gr8 2b 8

Today you turn eight and I am once again faced with the fact that you are growing up faster then I would like you to. Your father pointed out this morning that you were half way to driving. Please disregard the nasty words I directed at him after that comment, I was a little deranged at the time. Oh and by the way - that was totally a love tap, no harm no foul! I love watching you grow up but secretly hate it too. You can still woo me with those eyes of blue to make you a jelly sandwich with EXTRA jelly for your lunch even though deep down I know that it has no nutritional value and that it will send you off to recess on an extreme sugar high.
I remember when you thought I was everything and the world revolved around me. (hello - who shouldn't!) You would cry when I left and run at me with such ferocity when I came back. I loved that you were my partner in crime and you sought me for worldly advice.
Your innocence and curiosity has always amazed me. You are always investigating something or another. We stumbled through a lot of firsts with me making many mistakes along the way. Hopefully the therapy bills will not be too pricey!

Your sense of humor and silliness always makes me laugh. I often forget because of your 'grown up' tendencies that you are still a child. A child who was so excited because today, you got to use the maracas in music class because it was your birthday. And those eye patches - oh how you loved your pirate patches!! Good thing because you had to wear them FOREVER!!! Your dissertation to other young children as to why you had to wear them over your eye got me every time. Unfortunately they got lost after the first sentence, but nodded along with what you said anyway.

Now you are independent and off doing boy things. Football, skateboarding, snowboarding - what happened to trucks and blocks? How did that time slip through my fingers so quickly? What happened to the chubby faced baby I held in my arms just moments ago. As the time goes on I wonder about what the future holds for you and if you will still be 'you' as a man. And even with all this uncertainty I am enthralled with how you continue to evolve into your own little being. Happy birthday Drakers!!

reconnected to an old favorite

I love this song and had lost it for quite some time. Every time I hear it it reminds me of Drake. Don't ask me why, don't ask me how, it just does. Since tomorrow is the big birthday, I thought I would do a little video prelude. Enjoy!

who doesn't love a nerd?

What do you get when you invite a science nerd to a birthday party? Why a rather large toothpick and marshmallow building of course! I give props to the mom who thought this would be a fun party game because, with a bunch of second grade boys, this activity could go very, very wrong. Thankfully it didn't end like this -

The object of the game was to see who could build the tallest tower/ building. Ok, yes, I will admit that Drake won and that I secretly did the 'oh yeah' with an arm pump when the mother told me. Sorry - no matter how hard I try my competitive nature still over powers me. Drake was beaming and then began to describe, at length, why his was the tallest and what mechanical infrastructures he used so it would be sturdy as it got taller. Where did this kid come from??? Oh that's right... he's a mini-me. I do have to say his plan was well thought out. He did reinforce the lower levels with multiple layers if toothpicks.

When I joked with the mom that it's structural stability will soon be put to the test by Grady Godzilla, Drake's eyes bulged. I could see the tears forming and a breakdown in the making. "Don't worry sweetie. We'll hide it from your brother." A unconvinced nod followed and I decided it was time to exit - stage left. Thankfully Grady was asleep when we got home so Drake got to show off his creation to Dad without fear of brotherly repercussions. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it before spring hits in full force. For now it is atop of my refrigerator but I'm thinking it is going to be a ginormous bug magnet. Ideas?

** As a side note, hubby finally finished the backsplash but the tools are still on my dryer!!

good versus evil

It has been an amazing two weekends in our home. The Spike channel has been having a Star Wars movie-a-thon. Every night they play a different movie, in chronological order no less!! Last weekend it was episodes I-III and this weekend it was IV-VI. While sitting watching Episode I - The Phantom Menace, I got a true glimpse of my boys. It was a scary reality but one that could not be more crystal clear. Grady is on one side of me chanting "Go bad guy!! Get em Darth Maul! When is he coming on again? I want Vader!! Ooooo, he in all black. He scary bad guy Momma. I like him!" Drake is on the other side, "I like little Anakin, he makes me smile. Oooo, the pod race! I love this part, especially when he wins and get to go to Jedi school. Isn't he lucky?" Yes it is true. I am a member of the senate, sitting between the forces of good and evil. There is no hope for my young Jedi knight - he has already turned to the dark side. He also made this extremely evident today when we tried to peel the three day old Darth Vader shirt off his body to go to church. (I do change the shirt underneath but Vader is always on top). I finally convinced him that Vader needed a tubby and he could put him back on again once he was out of the dryer. Poor thing stood there waiting for the buzzer to go off all afternoon! Drake and all that goodness embodies is left to battle the forces of evil. Guess I had better make sure there are fresh batteries in the light sabers!!

*** For all you Star Wars junkies Spike is playing a different episode every Sunday night - aka - Star Wars Sundays

friday flashback - prom nightmares revisited

Prom or not to prom... that is the question. Or at least the question for this week's rendition of the Flashback Friday. This stirred up many memories, some good, some bad and some ugly (and not just my dress!) Let us take a journey back in time.....

I dated the same boy through most of my high school career. We met while working at the local Phar Mor so he went to a different school. It was kind cool to date a guy that went to another school back then, maybe it still is. Anyway, he was a year older so I got to go to prom as a sophomore at his school, this was the good year. At my podunk school you could only go to prom as a junior or senior. My first prom was not eventful - bad dress, bad hair, that's about it. My parents wouldn't let me go to any after prom parties or the post prom trip the next day to Cedar Point. So all in all, very boring.

Flash forward to my junior year, this would be the ugly year. We had made plans to go to his prom since he was a senior. I got the dress, he bought the tickets and then, well how can I put this.... I got grounded. Here is how it all went down. While stopping at a local seven eleven to purchase some beer for a party, I got busted. And not just a little busted - BIG time busted. The FBI was doing an undercover investigation and raid on this place for selling to all the local teenagers. I went in with my boyfriend's best friend, he grabbed the case of beer, handed me the money and I paid for it. Because I am the one who handed over the money I was the one that got in trouble. Hell, it wasn't even my money let alone beer! Bummer. Needless to say when we got pulled over by the FBI I was beyond hysterical. The agent told me I was going to have to go home and tell my parents (cruel SOB). Long story short - he called my parents, they wigged out and threatened to send me to boarding school and grounded me till eternity. After much pleading by my boyfriend and because he was not with me when it happened, they let me go to prom with him but no after prom. I was asked to my school's prom by the 'prom king' (as friend's) and had to say no. Another bummer.

