Know what's worse than a 3 year throwing a fit?
A 12 year old.
Yep.
Thats worse.
Bar none.

It's official. We have run full force into the throes of "teenage-dom".
Tantrums.
Rolling the eyes.
Sighing. Oh how I hate the sighing.
Knowing EVERYTHING, and especially how to be a more effective parent. I hate that one too... a 12 year old telling me what I am doing wrong in my parenting.
Are you kidding me??
Teenagers are just as difficult to reason with as a toddler, because they think they know it all!
Sheesh.
As if.
So. I have found what is worse than a 3 year old throwing fits.
Yup.
I would gladly go back.

"Many people don't realize that playing dead can help not only with bears, but also at important business meetings."
– Jack Handey

It's random 10 Friday again folks. I love random 10 Friday.
It's just because I love music so much!! Remeber, I live my life in a soundtrack...
It's fun to see what songs come up for me to listen to. I go a while without hearing some of the artists or songs and then I am reminded... "Oh yeah! I LOVE this one!"
Enjoy!
What are you listening to?
Should I refresh your memory of the rules of the game? Hit play on your Mp3 player and write down the first 10 songs that come up. Make sure that you are in random play mode. That way its fair. AND you have to write down the FIRST 10... no fair hitting fast forward, unless the song has already come up... Then post them in the comments section of this post...
Come on! Play! It's fun!


1. Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day
2. Shake Your Body - Michael Jackson
3. Firefly - Tony Bennett
4. Let It Go - Tim McGraw
5. The Day Before You - Rascal Flatts
6. Southern Cross - Crosby, Stills, & Nash
7. Speak Of The Devil - Chris Isaak
8. Favorite Year - Dixie Chicks
9. I Don't Like Mondays - The Boomtown Rats
10. Walk Forever By My Side (Acoustic) - The Alarm

Bonus: Two - Ryan Adams

I ended up taking Thing 2 to the Dr. When we walked back to our room, several of the nurses and Dr's said "Whoa! That is the best rash we've EVER seen!" Then Thing 2's Dr said "I do believe this is one of the worst cases of Hives I have seen in a long time!"
Well. That's us here in Crazyland! If we are going to do something, we do a knock-out job! Thing 2 has the award for the craziest aliments ever in our family! The worst case ever of hives, the worst broken leg ever from just jumping, the worst sinus infection ever (including the death breath), being hospitalized, and a poopy diaper that rivaled a decaying body (which we took him to the ER).
Seriously.
When this hive episode is over, I am thinking an award for Thing 2!
Any suggestions for the name of the award??

Thing 2 STILL has the hives. All over his face now. It looks like he was punched in the face! Yikes! He looks terrible and he feels terrible and there is NOTHING that I can do for him! Poor baby! We had a family friend come over last night to have a look at him...
Yup.
He's got hives.
Really?!
Today was scout camp... his first scout camp. Jefe really wanted him to go. But once he took a look at his face, he decided that he should stay home. Which is probably smart, since he now has a fever and other various issues. Poor boy!
If he doesn't get better soon, then I am going to have to take him to the Dr. Office! He is one miserable kid!

Poor Thing 2 woke up this morning with Hives. All. Over. His. Body. EVERYWHERE!
Poor little guy! He is miserable! I feel bad for him! I have him doped up on benedryl... and so he is now loopy. Poor boy! I have been debating back and forth about whether or not I should take him to the Dr... So far I haven't. When he has the Benedryl in him, the hives seem to calm down. Once it starts to wear off, he starts to break out.
Poor poor Thing 2!

I finished it! I started reading Harry Potter this morning at like 9:45 and didn't stop until 8:30 tonight. I was shocked when I looked at the clock and it said 3:30pm. I hadn't moved in 6 hours. SIX HOURS PEOPLE! That, to me, is incredible! Usually when I read like that, I have these massive headaches. But, I was so engrossed with this book, that I seriously did not notice the passage of time. It was incredible. I was so slow getting the book read because, once I did get started, I knew that I wouldn't stop and once it was done that was it. The series would be finished. But, I will say that it was by far the best one she has done! I LOVED it! I really liked the way it ended and feel like everything had been explained. It was amazing! The emotion that the book was able to evoke was incredible! If you haven't read it yet, get going people! It is the best!!
I will not post any opinions here, because if you haven't read it yet, I don't want to ruin the book for you... so maybe in a month or so I will. I am going back and reading them all over again... from book 1 to the end. Thing 2 hasn't read them yet so we are reading them together. That will be fun to read them again with someone who has no knowledge of them except for the movies!
Oh how I love this series!
Just an FYI for those of you who are Harry lovers... J.K. Rowling will be on Dateline NBC Sunday night 6/7c
Check it out!

