I'm Distracted

So much so that I almost burnt my house down. A Bisquick box never belongs on a stove top especially when the burner is on. Not a good idea. Not to worry - The Hubs caught it and saved the day. I was just standing around thinking - What is that smell? Smells like something is burning. Huh! Maybe it smelled like it because SOMETHING WAS!

I am distracted because our really good friends gave birth to a beautiful little girl on Monday. Daddy delivered her on the bathroom floor after the hospital sent them home. Trust me though when I say if there was any one I would trust delivering a baby other than the doctor and perhaps The Hubs - it is this guy. Truly amazing he is! Mama too. What a trooper!

So - things have not been so easy since and little Baby J is having some complications. She is now at Children's Hospital and has tested positive for Downs Syndrome. She is beautiful and seems to have a strong spirit - a real fighter. Her pictures are gorgeous and we can't wait to meet her.

So I am distracted and wish I could be there instead of here. I wish there was something I could do. These friends have been with us for every one of our three deliveries. They are truly amazing people and such special friends.

But I am here, what seems to be a million miles away, wishing and sending up prayers. Lots of prayers. So I am asking for everyone to pray with me. Please send up a prayer for our friends and there little blessing from above. Every little bit helps.

Have a wonderful, safe, and blessed New Year's Eve.

Doggone Happy

Now doesn't HE look comfy? I don't know but I think he is pretty darn happy in his new home. On MY couch.

This Mama Needs a Vacation

Okay - So I don't know where Lady Di is. Probably in bed like this:

I only say that because that was me this morning (well not really ME!) You get the point.

Just wanting to wish the world away. Having no desire to get up and go. What is going on? WE are in a funk and the FUNK seems to be going around this year. I have been reading some blogs and talking to friends and it is a reoccurring theme. So we are starting a movement - SAY NO TO THE FUNK!! Just do it! DON'T allow it to enter your day. If you start to feel a little down - Call a friend and talk about something exciting or fun. Plan a trip. Lady Di and I are going to Vegas in February with one of our college friends. We will probably just sleep but at least we will be uninterrupted. I dream of no interruptions. Go get a pedicure or a hand and foot massage. Something!

Anyway: That's it Ladies and Gents : Say NO to the funk!

So I am going to give this Mama Drama Monday a Whirl. Wish me luck:

You know you have Mama Drama if:

1. The YP gets ticked off at the hubs and is so stubborn that she refuses to ask for help when she has to go potty. You are completely unaware and realize something is wrong when you are in the kitchen and you and The Hubs keep asking, "What is that smell?" "Did you throw away a dirty diaper?" "Are you sure?" You finally go to investigate "the smell" and walk in on a scene that makes you gasp in utter dismay, gag, scream, and run.

She had to go, refused to call for help, removed dirty panties, tried to wipe, tried to put on new panties and when all the above failed she ran and hid in her sisters closet. Let's just say Barbies convertible ended up in the sanitize cycle in the dishwasher.

2. Same little girl is bare bottomed on your bed and pees all over your coveted, sacred Scandia Down pillow. You throw it in the washer and leave to make Tamales and come home to what looks like a mostly empty pillow case with clumps of stinky feathers. Lot's of drama - trust me! This is after The Hubs broke a tea cup from England and I chipped my favorite tea pot.

3. You have a migraine - It's 5:45 am haven't slept at all and not feeling well and the whole family converges on your bed talking away with 10:00am voices. Irritated, tired and not fully awake The Hubs says something with the words, 'why don't you.........' ( I seriously don't remember the rest of his sentence ) When you reply "Why don't you shut your mouth!" OOPS. Totally slipped out - not what I meant to say at all. Honestly! Thank heavens The Hubs is a saint because he just got up, closed the door and said calmly, "let's leave Mama alone." I couldn't sleep after that and got up and apologized.

4. When the Hubs has to literally pull apart the YP and the MP because of a full on brawl. Yep the 2 year old and the 4 year old were starring in there own mini version of WWF. Nice - Huh?

So after this whole week - This Mama was not in a good mood. So finally you know you have Mama Drama when.............

5. After a day of being on your feet for 9 hours making tamales with the background noise of fighting, yelling, whining, tattle telling - you blow and send everyone to bed. The OP is in her room crying and singing the blues, The MP is screaming for her Daddy and won't dare come out and the YP (the bravest of them all) comes running out (I am assuming to find The Hubs), sees mama and turns and runs back without a word and went to sleep. She knew.

Well there you have it - Amy's Mama drama. Really I find it all quite funny. It is just life! I wouldn't trade it for the world and honestly I don't last two days without missing this crew.

Maybe Lady Di will add hers later.

Spill it! What was your drama?

Are you ready?

Are you ready for Christmas? I'm not! So today I am going shopping. Wish me luck. I am going to need it. You see, I had a plan. 'Had' being the key word. The plan never unfolded so now I am unsure of what I have, what I want, and what I need but it's all good, right? Right!

Honestly where is the time going? I missed a Friday Five and I think I actually missed the whole Friday! Just skipped on over it that is what I did! I think we should all be worried that an alien is sucking the time away through some sort of hole in the atmosphere. It's getting scary. Then the whole week passed me by and I don't even really remember what I did. Now that is SCARY! I am going to go with............ unpacked. Yep that is what I did.

Anyhow, it is Friday again and what did I learn? WHAT did I LEARN?

1. I learned that little boys toilets are less than pleasing. I am so so glad I have girls. SO GLAD! I think if I ever have a boy I will install a urinal and require aiming sessions with an experienced aimer. I know of one - he is trained!

2. I learned that my dream house is just 7 miles away from my house and I WANT it - then I want to move it to a warmer climate.

