Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy 2009!


My wish for you is a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous, Loving 2009!

1231


"Today will forever be known as 12/31."

Did you hear that all 1st generation Zunes all froze and died today? I wouldn't have believed it unless I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

On Zune's forum on their website there are 271 pages (at the time this was posted) bitching about it. Few people want to sue MicroSoft. HAHAHAHA. Someone said that this was a terrorist attack. Hence the quote at the top.
It seems as the devices have all freaked out because of a leap year issue. Today isn't 365 it is 366.....so tomorrow they should all un-freak and carry on.
I will say it did piss a bunch of people off. So far I haven't had many problems with my ipod. :)

2008 losses

This last year has been a hard but good year. I have many things to be grateful for and many people that I will miss this coming year.

We have had four very important people in our lives pass away this year.

Tina, who watched my son daily for years, will be greatly missed. She and I had many laughs over the years and also we just got each other. It is rare when you find someone that just "gets" you. Tina, I miss you.

Deanous, my second mother, passed in May. I have known Deanous since I was in the first grade. She taught in the school that I went to. Her daughter, R, was the first person I ever sat next to when we moved to the big ole little town I grew up in. There was one particular thing she did for me that I will never forget. We were on a band trip in high school and a teacher was giving me a hard time for no reason. Deanous stood up and basically yelled at the lady to leave me alone and that she would take full responsibility for me. She then came and gave me a big hug and told me that she was going to call my momma (as the lady giving me a hard time was my mother's cousin). All through the years she treated me and my brother as her own children. She loved my child as her own grandchild. She died two weeks before her own grandchild, a beautiful granddaughter, was born. My heart aches for R, as I can only imagine how losing your Mother and having a daughter all in the same 2 week period.......wow. I love you Deanous. I wish you could have physically held your granddaughter. She would have made you smile that beautiful smile of yours. You would be so proud. I miss you.

Also in May, Daddy M, our beloved grandfather whom we named our child after also passed just days after Dean0us. I have no words to express the loss we feel without having him here. He made me feel like I was the best thing that had ever happened to his grandson. He also loved to sing and made everyone around him feel like singing and dancing. Even though he knew that Mamaw smoked and drank he still never said anything. I have always had the utmost respect for him. He never pushed his opinions on anyone. He led by example. I will forever cherish the picture I have of the four generations together.

Grandad also passed this year. He passed a couple of days before the Hurricane Ike hit Texas. He was preparing us all the last few years that he was ready to go be with his wife, Punkin, in heaven. Well I wasn't prepared. He was the nicest most sincere man I have ever met. I don't think he had one mean bone in his body. His smile was contagious. He made everyone feel that they were the most important person in the world to him. Just thinking about him make me tear up. I can still hear him like it was yesterday. I hope I can always hear his voice in my head.

I know that this is a downer post.....but I need a place to say goodbye and also remember these special people in my life.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!

As promised....here are a couple of pictures.

First we have the lake near where we are staying. This is just the most beautiful place on earth....I think!

Next, is the red-headed son making snow angels. This was within minutes of us arriving at our destination in Colorado.
If you are wondering....we are in Grand Lake, Colorado. It is 30 or so minutes from Winter Park. It is just beautiful here!
Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday's....whichever you prefer!
May your day be filled with love, laughter, family, good health, and maybe a strong glass of eggnog!
Peace out.




Saturday, December 20, 2008

We are leaving in just a few hours.

Colorado here we come.

I am hoping to be able to grace you internets while I am in CO but I am not sure there will be access for me. I will find a way to get some pictures uploaded of snow.

Just a side note - it will be 80 degrees and raining on Christmas day here at our house....it will be snowing where we are in Colorado.

Happy Holiday's ya'll!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Colorado or bust

So I have been knee deep in preparations for our trip to Colorado for Christmas. I was also asked to help make a DVD of picture for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary in the midst of all of my planning and preparing.

This morning I was overcome with panic as I was trying to get the DVD's to copy and also find time to go run all of my errands. I was ready to check myself in the looney bin. I just couldn't see any progress in any of what I had been doing all week. I made 10 DVD's for my Mother and it took 45 minutes for each of the boogers to copy. I had been working on this project all week which included contacting each of my younger cousins to get me update pictures of themselves. The pictures that I had dated back to the first of the 20th century to present.

It was awesome to get to catch up with everyone that I did talk to. I hadn't seen or heard from 5 of my cousins for over 20 years. It was a nice to get updated pictures and reconnect with the little/now big rugrats.

Once I was done with the big family project, I got down to business regarding our trip to Colorado...well after lunch with my Mother, of course.

The family came with and I went grocery shopping as well as we went and got all of our snow gear. After that we hit Target and then headed home. It feels awesome to know that 78% of all of our stuff is ready to go. I just need to finish up and go to a couple of Christmas parties in between.

Next week, we will be on vacation for Christmas in Colorado. I will be very sparse around here....I know you are shocked, right? okay.....whatever. I do promise to try and check in with a picture or 2 while we are gone.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Sunday's picture

Santa, Mrs. Clause, red-headed son and an elf.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

I have a freckle....

