The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

We just arrived back home from Grandma I-I's funeral. It was an awesome weekend full of family memories, laughs, and a few tears here and there. Everyone one of her grandchildren were there, and all but two great-grandchildren were present. As I looked around the room, I got a chuckle out of the new generation of names in families these days. Boy have names changed. Here are some of Burdette and Evelyn's grandchildren's names: Arden, Aiden, Elise, Tucker, Brecken, Kailyn, Elias, Jakin, Trey, Lysha, Jade, Jake, just to name a few. VERY different from Burdette and Evelyn.

THE GOOD

• Family, of course. We had a great time visiting with everyone.
• Awesome hotel accommodations, with a slide even in the pool. Kids were in HEAVEN!
• My kids were excellent, and were not at all scared about being in the same room with a casket with their Grandma I-I in view. They seemed somewhat interested in the whole thing.
  
• Lots of good food. YUM!
  

THE BAD

• I couldn't find any lip balm last night before we went to bed last night at the hotel room, so DH ran to Target for me. Awwwwwww, ain't that sweet.
  
• My post-surgery foot took a beating today. But I hung in there and took one for the team.
  
• The boys hated all the food that was provided this weekend. But that's ok, but I certainly don't exect people to cater to their picky needs. Thank heavens that there was always a McDonalds within a few miles of where we were.
  
• Something that must remain between me and my husband. We ranted about it all the way home, but alas, it must remain between us. Ya know, just in case this blogs gets into the wrong hands...

THE UGLY

Inpatience

When it comes to the Internets, I'm severely impatient.

Click, click, click, DAMMIT. Jump over to FireFox, does it work there? YES, then back to IE. Still not working there. But FireFox tells me it will be NaN minutes for my download to complete. Nan? Is this download coming from Texas, or worse yet, Oklahoma? If I was on IE it wouldn't have to download it.

Click, click, click, click. STOP. REFRESH. Click. SOB! Damn Internet. DH, go reboot the router. I'll reboot the laptop. Waiting, waiting, waiting, clicking to early, waiting. Let's just shut the whole house down and start everything up again. DAMN. Throw laptop out the window. Stand there like I'm lost. Run out and get it, thinking surely it's online by now. Crap.

Get it back online. Now I'm waiting NaN minutes.

Christmas Meme

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I love hot chocolate when those machines in restaurants make it. I also like egg nog, but can only drink like ½ cup at a time. And I can’t think about it, cause then I get grossed out.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He does both, mostly because his “elves” can’t agree on what do to. The mommy elf prefers that they be left unwrapped, while the daddy elf prefers that they all be wrapped. So we do some of each.

Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I prefer white, but I also have all red lights. I don’t use the mult-colored lights. I like them on other people’s homes, just not for me.

Do you hang mistletoe? No

When do you put your decorations up?
At the first hint of Christmas, the day after Thanksgiving. I LOVE Christmas.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Mashed potatoes and gravy with turkey

Favorite Holiday memory as a child
The ornaments and how special mom and dad made Christmas. Each year we would get an ornament that had something to do with something we did that year. And I also remember the “angel” we had on top of our tree. We always made fun of it, but it’s very special to me now. I kind of wish I had it on my tree, but I don’t think DH and green3 would “get” it.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I wish I could remember this, but I don’t. I suspect 3 knows. He’s a rational kid, and he knows the whole Santa deal just doesn’t make sense.

Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve?
We do somewhere. We’ve got so many Christmasas going on, it’s crazy. Our Christmas Craze begins on Xmas Eve and then we go hard until the 26th. Lots of Christmases, lots of families. We do our own on Christmas morning, though.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Which tree? I have 6 of them! Our main tree is red lights, with red and silver balls. Our second main tree is a frosted one with blue and silver balls. The boys each have their own with their own decorations. And our other ones are just plain right now, but they usually have white lights on them.

Snow: Love it or Dread it?
I love it for Christmas. I hate it the rest of the time.

Can you ice skate?
Why yes I can!

Do you remember your favorite gift?
Atari or my big purple bike. And I know my family probably could not afford these things back then, which makes them even more special to me now.

What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with family, the holiday baking, get togethers with friends

What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Frosted sugar cookies

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Decorating our house, baking Christmas food, and spending time with friends and family.

What tops your tree?
Ummm…the top of the tree.

Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving is so much more fun that receiving. And I’m not just saying that because I’m supposed to say that! I could not get anything for Christmas and be ok with it, as long as I was able to give fun gifts to everyone else.

What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Holly, Jolly Christmas

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
YUCK!! But I’ll still eat one every year because it’s kind of like the law.

And my own questions: What do you want for Christmas?
My new blog design. I ordered it a few months ago and still don't have it.

I tag Jennifer, Iowa Mom, Mom of 4 and Nek&EaksMom.

One of these days I'm going to come up with a meme for the blogging spouses to do. Wouldn't that be awesome to find out what THEY think???? Help me come up with some questions!!

TGIF

It's been a heck of a week. First I had THIS done. Then I spent the rest of the week suffering from the effects of THIS, until I threw up so much that I just couldn't throw up any more. Then I switched to THIS, which made me so jittery and jumpy and sleepy that I had a hard time telling if I was recovering from surgery or recovering from the pain medication. So thanks to my good friend, Dr. KP (well, ok, she's a receptionist at a dentist office but that's close enough for me) she said 4 ibuprofen are prescription strength, without the dillusional side effects. So I'm sticking with that for now. Today is the best day so far this week. I'm up and walking, I'm not freaking out from the effects of meds, and the pain is somewhat gone.

Tonight we're headed to Iowa City to say hello to JB, who is hospitalized down there. The latest on him - he still has double vision and they said if they can relieve the pressure in the next day or so, they will save his eyesight. If they can't relieve it soon, well, then it's bad news. Two days ago they put a tube in his ear - WITHOUT PAIN MEDICATION!! Seriously, my little foot problem doesn't seem so bad. Today they will attempt to withdraw brain fluid out via the ear tube. Good Times.

We are also going to IC to say goodbye to DH's grandmother. Yes, the funeral has not been held yet. There were grandchildren spread all over the globe, out doing good deeds like missionary work. Takes awhile to get all those schedules arranged.

"My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income." --Errol Flynn

Have a great weekend!

The Wilson Six: Wanna win some Toile Notecards??

The Wilson Six: Wanna win some Toile Notecards??

Another Card Contest!

Jennifer is having another contest for a set of cards! Take a moment to view her products. They are awesome.

Click here to participate in her contest

Click here to view her J Designs blog

Me and My New Book

Things are looking up.

• I washed my hair this morning, a feat that has not been done since Sunday night.
  
• I took my second bath post-surgery.
• I'm able to get through the day on mere Tylenol. I still take the power meds at night, but mostly just so I know I'll get a good night's sleep. I may try only Tyl tonight, though.
  
• I think I'll be able to manage the trip to Iowa City tomorrow.
  

And I bought a new book: The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said. So I'll regularly be posting awesome quotes, whether I know what they mean or not. Like this one:

"Show me a poet and I'll show you a shit." -- A.J. Liebling

See, I have no idea what that means.

Day 3

I was really expecting my week of post-surgery to be a bit cushy. Watch a few movies, get a few books read, catch up on my blog reading, buy some last minute gifts online, and what not.

But cushy it ain’t.

The pain is more than I thought it would be. The Vicodin made me so sick yesterday I had to call DH and beg him to come home from work. The new painkiller knocks me out like no other. (So mom, yes I know you called this morning but I was nowhere near coherent enough to answer the phone.)

And in only 2 days I have to make a trip across the state to attend a funeral.

Oh no, cushy it ain’t.

eh

Pain

Vomiting

Headache

Missing Remote Control

Throbbing

Good Times

Post-Operative Report

I'm home. Loopy and in quite a bit of pain, but home.

It's been a very long day, starting at 4:45 this morning.

A JB update: He was transferred to Iowa City this morning. No news other than that. We'll touch base with him tonight to see if there are any new developments.