3. Never say never. Remember a couple posts ago - something about a friend and her horribly bad day that I was thankful not to have? I had it. Last night. I should have known when I said my little YP would never have such an experience that I would eat those words. Well it wasn't as bad - so I am still thankful. It could have been so much worse.

4. That the Hubs being home all the time while I am at home is probably not the best idea. Down time is not good. Down time will result in the possibility of having the problem stated in #1. I know. TMI. But hey it is something I learned. He will be blushing when he reads this. I love it when he blushes. Love it. It makes me feel like we are in High School again and not in our mid 30's - Which is just sad!

5. Wood floors + smallish house+ and two dogs = CRAZY OCD WOMAN!

What did you learn? Do share!

Have a FABULOUS DAY and a WONDERFUL weekend!

Next Stop...Crazytown (That's Where I Live)

You Know You Have Mama Drama When....

1. Your sons says he wants to have a friend come for a sleepover, only to realize that the "friend" has four legs, is furry, and whistles...yes whistles at the butt crack of dawn when he wants to get breakfast. Yes, that's right, my son was asked to have the honors of taking care of the class pet over the weekend. Cooper the guinea pig has graced us with his presence the last TWO weekends.

2. You're trying to make dinner and two of your children run outside with out socks and shoes on (it's been freezing at night) when the neighbors pulled up, the youngest (who is sick) can't go outside so decides to climb onto kitchen counter and yell "HI" out the window at everyone with her little froggy voice. The door was left freakin' wide open, hubby is no where to be found, and you look over and see that our "guest" Cooper the guinea pig is just chillin' under the Christmas tree. Yep, it's an insane asylum here and the inmates are running it.

3. You find it amazing that in all your career as a mother not once has a little thing like being sick stop you from taking care of kids and things around the house. In fact, I remember getting strep throat 1 day after coming home from the hospital with a new baby. I nursed and took care of a new baby, a 3 year old, and the hubs was not around (because he started a new job, but still). However, it's a whole different story when the hubs gets sick. You know, the guy hardly ever gets sick, but the dude gets a cold...a cold and it might as well be H1N1. He was pathetic. I think the kids are less cranky when they have a cold.

And Finally,

4. Your 7 yr. old son is shreiking because the 3 yr. old is taunting him with a "moth". She's on the step waving the "moth" in front of him, hence not allowing him access to his beloved tractors upstairs. You go to investigate the situation only to find your son almost near tears, convinced that lil' Miss Thing has a moth in her hand. You ask her what the heck is actually in her hand and she says, "Oh mom it's not a moth it's just cwrap!" Sure enough, it was indeed just "cwrap", a piece of old tape that at first glance did indeed look like a moth or some type of bug. Now I deal with the fact that my little girl seems to be 3 going on 13 with the special talent of being able to easily taunt and tease her older brother, not to mention her colorful vocabulary skills!!

Awards and Yummy Treat Winners

So Lady Di didn't do Mama Drama Monday this week because................ well she was having what else but DRAMA! Something to do with a sick husband and a hamster. So she promised Monday was going to be filled with exciting drama. She PROMISED! Then I had planned on doing some posts and The Hubs stole my computer. STOLE it and used it ALL DAY! Needless to say - no posts!

Anyhow while we were distracted we got some awards:

The ever so lovely One Lovely Blog Award came from Angela at This is Just Me and My Little World Her blog is cute - go check it out.

Thanks Angela we really appreciate the love. I/we have so many awards to pass off and as promised I/we will get to them soon. Such procrastination - I swear I have been busy and cold. Did I mention cold? Like -22 degrees cold. It has been an interesting week for us Arizona transplanted in Montana people.

Next we got this cute Lemonade Award:

from Always a Mom. Thanks ever so much! So the rules with this one are as follows:

1. Thank the giver of the award and link their blog.

2. List 5 Things about yourself

3. Link 5 new recipients and notify them.

5 Current things about me:

1. I love the holidays and can't wait to get my chores/unpacking done so that I can enjoy it a bit more.

2. I love to bake and miss my old kitchen tremendously.

3. I believe that pie really does fix everything! A homemade one does anyway. I have a new one that most surely fixes everything. I hope to post that one soon on Eat Your Peas.

4. I don't like having dog hair in my house and my OCD about cleanliness is getting worse because of the dog hair in my house. I am going INSANE.

5. My current favorite accessory item - Hats! Love them. Cute little newsboy hats. I just started making them and I love them.

So now I must pass this on. So I think I will go ahead and just do that right now

I pass this little Lemonade Award to:

Angela at This is Just Me and My Little World

A new bloggy friend and her blog has my current favorite colors

Amy at Where a Woman Shakes her Tablecloth

such a cute blog name and I love her name too!

Unknown Mami

I love her Sundays in My City and She has something new go check it out at:

Short Mama at Family of Shorts

another favorite of mine. Love her open letters

Being Me at Mothers Always

A new find.

So there's that and then there is this: Our winners of our very yummy treats just because we love you - so exciting. I say winners because I had so much fun picking one that I decided to pick another.

So Amy at Keeping Up With the Schultz Family and Lisa Anne at Smell The Coffee Lisa You Won! Just our little way of saying Thank you for sticking with us these past few months while we have not been ourselves. I am so so excited and can't wait for you to get your yummy prizes. Email me (Amy) your address.

Have a wonderful day from the Drama Mamas!