Honestly, I have lots and lots of freckles as I am a pretty fair skinned person. But how many people have freckles on their hands?


See it? My son has one on his hand too. I have never known anyone else to have one on the palm of their hand.....but then again I never really looked!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

I hate the sensation of falling.

I hate even more actually falling.....like through the ceiling....

see the hole here?
looking up at the hole...
My good friend/neighbor was with me when it happened. After she made sure I was okay and got me to stand up we both started laughing hysterically. I couldn't believe what happened and that it happened so fast. I didn't even have time to yell a cuss word as I am known to do.
Seriously....that fast. It felt like an eternity though.
Hubster has had many phone calls by me that started with "Honey, I am fine, but......". This was probably not the last time either!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Sunday's picture

I know that I just posted a bunch of pictures but I wanted to post this for my Sunday's picture....

This is my red-headed son. His nickname starts with a "M" so here is my little SuperMan!


bubbles and smoke

I am taking a photography class and I have a project due tomorrow. I am just playing around with some stuff I have at home.

First off we have bubbles...
A single bubble...

smoke....
more smoke with a cool curly spiral...

and more smoke....I like how the light lit this up...


I have to have 7 or 8 pictures.....hmmmm what else can I do? Any ideas?

Saturday, December 6, 2008

blog, blog, blog....oh blog

I am sorry I have neglected you. I just haven't felt up to doing well much of anything lately. Don't get me wrong...I did do things this week....like me and the hubster went to the post office.

Usually someone can go to the post office and get their mail or send off their mail but we actually had a horrible few days dealing with the post office. You know it is one thing for someone to not help you but it is entirely a different thing when someone ANTI-helps you. Hubster gave me the definition for ANTI-helping ~it is past the point of someone helping you they actually work against you.

We ended up going to the post office 3 days in a row due to their incompetence. All we were trying to get was our mail. I know real hard concept for the USPS. On Monday, they let us wait for one and 1/2 hours and told us that they didn't know how to help us and for us to call back the next day. We do as asked and call on Tuesday, they tell us that our mail is there and to please come back and get it. We get to the post office and do exactly as told and they come back to us over an hour later telling us that even if they had the mail they wouldn't give it to us, they were going to return to sender.

Well that about did me in. I think my head spun around on my shoulders a few times. I saw red. I asked for the supervisors name and number. On the way home, I called the number and spoke to the supervisor. She was not friendly at all. She told me that there was nothing she could do.

When we got home I got on the computer and found the name and number of the postmaster for our big metropolitan city. I wrote a long email of complaint to that gentleman. I explained myself and kept out all of the profanity that I sooooo wanted to pepper it with. I had the hubster review it with me as I was in such a frenzy when I wrote it. He helped edit it and then I sent it. Oh that felt good. I just let the USPS have it! I told him exactly what I thought and how it was one thing to help and another to waste my time.

A few hours later, I received a response from the post master. I about fell out of the bed when I read it. He actually responded and said that I would be helped the next day by the supervisor that I had spoken to.

On Wednesday morning, I called back the supervisor and she said she would look and see if they had the mail. She found it and said that she had it on her desk and to come back and call her and she would bring it out to me. I told her I would be there within the hour.

We show back up at the post office and I called her again. She said that she would be right out with the mail. Hubster and I waited patiently.....and we waited and waited. We waited for over 30 minutes.

Finally a guy that worked there was coming out of the blue solid door we had been standing in front of and I asked him to please go and get the supervisor. He said he would. He came back a minute later and told me that she was in a meeting. I told him that I needed him to go get her as I had just talked to her and she was holding my mail. He left and went looking for her. A few minutes later he returned and told me that she was still in the meeting and he couldn't help further. Just at that time another lady came to the window who I know wasn't the supervisor. She asked me what I needed and I told her I needed the supervisor by name and then she proceeded to throw my piece of mail at me.

This was what we dealt with this week. I think that the post office was laughing at us. I pictured them sitting in the back of the warehouse area smoking and laughing at the poor souls who they got to torture. Like I said....it is one thing to not help me but another to ANTI-help me.

It is now Friday night and I am still upset with the post office. Our issue was resolved. We got the mail we needed. But I am still mad as a hornet. I mean come on.....what the hell?!?

Hopefully, next week will be better.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

I did it!


I did it! I did it! I did it! Did you know that I did it? I finished the month and posted everyday. Now I know that not everyday was full of great stuff and some was filler but I finished the month out! I am proud of myself. It was hard!

I plan to continue posting daily just better content.


This is huge for me as I usually start something and then don't finish it for one reason or another. I mean, this is awesome, I even had family here for Thanksgiving and all that jazz during the end of the month.

Sunday's picture


Saturday, November 29, 2008

Christmas Wishlist

I am a bit sad tonight. Thanksgiving is over. All of our company has left, our daughter has gone back home.

So I am going to scour the internet to find my Christmas wish list. Fun fun.....

