Sunday in the Land of Nowhere:Pickin' Some Goodness

It's Sunday In My City, Hosted by Unknown Mami.

We have a u - pick farm close by. The princesses love to go there and pick the produce. Even though they won't eat it!

Six Word Saturday: Movin' On Up

Participating today over at Show My Face in Six Word Saturday. Here is my six words:

My lord, we bought a house!

Friday Five: diapers, dryer lint, skinned knees and more

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.

I learned:

1. That you actually CAN use practically a whole box of wipes on a dirty bottom. BLECK!

2. The only thing worse than having a skinned knee, is your child getting a skinned knee. Poor thing she can't even walk without crying. Whatever happened to Bactine? I always remember my mom breaking out the Bactine when I got a skinned knee.

3. My MP has a serious aversion to dryer lint. She literally starts gagging if she touches it. I thought she was going to toss her lunch and I ran over to see what the heck was the problem and she was holding dryer lint. She barely could make it to the trash can. Strange. The OP has never liked it either, wouldn't touch it if I asked her to throw it away but she never gagged!

4. I have a problem. I dreamed my purse was snatched while shopping at Walmart and right after I broke out my karate moves on the perp. I started thinking about my blog post.

5. Buying a house is scary business. I am a little overwhelmed. What is up with the mile long list of fees? Holy crud! It is just a tad ridiculous.

There you have my Friday Five. Did you learn anything this week?

I hope you have a fabulous friday and a wonderful weekend.

Writers Workshop-Doggone Crazy!

It's time for Mama Kat's Writers Workshop. The prompts:

1) My animals are making me nuts. (inspired by Jody from Take Me As I Am)

to be continued........................

2) List the 5 best things about the first day of school. (inspired by Lane from Sneaky Daddy)

I am longing for back to school like at an actual school! Back to school for me started on the 3rd, yes August, and it was really another day just more stressful because the YP and MP are harder to deal with this year. NOT FUN homeschooling with two toddlers around. They just don't understand that sis and mom are busy and can't play.

3) Tell us about your crush. (inspired by Lisa from Just Lisa, No Filler)

The only one that matters is my current crush, the hubs, and no one wants to hear about that.

4) How did you break it? (inspired by Brandy from Not Your Average Soccer Mom)

Knock Knock on wood I have never broken a bone and I hope my kids never do. I am sure the MP will -she is just THAT kind of kid.

5) Show us a favorite summer craft (inspired by Kristin from The Way It Is)

I wish I had time for crafts this summer. I HAD big plans but those plans changed and then summer was over. I'm sad.

Make sure you go visit the originators they have some great posts.

Let's see back to number 1. My pets.

They, actually she, is driving me nuts even as I type. Do you remember that I got the crazy idea to buy a dog while on vacation? Remember this post? So cute she was. She is still cute but such a pill. The hubs just shakes his head and says, "why is it that you manage to find a dog that is just like the MP?" Lady Di already informed you here that she shat in my room. I wish I could say it was the first time, it wasn't. It was however the LAST! I don't do doggie doo! I don't. I gag - like really gag. It isn't pretty. I can handle kid throw up , kid dirty diapers even of the worst kind but I can't handle dog doo. I can't. I want to gag right now. I am feeling nauseated as I type. I 'm done. Moving on. I almost forgot - she peed on me! Well she peed on the bean bag I was sitting on. That was the last straw. We haven't had accidents since but I have to watch her like a hawk. Did I mention I home school. I do.

She chews on every kid toy in sight. There's a lot. Most of all she really likes the girls coveted lovies. It isn't pretty. There is lots of screaming. Girl screaming. It hurts the ears kind of screaming. every time. Then there is the shoes, the furniture, the carpet. She bites my kids and me- I have since learned that you are not supposed to buy a dog under 10 weeks because between 6 and 10 they learn from there mothers not to bite. I got her at 6 weeks. FAN FRIGGIN TASTIC!

{break while I go check on her - oh wait she is chewing on my computer cord}

However here is the number one reason she is DRIVING ME NUTS (and the hubs): she is up at 4:30 AM. IN THE MORNING ready to play. She yelps, she crys, she whines, wakes me up, wakes the hubs, wakes the princesses. Every morning I am ready to sell the dog. I don't do mornings and that combined with a grumpy husband and three grumpy princesses is not pretty. It's just not! I hid this morning. The hubs left early and put her outside. I knew she would be at our bedroom door whining in a matter of minutes so I propped up pillows so she couldn't see me. The OP came in and I told her to hurry and get behind the pillows. She was like, "what?" Me: "HURRY HURRY BEFORE SHE SEES YOU!" It worked until the OP stretched.