Oh I almost forgot! One more shout out. My GRANDMA started a blog. So funny! She is a great writer and I thought she needed a place to write and vent so I hooked her up. She is very Sassy and VERY opinionated, especially about the government. I enjoy reading what she has to say and figure she has been through more than the average person and has seen pretty much everything and has earned her right to be heard. Anyhow would you do me a favor and pay her a visit and leave her some comment love, The Old Lady Rants. Check it out. ~Amy~

Are You Having a Bad Day?

So the other day I thought that I was having a pretty rotten day until my friend texted this text:

Today the boy has smeared poop on himself, my bed, some toys, and the toilet. He has poked me with a sharp object and has THROWN spaghetti with sauce ALL OVER my kitchen! I'm going to lose my mind!! HELP.

My day was suddenly looking up!

So this morning after a total of 3 hours of sleep between horrible anxiety and the YP not sleeping, she has a tooth coming in and was inconsolable all night. The hubs is away on a trip and the dogs got up at 5 ( i went to bed at 3), I broke the coffee pot and the paper towel dispenser, the Basset Hound PEED on my couch and I got a visitor (hence the anxiety) after a three month hiatus, and we are out of milk {which is more traumatic then you think}. All this before 9 am. So I opened my phone and read that message again and reminded myself that in comparison my day was still pretty good.

So if you are having a rotten day today or any day just remember it could be worse - you could have poop on your pillow and spaghetti in your hair!

Have a great day! I am off to take a Basset hound to the taxidermist. {Just Kidding}

Friday Five: Unthaw me!

Help it is so cold here! I am freeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing! The OP said on the way to school as she noticed the temperature gauge display, -1 degree, "That is NOT good! I think we need to go back to Arizona so we can get warm again." I agree. I'll go pack?

Some things I learned this week:

1. When the weather man says the "highs will be in the single digits the next few days" he becomes public enemy number one and I want to hunt him down and throw something at him. SINGLE DIGITS for the HIGHS! YIKES! Did I say I moved from Arizona and before that I was born and raised in California? I am I was. The YP is not adjusting well. She doesn't like this cold weather. I think if she could - she would crawl back inside of me. She tries as soon as that coldness hits her in the face.

2. People here are GRUMPY and MOODY! Perhaps it is because they are FROZEN!

3. Grumpy people make me grumpy and I want to slap them until they snap out of it. { boy am I violent these days} I blame them - the grumpy people.

4. That next year I will not shop on black Friday because cyber Monday has better deals, which is/was annoying. Why wake up at 3am in the morning and shop non stop for 12 hours fighting crowds and grumpy pushy people when I can sit at home in my jammies and get better deals 3 days later? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

5. One of our dogs is not adjusting well to the city life. Our Basset Hound is homesick and I am afraid that we are going to have to get rid of him and that makes me sad. I hope he gets better. I don't blame him - at home he could chase rabbits lay in the sun and run around for miles. Here he is confined to a small yard or the house. There are no rabbits and his ears are about to freeze off. I would be sad too.

Well there you have it. What did you learn this week? Have a fabulous Friday and a great weekend. Stay warm.

Crazy Busy Frazzled Stressed and Something for You for Being You!

Wait. I'm kidding. Don't leave. Not yet anyway!

I found this on google images and thought I would share because it's funny and most of us are mom's and stress just comes along with the job. I know Lady Di is feeling the same way these days. I haven't talked to her much *boo* but I'm feelin' her vibes.

A Prayer for the Stressed!

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I cannot accept {Which, btw, are many right now},

and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had

to kill today because they pissed me off. {not really}

And also, help me to be careful of the toes I step on

today as they may be connected to the hiney {it didn't say "hiney" but you get the drift} that I may have

to kiss tomorrow.

Help me to always give 100% at work.......

12% on Monday

23% on Tuesday

40% on Wednesday

20% on Thursday

5% on Fridays {ya right - never happenin'}

And help me to remember...............

When I'm having a really bad day,

and it seems that people are trying to piss me off {they don't have to try real hard},

that it takes 42 muscles to frown and

only 4 to extend my middle finger and tell them to bite me! {I would NEVER do that!, really I wouldn't but Lady Di would. :0)}

Amen

On another note, a happy yummy one, if you have commented on a post in the last two months, well since things just got crazy busy around here - so maybe three, you have been entered in a giveaway - a very 'yummy make you happy all day' sort of giveaway. Are you not happy already? For each time you have commented you get an entry and if you follow you get two more. Winner will be announced on Monday Mama Drama. If I say it is so it will happen {clear my throat **wink wink** Lady Di}

Well have a fabulous day! I feel better already.

Home Team Players, Kicking Up The Romance, And Just Say No to Socks with Sandals

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. You spend 15 minutes in the bathroom at Home Depot doing double "doo-ty" supervising both your young children while they do their business. They really need to learn to be home team players.

2. Your daughter is insisting she wear sandals and socks out in public and you just CAN NOT have that because you have serious issues about that crazy little fashion statement. So you confiscate all said sandals thinking you have solved the problem, only to pick up the little Wild Woman from day care to find her in jeans, socks, and SANDALS!!!!! Time to start doing a bag check for contraband before going to daycare again.....

3. You and some other moms make up stuff to talk about to add as "other business" at our service meeting because the meeting ended early and we couldn't go home because the kids wouldn't be in bed yet.

And Finally.....

4. Your idea of putting the romance back in your relationship is closing the door when you go to the bathroom. Whew, hadn't done that in like 8 years, I got a little claustrophobic.

Friday Five: I can do it!

Sorry I am running late today. See my crazy self decided that I would go to the midnight showing of New Moon. Yep. So..................

I didn't get home until 3:30am this morning. Did I mention CRAZY? Yes. So what is the problem? Let's back track a bit.