First up is this adorable business card holder for when I start my photography business.





Next are these adorable lens huggies as this little shop calls them. You can find these cute camera accessories here at PhatStraps.


Last up is this shootsac:

This is the coolest thing I have seen. I really, really, really want one just like this!



Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanksgiving hangover

Ever feel, after a big holiday, like you have a hangover? Oh my, do I.

Today is no exception.

And so I don't blow nablopomo I am going to leave a picture of what the kids made yesteraday after Turkey.

Oh and my neighbor went shopping today on Black Friday and scored some cool stuff....and she told me that she heard that a fight broke out in Walmart over a digital picture frame. What class.

That cracked me up.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving

Today we had all of our family come to celebrate this day with us. It makes my heart swell.

I am so tired I can't even see straight. I am going to bed but will leave you with this picture.

I am thankful for many people in my life. This little one is the newest.


Goodnight.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving and Toilets

As in freaking exhausted. It has been a whirlwind of a day. We woke up to the kids/guest bathroom toilet leaking all over the floor. (Remember the whole family will be here tomorrow.....) I called the landlord and then my AMAZING father and he came over with a new toilet and installed it for us.

I felt like I was going to melt down., well I guess I semi did in my mom's embrace. I won't lie there were tears. My mother, well she has helped in such a way that I am forever grateful. I owe both of my parents for being there for me for whatever I need. They not only have been to my house each day this week, they are making a TON of food to bring to my house for Thanksgiving. My mother has donated her linen, silver, and anything else I have needed.

The hubster kept me in my happy place and calm. He has the ability to talk me off the ledge like no ones business. I owe him a nice dinner, drink, and back rub.

Everyone pulled together to move the furniture and set up the tables. Our house has been transformed. Rain or shine 18 adults and 5 children will be in my house celebrating Thanksgiving together.

Wow do I have much to be thankful for! :)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Cleaning out the closet

It is Thanksgiving....okay not yet but close enough. We have all of our family coming in the next couple of days and I am stressed to the max.

The last two days have been frantically cleaning like a mad woman. I couldn't have even thought about doing it without my dear friend across the street. Amanda came over and put me to work and helped me transform my house from a house that a tornado hit into a presentable one to the family. I don't know what or how I am going to thank her. If you have any ideas....shoot. I need them. I want to do something extra nice for her.

Let me explain why it has to be extra nice.....

We have a closet that is the biggest closet in the house and it is located in my step-daughter's room. When me moved in we had a bunch of stuff to put somewhere so I stored it into her closet since she doesn't live with us and isn't here most of the year. After a while the closet became the place to put something I didn't have a place for. The closet was filled to the brim. Kinda like Monica's secret closet in this Friend's episode. Well Amanda came over and I mentioned that the closet was bothering me and I wanted it clean for our Grandmother's visit as well as hubster's daughter. I had her sit down before I opened the door. She screamed OMG! And then she got me to work. She pulled everything out one by one and I put them in a pile of keep, donate, trash. It took 2 hours but we got it done. You can actually walk in the closet now. I am so excited and beyond relieved. I feel like a weight has been lifted.

Want to know the funniest part about it all. I did this mostly so our Grandmother could hang up her clothes and she just brought one bag and no hanging clothes!

Good night all....tomorrow is a ton of cooking. I might even feel good enough to pass on my baked macaroni and cheese recipe!

Monday, November 24, 2008

The New Air Force One

This is the funniest thing I have seen this week!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Sunday's picture


This was the first time that hubster let our son go and he has never needed help since.

This just shows me how independent our son is getting. I am so proud of him! (and weepy at the same time!)

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Turkey Recipe

So i just got this recipe in the mail for a Thanksgiving Turkey from our grandmother.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken or turkey
1 large lemon, cut into halves
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Rub butter or oil over the skin of the chicken/turkey until it is completely coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you prefer.

Take a knife and gently separate the skin from the breast meat;

Slide lemon halves under the skin with the peel side up, one on each side. This way the juice from the lemon will release into the breasts.

Place sprig of rosemary into the chicken/turkey.

Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove cover and continue to roast until juices run clear, basting every 15-20 minutes.

If you've followed these steps correctly, your chicken/turkey should look like the one in the picture.

Bon Appetite!



Friday, November 21, 2008

Good times, good times

Tonight, we went to some old friends house and just reconnected. It was much needed. We had fabulous fajitas and drank some cheap wine which was just perfect!

After dinner we got the kids a movie going and the adults went outside and sat around the fire pit and drank Hot Cocoa with the following....

mmmmmmmmm.......this is highly addictive. I highly recommend it.

I am definitely going to bed now.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Aaaaaackkkkk! I feel yucky!

Tonight, I ran up to our closest grocery store to get snacks for red-headed son's first grade class tomorrow. As I got to the store I pulled up into a great spot near the door. I went inside and did my shopping of figuring out what kind of snack to get. After 10 minutes of going back and forth on what I should get (so that all the kids love him and not make fun of him which really isn't the point of anything anyway) I checked out.