100 Things!

1. I love Washington D.C. I think it has a “magical” feel to it.
2. I’m interested in White House/Presidential history. I’ve always been interested in JFK and the facts surrounding his assassination.
3. It was always a goal of mine to write a book about JFK’s assassination. But I’m not so interested any more. I’ve got more important things to do now.
4. I’m horrible at writing thank you notes and sending birthday cards. Every year I tell myself that I will do a better job.
5. I love the Internet.
6. I used to be extremely shy as a child. Or at least that how I remember it.
7. I’m not shy anymore. In fact, not many people intimidate me anymore.
8. I wasn’t a fan of my 20s. I think I was just too busy with a new marriage, new career and babies, so it went by in a blur.
9. I love being in my 30s.
10. My son, Green, has freckles on his nose that make me melt. He calls them his “rainbow of freckles”. He hates them.
11. I also hate my freckles. But freckles are better than pimples.
12. My son, 3, has a huge heart. He’s so gentle and kind. He especially loves to play with toddlers and babies.
13. I have a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, with an emphasis in Advertising.
14. My passion is real estate investing, even though I’m not too involved in it right now.
15. I’m pretty sure the good friends that I have right now are the ones I’ll grow old with. Or at least I hope so. I love them all!
16. I’m addicted to caffeine. Esp Diet Mt. Dew.
17. I hate coffee.
18. I’m a meat and potatoes girl.
19. I have two younger brothers and I think they are both awesome. The older we get, the better friends we become.
20. I had an awesome childhood.
21. Christmas is my favorite holiday. SANTA RULES at our house!
22. I’ve never read the Bible, but it’s on my to-do list.
23. I have my own library in my house, thanks to my mom and grandparents. They surprised me one day with a “While You Were Out” deal!
24. I read mostly non-fiction. I’m trying to learn to enjoy fiction.
25. My fingernails grow amazingly fast. I can cut them off one week and have long fingernails the next.
26. I can turn my eyelids inside out.
27. My husband and I were high school sweethearts.
28. I hate sitting around doing nothing. I always have to be doing something.
29. If I’m interested in something, I research it to death. And that drives me crazy.
30. I don’t always answer the telephone when it rings. If I don’t recognize the number, or if I know that person is not calling for me, I don’t answer it.
31. I am on the school board. My husband is on the city council.
32. I think Longeberger baskets are a waste of money.
    
33. I love the HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm. But I don’t have HBO so that stinks.
34. I have a dog and a cat. And they match in color. And I planned it that way.
35. Cause I’m a stickler about matching. You’ll never see me or my kids in outfits that don’t match. When my husband doesn’t match, I don’t claim him.
36. I’m starting to become a good cook. I used to be horrible.
37. I rarely buy clothes at full price. I head straight for the sale signs.
    
38. I love to stay up late. My husband loves to go to bed early.
39. I’ve only left the country twice. Once on my honeymoon to the Bahamas and the once to Niagara Falls.
40. I thought Niagara Falls and the Bahamas were both trashy places and probably will not go back to either of them.
41. I can snow ski and water ski. I used to be able to slalom water ski in my pre-kid days.
42. I consider myself a hard worker. And it really pisses me off when I see people not working hard and then whining about how they don’t have enough money, enough friends, enough of this, enough of that, blah blah blah.
43. My sons’ baby books are pretty much empty.
44. I hate laundry.
45. I prefer silver to gold.
46. I plan to be really rich someday.
47. I thought I would be sad not having a daughter, but I’m not.
48. My husband and I have considered adoption in the past. But it’s not going to happen now.
49. I think everyone should volunteer their time to a local organization. Money is good, but actually getting your hands dirty is important as well. And it makes you feel good!
50. Did I mention how much I hate laundry.
51. I love my animals. But I hate their hair all over my house.
52. My “to be read” pile of books is getting pretty tall and is starting to lean to the left. Which is much better than leaning to the right…
53. I hope you "got" that item above.
    
54. I wish I had more patience with my boys.
55. My kids had great childcare while growing up and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
56. I wish I could have been a stay-at-home mom, but it was financially not meant to be. And that’s ok.
57. My first son’s talent is in the classroom.
58. My second son’s talent is on the field/court.
59. And I love that they are so different.
60. I love my “alone” time, just being in my house, by myself. It re-energizes me.
61. My parents are awesome.
62. My grandparents are awesome.
63. I’m very lucky to have all 4 grandparents still living and still active. My husband has no living grandparents.
64. I’m a stickler for the rules. And 3 is exactly the same way. Green is very much that way too, as long as the rules are not Mom and Dad's.
    
65. I remember not having much money when I was a child. And I’m glad. I think it helps me work harder.
66. I try to make my kids understand how fortunate they are. We regularly donate to the food pantry and donate items to help the needy. And they both know how that helps people.
67. I consider myself just of average intelligence. But my brothers are both very smart, so maybe I’m smarter than I think I am.
68. I had to work my ass off my last year of high school in order to get the gold cords at graduation. Throughout high school I did not, as they say, “apply myself.”
69. I didn’t “apply myself” in college either, and I do regret that.
70. I love Desperate Housewives. It’s the only show I can’t miss each week.
71. I have an in-ground pool at my house.
72. My husband and I used to own an inflatable company. We now own a pool and spa maintenance/cleaning company.
73. We also both work at full-time jobs.
74. I hate exercising. But I really need to.
75. I need to be drinking something at all times. I usually have Propel, Life Water, or Smart Water with me at all times.
76. I look really bad without makeup.
77. I have a lot of freckles. But people tell me they don’t notice them anymore.
78. My favorite movies are The Office, Grease, Napoleon Dynamite, and Rain Man. I’m sure there are other favorites but I can’t think of them right now.
79. I think Hillary Clinton would make an awesome President.
80. I think Bill Clinton (minus his personal problems) was a good President.
81. I have a hard time keeping my house clean.
82. I’m not very good at making my boys do chores.
83. I think it’s damn hard to come up with 100 things about myself.
84. I’ve never done illegal drugs. I’ve only tried smoking once.
85. I’ve never had a cavity.
86. I’ve never had a speeding ticket, but I rarely drive the speed limit.
87. I love it when it blizzards outside and we’re stuck at home.
88. I wish I had a real fireplace.
89. I’m going to have house paid off in about 11 years, and that rocks.
90. I’ve worn braces twice – once as a teenager and again just last year. This last time was only on the bottom teeth.
91. I’ve been in a car accident where someone was killed.
92. I wear contacts/glasses. I don’t qualify for laser surgery. That sucks.
93. I love NASCAR. Jimmie Johnson ROCKS.
94. We have season tickets to the Kansas Speedway.
95. I don’t have any tattoos. And I never will.
96. I’m trying to enjoy sports more since my boys are so into it.
97. I wonder what impression people have of me.
98. The walls in my house are mostly rustic colors.
99. This took me a month to come up with this list of 100 things.
100. Since I’ve put all this time into it, the least you can do is tell me which things on this list surprised you!

Whatever

I've been around blog world, you just haven't seen my. I've been reading my blogs, but to be honest, I just don't have time to post comments or post my own blog entries. Mostly I haven't been posting comments due to a technicality between blogger, blogger beta, and IE. But I digress.

Here are a few tidbits I'll pass along.

1. JB is not doing much better. They may be transferring him to Iowa City or Rochester early next week. His brain has started to swell and he started seeing double vision late yesterday. His doctors are at a loss, so it really is time for him to move on. Problem is, that will cause us to start making roadtrips. Which of course is minor compared to what he's dealing with.

2. If you have a bunch of time to waste, you need to get over to Atomic Humor. His young wife got very ill in November and passed away. This post will make you appreciate your health and your family. Start reading his blog here: http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/11/01/

3. I've switched to Blogger Beta, and it sucks. Like above, I couldn't hyperlink that thing. Sorry 'bout that. Hey, I can't post any pics either. Where the heck are all my buttons?

4. I'm having bunion surgery on Monday. I'm looking forward to the Vicodin.

5. I'm close to having my "100 Things About Me" done. I'll try to get that posted before I'm under the influence of Vicodin.

6. I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new blog design. This one sucks.

7. It's boardgame time. Gotta run.

100th Post, Interrupted

I meant to make my 100th post a presentation of my new blog, as well as my "100 Things About Me" list. But something more important has come up, so those things will have to wait.

