love and hope and promise of new life with Him.

Lent is like a tree in winter. A period of dormancy where we sacrifice and regroup and await the Light of Christ.

Things we really don't need

2008-02-08T17:20:00.001-06:00

a card that burps it's valentine greeting.

Nothing says love like a big loud BELCH.

Love Thursday - The Boss of Me

2008-02-07T15:54:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken in November. My women's group donates 100 turkeys to a mission run by the Missionaries of Charity. The mission in South Dallas feeds almost 700 people each week. Thanksgiving is no different. For my family, this has become a tradition. We start off our holiday season visiting the shelter and mission with my group and delivering our turkeys.

I think, for me as a mother, it shows my kids that the world is not what goes on in our home, their schools and our neighborhood. Ou community is much more and we are fortunate to have what we do. Eric and I feel blessed to be able to help out and it puts the whole Thanksgiving and holiday in perspective for us. We all need to take the time to be thankful for what we have.

Sister is not shy about putting everyone to work. She even found a job for Joey (age 4) He had to help flatten boxes and then put them in piles.

Because he's his mother's son he is taking the time to make sure his brothers are doing their jobs correctly. He can be rather bossy - though *I* have no clue where he gets that trait from.

2008-02-06T12:05:00.001-06:00

To change and to change for the better are two different things.
German proverb

A change for the better is what Lent is all about. We, as Christians strive to make ourselves more like Christ. Through our sacrifice and penance throughout Lent we make ourselves more Like Christ.

For the past few years, we've not really given up anything for Lent. The past two years, I sought to increase my prayer life. Eric has given up caffeine (yeah that was fun) and the soda in general (again more fun) They boys gave up picking on each other (that lasted two days) - and then they worked on doing good deeds. We also made an attempt to go to Stations of the Cross together. That was easier. Our parish does soup before - there's food.

This year, I felt the need to do something more. Something we would all benefit from and gain something from. So for the next 40 days we will not watch TV as a family. For the next 40 days - our TV is unplugged.

I got the idea from an article in the national newsletter for the Catholic Daughters. Each year, the national court encourages local courts to acknowledge Morality in the Media's turn of the TV Day on February 14. The idea is to turn off the TV and give your family, the best gift - quality time.

I thought this would be a great idea. Then I wondered would one day be enough? I don't just show my husband I love him on Valentine's Day - love and marriage are things that take an everyday commitment. I thought quality family time would be a great thing to give my family for Lent - Having to miss Johnny Fairplay duke it out on Survivor Fans vs All Stars - is sacrifice.

This year, we are giving up TV. Well MOST TV. Joey is four and no TV for 40 days would be hard for him to understand. So he still gets his four favorite PBS shows. Eric and I can still watch the nightly news.

For the next 40 days there will be no Ugly Betty or Survivor. There will be no Looney Tunes or This Old House (Tommy is in love with This Old House) and no History Channel (really how much does one need to know about WWII airplanes - Charles thinks there is never enough information about these things)

Instead, tonight after Ashes and dinner, we are going to sit down and come up with 40 family friendly activities to do instead of watching Tim Gunn (how I love him) saying "Designers make it work." (Please God, if it not too much to ask let Chris March and Christian make it to Fashion Week - please - and keep the writers on strike at least until early March)

and so it begins. No TV but instead an attempt to give my family quality time with each other.

(Eric has added a clause - we have to take a family walk nightly - he's willing to turn off the TV if we go out for a nightly walk - so maybe this will be 40 days with no TV and 40 pounds lighter between the two of us)

Just a question today

2008-02-04T12:16:00.000-06:00

Who in their right mind let their child go on a campout with an imaginary giant purple dinosaur in charge?

Is it just me who'd say NO?

Just onderin'

Busy Busy

2008-02-01T13:42:00.000-06:00

I’m busy, busy, dreadfully busy

You’ve no idea what I have to do.

Busy, busy, shockingly busy

Much, much too busy for you.

I think, at one time or another, all of us moms feel the same way. We have work deadlines. We have school functions, scouts, sports, church etc. Add in a few spousal events and the work of keeping a house and we are all much too busy.

But at what cost? What point do we draw the line? How do we determine what needs to go and what activities stay - or do we not do that and try to do all of it?

I forgot to make soup.

My women's group makes a meal quarterly and delivers it to a home that helps teens who've been removed from their homes. I signed up for soup.

Eric got sick, Joey got sick, there was work and rumors of layoffs looming and all sorts of other things and I forgot to call and say "I can't bring soup"

So no one brought soup.

I feel bad, but I am also mad.

For this group I am the president. I attend the meetings no one else attends, I make sure we all get to training. I spend three hours at least before each meeting getting things ready and printed and neat and tidy. I call the members and remind them. I coordinate room requests and fundraisers with each parish and thenn, when no one else shows up or forgets or what ever, I deal with it.