When I was walking out the door, a young lady was carrying a very newborn baby in her arms and she was trying to keep hold of the baby and drag the cart filled with stuff out to her vehicle. I remembered how awkward it was to learn how to take your child anywhere when my son was small so I offered to push her cart to the car. She accepted and thanked me.

I would have been fine if it had stopped there. The young lady turned to me and said "look at all this stuff that WIC gave me. It is too much stuff!" as we walked up to her newer car....at least way newer than mine. Here was someone that was COMPLAINING of what was given to her and with the help of MY tax paying dollars. I have no clue if that car was hers or not. Nor do I know where she lives or what kind of lifestyle she has other than what she was portraying. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

I am not upset that I helped her. I was just taken aback that someone would tell a complete stranger that they got too much stuff from WIC. I do hope that she uses all of the food that she got tonight for herself and her child/ren. I hope she is well.

I really hope that I get this icky feeling (for even feeling this way) goes away.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Puppy nose

I want a dog. Red-headed son wants a dog. Hubster does not want a dog. The boy and I don't necessarily want a puppy we just want a dog that needs a home. I would REALLY like a Boston Terrier.

I even have names picked out for my two dogs that I dream of.....Sir Nestle Tollhousen from this Friends episode and Vera Lynn for Pink Floyd's song "Vera".

One day I came across this little guy on petfinder....


His name is Seymour. That is too perfect of a name to change plus he is an older fella.....I am in love with this little guy! I mean look at his little face.....
Red-headed son wants a Chihuahua. He too has the perfect name for his little doggie, Tuhuahua the Chihuahua. How freaking cute is that?
One day kiddo....you won't have dog allergies and your dad will cave!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Thanksgiving is around the corner

Oh my! I have so much to do for Thanksgiving! We have ALL of our family coming to spend this wonderful holiday with us! (Can you tell I am happy with all of my explanation marks? shhhh don't tell anyone but I am a bit freaked out as well!) My sisters-in-law will be coming in from California, our Grandmother will be coming in from Louisiana, and my step-daughter will be coming in from Idaho as well as the rest of our family from all over Texas. WOW!

Unfortunately, I am not Sally Homemaker. Thank GOODNESS that I will have all my helpers (i.e. our moms and grandmother) around me to help me out and a couple of bottle of wine chilled and ready to go! My husband is doing more than anyone so he is really the one that is cooking for this big shindig. His turkeys are going to kick ass this year! He is frying 2 and smoking 1.

I can't wait!

Monday, November 17, 2008

What were they thinking?

This has been all over the web today.


I have a headache now...hand me the advil!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Sunday's picture

This is my cat's face. Don't let her sweet looks fool you.....she is evil!

If you look in her left eye you can see my palm tree in the back yard.


Saturday, November 15, 2008

Fun Times!

So today me and the red-headed child went to a birthday party for one of his friends at Dewberry Farms. There are many cool things about this place. One cool thing is there is nothing electronic. I would call it "organic". They have go-karts but doesn't use gas, they have pedals. There are little wagons all over the place that the kids just loved pulling around. You could also attach them all together like a train.

We got to go on a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch and had the best driver who told us all about the different pumpkins. (Did you know there is a pumpkin called the Long Island Tea?) There was also a corn maze that we all ran through. The kids were laughing and running as fast as they could. It was a blast.

Once we got out of the corn maze we went and walked through the wild flowers. For $2 you could cut and take as many wild flowers as you could fit into a cup that they gave you. I opted to go and feed the goats at the goldend goat bridge....a 20' suspension bridge that the goats would climb for treats. It was the coolest thing I have seen up close and personal (re: goats that is!).



If you are ever near the area I suggest you go with your kids.....it is an awesome experience for all.

Friday, November 14, 2008

End of fall ball

So the red-headed child got his trophy tonight for playing baseball. The trophy was nice but the party was well awesome. The kid was so excited about getting the trophy he could hardly stand it.

There were margarita's and there was a sand box and a gameroom....not a bad combo.

It was a nice way to end the season.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Lucky penny


Tonight was my son's last little league game before playoffs. His team has lost every game except one*. Tonight before we left the house he came up to me and handed me a penny he had found. He walked off and then came back with his piggy bank and got out 12 pennies. One for each of his team mates.

He brought me the dozen pennies and asked me to hold on to them so that he could give them to his coach so that each of his team mates would have good luck too.

I love my child's generous nature! What an awesome kid!

*We lost tonight as well. Thank goodness the season is over!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

"Do unto others...."

Monday night, Keith Olbermann commented on the passing of Proposition 8 in California last week...... before I share it with you let me state that this may not affect you or anyone you know....but this does affect my family and we don't even live in California.

Here is a passage of what Keith said....if you would like to hear/read the rest you can go here.

"I keep hearing this term "re-defining" marriage. If this country hadn't re-defined marriage, black people still couldn't marry white people. Sixteen states had laws on the books which made that illegal in 1967. 1967.

