"I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food. " - Finding Nemo

It's Random 10 Friday again folks.
Are you listening to anything good??

1. Monochrome - The Sundays
2. In A Little While - Uncle Kracker
3. Linger - The Cranberries
4. Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
5. When The Lights Go Down - Faith Hill
6. The Hand Song - Nickel Creek
7. I Don't Trust Myself (Loving You) - John Mayer
8. Bring The Rain - Mercyme
9. To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High) - Ryan Adams
10. But You Know I Love You - Alison Krauss

Bonus: Crazy Life - Toad The Wet Sprocket

Jefe went to the dentist today. That in and of itself is not noteworthy! What is - is the fact that this is the first time he has been to the dentist in 10+ years. I figured for sure he would have at least 1 cavity.
Did he you ask??
NO!
How fair is that?
For Pete's sake!!
I go to the dentist FAITHFULLY every 6 months. In fact, I go to the dentist soo much that I probably have paid for an expensive vacation to the Bahamas!
I brush 2x a day. I floss daily.
And for all that, I have teeth that resemble a Meth user!
Jefe doesn't go to the Dentist in over 10 years and he doesn't even have 1 tiny little cavity??
What's up with that??

I have a question. Its an easy question.
Why do little boys insist on wearing dirty clothes?
Thing 2 was getting ready for school today, and he came bouncing downstairs, all happy. Wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday. I told him he really needed to go and change, and put on clean clothes. He moaned and groaned and stomped back upstairs to change his clothes. He came down again, and had on the most filthy shirt I think he could find. Ewww! I said. "You can't wear that! It is filthy and has food and dirt all over it! You need to find clean clothes to put on!" He started hollering "Moooommmm! I don't care! No one cares Mom!" Uhh.
I care.
And further, You SHOULD care.
Change your clothes.
He came stomping back downstairs in a clean shirt and filthy pants.
Oh. My. Word.
What the flip is going on here?
He just rolled his eyes and goes "Mom. Its just dirt from playing soccer. Its not that big of deal."
Well.
Call me crazy, call me weird call me whatever. But there is one thing that I must insist on and that is my children leaving my house in clean clothes. I just don't understand it. He takes his filthy clothes, folds them nicely and puts them back in his dresser. Why? They are stinky, dirty gross. We had to go through his drawers this morning, and pretty much everything in there was dirty.

Sheesh. Guess I'm spending the day doing laundry.
But, why do little boys want to wear dirty clothes?
Why?

Last year Jefe was sitting by Thing 2 on the couch, and he goes "Dude. You really smell. You need to take a shower!" Thing 2 goes, I did. I just put my favorite shirt back on. Jefe made him take it off, and then he and I sniffed the shirt.
Oh.
My.
Word!
That shirt made me start to dry heave!! I looked at him all confused, and he said :" Well. Its my favorite shirt. I have been wearing all the time for like, a long time."
No kidding.
It smells like it!
Now, on a daily basis we have to look at what shirts he has on under his sweatshirts and long sleeve shirts... just to be sure we aren't having a repeat of last years stink mess.
I mean, lets get real. When a kid stinks. Who do people blame? The mom!
Now, peoples.
I am here to let you know, we Mothers of the stinky boys must unite! It, as I am coming to find out, is not entirely our fault.
We insist that they bathe.
We insist that they wear clean clothes.
They just don't.
I don't understand this, and probably never will.
But, I must tell you this-- you would've thought I was asking him to cut his arms off and beat himself with them when I told him under no certain terms was he leaving my house wearing those dirty, filthy clothes.
For heaven sakes people. Whats the big deal with clean clothes?
I just don't get it!


On another note...




Life is good when you're 3!

I thought I was going to blow past all the sickness that has been plaguing my home...
Not so.
I am sick. Boy am I sick. Thanks family for your generous sharing!
Jefe is STILL sick.
Thing 3 is STILL sick.
Thing 2 is STILL sick.
Thing 1 is enjoying the freedom that having sick parents presents.
Joy.
Rapture.
Cough Cough sniff sniff.
I'm going back to bed now.

