Hello blog friends! I am back, relaxed and have a very fainted subtle glow from the southern sunshine.(ok I am really peeling but that is just a technicality) It was nice to get away, though coming back to the disaster that my blog sitters left was a little much! I am just kidding - they actually left this place cleaner then it has ever been! I loved reading all their posts on MY blog ... hee hee Thank you to all my guest writers!!! You were fabulous!
6. Guys, if I am expected to wax, so should you. I am sure if I came out to the beach looking like this you would try and jab the nearest sharp object in your eyes while running and screaming to the hills. A little hygiene goes a LONG way my friends!!
7. I learned that no one that looks like Matt Grevers wears a speedo. Sigh.... where is an Olympic swimmer when you need one? My eyes are still recovering from the men I saw in speedos - oh the pain, the pain I tell you!!I came across this post while entrecard dropping and it peaked my interest. I thought it would be a great way to share some of the 'inner workings' of this lassie with the masses. Here is my first go of it - let me know what you think.
Here are this weeks questions!
1. What does whispering make you think of?
** My paranoid answer would be people talking about others (or me) and telling secrets. I am not quite the fan of whispering.
2. What kinds of current women’s clothing styles do you dislike the most?
** The super short shorts. I was so happy when bermudas came back into style this summer.
3. What is your greatest extravagance?
** I would have to say wine. I LOVE it and drink it often - but in moderation!!
4. Do you have a good luck charm? What is it?
** I don't have a good luck charm but I do wear a 'worry ring'. I am on my third one as I have worn out the other two. The one I wear now is just starting to break - so sad!!
5. Fill in the blank: “Without ___ I am nothing.”
** God
6. How do you react when you find out that your closest friend dated your ex?
** I did not react well. We did not remain friends much longer after that.
7. Do your heart and your mind ever disagree?
** All the time.
8. In what areas of your life are you uncompromisable?
** I am strong in my beliefs, even if they are not the popular views. i tend to do my own thing and not worry about pleasing others. It is my 'inner Betty' - if I can't be true to myself how can I be true to others? Guess that is why I still dress like I do and shy away from "Mom wear".
9. Have you ever gossiped about other people in order to add excitement to your
own life only for it to back-fire on you ?
** I’d like to say no, but sadly I was voted class gossip in High School...... sigh.
10. I am___________________.
** Wow, this is hard. I can come up with s many ways to answer this question. Blessed, strong, fragile, sassy, independent, a good friend, scared, a giver, a soccer diva, surrounded by boys!
Be sure to check here for next week's list of questions.
Okay, that post title sounds rather inappropriately naughty, but I likes me some alliteration, so it's staying. Hi everyone. That's right, just when you thought the guest-post-a-pallooza was over, there's yet another guest blogger holding you hostage. Never fear, Kat will be back soon. And we're doing our best not to trash the place (completely). I'm Kaza, of Kaza's Place, a funny (as in odd, not humorous, unfortunately) little blog where I blither and blather about this and that. Mostly I whine and complain about my life, which is ridiculous because I have a beautiful life really. But we mamas work damn hard and spend so much of our days meeting the incessant needs of our small human "becomings" (and those not-so-small human beings, the sometimes equally demanding partners/husbands), so we need our safe havens in which to stash our "real" selves. Blogs fit the bill quite nicely. And the best part about it all is that we make some amazing friends in the blogosphere who are willing to bear witness to our insanity and who hold us up and cheer us on and above all laugh with us. Kat is one of my most treasured bloggy friends, and I am honored that she asked me to post here.
But I'm going to restrain myself and try not to whine and complain here. That would probably be bad manners in someone else's bloggy home. Instead, I want to tell you about a shocking confession my mother made to me yesterday. She hates Halloween. WHAT?!? Okay, I realize this does not seem shocking at all, and in fact many of you may share this dislike. But to me this was a stunning revelation. Because I. LOVE. HALLOWEEN. And the reason I love it so much is that my mother always made it so much fun for us.
Every year she would make the most delicious pot of chili, and there were doughnuts for dessert, with hot apple cider. When we were little, she stayed home to watch the pot while my dad took us out trick-or-treating. When we reached age 11 or so she deemed us too old to be out there anymore and instead let us invite our friends over to hang out and eat the goodies (including the trick-or-treat candy) and sip cider and watch scary stuff on t.v. It wasn't an elaborate party, just a warm house and good food and our favorite friends.
