Last Day of 2009

Dear 2009,
You were a fast year - one I entered into with a lot of hope and expectation. I specifically remember standing in the dark a few minutes after midnight. I looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. I let all of the newness and hope fill me. ...and you disappointed me. Again.
I'm not saying you were a bad year. Perhaps this feeling is just me. Perhaps my dreams were too big for 2009. Maybe I expected too much from you. The small things you did give me always had a price attached - and that price was usually disappointment and anxiety. You weren't as bad as some of your predecessors, but bad enough in your own right. I look upon the good things from the year and can call you somewhat of a success. I know the base on which I stand is solid and filled with love and friendship. I know I have more blessings than many and I am grateful. So, I thank you for that and ask that you now leave. Don't let the door hit you on your way out. I think its for the best. For all of us.
It's not you. It's me. Really. And I am washing my hands of you - in a loving way, of course.
Dear 2010,
Once I stop typing 1010 and actually hit the 2, I think we will be friends. I hope to not make the same mistakes I made with 2009 - I will try not to expect too much from you. I will try not to blame you when something goes wrong. But I do hope you are filled with good news and happy times. I realize you will be the year that holds great change for my family and I ask that you treat the coming events with kindness and understanding. Not too much at once, if you please. Be patient with me and I will be patient with you. 2009 was not patient. Or perhaps that was just me.
I know your time here is short and I hope to make the most of every bit of it. Don't go too fast, please. Remind me to slow day and enjoy. And take it easy on us. 2009 stripped us naked and left us in the freezing rain.
See you soon!
And...
Behave!

Answer!

Here we go with the answer! And, I promise after this, we will never speak of it again.
1. Guy in a wheelchair with one foot bandaged. The bandage was leaking blood all over the floor. I almost vomited. No kidding. True. And Gross!! I'm not kidding. It was one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen in my life.
2. There were no Snuggies to be found. Both girls wanted to buy themselves them. We searched all through the store and they were gone! No Leopard or Zebra print anywhere. Sad. Also true. My niece got one for Christmas and the girls have had Snuggie envy ever since. I don't know.
3. Guy wearing plaid pants and a floral print Hawaiian shirt. Pretty. No, but I'm sure if I looked hard enough I would have been able to find him.
I bet you're glad I didn't have enough room on my cell now, aren't you?
I know I am.
That is all for this next to last day of the year.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

I was out and about in the freezing cold and horrid wind today. Stimulating the economy. Well, actually the K's were. They had Christmas cash and gift cards, and birthday money burning holes in their pockets.
Saw some interesting things. Which of the below is false: (and all of these occurred at the same mega-conglomerate who shall not be named.)
1. Guy in a wheelchair with one foot bandaged. The bandage was leaking blood all over the floor. I almost vomited. No kidding.
2. There were no Snuggies to be found. Both girls wanted to buy themselves them. We searched all through the store and they were gone! No Leopard or Zebra print anywhere. Sad.
3. Guy wearing plaid pants and a floral print Hawaiian shirt. Pretty.
Okay, so pick the lie. Unfortunately, my cell phone's memory was too full to snap off quick picks of any of these. I'm kind of sad about that. There's a website you can send those kind of photos to.
Answers tomorrow.
Behave!

Winding Down...

Three more days left in the year. This time next week the kids will have returned to school and life will be as close to normal as it gets. I have mixed feelings about that. Though, when I look at my living room floor and the seventy-five million K'nex pieces scattered about...
I have a lot to accomplish this week. Some things include: sleeping in, editing, taking the hooligans shopping to spend their gift cards and cash, catching up on television, cleaning, and taking naps. Ha ha. Well, the editing is a big part of what needs done. I'm on a mission. It must be finished.
One more thing to add to that list would be getting the skeletal, dying, messy tree out of the house. There are more needles on the floor than on the tree.
Oh and the fun family stuff that will be happening.
I think that's all for now.
Behave!

2009 In Review

The year in review:
January: Editing, computer viruses, more editing, Tall Tale Tuesday, Drink hat coolness, My Bloody Valentine, editing, Feel Good Friday, random writing posts, Supernatural.
February: Sledding, snow, inconsiderate people, boys shaving armpits, random cell phone pics, Friday the 13th, lots of random posting, Tall Tale Tuesday, Feel Good Friday, Supernatural, funny pics.
March: Hockey games, the flu, Mommy Meme, being query ready, Tall Tale Tuesday, Feel Good Friday, Supernatural, random writing posts, Good thing, Bad Thing, Ten Inch Hero, lots of random.
April: Crazy April Fool's day, slacking, fantastic new isp provider, Easter, crazy random posts, bug zapper rackets, Feel Good Friday, Tall Tale Tuesday, much random, Bucket 8.
May: Feel Good Friday, RETREAT!!, random stuff, Supernatural, Tall Tale Tuesday, gnomes, chaos, camping, near-death camper experiences.
June: chaos, Feel Good Friday, School's out, bad hair cuts, Bucket 8, Summer Survival Journal, thumb injuries that should have had stitches, gnomes, blog tour, random writing posts, goals, kids going to camp.
July: Camp outs, streamlining, Summer Survival Journal, Jason Manns music, kids still at camp, road trips for conference meetings, another kid at camp, teenagers, another kid at camp, Road trip to see Jason Manns, chaos.
August: Summer Survival Journal, crazy dances, Georgia Road Trip, Tall Tale Tuesday, Booksignings, weddings, picnics, crazy car dancing, the first day of school.
September: Random, Tall Tale Tuesday, camping trips, new Supernatural, party planning, random writing posts, Summer Survival Journal, Rants, Wednesday...The New Monday.
October: Television, Supernatural, Tall Tale Tuesday, Zombies, balloons, silly pictures, silly videos, Jason Manns Roatripping!, 13th Birthday party, Halloween, random writing posts, Feel Good Friday.
November: being sick, silly pictures, Tall Tale Tuesday, random chaos, Supernatural, soapbox, lots of random, blog tour, Feel Good Friday, cool music, turkey trivia, the demise of my laptop, shiny new laptops, music videos, Thanksgiving, 18th birthdays.
December: Tall Tale Tuesday, lots of random, Feel Good Friday, random writing posts, lost and found Christmas spirit, rants, Free Heartwild Solitaire, weird pictures, chaos, family visits, getting through the holidays.
Yeah, I know there are a few days left in the year, but I'm relatively certain nothing else is going to happen in 2009. At least nothing blog-worthy. I'm doing my best to enter 2010 with a positive, hopeful outlook. And I hope you are, too.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

Or the post Christmas edition.
I completely forgot yesterday was Friday. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Anyway. Here we go.
1. Christmas eve spent with family and friends.
2. Hanging out with my husband and kids.
3. Things working out better than I thought they would.
4. My baby turning 10.
5. The nostalgia of knowing it was our last Christmas will all four kids at home. Things will be markedly different this time next year and though it's sad, I'm also glad B and I took a moment to recognize the changes. We made an effort to enjoy our morning and I have to say we had an absolute blast.
My brain is dead. This week has been so packed it feels like three weeks instead of one. I'm sure I could make this list a whole lot longer, but I can't think. Maybe I should take a nap while I still can.
Behave!

Time...

...>I wish I would have known this sooner!!
Behave!

Merry Happy!

Merry Christmas!
And Happy Birthday to my baby girl!
Hope you and yours are having a wonderful day no matter what and how you celebrate!
Behave!

Answers!

Here we go with the answers!
1. What are little fires or candles in paper bags called? Luminaries
2. Name one of the two most famous tree toppers? Angel or Star.
3. What is the Little Drummer Boy's name: Arthur or Aaron? Aaron.
4. What carol was so popular that it appeared in a composition by Mozart and contains an often repeated nonsense word? Deck the Halls.
5. What Saturday Evening Post artist was known for his whimsical pictures of Santa Claus? Norman Rockwell.
6. Who breaks Clara's nutcracker: a mouse or her brother? Her brother, Fritz.
7. Is the city of Christmas Cove in Maine or Wisconsin? Maine.
8. Did Jim Carrey star in Home Alone? No.
9. True or false, there is a weed called the Christmas weed? False. (I liked Ava's answer better!)
10. What is Frosty's nose made of? A button.
Kudos to Ava for 9/10!!
Hope you're all getting your holiday stuff done. I'm not, despite how hard I'm trying!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Last Christmas style!
Here we go:
1. What are little fires or candles in paper bags called?
2. Name one of the two most famous tree toppers?
3. What is the Little Drummer Boy's name: Arthur or Aaron?
4. What carol was so popular that it appeared in a composition by Mozart and contains an often repeated nonsense word?
5. What Saturday Evening Post artist was known for his whimsical pictures of Santa Claus?
6. Who breaks Clara's nutcracker: a mouse or her brother?
7. Is the city of Christmas Cove in Maine or Wisconsin?
8. Did Jim Carrey star in Home Alone?
9. True or false, there is a weed called the Christmas weed?
10. What is Frosty's nose made of?
There you go. A mix of easy and hard. And as always, the questions come straight from 'Tis The Season Christmas Trivia.
Behave!