See I recently had a conversation with The Hubs about how my days of partying like a rock star are forever behind me. I denied it. I want to go to Las Vegas in February with Lady Di and our other friend, Kj. (I hope you get to meet her one day. Talk about mama drama she has TWINS!) Anyway we are going for my birthday for 4 days and I am so ready to get my vegas GROOVE on and so are my peeps. We all are way over due for a girls weekend. The last time was like 5 years ago or something and let me tell you it was a trip to be remembered. We had a blast. BUT..........................

Since then Lady Di has had one child, I have had two and poor dear old Kj has had three. YIKES! We have aged and we are all a little tired. But I was in denial I thought I could do it. The Hubs is going but will be off shooting guns or something and he said I would have to find my own things to do (like that is a problem) because he will be gone from sun up to sun down. I said with confidence, " I will be gone from sun down to sun up so we won't see each other much." You know what he did? He LAUGHED!!!! He laughed a huge 'I DON'T THINK SO OLD LADY!' kind of laugh. WHAT? "I can do it!" I cried. "Your not 24 anymore!" was his response

Are you serious? I couldn't believe it. I thought, I will show him - I will go to New Moon at midnight I will come home at 3:30 and I will wake up at 6:00 bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to get the OP off to school and I will be AWAKE all day. I can do it..............................

I couldn't do it! *sigh* I am so sad. *sniff, sniff* I barely made the ride home. My cousin was talking, words were coming out of her mouth but I couldn't comprehend. I felt like I was on a heavy sedative. I wanted to stay awake. I mean really, I was scared to death she might hit a deer! I don't know why I wanted to be awake for that! She has a Ford Focus: we hit a deer and it isn't going to be pretty! I should have wanted to go to sleep but I am a freak like that and think that if I am awake I will some how ward off the possibility of any deer, elk, moose encounter.

{Hey let me live in my bubble of unrealistic ideas}

With that said, { I was going to admit defeat } but I am NOT! I am going to take the ' NEVER SAY DIE' attitude even though I didn't wake up till 10:00am, I am bra less and still in my jammies (it's 1:15) . I AM going to get my LV GROOVE on and Partay like a ROCK STAR! I am, I will. I will show the HUBS I still GOT it!

Hey ladies and gents I leave you with this: I may not be in my 20's but I am not pushing a walker either and I have some SPUNK left in me. So I may not be able to party all night and wake up like I did back in the college days. So what? I will party all night and sleep all day. That is why they have black out curtains in the hotel rooms.

BTW, the movie, New Moon was so worth it. Much better than Twilight which most know I totally DID NOT like!

I think I have chatted long enough. As for my Friday Five, five things I learned this week:

1. When buying a house in places that snow. Be aware of where the sun hits and where it doesn't. Because...............

2. Slipping and falling on ice that you thought was just melted water and landing on your bottom - HURTS! and that teaches you real fast to ....................

3. be cautious and assume that all clear watery patches are indeed frozen slippery ice and..................

4. to walk like a person with COPD on said slippery surfaces to avoid falling in the future.

and last but not least.................

5. Going to bed at 3:30 and waking at 6:00am just not going to happen. But you already knew that. :0)

I am off to get dressed. Well at least put on a bra!

Happy Friday! What have you learned?

And the Awards are in...............

We are so blessed to have such wonderful blog friends. Thanks so much for the awards. This my friends is going to have to be a two parter. So we will be passing these along soon.

Bridgette over at Life's a Beach gave us this award. So nice she is. Thanks so much.

Here's the rules:

1. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and their link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have recently discovered and think are great.

Our pal Amy at Keeping Up With the Schutlz Family gave us this:

and then I stole this one from her because it is fun (she said to):

Honest Scrap Award Rules:

Requires that I write 10 honest things about me, and then I have to pass it on to 7 people with blogs, "I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me."

We mixed it up a bit. Amy is writing 10 honest things about Lady Di and vice versa.

Here are ten honest things about Amy written by Lady Di:

1. She is an excellent listener...and trust me, she has listened to plenty of drama over the years

2. She is an incredibly strong person. This girl can take what life throws at her.

3. She is a germaphobe. Sorry, Aim. You know it's true. You and Purell are in a totally committed relationship.

4. She makes FABULOUS pies ( the peach is my fave). Instead of going together like peas and carrots, we go together like cake and pie.

5. From weddings to birthdays, she can plan a party like no other.

6. She once typed me a letter using minimal words and those little emotion symbols to cheer me up. It was very creative and funny, AND totally did the trick to turn my mood around (I still have the letter).

7. She is doing a great job raising that gaggle of girls she's got. Lord knows, I would have willingly committed myself to the insane asylum by now having to deal with girl issues X3.

8. She is gag me with a spoon madly in love with her husband...just kidding, you know I think you guys are sooo cute.

9. She is the master of practical jokes. Don't even talk to her anywhere near or on April's Fool's Day....seriously, no joke.

10. I honestly don't know what I would do without her. And cue-AWWWW

and now for Lady Di written by Amy:

1. She is an amazing friend, wife and Mama.

2. She is a procrastinator but......

3. She does her best work under pressure.

4. She doesn't give herself enough credit.

5. She makes the most beautiful cakes and should go into business for herself.

6. She is incredibly funny and doesn't even know it.

7. She puts up with a lot of crud and deserves an Oscar.

8. She is super duper ally uper intelligent.

9. She is beautiful inside and out.

10. She is in need of a rockin' girls night out.

I am so lucky to have her as my friend and sister. We all need a Lady Di in our life.

Di - Ok, people are going to think we paid each other to write this stuff about one another. I think it's more like we are buttering each other up to score some good Christmas presents.