Our good friend, JB, got terribly sick this weekend. He went to the local hospital, where he was admitted. After running some tests, a blood clot was discovered in his brain and he was rushed to a larger hospital. Now apparently they have found that there are actually clusters of blood clots on his brain. It's very serious, and one wrong move by a clot could have deadly results.

If all things go well, the blood thinner will shrink the blood clot and it will go on its merry way. Even with those results, he would be in the hospital at least two weeks.

DH and I have both spent time at the hospital the past two nights, but we have been unable to see him due to the amount of pain he's in right now.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He's had a rough few years, with major negative changes to his personal life. He NEEDS to recover. His young children NEED him to recover.

I-I

DH's grandmother passed away last night peacefully. We will miss her, but we know she's in a better place! She was in her mid-90s was ready to go. Thanks for everyone's comments and emails. They are much appreciated.

Grandma I-I

We are close to losing the matriarch of DH's family. Grandma I-I, as she is affectionately known as, is in her last days. She has not been eating or drinking for 2+ days. Please pray that it goes quickly and painless for her.

School Board Update!

I know some of you were following my school board election this fall, so I’ll give you a little update on how things are going so far.

I placed my first “nay” vote at the last meeting. I stood my ground and argued my point for 30 minutes, to no avail. The item passed 3-2 which was a total bummer, but at least my “nay” vote is on record for if – I mean WHEN – this decision backfires and people are screamin at the board.

I never thought I would say this but I LOVE LOVE LOVE being on the board. No, neighbor Tom, not because I love the power it gives me. Well, ok that kinda rocks, but I really feel like I’m going to make a difference to the district. I have a ton of ideas that I’m sure the board will be “on board” with. Most of my ideas involve saving money while increasing our services. How can they disagree with that?

My husband is on the city council. My god, who the hell do we think we are? Anyhoo, the one thing we’ve noticed is that people expect you to be available to them at all hours of the day. Got an issue? Oh, by all means interrupt our football game in the yard with our two sons FOR AN HOUR to tell me all about your problems. And calling me at 7:00AM – totally ok. Same for calling me at 10:30PM – that’s sweet.

Our board members really do have a good relationship with each other. And also with the school administration. I’ve heard horror stories, so I’m very thankful to be in the position I’m in.

Technology is a major thorn in my side. OUCH, there it goes again! And our school is a Mac school. What the hell can you do with one mouse button? And is anyone aware that only 5% of the population uses those things in the real world? If you are a Mac fan, fine – just don’t bother me with the details. I make a pretty good wage thank to Bill Gates.

A school board convention may sound totally boring, but I thought it was awesome. I guess that means I’m holding the right public office?

I move to end this blog entry.
Green3? YES
Blog adjourned.

Family N Vegas

We made it back! And my left ear finally popped yesterday, so I'm good to go. I won't bore all of you with our exciting Vegas trip, but I will offer a few "golden nuggets" on doing Vegas with the kids.

1. Take LOTS of money, or at least be willing to pay the $5.00 ATM fee each time you withdraw money. It takes a lot of dollar signs to keep kids happy in Vegas.

2. If you have never been there before, it's good to have someone with you who knows Vegas like the back of their hands. Without my parents along, we would have wasted many hours just looking for stuff. Kids are happy when you can go directly to the place you want to go.

3. Skip Circus Circus. No matter what. Even if you have kids, this place totally sucks. It's filthy, half the rides don't work, there really aren't that many rides, and it's expensive. We spent $40.00 for the kids to ride 2-3 rides. Even they were bored with it. NEVER GO THERE and for the love of God, I can't image that you'd ever want to STAY there! Yuck.

4. Find a broken basketball game at ESPN Zone and go nuts with it. It will save you tons of dollars and will waste a good 30 minutes.5. If you prefer to shelter your children from all things bad, you'd be better off staying far, far away from Vegas. Examples: Green kicking a piece of paper down the sidewalk, only to realize that it was one of those "hooker" cards. 3 tried to take a picture of the Bellagio, when a truck passed in front of him while he snapped the photo. When the picture came back, it was a lovely picture of the Bellagio with the words HOT BABES in the center of the picture.

6. It's just plain stressful to have kids in Vegas. You have to keep your eye on them at ALL TIMES or they will disappear into the crowd. And I hate that. Kids + Crowds + 3 Days = STRESS.

Overall, we had a great time. We'll be going back, if we can talk friends into going along. And if we can talk the grandparents into staying here in Iowa with the kids!


Celebrity Sighting: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff. They were leaving ESPN Zone as we were going in.

We're Home

We're back from our Vegas trip. I'd love to tell you all about it, but my ears are still plugged from the trip home so I'm a miserable mess. Check back tomorrow - I'll post a recap of our trip!

She's All That

One of my dear friends has joined the blogging community. I'd love to tell you a little bit about her, but I'd rather do it...dramatic pause...with song:

Oh wait. I can't sing worth a crap.

Maybe these artists could help me describe my friend by singing a few of their favorite hits.

Hips Don’t Lie..................Shakira
Promiscuous....................Nelly Furtado
Crazy Bitch......................Buckcherry
American Idiot................Green Day
Over My Head................The Fray
Crazy................................Gnarls Barkley
Looks That Kill...............Motley Crue

So go. Visit her. I'm sure you'll love her as much as I do.

luvthebearcats

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

Does anyone really care? Apparently not. Here are pictures of some clocks in my home, all taken at approximately 12:40.

The saddest part is, I took these pictures about a month ago and they are still like this. So no, nobody cares.

WFMW: Christmas Idea #2 - Christmas Organization

I have this tip thanks to a friend at work. Sears has a Christmas planner that you can download from their website. It has everything you could need to keep the chaos of Christmas under control.

This planner is in xls format, which means it's a spreadsheet. It helps you keep track of:

• gift lists
• christmas card lists
• budget
• November and December calendars

It will even walk you through printing out labels for your Christmas cards.

Click here to go to Sears website to download this today!

See my other Christmas Works For Me Wednesday tip here.

For more Christmas tips, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW: Christmas Idea #1 - Perfect Gift for Your Sports Fan

Note: Yeah, I know this formatting is all horked up. But I'm tired of trying to fix it!

If you have a child who is a sports nut like my Green, then I have found the perfect Christmas present for you!

Click Here ==>>>That's Me Sports

Ok, here's the deal. You can purchase a CD with 10 minutes of play-by-play action of your favorite sports and they use your child's name as the star of the game! I encourage you to listen to the examples on their website. They sound AWESOME. My son throws a ball around every free moment he has. He's always doing his own play-by-play commentary. He is seriously going to go nuts when he hears this and he can play it while he's throwing the ball around. I know they have done some CDs for college teams, so if you don't find the team you are looking for on their website, I encourage you to ask if they have it.

Iowa State Cyclones and Iowa Hawks (football) can be found at Sport About for Kids at Valley West Mall. They have pre-made ones with just a first name. They are around $15.00. So if first name is ok, then go for it. If full name would totally ROCK, then get the custom one from their website.

So GO HERE NOW and order yours today so it gets here in time for Christmas!

See my other Works For Me Wednesday Tip here.

Check out other Christmas tips at Rocks In My Dryer.

Nine Weird Things About Me

Cousin Chilihead tagged me for this crazy meme. It took me awhile to come up with a list because, really, if I thought something was weird then I wouldn't do it. But alas, I was able to think of some things that I think are totally normal but that you people may think are weird. So here goes...

I get wads of infection in my tonsils and dig them out with a toothpick. Not something I like doing, but it gets rid of my sore throat in a second.

I regularly check the website www.findagrave.com. Yeah, I think it’s interesting looking at graves. I love cemeteries. So dammit, when I’m dead you all better be visiting me.

Speaking of cemeteries, I’m terrified to be buried underground. I’m going to make my boys take out a second mortgage on their homes to pay for an above ground vault to stick me in.

My favorite books, and what fills up my bookshelves, are in one of the following categories: personal development, real estate, true crime, and politics. I wonder why people don’t ever want to swap books with me.

My wardrobe consists almost entirely of black and brown.