So now you see why I was astonished to hear that she hated Halloween all of those years. When I expressed my surprise, she said "I didn't let how I felt about it interfere with your fun." But it was more than non-interference. She created a simple magic. (Not to mention a safe haven to help us resist the temptation of getting into trouble playing Halloween tricks on neighbors). Because that's what mamas do. We make magic for our kids.
I'm the mama now, and so I try to make the magic for my little girl. Only I don't have to pretend, because I adore this funny little holiday and I love sharing these traditions with her. My kidlet is only 3 1/2, so at this point she's pretty much just into the doughnuts-and-candy part of the tradition. She's not such a chili fan yet. That's for the hubs and I to enjoy after she's passed out in bed with her sugar coma. We stuff ourselves in cheese-laden chili chased down by adult libations (beer for him, wine for me, 'natch), followed by doughnuts dipped in cider and topped off with the sweet deliciousness of candy stolen from our daughter's freshly-collected trick-or-treat stash. Fortunately Halloween is on a Friday this year so we can all sleep off our overindulgences the next morning.
Now if you want to talk holidays I do hate, get back to me next spring. Because as much as I loves me some pumpkins and ghosties, I hates me some Easter bunnies and chickies. All of that pastel. Blech.
I'm so excited that this Lassie asked me to close out her week of guest posts. I've got to be honest with you, I've been a little nervous about this responsibility, you know, cleaning up after these ladies can be quite a chore… naw, just kidding, they are all great, but a little help vacuuming would be nice. *ahem*
Oh, by the way, this is Diane from The Mommy Diaries. I've been very lazy with my own blog during the last couple of weeks, so Kat was really taking a chance in letting me close the show. In fact, I'm wondering how long it will be before I'm no longer considered a blogger? While I'm still in the game, let me tell you a little story, I don't want to let her down.
Truth be told, I am a terrible singer, but I try. I try every single day while driving my car, you know the acoustics in the car are only rivaled by those in the shower, right? Every day, I have the joyful experience of having to listen to one children's song after another. For someone who loves music, this experience is mind-numbing. In order to wake myself out of the self-induced coma, I sing along with the tunes. I know every word of every song and I sing as loud as my little lungs can carry my voice.
This does not sit well with my daughter. Every day, my darling 2-year-old says to me, "No, Mommy. Stop singing. This is my favorite." And so, every day I am shamed by into stopping my singing so she can listen to her favorite song.
Her Daddy, on the other hand, can do no wrong. When he sings, she wants him to keep singing. "Sing with me, Daddy," she says to him. "Not you, Mommy. Daddy sing."
Oh, the humiliation!
So, you can imagine my surprise when last night, after reading a bedtime story, she looks up at me, and in her best sheepish voice, says, "Mommy, sing to me."
My heart simply melted, and I sang. I sang her a lullaby I made up as I went a long. I didn't care, my brain didn't think about what song to sing, I was only thrilled that she wanted me, yes ME, to sing her to sleep.
It was simply lovely. Of course, she woke up 3 separate times during the night, but I won't tell if you don't.
Hello all you lads and lassies! I'm Ali from Home of the Lazy Dog. I'm a nervous lazy dog today. I've never guest posted before and I'm afraid that with this one post I may single-handedly drive away all of Kat's readers. Please bear with me!
Actually, I'm really glad to have this opportunity to guest post. I have a confession to make and I just don't feel comfortable baring my soul like this on my own blog. Here it goes: I'm a thief. A dirty, rotten, unintentional thief.
Here's the story. Last year I bought some new Halloween lights to go on the front porch. When I got home, I opened up one of the boxes and found not only the lights that I had purchased but a rose that I had not purchased. A decorative black rose to match my now dark, cold, criminal heart.
And what did I do for atonement? Did I return it to costumer service? Did I slip the $1 plus tax to the elderly greeter on my next visit? Did I put it in my purse and make a trip to their restroom and "accidentally" leave it sitting beside the sink?
No. No. And no. You see, Walmart actually owes me $52 in quarters that I've lost in their Sam's Choice soda machines.
It's obvious. We are both corrupted.