Happy Birthday Jefe!

A song will outlive all sermons in the memory.
- Henry Giles

It's Random 10 Friday again folks... listenin' to anything good??

1. Spoken For - MercyMe
2. 100 Years - Five For Fighting
3. White Flag - Dido
4. Across The Universe - Jason Falkner
5. Jealous Of The Moon - Nickel Creek
6. Out Of Hand - Mighty Lemon Drops
7. New Years Day - U2
8. I Don't Wanna Die Anymore - New Radicals
9. Bend and Break - Keane
10. Out Of My Hands - Dave Matthews Band

Bonus: Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths

The things went to school yesterday, so I figured we were on the mend.
I figured wrong. Jefe called me at work last night to stop at the pharmacy on my way home to get medicine for Thing 2... He had an earache. He was up all night, basically, with the earache, which means that I was up all night with him. Jefe was up most of the night, hacking away. It was a regular old sick fest. I felt so sorry for Thing 2 cause he was in some major pain. We gave him the over the counter ear numbing drops, Tylenol and then a hot shower. After that, he started coughing so hard, I gave him some cough syrup too. He was probably higher than a kite! Then I set him up on the couch all propped up with the hot pad on his ear... and he promptly went to sleep. At 4:30 in the morning!
I was able to get him into the Dr. today, and he has a double ear infection, with his right ear drum ready to pop. OUCH! AND the beginnings of Bronchitis. Oh fun. Thing 3 has Bronchitis too... and I wouldn't be surprised if Jefe did too. Fortunately Jefe got antibiotics on Monday. I am not so sure that they are working, but it will keep all the other yucky sicknesses at bay. Thing1 is feeling much better. She actually stayed home today, but I think it was probably good for her, just so that we can get her completely cleared up.

Anyway. Now we have the plague identified. The Lysol is being sprayed in heavy amounts. The anti-bacterial hand sanitizer is flowing like old faithful and the coughing is slowly being subdued. The Things all have their various medicines in them, and Jefe is slipping off to never never land with his codeine laced cough syrup. We have rented a slew of videos... so I have that to entertain us. When we run out of that, there is always The Sopranos! Yeah!

Is this not the cutest thing ever? This is what I had wanted to make for the kids to give out as Valentines. I thought it was cute, and non-candy related. Thing 2 looked at me with his head all cocked to one side and said "Pencils?" As if I had completely lost my mind. Then he turned to Thing 1 and said, "Mom wants us to give out pencils." Jefe over heard them, and asked them if they thought that was retarded. Thing 1 looked at him and said "Dad. That is gay with a capital G. " tracing the G in the air. Jefe looked at me and goes "Yeah Mom! Get with the program!" Oh. Ok. Here I thought we were being creative... so we went on Valentines card hunt this afternoon. I had not even bothered getting any, cause I had been planning on making the pencils, that are apparently stupid.
After going to 5, yes count that FIVE stores, I finally found some stupid Valentine cards. Thing 2 was being rather picky, and I held up his choices for him and said "Dude, this is it. You can have Bob the Builder, Blues Clues, Barbie, Brats, or Shark Tales. OR you can have those lame pencils."
He promptly chose Shark Tales. Thing 1 said that those choices were even lamer than the pencils. Thing 3 was happy with Blues Clues. So. Thing 1 and I spent all night making her Valentine cards.
From scratch.
All night.
All because the pencils were pencils and they were gay with a capital G.
Whatever that means.
So, here is what we made. Hopefully it meets those weird 6th grader standards that nobody knows about except the 6th graders themselves!