Thanks to my husband, hotel room comforters gross me out. The minute I walk into a room, I whip off the comforter and stuff it into a corner of a room. I also can’t go barefoot in a hotel room. Sick.

Sock seams drive me nuts. The seams have to be in exactly the right place when I put my shoes on. I sometimes have to take my shoes off and put them back on a few times in order to get them just right. Side Note: This is not as bad as it used to be. I'm a recovering sock seam-aholic.

When I shop, I touch all the clothes. Even ones I’m not interested in looking at. I don’t think this is weird, but it drives my husband insane.

I’m not always very good about responding to emails. But I H.A.T.E. it when people don’t reply to mine.

So there you are, folks. Judge away, my friends, judge away. Now I tag Momof4GreatKids and An Iowa Mom. Actually I tag Momof4 to just post something. Anything. Throw us a morsel here, girlfriend.

Blawg Updated

In case you haven't noticed, I have updated my blogroll to be blogs that I actually read. Imagine that concept, wouldya? As you can see, I really don't read all that many compared to some of the bloggers out there. Not because I wouldn't like to - I simply don't have the time. No Pasa Nada is worth your visit - she's a great writer and hilarious! She's the newest addition to my blogroll.

I'm also going to post the book(s) I'm reading. I would post the books on my "to be read" list, but they are home and I'm not, so I have no idea what's on there. But you can be sure that they are all non-fiction and about either politics or financial investing. I'm such a dork. Aren't you glad I don't blog about politics or financial investing? And if I did, would you read it? Yeah, that's what I thought. That's why I don't blog about that crap.

And I'm sure you are anxiously awaiting my blog redesign, as I am! Susie is a tad behind, but I'm sure my wait will be well worth it! SO tired of the lighthouse...

WFMW: Useful Websites

Here are some websites that I use all the time:

Bloglines - bloggers are well aware of this site. I have my account up all the time. For those of you who don't know, you can setup an account and it will check all of your blogs and websites for you, alerting you to when one has been updated. Then you don't have to check them all individually. It rocks.

Club Mom - If you are a mom (or dad, I suppose), this site has loads of information.

Hungry Girl - Nutritional facts about all kinds of foods. Don't use this site as much as I should.

Low Carb Friends - Helps me figure out what I can eat and what I can't.

Online Conversions - Convert anything!

Site Meter - I have several different websites, so I use this free service to track my web traffic. It's totally free, so if you are currently paying for your web stats, dump it NOW!

Froogle - A division of Google, this search engine does all the price comparison legwork for you. You can sort in price range and it has quick and easy links to the stores.

All Recipes - Tons of great recipes, but the best part is that all recipes are rated by the website visitors! So something may look awesome, but you can read through the comments and find that it's actually a horrible recipe. Keeps me from wasting my time.

People - I'm too cheap to buy the magazine, so this website gives me my People fix!

Check out other useful tips at Shannon's website!

Brit and K-Fed Divorcing?

Say it ain't so! I never saw this coming. Oh, the horrors!

Vote

Because you can.

Goals and Dreams

Quote of the Day:

I can accept failure. I cannot accept not trying.

I’ve got pretty big goals and dreams for my family. My husband is aware of all the things I’ve got drummed up. He’s ok with them. Ok, so maybe I’m dragging him kicking and screaming along for the ride. My goals are ambitious. My goals will take money and resources. And we’ll have to work our rear ends off to get the amount of money and resources we will need. But you can’t have ambitious goals and dreams and sit on the couch at the same time. That math doesn’t work.

Rewind a few years ago. We used to just fumble along, day by day, going through the normal routine of family life. I really didn’t know what our future held, and didn’t really much care. I just knew that we were happy and had enough resources to live comfortably. Things were good. But when I hit 30, I realized that I want much more out of life. So I started to make a mental list of the things I felt we, as a family, needed to do. In general, the things on my list were to make a difference in the world – even if only in my small town – and to be financially secure. Not unique goals, you say? Maybe not, but they are ours. And we are actively doing something about them.

Hubby and I work hard. We have multiple things on our plates at all times. But are reaching our goals. We are excited about our future because we have fun and exciting goals and plans. Some of our goals can make us a bit nervous and we sometimes wonder if we have what it takes to reach them. But I can accept failure. I cannot accept not trying.

Green3 and Adriana...Practically Twins

Hey Chilihead, apparently your cousin is pretty hot as well.

My Recipes!

This has been on my to-do list for quite some time, so I just wasted a lunch hour getting it going. It my very own online recipe archive! So check out my recipe blog and I sure hope you'll post a comment if you try one of them!

By the way, I'm a pretty picky eater so you won't find anything containing "soy" or "salmon" over there. I'm a meat and potatoes girl, and my recipes will definately show that.

There is also a link on the left side of my page called My Recipes.

Come On Over!!

Contest!!

Jennifer at The Wilson Six is having a contest to win some free notcards...custom made by HER! Just go HERE and leave a comment and she'll sign you up. And if you post a link to her site on your own blog, she'll enter your name and extra 5 times.

Check out her other posts as well. She's on my blogroll. I love reading about all her creative ideas.

Our Halloween!

My cousin, Chilihead, is hosting a Halloween Open House. I may not be following her rules exactly, since we really don't decorate for Halloween around here. We're one of those families who scrounge around at the last minute for a costume to wear. But we do carve pumpkins, so here are some pictures of that.

Green Getting Started

3 and his Pumpkin Guts

The Final Product

Happy Halloween!!

Sunday Morning

This morning we skipped church. And it always easy to feel guilty about that because when we sit at our dining room table, we can see the church. Ehhhhhhh...

This morning 3 wanted to play a "family game" since we were all still hanging out in our jammies. So he pulled out the poker chips and cards and we had a good 'ole time playing poker. During church time. While sitting at the table looking at the church.

Poker instead of church.

Good one.

BUT -
We were still folding our hands. Some of us more than others.
We were bowing our heads.
We were raising our hands in praise to the King, esp if we had 2 or 3 of them.
We all putting money into the pot.
We sang songs. "I am the Champion" and "You Don't Have Any Chips Left"

It's all good.

Anatomy of a Bumper Sticker

There is a new family in town. The only reason I know of them is because I see their minivan dropping kids off at school each morning, and there used to be an out-of-state license plate on it. They have a bumper sticker on their car which has baffled me since the first day of school. It reads:

It’s Mean to Wean

Ok, let’s break this down a bit. It’s mean to wean. I can think of several things this could mean, but going by the other bumper stickers on the car, I’m going with the obvious meaning – breastfeeding.

So if it’s mean to wean a child off breastfeeding, let’s review what options are available:

Never Wean Your Kids From Breastfeeding
I’ve actually done some research on the web about this particular bumper sticker saying. Apparently the idea behind it is to let the child decide when they are ready to be done rather than the mother deciding. Heck, no wonder it takes you so long to drop off your kids. Apparently you’re letting your 4th grader finish up “breakfast” right there in the van. YUCK. And is your husband still stopping over at your mother-in-laws for his mid-day snack? DOUBLE YUCK

Never Start Your Kids Breastfeeding
Ok, but you’d have to give them a bottle then, and wouldn’t you have to wean them from that? I mean, it would look silly for a middle school kid to be pulling out a bottle of formula out of his lunch box. Or does this really mean that you just start out with a Happy Meal the day your child is born? “Oh, isn’t our new baby sweet, honey? Now run your ass down to McDonalds before he gets hungry.”

I found a website where you can buy these bumper stickers along with several other sayings that I find quite humorous:

“Keep Breastfeeding. Don’t be a weaner.”

“If they are young enough to ask for it, they are too young to wean” Wait – don’t all men ask for it?

“Breastfeeding for all. Circumcision for none.” That’s just plain wrong.

“Silly Man. Tits are for kids!” I am SO using this line.


The website I found this information on is part of the Gentle Parenting webring. That cracks me up that the word “tits” is on a gentle parenting site.

NOTE: I did not breastfeed either of my boys. Didn’t try it, didn’t want to. I truly admire those mothers who do, though, and this is by no means an insult to them. I just wanted to talk about that dang bumper sticker! So don’t post nasty comments to me.

WFMW: Free Sirius Trial!