Hello, everyone. MommyTime here. I want to thank Kat so much for asking me to guest post today. I'm delighted to be here. And while I have a tendency to write long, it did occur to me that on a Friday it might be nice to give people I've never "met" a less verbose post. So today, I'm focusing on something simple and beautiful: getting up close and personal with astonishing wild animals.
Have you ever been this close to a real live giraffe? Me either.
Until last weekend.
I took these photos without a fancy telephoto lens or anything except the built-in zoom on my regular camera. I was at the Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI, where the only thing separating the people from the giraffes is a 3 foot high wrought iron fence, a few feet of bare space, and a slightly higher wooden rail fence -- so low that the giraffes have to scrunch and scooch to reach down over it to nibble tasty weeds.
Giraffes have long been my favorite animal -- so graceful, peaceful, gorgeous in their long-limbed loping walk. I was delighted and awed to be able to look this one right in the eyes, to watch it quietly munching on a sunny fall day...
...and to watch it watching me back.
I have no idea what giraffes think about all day long. But I'm pretty sure this one wants to know when I'm going to stop taking photos and start handing over something better tasting than a thistle.
I know there are many people who argue that large animals shouldn't be kept in zoos, but I have to say that this animal encounter was the most wondrous I've ever had. Looking eye to eye with a giraffe for a long quiet moment is priceless.
Really, isn't that one of the most amazing faces you've ever seen?
Wishing you a weekend full of wonder...
MommyTime.
Guest Post by CherylWhen that wonderful Sassy Irish Lassy asked me to do a guest blog, I couldn't resist. For days I pondered over what to write because she has such a great blog and without even knowing her, I sense that she's a great Mom. So, I thought I'd post about the myths of Motherhood. It's not until you become a Mom do you realize that that some of them really are true...and some are not.Mothers Have Eyes In the Back of Their HeadsScary, but true. They seem to magically appear within hours of the birth of your first child. So, yes, we do see you stuff an entire bag of Halloween candy under your pillow when you think we're not looking. We are just thankful that you didn't choose hard boiled eggs for your emergency nighttime snack. Mothers Know EverythingThis is not true even though we often seem as if we know it all. Unfortunately, when we give birth we only get a set of eyes in the back of our heads, not a bigger brain. In fact, it seems as if our brain shrinks with each birth. After 5 children, I think I officially have no useful brain cells left. We do not get a crystal ball, either. So, that science project that's due tomorrow that you need supplies for AFTER all the stores are closed...it's not happening. Didn't know, weren't told and can't always read your mind unless you're fibbing.
Guest post from Nancy
There's a family legend about my great-grandmother, born Mary Swan but known in adult life as Mrs. Brizzolara, which moniker the neighborhood kids could not pronounce and so she became "Mrs. B." or, to us in stories, simply Bee. The legend is that she was always Too Busy Rolling Bandages For the Red Cross to bother cleaning her house. This would have been circa World War I.
She liked to gad about, join committees, and do things, and so I guess great-grandfather, Mr. Brizzolara, had to put up with dust in the corners and socks on the floor and such. (There aren't too many legends about him, other than that he came from Genoa, had a terrific head of snowy white hair late in life, and did not like to be disturbed while listening to Chicago Cubs games on the radio.)
Anyway, when I look at my house, I like to think I'm channeling Bee. Oh, the rooms are not unhygienic, but they are all, um, lived-in enough to make me realize what is so beautiful about the glossy photographs in home design books and magazines. It's not just that design professionals have placed flowers and knick-knacks just so. It's that everything is clean. Clean floors, clean picture frames, sparkling shower fixtures, clean white grout around the tub, for heaven's sake.
So I shrug and channel Bee, and generally keep on doing what I'm doing. But, oddly enough, there are movies that inspire me to clean.
One of them is Titanic. In the opening scenes, we see the old lady's house, as she spins pottery and listens to the television report of the finding of the beautiful drawing from the depths of the shipwreck. The sun is shining, and curtains blow. A big antique steamer trunk stands against a wall. The camera angles are low, and we can see that nice clean floor. There are lots of hanging plants, and a bowl of goldfish on the kitchen counter beside the tv. I think we hear the sound of tinkling chimes.