I surrendered. I got up.

I let her in thinking that she would just be happy. Oh no! she wants to play and she whines and yelps and cries until you play.

What was I thinking? I was captured by those cute little eyes and those curly droopy ears. I have a thing about those eyes.

See our basset hound:

droopy eyes, long ears. He is great except he gets up at 4 am which isn't a real problem because he just goes outside. Except - he wakes the pup! He doesn't stay in much.

Now excuse me while I go get a cup of coffee and find the dog. It is way too quiet.

Go check out the other writers at Mama Kats

*UPDATE* Look what was happening while I was blogging. I told you it was too quiet.

You so don't want to know what this was.

Wordful Wednesday: Shhh Don't Tell Dad

Sometimes you have to hide behind the counter to have a cupcake right before bed. Daddy had said "no' but I told you I am a pushover. They were the last ones too, oops! Did I mention that they had already had ice cream? The did.

Really it was more like a healthy snack! There is yogurt and pumpkin in the cupcakes and they weren't frosted. It's all good.

For other Wordful Wednesday's click on over to Angie's , I just realized that we haven't played along in a while. So happy Wordful Wednesday Everyone! Hope your day is wonderful.

I'm Such a Dork

Wait, scratch that I am not a dork. Apparently I did not know the definition of the word. See I typed 'Dork' into google to get some images to use for this post (thank the good lord above I didn't look at the images ) I was about to hit the word images when my sweet little innocent eye caught the word 'Penis'. What? {double check to see I typed 'dork' and not DEE EYE SEE KAY} nope I typed 'dork'. OH MY WORD. I use the word all the time. NOT ANYMORE!!!!

I clicked on the Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia link to find this as the first definition:

1. Vulgar saying for the word 'Penis'. Can I type that on here? {I'm blushing}

Ok. so maybe I want 'nerd'. I'm a nerd! {let me check } Nope! A definition of a nerd is a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities, esoteric knowledge, or other obscure interests rather than engaging in more social or popular activities. NOT ME! If I was a nerd maybe I wouldn't have done what I did.

Geek, perhaps? Nope! Pretty much the same as nerd. So I guess I'm just 'Stupid'! Lacking in intelligence. Yep today I was just plain stupid. Do they have pictures of that on google images.

{wait I will go check}

This will work:

See - We got another award. Yipee! However I couldn't get it to post on our sidebar where I want it. For some reason Blogger won't let me move that stuff around over there anymore. It's frustrating. So I put all the awards on Photobucket and posted them from there as html codes. I transferred all our awards and signatures to a new album, posted our awards and voila, I'm a genius! At least I thought I was. Until I went back to our blog and see this everywhere our cute little signatures were:

Oh NO! $*%!.

I knew exactly what I had done. So I spent the rest of my lovely Sunday afternoon copying and pasting signatures into about 75 posts. Great times. Well I have filled my stupidity quota for the year. If there was a easier way to fix it - don't tell me. Please just keep it to yourself.

Pretty please.

Have No Fear....Lady Di is Always Good For Some Mama Drama

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


1. You ask your daughter what her brother is doing upstairs and she responds, "Oh, he is taking a cwrap." GREAT sign me up for Mother of the Year right now!!

2. Your "date night" ends with having to shut off and check center pivots (its a farming thing) AND off-roading in muddy potato fields at 11:00 at night while a slightly buzzed hubby tries (I use this term loosely) to give you directions through a maze of dirt roads on a 9,000 acre ranch. Isn't he romantic??

3. You burn the bacon because you are too busy blogging. Well, that's not really my drama that's Kid Drama. Poor kids. There should be a support group for kids whose moms are bloggers.

4. You find a way to finally defeat those dirty little leprechauns after all these years of turning off the lights, running, and jumping onto the bed thanks to your son who you discover has the same neurotic fear of them. According to my dear boy apparently all you need to do is fart on them. Yes, that's right. Leprechauns have no power against the foul stench of JD Boy's farts. He told me out of the blue the other morning. JD Boy: I don't like Leprechauns. Me: You don't huh. JD Boy: Nope, whenever they come around I just fart on them. Me: Really, is that how you keep them away? (notice I am not telling him leprechauns are not real like a good mother should) JD Boy: Yep, just like this (I get a REAL demonstration). ME (gagging): Yeah, that'll do it. So where do these leprechauns live? JD Boy: In the carpet of course. Me: Oh, of course. I didn't have the heart to tell him they really live under the bed.

And Finally.....