Ha!

....It's been a long Monday. I don't have more than this. Hopefully easier, but not too easy Tall Tale Tuesday tomorrow!
Behave!

Sunday Funny!

....Found this blog this morning and it's cracking me up!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Wow! What a day!
Here's the list!
1. My uncle is here from California! It's the first Christmas he and my mom (it's just the two of them) have been together in 39 years, and that last Christmas was spent caring for their dying mother.
2. The SNOW! in the forecast! I'm not only excited for myself, but for my uncle, too!
3. Weekend plans. They're loose because of the forecast, but I'm looking forward to whatever happens. Maybe sledding?
4. Rescheduling the late night shopping trip K2 and I had planned for tonight. Even though I'm so not done and wanted to go back to the grocery store for a refund after being charged for 3 pieces of meat when I only bought two. And then there's the movie we rented last Saturday that's still here. (yay, late charges) I did want to go out tonight, but considering I haven't had more than ten seconds of down time today, I was relieved to not go.
5. Managing to fight the crowds at the grocery store so my family won't starve if we do get the higher amounts of snow.
6. Finally relaxing.
7. Sleeping in tomorrow.
8. Being amused when glancing into other people's carts while at the store. I could totally go off track with this, so I'll save it for its own post. Maybe tomorrow if it really snows.
My poor brain is too tired. That's all for now!
Behave!

Too Cute

and too close to the kind of stuff my kids do.

Behave!

Very Cool and Very Free!

If you love Solitaire CHECK THIS OUT!!
It's free and you'll find stories by myself, Megan Hart, Natalie Damschroder, Misty Simon, and more!
The fantastic people at Orchid Games have done this for romance readers everywhere. Check it out! You'll be glad you did! (Or you know, terribly behind on everything you need to do because it's so addicting! Don't blame me for that!)
Seriously. Don't delay. Click the link and download this fantastic game! (for free!)
Behave!

Answers!

So I make it harder and no one guesses? Okay then. Here are the answers anyway!

1. Not counting Rudolf, how many reindeer are there? Eight.
2. In Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what made the Jack-in-the-Box a misfit toy? His name was Charlie, not Jack.
3. In Miracle on 34th Street, what did Kris and Fred tell Doris her problem was? She was too realistic.
4.What film told the plight of a poor mountain family during the days of the Depression? The Homecoming.
5. President Lincoln ordered 38 Indians of what tribe to be hung on Christmas Day, 1862? Sioux.
6. In Miracle on 34th Street, what toy did the son of the prosecuting attorney want for Christmas? A football helmet.
7. What is thrown into the holy water on Epiphany bringing the season to a close in Greece: a chalice or cross? A Cross.
8. What kind of cake do single English girls make to enable them to know who their husband will be? Dumb Cake.
9. In the book, The Story of Holly and Ivy, which one is the doll, Holly or Ivy? Holly.
10. Who denounced the music of The Nutcracker as "infinitely" worse than Sleeping Beauty? Its composter, Tchaikovsky.
So there you have it!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

More Christmas trivia directly from my 'Tis The Season Christmas Trivia game. A little harder this week since I heard last week was way too easy.
Here we go:
1. Not counting Rudolf, how many reindeer are there?
2. In Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what made the Jack-in-the-Box a misfit toy?
3. In Miracle on 34th Street, what did Kris and Fred tell Doris her problem was?
4.What film told the plight of a poor mountain family during the days of the Depression?
5. President Lincoln ordered 38 Indians of what tribe to be hung on Christmas Day, 1862?
6. In Miracle on 34th Street, what toy did the son of the prosecuting attorney want for Christmas?
7. What is thrown into the holy water on Epiphany bringing the season to a close in Greece: a chalice or cross?
8. What kind of cake do single English girls make to enable them to know who their husband will be?
9. In the book, The Story of Holly and Ivy, which one is the doll, Holly or Ivy?
10. Who denounced the music of The Nutcracker as "infinitely" worse than Sleeping Beauty?
So there you go.
Behave!

Monday Madness

Remember this - the morning I woke up to find balloons all over K4's bedroom? Well, the balloon pranksters have returned. Yay, me. Yesterday, while I was busy cooking a second Thanksgiving dinner for K1's friends, (K1's best friend's family isn't local and he had to work on Thanksgiving, so we had him, and his friend-that's-a-girl-but-not-his-girlfriend over for turkey) She and K4 retrieved the balloons from their stashed spot in the basement and strategically placed them in K2's room.
Don't ask me how I got involved, but when I went to bed last night, they were all over my side of the bed. Which was great, because it was late when I finally crawled in and there was so much static that they stuck to me as I was trying to toss them out from under the covers. There wer blue sparks and everything. Apparently, K2 had filled B's side of the bed and he just shoved them over into mine. Now, my bedroom floor is covered with balloons.
I need to figure out what to do with them.
It has to be clever.
I'll let you know what I come up with.
Behave!

Feel Good Sunday

The weekend has been fantastic, so we're having a double-dose of Feel Good.
Here's the list:
1. Being all alone with my husband for the first time in forever. Just him and I - laughing, goofing off, and talking.
2. Getting a good start on the shopping.
3. Mimosas for breakfast. Chinese food for dinner.
4. Failing on a wrapping paper deal because I was too stressed to stay in the store until the sale started, but finding a better deal later.
5. Knowing my kids were well taken care of.
6. Also knowing my kids will be home this afternoon. I miss the little buggers.
7. The turkey that's in my oven. It smells so good in here.
8. The cookies that will be made later.
9. Sleeping in two days in a row.
10. Finally having my holiday spirit. (and I'm trying really hard not to think about everything that must be done before the day, because that will squash it!)
Behave!

Sunday Funny

...Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Another long week and can I just say only two weeks until the big day?! Holy Sands of Time, Batman!
Here's the list:
1. Middle school band concerts.
2. Watching K2 dance.
3. Being warm.
4. This weekend! B and I have it to ourselves and I am so looking forward to time alone with my husband!
That's enough!
Enjoy your weekend!
Behave!

Thursday Again?

A little rant.
I am so tired of hearing/seeing/being subjected to commercial after commercial that depicts what the perfect holiday should look like. So, if my husband can't buy me diamonds then he doesn't love me? I'm a jerk if I can't buy my kids the best toys and games? I'm lame if I can't/don't decorate every corner of my house to perfection?
It's no wonder so many people get depressed over the holidays. There's so much pressure to be perfect, to buy big. Our Christmas spirit is measured in material goods and how much we can spend. Our kids will suffer if we don't go into deep debt to make sure they get everything they want Christmas morning? Her husband must love her more than mine loves me because he bought her a brand new car for Christmas?
What a bunch of bunk.
It is what it is, folks. You do the best you can with what you have and make your memories without a credit card. No one cares how much you can spend. You show up with a smile on your face and love in your heart...well, that's what it's all about. It's so easy to get caught up in what society wants us to believe, but somewhere deep inside you know that's not true. All of that stuff doesn't replace the special people in our lives - the one's we'd give anything for. Those people don't want you to spend your grocery money to buy them stuff they don't want or need.
/rant.
Behave!

Answer!

Ready for the answers? Gave myself a little fright because I couldn't find the cards! Obviously, I did. And all I can say is next week will be a little harder!
Here we go:
1. What one reindeer is never mentioned in "The Night Before Christmas"? Rudolf.
2. What TV special included the characters Herbie, Yukon Cornelius, and Sam the Snowman? Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
3. What fabric was Frosty's hat made of? Silk.
4. In "It's A Wonderful Life" what would the town have been called if George had not been born? Potterville.
5. What pie was outlawed when Christmas was banned in England? Mince.
6. Who wrote a shortened version of A Christmas Carol for public readings? Charles Dickens.
So there you go.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Christmas Style...
These come straight from my 'Tis The Season, Christmas Triva game. No multiple choice this week.
1. What one reindeer is never mentioned in "The Night Before Christmas"?
2. What TV special included the characters Herbie, Yukon Cornelius, and Sam the Snowman?
3. What fabric was Frosty's hat made of?
4. In "It's A Wonderful Life" what would the town have been called if George had not been born?
5. What pie was outlawed when Christmas was banned in England?
6. Who wrote a shortened version of A Christmas Carol for public readings?
There you have it. Give it your best shot!
Answers tomorrow!
Behave!

This is Fantastic!

...Behave!

Keeping It Real...