I have the book! I have the book! I have the book! I have the book!!
It is here, in my grubby little hands!
Yes.
I stood in a line...
A line that was so long, it wrapped around the ENTIRE Wal-Mart store.
Yes.
I did butt in line.
I found a friend of mine that had positioned her kids at the front of that horrid line and she gave me one of her wrist bands and let me butt with her! That made my line standing only 1 hour... as aposed to the the 2-3 hours that the rest of those ya-hoos had to stand in line. They all just got in the first line that they saw... and totally ignored the other, shorter line...
Yes.
I bought mine at Wal-Mart...
I mean $17.88---
How could I not?
I did also buy one online to have shipped to me and that cost me $24.99.
So, we own 2 books now.
I also got a poster, and I am hanging that up in Thing 1's bedroom and giving this book, that I stood in the horrendous line for, to Thing 1. We have been teasing her that she can't read the book until after Jefe and I are done... That has totally stressed her out! It has been fun to tease her, and I can't wait to see her reaction when she wakes up in the morning!
So, I am off to do some reading...
I am hesitant to even start it. Once I do, it's all down hill from there. When I got home, I did go sit on the couch and lovingly caress the book. I smelled the pages and slowly turned each page. I read the dedications. I read the names of each chapter on the title page. I read the inside jacket cover and the back cover. I am hesitant to start reading... Just because when I do it will only be a matter of time before I know what happens and it will all be over.
It sort of feels like a close friend of mine is going away and I will never see them again. I know. Retarded. But, that's how I feel. I have truly loved reading these books. It has been a wonderful thing for our family to do together. Now I am wanting to get all of the books on CD for Christmas so that we can sit around and listen to Harry Potter until the cows come home. So to speak.
Anyway. I'm tired and want to read something before I nod off.
More later I am sure!!
Ta-ta!

One of my dearest friends from Chicago came to visit. It was soo awesome to see her! I hadn't seen her since they up and moved back! They moved out here the same time time that we did. It was sortof a joke that we would just follow each other around... Chicagogirl was raised here, but married Chicagoboy, so there you have it. Sort of like me I suppose. Our husbands are so similar that they could be twins. It was fun when we all lived in Illinois, and it was a blast when they were here too. I have to admit that I was terribly sad that they went back home. Maybe another good word is jealous. She kept telling us that we were supposed to follow them now...
I wish. Really I do!
Oh well. THIS is my home now... and seriously when you get to look at that every morning, how can one argue with its beauty?
We had to do some major convincing to get Chicagobaby to stand in front of that giant shark. He was convinced that it was going to eat him!


Cute little Chicagobaby! He loved the water and sand... and the big kids.

Thing 3 did NOT want her photo taken. Every time I took out the camera, she would start to scream "Not my picture! Not my picture!" I had to be quite sneaky about it... so I put the camera on the ledge of the sand/water deal and told her I was just taking pictures of her creations. I tried a new setting, I don't think that I like it! What do you think?

I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.
– Jack Handey


1. REHAB - Amy Winehouse (she is soo yummy! i just found her! )
2. Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson ( ok. he was soo awesome b4 he got soo weird!)
3. Hairspray - Zac Efron (yes. he was in High School Musical) Original Soundtrack for Hairspray the Movie
4. If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keyes
5. Mockingbird - Ryan Adams
6. December 1963 [Oh, What A Night] - Jersey Boys Original Broadway Cast
7. I Don't Wanna Die Anymore - New Radicals
8. Life Is A Highway - Tom Cochrane (My own personal Theme Song... I don't care who sings it! Come on, everyone has one, whats yours?)
9. Dear Chicago - Ryan Adams
10. To The Workers of the Rockford River Valley Region - Sufjan Stevens (hey! i used to live there! ha! i just discovered this artist too... different but in a good way!)

Bonus: Ride - G. Love & Special Sauce

Sheesh. (do you think that i have enough of these) I guess i just had a lot to say about the music that came up all random like today... what are you guys listening too?

I just got this email...

Greetings from Amazon.com.