The parents of the President-Elect of the United States couldn't have married in nearly one third of the states of the country their son grew up to lead. But it's worse than that. If this country had not "re-defined" marriage, some black people still couldn't marry black people. It is one of the most overlooked and cruelest parts of our sad story of slavery. Marriages were not legally recognized, if the people were slaves. Since slaves were property, they could not legally be husband and wife, or mother and child. Their marriage vows were different: not "Until Death, Do You Part," but "Until Death or Distance, Do You Part." Marriages among slaves were not legally recognized.

You know, just like marriages today in California are not legally recognized, if the people are gay.

And uncountable in our history are the number of men and women, forced by society into marrying the opposite sex, in sham marriages, or marriages of convenience, or just marriages of not knowing, centuries of men and women who have lived their lives in shame and unhappiness, and who have, through a lie to themselves or others, broken countless other lives, of spouses and children, all because we said a man couldn't marry another man, or a woman couldn't marry another woman. The sanctity of marriage.

How many marriages like that have there been and how on earth do they increase the "sanctity" of marriage rather than render the term, meaningless?

What is this, to you? Nobody is asking you to embrace their expression of love. But don't you, as human beings, have to embrace... that love? The world is barren enough.

It is stacked against love, and against hope, and against those very few and precious emotions that enable us to go forward. Your marriage only stands a 50-50 chance of lasting, no matter how much you feel and how hard you work.

And here are people overjoyed at the prospect of just that chance, and that work, just for the hope of having that feeling. With so much hate in the world, with so much meaningless division, and people pitted against people for no good reason, this is what your religion tells you to do? With your experience of life and this world and all its sadnesses, this is what your conscience tells you to do?

With your knowledge that life, with endless vigor, seems to tilt the playing field on which we all live, in favor of unhappiness and hate... this is what your heart tells you to do? You want to sanctify marriage? You want to honor your God and the universal love you believe he represents? Then Spread happiness—this tiny, symbolic, semantical grain of happiness—share it with all those who seek it. Quote me anything from your religious leader or book of choice telling you to stand against this. And then tell me how you can believe both that statement and another statement, another one which reads only "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

You are asked now, by your country, and perhaps by your creator, to stand on one side or another. You are asked now to stand, not on a question of politics, not on a question of religion, not on a question of gay or straight. You are asked now to stand, on a question of love. All you need do is stand, and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate.

You don't have to help it, you don't have it applaud it, you don't have to fight for it. Just don't put it out. Just don't extinguish it. Because while it may at first look like that love is between two people you don't know and you don't understand and maybe you don't even want to know. It is, in fact, the ember of your love, for your fellow person just because this is the only world we have. And the other guy counts, too."

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Happy Veterans' Day!


Have you called your veteran today and thanked them?
Happy Veterans' day!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Biscuit and Muffins

My first memory of having a pet was when I was 4 years old and before my little brother was born, I had a dog and a cat. The dog's name was Muffins and the cat's name was Biscuit. Muffins was a little all black poodle. Biscuit was a tabby cat if I remember correctly. When I was 6, we moved all over Texas. Biscuit didn't end up moving with us but Muffins did.

Muffins stayed with us until she ran away. I remember missing her like crazy. One day, years after Muffins ran away my mom and I thought we saw her on the side of the road. We picked her up .....and then we found out she was a he. We looked for and found his owners, my mom called my dad and told him we were going to the SPCA and to get out the checkbook......that is when we got Lacie. That is for another day though....I have to find her picture to do her justice! :)

Much thanks goes to the One Minute Writer for today's post idea.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Sunday's picture

I have decided to do Sunday's picture around here on Sunday's.

This way I can enjoy my family to its fullest on this our last weekend day together before we tackle a new week and still post as well.

Today, I give you my favorite flower that my hubster got me that I took. Someday soon I will hang this on my wall.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

nail polish - negative review

I am in dire need of a manicure/pedicure but we are trying to save money for our Colorado trip this Christmas so I went the other day to Target and found this nail polish for $.99. Instead of going with a trusted brand that I know I tried this new one.


Yesterday I painted my nails before the game. I noticed as soon as I applied it to the nail it immediately dried. I was a bit surprised but didn't think much about it. I went to the game and didn't notice much about my nails since I was the score keeper. I do promise that I did not bite my nails as I am prone to do during said games.
Today I got up and cleaned the messy kitchen. By the time I was done my nails were completely chipped. Not one nail did not have a major chip of the nail polish.
You get what you pay for. I would not use this nail polish unless you don't want it on longer than a day, if that.

Friday, November 7, 2008

tonight's little league game.....

I figured I should complain here than to go to the coach and make it worse for the kids.....so here goes.

A bit of background, the coach is a mom and she has never coached before. Our children are all boys 7 years or younger. This year is coach pitch where one of the coach's pitch to the kids.