The tree is up, the piano decorated - part of my Christmas spirit has been found. The rest, I think, is up to me to come up with from the inside. I have to make a conscious effort to be positive, to remember what the holidays are really about, and not stress about things I cannot control or change. That's hard, but I am trying.
We did have fun putting up the tree. It was the first time all of us have been home to decorate the tree in a very long time. Work schedules, teenaged attitudes and allergies, and company (usually invited, but still) have prevented it from being just the six of us in a long time. Unfortunately, it's probably also the last time.
K1's moving out after the holidays and while I know this is the next step in his life, I also can't help but think of how different things will be. K2's going to college next fall - same next step in life thing, same feeling for me. My babies are adults now and that smacks me hard into my chest. It'll be just K3 and K4 from August on, and most of me looks on that with excitement and hope, but there is a part that will mourn the chaos of all four of them together - the Nerf battles, the teasing, the games they invent, and yes, even the wrestling. That's not to say K3 and K4 won't do the same things, but it will be different. Life will be different.
I can't say that will be a bad thing. I will miss the older two. Heck, I miss them already and they're not even gone yet. And I have months before K2 packs up and heads down the road for higher education. I think I've finally put it all into perspective though. I'm making the effort to enjoy every day for what it is, and not think too far ahead. As I remind myself that even painful changes can be good changes, I feel lighter and more ready to tackle the upcoming holidays. I do look forward to the years to come and the fun stuff that will happen along the way.
And wow, that was a pretty sappy post for a Monday!
Behave!

Things I've Learned...

From my writing friends...
1. Never give up!
2. Chocolate is its own food group.
3. There are no stupid questions.
4. Laughter is therapeutic.
5. There is someone to cover you with soft cotton batting every time you get kicked.
6. When we get together there is always good food involved.
7. And conversation.
8. It's comfortable being with people who share the same struggles.
And there's so much more, but it's kind of sappy.
Obviously I had a fantastic time at our annual Holiday party this year! We were missing several, but it was still such a good time. We ate, laughed, talked, laughed, ate...yeah, just like at the retreat. I didn't want to leave!
In other news, the Christmas tree is still tied to the top of my truck. By the time we all arrived back home it was too late. Plus, it's covered with snow!
That is all for now!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Yes, it's late. Trust me, I know. I just now took my shoes off after having them on since 6am. I've been running all day, but now...now I'm home...I desperately need a shower (I am covered with drywall dust after helping my parents sand their foyer), but I am home. Now if the rest of my family would just arrive. Yes, it has been one of those days.
Anyway.
Here's the list:
1. Tomorrow's holiday party with my writing friends. Always a good time.
2. Shiny new calendars.
3. The Christmas tree tied to the top of my 'burban. (cause maybe it'll help me finally find my holiday spirit) (and yes, it'll probably stay there until tomorrow night because tomorrow is just as busy as today.)
4. Being able to sleep in a little tomorrow.
5. SNOW being in the forecast!
6. My youngest being able to put a bad day into perspective and being able to discuss it with a maturity beyond her years. (and boo on rude substitute teachers who continually call my baby girl "Sir". She doesn't even remotely look like a boy, even with her short hair. grrrr)
7. The 8-hour battery on the shiny new red laptop. I am digging being unplugged.
8. My family and friends coming in for Christmas!
9. The weekend, because I really need it.
10. Knowing that even though sometimes things look dark and gray, there are people who are always willing to wrap me in bubble wrap to protect me from the storms of life.
And that is all for now!
Behave!

Random...

I think if you run over someone's recycle bins and completely smash up their trash cans, you should stop and clean up the mess. It doesn't matter that some bonehead cut you off and you had no choice but to swerve right or hit someone. You should at least clean up the mess and leave a note apologizing for putting big ruts in their lawn and decimating their trash can.
*****
The squirrels in my neighborhood have become much bolder than regular town squirrels. This morning I watched one come within five feet of the dog. She might be big and slow, but she's caught tree rats on more than one occasion. Sunday morning, I opened the back door to one sitting on the trash bag waiting to go to the curb. I had to go back inside and slam the door to get him to leave. I thought about just walking by him, but several years ago I did that with a bird and the bird flew into the house. Could you imagine a squirrel inside my house? *shudders*
*****
My elusive Christmas spirit hasn't been located as of yet. I looked for it this morning in the decoration aisle, but it wasn't there. I need to find it soon. We're supposed to get our tree this weekend, so maybe it'll be within the fragrant branches of pine. I hope.
*****
Our cat acts weirder by the day. If he's not sleeping in the bathtub, he's got his paws wrapped around my arm while I'm trying to type, or he's on the kitchen table (which drives me nuts). The thing you have to know is that up until recently, he wouldn't go near the tub and he rarely got on the table. Yesterday he puked on the kitchen table - all over K4's project - and if that doesn't make a person crazy, I don't know what will.
*****
I am missing two loads of laundry. Maybe. Or at least some very specific items. Two pair of my comfy pants have gone awol, a pair of K3's jeans, and about half the towels. I've looked everywhere.
*****
There is a fly in my house. I do not understand. It's cold outside. Where did he come from? Also, the stink bugs are going to drive me insane. Last night there was one flying around the living room, and one in the kitchen. Stupid me, not remembering they're called "stink" bugs for a reason caught one on a paper plate and stuck it under the faucet. Ewww. I'll never do that again.
*****
That's enough random for this sad Thursday without new Supernatural. I'm coming into the homestretch with my work in progress and hope to have it finished by the weekend. There will be much celebrating when that happens. This book has been like a weight around my neck for far too long. Then, I'll start the extensive edits I know it needs, but I don't want to think about that right now.
Behave!!

Answer!

Ready for the answer? Too bad if you're not! Ha!

1. Scrooged - Bill Murray - what a mess of cliches and stereotypes! TV for cats? Crazy fired guys shooting up the building? Mary Lou Retton? I love this movie! It's a definite must watch around here.
2. A Christmas Story - That little kid deserves to shoot out his eye! What kind of kid hangs out in a cupboard? And how stupid do you have to be to stick your tongue to a pole? Another must watch, though, honestly, they play it way too much.
3. Jingle All the Way - Arnold Schwarzenegger - Seriously? A movie about shopping? Workaholic fathers trying to make their absence up to their kid by buying them the top rated present of the season? Backstabbing? Okay, so I've only seen it once and I didn't care for it. It had some amusing moments, but to be honest I can't remember how it ended. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the movie. It's just not one we watch around here.
I also said I'd give you a list of my top 5 holiday movies.
Here goes:
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. Scrooged
3. A Christmas Story
4. The Sound of Music (technically not a Christmas movie, but we watch it every season)
5. And apparently I haven't found my spirit enough to be able to finish this list...
I'll try again soon!
That's all for Wednesday!
Behave!

Ha!

...Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

December 1st!!?? You know I'm heading fast into freak-out mode, don't you?
It's officially the holiday season and I've yet to find my spirit!
In an attempt to help me locate my festive spirit, which of the following movies are not on my holiday viewing list?
1. Scrooged - Bill Murray - what a mess of cliches and stereotypes! TV for cats? Crazy fired guys shooting up the building? Mary Lou Retton?
2. A Christmas Story - That little kid deserves to shoot out his eye! What kind of kid hangs out in a cupboard? And how stupid do you have to be to stick your tongue to a pole?
3. Jingle All the Way - Arnold Schwarzenegger - Seriously? A movie about shopping? Workaholic fathers trying to make their absence up to their kid by buying them the top rated present of the season? Backstabbing?
The answer tomorrow with my top 5 picks.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

I totally lost track of the days!!
Today definitely doesn't feel like Saturday to me!
Anyways. Here's the Feel Good Friday list:
1. My baby girl turning 18!
2. Thanksgiving spent with family.
3. Miracles happening with a friends childbirth.
4. Having the 18th birthday shindig turn out well, despite there being nearly 50 people in my house at once. (or more - they moved too fast too count)
5. The store not being too crazy busy when I had to go.
6. My warm house.
7. Sleeping in three days in a row!
Umm...my brain is blank!
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! And Holy Cow I am not ready for this Christmas season! I am trying though - looking for my spirit and hoping to find it somewhere!
Behave!

Ha!

Behave!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday!
Gobble till you Wobble!
Behave!!

Answer!

Ready for the answer?
Too bad.
1. One year we had Thanksgiving at a viking-themed restaurant. The waitresses wore horn hats and the room we were in was decorated like a viking ship. Nah. Partially true though. I can't remember the name of the club, but we ate there. No one wore horn hats though and there were no ship decorations.
2. The year we had Thanksgiving in a friends garage K4 took pictures of the inside of everyones mouth. Thank goodness for digital cameras, otherwise I would have about 25 photographs of molars and fillings. Yes. Obvious?
3. When K3 was very little our entire family had the flu over Thanksgiving. Our dinner consisted of Jello, chicken broth, and saltines. We didn't have our turkey dinner until the following week. Nope. I can't remember any of us ever being sick on Thanksgiving. Knock on wood.
Enjoy Turkey Day!
As K2 says: Gobble till you Wobble!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

One more Thanksgiving Tall Tale Tuesday.
Which of the below is true?
1. One year we had Thanksgiving at a viking-themed restaurant. The waitresses wore horn hats and the room we were in was decorated like a viking ship.
2. The year we had Thanksgiving in a friends garage K4 took pictures of the inside of everyones mouth. Thank goodness for digital cameras, otherwise I would have about 25 photographs of molars and fillings.
3. When K3 was very little our entire family had the flu over Thanksgiving. Our dinner consisted of Jello, chicken broth, and saltines. We didn't have our turkey dinner until the following week.
So which one is the truth?
Behave!