We thought you would like to know that we are preparing your items for
shipment...  

1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows... via UPS

Do you think it would be too much to sleep out on my porch to wait for the UPS man to bring my book?
Sheesh...
As of this post there is 1 day, 13 hours, 14 minutes and 5 seconds until the book comes out!
Not that I am counting or anything silly like that!

We went and saw Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix this afternoon...
Holy.
Freaking.
Cow!
I LOVED It!

The only thing I was disappointed about was that they left out my favorite part of the book in the movie. That is where they go to ST. Mungos Hospital to see Mr. Weasly and run into Gildaroy Lockhart and Neville Longbottom & his parents. That is my favorite part in the book... and considering how awesome of a job they did with everything else, I was really getting excited about it... then they just totally skipped it.
~sigh~
Other than that, it was AWESOME!!!
A must see for your summer entertainment list!
This summer is HIGH on the entertainment factor... This movie and then Book #7... I am VERY excited for Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows... 6 more days.
But Hey!
Who's counting? :0P
Me, thats who!!

One of my favorite parts of going to the movies is seeing what new movies are coming out... I want to see THIS ONE and THIS ONE and THIS ONE
I know. Not too many. There was another one that I want to see, but I couldn't find it, nor could I remember the title... Oh well. Guess I'll just have to go to the movies again, huh?!
Hey. Do you like the new digs??

I had a sneaking suspicion that I was out of shape... I had that 100% confirmed to me this morning when I went hiking with one of my friends, Shopgirl (she owns a scrapbook store). She is one of those super skinny people, who is in amazing shape...
Well.
I'm Not!
We went hiking together, and WOW. Am I ever totally out of shape.
We hiked up this canyon just up the street from my house... there is a nice hiking trail there and follows a nice little river. There are several waterfalls that we saw and we actually crossed the river several times. It was great... and SOOO hard. At one point, I was chanting in my head (which is what Jefe told me to do) "I am having fun! I am having fun!" But, I would stop and catch my breath, look around at the beauty of it all and continue on. After one stop, Shopgirl said to me, Its nice to stop like this. I get so intent on getting up the mountain, that I forget to stop and take in the beauty of what is around us!
We stopped at a point called "Payday" where you could see down into the valley below... it was awesome! I wish I would've thought to take my camera so that I could prove/show you how amazing it was! I really felt a sense of accomplishment! She goes 3 times a week... and I am invited to tag along anytime I want. It seems like it would be an awesome way for me to get into shape... without feeling stifled. I know. Weird.
Anyway, Shopgirl is in wicked awesome shape... and maybe if I tag along on these hikes, I'll get in shape too!
I really enjoyed it!
Yes. You were right Jefe! I loved it, and I feel great! Thanks for the push!

"It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man."
- Jack Handy, SNL Deep Thoughts

It's random 10 Friday again... Where does the time go?? What are you listening to?

1. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) - Billy Joel
2. Chicago (Adult Contemporary Easy Listening Version) - Sufjan Stevens
3. Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day
4. Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe - Barry White
5. Elizabeth, You Were Born To Play That Part - Ryan Adams
6. Clocks (Live) - Coldplay
7. Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
8. For Good - Wicked original Cast
9. Speed Of Sound - Coldplay
10. Here In Your Arms - Hellogoodbye

Bonus: Letting Go - Suzy Bogguss

07-07-07

7/7/7

seven-seven seven...

No matter how you write it... It's cool!

Check out The New 7 wonders of the world... announced today!
Pretty amazing! I haven't been to any of them (gasp!)...
I guess I better get to work so that I can die saying I have seen the 7 wonders of the world!!

Here are the winners:
Petra, Jordan
The Taj Mahal, India
Chichén Itzá, Mexico
Christ Redeemer, Brazil
The Great Wall, China
Machu Picchu, Peru
The Roman Colloseum, Italy

The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling.
- Paula Poundstone

1. These Are Days - 10,000 Maniacs
2. I Don't Wanna Die Anymore - New Radicals
3. Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
4. Idiot Boyfriend - Jimmy Fallon
5. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - R.E.M.
6. Wild Bill Jones - Alison Krauss & Union Station
7. Car Wash - Rose Royce
8. Elizabeth, You Were Born To Play That Part - Ryan Adams
9. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
10. Home - Michael Buble

Bonus: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

This is the 2nd portion of our town parade. The first half is just floats and lots of candy tossing. The 2nd half is water. water. water.
The fire trucks come first, spraying everyone with their hoses and the spectators retaliate with their water guns and buckets of water. It is just one gigantic town water fight. No one is safe, no place is safe. If you don't want to get wet, then you must leave the parade route during the "intermission". It is a complete blast!!!