If you are not a Sirius customer, today is your day to give it a try...FOR FREE! (Actually, tomorrow is your day too, since it's a 2 day deal.)

So head on over to their website HERE and listen to your heart's content. I recommend the following channels:

Channel 8 - The Big 80's
Channel 23 - Hair Nation (big hair bands)
Channel 105 - Laugh Break
and of course...
Channel 115 - Radio Disney

Green's Day

Obviously I could never list all of the things I love about Green. But here are a few tidbits I want to share about my baby boy.

You put on a “tough” outer shell, but when it’s just you and me I see the sweet, cuddly Green.

You have a huge heart, and hate to see others hurting.

Your “rainbow of freckles” over your nose makes me melt.

Everyone needs a passion, and I’m so excited to watch you have fun with your passion - even if it is sports/ESPN/FOX Sports.

You are successful in school and you are aware of how important it is to do your schoolwork and do it well.


Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea. I love you,

Mom

While I Was Out

So here are some good things that have happened to me since you last heard from me:

I have gotten totally addicted to www.paperbackswap.com. I mean, what could be better than getting books basically for FREE? I’ve gotten 4 books so far. I have to wait until people request my books before I can get books from other people. If you are a reader and have extra books on your shelf, you MUST join!!

My mom is recovering from her gaping head wound. So here’s the rundown…she passed out/had a seizure (still not sure what) while shopping at Menards. Who would have thunk that place could be so dangerous? We caught up with her at the ER. They shaved a bit of her hair, stapled up her head, ran some test, kept her overnight, ran some more tests, then sent her home. Still not sure what the hell happened there, but we’re keeping a close eye on her…and keeping her out of Menards.

Both of my brothers ventured back from Colorado to visit those of us stuck back here in the homeland. I love it when we get to spend time together, even if it is for a very short visit. I love those guys.

I bought a new sweatsuit at J.C.Penneys. Huh, you ask? OH YEAH. IT IS AWESOME. And it’s especially awesome that I bought it the day they had their “Buy 1 get one for 88 cents” special. It’s soft, cuddly, and I put it on every night when I get home from work. Some day I might take it off long enough to wash it.

I bought new, high quality flannel sheets. It’s a little bit of heaven.

I found where I can listen to Bruce Williams online. I used to travel a lot for my job and was always on the road between 5 - 7 PM. I've missed him since those days, but now I've found him! If you are as nerdy as I am, here is your link.

More posts coming soon - I will try not to go MIA anytime soon.

Don't Worry - I'm Still Around

Thanks to those of you who continue to check my blog each day, hoping for some AMAZING post. I am still here -- just haven't had any extra time to devote to the ole BLAWG.

Hopefully I will find the time to get an awesome post up today. Ok, maybe not be awesome, but it will be a post.

And on a sad note, you are probably aware that Canon - the boy mentioned in my previous post - passed away. Please send your prayers to his family. I do not know the family and I certainly can't say that I know how they are feeling now, because I don't. I truly cannot imaging anything worse than losing your child.

Canon

Please take a moment to click on the image above to send a prayer Canon's way. He is very critical tonight.

"The Call"

Never before have I gotten “the call”. I’ve always been terrified to get “the call” because I wasn’t quite sure how I would react. Today it came.

“Green3, I just got a call from the Clive police. Your mom had a seizure while shopping and has been taken by ambulance to the hospital.”

Ummm….ok.

Now my mom is not someone who you would expect to have a seizure while deciding what shopping for a new light bulb for her makeup mirror. In fact, when I called DH to let him know, his reply was, “YOUR mom?” See, she works out every single day, watches what she eats, doesn’t smoke, and only drinks wine a couple times a week. My mother just doesn’t have seizures in Menards. But apparently I was wrong.

So I grabbed my dad - I work with him - and we hauled ass to Des Moines. (Darn near beat the ambulance there, thank you very much.) Besides an awesome gash to the head and some very low blood pressure, she’s fine.

On my way home, I realized I was more shaken that I probably appeared to be at the hospital. I stopped at Target, made a few phone calls from the parking lot, and then realized I just wasn’t in the mood to shop. Sorry, Mom, I know you are disappointed. So I headed for home.

On my way home, I realized how very lucky we were today. Once we get her home tomorrow, things will be pretty much back to normal. But what about the families who haul ass down to the hospital only to be told they were too late? The thought makes me shudder.

There was some humor today. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll feel like laughing about it a little bit more and can share some of that with you.

I love you mom. I am so glad that you are ok.

ch ch ch ch changes

Ohhhh...am I excited. I'm on Susie's list to have my blog redesigned. I'm down for early November, so you can expect to see my "new do" soon!

Weekend Math

= good








= good

( x 8) + = bad, very bad

A Peek into My Weirdness

I have a favorite website...one I really have never shared with others. I can't explain why it's a favorite. And I also can't explain why I'm sharing it with you now.

It started with searching for homes of famous people. Not because I'm a stalker or anything. I just think it's interesting. And then I ran across this website...and I'm hooked.

Yes, gravesites interest me. Especially gravesites of famous people. I'm interested in what their headstone looks like, where they are buried, and all that strange stuff. So take a look and see if you can be hooked just like I am.

Find A Grave

Dad Gone Mad

If you are not a regular reader of his blog, take a look at his current posting. He totally cracks me up!

His link is on my left sidebar.

Sugar Woes

Green – Did you know that (friend's name here)had to quit JAM? (JAM is an after school program one day a week, and stands for Jesus and Me.)

Me – Why?

Green – Because she’s allergic to sugar.

Me – What does that have to do with it?

Green – She can’t eat sugar anymore because she’s allergic. And that’s all we do at JAM is eat sugar.

Me – What?

Green – DUDE, the minute we walk in the door, we just start eating sugar until our parents come to get us!

Tattling

3 - Mom, Green's throwing water all over the bathroom!

Me - But nobody's bleeding?

3 - Rolling his eyes and walking away.

Now I'm hearing a cheerful chant in the bathub by Green. "Tattle taler. Tattle taler" And then some arguing. 3 marches back into the kitchen.

3 - Mom?

Me - What?

3 - Green said he's going to tattle on me for tattling on him.

Me - So let me get this straight. You are tattling on him, because he wants to tattle on you, because you tattled on him?

And End of an Era

Our racing era is a mere 4 hours from coming to an end...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120039266781&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D120039266781%26fvi%3D1

I will miss it, but I understand, 3. If it's not your thing, it's not your thing.

WFMW: Vacations

Next time you go on vacation, consider staying at a private home instead of a hotel. These homes are owned by regular people, who are just renting them out to help pay the mortgage. They are oftentimes true “vacation homes”, which means they are awesome!

The homes rent out for similar rates than you’d find at a hotel. Sometimes the cost is a bit higher, but it is SO worth it. My family rents a home or condo each time we go to Colorado and we have so much room. It is so much better than staying in a hotel.

A majority of homes in the Disney area are brand new and have their own private swimming pool. And the rates are SO reasonable!

To find the homes, you can use this popular website listed below. Some areas have their own websites, so you could search on “vacation rental” to find those.

http://www.vrbo.com/

And here is an example of a home I've actually rented. It was a little bit of Heaven right there in Colorado... http://www.vrbo.com/18725

Happy Vacationing!

Check out more helpful tips at Rocks in My Dryer.

I Need an Intermission

Ok, Life. Can you just STOP for a moment so I can catch my breath? This week has totally sucked, and it’s only Tuesday.

I know ya’ll stopped by for some chipper blog posting, but I’ll warn you right now – this ain’t it. Once I get out of my frump, I promise I’ll post something more, umm, happy. Until then…

Yesterday started off ok. I forgot to send something with Green to school, but it was nothing critical. It could go the next day, so no real problem there.

I get to work and think, “This would be a great day to load the software update that’s been sitting on my desk.” Bad idea. By noon I wanted to chuck the $500 software out the freakin window. By 3:00 I was starting to panic that I was totally screwed. At 4:55, after major searching on the web for my error message, I finally got my old software restored and back to where I started at 9:00 that morning. You can just write that whole day off.

