Thing3: Mom can we go eat at Blue Jay's?

Me: Blue Jay's? What's that?

Thing3: You know. That place that has the fries that you really like.

Me: I have no idea what you are talking about.

Thing3: Yes you do. You always say how much you love their fries.

Me: Really. I don't know what you're talking about.

Thing3: (starts singing) Red Robin, Yum. You know? That place?


Blue Jay's - Red Robin. I see the connection.

My good friend (in real life) DeNae wrote this post today that you really need to go weigh in on. Especially the debate that is happening in her comment section.

I had to delete 6 paragraphs from my comment because I didn't want to be a comment hi-jacker.

Here's the thing:

I don't really care what your political affiliations are.

You shouldn't care what mine are.

We like each other based on the things that REALLY matter-- what we are like as human beings.

I really hate it when people start pontificating about how if you support one political party over another you are disgracing your religion. Or turning your back on God. Or, as was stated in my relief society recently "going against God's laws".

That is not true, nor is appropriate for people to assume that your political affiliations explain who you are as a Christian.

It's ignorant. It's rude. And, it's NOT Christlike.

I have TONS more that I would like to say on this matter, but I think DeNae said it better. Go read it and chime in with your two-bits.



*image via Google

A year ago I was asked if I wanted to head Career Day at the Junior High School for 1,280 12-15year old kids.

I promptly told them Hell-to-the-NO.

I was then, a month later, sent a letter stating that I was invited to the "changing of the guard" for the PTSA and would I kindly attend. I noticed that there was food attached to the venue so I thought, what the heck.

It was AT THAT MEETING where I found out that I was in fact not only going to be on the committee for Career Day, but I was THE COMMITTEE CHAIR.

I wanted to die.

I had myself convinced that it really wasn't going to be that big of a deal because I am a true delegate. If I give out an assignment, then I expect you to do it and do it well. If you don't, then you are the one that looks like a fool. Not me.

(OK. yes me. whatever.)

I called in every favor that was ever owed me, and we have an outstanding lineup for Career Day, which is this Thursday.

For the love of all things GOOGLE! It's THIS Thursday!

(no I'm not stressed, why do you ask?)

I was even able to convince the LT. Governor of my fine state to come and give an assembly for the 1,280 students.

Actually, I had to negotiate with him on time. I felt like I could negotiate with the big dawgs when I finished the negotiation process.

We needed 45 minutes.

He offered 15.

I countered with 30 minutes.

He countered with 15-18 minutes.

I laughed. (and started sweating) And countered with 25minutes.

He insisted on 18 minutes.

I countered with 20 minutes.

He agreed and I just couldn't help myself when I burst out: "Sold! You have yourself an assembly for 20 minutes."

This is a big deal, this career day. We have 47 presenters coming to the school to speak to 3 groups of 30 kids about their chosen profession. It has been a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

However, my stress doesn't end with the 1,280 Jr High Students.

Nope.

I have this wicked awesome conference you may have heard about that I am also working on around the clock. (our tickets are almost sold out! thankyouverymuch!) We are doing a LIVE Conference Chatter broadcast on Thursday night. Yes. THIS Thursday Night. The night of the 1,280 student entertainment day.

I'm a glutton for punishment.

The Conference Chatter is going to be awesome! We'll make it into a podcast after the call so that if you weren't able to call in and listen and ask questions, you will still be able to catch it as a podcast.

We have some excellent guests on that show-- Just some bloggers by the name of CJANE. And, MY GIVE AWAY TODAY, SUE from NAVEL GAZING, MOMBABE VANESSA and ME.

If you have ever wondered what their voices sounded like (or mine) feel free to call in and listen! You can even ask us any question and we'll answer it. Probably.

Check the conference website for the call in numbers.

Someone asked me recently if I would sit on the boundary committee for the new school they are building in our area.

I started laughing manically and then muttering like a crazed homeless man about my head exploding.

I think I actually scared them.

I am totally honest when I tell you that if I add one more thing to my life at this point you will find brain matter from here to Tennessee because my head will have exploded.

I will be SO glad when this week is over.

My family will be too.

I have ADHD.

I cannot believe I just typed that for all of Internet land to read. But there it is. I do. Not only does Estelle visit on occasion, but the demons of AD-HD land as well.

(don't judge)

No one really knows about it because I never talk about it. Like EVER.

People have negative ideas of what that having Ad-HD means and I am here to say that 99% of them are wrong.

I am not a psycho. I do not beat my children and I have never chased anyone with a knife. Ever.