The bad year - It is now my senior year and my previous boyfriend and I were on a break. Think of the Friend's episode and that about sums it up. We were dating other people and I was asked by my physics lab partner, Andy. We were going to double with my BFF and her boyfriend so it should be a lot of fun. What I also need to mention is that I was somewhat dating this guy, if you can call it that, I met skiing in New York. We would write and call each other blah blah blah. On the weekends he would drive to my town and take me out to dinner or a movie. Nothing majorly serious in my eyes - he obviously had a different idea. Well this guy turned into psycho stalker guy. He found out I was going to prom with my friend and freaked out. He called my friend and cursed at him. He even threatened to hit him in the knees with a baseball bat. I found this funny since Andy was a big guy and was part of the defensive line of our football team. Andy, on the other hand, did not take it well. He was upset and angry. He said if I didn't want to go with him all I had to do was tell him. I felt horrible as I had no idea all this was going on. I told him I DID want to go with him and that is why I said yes. Drama, drama, drama. I still feel like crap about that whole scenario to this day. Andy if you are out there - I am oh so sorry. Please forgive me!!

So there you are. I will hunt for pictures to add to this post later. I will have to scan them and I just can't do that from work. I do remember wearing men's boxers under our dresses and flashing people at the prom our senior year. Oh to be young again!

Don't forget to check out Mamalogues, Oh the Joys and Mrs Flinger's posts!! And be sure to add your own and leave a link in the comments.

overcoming the playdate barrier

I just got back from Grady's first 'official' play date. ( Jes - you know you and Jen are the true first, but the kids started playing when they were only a few months old) Grady has been hounding me to play with a little boy, L, in his class for months. When I pick him up from school he and L double team me asking when they get to go to each others house. I sent my number home with L and waited for the phone call. Thankfully L's Mom did not wait to long and the boys were able to get together today at the local Mc Donald's play land. Me, being the shy wallflower that I am , was terrified to have to sit and talk with someone I have only seen occasionally in passing as I was packing up Grady's backpack and forcing him into his coat (not any of my highest moments by far). I am not your typical Martha Stewart mother so I feel a little self conscious at times about my wild side and hope others don't view it as lackadaisical parenting. She just had a baby so I got to coo over a little 7 pound bundle of pinkness so it was easy to break the ice. Then came the questions - yikes! Luckily her son is as demonic as mine. We shared stories of the different non-food item things they have eaten, their tantrum skills and lack of daily enthusiasm to use the toilet. With the boys running around and updating us on their monster attacks in the play dome the time went by rather quickly. She extended an invitation to have us over for another play date in their backyard. I smiled and accepted but was put back on the defensive worrying about that future date. But again I have made something that is not about me about me. The play date was about Grady and expanding his friendships beyond his immediate family. Guess I will worry about the play date after his surgery. I can only handle so much stress in one given week!

under the knife

I found out today that my little Grady monster needs to have surgery. I have known this was an extreme possibility for a while now but have avoided talking or thinking about it in hopes that it would go away. I know, denial is not just a river in Egypt, but it has been a nice place to visit for quite some time now. Now before you get your internet selves worked up into a tizzy, oh wait - that is just me, he just has to have his adenoids removed and tubes put in his ears. (JCR - I know you are feeling me here) I also know that millions of kids have tubes and undergo this surgery everyday, yada yada yada. BUT, they aren't my kid. I was Ok with having the tubes and was prepared for that outcome. After the winter my poor little guy has had I think I would have begged for it. It was the 'adenoid removal' part I was not expecting. When he said those words I instantly had flashbacks and balled myself up in the fetal position in the corner of the examination room. That may be a little extreme and I surely would have done it if Grady's ENT was not a super hottie!!

I thanked his pediatrician the last time we were there for recommended the orthopedic she did because he was so cute. She laughed and agreed. I will have to thank her again for the ENT eye candy! John laughs at me every time as I get dolled up for Grady's appointments.

J- "You do remember I am coming with you right?"
K- "What, oh yeah, I know honey."
J- "You do remember we are going about OUR child?"
K- "Yes I know."
J- "And he IS married."
K- "Yeah, yeah. You're killin' me here. Can't a girl dream?? You sure you don't need to take that conference call or something??"

Talk about tangent - sorry! Back to me in the fetal position - oh yes, it is all coming back to me now. I was six years old and had to have my tonsils and adenoids removed. My parents sugar coated it and said everything was going to be fine and I was going to feel great afterwards. Heck, they promised me a week of ice cream to dull the pain. And it was all fine and dandy until little miss 'nurse in training' came in and tried to get blood from my arm. She missed, not once, not twice but four fricking times. On the fourth try she broke the needle in my arm and all hara-kiri broke loose. It was an ugly scene. "Will the parents of blah blah please come to room 103 IMEDIATELY!!" bellowed the intercom. You can imagine their proud parent moment when they walked in to see their beloved six year old daughter strapped to a bed, screaming bloody murder and being held down by four nurses and a doctor. They finally rolled me over and sedated me in my arse to calm me down and draw blood. Thus my immense fear of needles was born. (not tattoo needles mind you, just the kind that draw blood) The hospital was then dumb enough to put me in a secluded recovery room so when I came to, still strapped to the bed, no one was there. I was scared and the screaming began again. Think Linda Blair in 'The Exorcist' screaming.

Yep, that was me. So since that day I have passed out every time I have had blood drawn. I always prep the nurses and warn them that I will faint and usually they will oblige and allow me to lay down while they do IT. Sometimes, if I use my pouty eyes, they will even use a pediatric needle. I know - I am pathetic. But there always is one that thinks you are exaggerating. She stopped thinking that when I took out her cart and face planted on the floor in front of three other patients. I showed her and had a shiner to prove it!!