I had to go to the doctor yesterday for an appointment that totally sucked. But I found out that I couldn't be healthier, so I guess that is some good news. Ok, actually I could be healthier but that point has nothing to do with that doctor appointment. :)

My car is without brakes. I’m having to work from home today so they can have my car, but they just called and said the part for my car would not be in until tomorrow morning sometime so they’ll need to keep my car another day. Ok, see, in order for me to pay you to fix my car, I’m really going to have to go to work. So I kinda need my car back. (ok, ok, we all know that this problem is under warranty and I can work from home in a pinch, BUT STILL! I don’t like being stuck at home.)

There were other things going on as well, but I’ll quit boring you with the details.

I’ll be back later when things are going swell.

3 and His Friend Gerald

3 is in fourth grade, and they now have “manor buddies.” They visit the manor a few times a month to visit their buddies. They can just sit and talk or they can play games…whatever. 3 was “lucky” enough to have gotten hooked up with a cheery fellow named Gerald. Below is 3’s account of their first 30 minute visit.

3 - My name is 3. What is your name?

Gerald – Gerald

3 – Do you like to play games? We could play a game. They have checkers or cards.

Gerald – I don’t much care for games.

3 – Ok. Do you like sports?”

Gerald – I don’t like sports

3 – Do you like to watch television?

Gerald – No.

3 – I love to read. Do you read? What are your favorite books?

Gerald – I don’t read much.

3 – What is your favorite food?

Gerald – I don’t know.

3 - Do you have kids?

Gerald - Yes.

3 – Do you have anything you want to ask me about?

Gerald – No.

3 – ooooooookaaaaaay

silence for the next 28 minutes

My make believe confrontation with Friend Gerald:
Listen here, you old fart. My first born son walked his ass all the way down here to the manor to help break up your monotonous day. If you don't want to participate, then stay in your f**king room. He has made an effort to be your friend not once - BUT TWICE. He feels bad that you don't want to talk with him. He wishes he could have gotten "the guy who likes to play games" but instead he ended up with some chump who won't even carry on a conversation. I've told him to just put in his time and these visits will soon be over. I've also told him that MOST old people would love to have a child ask them questions about their past or want to spend a few minutes with them.

This is Better Than Sliced Bread

Book addicts, LISTEN UP!

You MUST visit www.paperbackswap.com. This website lets to trade books with readers all over the country. To participate you have to list 9 or more books. You receive 3 credits right off the bat, which can be used to get books from other people. All you have to do is pay for the shipping. There are no other costs!!

As soon as I signed up, I ran downstairs and tore through my bookshelves. I plan to do it again when I have more time. What an awesome way to get rid of all the books I don't want anymore -- and get some in return!

Many thanks to The Wilson Six for this tip.

CHECK IT OUT!!! CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS? AND IT'S 11:33PM AND I'M TYPING IN ALL CAPS! I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE TYPE IN ALL CAPS! better get to bed....

WFMW: Cheesy Potatoes

I'm stealing this top from Momof4. At a recent party, I commented on how awesome her cheesy potatoes were and she shared her secret with me.

Next time you make your cheesy potato recipe, replace part of the sour cream with a container of chip dip. I use Anderson Erickson Party Dip, but I think that's only available in the midwest -- and maybe only in Iowa.

**Updated Note** This dip is more ranch flavored than onion flavored.

Adding this really adds some extra flavor to your normal cheesy potatoes. I'll never make them without it again. It works for me!

Check out more tips at Rocks in my Dryer!

For The Love of Technology

Let me provide some background information:

1. We are NASCAR fans. More specifically, I am a Jimmie Johnson fan.
2. My husband is an elementary computer teacher.
   

So I had been looking around for some Jimmie Johnson earrings to wear to the NASCAR race last year. I could not find any locally so I casually mentioned to DH that I was going to check out ebay.

The next day, I was at work but was checking my home email – which is our email address we use for our ebay account. I see that DH has been bidding on something so I open the email to see what it is. “Holy Crap!” I said to myself. “He’s bidding on Jimmie Johnson nipple rings? Exactly who does he think he’s married to?”

I immediately jump on instant messenger, because that’s how nerds communicate. Now remember, on the other side of that instant message is an elementary computer teacher who is innocently unaware of what is about to happen. He’s got his computer screen displayed on the screen, demonstrating something to his class. He’s going along with his class, his pupils listening and watching intently. When out of the blue pops up this instant message…ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOUNG INNOCENT CHILDREN.

Why the hell are you buying me NIPPLE RINGS? My nipples aren’t pierced!

Technology. Gotta love it.


Note: DH was simply thinking that I could use the nipple rings as earrings. Poor guy.

Please Welcome Again...

Ok, friends, please stop over again and welcome Momof4GreatKids. She's changed some settings on her blog, so anyone can now leave a comment on her blog. So give it another try!

Success!

I have my own library in my home. In my library, I have shelf dedicated to “success” books. Some may call these books “self help” but I prefer to call them “success” books. I don’t need help. I just like to be energized and hear enthusiastic people remind me to keep aiming for my goals. If you are like me and love to be encouraged – or if you happen to be in a rut in your life and need some words of advice, please keep reading.

I subscribe to a personal growth email that I receive on a regular basis. I read every single issue that is sent to me. It’s fabulous. A recent email mentioned that I could get a free CD from Mike Litman, who is a world-famous success speaker and author. All I had to pay was the shipping and handling. So I went for it.

I listened to it on the way to work this morning. In one section he said, “If you are driving right now, pull over because you are going to want to write this down.” Yeah, right, I thought. But as he continued, I found myself scrounging for a pen and scratch paper and writing down the things he was saying. Here are a few of the lines I was writing down this morning on my way to work:

• People form habits, and habits form people
• Successful people make a habit of doing things they don’t like to do.
• Don’t focus on the process. Focus on the reward.

And he offered this 3 step approach to success:

1. Ask yourself, “What is one thing I don’t want to do today, but if I did it it would move my life forward?”
2. “How would I benefit from doing it?”
3. “Do it now!”

These lines may not mean much when reading them in my blog, but when you hear the CD he explains each of these lines and how you can use them in your personal and business life.

So here is a link to Mike Litman’s website where you can request your own CD. Also read through his articles. I highly recommend it. Please note that I do not know Mike Litman, have not been asked to promote him, nor will I benefit at all if you go to his website. I simply want to share what I have found.

(If you are a "success" book reader, let me know. Maybe we can share titles!)

Reasons I Don't Have a Post Tonight

1. I tried to download Internet Explorer 7 - and now my IE is all horked up. I'm stuck using Firefox for now. I guess I don't know why this is keeping me from posting. I'm just pissed about it, so it's number 1 on my list. So there.
   
2. I've been trying to come up with a different look for my blog. I've spent a little bit of time looking around, but have come to the conclusion that I just don't have the time. But I definately want to get rid of this harbor look. What the hell is that about? I'm in Iowa for cryin' out loud.
3. I'm working on my 100 Things list. It's mostly in my head right now, but I may have it done by the end of the week. I'm mostly nervous that I can't settle on 100 things. I mean, what if I post it and then I think something needs to change. Do you have any idea the stress I'm under here??
   
4. I'm recovering from our weekend at the races, which was awesome.
   
5. I'm gearing up for the upcoming weekend at the Iowa State-Nebraska football game. I don't have a ticket, so I'll probably end up holding up the fort at the tailgate. The crew will come out at halftime and find their coolers empty and me passed out in the ditch.
   

Random Thoughts from the Kansas Speedway

Lady in front of us today: I see you have one of those mini fans with you. You would not need that if you would have left the black long sleeve shirt at home, along with the black cowboy hat, black jeans and black cowboy boots. This isn’t a Johnny Cash concert.

Man Behind Us: Have you picked up on my nasty looks today? Don’t worry, I’ll be back tomorrow with them. See, I don’t appreciate being an ashtray. Apparently you thought it was fine to smoke one after another, dumping your ashes all over us.

Drunk Man a Few Rows Down: Must you turn around and be obnoxious at each yellow flag? I’m never that obnoxious when I’m drunk.

To the guys at the DeWalt booth – Could you not tell that my son had been in line for a LONG time to participate in the drilling challenge? What the hell made you think you could just walk up to the front of the line in front of all those kids?