Heee...

...Because you know how much I love Nathan Fillion. New Castle tonight!
Behave!

Monday Madness

There are nearly 200 pies in various places all over my house, including about 70 pumpkin pies on the back porch. I have to keep a constant watch for squirrels, and make sure the dog and/or cat don't mess with the apple and cherry pies in the house. This is what happens when you chair the pie sale for the Boy Scouts. Hauling tray after tray of pies, hoping not to knock one off and wreck it. Then, hauling those same trays into the house and sorting them into individual orders. Fun stuff. Remind me of this the next time I raise my hand. Actually, I don't mind doing it.
Anyway.
Here's my Monday lists:
Stuff I don't like:
1. The pinched nerve or muscle in my neck that will not go away. (No, the new computer didn't make it leave!)
2. Not having my morning coffee.
3. Realizing that despite me asking, no towels got washed yesterday.
4. Being cold inside my house.
5. The alarm going off.
Stuff I do like:
1. Taking naps.
2. Being warm.
3. My shiny new laptop.
4. Making word count progress.
5. Supernatural.
I think that's enough random nonsense for today!
Behave!

New!

New shiny red laptop with new shiny Windows 7!! Oh man, it's sweet! It came around noon and I've spent the day getting my files transferred and figuring out how stuff works. I'll post a picture as soon as I locate the camera. But Whoot!!! I can write again. This keyboard has one of the best touches, and I think it's going to take me a little while to get used to it. The control keys are in different places, so that'll take a little adjusting as well. But I love it!

The other new is the Bucket 8 Song below. Enjoy!


Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Not a bad week! A long one, but not terrible.
Here's the list:
1. Supernatural last night. Way to kill me, Supernatural People. I love you.
2. Hanging with friends who get me and still want to be around me.
3. The new red awesomeness apparently shipping. It should be here soon!! Whoot!
4. Looking forward to Thanksgiving.
5. A relatively easy weekend, though I have to get up far earlier than I want to tomorrow.
6. Having my comfy pants on already and looking forward to hanging out with B when he gets home.
7. Knowing I'm going in the right direction. (And, no, I'm not talking about driving)
8. Getting stuff done, even though the list never ends.
9. Diet Pepsi.
10. Pizza for dinner.
I think that's enough, because one of the things I am not feeling good about is the intense neck and headache I've had for the past 2 days. Perhaps it will go away once the new red awesomeness is in my hands?
We shall see.
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

I am still a dishrag.
It's been nearly twenty-four hours since Ellen and Jo died and I'm still sad. Yes, they are fictional characters, but they added so much to the show. I am not mad at you for that. Their deaths were a beautiful alignment of how Jo's father gave his life so John could live, and their sacrifice was so important to the story. I'd say it was perfect, but I miss them already. Jo had really grown up and though I had mixed feelings in the past, I could have seen her and Dean as a perfectly matched pair. She definitely didn't take any of his crap. And Ellen has always been one of my favorite characters. Always.
Now we have to wait what seems like forever for a new episode? You're very crafty, Supernatural People. I love you for that, though I am writhing in agony over how long it will take to find out what happened. But Sam and Dean in scrubs (regardless of them being in a mental hospital) will be worth the wait. I suppose.
Way to go with Lucifer. I love the character. He's played perfectly. Castiel, well, he continues to rock my socks off. And the demon who gave Sam and Dean the colt was fantastic.
I find myself nostalgic all of a sudden. I don't want Supernatural to end after this season, but I don't want to see "Sam and Dean go to Hawaii to water ski" either. It's times like this where I am forever grateful to the friends who insisted I would love Supernatural - who loaned me the DVD's and made sure I watched them.
That is all.
Behave.

Because...

...It's true.
...and cute...
Behave!

Turkey Bikini

There it is!!!

Behave!

Answer!

Ready for the answer?
1. My brother was deep frying a turkey at our parent's house and caught their shed on fire. Okay, so it was only a little wee fire, but the smoke permeated the whole house. And, the turkey wasn't fully cooked. It was his first attempt at deep frying turkey. Nope. Though we did have a year without a fully cooked deep fried turkey!
2. One Thanksgiving, many years ago, we decided to forget about the traditional dinner and have a seafood feast instead. Linguine and clam sauce. Shrimp. Oysters. Crab legs. My sister ended up in the hospital with a severe seafood allergy. She didn't know she even had one until that day. Nope. Never happened. We did have a seafood Christmas dinner once though, but no one went to the hospital.
3. The year my youngest sister hosted Thanksgiving, we put a bikini made out of tin foil on the turkey for the cooking process. We wanted it to look like the turkey had a tan. It only half worked. We also wore foil helmets while preparing the turkey so aliens couldn't tap into our thought processes. Yes!! I do have pictures of the turkey. I will post one when we find it.
So there you have it!
Behave!!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Thanksgiving style...
Which of the following is the truth:
1. My brother was deep frying a turkey at our parent's house and caught their shed on fire. Okay, so it was only a little wee fire, but the smoke permeated the whole house. And, the turkey wasn't fully cooked. It was his first attempt at deep frying turkey.
2. One Thanksgiving, many years ago, we decided to forget about the traditional dinner and have a seafood feast instead. Linguine and clam sauce. Shrimp. Oysters. Crab legs. My sister ended up in the hospital with a severe seafood allergy. She didn't know she even had one until that day.
3. The year my youngest sister hosted Thanksgiving, we put a bikini made out of tin foil on the turkey for the cooking process. We wanted it to look like the turkey had a tan. It only half worked. We also wore foil helmets while preparing the turkey so aliens couldn't tap into our thought processes.
Okay, so which one is the truth?
Behave!

Then and Now

Since I was at a total loss today, I went back and looked at last November's posts to see what I was up to. I gotta tell you, it wasn't too much different than now. Well, with the exception of going to look at Great Dane puppies. I'm pretty grateful that one didn't work out for us. I was watching Dark Angel and lamenting that it only had two seasons. I still haven't seen all of season two yet.
Oh well...
On to the present...
My cute new mouse came today, though the shiny new laptop hasn't even shipped yet.
K2 turns 18 in a week and a half. Wow.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around her birthday and that Thanksgiving is so soon. This year we're at my brother's, which will be fun. Next year it's my turn again. I love it when it's my turn and I mean that!
A look at the calendar for the rest of the year is enough to scare a person. Seriously.
I am not a fan of ketchup.
Okay. That's all.
Behave!

Stuff...

I already mentioned last week was on the rough side. There were a lot of things that happened, or didn't happen. I kind of had my legs knocked out from under me and found myself in this deep dark place without a flashlight. One of those situations where everything comes at you all at once and the smallest thing can push you towards a deeper hole. When the coffee ruined my laptop and combined with what was a rough writing week anyway, I was sure it was a sign I should stop writing. I didn't know if I had the energy or the fortitude to continue.
But then a few things happened. My friends supported me, talked me down, let me vent and cry. B did the same - letting me ramble until perspective snapped into place and then he insisted I replace the ruined laptop. Because even when I don't believe in myself, he believes in me. And I realized that quitting isn't an option - no matter how beaten down I feel. It's not possible.
Then, I was flipping radio stations and heard this song:...>The lyrics really hit me in a tender spot and not just because I love Dave Matthews (and yes, I have a soft spot for Kenny Chesney as well). I kept thinking about it - letting the words run around in my head. (I also have to admit I didn't watch this video until after I posted it. But man. It's stunning.)
And, though still a little raw, I'm nearly back where I need to be. I say nearly, because my work in progress insists on beating me black and blue every time I open the document and, of course, my current computer configuration makes it difficult to get anything done. The keyboard has too hard of a touch and my fingers feel raw after a short bit of typing. Once the shiny red laptop comes though...
I guess this is another "soapbox" post about not giving up, about finding a support group, about acknowledging your feelings and doing whatever necessary to put them into perspective.
Behave!

What I Deal With

On a daily basis......>And I'm sure I'm not the only one!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

This week has been crappy enough for the record books, but there's been some good.
1. It's Friday. Oh! How I love you Friday!!
2. Sleeping in tomorrow.
3. Birthday plans with friends tomorrow evening. (even if it means I have to clean my house! Or...you know...sorta!)
4. Parent-teacher conferences.
5. Pies!! Long story!
6. Having friends who let me rant and rave and agree with anything I say because they know it's not my final answer no matter what I say.
7. New laptops!! Yeah, baby!! So, the coffee incident turned out to be for the greater good. It ruined my computer, but thanks to my absolutely wonderful husband, my brand spanking new laptop will be here soon!!!
8. And again, my husband, who even when I want to give up on myself, won't let me. He rocks!!
9. Did I mention? My new laptop is RED and has an 8 hour battery.
I think that's plenty! And yes, the bad of the week has been completly offset by the coming good!
There will be pictures!!
Behave!!