Being a person with ADHD is a little like this: You are listening to a radio station-- only its stuck between seven radio stations. You can hear bits and pieces from each station, but tuning into to a specific channel just isn't happening. It's a loud, fuzzy, confusing mess.

When you finally do "tune-in" you realize you've tuned into a Spanish station and can't understand a word they're saying.

For most people, it would give them a headache.

That is my brain.

All the time.

A big jumbled mess.

It's hard for me to concentrate on one set thing. I jump from one thing to the next a lot and I look like a total flake.

For years, I have taken medicine. But, every so often I get this hairbrained idea that I can be prescription free because I "know how to manage the ADHD". And, I do know how to "manage it", but my life also reflects that.

I am happier when I stay on my meds. (aren't we all?!)

It's not the end of the world to have ADHD or ADD for that matter. I turned out relatively OK.

It's just a different way to think-- to process information. Sometimes it is very frustrating, but that is because it is so hard to turn the static down so you can concentrate.

But you can. I promise, you can.

Last night when I couldn't sleep, I watched infomercials. I know, right? Infomercials are dangerous at 2am. Have you watched them lately? HOL-EE CRAP! What they are trying to sell us?

• How to make a million dollars on EBay. Send in $49.99 and we will teach you how to sell your crap on Ebay. Really? Isn't putting your crap up for sale on Ebay sort of self explanatory?
  


• How to style your hair from the inside out with this amazing hair straightener thing. Um. Won't that sort of hurt?
  


• "Save your life" power juicer. This juicer is supposedly going to SAVE YOUR LIFE! If you don't buy it, you WILL die. For real. That was their tag-line. Buy it or die.
• Motionless weight loss. HUH? Need I say more about THAT one? I mean, isn't the whole point of excercise/weight loss the idea that you need to GET OFF THE COUCH?
  


• Magic Jack. I seriously don't get this one. Just the name makes me think it's a scam.
  


• Clean Colon the secret to your health and vitality. It was sort of a "You and your colon" infomercial. They were really playing on peoples fears of Cancer. Frankly, it grossed me out when he started talking about all the goo on the walls of my intestines. I think I may have thrown up a little inside my mouth.


• The Neckline Slimmer. The "break through" we've been waiting for our necklines. I didn't know my neckline was waiting for something. It seems to me that if I would just eat healthy and loose weight, I would have the same results. AND. They have a special carrying case.
  


• Mighty Mend-it. (Billy Mays. Why did you have to die? Who else is going to yell at me through the TV?) Will you mock me if I tell you that I want this? I do. I want it so I can bond a new piece of leather to my brand new leather couch. Why? Because my dumb dog BURIED a loaf of bread in the couch. Yes. She did. She dug a hole in the leather couch. But that's another story for another time.
  

Infomercials must work if I'm coveting the mighty mend-it.

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. - Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)

I actually really believe that saying up there. When I find myself being especially critical of others, I realize its time for me to take a step back and evaluate me. Usually what I'm being critical about in other people is actually something that I hate about MYSELF.

We all do it, criticize other people, but have you stopped to evaluate the WHYS?

It's not out of "the goodness of your heart". It's usually because it is a quality that you consciously or subconsciously dislike in yourself.

I have been the lucky recipient of some highly critical emails lately. While the emails at first cut deep, I took a step back and did a little self evaluation. I felt like where I stood was firm and solid. I wasn't pointing fingers or saying mean hurtful things to anyone.

I despise the word positive criticism. There is no such thing as positive criticism. There is feedback-- which is a way to help someone to improve and there is criticism. Criticism is meant to tear people down.

I also think there is a fine line between criticism and feedback and you have to be careful not to cross it. When the feedback becomes personal, and you find yourself feeling better the further you trample someone into the dirt-- well then, you have crossed that line from feed back to criticism.

When I ran across this quote, I realized that maybe what these people were saying to me and about me was really just a long discourse about how they really feel about themselves.

But then I took it one step further. Could anything I have ever done given these people the impression that I was how they were accusing me of being?

At first I wanted to shout from the rooftops that I was being unjustly accused and treated horribly unfairly. However, after some deep rooted introspection I realized that there were parts of my behavior or personality that if a person did not really know me, could be misconstrued.

Which really is food for thought.

I've stopped looking at my stats. I have. I just up and quit and I rarely look at my super duper spy ware, or my feed burner because I was getting a little obsessed.

I was trying to think up amazingly creative stuff to write so that my stats and subscribers would continue to go up and it was taking all the fun out of blogging.

I couldn't blog about the things that I really wanted to blog about, because FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOGLE people were actually reading and critiquing me.