So bullet points here we come.....
  • Out of 9 games we have only won 1.
  • Tonight we lost.....13 - 0.
  • Our pitcher tonight struck almost all of our kids out. The umpire even stopped and commented to him that he should quit striking the kids out.
  • Tonight alone there were only 19 times at bat.
  • Out of those 19 times at bat 13 kids were struck out.
  • There were 4 hits! :)
  • There were 2 outs on base.
  • The other team each got to bat 3 times apiece.
  • Our team only got to bat twice except for one kid and he only got to bat once.

Next year, if my son wants to play again, I won't score keep. It is too hard to watch game after game after game....

I am off to go have some chicken wings and maybe an electric lemonade to forget about it all.

The red-headed son went with the grandparents (my parents) after the game. I am gonna go on a date with my hubster and forget all about the game! :) Hopefully the boy is having to much of a blast to care that they lost 13 - 0.

Hopefully Monday's game won't be like this. This was the most brutal of them all.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

early christmas presents....the best kind!

Today my very good friend, Jimmie, came back to town and called me for a jaunt to the mall. How could I say no? I haven't seen her in weeks. I also REALLY needed to get out of the house (even though I still have a mountain of laundry to do....oh well!) I also really needed to get my gab on.

We walked in the mall and started directly to go to the jewelers.....see my girl got engaged not to long ago to a fabulous guy. He got her a SWEET looking engagement ring so we wanted to walk in and see what is out there for wedding bands for him.

Dude! They have some pretty cool looking rings! I did not know that they had Titanium rings or even Tungsten rings. Very cool! I almost wished I had seen something like that when me and hubster got married.

We walked all around the mall and oohed and ahhhed over a some cute sweaters and tops. Mostly, I made fun of things.....cause that is just what I do! I will say that Jimmie found the best find of the day to make fun of.....there were these Calvin Klein shoes. I actually put them on. If I wanted to see up a girls skirt, I would TOTALLY buy these shoes to do it with!





I had never been in an Abercrombie & Fitch store. Ever. Today was my first day. The only reason I even ventured in was because I had borrowed Jimmie's jacket because as it was raining and the jacket was COMFORTABLE! She wanted to pick up a few things as well.



Jimmie insisted that she get me an early Christmas present since we won't see each other for the holidays. See below.....how freaking lucky am I?








I am more than lucky that I know my dear friend Jimmie. She is one of a kind!

Thank you Jimmie for my Christmas gifts...I don't think I will ever take them off! They will be PERFECT for Colorado!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

enough with politics....how about some etiquette

So I was going around the Internets today and came across this from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Charm School. The All American Girls Professional Baseball League was what the movie "A League of Their Own" was about.

Seriously, baseball charm school....how charming.

Here is my favorite of all of the etiquettes:

SPORTSMANSHIP. Sportsmanship on the field and off is definitely aligned with etiquette. There is such a thing as wanting to win and fighting to win with all your heart and this is both commendable and desirable. It is another thing, however, to become known as a "poor loser" who cannot accept the inevitable defeats in good grace. When you play ball, play hard and play for all you are worth. It is understandable, in the heat of excitement and the intense desire to win, that you may occasionally differ with a decision and impulse to protest violently is hard to control. The usually accepted pattern of a sportsman is the one who gives no expression or gesture of either chagrin or satisfaction and this is an admirable pattern. However, it is hard to control emotions completely and it is expected that a player might show dissatisfaction in the face of a bad "break" in the game and equal pleasure with a successful maneuver. Your pleasure may appear as gloating or bragging to your opponents. Win gracefully and modestly and lose gracefully too, if you can. Above all, avoid the showoff attitude in front of your opponents and the public. Be courteous and considerate in the event of unavoidable accidents or contacts on the field. Play the game hard and fair and you will earn the recognition and respect of teammates, opponents and public.

Click here to see the rest.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

what up!?!

I did this.....

Did you? You still have some time, yo.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Sunday Fun

This is what we did yesterday.


and some of this.....


It is my hubster's passion/hobby. This is the world of Radio Control cars. It has trickled down to my little red-headed son. Hubster's is nitro (see above) and the red-headed son's is electric (see below).


some other boys brought their toys also.....



Sunday, November 2, 2008

urgent care and poison ivy...what a mix

Last weekend, we went camping. Hubster got poison ivy. He. got. it. bad. He looked horrible. His nose and arms swelled up. We went to an urgent care facility which ended up being rude and more expensive than if I had taken him to the ER. Why is that? You would think that an UC would be quicker and cheaper than the ER. Isn't the ER for EMERGENCIES? What is Urgent Care?

Tuesday, we went to the Urgent Care AFTER I checked with my insurance co. about where I should go. I even called the UC and made sure that yes they did take my insurance and they also took walk-ins and to please not bother making an appt. over the phone but please drive immediately to the UC. We get there and walk in at 9:15AM. The UC opened at 9AM.

We were met by a rude receptionist that told us that we would have to wait until they could work us in that even though they had UC written on the building that they still had a schedule to keep. I told the lady that my hubster had poison ivy and I would appreciate her making us time so that my hubster could get the all important shot of steroids.