This little girl, we have no idea who she is... she came up to us, and started chasing us and spraying us with her water gun. I bent down to pack up my stuff, and she stood behind me spraying me with her water gun. I kept telling her I was done, and she kept spraying me with her gun, giggling. Little stinker!



This orange truck had some sort of thing that would spray water from the sides of it about 50 feet... it was incredible. The guy on the top had a super-dooper power hose... he was drenching everyone, and so one whole side of the street teamed up to get him, and when they couldn't, they started spraying the girl in the drivers seat through her open window. Ha ha!



Can you believe the size of those water tanks? You can barely see it, but the kid standing in front of the tanks has his hands out as if to say "bring it on, I've got more water than you!!"


This truck sprayed water from the front... it was hysterical watching everyone scatter when the truck revved its engine and started spraying all the spectators!



This would be Thing 3 crying because she got all wet! She was fine watching and participating to a point... just don't get HER wet. Jefe had to take her home, she was so upset! Silly girl. That's what a water fight is... everyone getting wet!



WOW! Captain Jack AND Spiderman are in on the water fight... Sheesh! We do have an awesome parade!



Thing 2 found someones unused water pistol and put it to good use! He just took it and started spraying everyone... including Jefe. Thing 1 totally disappeared for a while... some of her friends were in the parade, and were chasing her trying to spray her... they won.



This is pre-water fight. Thing 1 with some of her cousins waiting for the parade to begin! It was soo HOT... yuck.
Do you think we should've gotten the clue that we were going to get soaked sitting next to "Z Wet Zone?" LOL!

Thing 2 told me that my hat made me look like a dork. So I then put on my cute/ugly hat and said, "OK. How about this one?" He took one look at it and said... "Umm. I think the big one is better."
I like my hat!
Besides, ima1ocow is just too cute in her new hair cut! I am thinking I just might get mine cut like that!


So. That was our 4th of July celebration. Our town parade is quite the deal... I keep threatening to send it in to Family Fun magazines contest "funnest towns in America". I mean how fun is THAT? A town water fight?? Pretty dang fun!
We ate yummy ribs at Grandmas house and watched the fireworks, while Thing 3 gave us a dancing show to music that only she could hear... Well. Actually, there was music being played that the fireworks were synchronized to... it was just really faint. Either that, or I am really deaf. Which is possible!
What did you do for the 4th? Anything fun?

This is us riding the Alpine slide. We rode 2 different ones, but this one is our favorite!!







This lodge was amazing! It is at the very top of the mountain, and there was a couple getting married there! It was awesome! It takes about 15 minutes to ride the tram to the top of the mountain... that's how high it is! Jefe and I want to go back and have brunch there... maybe for the anniversary!
Down there in the distance is Pineview reservoir. Its one of my favorite places! Love to go boating there... and then being in the mountains... what more could you ask for??


This is the Olympic ski jump arena. These athletes practice even in the dog days of summer... they jump into a pool! It was one of the highlights of Thing 3's trip. For the life of me I could not convince her to come with us to do anything else! She would sit and watch and cheer, and then ask "Mama when is it my turn!" Uhh. You are a dare devil that's for sure!! We did find a resort that does ski/snow board lessons for kids her age, so you know what we will be spending our Saturdays doing starting this winter!!




This owl played Pig wig in the Harry Potter movies! The kids thought that was amazing! They met a real live movie star!! lol! I could've gotten their photos with the owl, and them holding it, but they wanted $10 bucks a photo. As if!





I love the mountains. Really I do. Jefe has become a mountain lover too. I will not be so arrogant as to say that it was my doing... (your welcome Jefe!) But, he has become a mountain lover too. We both love to hike and I think if we could figure out a way to live in the mountains and still maintain contact with our jobs, it would be done in a heartbeat! When we first moved here, we spent a lot of time hiking and hanging out in the mountains. Last summer was the summer of the broken leg... so we did not go in the mountains at all. How could we when Thing 2 would be left at home all alone??
We spent the weekend in the mountains. We hit a large majority of the ski resorts and checked them out and did quite a bit of hiking! It was a blast!