And that leads me to today and Grady and his forthcoming surgery. I know what is in store for him and I am terrified. I will have to go with him that day but know I will be a walking freak show. Children's Hospital - I apologize ahead of time. Any chance you can slip me some more of that sedative???

signs of spring

I was so excited to see this brave little crocus attempt to bloom. While we have not experienced a heat wave, obviously this little guy was bound and determined to make it spring in Wisconsin.

Spring also means sidewalk chalk. Dusty hands and pants is a sure sign that the snow is gone and the sun is shining.

Nothing says all that is warm and fuzzy like a Mike's Hard Lemonade. It is a tasty treat I like to enjoy while playing with, or shall I say chasing, the boys. A precursor, shall we say, to what the evening may have in store.

I was luckily enough to experience all three today - making it a wonderful first day of spring in the Midwest.

infuriated lassie on a rampage

Lady Dragons you strike again. When I thought you could go no lower you proved me wrong. Filing a grievance was quite malicious even for a team so despicable. That, my dear girls, is stooping down into the bowels of bad gamemanship. I do however find it oh so ironic that you wait until Friday to file your complaint when the game was almost a week ago. Even more intriguing is that your stats show you to be 0-5. Hmmm, can't seem to get a win eh? Have to resort to fighting dirty and without just cause? The referees comments and insights about the so called 'incidences' were not enough? He claimed we played an extremely fair game. Why do you question skill? We, as a team, do not anger easily but I should give you some fair warning. My suggestion to you is to start rubbing elbows with the scheduler because out next meeting will not be so pretty.

I will take much joy in dancing around those slayed dragons! Mooo ah ha ha

new love and pregnacy??

First off I have to say I have a new love in my life. This new love actually lifted my spirits this morning. Let me preface with a little background. I have been sitting on the fence for quite some time about purchasing an expensive flat iron. How do I explain dropping $150 for a flat iron to my husband? And, will it actually work better then my cheapo one from Target? Ponder, ponder, ponder. So when my co-worker offered up hers - I jumped right on it. Let me tell you it is divine. It worked its magic in no time flat, left my hair super soft and silky and sold me with its first hello. Thankfully my husband could tell the difference even though I pointed out all the wonderful things it did for my hair, etc. I think he is sold. Nothing like a new purchase to lift a girl’s spirits!

I am also quite intrigue (and excited) to watch Oprah today. Typically the afternoons are pure mayhem in my house and there is no casual television watching of any kind. But my tivo will be is full force today. I read that she was having a pregnant man on her show and quickly set the timer. Yes that is right, a pregnant man. His wife had a hysterectomy and cannot have children. Thomas Beatie, a transgender male became pregnant so they could have a family. Definitely something I will watch after the boys go to bed though. Million-question boy would be in full form if he watched any of that show!!

sad little lassie

This is what I was doing this time last week. Well, not exactly at this exact moment - don't want the world to know that I start my mornings with a bottle of Merlot. But somewhere in the week ago time continuum I was out East. Because of this I am now suffering from post east coast blues. You will be proud to know that I did manage to stay positive during the trip but could not shake the nagging feeling in the back of my brain that we weren't moving there this summer. Every time I look out my Midwestern window I grimace. Thankfully I don't have any windows in my office or I would have a sour puss face all day. I can hear my grandmother now, "Your face is going to freeze like that!" It also doesn't help matters that hubby wanted to look at houses and towns - 'for future reference'. I am about ready to tell him where to shove his future references. Last Sunday was the worst and I refused to talk to anyone all day. This might explain my lack of tolerance noted in the previous post..... or not. They really were worse then I stated. But I digress, this is in fact about me and my lack of happiness at this very moment. I am also pouty because I do not know how long it will be till I see BFF again. being as she is now laden down with two little ones, it hampers her ability to up and travel to Wisconsin without hauling half of her life possessions with her. Grrrr, growl, sigh and stomp. Damn you housing market!! Ok, I guess I am done with my hissy fit - for now. I might as well enjoy the brief glimpse of sunlight that is trickling through the dreary spring clouds today and step down from my negative soapbox. Maybe my Vermont Maple coffee will do the trick.

rantings of a soccer chic

I wasn't going to go here, but after much pondering and many, many nagging thoughts about this psychotic team I played last night, I felt the need to vent. Oh you Lady Dragons, I think you are playing way out of your league. We have no room for your poor sportsmanship and lack of, shall I say, skills?? Shoving other players because they beat you to the ball is not looked upon highly, neither is hacking at their ankles. And you, oh over confident goalie, should not dive head first towards a ball at an opponents feet and then scream foul. While we, the Cosmos, do follow the so called 'halo rule', it does not include plays that involve lack of forethought. It also does not encourage you to hunker down, with your face level to your opponents foot, when they take a shot on goal. This is just...well.... stupid. And to make matters worse, when the game is over, you neglect to shake hands and say 'nice game', which would have demonstrated good sportsmanship, when you were massacred 7-0. But who am I to point out your short comings?? No, you were able to demonstrate that at too well when you tried to pick a fight with two of my fellow teammates after the game about roughing the goalie. (Please see previous statements about the stupidity of the aforementioned goalie). For some strange reason your goalie felt that no one should come within 20 feet of her, let alone touch her in any way. Obviously she has not been playing long or she would know that the goalie takes the brunt of the games shots as well as contact with other players. Typically goalies come towards players with their feet, not their heads, thus taking out opposing players as they charge the goal. But this would mean that she had even the smallest inkling of how to play soccer, which by her demonstration last night, she does not. I can't wait to see what she does when outdoor begins in three weeks and her goal box triples in size! Maybe they will be moved down a league by then...one can only hope!

is patience a virtue?