Lately I have realized that what I want from my blog is for it to be a place for my children to go and hear their Mother's voice. Especially after I am gone.

We all know, however much we choose to pretend, that someday we will die. I want a place for my children to be able to go and read my words. I want them to be able to hear my voice and maybe get some comfort. I want them to see that their Mother was a good person; that she loved them totally, completely and unconditionally.

I wanted them to read the good fluffy stuff along with some of my challenges.

I wanted them to know that it wasn't always butterflies and roses... that life is hard.

Sometimes I was funny, and sometimes I just plain dropped my basket. (I still can't read that without crying).

I wanted them to know that sometimes I had a lot of faith, and sometimes not so much.

I wanted them-- when they are having their trials-- to have a place where they could see someone else who had been down the same road they were on. I wanted them know that Yes! Sometimes life does suck, but I did it. And so can they. They can do hard things. That is my desire for my children and the purpose of my blog.

Not stats. Not visits. Not comments.

Just Motherboard talking to The Things & Moxie.

I have heard it said that bloggers are narcissistic and self absorbed. Perhaps just a little.

However, I would venture that there is large percentage of us out there that just wants a little piece of themselves to leave behind for posterity.

Our ancestors were like that, you know, with their journals and letters.

This is my little piece of sumthin'-sumthin' for future generations.

What's yours?

A blog is merely a tool that lets you do anything from change the world to share your shopping list.
~ Unknown

Do you have a comfort station? I do. It's my bedside table. Inside my table, I have all my favorite comfort items-- chocolate, lip-goo, books, advil, pencils and a notebook. That way when I feel curing up in a ball and hiding from the world, I have all my necessary comfort items and I can. Hide that is.

I love this song. I love this drink. I love life. How's that for deep?

Eating, for me, is more than just filling your belly with nourishment. It's an experience. I TASTE the food, savor it, marry it-- if you will. Choosing what I'm going to order is a chore. I want to make sure I am making the very best choice the restaurant has to offer. Just in case, you know, I die on the way home from the restaurant-- I want to make sure my last meal was outstanding. (morbid, i know) I love to eat out. It it one of my very favorite pastimes. I eat my meal slowly so as to experience every single flavor my "last supper" has to offer.

Today, go out to eat and rather than hurrying through your meal, experience your meal. Savor every single bite. See if by taking your time you can turn eating into something more than just filling your belly with nourishment.

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." - Princess Bride

My kids discovered this great classic a while back, and its all they want to watch. Over and over. I had the movie memorized from when I was a kid-- I mean how could you not? It has such great one liners that you almost HAVE to memorize the whole thing so you can rip one out at a moments notice.

It's hilarious to hear Moxie quoting the movie, except she is about 2 sentences behind so its a little tiny echo. It's especially delightful in the car when everyone is quoting along and then Moxie chimes as an echo.

It makes driving in the car actually fun with the kids as they are reciting the movie. We have four in our repertoire, and it really is quite fun for us all the be quoting the movie-- voice inflections and all.

*****
I just wanted to give a little shout-out to my local Barnes and Noble Cafe where I like to go get my Venti Steamer with 2 shots of hazelnut and 3 shots of vanilla. It is such a fantastic drink and quite relaxing to then shuffle around the store, lazily drinking my warming liquid.

However, the last couple of times I have been there has been the same man sitting in the cafe with his headphones on, reading a book and drinking his drink of choice. Oh, and picking his nose, and eating it.

Seriously? Dude! Just because the headphones are on, and you have tuned us out does not mean you should act like this is your kitchen.

Just sayin'.

*****
Mother Nature is playing major tricks on me. One day its warm and I'm working in my yard. The next, I'm bundling up because it's snowing. Whenever we have drastic weather changes like this, I get sick. Without fail. I will get a throat cold that makes me sound like James Earl Jones.

Which is good for when I'm mad at the kids. But not so much for soothing Moxie and rocking her to sleep. Nothing scares a baby more than hearing her mother sound like Darth Vader.

So, Mother Nature? If you're reading my blog, can you just please make up your mind?

kthxbye.

*****
We have a rule in our home that anything below a B grade is considered "The F-Zone". When you're in the zone, there is no phone, texting, TV, Internet (except for homework-- and we block all the fun sites), or friends. It's more painful for me, trust me.

It used to be a C or lower, but Thing 1 was just coasting by, so we raised it. There was muy fit throwing and lots of yelling "I can't get that high of grades! It's too hard." However her smart Father knew different, and just smiled, patted her head and said "Yes you can. You can do hard things."

Guess who has straight A's with 1 B?

