Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms.
- You've Got Mail

My dumb dog will not eat her food unless it has been sitting out, in her bowl for a couple of hours. Its as if she is waiting for it to "age". Does dog food age? Does it taste better if it has been airing out? She can be starving, but if it hasn't been sitting there, aging, then she will continue to starve until the food has reached the proper "aging level".
I know.
I have a freaky deeky dog!

School starts on Monday.
I feel a little verklempt. It is a strange feeling, this melancholy I feel. The kids are irritating each other, and are ready to be back on our normal school schedules. However, I am feeling a little sad. I will miss them, and everything that goes along with them being home.

I love the fall. It is my favorite time of the year. The temperature is perfect. Cool evenings, warm days, brisk mornings. Its perfect. Football games. I love the sound of football games and the memories that they invoke.

I love the changing colors of the leaves, and the smell of the harvesting. I miss the harvest. It was such an exciting time when you would see the combines out in the fields bringing in their crops. The pumpkin patches would open, and Orchards would let you come and pick... I miss that. I want someday to own an Apple farm/pumpkin farm. With all the varying things that accompany it. The crafters barn, all the vintage stuff, the hay rides, the pumpkin donuts and apple cider; the REAL BBQ (not just burgers) and fudge. And all the various tacky local entertainment I can find.
Doesn't that sound divine?
(yes. pun intended)

I want the play yard for the kids with the petting zoo. I want to let people go pick their own pumpkins and spend an afternoon at my home for the annual fall harvest party.

Would you come to my annual party?

(if you live in the Chicago area, I am betting you can guess what I am describing!)

When I have my own world, I will have it be fall eternally.
Just cause I can.
I love it that much!

I will be doing a post later about THIS, but just wanted you to think about getting some balloons and writing your wishes and prayers on them and setting them free tomorrow evening. I am thinking about making this an annual tradition.
Wouldn't that be grand?
Seeing all the balloons from all of us bloggers flying through the sky?

It's Random 10 Friday folks. Are you playing? Do you have any good tunes for me?

1. I Don't Feel Like Dancin' - Scissor Sisters *i love this song! these guys are wicked awesome and make me think of my youth! I dare you to listen to this and NOT dance! Can you name who they sound like?*
2. Baby's Got Sauce - G. Love & Special Sauce
3. Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens
4. Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe - Barry White
5. Grapevine Fires - Death Cab for Cutie
6. Mr Curiosity - Jason Mraz
7. Truth - Amos Lee
8. Without You - Ayo
9. Vive la Vida - Coldplay
10. How to Save a Life - The Fray

Dear self:
Your pasty white skin does not a suntan make. Next time please wear sunscreen. Or at least sun tan lotion. This whole burned shoulders and wearing a bra thing? Yeah. They really don't mix well.

I'm just sayin'.

Thanks for listening,

The Motherboard

THIS article on CNN tells me one of three things is happening...

1. The world is quickly coming to an end.

2. The world is being taken over by crazy people.

3. CNN is having an extremely slow news week.

As a last hurrah! before school starts, I took Thing 1 to eat at The Cheesecake Factory. I hadn't eaten there since living in Chicago. I used to make the pilgrimage downtown to partake of the sweet goodness that is The Cheesecake Factory (insert deep, echoing man voice here) quite regularly. I have been known to drag my children down there to eat... Just the 3 of us when Jefe was working.

I have a thing for eating out. I think its quite interesting actually. When I was younger, I used to starve myself. Now, I stuff myself. I have an unhealthy relationship with food. Its true.

Everything always tastes better when someone else makes it. When you are the Mom (read:cook, waitress and busboy) the only way to get that "good meal" is to go out.

Anyway.

I like to eat out.
A lot.
And I do.
A lot.

I find myself really agonizing over my meal selection when I go to a nice restaurant. What if this were it? My last meal? What would I want it to be? The chicken, steak or specialty salad? I have a very difficult time choosing, and find myself irritated when people out order me!

I know. I am sick and in need of therapy.

But, I do believe that today's eating adventure satisfied the Crazy lady in me.
For the price of what it would cost me to fill my van up with gas (read:$86.00)...

(Gasp! I know. I freaked out too. Big time! Jefe was all Good Grief! Was it gold plated food??!)