We have the plague here. Sick, coughing, sneezing, feverish, moaning, plague. Everyone is sick around here, except me. How that happened is beyond me. I have been going around to the various rooms, spraying the Lysol disinfectant spray as I enter, seeing if they need anything, then spraying as I leave... then promptly washing my hands. I have been using those Clorox wipes and cleaning the handrails, door knobs, tables, chairs... everything. I really don't want to get this gombu! It looks horrid! This is how sick everyone is... Jefe actually went to the Dr. Which tells me that he must be knocking on deaths door. He NEVER goes to the doctor. Ever. Unless he has 1 foot in the grave. It sort of made me a little nervous when he announced he needed a doctors appointment.
On the other hand, the Things have been getting along amazingly! There has been little to no fighting. They sat in the family room yesterday, and played with all the toys, happily. Being nice and kind to each other. Sometimes having sick kids is a good thing... if they are going to be so nice to each other, and play together, and all sleep in the same room together! Too cute!

Thing 1 had her first school dance today.
WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN??
This growing up business?
YIKES!!!
She spent so much time in the bathroom this morning, she almost didn't make it to school. She looked darling. It was so fun to be there, and see her in her element... No! I wasn't spying! I was a chaperon, and I took pictures. I think I may have embarrassed her a titch when me and some of the other moms got out there and got a little jiggy with them. Oh well. I wouldn't be a cool Mom if I didn't embarrass her! Right? That's what I'll keep telling myself anyway.
Here's a photo of her doing her "thang"...
She is getting so beautiful, its sort of starting to stress me out!


P.S. Thing 1 said I did embarrass her, cause I looked like a big dork.
Oh well. Isn't that what Moms are for?

"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by thouse who could not hear the music."
- Angela Monet

Random 1o Friday again... whatcha listenin' to?

1. Goodbye Earl (Live) - Dixie Chicks
2. Poses - Rufus Wainwright
3. Curbside Prophet - Jason Mraz
4. Scotch & Chocolate - Nickel Creek
5. Either Way - Guster
6. You & Me - Lifehouse
7. How Come - Ray Lamontagne
8. Flying - Chris Isaak
9. Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me - Faith Hill
10. I Don't Trust Myself Loving You - John Mayer

Bonus: Someday We'll Know - New Radicals

My computer is dead. Gone. Caput. Ceasing to exist. DEAD!!
It keeps giving me an error message... Jefe says that means that the hard drive is dead.
Oh No! That means that all my photos are gone. My scrapbook pages are gone. GASP! What will I ever do?? I have been wandering around aimlessly for the last 2 days. Not quite sure what to do with myself. My routine has been completely screwed up... I get up, get the kids ready for school, send them off... Get Thing 3 set up in front of her show, and then I check my email and work on the blog. Not being able to do that, has really thrown me for a loop.
Do you think that means I'm addicted?
Probably!
Does this suck to have go to the library to check my email?
Yes.
Does this suck to have people reading over my shoulder?
Yes.
Does this suck to not be able to upload photos?
Yes.
Does this suck to have a TIME LIMIT???
Yes.

Sigh.
I guess I AM addicted.

When I walked into the library today, the librarian knew my name. He actually hollered out "Hey Motherboard! How you doin'?
"Uhh... how do you know my name?" Is what I wanted to say... but I just smiled... just a titch weirded out. Is that weird?? At first I thought it was, but the more I think about it, its sortof charming. I mean... isn't that what small towns are all about? People knowing people? I guess I am still used to being incognito... anonymous... unseen. It takes a little getting used to... all this familiarity.
Anyway.
I needed to use the computer, 'cause mine has decided to take a vacation. It's probably some where warm like Bora-Bora. Or Thailand. Maybe Greece. Yeah. Thats probably where it's gone.
Greece.
Gee thanks for inviting me.
Anyway, I asked the Librarian, who knew my name, what one had to do to get hooked up with a computer... He promptly signed me up... name and all.
Uhh. I find that a little weird.
What does this all mean??
It means I need to get a life!

Da bears.
Dey lost.

How sad for us. We were all decked out in our Chicago gear... food galore. We actually did watch the game. Until the last 10 minutes. It was just too painful. They botched it big time. I guess I could say it was the weather... but that QB had 6 too many over-turns/interceptions. Thing 2 was sad. Thing 1, suprisingly, was yelling and screaming at the T.V. like she actually knew what it was that they were doing.
Too cute!