Amy - Ha Ha! True! I think I might be a little scared of the present you are going to get me. If the box is vibrating I think I might just stick it under the bed and then open in a moment of privacy - like I get those!

Erin over at My Little Miracles gave us this award:

The rules: "No one really likes rules, do they? I shall make mine simple. Make a cocktail, pick out some of your favorite bloggers. Send this award to 4 of them. Tell them why you think they give good blog. There are so many fascinating, witty, and fantastic bloggers; let's invite them all to the party. Or you can just put it on your mantle and watch it sparkle. If you think it sassy that I created my own award, just consider it a grown up and virtual version of a friendship bracelet."

Modern Mom from How To Survive Life in The Suburbs gave us this award:

Not any rules with this one.

and then there is this award:

This is bad. I can't find who gave it to us. I saved it to my files with good attentions and then forgot. I even wrote down the givers name and then lost the paper during the move- I stink. But it is so so cute. So if you gave it to us tell us and we are sending you something in the mail. Something fun.

Just recently, Always a Mom. Gave us this:

Way cool. Thanks so very much. We love scribbling. This one originates from The Scholastic Scribe and has some rules of it's own which will be posted in part 2 of this post. So stay tuned............

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Actually It is Just One RTT

Here is a thought that has been rustling around in my head:

What the heck happened to Thanksgiving?!!!

I mean seriously? I truly love Christmas. I do. I love everything about it. I am like a little kid on Christmas morning. I love watching my girls come out to see what is under the tree. I am a christmas stocking freak. I am. My stockings ROCK! I love to bake, to cook, to eat. I love decorating. I LOVE it all.

BUT........................

I also love love Thanksgiving. Especially Thanksgiving dinner. LOVE IT! Lady Di and I once had Thanksgiving in September because I just couldn't wait any longer. I think it was September might have been August. I was preggers with the OP and she had just had the JD Boy. Anyway I love the fall: the colors, the decorations, the season. THANKSGIVING!

So what is the problem?

The PROBLEM is this: Every year Thanksgiving gets shoved aside for Christmas! That's right. It is like the day after Halloween and all the fall decorations are gone! The stores explode with Christmas stuff.

It is ANNOYING! RIDICULOUS!

I mean, come on give it some time to just be Thanksgiving! THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!! A time for Thanks!

I saw the most adorable scarecrow in a store window and thought I will wait until after Halloween and come get it for my door. I went back to get it and IT WAS GONE along with everything Halloween and Thanksgiving and fall. I expected Halloween to be put away but all the fall stuff? I mean seriously it isn't even technically winter yet. At least one little corner should be designated fall still. Oh no - THE WHOLE STORE was CHRISTMAS. It's NOVEMBER people.

I am realist. I know that they need more than 25 days to sell Christmas stuff - all I am asking is to still keep some stuff out for Thanksgiving and fall. I don't think that's asking too much?

Maybe it is just me? I like to give each holiday it's own time. I decorate for Halloween on October 1st, Thanksgiving on November 1 and Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Each Holiday is exclusive of each other. You won't see a snowman in or around my house in November. Just not going to happen.

Ok so I feel better. I ranted and raved a little..............or a lot!

Thanks for listening. Can you hear the irritation in my words? Ha.

Ok so maybe I have more thoughts like:

I am a little excited about New Moon. I hope it is better than Twilight. I hated the movie. Yes HATED. Loved the book.

I have some family drama and need some advice. Maybe I will ask for it tomorrow.

My floors stink. I thought I would love hard wood floors as opposed to my hard tile ones but I don't. I sweep ALL THE TIME. At least with my old ones you couldn't see the dirt.

I found some new candy that is divine. Oh my - is it DELISH. Almond Butter Crunch. Made here in Montana by two men. So so yummy. Don't worry I am going to share. I am. Soon. I promise. It's all part of a plan, a prize for one of our followers and commenters for just being you and being awesome. Soon. It is coming soon...........................

want to see some others Random Thoughts? Go check it out at the Unmom's!

Friday Five: Scarecrows, The Hubs, kitchens, Snow, and Bad Judgements.

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me

1. That dressing up like a scarecrow, bringing cookies, and reading a book to my daughters class makes me a superstar and scores some points with the teacher. I had a blast too.

2. That having The Hubs here makes the new house more like our home. Speaking of the Hubs, he makes me calm in times of stress more than I realized.

3. The next house I live in will have a monstrosity of a kitchen. It is going to be huge. HUGE. Everyone I know will be able to come to my house and eat. I miss my old kitchen. My sweet, dear, big kitchen. The hubs misses it too.

4. Waking to clear blue skies and a blanket of white snow is really beautiful. I am sure once winter has come and gone my opinion will have changed.

and finally I learned:

5. That I think I was being a little too judgmental when it came to the OP's teacher. I hadn't really formed an opinion of my own but instead listened to many others. I think she is still going to be difficult but at the same time I see the reason behind most of her madness and it is good. She is teaching the kids accountability and how to be responsible instead of holding their hands and that is something I can stand behind. Again, this opinion is subject to change. I mean it's me, Amy, I change my mind a lot.

Have a Fabulous Friday. I should be unpacking but have lost all motivation. So instead, I am going to take some time this weekend to see what is going on in your world. See you soon.

Meet a Future Diva

My little Fashionista:

So I just had to post this picture of the OP. I do have to say that I am almost 100% sure that she is the best dressed girl in her school. She is really the most fashion conscience 7 year old I know and I fear I am going to have some serious problems when she hits middle school. The Hubs better have a good job. That's right, I have no plans on working. I believe that even when these girls are in middle and high school that it is at utmost importance that I am available to them, that I am involved in there lives, that they know that there Mama is there number one biggest fan. Truly they make the biggest decisions in those years. I'm ranting - I'll stop.