That there meal of mine?

It was oh. so. good.

Embarrassment. It's pretty much synonymous with Motherboard! I have so many embarrassing moments that it is actually quite difficult for me to pick my favorites.

I could tell you about the time I fell off my chair in the middle of my sisters performance and yelled out "Holy Sh@$!... But changed my mind half-way through my scream to Shoot...During the scene change (read: deathly quiet).
Yeah.
That was scha-weet.

I could tell you about the time I was taking a shower in our new house. I was happily showering, while looking out the window watching the worker men in the neighbors yard and I found myself thinking: "Man. This is great! I can shower and look at nature while I am communing with nature."
Awesome.

It was on the rinse and repeat cycle when it dawned on me.

Actually, it was the worker man in my neighbors yard stopping and doing a double take that made me have my come to Jesus moment.
If I could see him... That meant...

Oh my hell.

Could he see me?

He could see me!

Yeah. Awesome!

Or how about the time I was nursing Moxie... at the county fair? I had my sweet "hooter hider" on and had settled down to listen to the crazy old man sing the same song over and over again... while saying "check, check". (Yes. The Tom Hanks skit from SNL totally ran through my brain too.)

What is important to note is that just as I got Moxie all situated and I was covered, and the sound man was "checking" away... A rather large gust of wind came through the tent that I was sitting in. My awesome hooter hider ended up around my neck and the entire tent plus 2 more tents got a flash from The Motherboard.
Yes.
A flash.
Actually more like a giant woot-woo!
That lasted really really long. Like an eternity. With my girl hanging out there in the wind...
I wanted to curl up and DIE!

The sound check guys were pretty stoked. My poor friend got an eyeful, and it took our friendship to a whole new level. (Sorry Harm!)

I am saving the best for last. And for another post on another day when I feel the urge to have all of internet-dom laughing at me. Until then, just realize that if you have something embarrassing happen to you... I am right there with you.

And usually, mine are colossal.

We went to the County Fair this weekend and the kids had blast! We were the ones enjoying the Magician, and the funnel cake.

We also really liked the chicken with no feathers.

Did you see us?
We were the ones being cat-called by the Milk Man trying to get us to sign up for his service...

**crickets chirping**

Yes.
Cat call.
Didn't he learn in sales 101 that cat calling the mommies on the midway is a sure fire way to not get a sale?

I'm just sayin'.

Thing 2 is still alive, and still playing football. We are, however, going to win the bad parent of the year award. Wanna know why? Well. He was having a hard time wanting to tackle the other boys. It seemed like he was being mean. I mean, he would usually get in trouble for doing stuff like this, and now we want him to "go for the jugular?"

Talk about mixed messages.
So, we have started paying him money for every tackle he makes. He gets an extra bonus if he causes a fumble.
Can I just say, he is a new rabid football player?
Money.
Apparently, it really does make the world go round.

"Now from what I hear, you're using your paper not for writin' but for rolling doobies! You're gonna be doing a lot of doobie rollin' when you're living in a van down by the river!" Matt Foley , motivational speaker.

I had that as a ring tone for a long time. But, when my pre-schooler started yelling it word for word in the middle of Target -- and once at church... Well. I decided it probably wasn't the best ring tone. Even though it's freakin' funny.

At the old church we went to, we had a guy that would get up to the pulpit during testimony meeting and punctuate his sentences with Elvis Presley impersonations and Woody Woodpecker sound effects. Sacrament time was a blast, because you never knew what you were going to get! We even had people get up and accidentally swear over the pulpit... Now? Nothing. There is no need for those seat belts people, because it's predictable. Almost, dare I say it? Boring. (did you hear the whoosh of unsubscribe being hit?)

I get bored in Sacrament meeting now. I know. I am bad. Jefe and I use Moxie as an excuse to leave particularly boring meetings, or ones where people are sharing just a little TOO much information.
You know the ones right?
So, even if Moxie is being good as gold (which is usually what it is), we take her out because we are bored.

Save the lectures. I know that I should be sitting there, following along in my scriptures. Praying. But, in reality I am trying to keep world war 3 from breaking out back there in the back. Most Moms will sit there, with rapt attention, ignoring the increasing noise level... when my kids are being naughty?
I take Moxie out.
Thing1 says I pretend I don't know them.