Blog Tour

More on the computer situation and Feel Good Friday in a minute.
I thought I'd give you the rundown of the blogs I read regularly, because most of them are quite amusing.
1. - always good for a laugh.
2. - same as above.
3. - 'nuff said.
4. Interesting 5. Similar to Funny Cats, but... Read from the beginning to make sure it's not you...
7. - because you know you really don't want to show up here!!
Now for some normalcy:
1. Megan Hart
2. Natalie Damschroder
3. Vicky Burkholder
4. Misty Simon
5. Ava Quinn
6. Susan Kelley
7. The Gab Wagon
And for all your Supernatural Needs:
Supernatural Sisters
There are probably more, but since I've had to shut down twice to get this far...
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

No Tall Tale Tuesday this week.
Today has been a particularly crappy day. I won't go into details except to say that I'm pretty sure I've ruined my laptop. Imagine an entire cup of coffee spilling over the keyboard. Yes. It really happened. It was a bad, bad morning, followed by an equally bad day. This is the first chance I've had to make sure everything was okay since it happened, and obviously it is not okay.
This might be the last you hear from me for a while as I begin the tedious process of coffee removal. I'm online now, but on a wing and a prayer. The letter n keeps sticking on and ruining everything! I am half-tempted to throw the darned thing into the middle of the road during rush hour.
Behave!!

Random Monday

I got an email from some dude offering me 35% of 165 million dollars if I'd pretended to be a dead man's next of kin. Seriously? It was in with the other spam emails about how to enlarge my penis and the ones about cheap vicodin.
***
I saw a pheasant in the road yesterday. He was beautiful. I haven't seen a pheasant in years.
***
Watched "The Proposal" with K2 today. What a cute movie! I really liked it.
***
K2 is totally hooked on Castle now. She's mad at me for that, because her television viewing time is as limited as mine.
***
Yesterday we spent nearly all day raking leaves. The pile to be picked up is as big as my car. And you can't really tell we did anything now because the leaves that were still on have started to fall. Good times.
***
Okay, that's enough random!
Behave!

Saturday Stuff

Days like today make me get back up on my big ole soapbox about joining a writing organization. Today was my monthly writing group meeting. I love these people! There is nothing like (nothing) being in a room of like-minded people to put everything back into perspective! The morning started out rough. Really rough - as in our regular room was being used by another group who weren't very nice to us, even though we'd reserved the room a year in advance. Long story short, we had to use a much, much smaller room, which barely fit us and we then got booted out before we were completely finished. Frustrating!
When it comes down to it though, nothing else matters but being with people who understand exactly what it means to write. We had a great speaker - our usual November speaker - who also happens to be someone I really like and respect. We also had a great lunch and even though the conversation wasn't always happy roses and sunshine, it was good. There was a lot of good news flying around and I love that, especially when it's happening to friends. (Hopefully I'll be adding some author interviews to the blog soon, and hopefully I'll have two more friends to add to my list!!)
Anyway.
Join a writing organization. Go to your local chapter meetings. Get out of your box and actually talk to people, get to know them, find some friends. You won't regret it!
That's all I have for now!
Behave!

Ha!

...The cat looks a lot like Dave, my sister's cat. Cracks me up!!
Behave!!

Feel Good Friday

Man! It's been a long week around here! Let me see...
1. Kids being okay, even through a lot of worry.
2. Friday. Oh, how I love you Friday.
3. Last night's Supernatural. One of the best yet. There was so much to love.
4. Making my kid happy by taking him shopping to use his birthday money. We'll see how much lamenting I do over the immense Nerf gun he bought. Immense!
5. Mom Win! (For me and my mom) Encouraging same kid to use one of his gift certificates to buy himself new jeans. Thanks, Mom! Fantastic!
6. Husbands who cook dinner and clean up. And light candles. Nice.
7. Tomorrow's meeting! I can't wait.
8. Getting a decent amount of words on the page this week, despite everything else.
I had at least one more, but my brain blanked.
So, that is all.
Behave!

Answer!

Ready?
1. My sister-in-law called me yesterday to tell me she had a dead cat in her trunk and a dog crate filled with cat poop in her backseat. Actually, this is the truth. It's a long story, so I'll sum up...they live in the middle of the woods on like a bazillion acres (they even have a pond with fish!). Farm cat shows up and hangs out for a while. They get it immunized, fixed, and feed it. Farm cat stops coming around. They believe he's met his demise because he hasn't come home for like a year. Neighbor calls, farm cat is on his property acting weird. She goes to get it, using a regular cat carrier. Farm cat, having returned to the wild, is having nothing to do with that. Gets dog crate (which means leaving carpet chewing dog around the carpet she loves to chew), entices weird-acting farm cat into dog crate. Farm cat promptly poops all over dog crate. Takes farm cat to vet and discovers they can't test it for rabies, but have to euthanize it, costing her some nice bucks. Cat is now dead and in the trunk. Crate is still gross and in her back seat. She then has to travel several, several miles to the big city to her state's veterinary clinic to have farm cat's corpse tested for rabies. Seriously. I don't think I could make that up. Yes. This is my family. We all fit together quite nicely. Thankyouverymuch.
2. The dog opened the fridge (I think it was left open a crack. Pray it was, otherwise I'm in big trouble) and proceeded to help herself to leftover chicken noodle soup, a package of hamburger, and two blocks of cheese. Her food dish was full of her favorite food. Nah. But it's not so far out of the realm of possibility that I don't make sure the fridge door is shut every time I leave the dog home alone.
3. I have started Christmas shopping. Thanks to the Internet, I am completely finished with the kids and now only need a few family and exchange gifts to call it done. Easy peasey! Maybe I won't be a scrooge this year after all! Whoot! Ha ha ha! Definitely a fantasy!!

I guess that just proves that the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Ha!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Okay, here we go.
Out of the three things below, only one is the truth.
Which one:
1. My sister-in-law called me yesterday to tell me she had a dead cat in her trunk and a dog crate filled with cat poop in her backseat.
2. The dog opened the fridge (I think it was left open a crack. Pray it was, otherwise I'm in big trouble) and proceeded to help herself to leftover chicken noodle soup, a package of hamburger, and two blocks of cheese. Her food dish was full of her favorite food.
3. I have started Christmas shopping. Thanks to the Internet, I am completely finished with the kids and now only need a few family and exchange gifts to call it done. Easy peasey! Maybe I won't be a scrooge this year after all! Whoot!
Only one is the truth.
Which one?
Behave!

Tuesday Silly

...>Ha! I think I'd freak if these guys were on my back porch!!
Behave!

A New Month

Wow. It's November already.
(I've been remiss in my wow-ness over new months lately. Just because I haven't posted it, doesn't mean I don't feel it. ha!)
Is it just me, or has this year gone by with amazing speed?
I'm stunned than Thanksgiving is a little over three weeks away. That Christmas is just seven weeks away. I'm not ready. Not at all. I'm also not ready for K2 to turn 18! 18!! Holy cow!
Unless you live in a box in some polar region you've noticed the Christmas decorations that are already on display. Not ready for that either. I can't even begin to think about the holidays yet. Though I sincerely hope I enter the season without the scrooge mentality. I don't want to this year, though I can feel it in the back of my brain already.
*****
So, I'm still sick. Not the swine flu, just a head cold. No real fever, just snot and lots of it. (You're welcome, because yes, you did need to know that! Ha!) We'll see if it affects anyone else in the house, despite my warfare against spreading the germs. We're at two of six right now.
Instead of the fun mother-daughter weekend that was planned, we've had to alter plans slightly to accommodate my aching head. Of course, the fact that the theater was only playing horror movies yesterday had some impact on that as well. But we ate out, went to the bookstore, rented movies, and ate Ben & Jerry's from our own individual containers, and talked (which made the weekend a success, in my opinion).
And I think that's all I have for this November 1st.
Behave!

Some Advice...

For new (and I mean just out of the box new) writers.
I've been seeing and hearing enough things that they've festered in my brain, creating this post. Here goes:
So...you've finally decided you're going to write a book. Good for you! Seriously. Do it!

Here are some things to keep in mind though:

1. Writing is a solitary profession. It's lonely. Get some writing friends. People who understand the burning need you have to write. A good way to do that is #2.

2. Join an organization. Something that has a mission statement you agree with and meets your needs as far as the genre you're writing. A place that can guide you to educational opportunities. And get involved. Most groups have online resources where you can find answers to most of your burning questions. Some even have mentoring programs. Most have critique programs. Join them.

3. Do your research. Don't expect someone with more experience to do your homework for you, or expect they'll provide you with the answers you seek. Asking for clarification on something you don't understand is fine, but don't until you've reached that level of interaction with them. Which brings me to my next point:

4. Don't expect. The Internet has made it easier than ever to get in touch with your favorite authors. That's cool. But don't email them expecting anything. Don't ask them to read your manuscript. Don't ask them to put you in touch with their agent. Tell them you enjoy their work and have decided to pursue your own writing career, but don't expect anything but a "good luck".