Here is your math problem of the day. Maple House + three hungry children + two tour busses of elderly Quebecians + one lactating friend on a schedule =your answer here. If I could only describe the true fortitude of what our encounter was I would be oh so happy. My BFF pick the boys and me up for breakfast this morning, wooing us with all the Maple House had to offer. "They make their own Maple Coffee. They infuse the beans with maple syrup." I was instantly hooked after that first comment. The also had a sugarhouse (where they make the maple syrup) and a store called the Sugar Shack. Personally, I think the 'Sugar Shack' sounds like a strip club or adult movie but it was, in fact, a shack filled with all things sugar and maple. We arrived with three hungry children, my two boys plus her 18-month-old son, and our own ravenous appetites. I had been salivating for the coffee from the time she picked me up from the hotel and already had my 'it's 9 am and I haven't had coffee headache' going. The place was in the middle of nowhere in the back woods of Nashua/ Amherst. It didn't appear crowded when we were first seated.... but then the tour buses arrived. Q-tips and grey hairs were everywhere. We were being invaded!! The waitress brought two coloring books to our table to amuse our children while she sat the masses. The only problem with that was she brought a Sesame Street (fine for the younger two) and a Disney Princess book. Drake and Grady made quite the faces at the pink embodied book of ‘all that is girl’. We pitched the princess book and divvied up the Sesame Street pages. After an excruciatingly long wait we were finally served. As a side note - the coffee was too die for!! The boys did as well as any caged and hungry animal can do but after all the sugary goodness started to digest, they needed to run off some of that extra energy before our car ride back. BFF and I on the other hand, were in a food-induced coma state and ready for a well-deserved nap.

We took a quick walk through the sugarhouse and saw how they make maple syrup. I loved the smell of the wood burning and the slight sweet tinge in the air.

The boys liked swinging with Anthony and crossing the covered troll bridge. I had to indulge in a bag of the maple coffee and entered the Sugar Shack with the idea that I would run in and run out with my purchase. Ann's milk was dropping and well, that just isn't a good thing when babycakes is at home with her Daddy, probably staring to wail and fuss. What I entered instead of the Sugar Shack was the Twilight Zone for the elderly. And not just any elderly – French speaking Q-tips. They were bickering over the prices, the lines, the lack of bathrooms, the lack of pink stained glass dragonflies window hangings and so on and so forth. And so, my mantra began. “Some day I too will be old and crotchety, some day I too will be old and crotchety.” Because of their excessive scrutiny, it was taking forever to purchase my two bags of coffee. I tried my best to hold my tongue and not go postal on the two old ladies in front of me when they couldn’t decide between the ‘Kim’ or ‘Kimberly’ sleigh ornament. I think it went like this, “Her real name is Kimberly.” “Yes, but doesn’t she go by Kim?” “Oh yes… which do you think she would like?” “I’m not sure. Maybe her real name…. but she does have everyone call her Kim…” “I think I will get her the Kim. Hmmmm, or maybe the Kimberly?” At this point I am doing all I can to not scream out “Stop the insanity!!! It is a $2.00 ornament for Pete’s sake!! Buy both!” I chose instead to bang my head against the cute little maple plaque with Pope John Paul on it. I made it out alive, battered and bruised, but alive and bearing coffee. I cannot say the same for some of the others. All in all it really was a fantastic time. Anytime with BFF is well spent. Though trying to sop up runny boobs the whole way back was quite the challenge!

sharks and turtles and dragons oh my!

I guess I should also add tourettes to the title as well cause nothing says public transportation like a run in with a person with tourettes. This man was spewing his rant, filled with so many nice words, that it even made a potty mouth like me blush. He was throwing around the F bomb and C word like "the" and "is". Grady's eyes grew big and in his oh so quiet two year old voice bellowed, "Ooooo Momma, he's a bad guy!!!" And he said it not once but twice. I can say for certain that one of those C words was directed at my loud-mouthed child and me. But on a whole I love Boston. I could wrap my arms around it and never leave. Because if was 60 and sunny we decided to take the boys to the aquarium.


Because schools in Massachusetts were not on break, there were no lines or crowds at the Aquarium. Grady wanted to see the sharks and the octopus while Drake was making a B line towards the penguins.

The aquarium is in the middle and you walk around, up in a spiral, to see all the different fish and sea life and exhibits. I really liked the fact that there were a lot of opportunities to see all the fish and we never felt crowded or rushed to move out of the way for someone else.

Drake got to hold a baby Chinese sea crab. I thought baby looked like she would have made a good meal but Mom and Dad can grow anywhere from 10 - 12 feet around. Now that would be a meal!!!

Grady loved seeing the sea turtles. They even had a baby one that looked like Squirt in Finding Nemo. I have to admit that the two older turtles that swam with ease through the tank fascinated me. Their shells were beautiful and their faces looked soft and kind. The boys and I also loved the huge jellyfish exhibit. I never knew there were so many different species, shapes and sizes. Glad they were behind the tank and not in my local swimming hole!

And of course, no trip to the wharf is complete without a trip to Legal Seafood. Drake asked if we were eating any of the fish from the aquarium to which I chuckled. "No honey. These fish come in on the ships in the harbor." "But this restaurant is right next door to the aquarium. Kind of fishy." Yeah I know, he is a laugh riot. His curiosity about the acquisition of fish grew as he completed the "secret code" game on the kids me. "See Mom...it says 'If it's not fresh it's not legal'. Are they getting the fish illegally? Why would they put that as the secret code?" I tried to explain that it was a play on words and that nothing was obtained illegally, at least to my knowledge. I don't think my explanation worked but at least I got to finish my chowder.

and the adventure begins

Let me begin by saying that 4 am is ugly. If you thought my photo of truthiness was bad, avoid the 4 am picture at all cost. Thankfully I was able to get almost all the packing done last night, with the exception of those last few items that taunted me in my sleep. So far I think I have everything. Granted, we are only on the plane but what we don’t have I guess we can buy. Miraculously we made it to the plane on time because the line for security wrapped around the entire airport. We also got held up in security due to short stuff and his stash. The TSA lady stopped us and said she had to investigate Grady’s backpack. She said there were questionable items they needed to see. “Well if there are he would be the one to have them”. Thankfully she laughed. Sometimes those people take their job a bit to seriously and can be quite rude. The items in question were his three small jars of play-dough. Someone– though I won’t mention names– (Jes) had mentioned before that she packs play dough to entertain her little munchkins. I thought that was a great idea and followed suit. Well, TSA does not view moldable clay as a kosher flying item. She did the chemical warfare swipe test to it and deemed it flight-worthy. So far Grady loves the plane though was a bit disgruntled that he was not allowed to drive it. The elderly lady behind us gave quiet a smirk at that remark.