Someday she's going to be saying "My parents. They were SO smart!"

I hope.

*****
I got braces this week, and it totally blows, yo.

I can't eat anything. Not because my teeth hurt but because everything gets stuck in the dumb braces. My cheeks and lips feel like there are pins inside my mouth constantly poking me. And food? Yeah. I can't taste anything.

I love to eat, and further, I love to eat out. Eating out, for me, is more than just filling my belly with food. It's an experience. I like to taste the food, savor the food. It really is a process. I take great pride when I order to make sure I get the very best thing on the menu. Why? Just in case I die on the way home from the restaurant, I can die happy knowing my last meal was superb.

Morbid I know.

I thought there was something wrong with me, because my sense of taste is completely gone. Kaput. That is until I was complaining to my cousin about how this is really putting a damper on my life because I can't taste anything. She assured me that it was normal and eventually, someday, my sense of taste will come back.

I have found the new sure fire diet-- Braces. I have lost 6 pounds already. I am sure to loose more, if I don't STARVE TO DEATH first.

*****
There have been some great posts over on MMB lately. I particularly liked the post on painting (I'm going to do this to my office if it kills me!), the discussion Wednesday about Depression and the one about "getting there someday". That last one spoke to the very core of my soul.

I am so thrilled with how that little baby of mine has evolved. We have over 30 regular contributors, 11 community leaders, 3 copy editors, 2 listing editors and then MomBabe and myself. It's silly to say, but I love that site! I do, and I can't wait to tell you about all the exciting things that MomBabe and I have in store for it!

It will ROCK. YOUR. WORLD.

*****
That's all folks. I had been planning on working in my yard again this weekend, but now? I think I'm sending the family up to the slopes and Moxie and I will sit in the lodge, drink hot chocolate, watch the skiers and read. Doesn't that sound lovely?


1. I Don't Know A Thing - Lucy Schwartz
2. Almost There - Justin King
3. The Audit - Harper Simon
4. Songbird - Katie Costello
5. I'd Rather Be With You - Josh Radin
6. Battles - Cameron Rafati
7. OK, It's All Right With Me - Eric Hutchinson
8. Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson
9. 9 Crimes - Damien Rice
10. And The Birds Sing - Tyronne Wells

Bonus: Closer To Love - Mat Kearney

Did you have a hope chest when you were younger? I did. I got it for my sixteenth birthday. I didn't really get what it is was for, so when my mom would tell me to clean my room, that's where I would quickly toss everything. Later, when people would give me crap "for when you're married" I'd put it in my chest.

Recently I've realized what that hope chest was supposed to be for-- a place to store my HOPES and DREAMS. How weird is it at 39 to be starting a hope chest over? Only this time I'm not going to use the actual hope chest. I just have a secret little place where I stash away the things that I'm hoping for. Do you have a place where you stash your hopes? A tangible spot where you can file that photo of what you want your office to look like? Or the new counter tops you want? Or that crazy secret vacation you want to take? We all need a place to stash our hopes and dreams.

Today, find that secret spot. Whether it be a shoe box, a hamper, a shelf in your closet or a pretty red box. Find somewhere to start collecting and stashing your hopes and dreams-- so they will then become realities.

Thing 1: Mom, I'm glad you're my mom.

Me: Gosh, thanks. What brought that on?

Thing 1: You dress like a normal mom.

Me: Huh?

Thing 1: You don't dress like the other moms, and I'm glad.

Me: I don't get it. What does that mean?

Thing 1: All the other mom's dress in really tight clothes and it's embarrassing. They think they're teenagers. It's sort of gross. You dress in old people clothes and I'm glad.

Me: You like the way I dress?

Thing 1: Yeah. I do. I like that you don't dress like a teenager, but like an old person.

Me: Oh... Well... Uhhh... Thank you? And, you're welcome.

Do you have a good junk store you like to visit? One where sifting through the vast amounts of junk can wield you a hidden treasure? Everyone needs a good junk store in their repertoire.

Today we're going on a treasure hunt to our favorite junk store. If you don't have one, its time to add one to your repertoire.

When I was a child, one of my favorite things to do was go through the couches and the car and find loose coins. Then I would ride my bike the local Drug Store and buy penny candy. More specifically Red Fish Candy. Oh the sweet joy of counting out-- one by one-- those little tiny red fish. The cashier would patiently wait while I counted, sometimes over 100 and then put them all in a little brown bag for me. I would walk my bike home, and savor every single little fish.

Today, we're going to the local dollar store. Walk up and down the isles and see what kind of treasures you can find. Maybe you can finally replace all those tattered kitchen dish towels.