1. Violet Hill - Coldplay
2. 3R's - Jack Johnson
3. Nothingtown - The Offspring
4. Steady As We Go - Dave Matthews Band
5. Voices Carry - Til Tuesday
6. You Get What You Give - New Radicals
7. Bless This Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
8. Within You - Ray LaMontagne
9. Relative -Gavin Degraw
10. Yes - Coldplay

Bonus: Kid - Amos Lee

I have always wanted to be bi-lingual, or at least marry someone who was bi-lingual.
Oh wait.
I did.
Jefe is bi-lingual. He speaks beautiful Castillian Spanish... from living in Spain.
But in my head, when I was growing up, he would be all tres chic, with a heavy accent and French music would be playing in the background.

It's so not like that.

My foreign language abilities consisted, prior to my mission, of being able to ask where the bathrooms were, and tell you about my horse that fell off the bridge (don't ask) in Spanish and being able to order some red wine in French.

Never mind the fact that I don't drink, nor do I have a horse.

How are my bi-lingual abilities now? Well. Now, I can shoot the breeze with the smartest 3 year olds around. That is, until my sisters come to town. Then we revert back to our own second language.

My parents used to talk it to keep "big ears" from listening. At least thats what they used to tell me. It took us each a while before we were able to figure out what they were saying... but then we would each start joining in the conversations once we figured it out. Usually when we were in our pre-teen years we would finally catch on.

Jefe and I speak it too. But, I have to talk really slow with him. Thats no fun. When my sisters come to town, we start talking it SO fast that its just a whirl-wind of chaos.
And it is Oh. So. Fun.

You're dying to know what my "real" second language is, aren't you?

Pig latin.

An-cay Oo-yay Eak-spay Ig-pay Atin-lay?
I-yay An-cay.
Eally-ray Ast-fay. And-yay I-yay ean-may EALLY-RAY ast-fay.

It-yay is-yay eally-ray un-fay oo-tay ee-say eople-pays aces-fay en-way oo-yay eak-bray out-yay in-yay ig-pay atin-lay. unce-way ere-they as-way a-yay issionary-may at-thay oke-spay ig-pay atin-lay in-yay anish-pay. i-may ead-hay urt-hay en-way e-hay ould-way oo-day at-thay!

My car is possessed by Satan the best car in the whole world. It has a ghost, named Jorge, that lives in it that likes to randomly make the windshield wipers turn on add punctuation to my conversations.

It died this weekend. I am thrilled quite sad.

Goodbye Jorge. We've loathed enjoyed your presence immensely. We've journeyed across country... twice. We've been to Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Davenport, Madison, Normal, Bloomington, Nauvoo and Wisconsin Dells. Pretty much everywhere between here and there... And all the crazy road side traps you can find.

You have served us well... Punctuating our conversations. Guarding us from thieves--twice (both times in the church parking lot).

We will be having a funeral procession as it is towed away to the junk yard it's new resting grounds. May you find many a road to drive down in heaven.

Oh.
And take Jorge with you please.

Why is it when you are pregnant with your babies, it seems as though the time will never pass? Have you ever noticed that? The time edging forward at a snails pace? Then, once they are born, it seems that life plays a cruel, cruel trick on you and time just starts screaming past. I often times want to find that remote control that will stop time so that I can just soak in my children. They are growing so fast and all too soon I will find myself sitting at the kitchen table wondering where did they go? Where did all that time go?!

Have you seen the movie Mama Mia? I loved it! When this song played, I sobbed.
Sobbed people! The ugly, nose running, sobbing.
It was rather embarrassing. But, as I looked around the theater, there were a lot of people wiping away the tears.

The first time I heard this song was 3 years ago. My sister, islandmom, had done a scrapbook page about her daughter with the lyrics to this song as the journaling. It was a beautiful page, and I have been wanting to copy it.
And I will.
When I get my act together and learn how to digi-scrap.

The lyrics of this song are sheer brilliance, in my opinion. They capture how most of us mothers feel about our children. It seems they are constantly slipping through our fingers... we are trying desperately to capture them, but they are just out of our grasp.