My goal is to post pictures throughout the trip – yeah, we will see how that goes. I hope to do some sightseeing, hit the aquarium and lots of eating. The boys are very excited to see their Tia (my BFF) and I can’t wait to get my hands on her new little one. My BFF is Greek and she married an east coast Italian. I am already salivating at the food possibilities. I am sure we will be able to find lots of ways to fill our time since we aren’t house hunting and school shopping. But I won’t go there, at least not yet!

did the scary bunny visit you?

Happy Easter to all! These are the bunnies that Grady colored at school for the occasion. They kind of scare me with their side glances and extremingly sharp teeth. Freaky, I know. They are very reminiscent of Monty Python's Killer Rabbit. Hope these aren't some of the bunnies that visited our house last night!

the list

Drake has been asking for a "mom and me" day for quite a while now. Seems the constant nagging and irritation that a little brother entails has driven him to the brink. He wrote this in response to "What do you miss from you past" in our circle journal the other day - "I miss when it was just Mom, Dad and Me. NO Grady". Yikes! I know this is all typical behavior, or at least I keep convincing myself that. This video confirms my boys are on the road to best friend doom -
http://inthemotherhood.msn.com/Default.aspx?source=email&videoId=22 (again I have a Mac and can't figure out the whole link thing, sorry!) But I digress. I decided that since Grady had school Friday, and Drake and I did not, that we would have an "us" day. He was so excited that he decided to make a list of all the fun things we were going to do. It seems that my OCD tendencies are hereditary and will be a source of therapy for years to come.


So here is Drake's list for a day of fun. Not at all what I was expecting. He didn't even want to leave the house. My favorite was number 4 - play board games, or not. It was nice to just hang out, read some Harry Potter and Drake's favorite - demolishing me in a not so friendly game of Monopoly. And lets not forget the 15 inches of snow that fell yesterday bringing us to almost 100" this winter. Drake found immense pleasure in pelting me with snowballs while I was trying to shovel. Shocking how accurate he can be without his glasses on!! It was a great day except for the fact that Drake said I wasn't allowed to take a nap because it wasn't on the list. Next time I am voting for mandatory napping!!

No worries, we did complete the list. I took this picture before the day was done.

friday flashback

"Where were you when...?" is the question of the day posed by the fine ladies at "Sweetney" and "Her Bad Mother". I perused some of the entries and had AH HA moments with each of the incidences they wrote about. I was in the hall at my locker between classes in sixth grade when they announced the Challenger crash. I also remember my mom waking me up extremely early to watch the 'once in a life time' wedding of Di and Charles. I can recall the destruction of the Berlin Wall and rushing home from my anatomy lab to watch the sentencing of OJ Simpson. All of these memories are still fresh in my mind, though I can't remember what to get at the store to save my life. Another occurrence I can vividly recall was the arrest of Jeffery Dahmer. 'Why on earth would you remember this' you are surely questioning. Well, the reasons are plentiful.

It was the summer before my senior year of high school when he was arrested in 1991. I had done all the university tours my junior year and had decided to go to college in Milwaukee. I grew up in a small town on the eastern border of Ohio, two miles from Pennsylvania to be exact, and I was ready to get the heck out of Dodge. I yearned to be in a metropolis with up to date fashion, trends and culture. I applied early and was accepted. So the countdown to freedom began.

"Newsflash! Officers arrest a serial killer in Milwaukee. When apprehended in his apartment they find corpses, human remains and severed heads in his refrigerator." The trial began in the middle of my senior year. I was continuously questioned about my school choice, "Are you really going to school THERE??" "What if there are more killers like THAT there?" and so on and so on. To small town minds this type of killer was incomprehensible. To be fair, he was mind blowing to many across the country as well as around the world. As the investigation unraveled it was discovered that he was originally from Ohio and went to Ohio State (my second choice for college). Suddenly the six degrees of separation was quickly closing in. As well as being on every national news station, he was also on all the local station because of all the discoveries they were finding in Ohio as well. I was glad when school was over and I could escape the verbal questioning and harassment.

When I moved here the story didn't have the same zest and appeal as it did back home. Maybe because they had been hearing it for over a year and by then and the shock value had resolved. I embraced the silence and went about my merry way and all that college had to offer to a wide-eyed freshman.

It amazes me that this was the occurrence that was sparked by the question posed. Maybe the small town girl in me is still stuck in there after all.

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This post was written as part of Catherine and Tracey’s “Where were you when…” writing prompt.
“Our parents' generation can recall exactly what they were doing when JFK was shot - a cultural moment that defined a generation. What big cultural or historic event occurred during your childhood/youth that you recall clearly? What was its impact on you?"

Feel free to join in and write a post on this theme. All you are asked to do is copy the list of participants and add it to the bottom of your post -- and don't forget to add yourself!

For more posts on the “Where were you when…” theme...
Her Bad Mother
Sweetney
Mamalogues
Mrs. Flinger
Whoorl
Oh, The Joys

well thought out twinkle - or not

While driving my car last weekend and being repeatedly kicked in the back by Drake, hubby mentioned how I should probably upgrade to a big girl car. "And what pray tell do you mean by that?" I queried. "I think we have outgrown your car. We need something bigger". Humph. I love my car. I downsized to get my car. It is fast and zippy. It's a diesel, so it gets great gas mileage and I can always find parking when we go to Milwaukee or Chicago. "I will NOT drive a minivan and you can't make me!!" "No, not a minivan, just something a bit... bigger."