Anyhow, isn't she cute? It is interesting to me that she is like this because I was and still am a shirt and jeans kind of Mama. I like comfort. However I am kind of digging jewelry these days. However, that is about the extent of my fashion contribution.

Now as for her younger sister, the MP, she has her own distinct style. Maybe I will capture that on film soon.

I will leave you with this: The other day The Hubs says, "I hear you are going to paint your room hot pink?" The OP: "NO! I am going to paint my room Hot Diva Pink!"

Were in trouble!

For other Wordful Wednesday's click on over to Angie's. Happy Wordful Wednesday Everyone! Hope your day is extra wordful wonderful.

Too Early To Make Sound Decisions, Clean Showers, And There Must Be Crack In Candy Land-Monday's Mama Drama

You Know You Have Mama Drama When.....

1. Your son has taken your muttered response of "Have whatever you want for breakfast." quite literally as you find him at the dining room table with his entire bag of Halloween candy in front of him. Hey, it was 5:30 A.M. on a SATURDAY when the kid came bee-bopping into my bedroom and said, "Can you make waffles?" Me: "Uh No" JD Boy: "Then what can I have for breakfast?"...and you know the rest.

2. You are so peeved off at your husband that you end up cleaning the entire shower from top to bottom at 11:00 P.M. because the mindless task is actually therapeutic, plus it gave my hands something to do other than strangle my beloved, PLUS I used his little nail scrubber brush to do the job. It worked...I felt much better when I was done and my shower sparkles. He better be nice, the toilets need cleaning next and I hear a toothbrush works great for getting in all the little nooks.

3. The same morning that your son had his highly nutritious breakfast of Halloween candy, he continues to pester you in bed. Now it is 6:00 A.M. and he wants help finding a pair of pants so he can go to the ranch with Daddy. He can't find them (of course, he's a male). I'm in bed TRYING to sleep (crazy, I know) when I look on the floor and notice a pair of used pants he took off the night before and left on my floor (again, of course, he's a male). So, I tell him to put those on. I mean come on, do I really have to get out of my warm bed to get him a pair of clean pants just so he'll get them filthy dirty as soon as he gets to the ranch when there is already a perfectly filthy pair right there for him to put on by himself? See, there is a method to my madness.

And Finally....

4. You look your 3 yr. old in the face and say, "Sorry honey, I don't know where your Candy Land game is right now." You know it's tucked away safely under the bed, but you just can't play that stinking game ONE. MORE. TIME. Little did you know when you purchased said game that your daughter would turn into a Candy Land ADDICT and demand EVERYONE in the house play every five minutes. Not to mention the dang little kid wins every time. I don't know how she does it, but EVERY TIME...I'm not competitive or anything, I'm just saying.

Friday Five: Singleton's with vibrating toys, Skunk oil, clean toilets, and dinner parties. Ha!

Amy's Friday Five: This is where I share with you five things I learned this week because there is always something to be learned. In the process you might learn a little something about me.

1. Singleton's live VERY interesting lives. I don't remember being like that pre marriage but then again that was a while ago and I don't think that I could actually qualify as a singleton back then. Regardless. WOW! is all I can say for the single lifestyle. WOW.

2. There is nothing like a vibrating friend catching on fire to ruin one's day. Okay so seriously this kind of goes hand and hand with number one and is not in any way shape or form been experienced first hand. Thank heavens she was just giving it a trial run and watching it do it's thing, for lack of better terminology, when it started smoking. SMOKING! Don't worry I told her that she should really call consumer reports because that is really dangerous. I mean seriously ,could you imagine? Anyway I had a great laugh and I needed one.

3. Skunk perfume is actually an oil. So don't wash clothes in hot water and it penetrates everything like campfire smoke.

4. Apparently I learned that I might possibly be the worlds most anal toilet cleaner. I thought everyone gets under there toilet to clean it. I guess not. What can I say I can clean me a mean toilet. Hey I am a domestic goddess and that is my job to make a toilet shine.

5. My princesses are shining in the spotlight. They love the attention from friends and family. The are experiencing a whole new world of people popping in, dinner parties, getting picked up to go to Grammy's. They are loving it.

Well there you have it. Have you learned anything lately? Let us know. Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend.

The Skunk Returns

Remember this? The skunk story? I do but that is because I experienced the not so great feeling of the near encounter with the skunk first hand. Well he strikes again and my Dad is in the dog house. Anyone have an available room for awhile? I think this one has landed him in the dog house for quite awhile.

See, their dog got sprayed. Not a problem because if you remember correctly we found the miracle solution to removing stench from dog.

However it does become a problem when said stinky dog is let in the house and locked in living quarters while husband goes to find wife in bedroom to ask what the miracle solution is. First mistake and bad bad idea.

Dog left to wander jumps on furniture. Second mistake. All this leads to very very upset wife. Did you know that skunk perfume penetrates the whole house? Your clothes, your hair, your furniture? It does. So needless to say, Dad is in some super hot water. My mama is super ticked off. I would be too. I am betting that one of them will be down at my house soon.

My mama was even more ticked off when I told her to change into some of my clothes because she stunk like skunk and then again when the OP asked after getting in the truck, "Yuck, what smells like skunk, Grammy?" Bad Bad day for my Dad.

However I hear today that it (the smell) is getting better. The couch has been relocated outside- I am sure to await garbage day. So maybe my mama will be happy when she goes to buy herself the new couch she has been eyeing at the furniture store for quite some while.

The lord works in mysterious ways!