My babies are doing what they are supposed to do... grow. They are growing into beautiful, amazing people. Watching them grow brings a surge of that well know sadness. They are slipping through my fingers... I know this is the circle of life and what my job is-- to grow children. Yet, I just want to freeze time. I want them to stay here... in my house... with me... forever.

It's selfish. I know.

My sisters recently were talking about how hard it is to have all your children little, and at home all the time. They get under foot and make messes. They cry and need comfort. They are always wanting you to entertain them and play with them.

I found myself being just a little jealous. I wish all my children were little still, under foot and wanting only me to play with them. I used to think my older friends were weird when they would tell me "Someday, Motherboard, you will long for these days." I would think, "Yeah right. You're on crack too! No way will I ever long for these days."

Yet, here I am. Longing for those days.

My children are growing. They have started entering the phase where they want to spend their time with their friends more than their family. That is the natural process of things. I understand it. But, it doesn't mean that I like it! This is an odd, melancholy feeling.

I actually do miss the days when my kids would stand outside the door of the bathroom, with their fingers under the door crying to come in with me. I miss the days when I did nothing but hold and cuddle my sick baby; And I miss the days of laying on the floor of the TV room, watching Blues Clues and eating brownie batter straight from the bowl together.

They are slipping through my fingers all the time...

These children of mine have saved me from myself. They have helped me to see things more clearly; Be more focused and be more alive. I love seeing the world through their eyes. It's like seeing things clearly for the first time.
That is a beautiful thing.

When we have birthdays around here, we celebrate first thing in the morning! None of this waiting until night to open your presents business. No sir. We open them right straight, and eat cake for breakfast. Always cake for breakfast! Birthdays mean you can do whatever you want, and eat whatever you want, and cake is the required food for breakfast! That is why all of our birthday photos include us all with bed-head and looking like we just rolled out of bed. It's because we did. And its a wonderful way to wake up!

Thing 1 officially became a teenager today. A teenager! How did this happen? As I sat here tonight, going through the photos to make this collage... memories came faster than I could almost handle. It seems like, with each passing year, she is growing faster and faster. It makes me just a little sad.

I look at those photos and remember the times when the movie Anastasia was her favorite movie, and the theme song from Titanic was her favorite song. Her favorite "bid-eo" was the musical Cats, and she watched it so much she had all the dances memorized!

I remember when she was only white girl in our entire apartment complex, and the kids would come to the door to see "if da white girl could play". Her favorite thing to play was "ponies" and having someone read to her was her most favorite of all.

She has always loved to go shopping, from the time she was a baby, and tell me "Oh coot mama! Coot!" She found a sun dress in the free clothes at church once that she fell in love with--she called it the crab dress. It was hideous, but she loved it. She wore it everyday for an entire summer.
And I let her.
Because it made her happy.

It seems like just yesterday that I lost her and could not find her anywhere. She was only 1... and an active one year old at that. I was terrified and had our entire apartment complex looking for her, the maintenance department and the campus police. Jefe came home from work to join the search and he found her in the closet.
Asleep.
(I'll have to tell this entire story some day. Its pretty funny and shows you what a space case I am!)

It seems like yesterday that she would not fall asleep for anyone but Jefe. He is the baby whisperer you know. He worked 2nd shift and would take his dinner break to come home and put my tired screaming baby to sleep. She would take one look at her Daddy, sigh and konk right out!

It seems like yesterday we were all eating dinner together and she looked at Jefe and I and told us Saddam Husein had a diabolical plan to take over the world. She was 7. It was the same year she wrote an essay in school about how to make the world a better place. The teacher loved it, and had the principal listen to it. Then he took her from class to class-- in the entire school-- and had her read her essay. She has always been my deep thinker, and incredible writer.

It seems like just yesterday that she and I would drive her Daddy to the train and then on the way home take different roads to "see where they would go". She would holler out from her car seat in the back-- "Take that road Mama! Take this road Mama!"
And I would.
Just to hear her squeal!

My friend, companion, and beautiful daughter has turned 13. She is amazing! She is smart, witty, funny, thoughtful and kind. She always thinks of others, and wants everyone to be included and to be having fun. Oh. Don't get me wrong. There are of course the obligatory teenage drama moments. But that, I suppose, is MY payback for the drama I had as a teenager.