5. Don't be a pest. So, you went ahead and emailed your favorite author and asked a ton of questions and asked her to read your work in progress and she didn't answer. Do not email her again. She's busy writing the books you love to read. She not only has the obligation to her career, but most likely she has a family to take care of, critique partners to read, her own duties to her chosen writing organization, and maybe a job outside of writing - she's not being mean when she doesn't respond to you, she's busy. Don't take it personally. Yeah, occasionally someone gets lucky, but not often.

6. Present yourself at your professional best at all times. In your blog: Don't post political/religious/rude and insensitive things. (Unless you're going to the Inspirational/Political market) People will look you up. In email: Grammar and punctuation matter. Spell stuff right. Use the caps key and the period key. Do not pepper your email with multiple "lol" and smiley faces. Don't demean yourself. Check yourself before sending nasty emails. Back away from the computer and give yourself time to cool down. Watch your attitude. You'll get nowhere if you bash others, even if they have nothing to do with publishing.

7. Make goals for yourself. Finishing a book is tough. Finishing your first book is even tougher. Keep at it. Keep writing. Make achievable goals, i.e. Writing one page a day, or 50 words a day. When you get published isn't up to you. You can say: "I'd like to have a book out by this time next year." but if you're not writing that book, there's not a chance. You can only control so much - mainly, how much you write and how dedicated you are.

8. Continue learning. If you know you suck at grammar or spelling, then work to get better at it. No, it is not the job of your agent or editor to fix your mistakes. It's not the job of your critique group. Your mistakes are off-putting and will most likely get you a big fat rejection.

9. Exercise. Trust me, keeping your butt in the chair and pounding out those pages will cause your butt to look like the chair if you aren't exercising. It's also easy to eat more than you planned when your mind is occupied creating. Also, a few minutes of fresh air will help your brain. The words will come easier. Ideas will sprout.

10. Find a critique partner. This is kind of scary. It's hard to put your work out there in front of your peers. It's also may take a while to find someone you mesh with. But it's worth it. Once you've established this relationship, listen to the things your critiquer is saying to you. They're your first reader. I'm not saying you have to agree with and change everything they mention. In a good relationship, you'll know. Also, be prepared to give critiques in return. No one wants to be in a one-way critique relationship.

I think that's enough. Welcome to the fabulous world of writing. You'll find most writers are more than willing to help guide you, but keep the above in mind. Asking questions on a forum or even in a private email, or say, at lunch after a meeting is fine, especially if you've been invited to do so. Take your cues though. Don't be so about what you feel you need that you miss out on the opportunity to cultivate an actual friendship.

Did I miss anything?
Behave!!

Feel Good Friday

The non feel good version.
I'm laid low by some vicious germs in perfect time to screw up the weekend. Yay me.
But, here's the list anyway:
1. Trick or Treating is over. (In my state it doesn't matter when the 31st is, we trick or treat on Thursday)
2. Supernatural last night. Loved it.
3. Sleeping in tomorrow.
4. My nice warm bed when my head is hurting.
5. Naps.
Which is what I'm going to do right now.
Zzzzz...
Behave!

Television Thursday

Thank goodness for "on demand". Without it, I would miss a lot.
Supernatural: No new episode last week and that was sad! This week is new, but it's also Trick or Treat night here. Supposedly over an hour before SPN starts, but I know I'm going to be stressing. I really, really wish Supernatural was available 'on demand'. Not so I don't have to watch when it's on, but so I can watch over and over!
Castle: I know I was late to the party (as usual), but I love it. I loved this week's ep and the Firefly references. I started watching Castle for Nathan Fillion, but have stayed for so many reasons.
Ghosthunters: I caught most of it last night. I'll have to watch it again later. Still love it.
Flash Forward: I'm not as late to the party on this one. I'm loving it, though last week's episode felt like I missed something. It wasn't the best one to get B hooked on it because he was more confused than I was. K2 is also loving this show and will be relentless until she gets her father hooked on it as well.
That's it for this week.
Must write now.
Behave!

Answer!

Ready for the answer?

1. We were at a Halloween party. I was dressed like a pregnant clown. I decided to try the limbo even with my large belly. My water broke as I went under the pole. Nope. Though it's a good story!
2. We were at scout camp for camp clean up day. I started having contractions early afternoon, but didn't feel the need to alert B. When I finally told him, they were six to seven minutes apart and we were at least an hour and a half from the hospital. Yes! We made it in plenty of time to realize it was a false alarm - only to head back for real an hour later.
3. We were home. We'd gone to bed, but I couldn't sleep. I was cleaning the house - doing laundry, scrubbing the living room floor - when my water broke. Nope. Not with this one.
Gotta jet. Wednesday is the new Monday around here...
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

The Birthday Edition!
Today is K3's 13th birthday. So, in honor of my great kid, which of the below is the truth about his birth?
Information necessary to make this decision: He was born early Sunday morning - before I would have had to make a decision on his time of birth due to daylight savings. Therefore, any previous events I mention actually take place the day before he was born.
1. We were at a Halloween party. I was dressed like a pregnant clown. I decided to try the limbo even with my large belly. My water broke as I went under the pole.
2. We were at scout camp for camp clean up day. I started having contractions early afternoon, but didn't feel the need to alert B. When I finally told him, they were six to seven minutes apart and we were at least an hour and a half from the hospital.
3. We were home. We'd gone to bed, but I couldn't sleep. I was cleaning the house - doing laundry, scrubbing the living room floor - when my water broke.
So which is it?
Behave!

Birthday Partying

Saturday was the big 13th birthday party for K3 and my niece. They're 10 days apart and are best friends, and wanted to have their birthday party together. What started out as a skating party somehow turned into a costume party. Which was fine and appropriate considering the time of year.

The picture is my brother-in-law and K2. Their costumes were amazing. Everyone did a great job dressing up. Our parents even came in costume. We originally planned to have the party at the Meadow, but the weather was iffy - though it turned out to be a beautiful day. We set up and decorated my sister's garage complete with a live spider we found crawling across the garage floor. I don't have a decent picture of the inside to share.

At least 35 13-year olds showed up. I couldn't get a decent head count, they moved too fast. Add the adults and there were over 50 people there. My brother-in-law has a friend that DJ's and he was amazing. He kept the kids moving on the dance floor and even got the boys to step up and participate. The kids were hysterical. Watching them was a lot of fun. Boys and girls stayed apart for the beginning, then they slowly began hanging together. K2 did the Thriller dance and it was absolutely amazing. As weird as it sounds, I almost cried.

It was a long night. But fun. The kids had an absolute blast. The mess wasn't even that bad. And now, the birthday boy (tomorrow) is running a fever and is home from school. I'm not even sure he can go back tomorrow because of the school's policy, though I'm relatively certain his fever has nothing to do with swine flu.

So there you have it.

Behave!

Feel Good Friday

It's been an interesting, frustrating, but basically normal week around here.
The highlights:
1. Jason Manns! Whoot! Fantastic roadtrip with fantastic people.
2. Laughing with my kids about everything.
3. Today is Friday.
4. Birthday party planning!
5. Resolving stuff.
It's a short list, but a good one.
The big 13 year old birthday party is tomorrow. Pray for me. 2 birthday kids (K3 and my niece), who knows how many guests, a dj, and dance music. I'm going to need a huge bottle of aspirin when it's over!
Behave!

Weird Wednesday

It's been a weird, weird day in Wonderland.
Experimental homeless guys.
Missing gas caps with no evidence of siphoning.
Tattooed guys at the grocery store with high pitch voices (mega tattoos, like all over his face). He looked scary, but he had the sweetest smile. He made me smile after a long and weary day.
A nearly teenaged boy with a rapidly changing voice.
Trying to explain author websites to the same nearly teenaged boy. You might not think this was weird, but believe me, it was.
Not busting out in laughter, somehow, when K4 said someone who's disfigured doesn't have a head and hearing her wonder how it was possible for him to wear a mask without a head. (We were discussing The Phantom of the Opera)
Trust me, there was more, but because of the weird day, I now have a weird headache and can't think anymore.
Behave!

Roadtrip!

(No Tall Tale Tuesday today.)
Last night I went with my bff's to see Jason Manns!
I know. Again? Whoot!!
Go to Megan's blog for a funny video with a clip of me stuck in my seatbelt. Her post is beautiful and made me all sniffly. The only thing I can add is: Ditto!
And...Do you still have the pictures of us in the chicken hats?
Another recap from Natalie can be found here. I won't link to Misty's blog since she hasn't updated in something like 3 months and it's very unlikely that she will, but if you want to check out her previous posts check the sidebar. I'm sure if she did update, she'd mention how she got accosted for change before the rest of us even got out of the car, and how she was approached a second time on our way to the venue. Oh, and she might tell you about "pink shirt", too.
I don't have much to add to what they said. We laughed so much. By the time I got home my voice was raspy and my throat was raw. Dinner was fun and by eating at the restaurant downstairs, we were guaranteed reserved seating upstairs. Right in front of the stage. The venue was small and nearly packed, and I have to say, Jason's a class act. He handled the comments and interruptions pleasantly. I cringed at a few things that happened, but he never seemed bothered.
It was a very, very good night!
Behave!