There's something about this scene of a busy, nice but obviously middle-class home -- no chandeliers or anything, and the adult granddaughter is loading the dishwasher -- that makes me look around and see that my old iron radiators are (um) kind of dusty, and the cats have tracked litter around, and the shower curtain is unfit to be seen, and maybe I'd like some goldfish. So I clean.
And then there's the great old British television series Mapp and Lucia. People who adore this show remark that the sets and costumes alone deserve their own awards or history or website or something, never mind the accolades given the actors and story. (It's all huge fun.) I think it's the beautiful flowers and plants in almost every scene that make me want to clean my house after I've watched an episode. The main characters, Lucia and Georgie, are forever sitting in perfectly appointed, cozy little rooms, hatching social plots or playing the piano while bouquets of carnations and sunflowers stand behind them, or a potted bromeliad in the corner near the servant's bellpull. I look and think, maybe I want some flowers for the house -- and of course I can't bring flowers into a messy room, so I'm inspired to clean.
Amelie is another. Remember the scene when Amelie drops the glass stopper to her perfume bottle, and it rolls along the bathroom floor and finally knocks a little porcelain tile loose from low down on the wall? Remember how clean everything is? What, the French don't get little cobwebs on the valves and pipes behind la toilette? So I clean.
By the way, all this is not to speak of Gigi. I'm always thrilled by Gaston's outburst, when Gigi rejects his advances, that she lives in a filthy apartment with worm-ridden furniture and so how can she refuse him and his wealth and tidiness? Aha! I tell myself -- validation! A charming fictional character, and her grandmother, too busy to clean! (Gaston's Uncle Honore agrees that her disgusting surroundings "must have driven her mad.") The trouble with Gigi is that all those red interiors make me want to redecorate.
You might get the impression that I watch these movies all the time and so afterward in spite of myself I am always cleaning. Not at all. It's just that when I do pop them in from time to time -- I reserve Amelie, for example, for Bastille Day, only watching it once a year to keep it special -- I see those scenes again and I sigh at their loveliness and remember. Oh yeah. These movies always make me want to clean.
Sometimes I really spend a day at it and feel virtuous and fresh when I'm done. "Now don't trash the house," I wag my finger at the family, "I did nothing but clean all day." Sometimes I'll devote maybe fifteen minutes with a paper towel and some Formula 409 to a project, and then reason that that'll do for now. After all, Bee was too busy rolling bandages ... and I'll bet she had scads more fun.
(Many thanks to IrishKat for inviting me to guest post!)
Well it has been a whirlwind weekend to say the least. Colleen and I totally road tripped to Nashville for BlissDom 08. If you could not fit it into your calendar this past weekend I definitely encourage you to carve out some time in February. It was beyond fabulous!! I could not believe that I was in a room with so many amazing lady bloggers.
The day began in the Pink Slip Lounge at the uber chic Hotel Preston - gotta love a conference held in a bar! Do they know this lassie or what?? Various panels of bloggers dished on "the goods" - why they blog, branding, social media and marketing. They shared the real deal - not just an overview and answered our every little question.
We were then treated to a mini concert by the up and coming Jessie Baylin. What a cutie she is! Hubby is already crushing on her. And of course - who could forget the Blisstinis!! They were a well deserved treat after a long day of blog talking. All of this awesomeness was provided by Epson and orchestrated by the beautiful Barbara Jones and the One2One Network divas.
To add to all the craziness of this weekend I will be out of town the next week. No fears loyal readers!! I have quite the line up of FAB bloggers for you! You will be treated to a different one EVERY day. Heck, I don't even write very day. How sweet is that?? So be sure to be kind and show them lots of comment love because - who doesn't lurve a little comment love? I for one, can't wait to see what they have on store!
Be sure to check out all the other photo hunters HERE!! If you are playing along, add you link below and leave some comment luv!!
The day has arrived
It's off to BlissDom I go
Trying not to squeel
Taking a road trip
With the fabulous Colleen
Nashville here we come!
Juiced up on Starbucks
We will travel through the night
To arrive on time
I can't wait to hang
With so many fine ladies
What's this girl to do?
Much fun will be had
By this Mommy with no kids
They hope I come home!
I have been shockingly quiet this football season. What kind of Mom would I be not to brag about my little football player? Add another bad Mommy Star to the wall. So I will attempt to redeem myself here with the great picture of Drake causing a fumble. I missed the shot where he stood up holding the recovered ball because I was jumping up and down and screaming like a deranged maniac. Yeah - I am that football mom.