5. You can't even have a conversation on the phone with your best friend (Amy) without some major drama occuring on both ends of the line. She was gagging because the new puppy had shat in her bedroom AND at the exact same time I was writhing in pain because a toothpick (that my son had dropped on the carpet) had impaled the bottom of my foot. So they we were on the phone, one gagging and cursing, the other crying and well, cursing. It was a lovely conversation indeed.

Sunday In My City: Rain Rain Don't Go Away

It's Sunday - I love Sunday. I do. I always have but I love them even more because I love participating in Unknown Mami's, Sunday In My City. So fun. So here is a little shot of my corner in the Land of Nowhere. It's been raining and there is nothing better than a desert rain. It is just so cleansing and wonderful. I hope it stays for awhile.

and I had to include this little guy. He is one of many hanging around these parts these days.

Hi all, Lady Di here. I am also sharing a few pictures of my little corner of the world today. Amy always says she lives in the land of nowhere, well, I live in the "salad bowl". The Salinas Valley in California is a rich agricultural area where much of the produce you find in the local grocery store is grown. It's not just salad stuff growing around here though. If you have eaten a few Lay's Potato Chips ('cause you just can't eat one!) you probably consumed a chip made from Salinas Valley potatoes. What? You say. Aren't potatoes grown in Idaho? Yes, they are. However, they are also grown right outside my town. Believe me, I know. My husband manages all 2000 acres of them. They are right in the middle of harvesting right now, which means I am a married-single mom until about November (so I hope you are enjoying those chips). He grows potatoes for Frito Lay and In-N-Out Burger (yummy fries). So here are some pics of the fields and the surrounding valley where we live.


One of the potato fields with a center pivot (essentially it is a giant sprinkler)

The second picture is a better picture of the center pivot in the potato field. They are automated and even send text messages to my hubby to tell him when they shut on and off at 2 in the morning and what not (lucky me).
Harvested potatoes being processed.

I hope you enjoyed.

Be sure to visit Unknown Mami and take a peek at her city and others who are participating.

Six Word Saturday: Sippy No More

Participating today over at Show My Face in Six Word Saturday. Here is my six words:

SAYING "NO" TO THE SIPPY CUP!

more on this later.........................

I 'm back I can't help it: I have more six words for saturday ( i know I am breaking the rules) I apologize.

WAITING FOR A DOOR TO OPEN

ENJOYING THE COMFORT OF THE RAIN

SITTING AND TRYING TO JUST "BE"

ok i think i'm done....................... I might be back.

Friday Five: Just Things

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 just learn a little something about me.

*Something strange is happening with Blogger today - I apologize

for the way this turned out. I can't seem to fix it. I must have done something

that I am unaware of.

I learned:

1. That when I leave my girls home with a non - English speaking babysitter. One who

doesn't like to say 'no' to such cute little princesses, they (the princesses) take advantage

in a BIG way. For some reason they take this opportunity to everything that is normally

not allowed. Even the OP forgets that she has a brain. and........

2. When leaving said OP home with above mentioned babysitter - We (the hubs and I) will no

doubt get at least 10 phone calls for things like "the YP is eating too much turkey", "Auntie Kj

called and is looking for mom", "the bug man is here and needs to spray". I guess it is better

she calls too many times than not call that one important time. That would be my luck the one

time the YP eats a peanut or something and she decides not to call. I don't keep peanuts in

my house for that reason.

3. Taking a step back from a pending situation to just let what happens happen is a bit

liberating. For a control freak like me that is saying a lot.

4. I have bought a dog that is just like my children. She doesn't listen and gets into things when

she knows it's wrong and then looks for forgiveness with her sad little puppy eyes.

5. I am a pushover. A PUSHOVER when it comes to nap and bedtime. My girls know it too.

They take advantage every time, "But MOOOOMMMMM we are playing so good together, just

a little longer. pleeeeeeaaaaaaaaaase." I cave. Bedtime daddy is here to set me straight but for

nap time I am left to my own devices - not good. I lose. I NEED nap time to get school done

with the OP.

That's what I learned, what did you learn this week? Please do tell.

Have a fabulous Friday.

Mixin' it up

I blog lifted this tag from one of our new friends, Unknown Mami. I know - Shame on me. See, usually I participate in Wordful Wednesdays over at Angie's Seven Clown Circus but I need to transfer some pictures from my camera to my computer and I am being LAZY. So I was trying to think of something to post and I came across Mami's post and thought 'how cute and fun.'

But..........I am going to change it up a bit. I am going to change the questions to be about me (Amy) and have Lady Di answer them. This should be interesting..............................................