Randomness

I am having a bad hair day - already! Woke up with it actually.

My kids woke up grumpy. Yelling at each other. What a way to start the morning, I tell ya. It is going to be a fun fun day. Last night I prayed for patience and promised to respond in a more loving way. Let's see how that goes. I am going to try. I am

So I think I will never get my house the way I want it before my Thursday Lia Sophia party. So with that said, it is what it is.

My children keep fighting, arguing, hurting each others feelings, tattling on each other and I am ready to just go nuts. I don't know if it is the move or missing there dad or what but holy cow is it getting old. I think I am going to run into the corner and cry.

I made one room a playroom and do you think my girls are using it? No. They are stuck to me like gorilla glue.

My OP is struggling. I want to make it better. I knew that there would be an adjustment going from home school to public school but I thought it would be socially. Socially she is fine. Girl can make friends in 2 seconds. She is struggling with the work. She is ahead of the kids in the coursework but they use a different method or program in phonics and she is lost. So now I have to reteach her a whole different way. Does it really matter? She can break a word apart. She can read. Who cares that she doesn't put the stupid symbols. I am irritated.

I think I don't fit in here. The people are very cliquey and not super friendly to outsiders. I am an outsider. Not only that but I have discovered that this town is morally flawed. It is going to take some getting used to after living in my bubble for the last five years.

Living close to family is going to take some getting used to as well. Don't get me wrong it is nice in a lot of ways but after being on my own for 13 years it is foreign to me.

I have baby fever. I want another one so bad and I know that it is not the right time. But the clock is ticking. Tick Tick Tick Tock! I am afraid though to have another one. So many things are happening to people I know that scare me. Then with this flu crap going around. Just not a good time.

Ok. So it is 10:30 and I HAVE to get some stuff done. Must get going. Light a little fire under this big toosh.

First thing is first. I need to clean up the rice krispies on my floor. I hate wet rice krispies but the kiddos love them.

With that said, have a wonderful day.

YUCK! Listen to me! I am a super dooper party pooper, aren't I? I just read this post and I wanted to puke. Such a downer! Someone slap me. Where are you Lady Di? Only you can slap me.

Really it isn't THAT bad. There are good things too. Like the sun is shining. I can wear a short sleeve shirt and flip flops today. I actually got to spend some time on the computer this morning. The MP is eating lunch! That is huge my ladies and gents, HUGE!

Ok now I feel better. I brought a little sunshine to the blog. No more boo hooing here! Stay tuned for a super dooper giveaway. We have to work out the details................................

Just Chillin', The Almighty Fart, and A Speedy Spongebob-Monday's Mama Drama

You Know You Have Mama Drama When....


1. You go get your 3 yr. old from the neighbors house and you find her lounging in a chair surrounded by all her "peeps". You tell her it's time to go home to eat lunch and she says, "But mom, I'm just chilling over here." Yeah, she's 3 going on 13.

2. First your son tells you that farts keep leprechauns away (because didn't you know that leprechauns live in your carpet). Now, your daughter tells you that "blowing wind" also kills monsters. Who knew the almighty fart could ward off such forces of evil.

3. Your kids are just so gosh darn stinkin' cute that they not only received candy, they got mini pumpkins, one lady took their picture (even though we didn't know her), and they even scored some cold hard cash. Heck, one neighbor gave ol' mom and dad a bottle wine....hmm, did it look like we needed it?

And Finally....

4. You whip out a homemade Spongebob costume in less than 2 hours so your son has a costume for his school Halloween parade. See, mama thought she was cool and had until Sat to make the costume, until she realized Friday morning that his parade was on Friday afternoon. However, much to my surprise it turned out quite nice or as my son would say, "awesome".

Cutest Little Witches (and cat) on the Block

I have the candy to prove it!

Hope your Halloween was has fun as ours. We can't wait for next year.

Happy Halloween

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,

may luck be yours on HALLOWEEN!

Don't you just love it! I do. Have a great day.

Random Tuesday Thoughts Tandom Style

Well it's Tuesday. What? You didn't know? Sorry! I should have broke it to you gently. It is and that means it is a day of Random Thoughts. You know over at The Unmom's. Lady Di is lurking in the shadows. Hence the tandomness. It has been awhile since we joined each other in a post. Don't you think?

Tuesday and it is supposed to snow here in the Big Sky. The Hubs is still enjoying the lovely sunny weather of the Land of Nowhere while I am freezing my tooshie off here in the Big Sky. What up with that? I tell ya he has it so easy. Did I say that? I did. You do, Hubs! Going to come home to a nice house: everything put away, put his feet up in his recliner and be all comfy and cozy. He is actually trying to acclimate himself while he is away by not turning on the heater and although it is warm in the day it's not so much in the night in the LON. I told him it doesn't matter how much he tries it isn't going to work because his teeth are chattering at 65 degrees and when I walked outside yesterday morning it was 34 degrees. Uh huh.

Yeah, I thought of you today as I was putting on my capris and sandals. It was in the 80's here. Got to love that mild California weather. If it makes you feel better it does get windy at night...

Seriously. Not even funny Lady Di. You suck! Speaking of wind. It was super windy here the other day and I forgot to mention the LEAVES. Oh my, the leaves are FALLING. They are everywhere. My neighbors trees are puking on my lawn. So I went out and just picked them up from my bushes and threw them in the air. I sent those little boogers flying down the street. Is that OK? I mean they are not my leaves.