Saturday Snippets

It's been raining all day. And it's cold!
I've been like a hermit. Haven't left the house once and am in my jammies. Yes, I put clean jammies on after I showered instead of getting dressed in "real" clothes. I made a pot of chicken rice soup, found my snuggly socks, and have been writing nearly all day. (Had to take a nap. It's illegal to not take a nap on a rainy day such as this. Couldn't break the law.)
So, since I've had such a good day, I thought I'd share a few snippets with you. (Torture or Good? You tell me)
From the unedited urban fantasy loosely called "Prophecy":
"Jack didn't understand why they'd stripped him of his power. If his job was to protect her, why would they purposefully take away the only thing that could save her. And for what?"
"Gabby glared at the woman. Mrs. Margaret Miller from Haven had interrupted one of the best mornings in her life. This had better be good."
Eh. At least I'm working!
(and I'm totally labeling this post "snow day" because that's what it feels like!)
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Let's see....
It's been a long week, but there's been good.
1. It's finally warm in my house!
2. The forecast. I'm loving the upcoming rainy weekend. I think it's going to be a LoTR weekend. Whoot!
3. Living through the massive amount of people in my house for our annual Halloween parade.
4. The noise in my house. Because it means my family is having a good time.
5. Supernatural! Loved it!
6. Watching Ghosthunters on "On Demand".
7. Warm socks given to me by a friend.
8. Lunch with my husband.
9. Getting words on the page.
10. Sleeping in tomorrow!
That's not everything, but it's enough!!
Behave!

Answer!

Here we go!
1. The graveyard behind my dad's childhood home. It's an old family plot, just not his family. I've been fascinated by it ever since I was a kid. And yeah, I took the picture hoping something paranormal would pop out at me when I downloaded them. No such luck. Nope. Though there is a graveyard in the middle of the field behind his childhood home. And yes, I did take a picture of it, but I can't find the picture.
2. Retreat wanderings. It was early - too early to scare ourselves - which, when you get right down to it, is what we all wanted. Very cool place though. There's even a dead circle of grass and an old schoolhouse. Yes!! And I want to go there now, too!!!!!
3. B and I found this little graveyard on our way to pick up K2 from a weekend away. It's not far from an old bridge and the graves are way old. We didn't risk getting any closer because this was enclosed in a cow pasture and there was a big old bull watching us. But I really wanted to risk getting damaged to check them out. I wanted to know who was buried there, and why they were buried in what's basically the middle of nowhere. Nope.
So there you have it!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

A spooky old graveyard...

Which of the below is the truth:

1. The graveyard behind my dad's childhood home. It's an old family plot, just not his family. I've been fascinated by it ever since I was a kid. And yeah, I took the picture hoping something paranormal would pop out at me when I downloaded them. No such luck.

2. Retreat wanderings. It was early - too early to scare ourselves - which, when you get right down to it, is what we all wanted. Very cool place though. There's even a dead circle of grass and an old schoolhouse.

3. B and I found this little graveyard on our way to pick up K2 from a weekend away. It's not far from an old bridge and the graves are way old. We didn't risk getting any closer because this was enclosed in a cow pasture and there was a big old bull watching us. But I really wanted to risk getting damaged to check them out. I wanted to know who was buried there, and why they were buried in what's basically the middle of nowhere.

So which is it?

Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

I am writing to tell you how wonderful you are!
Even more wonderful than last week!
While I find wax museums to be about the creepiest thing ever (besides zombies), I was entranced. It looked easy - find the objects, torch them, and everything would be fine. Only I knew it wasn't going to be that simple. And I knew there was a "why" there, though I thought it would be linked to the apocalypse. Paris Hilton was the perfect choice and I loved that she took the role, though admittedly the media has not made me a fan. The fact that she wasn't "above" getting her head chopped off softened me towards her. I liked that it was a stand alone episode, but what I liked the most was the brothers.
Dean has been pretty douchey this season. I've been waiting for him to snap out of it. Waiting. Patiently. I was mad at him when he was on the phone and Sam walked in, but as one of my friends pointed out, we had no idea what he was going to say. He could have been talking about himself and transferring his own guilt and angst onto Sam. I didn't realize (forgot, or didn't know) anyone else knew he'd broken the first seal. I was waiting for him to own his participation in the coming of the apocalypse. I swear as soon as he apologized and eased up on Sam, his whole demeanor changed. And I loved it.
In the same vein, Sam has been a washrag so far this season. A hulking, beautiful washrag, but a mess all the same. No wonder. He did something very bad, but his intentions were noble. Even if getting there meant icky stuff I don't want to think about. Finally, he stood up for himself. Yay!
So, A+ Supernatural people. My faith is strengthened. I can't wait to continue the ride and see what happens next.
So, thank you.
and...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

Here we go with the list!
1. Sleeping in! And boy, did I need that!
2. Having a wonderful dinner made for us by K1's best friend.
3. The cooler temps, though it's a little too cool this morning.
4. Reading a good book and drinking coffee in my jammies.
5. Hanging out with friends.
6. Evening plans.
7. Actually having people listen when I say something! ha!
8. Getting words on the pages.
9. Supernatural!!!!! (maybe more on that later)
10. Friends coming in from out of town.
Oh and on a hysterical side note: I woke up this morning to find K4's room full of balloons. K1, K2, and K1's girlfriend blew up 200 balloons and deposited them on K4's floor. Pretty darned funny.
Behave!

What's the Deal?

With zombies?
Why do they always have to show up and spoil a perfectly good movie? Ha!
I get it, I do. I just don't like them. At all.
K1 and his friend are completely in love with zombies. They talk about them all the time. All the time. To the point where B and I just roll our eyes and walk away/change the subject/anything to not have to talk about zombies. (B dislikes zombies as well)
When I think about the movies I've seen, and liked, that have had zombies in them: Night of the Living Dead, Night of the Comet, The Day After, ect. I realize it's not the zombie part I liked, it's the fact that there are not very many non-zombie people hanging around. That's one of the reasons I loved The Stand so much. (and there were no zombies!)
A long time ago B and I went with friends to look at this old house for sale. It was way out in the country and overgrown with weeds - clearly deserted. We walked around looking in the windows. When we got to the dining room, the table was still set - like the family just disappeared in the middle of the meal. All of their stuff was still inside, but they were gone. That has stuck with me always because I want to know what happened.
It's not the zombies, it's the world. The desolation. The walking into the diner and seeing plates and half-eaten food still on the tables, but no people. The empty houses and buildings. The not knowing if there's someone waiting to kill you because they're just as scared as you are. (but no zombies) The possibilities are endless. I want to know what happens when there's no one around to take care of things except a handful of people just doing their best to survive in a changed world. I don't think you need zombies for that - something scary, yeah, but not zombies.
Though...I guess you could outrun them...or something...ha!
Behave!

Answer!

Here we go with the answer!!

1. Nudity. My brother stripped naked and jumped in the pool. The looks are for how he landed in the water and the fact he was naked. Who says women can't sympathize with man pain? (Except for Jo, since she looks asleep.) Nope. I can honestly say my brother never stripped naked at an inappropriate time. At least in front of me. Ha!!!
2. Our mom tripped over a toy boat and fell. Not into the pool, but close. She was okay, just scraped her palms and knees a little. (Jo, again, does not appear to care.) Nope!!
3. K4 jumped into the pool and landed wrong. My brother and brother-in-law were there to save her and she was completely fine, but based on our responses in this picture it could have been bad. (except for Jo, sleeping...) There were no blood or tears, which always counts as a good day. Yep!!
So there you have it. All's well that ends well. Right?
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Beach style.
I made the mistake of mentioning that normally we'd be at the beach right now, and not only did the kids get sad, so did I.
So...
Tell me what's happening that brought the looks of horror to our faces. (That's me, Jo, and my sister) We're at the beach, on the back stairs of our beach house. Pool in front of us, hot tub to the right, gate directly to the beach to the left.
1. Nudity. My brother stripped naked and jumped in the pool. The looks are for how he landed in the water and the fact he was naked. Who says women can't sympathize with man pain? (Except for Jo, since she looks asleep.)
2. Our mom tripped over a toy boat and fell. Not into the pool, but close. She was okay, just scraped her palms and knees a little. (Jo, again, does not appear to care.)
3. K4 jumped into the pool and landed wrong. My brother and brother-in-law were there to save her and she was completely fine, but based on our responses in this picture it could have been bad. (except for Jo, sleeping...) There were no blood or tears, which always counts as a good day.
So which is it?
Behave!