Da bears.
Maybe next year!

You know that you go to the library too much when the librarian remembers your name, and you don't have to show your card any more.
Do you think I need to get a life??

I did something a little crazy. Usually, if I am going to do something, that would cause me "exposure", I mull it over and think about it, and plot it, usually until its too late to do it. That usually works for me.
Today, however, I got this "brilliant" idea that I should send in an essay to the Prairie Home Companion show. They call it "First Person" and they want essays, short stories or poems. I didn't have either of the latter, so I wrote an essay. It could only be 1,000 characters. Most of the other essays had been on people and their childhood homes or childhood memories. I wrote one on my childhood home. I actually submitted it before I could over analyze it. I don't know if its any good, or if it will even be accepted. I also had to write something about me... so I did.
Here it is:

My Town

I was raised in a small town in Utah where there was only 1 stoplight, and 1 restaurant… a greasy hamburger joint called Hobo Joes. I thought we were all a bunch of hillbillies. I just KNEW that there were bigger and better things out there waiting for me.

I remember when we got cable T.V. I was amazed that my little T.V. could show me what was happening all over the world. I would watch the news in Chicago and tell myself, someday I WILL live there! It was right then and there, when I was 10 years old, that I decided that small town living was not for me. When I was old enough, I would leave this town... this state and see what it is that the world had to offer.

Once I graduated, I did just that. I got a job being a travel agent, and set out to see the world. And see the world I did. When I finally “settled down” I did so in Illinois… The place I had always wanted to live. I had my little family, and I started to realize something… I started to feel something. I missed home and MY town. My small town.

It was on a particularly difficult day that I discovered Prairie Home Companion. I was cleaning my kitchen, when it started. That familiar opening tune was singing to me from my radio. Suddenly, I was home again. I was there, in my small town, with my family. I grew up listening to Prairie Home. Now, when I was so far from home, I was being reminded that I could make home anywhere.

I found myself there in Illinois. It was there where I really came to understand life, and its meanings, and where exactly I fit into the scheme of things. It became “My home”.

Recently, I returned to live in the town where I was raised. I found myself having those same feelings. Those same pains… I was home sick. I missed the mid-west. I missed the accents, the tail-gating and people. I even missed the weather. Then, I found it again... Prairie Home Companion. That familiar opening was singing to me again. Reminding me that home is what you make it. Not a building, but feelings. Yes. I remember now.

I’ve come home to my town. I couldn't wait to leave it when I was younger. I saw the world. I lived in fabulous places. Now, I will raise my kids here, in My Home Town.

About me:

Indeed, I am living in my small home town again. Small towns for kids are a curse, for adults, they bring comfort. I have a fabulous husband and 3 amazing kids. I also have a very rowdy boxer dog, who thinks she is kid #4. I still love to travel, and still plot and plan on ways to see what it is that the world has to offer. In my spare time I read and write. Someday, I hope to publish that book that we all are secretly writing. Prairie Home Companion has been an integral part of my life... I say this often, but my version of heaven will be Saturday nights, with Prairie Home in the background, the kids laughing in the pool, the steaks slowly grilling, the fireflies blinking away and the cicadas serenading me. Ahh. I can't wait! Until then, I will tune in here in the west, and dream!

I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floatin' around accidental-like on a breeze. But I, I think maybe it's both, maybe both happening at the same time. - Forrest Gump

Random 10 Friday is here again folks.
Here's what came up all random like on my player...
What about you? Care to play?

1. My Town - Montgomery Gentry
2. Not Coming Home - Maroon 5
3. All the Wild Horses - Ray Lamontagne
4. Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams
5. Dice - Finley Quaye (The O.C. Soundtrack)
6. Bad Day - Daniel Powter
7. Theme From Jurassic Park - John Williams
8. Speed - Montgomery Gentry
9. Sparks - Coldplay
10. Musicology - Prince

Bonus: Escape (Pina Colada Song-Radio Mix) - Captain Jack