She is delightful. She is wonderful. She is mine.

I love this girl. More than she will ever know. The day she was born was one of the happiest days of my life. I told her recently that when I held her in my arms for the first time, I finally realized my purpose. It was her. She made my world come alive. I saw things more clearly, and understood things better. To see the world through the eyes of my child has been the most wonderful blessing I have been given.

My beautiful daughter is a teenager.

Buckle your seat belts people. She is going to take us on an incredible ride! Time is slipping away from me faster and faster, and She is going to do amazing things and be an even more amazing person than she already is.

Happy birthday!
I love you-- you beautiful girl!

I had so much fun making that Mosaic for the mosiac meme dealio thing, that I made another one.

Which one do you like better?

This happens once in a lifetime people. How are you going to celebrate?

If the phone doesn't ring, its me. - Jimmy Buffett

SYTYCD
Did you love it? Now there really is nothing on TV to watch. I loved THIS dance ... I mean who wouldn't want a man to dance about them like that? My goodness. I loved that dance. I also loved THIS one.
Seriously.
I wish I could dance like that. It would make living in my imaginary world so much more fun!

Finger Nails
Remember when I talked about watching Thing2 play football was a nail biting experience? Yeah.
I HAD nice nails -ish. On my left hand they have all disappeared but one. 1 nail people. My right hand now only has 3 nails. We are only 2 weeks into football. I am a little worried about what I will bite once these other nails are gone.

Last night I was literally held off the field by Jefe after Thing 2 got knocked down so hard his little body looked like a rag doll. I was freaking out when he didn't get up... for almost 5 minutes he didn't get up. I was convinced he was dead, or had a broken neck. He finally got up, and walked over to me, with tears streaming down his face.

I wanted to open my can people.
Seriously open it! Open it HARD people!
It took all I had to not freak! out!
This is going to test not only my ability to refrain from freaking out, but also keeping my competitive nature in check. I am a competitive person. Usually it isn't a problem. But, when your kids are playing sports? It can be a little bit of a problem.

I'm just sayin'.

Olympics
I plan on doing another post about them, but just so you know I didn't forget... They are tonight. The opening ceremony!! I am excited! My DVR is set, and I will be able to watch it over and over if I so choose! (and I just might! so there!)
I have a little love affair with China going on. I have ever since 1991 when I went there to visit family. It was one of the bravest things I have done. Why? Well. I flew there by myself.
Alone.
No adults.
Just me and my 18 year old cousin (I was almost 20)
It is one of the best memories I have, and the stories I have to tell-- they are many!
I can't wait to see the land that I fell in love with so many years ago!

That's all the randomness that I have for today folks. I know there were other things I was thinking about, but for the life of me, I can't remember them. I hate that. I come up with the funniest things to blog... but when I finally get the time to sit down... Poof. They are gone.
I carried a notebook around for a while, but have gotten out of the habit of writing my thoughts down. I need to get back into the habit. I think of funny stuff when I am sitting at all those traffic lights people.
Really. I do.


Here is my random 10 folks. Whatcha listening too?
Have a wonderful weekend!


1. Fools Gold - Katie Herzig *just discovered her and i am in love!*
2. How Am I to Be - The Watson Twins
3. I shall be released - Beth Rowley
4. Something Good This Way Comes - Jakob Dylan
5. Green - Brenden James
6. Visit From the Dead Dog - Ed Harcourt
7. One Last Chance - James Morrison
8. Whats Been Going On - Amos Lee
9. Love Is A Losing Game - Amy Winehouse
10.Viva La Vida - Coldplay

Bonus: High Society - The Silver Seas

I have been tagged by several of you and have just been a slacker getting these babies done. I saved them for a "rainy day" or in other words, when I couldn't think of anything to blog about.

The Music Tag
List 7 songs you are into right now. No matter what genre whether they have words, or even if they are not any good, but they must be songs you are really into right now, shaping your summer.
Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs.
Then tag 7 other people to see what they're listening to.