We went and sat down and I filled out all of the important information and then we waited. and waited. and waited. Finally, hubster was called to come on back. I told him that I would just sit there (cause I might want to give the shot.) and I would see him in a bit. I started reading and not but a few minutes later did he come around the corner again. They had only checked his height/weight/bp. So we waited. and waited. and waited.

His name was called again. I again said I would just sit there and see him in a bit. They wanted him to give a urine sample. He asked why as he knew exactly what he had and just needed a shot. The nurse told him they checked for other infections or something. He declined and said he couldn't go. He came and sat back down next to me and we waited.

While all of this was going on there were people coming in and out of the door for flu shots. I watched at least 20 people walk in the door go to the receptionist and give her their driver's license and sign a piece of paper, walk back and get the shot and leave. Over and over did people come through that door. Hubster needed a shot too, just not the right kind apparently. We sat and waited at the UC for 2 1/4 hours.

He was finally called back to see the Dr. The Dr. told him that she wasn't going to give him a shot but instead would prescribe pills to help him. Her logic for this was that the pills wouldn't leave a dent in his hip as a shot would. Like he is going around town showing off is hips anyway is beyond me but whatever. Hubster knew what she was prescribing as he had taken it before when he was younger. Had I been back there I would have told her to give him the shot all ready.

Hubster has had poison ivy quite a few times in his life. Your body starts to develop an allergy to it. I did not know that. Your body also has a "memory" of where you have had posion ivy before. And that "memory" will remember and break out exactly in that same spot even if it was not exposed. This happened to hubster. He was miserable. So he took the prescription and then came and got me. We paid out and it cost us $95 and that was discounted from $120. (A couple of weeks back I had to go to the ER for a cyst that burst. I was in and out within a couple of hours and it only cost us $75. Thanks UC! NOT!)

Hubster got the pills from the pharmacy immediately. He had to take 6 pills the first day and 5 the second day, and so on until there was just one pill left. The Dr. had also prescribed him some anti itching pills as well as steroid cream. He is looking and feeling much better.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Halloween

My red-headed child who just turned 7 years old in September wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween. On Wednesday, October 29th, I had yet to get his costume. It wasn't for the lack of thinking about it....that is for sure. I just hadn't gotten to Target (my favorite store ever!) to see if I could find Darth Vader.

I was a bit worried that I had waited way too long as I am known to procrastinate! The night before we had watched Modern Marvels on the History channel which I LOVE! This is a great show. The show was all about Halloween. The origins, how they make the candy and best of all they had a section on the store Spirits.

I don't know if you have been to Spirits, but this place is Halloween Heaven. This company pops into a shopping center for the month of October and is gone at the end of the month. The show talked about how the week before Halloween they make sure that they are as fully stocked as they are on the first day they open the store. This gave me hope!


Wednesday morning I asked my little red-headed child (RHC) if he wanted Darth Vader or would he be happy with Iron Man if the store had it as well (I remembered from the show that they had a display of Iron Man). I needed a backup in case for some odd reason (which would totally be MY luck) they didn't have Darth Vader. He said that would be fine if I found either. He didn't care which one. Yippee for mommy!!!


I got to the store and my went straight to the display. I found the Iron Man costume immediately. I looked all over for Darth Vader, he was no where in sight. As I was walking to the Iron Man area my cell phone started going off. I answered it and ended up talking to a good friend of mine. As we were chatting I looked at the costume and the price. I saw 24.99 and grabbed the size that I saw I needed for the RHC and found the gloves that matched the costume. I finished my conversation and checked out. As I got into my truck I reviewed the receipt. I gasped. Apparently, I had grabbed the wrong costume....not as in the wrong as not Iron Man but wrong as in the price was 44.99. The gloves....6.99. As I started to get out of the truck I looked up at the door and in big block letters read: All Sales Final - No Refunds - No Exchanges.


crap.


So when RHC walked in the door from a very hard but good day of first grade I told him to sit on the couch and close his eyes. He did as told and I placed the costume in his arms. He opened his eyes and let out a "cool mom....Iron Man! Can I put it on?" Hubster and I watched as he put the costume on.


As each piece went on, hubsters eyebrows raised....."That is a NICE costume! Where did you get it?" he asked. I had to break down and tell him. At RHC's baseball practice, I told another mom about my mistake. When she saw the picture she commented that the helmet must be made of gold. I think it might be!

As long as RHC wants to wear this costume he can. I don't care if he sleeps in it!

RHC and a good friend of his went Trick or Treating last night with some neighbors. They had a blast! RHC ran most of the night. By the end of the night, he was too hot to wear his helmet or those 6.99 gloves.



NaBloPoMo

I have high hopes for my blog that so far I have not been able to meet. There has been so much going on that I just couldn't find the words to post last week.

There is a website called NaBloPoMo and it is to celebrate National Blog Posting Month. This is to help also set the habit to blog everyday. So I am going to try and do this. I am going to try with all of my might to post each post that I start. I am going to tell you internet about me and my family (protecting the guilty of course!) and I am going to make this my journal. I always wanted one but I have issues with writing things down.....if I blog.....it might be different.