This is the Mazda 5

So we spent some time Sunday looking at cars online. I really like the Mazda5. It has the third row seating but without the height and bulk of a van. It was actually almost the same height as my VW. I liked that I could tint out my windows and still have it look somewhat cool. I also really liked that the second row seats are bucket and recline - great for road trips! So nothing was every really decided and I thought it was just something we were throwing around. I didn't think twice when he asked me to drive his car to work Monday. Bad judgment on my part, very bad. He said he was going to have a dealership appraise it "just" so we would know what range we could look in. Lies, lies, lies. I should also mention that he exhibits numerous signs of ADD and has sever impulsivity issues. So with that said, you can probably see where this bumpy road is going.

At about 9am I got a text message that he was going to put my car up for sale online just to see if there was any interest. Well, there was, and a lot. Bugger had it sold in under six hours for more then the dealer was willing to offer. "GREAT!" he says as he is flashing his wheel and deal smile. "Crap!" I say. "You just turned us into a one car household!" Yeah, I was met with a blank stare and shrugging shoulders. He tried to woo my green side by telling me that the guy who is buying it is going to rebuild it and turn it into a bio-diesel car. "Much better for the environment honey!" Much better my butt! Now we have to rush and find a car. We can't just have one car. Hello?! I commute to Illinois everyday, you will become housebound and have to scrounge through your day. "What if you get called out to an emergency.... you know, like what happened twice last week??? Hell, once you had to fly out to Boston with one hour notice. What then?? Aaaaaahhh!" You can visualize the melt down can you not?

After a few glasses of wine and many nasty looks I decided that I am taking his car and claiming it as my own. It will now be his responsibility to find a new ride and preferably before we head out east next week for a brief holiday. Otherwise he will have to put his kicks to the pavement if he wants to go anywhere. Or, weather permitting, his new motorcycle girlfriend.

embracing that which is flabby

I hate my stomach. After gaining 80 pounds - TWICE!! - to say it has seen better days is an understatement. My tummy and I go round and round. Some days I look at it and sigh, "Oh flabbiness, you come from spawning two beautiful boys. Without them, I would not have all these long and lengthy stretch marks, saggy skin and a belly button that looks as if it has a foreskin. Thank you for baking them and making it difficult to find clothes that don't make me look like an over sized muffin." Other days I look at it and curse, "Damn you flabby skin!!! Can't you just lay flat and not bulge over my pants for one frickin day?! Must you seep out from the depths of my waist bands and jiggle as I walk. Stop laying in bed next to me!!!" I was having one of the cursing moments as Drake was talking to me while I was getting dressed the other night into my "lounge wear". He was watching and had this silly little smile on his face as he cocked his head sideways.
Me: What is so funny?
D: Nothing. I just like your belly.
M: You like my belly? Why?
D: I like how it puffs out. (with this he stands up and starts poking it - I hate that) It's soft and warm.
M: (like a muffin I'm thinking) Really?
D: Yeah and I like to rest my head on it when I hug you. It's like a warm pillow. It's comfy.
M: Thanks bud I needed to hear that
D: How did I fit in there by the way?
M: You didn't. That is why it looks like this!
D: Oh. Will it always be puffy?
M: Yes, I can guarantee that it will always be puffy.

So I guess today I should embrace my fluffiness. Granted I may always look like a cupcake or over stuffed sausage in pants but at least it is comforting to a seven year old boy when he needs a hug.

these irish eyes are smiling

Happy St. Patrick's day to everyone! It is, of course, a big deal in our house. Although, with it being on a Monday this year it has cramped the celebratory style we usually exhibit. Both hubby and I have busy days and cannot take off work as we have in the past. Plus we have those wee ones now that also demand time and consciousness. Hmmm, we will have to try and plan better for next year. We will still have fun with the kids tonight and celebrate the namesakes of two of the three boys. We got our favorite Dubliner cheese, Guinness and green Kool-Aid for the boys. A party in the making! On a negative note, my mood was almost damped by one of Grady's pre-school teacher that got on her soap box about how "Americanized" St' Patrick's Day has become (duh - we are in America) and that in Ireland it is a religious holiday (duh again). Yada, yada, yada. I will add that she was all garbed up in green and admitted to not being Irish at all. While in truth, America has made it into a day of mass media exploitation, excessive consumption of alcohol and outrageous shenanigans but really, what is the harm? A true Irishman can drink any American under the table and would do it with style. So pass the green beer and stop giving me so much blarney!!

self-portrait truthiness at its best

Well I was originally wooed by the idea of a Friday Flashback post when I read about it on 'Mamalogues' and 'Her Bad Mother'. Their first choice was "A song by... that changed you". I pondered it for quite some time and eventually decided against it. All my stories were risqué and things I am just not ready to share with the blog world or truth be told, have my children read someday - yikes!! This week they chose the 'self-portrait of truthiness'. I fell in love with the title and am always one to take a dare. The idea is to post a picture of you first thing in the morning - no make-up, no prep work, NO coffee. Now I was perusing the photos and I highly question many of them, either that or I am one of the scariest morning people alive. Most of these women have nice combed hair, fresh looking faces, heck, some even have smiles. I NEVER look like these women in the morning. My hair looks like the stomping ground for a family of ferrets, three blind mice and a large wild boar. Now I will admit there is not much difference when it is clean and "done" due to the amount of curl and product that goes into the coiffure, but it does look a bit more tame. Because of this I am going against the rules and posting a pre and post picture just to prove that I am not a deranged lunatic in real life and to show you that objects are not as scary as they appear!


Oh yes, this is 5 am at its finest! I am even scared when I look at this picture. Guess if my husband can roll over, see this and not run for the hills he must be a keeper!


So here I am with my hairstyle of the moment. No makeup but my hair is somewhat decent.


Ok, this is a flashback to three years ago. I am glammed up and looking quite cute I must say. This is pre-Grady so the bags under my eyes are not as defined as they are now. I also have a lot less, shall we call them laugh lines?


And then there is the long haired version of me. I loved it this length but simply for the reason that I never wore it down - it was always pulled back. I could throw on a hat or throw it in a pony and go. I like my short hair but it does take more time and effort.