1. Who does Amy think is the hottest movie star?

Oh GAWD!! Vin Diesel and just for the record, I totally disagree.

I asked for it didn't I? I had a feeling she would put him. Ok. Vin Diesel yes - It has something to do with the bald head. I like bald heads for some odd reason. Chris Daughtry even Howie Mandel. Strange I know. You would think the Hubs has a bald head but he doesn't - he is hot WITH hair.

2. Apart from her house and car, what is the most expensive thing Amy has ever bought?

PASS - I can't even answer that question about myself.

It would have to be my MP and YP - we just paid them off. They are finally ours to keep. When we had the OP we had awesome insurance. Thank heavens. The MP was the most expensive which is interesting since she practically walked out on her own. Those princesses are worth every penny!

3. What is Amy's most treasured memory?

The day she met me OF COURSE !!! Seriously....I would take a wild guess and say her wedding day and birth of her children (even though she had some crazy hard deliveries).

Lady Di must be confused that is her most treasured memory. J/K . No she is right - nothing really tops the births of my kiddos.

4. What is the best gift Amy ever received as a child?

A rock and a stick. She lived a simple life.

Really? It was simple but really, Lady Di, a rock and a stick? We did live simply. Although I was trying to think - maybe my horse ooh ooh I could get really sappy and say it was the gift of LOVE, a roof over my head, and always a new pair of shoes. No actually it was my parents raising me on a farm and putting me in 4-H. Where I met Lady Di (the greatest gift of all is FRIENDSHIP) {cue Aaaaaaahhhhhhhs} and where I learned responsibility, was able to pay for my awesome car and some of my college. Yep sounds good.

5. What is the biggest mistake Amy ever made?

Well, you know that guy that calls you at 3 a.m. to check that you're home, then interrogates you about where you have been and who you were with, or that guy that thinks you are cheating on him every time you step foot out of your house even when it is for doing things like going to the post office? Yeah, I knew that guy because he dated Amy the first year we lived together in college and I wanted to kick his teeth out every time the phone rang at the butt crack of dawn. However, she definitely learned from her mistake and ended up with a wonderful man. I never did get to kick that a-hole in the teeth though.

I knew it! Ooh I plead temporary insanity! WHAT A MISTAKE! but I learned something about myself during that time. Yes indeed. Well Lady Di if we ever see that jerk again we can kick him in the teeth together.

6. Give four words to describe Amy?

Caring, funny, strong, imaginative AND a bonus...germ-o-phobic She seriously thinks it the end of days and we are all going to get Swine Flu (hence the word imaginative).

Oh so sweet and spot on. Sometimes your imagination gets away with you - hey I am a Pisces, it just comes naturally. Hey, I know everyone is breaking out the Purell these days!

7. What was Amy's highlight and/or low light in 2008?

Oh, my girl Aim had some LOWS this year. I don't know if I even want to mention one of them, or any of them for that matter. Her grandfather passed away. This was in addition to her other grandfather's passing in the Fall of '07. Then she was expecting a new addition to her family, but the man upstairs had different plans and she had a miscarriage. Like I said, some real LOWS (hence the word strong). It was a tough year but she hammered through it and successfully accomplished her first year of homeschooling with the OP. She got the MP to dance lessons with little or no screaming fits eventually. AND, she got the YP's food allergy thing figured out...well almost. Did you know that Oreos are dairy and egg free? That's why I eat them.

Good job. Sorry Lady Di about this one but I love you best good bud! Bought the double stuffed ones the other day - the YP is in love. Yuck for me - I hate the frosting, love the cookie.

8. What is Amy's favorite film?

Austin Powers YEAH BAY-BEE!!! Actually, that would be her LEAST favorite movie. She hates..no, detests those kinds of movies. I know, where is her sense of humor? I still don't think she has watched Knocked Up yet even though one of her favorite actresses Katherine Heigel is in it. She is more of a romantic comedy gal. I am going to go with an oldie but goodie and say Hope Floats. She is a big Sandra Bullock fan and we watched this movie a lot in college.

NO my LEAST favorite film is MR. BEAN! O dear lord. Lady Di loves MR. BEAN. I know -no sense of humor all though I saw the previews for Hangover and it made me laugh pretty hard. So see I am not uptight.

9. Tell something not generally known about little Miss Amy.

Well, I already told everyone that she snorts when she laughs. In case you missed that post- She snorts when she laughs, as I called them, big gigantic donkey ee-haw, ee-haw snorts. I suppose I can elaborate on that and say that sometimes when it's REALLY funny she starts to drool a little too. Then of course, if it is THAT funny, I am usually drooling a little too.