To the lady at the Jeff Gordon merchandise trailer: LADY – You drove me INSANE! Couldn’t you see the ginormous line behind you? For the love of god, this is not a shopping mall. When it’s your turn, here is an example of what you say: “I need item 22 in a large.” Then you give them money and get the hell out of the way. You should not be allowed to ask them to pull out every single shirt they have and examine it thoroughly.

To the guy at the Jimmie Johnson trailer: You just asked which of their shirts came in long sleeves. Can’t you freakin see all the shirts hanging up? If it has long sleeves, Einstein, then it comes in long sleeves.

To Max: Thanks for letting Flat Stanley come with us. He had a great time!

Please Welcome...

Momof4greatkids! She's new to the blogging community, so please stop over and tell her hello!

WFMW: Packing Clothes for Kids (Re-Post)

Whenever I pack for a trip, I make sure to pack the kids’ things as simply as possible. So I lay out outfits they will need for each day, complete with socks, underwear, etc. For each day, I lies the clothes out (I may fold the shorts and shirts in half so that it makes a skinny stack), stack them up, and then roll them up. So each day we’re on vacation, the kids just have to grab a roll out of the suitcase and they have everything they need to get dressed for the day!

This works awesome for several reasons:

• Helps me make sure I pack enough socks and underwear for them
• Keeps the clothes from getting too wrinkled in the suitcase
• Saves space in the suitcase
• Makes them self-sufficient while we're on vacation. All their clothes are in one spot - we're not searching for this shirt or those shorts.
  

I learned this from my mother. It worked for her, and it definitely works for me! Check out more tips at Rocks in my Dryer.

NASCAR Weekend

Dear Friends of Green 3,

We are going on our annual NASCAR trip this weekend. We are terribly hurt that you think NASCAR is a redneck sport. If you would just attend one race with us, you would get to experience NASCAR as we see it – and you would love it.

NASCAR fans are high class. Quite a few people attend the races in motor homes.

You get to meet up with other NASCAR friends who are fans. You can tailgate, share a few drinks.

When you get to the stands, you are surrounded by others who are just as enthusiastic about NASCAR.


This year are taking one of our sons with us. He’s very excited to go and enjoys the excitement of being part of the crowd.

Guess we will have to have fun without you.

Green3, DH, and 3

A Story of Abuse and Neglect

A series in The Des Moines Register this week has me intrigued. The story is of a teenager, Tracey Dyess, who was sexually abused since the age of 4 by several different men. Awhile back she poured gasoline throughout the house and started it on fire, killing her sister and brother. The intended victim, her step-father, escaped. You can read the series here.

I have no first hand knowledge of sexual abuse. I don’t believe I even know anyone who has been a victim. I always thought it was bad, gross, and mean. But it’s oh so much worse than that. This story has opened my eyes about how deep the scars are, how sexual abuse can ruin a person until they are simple a shell of a human being. In many situations, the abuse is covered up and ignored – which only causes it to be passed on from generation to generation. Such is the case with Tracey.

I’ve thought a lot about Tracey’s mother. I should rephrase that – she was no kind of mother. She had been abused as a child. She was married three times, never bothering to divorce any of them. She met Tracey’s father while she was hitchhiking – he happened to be the trucker who picked her up. When Tracey and her twin sister were born, the mother said she didn’t “connect” with them because they were premature and purple. She moved her kids countless times, and the kids did not have regular education because of it. She was a prostitute, having her “clients” in a bed right next to Tracey’s bed when Tracey was just a toddler. She wasn’t just a bad mother – she was simply not a mother.

When Tracey turned 4, the abuse started. It continued until the day she burned the house down. She said she enjoys prison because for the first time in her life, she feels safe.

My question is this: as a society, what in the world do we do with this situation? I don’t have the answers. Is Tracey to blame for starting the fire which killed her two siblings? In the article, she said she never intended to kill anyone, even her step-father. She just simply wanted everything to STOP. Tracey has been victimized by everyone that she SHOULD have been able to trust – her mother, her step-fathers, her step-grandfather. She never knew a normal life. And now she is having to pay the price. Unfortunately her siblings paid the ultimate price.

Start Spreadin' The News

We’re leaving in November.
We’re going to be a part of it – New York New York!

The Las Vegas version that is.

We have our plane tickets and room reservations! We’ve started to map out our itinerary, which will include the following:

• ESPN Zone
• Madame T’s Wax Museum
• NASCAR Café
• M & M World
• And looking at lots and lots of lights

And staying at New York New York!

Inventions

Below are a few inventions that I'm thankful for:

How AWESOME is that they they sell whole grain bread in “white bread” form? My kids are totally fooled. And it help Green’s chronic constipation problem, so we’re never switching back. LOVE it. When it’s on sale, I load up my freezer full of this stuff. (ooohhh man….I sense a WFMW topic here!)

Wireless Internet – if you don’t have it, you don’t know what you are missing out on.

Laptops – Of course, the above isn’t necessary if you don’t have one of these. Unfortunately I have a IE bugger on there right now. IE opens, then shuts down. I’ve tried everything. Next step is to beg by brother for suggestions on how to fix.

These handy binder/clip things. Nothin’ gets loose from them.


people.com – it’s one of my guilty pleasures

Book lights.

Grape Propel (sorry SoBe, this is my newest addiction)

Sweatshirts and sweatpants – I change into these the INSTANT I get home from work.

The buttons on the back of my steering wheel that control my radio. It’s just too dang far to reach over there and fiddle with the buttons.

And here a few things I wish someone would invent:

Locators for remote controls. Why doesn’t my big-ass televsion have a button that I can press that can locate the remote? My crappy phone can do it, so my expensive tv should do it.

Cat litter that does not get everywhere. I’ve bought every single brand out there – they all suck.

Book lights that don’t need any sort of battery or electricity, but are still super bright. My batteries are always dead. I also need some kind of locator on them because I’ve purchased at least 7 in the past year and am down to 2.

WFMW: Extra Money

To save up a little extra money, we have a bank money bag on our kitchen counter. Any extra money goes into this bag, and we take it to the bank every once in awhile and deposit the money into a separate account. Our “extra” money includes:

• Money DH receives for refereeing and umpiring
• Pocket change
• Laundry change
• If people owe me money and pay me back
• Insurance reimbursements
• Basically anytime I’m at home and have extra money on hand

This money adds up faster than you think. We use the money in this extra bank account for special things, such as taking the kids for an overnighter at a hotel, buying our NASCAR tickets. We also use it for dull things like property taxes.

For tons of handy tips, check out Shannon's blog!

Cool Name Thingy

Check this out. It tells you when a name was most popular. I searched my name and it spiked up the exactly on the year I was born. Parents...so trendy.

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

Free Blog Design Contest

If you are looking for customized look to your blog, as I am, head on over to http://bluebirdblogs.blogspot.com/2006/09/fall-into-free-blog-design.html. She is having a contest to win a free blog design!

Take a look through the portfolio. The work in there is awesome.

How To Find Me

Apparently you can find my blog by searching on this: "straight guys kissing"

I had no idea...

I Believe

I believe that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe that you can do something in an instant that will give you a heartache for life.

I believe that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe that you can keep going, long after you can't.

I believe that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you you will find the strength to help.

I believe that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

Edited, Author Unknown

Green3's Obzervashuns on Runin for Skool Bored

Be very very careful when typing the word “public”. It’s very close to the word “pubic”.

Doors work awesome for signs. You could come up with cool slogans like “Opening the door to education” or “Doorway to Excellence” or “Please pretend that this is not a door. It’s the only wood I could find.”

It’s hard to find good help for painting the doors signs. First of all, they complain a lot. Second, they demand $1.00 per side, but you can easily negotiate down to $1.00 per door.

Take a lot of pictures of your door painters. It really pisses them off.

At some point you realize that “Damn, my campaign is based on doors?” You’ll then decide to fork over the $130 for professional signs.

Holding public office is not the key to becoming a millionaire. Maybe if it was "pubic" office, I might be able to get paid a bit more.

Wait, I ran for school board? I thought you said, “Will you run for cool Ford?” I’m no runner, but I’d do about anything for a free new car. Even if it is a Ford.