So NaBloPoMo it is! There will be interesting posts coming this month I am sure of it....and maybe a few non-interesting posts as well. :)

Monday, October 20, 2008

things out of my kiddo's mouth

Today alone I have heard the following from my 7 year old red-headed son.....

1. "Mom, I really need to tell you why I was bad today at school.* It was the devil and he made me do it."
2. "Mom, seriously.... you know there is a devil. Right?"
3. "I really wish one day I can draw my own money!" (he then proceeded to draw me a picture with $1 and then fourty-one (41) zeros behind).

Today I am rich and he is grounded!

*reason he is grounded

spiders scare me now....

Spiders didn't scare me before, but they do now. A couple years back my step-daughter (aka Bear) was with us for one of her visits and I had just gone to bed after having a horrible headache all day. I took a couple of Tylenol p.m. and proceeded to pass out. I was just getting to sleep and was awoken t0 Bear standing over my head trying to get me up. In my mind I am screaming "WTH!?! To her....I am sure I wasn't pleasant either...I was half asleep and I am not a nice girl when I am awoken from sleep....ask any member of my family! Anyway, Bear is freaked out. She tells me there is a HUGE spider in the living room and I should come quick so that I can kill it. ......wha?hmmm?seriously? I was a bit perplexed. Hubster (her father) was right next to me. Why didn't she wake him up? Why did she think that I would be the one to kill the spider?

Reluctantly, I got out of bed and went to see what was going on. I haven't seen a BIG spider really ever, unless of course you count that time we were at the zoo or museum. I was not prepared for what I saw. Bear wasn't kidding when she said that there was a HUGE spider in the room. This thing was gianormous! I found the nearest shoe I could while Bear jumped on the couch cheering me on from far away. I slapped one of my flip-flops hard on the spider. As soon as I hit it a million baby spiders scattered from under my shoe. There had to have been a million......At that moment I promised all the spiders of the world that I would not harm anymore......except of course the babies that had spread all over my floor looking for cover. I ran and got the nearest spray I could find....ant and roach spray....if it was good for ants and roaches it was good for these babies. I sprayed the rest of the bottle that I had....it had to have been half full.

After we got everything settled, Bear went back to watching her show on t.v. and I went back to the comforts of my bed. As soon as I went back to sleep I started having nightmares of Charlotte and her babies from Charlotte's Web. "Help me....help me"......ahhhh.

Never again will I kill a spider. I promised!

Friday, October 10, 2008

get your costume on

I love halloween most years. It has been a holiday that kicks ass in the candy department. It has been years of dressing up as a watermelon slice, strawberry shortcake, a witch or any other strange costume I/my mom could come up with.

I have had many strange experiences on halloween. When I was a kid, my brother was about 2 and in a little red devil's costume. How appropriate. I was 6 and dressed as a witch. My mother made a nose for me that had a wart on the end with silly putty (or something similar). We drove to another neighborhood of some friends of my parents and on the way there we were in an accident and I hit the seat in front of me with my fake nose. I was devestated. The nose was smushed......looking back I can chuckle but at the time......not so much.....but I still made out like a bandit with the candy that year.

My first halloween with my then boyfriend/now hubster, we got together and went out with another friend of ours and hit the goodwill and got our costumes. Shortly before halloween there were big headlines made. Princess Di was killed in a car accident, John Denver was killed in a plane crash, and Mike Tyson has just bit off his opponents ear. When we all put our heads together we came up with our pretty disturbing costumes. I thought that Princess Di after the accident would be appropriate. It was Halloween and all! I bet you see where this is going. Yes, hubster decided on John Denver after his accident and our buddy decided that he would go as Mike Tyson (black faced and with an ear around his neck). What a fun time we had. We hit a costume party and rocked it. We had a blast. They had countless jello shots and free flowing beer. Good times.

Another memorable halloween was when we dressed up for a white trash party a friend was throwing. Hubster dressed up a pair of overalls and blacked out a tooth and had a red train hat on. I put my jammies, house shoes and a robe on. I put my hair up in rollers and put more freckles on (not like I needed anymore). Duringthe evening hubster went and left me sitting with some friends to go to the bathroom. When he came back he didn't come back alone. There was this cute little cheerleader that was following him. It happened to be an ex-girlfriend of his. He came and introduced her to me and I ackwardly shook her hand and smiled and then remembered that I had blackened out a tooth.

Halloween is right around the corner.....hmmmm what shall I be?

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

welcome to my show!

Welcome to the cheeky monkey show! Kick off your shoes and stick around for a while!

The urban definition for cheeky means you are flippant, have too much lip or are a bit of a smart arse! Generally you are considered to be a bit cheeky if you have an answer for everything and always have the last word......how fitting for my blog name.

Here I am going to explore whatever happens to be on my mind at the moment! I can be a bit scatterbrained at times so sit back and enjoy the ride!

If you have anything you would like to comment on....go for it.