Be sure to check out these other brave women as well:
www.mamalogues.com
www.izzymom.com
www.othejoys.blogspot.com
www.badladies.blogspot.com

As a side note - I can't do the fancy little "do dad" to link you to other blogs on my apple lap top. I have tried and tried with no success so take the web address as they are. Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated.

So now I post the same dare to you - show the world the real you first thing in the morning. Be sure to link it back to me and the others involved and we can fill the blog world with an overabundance of beauty.

gotta brag!!

My little Science nerd made the paper for his moldy cheese project. Quite a happy day! It was such a fun surprise to find his smiling little face in the paper. Ok, so he really isn't smiling in the picture but he will be when he finds out he was in the paper. Hopefully this cheers him up after his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day yesterday. If not then Mc Donald's for dinner surely will!

for the love of pete, please stop reproducing

While driving to work this morning I was listening to one of the local radio stations because I couldn't find my ipod adapter (sad I know). The two deejays were discussing Easter. The female, who is Jewish, was commenting how she couldn't believe how early Easter was this year. The male said "What are you talking about? You're Jewish and Easter is always in April." This sparked a huge discussion on Easter and eventually led to the female betting the male a burrito that Easter was in two weeks. She googled it and alas, proved him wrong. He was vastly confused and stated that he thought Easter was always the first Sunday in April. Why did they change it this year? All the while I am sitting in my car thinking about how stupid these people are and that they are actually getting paid money to project their stupidity to the masses. To make matters worse they then open up the phone lines to the general public about this topic. The responses left me speechless and very afraid. One lady was insistent that President Bush changed Easter this year. "It is one of the presidents duties" she stated. She knew that because someone told her. I wonder what else she would believe?? Another lady said it was the way the stars and the moon align.....oh nelly! We have been dipping into the sauce a wee bit early haven't we? Where have all the Christians gone??? Easter does not revolve around the President, a certain Sunday or the solar alignments (ok, well, sort of but not the way she was talking). Heck, even the Jewish deejay knew that!! Where are these people coming from and why are they reproducing? Where is natural selection? I bet this is why some animals eat their young. Easter is and always will be a moveable holiday based on the full moon. Am I wrong to assume that people don't know that? Have you been to Target lately? There has been Easter stuff since February. Better yet, check your day planner. Now I do admit that I may be a bit more in tuned due to the fact that I have small children and work in the schools. We know days off better then our family's birthdays! But that aside, I an having a difficult time wrapping my brain around the fact that there are people out there that think the president picks Easter. Sadly I missed some of the other callers and their lame reasonings as to why Easter is on March because I was venting to my husband about the stupidity of the people in Wisconsin. "Just another reason to move," I threw in. Yeah, he didn't fall for it. Damn. I can, however, definitely state that there are exactly three days till one of our all time favorite national holidays - why, St. Patrick's Day of course!!!!! And I won't even start about the controversy that St Patrick's Day falls during holy week.

ramblings of a seven year old

These are the days I wish my son was not so quick on the uptake or as my husband says "spot on".

Drake: Mom, can I ask you a question?
Me: You just did.
D: Maaawwwwm, really.
M: Yes, go ahead.
D: Why is it funny, in the movie Cars, when the rusty cars are talking to Lightning McQueen about not having headlights, and he says he is a race cars and race cars don't have headlights because the race track is always lit and then one of the cars says "So is my brother but he still needs headlights". Why is that funny?
M: Uhhh, well, hmmm... it's adult humor.
D: Yeah but what does it mean? Why is it funny?
M: It's just adult humor. They put it in there so Moms and Dads will watch the movies with their kids. I just can't explain it. AND you are too young for me to explain it to. Any other questions?
D: (saddened) No, I just wanted to know why that was funny and you always laugh.

So after this discussion I realize that I probably didn't answer his question the right way and in fact, I do laugh every time I hear that quote for a multitude of reasons. It also leaves me speechless (yes, I know that is a first) as to how to answer these types of questions in the future without stumbling and stuttering like a bumbling fool. I could be honest but I am just not ready to go down that road yet, at least on this topic. Now, throw any sex or morality question my way and I can answer that pretty honestly. Although the whole "why don't you have a penis Mommy?" did backfire in my face on several occasions. Maybe I am just meant to stumble and stutter through their youth and learn from my mistakes. I am sure this conversation will not drastically change who he is and who he will become and may even help me answer Grady's questions when they come iin the future. Oh, who am I kidding?! He won't stop long enough to ponder movie quotes, if he ever stops at all!

can't wait to nosh this nugget

Here is the latest picture of my niece by default. My BFF says she has cheeks you can feast on for days. I can't wait to get my hands on her in a few more weeks. She looks delectable! I just hope that Grady doesn't find her so lovable. That could be a bad combination!!

i should have known he couldn't be faithful

This is the new girl in my husband's life. He purchased her this weekend and is now praying the snow will melt so he can spend some quality time with her. I have, of course, established the rules of this new engagement, much to Drake's dismay. No one under 18 may ride her, especially my kids!! I will say I am kind of excited to partake in some joy rides this summer but am still a bit uneasy about riding a motorcycle. I am happy to say that the bike is older then I am so at least he didn't trade me in for a younger model!

i would like to say the project is finished

But alas, I cannot. The project that was started three weeks ago is still incomplete. So reminiscent of the time he ripped up our only bathroom the day I was due with Drake. Ok, maybe not AS bad, but approaching the same delays in finishing. At least he didn't saw out any windows this time....

The constant nagging view from my kitchen. I think the newspaper decor is starting to grow on me.

science fair

Drake decided to participate in his school's Science Fair this year. I was all for it until I heard the topic he chose - Which Cheese Molds the Fastest. Great! Can't wait to see what all that entails. Thankfully it was geared towards young children so there wasn't too much work and research involved. The worst part was having the moldy cheese in my cupboard for two weeks. Drake had originally wanted to place the cheese on plates. I saw my chance - how about putting them in Ziploc bags?? He agreed and we were good to go.