Did you know it is hunting season? It sure is. See in the LON hunting season comes and goes and I really never noticed. It is a little harder to not notice here. As the OP said the first night we pulled in. "Mama that car has a dead goat on it!" Me: "Um, Say what? a daddy goat?" Her: " No Mommy a DEAD goat! Go back" Me: "Ok. If you say so." We backed up and sure enough right there in the parking lot of the restaurant on the back of someones truck was a dead antelope. I guess they needed a bite to eat. Long day? Odd. Very odd and a bit gross. Shhhh don't tell anyone my house might get egged. Anyway they are everywhere, on the back of trucks.

Just don't go native. I don't want to find anything dead on your car when I come to visit. OR wonder what is in the meatloaf.

oh not to worry. not to worry. I still ask the Grams what is in the meatloaf, the tacos, what kind of roast is that? I can't and won't eat wild game. It stinks. Could you imagine me, hunting. I think not.

I went shopping yesterday for some warmer clothes. Shopping was fun. My Mama and I walked into a tractor supply store to get a dog house and some snow boots were on sale. She says: "that is a nice price you should get some." I replied, " I think I will just stay in when it snows." I will wait until I find some cute stylish ones. Do they make those? I want some like my girls have.

So what....you are planning on "staying in" until like May??? Girl, I'm afraid you are going to have to break down and buy some freakin' snow boots whether they are cute and stylish or not. I know you're in denial but you do live in MONTANA now and it SNOWS there...LOTS. Hey, just do me a favor and DO NOT under any circumstances whatsoever wear socks with sandals. Remember, Lady Di says that is NEVER okay!!!!

What? I thought I could totally get away with that here. Actually I was thinking about socks with flip flops. Cute, huh? I will start a new fad. Actually I am sending the OP to school today with socks and flip flops. Don't flip out! It is Red Ribbon Week and she is supposed to wear flip flops today. But good heavens it is freezing. I can't send her little piggies out in that kind of weather.

I had one of those moments. One of those moments when you look in the mirror and go. Holy crap! Who is that looking back at me? Yep I did. What happened? Where did I go and who the heck is this impostor that has replaced me. She isn't pretty. Her skin sucks. She has bags under her eyes. She looks like she has been hit by a truck. Even worse yet. I saw her again yesterday trying on clothes in a full length mirror and I was so scared I left. What happened? I turned 30 and WHACK my body went to $#!&*. I want to cry. I am going to get a tissue.

Here, you can have one of my tissues. We need to get a girl's trip planned that includes a day at the spa. I need a haircut so bad right now. My hair has never been the same since I had kids. What's up with that anyway? My once thick, long, wavy/curly hair is now thin and has a mind of it's own. Some days it has it's curl and does what it's told and other days it's flat and stringy.

Oh I got your back girl. It sucks. Mine is thinning in places where it shouldn't and then growing in places it's not supposed to. That isn't because I am thirty that is due to a haywire thyroid. Don't even get me started on that. Girls trip- yes indeed. Vegas baby. I just have to lose some of this extra bulge that has moved in uninvited. AGAIN.

Apparently I have some neighbors that are feeling a little pressure to decorate perhaps even a little jealous? See that was the first thing I did when I got here. It's Halloween! I have to break out the decorations. I got called bad names by two of my neighbors. One already stole my pumpkins. She has since put them back. It is all in good fun but it is so on! They better watch it. My new neighbors don't know how competitive I am.


Good luck with the new neighbors. We can trade crazy neighbor stories now. Mine felt obligated to come out and talk...I mean bitch the entire time while I was doing yard work. Goodness sake, that man is one big complain fest. I don't think he has ever said one thing to me that wasn't a complaint about something. His latest beef is with the mailman who is not delivering his mail because HE (the neighbor) won't move his car from in front of the mailbox. I'm thinking DUDE, I understand that YES it's kind of BS that the mailman can't get out of his little mail car to deliver the mail. HOWEVER COMMA if the post office powers that be say that he is not allowed to get out of little mail car and therefore mail will not be delivered if cars are parked in front of the mailbox.....then DON'T PARK YOUR FLIPPIN' VAN IN FRONT OF YOUR MAILBOX!!! Geez, do I really have to solve ALL the problems in the universe???

I love your neighbor. He is a crack up. You really should start sharing some neighbor stories. I thought he would move after the last shootout. Why is he still there? My neighborhood is like living on Wisteria lane.

And here is my own original random thought: I've been working at the schools administering a language test to all the English Language learners that are enrolled. Most recently I was at the middle school and can I just say that I think I know some kindergartners that can bubble in answers better than some of these middle schoolers. YIKES!! I don't know who cares less. The kid scribbling in the bubbles or the teacher that collects it with out checking and making the kid clean it up.

I am a teacher myself and I even gave the test to an entire class of students and I made sure that those kids bubbled in their answers properly. It's not that hard people and it takes less than a minute to do a glance over of each test that gets handed in to check for neatness.

You go Lady Di! Clean bubbles are important. You had to bring up teachers. I mean I know you are one but your an awesome one. I am having issues with the OP's. I won't get started.

Also, is it really necessary to say that only a #2 pencil be used on the test? Is there really any other number of pencil anymore? I'm 32 and remember back in elementary school that there were different leads. But, now a days...really? Isn't that like saying make sure you only put unleaded gas, not regular in your car? Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there. Maybe up in Redneckville....I mean Montana they still use pencils that are not #2 pencils.

Um. Geez. I am not in Arkansas! Montana is a little behind but not much and I am not a native. I still claim to be Californian. We have #2 pencils and I have personally never seen another lead number.

Oh I forgot. Can I just say that the Swine Flu is freaking me out a little. I mean I can't even get the regular flu shot up here. They seem to be short. What is up with that anyway? I mean seriously? They obviously know that there are more people in the world than last year and might need to up the number. No they made less. Thanks.