This one was extremely hard for me! I had to refrain from going beyond the 7... because as you know, I live my life if a soundtrack.
Here are mine, in no particular order, except for this first one... its my absolute all time favorite!
1. Sleeping to Dream (live) - Jason Mraz
2. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
3. Your Body is a wonderland - John Mayer
4. Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee
5. All Summer Long - Kid Rock
6. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - Vampire Weekend
7. When the Stars Go Blue - Ryan Adams

Plus 1 more (I just can't help myself! I wish people would break out in song with me like in this clip...)
How Does She Know - Enchanted



Six words that describe my life right now:
1. Children
2. Busy
3. Happy
4. Laughter
5. Believing
6. Tired

Mosaic
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into mosaic maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name. (kid version: favorite animal?)

Whew. That was fun. Consider yourself tagged if you want to play. Let me know if you play by leaving me a comment... its fun to learn about you!

My darling friend, Mattie, gave me these two awards. I lived with her grandparents when I was on my mission, and her Mom is the famous Jan over on Crazylady on road 80!

Mattie is the same age as my son... (hint hint Jan. Arranged marriages are a good thing I hear!) And her blog is just darling! She wants to go to Paris really bad someday... So do I. Maybe we should have a road trip together?!
Or should I say plane trip?
Or is it boat trip?

I dunno.

Maybe I should just say "lets have a trip together"!

Go check Mattie out and see for yourself just how darling she is!

My mantra for years has been "Just say NO to football!" Why? Well typically football players, to me, have seemed like meat heads. (remember my conversation with my neighbor? Yeah. I rock! I have wicked awesome tact! Foot In Mouth disease is totally me!) Anyway, before you send me ranting emails about the benefits of football, and tell me your husband, brother and Uncle Remus play football, read on.

Thing 2 has been dying to play football. I have been begging him not too. I think I would be one of those mothers that freaks out the first time her son gets hurt and make a beeline onto the field to open a can of whoop-ass. (sorry) I know I would, and that would embarrass Thing 2. Not to mention Jefe and my other children.
OK-- and me too.

I also didn't want him to play because I remember what the football players were like in high school. Heck, I dated one for a long time. It seemed like there was a lot of "chemical alterations" going on, if you know what I mean.

Broken bones seem to go with the sport... and I did not want any more broken bones either.

Remember when he broke his leg--in 2 places-- just jumping off the bike ramp? I nearly had a nervous breakdown over that. Lemonade stands have been forever banned from our home. I blame the stand 100%! Dang stand.
See why I would soo be one of THOSE Moms?

I lost.
Do not pass GO, do not collect $200 dollars, no "get out of jail free" card.
L.O.S.T.
Lost.

And, you know what? It's sort of fun watching these 10 year olds give each other the smack down.

In a nail biting sort of way.

For the first time in 3 months, Moxie got up at 2:30am. She hasn't done that since she was 6 weeks old.

Yes, I do know how lucky I am.

I was awakened with her "talking" and every so often a little squeal as if to say "Hey! I'm awake over here. Lets play!"
No crying.
No screaming.
Just happiness.
All the time from her is happiness. She so rarely cries, that when she does we know she means business. She is such a peaceful, contented child.

I nursed her a little -- giving her a snack, and then she was bright eyed and wide awake. We had an early morning party, and it was sheer bliss. We played and laughed in those early, quiet hours. It was so peaceful. We walked outside and looked at all the stars. There was no moon, so the stars were bright and plentiful.

I showed her the big dipper and the north star. I talked with her about how if she were lost, she could find her way with that star. I showed her the brightest star and told her it wasn't a star at all, but Venus, a planet. I told her people would want to tell her she was from Venus... but it wasn't true. We are all different... and thats what makes the world such a glorious place!

It was wonderful! This middle of the night party with Moxie. I held her, snuggled her and just enjoyed her.

Depression has always been a very real thing for me. Something that I face on a rather regular basis. As I reflected on where I have been, and where I am now... Ho boy. I've come a long way baby. Moxie has been my breath of fresh air. She has been my ray of sunshine into my dark place. Her "real name" actually means paradise, happiness, perfect bliss. That, my friends, is the perfect description of our Miss Moxie.

Our middle of the night party ended with me wiping away the tears of gratitude for this little miracle that God sent my way.

And that middle of the night party? Yeah. I hope we get to do it again tomorrow.