You can see from the picture how delicious things got by the end of week two. He was excited that the hypothesis he thought of was true and all his friends liked the grossness factor of his experiment. As for me, I am proud he took the initiative to try something different and extremely happy that the cheese is now out of my house!!

it's official

Well it has officially happened. I have been labeled and marked a high maintenance parent. We all knew this time was coming. I mean, who could not see it with all my control issues, my knowledge and career in the schools and all the countless other anomalies that make me one of "them". I thought I was doing well with Drake's education route till I hit that first bump in the road in pre-school. His teacher tried to take on too many kids and was not teaching my kid everyday. She had the kids on a rotating learning schedule. I informed her I was not paying for a rotating learning schedule. I wanted my kid to be learning everyday - what a concept! So I pulled him and placed him into another pre-school. I loved, loved, LOVED this pre-school. So much so I placed Grady there. Drake thrived and wowed them with his keen wisdom and quirky smile. Then came kindergarten. Our district allows you to have a voice (or basically choose) your child's teacher. Oh, I am SO all over that. I grabbed my paperwork, did some snooping and requested his teacher. She challenged him and provided extra enrichment activities, Drake loved her and I was pleased. I followed this same path for first grade with the same outcome. You could even say I had a teacher crush. She wooed me, made me cry at every conferences and stroked my mommy ego with such a tender touch...sigh. I miss her so. She told me she would place Drake and I would not have to worry. We both had the same teacher in mind anyway, I didn't need to fill out the form. She convinced me to loosen the reins of control, to allow someone else to play with his destiny. So I submitted to her smile. Then it happened. The teacher we had "planned" got knocked up. The nerve! Hello?! Couldn't you wait till after you educated my son? So into the masses he was tossed to be distributed to a teacher I had no input on. Why was I not notified? Why wasn't I consulted? So that leads us to the here and now. His teacher this year has had me on edge for months. If it wasn't such a small school I would have had him pulled and placed in another room. I have had phone calls with the principal about his teacher's lack of teaching, her inability to differentiate and the fact that he comes home almost everyday telling me he is bored. This led to some biting backlash emails from his teacher and the super syrupy yet "I want to rip your eyes out" interactions during their class fieldtrip a few weeks ago. Then there was today. Drake had his spring conference today. A conference he was to lead. John and I went together with no intentions of confrontation and planned to enjoy Drake's time in the spotlight. But when we arrived we were quickly greeted by the teacher and the principal. Great! I know all about this. I have been on the other side of this table and made under-my-breath comments about over zealous parents and their crazy expectations and demands. I have now been labeled one of "them". It is a heart breaking day to know that I now have a high maintenance mom star on my child's school folder. Guess I can add that star to my never ending bad mommy star collection!

new spinal tattoo

Ok, here it is as promised. Still a little red but feels fine. Thankfully it hasn't started to itch yet and isn't irritated by my clothes. It actually seems to more well adjusted then I am most days. Grady seems to like it and already wants to add to it. "I color you too Mommy!" Hmmm, not the reaction I was going for. And just for you Beth - I trimmed out my "man" shoulders from the picture!

how smart is your right foot?

Try this. It is from an orthopedic surgeon...

This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but you can't!
It's preprogrammed in your brain!

1. WITHOUT anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY......) and while sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.

Now I was sent this and I do have to brag that I can outsmart my foot if I concentrate really really hard. Must be my super therapist powers I learned in school! Let me know if you are smarter then your foot :)

spinal tat

What better way to celebrate Casmir Pulaski Day then with a new tattoo? Why, I can think of no better reason. Since I have the day off and all the chitlins are at school I decided it was the optimal time to get another tattoo. I decided on the spinal tattoo I have been pondering for quite some time now. I still want to add or get another with something for the boys but haven't found exactly what I am looking for. I did find the Gaelic phrase I wanted and it is now happily displayed down my spine starting at the nape of my neck. I will post pictures later, maybe tomorrow when the redness goes away. If it is looking better tonight I will get them up sooner. Of course this has caused quite a spur in the husband as he has been wanting another for quite some time. I was supposed to wait get my next one till he got his but he is just too darn slow. Not like me to wait around so off I went! He keeps eyeing it up though and don't want to ask his intentions!!

happy birthday captain barley!!

Today is Barley's 7th birthday! He shares this great day with Dr. Suess which is very suiting. Be on the lookout for more birthday pictures when he gets his present. Yes, I know that sounds sad but he is part of the family!

angels & airwaves

The concert rocked!! Tom always puts on such an amazing show. Oh how I love him! And I am happy to say that my "abilities" as I will call them, got John and I a seat in one of the VIP boxes. Even better - this box was dead center in front of the stage. We could not have asked for a better view. When the older gentleman extended the invitation for me to join them in their box he then added, "Your friend can come too". That comment made my night! I replied, "Thanks! He's my husband". John and the guy hit it off and briefly chatted throughout. I was loving life and of course, loving Tom. I was also overly thankful we were not below with all the others in the pit. Body surfers were flying left and right and several times a mosh pit broke out. My tolerance for a mosh pit has dwindled with age and after my museum escapade last week with some local high schoolers, I thought it was best if I refrained. Most of the people in the box had never heard of A&A before - hello?!? Why are you going to spend all that money for tickets for a band you don't know? I never got the nerve to ask how or why they got their tickets. Nor did I refrain from singing and dancing my heart out. We later found out that one of the other guys in the box was the owner of a new club in Milwaukee. He extended an invite for us to come to his bar after the show. Sure! The club was really nice and played great music. I loved the diversity of the people that were there and the fact that there were no teeny bopper college kids there to make me feel old and past my prime. Plus they had phenomenal drinks though John complained his was very weak. Can't cheap an Irishman on his liquor! I am however, feeling the repercussions of last night today. Staying out till the wee hours with wee ones at home typically does not mix, as is true today. But I have already begun the nap mantra and have enjoyed two cups of strong coffee. Side notes - we did have a different babysitter so when we came home all was happy and CLEAN. And I took great care to stay hydrated and fed all day yesterday and did not partake in any beverages during the show. Suffice to say I was able to enjoy the whole show! Now I just have to patiently wait for them to come back into town. Maybe they will visit for Summerfest??