Candidates put themselves out there in front of the public to be judged and questioned. And questioned you will be:
Q: What are your thoughts on schools?
A: I like ‘em.

Q: Do you think the community will be willing to elect two women to the school board?
A: Roundhouse kick to the shin. No verbal response given.

Q: Boxers or briefs?
A: Thongs, thank you.

Dirty Girl

Yesterday I did not shower.

And I ventured down to the soccer fields.

Where there was a chance I could be seen by everyone who is anyone.

Luckily, the soccer games started later than the time I was there.

SWEET VICTORY!

And your new school board member is.....

GREEN3!!!

Illness Detector

As you can tell, I'm a wonderful artist. No, I am not for hire.

UPDATE!!
By time I got Green to the doctor at 3:15, his temp was 102.5 -- and yes, he has strep. Feel free to nominate me for Mother of the Year.

We’ve been having trouble getting Green (fka J) to go to school. School takes too long, people are bothering him, or whatnot. I really think he loves school, and from what I’ve heard he’s pretty popular with the other first graders. I don’t get it.

This morning started off with his usual rundown of the things that may be wrong with him and could possibly keep him home from school. He refused to get dressed, so I drove 3 to school and came back to deal with him. Lots of yelling on my part, whining on his part. He has a soccer game tonight so I even threw that out there. “If you stay home sick, you can’t play in your game tonight.” No luck. So I gave in and thought, ok, he must be sick. Called the school, called my office, cancelled our election party for tonight, the whole works. After I changed back in to my “not going to work” clothes, I sit with 3 and apologize for being upset with him. We had the whole crying wolf lesson too, and I told him that if he didn’t try this every single day then I would know when he was really sick. So I got his bed all made up on the couch and settled in for a sick day.

As time passed, he started to play with Buster, talk a lot, watched Space Jam, and just seemed like his normal self. So I questioned him, “If you really are sick, Mommy will sit here all day with you until you get better. HOWEVER, if you are not sick and you are lying, SANTA will know and GOD will know!”

I went downstairs to do something and he suddenly comes down the stairs. “Mom, you won’t believe this! Remember how sick I was an hour ago? I’m totally FINE now! It’s that crazy? I can go to school! Hey, can I ride my bike?” I stare at him – furious because I’d been snowed by my first grader, embarrassed because I had allowed it to happen, etc. So I tell him to get dressed and NO YOU CANNOT RIDE YOUR BIKE. I get him to school and come back home – mad.

I have to vent, so I call my friend to let her know that the party tonight is back on and give her the scoop. I tell too many co-workers about Green’s trick. Too late to drive into the office, so I decide to work from home. Get settled in for a day of working, and am able to work about 45 minutes. Phone rings.

Umm, Green3? Green is here and he’s crying. He said his throat hurts really bad and he’s running a fever. Could you come get him? CRAP “Yes, I’ll be right there.”

So is he sick or is he not sick? He lying next to me now on the couch, sound asleep. And he’s ok with missing soccer, ok with canceling the party, ok with going to the dr later this afternoon. He’s definitely sick. I'm getting to work on my new invention as soon as he's feeling better.


**NOTE** Check back after 10:00 tonight for my school board election results!!

Toyena Corliss Skinner

Looking for Toyena Skinner. Last seen 1 WTC, 47th floor.

27 y/o, 5'5", 230lbs, African American Female.

The above comment was posted on a website where friends and families can post messages. Very few of us can imagine what 9/11 families went through those days and weeks, waiting for their loved ones to come home.

Toyena was born November 26, 1973. On this tragic day, she was 27 years old and a new mother. She was employed by First Union Securities/Wachovia. A gut wrenching part of this tragedy – her last day at her job was to be Friday, September 14, 2001. She planned to start a new life as a mommy.

According to comments left online by your sister, your son has grown up to be a brilliant child. He is also very handsome, as he resembles his mother.

I ask all of my readers to say a prayer for Toyena, her family, and mostly her son.

Kids, We're Goin' to Vegas!

Maybe.

Our kids are infatuated with cities, bright lights, and so on. We just don't have that kind of thing here in the boonies. They've always wanted to go to Las Vegas, so I've been researching "kids and vegas" on the web. Seems there are plenty of things to keep them happy for a few days out there. DH and I are not gamblers by any stretch of the imagination, so I'm not at all concerned about the kids not being able to enter casino areas. Has anyone else taken their kids to Vegas and can offer some advice on where to stay and what to do? I'm thinking of staying at New York New York right now. C'mon bloggers, help me out there!

WFMW: Family Baseball (or Softball)

There are 4 of us in our family, so we don’t have quite enough players to play a full-fledge baseball game. We’ve come up with a very easy way to play baseball and make it fair for the kids. Here are The Green 3 baseball rules! (or softball, of course)

• The kids are always up to bat and the parents are always in the outfield.
• Each time they score a run, they get a point. Each time we get them out, we get a point.
• If one of them is on first base and then gets hit to second base, which means they are both on base now, the person on second base gives up his position and goes up to bat. They cannot count that as a “ghost runner”.
• No stealing.
• Once the pitcher has the ball, they cannot advance to another base.

We keep track of our "record" all summer long an crown a champion team at the end of the season. DH and I really do try our hardest but we rarely win.

Play Ball!!

Makin' Cheesecakes

I’ve been ignoring my blog for awhile, but I really have had better things to do! The past few nights I’ve been busy putting together my election “platform” so to speak, for my run for the school board. I’ll comment more on my campaign after September 12. PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE! YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Ok, I’m kind of tired of school board talk so let’s move on.

We were kid-less for a night, so we footed it to the big city. Ok, maybe Des Moines isn’t your idea of a big city, bit it’s definitely bigger than where I live. We have a new fancy mall there that is supposed to make us feel like we’re in Chicago or something. Doesn’t really do that for me, but I like it and I go there every time I’m in Des Moines. Along with the fancy new mall with the chic stores, it also has hip eateries such as P.F. Chang, Joe’s Crab Shack and The Cheesecake Factory. Love The Cheesecake Factory.

So we decide to hit The Factory at around 5:00 thinking the line may not be so long. We were told our wait would only be 15-30 minutes. Not bad. Heck, I didn’t have any kids along so what was the hurry? Besides, I’m always good for a few minutes of people watching. So we find a seat and start our wait.

We see the typical people: people with baby strollers trying desperately to squeeze them through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Even saw a double stroller shoving people aside. What IS it with these parents?? (see, I could say that because there was no way to prove to that crowd that I was a parent or that I ever did that when I was in stroller mode.) Also saw the guy in the brown shorts with the brown socks and sandals.

Saw the multi-generational family: “Mom, come sit down. You shouldn’t be standing. Zach, quit running around and sit by your grandmother. No, really Mom, would you please sit down? Dad, you just hit that guy with your walker. Damn, I think the baby’s diaper needs changed. Did we bring the baby food? Yes, Dad, they probably serve two percent milk here.” DH and I sat in our seats loving every minute of it. I’m even thinking, “I hope our buzzer doesn’t go off anytime soon because this is comical!” Little did I know the comedy hadn’t even begun yet.

As you know by now, there was a long wait. The lobby was PACKED. Strollers, walkers old people, young people everywhere. I see a man in a polyester shirt and a young teen step up to the main door. The man taps another man on the shoulder. Tap tap tap

Polyester Man: “Is this the line?”
Non-Polyester Man: “You have to go up there to put your name in.”
PM: “How much does it cost?”
NPM: “It depends on what you order.”
PM: “Nah, I really just want to watch.”
NPM: “Watch what? What the hell are you talking about?”
PM: “This here's the Cheesecake Factory, ain't it? Ain't this where they make them cheesecakes?
NPM: “Dude, this is a restaurant.”
PM: “Oh, I thought this is where they made them cheesecakes and this line was to watch them.”

Polyester Man and Son turned to each other, shrugged their shoulders, and walked away. If my buzzer hadn’t gone off just at that moment, I may have stood up and followed them around the mall all night to see what else they were looking for. I would have loved to have seen them stop in for a healthy snack at the Banana Republic.