Oh my! Thanks for that.

10. If she were a comic strip/ cartoon character, who would she be?

Infomercial Gadget Girl and boy does she have an arsenal of weapons. I think she has purchased every gizmo ever sold by some freaky dude on T.V.

I can honestly say that I have never bought a gadget on a T.V. informercial. I think. I am a catalog person. Thank you very much!

&

Smiles All Around

Lisa from Smell the Coffee Lisa gave us this:

plus some nice words. So so sweet and it did put a smile on our face. Thanks Lisa!

The Spreading the Smile originated from Vicki at Frugal Mom Knows Best. According to Frugal Mom "there are no rules or expectations, just the hope that you will pass this on, to however many people you want. The hope that we all have at least one nice thing to say to a least one person. One genuine, nice thing that might make them smile. Or even maybe something to thank them for. Let's spread the smile to as many faces as possible."

Sounds like a good idea to me! So were a passin' it on. We just love smiles, don't you?

Helen at Feeding Five for Fifty, Theta Mom, blue violet at A Nut in a Nutshell, and Unknown Mami all get smiles from me(Amy) for making me smile recently with there comments. You gals are sweet and I thank you so very much for your lovely words. I needed them.

What the heck? There are no rules so if you comment on here often -take the smile. Pass it on. Because all our commenter's are special. You rock! WE LOVE YOU! and since I am on a roll, if you follow us: TAKE THE SMILE. Spread the cheer!! because we love you too (and because I need to visit you so this gives me a reason to make the time.) Lady Di probably has some nice words to say but she is busy getting JD boy ready for his first day of second grade today. I am sure it is a little chaotic over in her neck of the world. It would be at mine that is why I homeschool. I don't have to be up at a certain time, I can stay in my jammies, no need to do the hair and makeup, no need to get the girls dressed and ready. Just walk into my family room flip on the computer and start school. Yeppers! It is just that simple.........................................yeah right? who am I kidding?

FOCUS! AMY!

As I was saying: Lady Di and I appreciate every one who visits, who follows, who stops by unexpectedly. We think your great. We started this blog, well for many reasons, but mainly to have a place of our own, shared. We never expected to find such wonderful supportive woman. We never expected to make such great friends and that is what you all are: great friends. We look forward to what you have to say and we enjoy reading your posts as well and try really hard to let you know that. So thank you - you bring a smile to our face. Have a wonderful Tuesday and spread the smile................................

&

Polka Dot Sunburn, Off Roading in the Sedan, and Drama In the Sky-Monday's Mama Drama

You Know You H ave Mama Drama When...

1. You forget that little spot on your daughter's back when applying sunscreen so when she takes her bathing suit off she has a nice RED circle right-smack in the lower middle of her back. Didn't seem to bother her, it's just kind of funny to see a single red polka dot on a pasty white kid's back.

2. You have to mud-bog in your SATURN CAR (not 4 wheel drive by the way), because the JD boy left his swim team goggles in Dad's truck and Dad's truck is parked out in a muddy potato field. We went straight to the car wash when we got back into town.

3. Your husband books plane tickets for a sudden and unexpected out of town trip during the week you have scheduled every doctor, dentist, haircut, dog grooming (I'm exaggerating now) appointment that could possibly be scheduled, so you spend an hour on the phone rescheduling appointments. However, it was all for a good cause we went up to see his brother who is being deployed to Iraq at the end of this month. So, I think a couple of doctor and dentist appointments can wait.

4. You find that you have developed a fear of flying after not having been on an airplane for more than 10 years and find yourself checking out the pilot not to see if he is a hottie, but rather that he is SOBER, as you board the plane. You also take note of the flight crew's physical or rather ninja abilities because you want to feel assured they can take out any terrorists that MAY be on the plane as well.

And Finally.....

5. Upon setting eyes on the little puddle jumper plane with the little outward propellers and everything you must board you just look at your husband and say, "REALLY??" Then once on board you consider turning your cell phone back on to call your children and tell them you love them one last time. Yes, I KNOW I am a Drama Queen, but did you get a look at the name of the blog? It's what we're all about around here.

Sunday in the Land of Nowhere

I thought I would participate in a meme from the Unknown Mami. She does Sundays In My City, where you take a picture of your city. I of course don't live in a city I live in the Land of Nowhere. The nearest city is 2 1/2 hours away but still I have some pics to share with you today from my neck of the desert. Enjoy.

Be sure to visit Unknown Mami and take a peek at her city and others who are participating.