But this is the real reason I love to watch him play - because as soon as he puts his helmet on, he smiles like this. ALL. THE. TIME.
I have lost my little boy. It happened over night when I least expected it. I guess I can say I saw some of the signs, but deep down I am sure I was really trying to ignore them. I will admit that some of them made me smile - like your new found sense of style. Like the time you made me drive to four different stores in two different states to find that red hat you saw someone wearing that you HAD to have. Every time you wear it you smile and when you tilt it to the side, it makes me smile. A young face trying to be so grown up. Then you tell me yesterday that you don't need to dress up for Halloween - you're past that. What!? You can't be past that, you are only eight!
I am less then a week away from emabarking to Nashville for BlissDom 2008 to hang with some totally hawt and cool chicks for the weekend. Colleen promised me that she wouldn't squeal with delight when I pick her up on Friday. I am sorry to say that I may not be able to make that same promise. I am bursting with sqealness.... I don't think I will be able to contain it all when I see her. Colleen - Be. PREPARED. I apologize ahead of time but after the week I have had, Friday can't come soon enough. I heard a rumor that there is still room if you want to join us! I am always a fan of 'the more the merrier'!!
While I was originally going to do a picture of my feline fuzzies - who have perfected the word lazy - I decided to put a fun spin on it instead. Here you see MY laziness this week. I boycotted laundry this week and it is coming back to bite me in the butt! This is only Hubby's and my laundry - it doesn't even include the kids hampers!! Off to clean, fluff and fold!
Be sure to check out all the other photo hunters HERE!! If you are playing along, add you link below and leave some comment luv!!
Hey you there!! Yes you.... the one sitting on their rump reading. What are you doing in a few weeks? Want to come by my place and blog sit for me in a week or so? You would only have to write one day - that is of course unless no one else shows up for the party. I mean, aren't you tired of always writing on your blog? You are?! Great! Then it's a deal. What? Where am I going?? Oh well, do we really need to get into all that? That seems a bit trivial at this moment don't you think? Look, you could scope out my place, see what I hide under the bed and heck, I will even stock up the cabinets for you! Come on..... you know you want to. Leave a message in the comments and the keys are yours. Just try and keep the fun to a minimum..... or not. It is totally in your hands!
This would be what happens when an eight year old boy figures out how to use the camera on his mother's lap top.
Be sure to check out other WW participants HERE and add your link if you are playing!
Grady's world of three has been an completely insane and mind numbing amazing journey so far. Granted, he swings through moods and personlalities faster then Sybil, but when he is in a happy place, he is the funniest kid EVER! Here are some of his latest ramblings.
Me: What did you learn about at school today?
Grady: Dinosaurs!!
Me: (knowing it was 'B' day and he was supposed to learn about Betsy Bee) You did?!? What did you learn?
G: That they eat police officers.
Me: They do?
G: Yep. They rip their heads off and eat them...... I don't think I want to be a police officer when I growed up Momma.
This was his response when we were ghosted the other night by a neighbor. They left us a pumpkin (aka punk man) full of treats.
G: MOM!!! The punk man dinged our dig bell and left me me candy!! Why did he ding my ding bell Mommy??
M: To leave you a special treat.
G: Oooooh. The punk man doesn't like candy Momma?
M: Nope, he is sharing them with you.
G: I don't think the punk man should ding ding bells Mommy. He can scare people.
Such a sad sight to behold! This poor lassie's glass may be empty but it's contents were thoroughly enjoyed!!
Be sure to check out all the other photo hunters HERE!! If you are playing along, add you link below and leave some comment luv!!
I was given this
From a sweet wee Irish friend
Who felt I inspire
It left me blushing
To receive such a gesture
What a compliment!
Now I must follow
And pass the love to others
With whom shall I share??
The Sweet Blog Award
Can be given to many
Here are just a few.
Midwestern Mommy
Sugarpants and Laughs and Tears
Crunchy Carpets too!
Kaza's Place for sure
Some of This and Some of That
Oh and Mommy Time!
Have now been given
The special Sweet Blog Award
Go and pass along!
Be sure to check out other WW participants HERE and add your link if you are playing!