The woman in charge of the event could have called me wednesday and asked me if I still planned on meeting her. It would have jogged my memory and I wouldn't have forgotten the soup.

But this week, my family and it's strep throat germs came first.

Love Thursday is BACK

2008-01-31T14:43:00.000-06:00

and here is my first entry -

The Kiss!

Notes from sesame street

2008-01-31T08:21:00.000-06:00

The letter of the day is W.

So, What's your favorite W word?

without a doubt - WINE!

I've Been Thinking

2008-01-30T17:40:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know that is a dangerous thing. But indeed there have been thoughts that have been thunk.

I was watching - well listening to - some gossip rag show that guises itself as "entertainment news"

You know the mindless dribble about what Hollywood star is sleeping with who. Who's pregnant and who might be pregnant and all that other junk that some one - somewhere thinks is news.

They were talking about Britney Spears. The slutty little white trash tramp who's life is in the crapper. We all know she is mentally ill (my guess is bipoloar with psychgosis - knowing some one like her)

The paparazi was following her like vulters circling dead meat. It was sickening. The more she begged them to leave her alone the more they clicked and circled.

If Unfitely was a regular Joe, number one she'd have lost her children long ago and number two - the people chasing her would be in jail for stalking. If we, average American citizens were photographed in our mosy intimate moments - we'd press charges.

Yet, we think it is okay for people to follow stars. Did we really need to see Heath Ledger's body being carried from his apartment? do we really need to see Unfitely at Starbucks? Do we really need to know what that wacko Tom cruise had for breakfast?

Is it a sin for Nichole Kidman to know blab that she's expecting to the world until they are sure the pregnancy would stick? Who wants to see the news of their miscarriage sent around the world?

It makes me sad and dismayed that the news of the day is more and more about Hollywood and less and less about real issues.

So and so is sleeping with so and so. Some crackhead child star is in rehab - again oh and the fed dropped interest rates.

One "news" man on one of these rag shows told us we'd be the first to know the results of Heath's autopsy and more about Unfitely's deposition in her child custody case because we had a right to know.

puh leez.

Turning it off to tune in

2008-01-29T17:14:00.000-06:00

Lent is soon to be upon us. In one week we'll be starting Lent. In the past, we've not done anything big for Lent. Increasing prayer life, a family rosary, encouraging the kids to five up and give out.

Well, this year, after much thought. We are actually giving something up as a family. We are turning off the tube and tuning into our family. There's not a lot wrong with our family. But, I've noticed that the kids, Tommy in general, turns on the TV as soon as he gets up in the morning. He'll get up at 5:30 AM and tune into DIY. I have awakened to This Old House everyday for a week now.

The TV here is always on. It's like a thousand voices constantly in the background.

So as of February 6, our TV is going black for 40 days

40 days to turn off the TV and Tune into one another.

Puberty - a Hairy Situation

2008-01-28T15:50:00.000-06:00

Conversation around the dinner table last night.

Charles: I have hair under my arms too

Tommy: Oh that is so gross

Me: It's a fact of life but not suitable for dinner conversation.

Said hair growing child proceeded to show us the tufts of hair growing under his noxious armpits.

Lovely.

For a few months now, we've noticed his voice had gotten a little lower. He sprouted up a few inches as well. Up two pant sizes since August.

It seems Mother Nature has collided with my son and seems hell bent on turning him into a young man.

Other things have been developing as well. I think he likes a girl. You know, like likes. There was a dance at school last week and he mentioned going. I asked him if he wanted to and he said he wasn't sure. I heard him talking to a friend. He didn't go because he wanted to ask a girl but wasn't sure how to. She had been dropping hints that she wanted to go with him.

How do you role play that?

Career choices

2008-01-15T15:32:00.000-06:00

"Mommy, when I grow up I want to be a carrot"

"Joey, what kind of carrot?"

"A big orange crunchy carrot or maybe I want to be a doughnut"

"Yeast or cake?"

"Yeast witch chocolate and green frosting and I'll sit on a fluffy cloud."

"Will there be sprinkles"

"Rainbow colored ones all over the top"

"I love you Joey."

"I love you too Mommy."

How do you do it?

2008-01-10T15:51:00.001-06:00

We learned Monday, one o Charles' classmates died. This wasn't a sudden unexpected death. It was an inevitable act. The boy in question was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 2006, with no known cure.

People rallied around the family and gave them support. He got to live his dreams - to ride a motorcycle and to ly in an Army helicopter.

The mother posted that he went to be with Jesus after a long fight. They believe he felt no pain or fear.

My question is, looking at my child, the same age and how do you tell them that the growth in their head, chest, whatever is going to kill them.

How do you let go and say goodbye to your son?

My thoughts are with the Barta family but tonight, I will hug my own teenaged boy and forget that he would forget his own head i it wasn't attached to his body. I will forget the eye rolls and deep sighs and the fact that he is a mouth attached to a deep vast hole that knows no end.

These things I will forget and thank God for.