My Grandmother hated the heat. She would have her A/C blaring to such freezing levels, that my Grandpa would wear long sleeve flannel shirts, and hide under afghans... in the middle of July.

Whenever we get into our hot hot car, this song pops into my brain. My son has inherited his Grandma Greats huge displeasure for the heat. He hates it, loathes it, abhores the heat! When he was a baby, he would scream from the time we walked out of our air conditioning until we entered the next A/C location. Blood curdling screams. Yeah. So not fun in the hot, humid Midwestern summers.

Just yesterday, we went to get in the car, and he stood at the side of the door blowing on his face, moaning "I hate being hot. I hate being hot!" I found myself laughing. He refused to get in the car until the A/C was not only blowing, but blowing cold air. That is typical for us. Before we go anywhere, I have to start the car, and get it cooled down. Most people start their cars in the winter to get the heat going... not me. We are the opposite family. We have to have it ice cold in the car before Thing 2 will even consider getting in.

I told him that it will be really sad for him if he gets called on his mission to the Amazon. He looked at me all funny and said "Why?" I smiled my wicked smile and said, cause its 900 degrees down there.
All. The. Time.
My next door neighbor growing up went there on his mission, and says he got sunburned... through his shirts. Man. Thats some serious hotness going on there.
Poor Thing 2 moaned and agreed with me. Then he got all perky and said "But wouldn't it be awesome, Mom, if I got to go to Alaska? It's not hot there!"

Dude. For your sake I hope you do.

I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people. - Jack Handy SNL

Mosquitoes
Why do mosquitoes only bite my ankles? I have an entire body that is ripe for the biting ( not that I am begging for them to eat me or anything), but why do they only choose my ankles? I can not stand having an itchy ankle. It is slowly driving me crazy... And Jefe likes to remind me that its a short drive for me to Crazy.

Gas
I know it is totally blasé to rant about this, but I feel 100% violated when I fill my car up with gas. $55.00 people. For a half a tank??!
Are you kidding me??
I feel violated. And not in a good way either.

School
There are only 25 days until school starts.
I'm just sayin'.

Elections
I usually don't like to talk to people (except my sister, ima10cow) about politics. I find that people freak out and get all hyper. We all have the right to believe what we may-- and I firmly believe that how you choose to vote does not reflect on your testimony or "Christian-ness". I think, for the first time ever, I will be choosing my President based on who they pick as their running mate. I have issues that are important to me, and the one that can satisfy my "issues" will be getting my vote.

Movies
I saw Mama Mia last weekend. Ho boy! Its awesome! I had a hard time sitting still and not dancing in the isles. I would like to go see it again, and sit on the back row and then I can dance away if I want to. It was really fun. I was singing along, thinking: "If my community playhouse ever does this show I am TOTALLY trying out!"

What part would YOU play?


Here is my Random 10 Friday for this week. I was thinking about adding a Mr. Linky to the whole Random 10 Friday dealio.
What do you think? Would you play if I did?

What are YOU listening to?

1. Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee
2. You're Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins
3. The Heart of a Saturday Night - Tom Waits
4. One In Every Crowd - Montgomery Gentry
5. Big Girls Don't Cry - Jersey Boys Original Broadway Soundtrack
6. Break Away - Rascal Flatts
7. Please Forgive Me -David Gray
8. Love Is A Losing Game - Amy Winehouse
9. Belief (acoustic) - John Mayer
10. The Remedy (I Won't Worry) - Jason Mraz

Bonus: If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys

My sisters were trying to figure out who Moxie looked like. They didn't get to see my other kids when they were babies... So for their viewing pleasure (and yours) I present The Things and Moxie. They are all roughly the same age...

The batteries for my MP3 player died 90 seconds into my walk this morning. I actually contemplated turning around and going home. I mean, walking without music? What on earth was I supposed to do?

I didn't turn around. I looked up and listened.

Usually when I am walking and listening to my tunes, my eyes are cast down... watching the road so I don't trip and break my leg. I am consumed with my music and oblivious to the world around me. This morning? I had nothing to occupy my brain except my thoughts.

I was astounded with how noisy it is at 6:30 in the morning. Usually all I hear are my various imaginary boyfriends singing to me... this morning I heard so many other things.

The crunch crunch crunch of my shoes on the gravel, and the jingling of bells from the necks of goats in the nearby pasture. The swishing of the horses tails, and their snorting at me as I passed by. There was the occasional whirring of the passing biker or the pounding feet of the jogger "passing on your right".


Crunch crunch crunch of my shoes as I heard the ba-donk ba-donk ba-donk ba-donk of the cars on the interstate veering to far to the right and the whistle of the commuter train as it whizzed past. There was the mooing of a cow waking up, and the distant hum of an airplane overhead.

Crunch crunch crunch of my shoes as the roosters started to crow and the buzzing of a chainsaw sounded. I heard the Spanish being spoken by the construction workers and dogs barking. I heard the sprinklers giving the earth a drink and the rushing water in the creek.
The birds. My how loud they are! They sing such beautiful songs, this early in the morning...

I saw the farmer changing his water, and throwing a stick for his dog to chase. I saw you leaving for work this morning, and starting your car. I saw you stumbling out to get your paper, all bleary eyed and still asleep. I saw you looking out your window at me, watching me huff & puff by, drinking your morning drink. I saw the sun starting to peek its golden rays over the mountains.

I found myself caught up in my thoughts. For those 3o minutes of my shoes crunching on the gravel, I could hear whatever I chose to hear and see whatever I chose to see. For those 3o minutes I could be that famous singer that I fantasied about when I listened to my MP3 player. I could be that amazing writer that everyone talks about or THAT kind of mother that has endless adventures with her children and spouse and is always a joy to be around. For those 3o minutes of crunch time, my mind could trick me into seeing, hearing or believing anything.

As those last rays of sun started to shine over the mountains, and I could see the end of my journey in sight... What did I choose?

I choose to believe in me. And be happy.

This is what has been occupying my time lately. It came this weekend... and I have been pretty smitten with it. You know, cause I won that contest and all. Thanks to Michelle of Scribbit for sending me this lovely little prize.
Red is my favorite!

Lucky for me, and you I suppose, I do that whole post ahead dealio...
Anyway.
I have been hanging out here and here.
And I'm having a ball.

Pretty much my entire life I have been a corn dog lover. Thank you very much! No mocking allowed. We all know I am white, nerdy and uncool. Just add corn dog lover to all that! I've pretty much tried them all-- regular, burnt, cheese dog, jalapeno dog, corn dog pups, jumbo corn dogs... You name it, I've probably tried it. I am the veritable corn dog connoisseur!

My sister swears that I ate them all the time growing up. I don't remember. But, I do remember on my mission for my church getting a corn dog every single day. It didn't matter what town I lived in, I would always stop by the local gas station (that sold corn dogs) and pick me one up. Usually around the same time too.

In my last area, the sales clerk at the gas station got so that she recognized us, remembered me and my weird fetish for corn dogs at 9:00 in the morning. One morning I walked into the gas station,at the same time, and she hollered out to me that she had put the "dawgs" on early today. They were nice and hot for me. I was a little startled. I looked around to see who she was talking to, when she said my name and said "I remembered this morning to get the dawgs in early for ya. You come in every morning at the same time."

Yes. Even in my 20's I was a creature of habit. This gas station attendant became my dealer of sorts. She dealt me my dose of corn dog lovin' every morning. She also became my friend.

I still, to this day, eat lots of corn dogs. I have been raising corn dog connoisseurs as well. We usually run home from church, and toss some corn dogs into the oven while we hurry and change into our P.J.'s. My local grocery store sells corn dogs... and the kids and I can often be found munching on some dogs, while strolling through the aisles. I am glad that I have people to share my corn dog love affair with.

My sister sent me this song on a Cd about 8 years ago. She called me and told me she had mailed me something, and when it came I should listen to the last track, and then call her. I did as instructed, and laughed and danced and laughed some more.
Then I cried. It made me miss my sister.

We ate some corn dogs that day (not unusual) from my new local gas station hang-out--Huck's. The attendants at this gas station also knew my name, my husbands name, and my kids. I went there, every day to get the corn dog and some hot chocolate. I told them about the song... and they thought it was hilarious that someone else loved corn dogs as much as me and that they would write a song about it!

Sometimes, being a creature of habit has its blessings.