Silly Sunday

...That's all I have in me today! It's been a long weekend!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Here's the list!
1. Friday! Holy crap! It's been one long week! I didn't think I was going to make it this far!
2. My writing group meeting tomorrow.
3. Sticking with the 50/50 challenge.
4. Supernatural!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Finding my glasses. Man, are my eyes bugging me lately.
6. Reading my own stuff (stuff I haven't read in months) and forgetting that I wrote it. (It's encouraging, not egotistical.)
7. Being reasonably organized despite the chaos going on around me.
8. Crossing stuff off the "to do" list.
9. The weather! I love that it's cool outside!
10. Knowing that even though I can't sleep until I can't sleep anymore tomorrow, that I'll at least get to sleep beyond the time I normally get up. (and then I have to face an insanely crazy weekend)
That is all!
Oh, and Holy Crap!! It's October already!!
ha!
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

I love you.
And I don't say that like a random stalker. ha!
I watched the first two episodes of season 5 in utter horror - worried about Sam, worried about Dean, hating the load of guilt they both carry, hating that they'd parted ways, but knowing for right now it was for the best. But last night...
My faith is restored. Though, to be truthful, I never lost hope that you'd bring the boys back together. I knew you knew what you were doing and that all time apart would be for the good of all. But I worried. I didn't want to lose my love. I didn't want to begin to feel blase if the potential for missing an episode came up.
Last night's episode is definitely one of my favorites out of all seasons. I loved (LOVED) the setting - the Croatoan virus and the post-apocalyptic streets (heee!), loved two Deans! And they contrasted! Future Dean was harder, bigger, darker, and meaner. Now Dean didn't agree with most of what he did and didn't care if telling him pissed him off. When Future Dean told him to say yes to Michael, I knew Now Dean never would. It wasn't Michael he had to say yes to, it was Sam. The condition the Impala was in was evidence to that. At least to me. Chuck was there and he seemed much higher functioning than he has in the past. I loved the changes in Castiel and how, despite being a druggie, he knew Now Dean. Sam in white and being smarmy was wonderfully done. (except for those shoes! ha!) And even when he told Dean they'd always end up in that garden, I again knew it wasn't Michael Dean had to say yes to, it was Sam. I loved how Cas pulled Dean away from Zachariah. And I loved seeing the boys together again! Finally!
I do wonder what happened to Bobby. I wonder about Bobby's journal and Castiel being in the picture. I'm sad Bobby was still in a wheelchair and especially that there were bullet holes in the chair. Poor Bobby.
I can't wait for next week!
Thank you!
and...
Behave!

Television Thursday

Stole this idea from Natalie.

I don't watch a lot of television. B usually has control of the remote and to me, whatever he's watching is background noise because I'm usually doing something else, too. Occasionally I'll pay attention, especially if it's something interesting to me, but mostly he watches a lot of WW II stuff on the History channel - dogfighting, weapons, you know...guy stuff. So, with that in mind, here are the few shows I've either caught or make an effort to watch.

Ghosthunters: Always love it - even if they don't find any evidence.

Destination Truth: Recently started watching on occasion. Last night I was totally intrigued and ended up dreaming about the first half of the episode. (I fell asleep during the second half)

Supernatural: Well, duh! Today I watched the first six episodes of season 3 and it just reminded me of how much I love the show. I'm psyched for tonight.

Warehouse 13: On hiatus right now, but I love the way it developed. At first I was worried about how the characters interacted. They've done a great job with that and with the story lines. The kids also love this show and they're constantly watching it

Castle: Haven't seen any of this season yet. I plan to catch up "on demand". I don't have to tell you I love Nathan Fillion, right?

Life After People: Totally freaking cool. Totally mesmerizing. I dig it.

Extreme Foods: We watch this occasionally, and usually while we're eating. This one's always good for reminding me how glad I am that my mother rarely made me eat gross stuff. Love the host and the cultures.

Ghost Whisperer: My girls are totally hooked on the show. I think the concept is cool, but I'm not sure I'm going to be a fan of last season considering I already know what happens.

I've been falling asleep during tv watching lately, but I think that only has to do with my fantastic fatigue. There are only two shows I absolutely must watch: Supernatural and Ghosthunters. The rest of them I can catch "on demand" so I can watch at my leisure.
(Stupid computer shut off on me and I lost the last part of this post. Don't have time to recreate, so...)
Behave!

Wednesday...The New Monday

...>Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday - Not.

No picture today, because I don't feel like trolling through the same old, same old in the hopes of finding something to post.
So, let's go with a random post of nonsense.
No guessing. Everything below is absolutely true.
********
I switched the dog's food. Big mistake. She is capable of clearing the room. It is not pleasant in any sense of the word. Previous food will be reinstalled. Maybe some day I'll be able to smell again.
*********
Today, as I was setting here waiting for the computer to reload...again...I decided to watch Castle. Lord, I love Nathan Fillion. Watching this makes me wish for Firefly. This episode I'm watching has a guest spot by a guy that was on Supernatural. I loved the character in Supernatural, but I couldn't even focus on him in this show because his lips had way too much color.
**********
Speaking of my computer.
I'm going to throw it under a bus if I can't figure out what's wrong with it. It's shut off about 5 times so far today, seriously hampering my efforts to get any words on the page. I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't really be without it. The desk top is fried and I'd have zero options for writing. Not gonna happen.
**********
I'm already done with this week. Bob hit another deer last night - or I guess I should say it's the same as before - the deer hit him. He's okay. Car's okay, though I swear it has a target on it. I'm a little worried about that "third times a charm" thing.
**********
Okay. I'm done rambling. Tall Tale Tuesday will return next week as scheduled.
Behave!

To Whom It May Concern...

Monday's rant/love letters.

Dear Coffee Manufacturers,
I love you.
Thanks.

Dear Four-way stop minivan,
It is not your turn. You just got there. Did you not study the driving manual? You are going to kill someone.
Stop it.

Dear E-mail spammers,
I do not have a penis. Stop sending me information on how to enlarge it.
I am not interested.

Dear Dinner in the crockpot,
You smell lovely already.
I cannot wait to eat you.

Dear Co-habitators,
It is not my job to pick up your dirty socks or your cereal bowl.
Remember when I threatened to go on strike?
Getting there...

Dear Work in progress,
Stop making me doubt you. Stop being stupid. Stop making me afraid of you.
I will win.

Dear Fly Buzzing My Head,
You will die.

That is all.
Behave!

Silly

...but true. This is how I felt at the end of this week!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

I had every intention of posting last night. Obviously it didn't happen...
So, here we go with the list:
1. Finally after several failed attempts (my sister's dvr only recording half, you tube only having 4/5th of the episode) I got to see Supernatural. We ended up getting it from iTunes this morning.
2. Sleepovers - Swayze, popcorn, laughing, and friends. Good times.
3. A rainy day to snuggle up on the couch with a movie.
4. That even though this week was a long one, I met the 50/50 challenge. Didn't get as many words as last week, but it's still forward progress.
5. The fact that my youngest loves a lot of the same things I do. Unfortunately, she's too young for some movies/shows and that makes her mad.
6. X-men. It's been a while. Wolverine...'nuff said.
7. Sleeping in. Though I guess you really couldn't call it that since I didn't go to bed until nearly 3am.
8. However, sleeping in will happen tomorrow.
Okay, that's enough.
Behave!

Summer Survival Journal: The Lost Entry

The natives have nearly completed their first month of educational camp. It is by sheer will that I continue to survive. Why, if they are in the learning environment, do I feel as if I am not alone? Perhaps they have used my own technology against me and have re-routed the detection systems I placed on the food supply to watch me?
Though, truly I am not alone. The oldest native - the one no longer a teenager is most often here during the time the other natives are away learning. His biorhythm is defective and he is awake when everyone else has bedded down for the night, thus requiring the daytime hours for his own rest. I fear he has become a vampire. I have taken to wearing a wreath of garlic around my neck while I sleep. The beasts we keep watch me. Constantly. I tried to convince myself their behavior was due to missing the natives, but now I cannot help but wonder if they are plotting my demise.
Honestly, I fear aliens have abducted the formerly sweet natives and replaced them with the creatures that share our camp. Creatures with no remorse for strewing dirty dishes, socks, and various educational-type implements as far as the eye can see. I am still theorizing this. While it's highly possible, I have experienced this type of alien-like behavior in the past. Perhaps I am twisting normal?
The summer days have been replaced with days full of educational requirements, activities, and constant obligations. The possibility of ever sleeping past the breaking of dawn is a memory from the past. I mourn it. The realization of the approaching holidays fills me with absolute terror, while the natives look upon this with utter glee.
I fear I will no longer be able to keep this journal. I believe the natives, or the beasts, have discovered my attempts to contact the outside world, so I must use great caution in the future. While I am no longer in danger from the natives and have accepted my position in this society, I put nothing past the beasts. I must make them realize that if not for me, their food dishes would remain empty. I pray I can do this before its too late.
Behave!

Oops! and Answer!

Sorry I missed posting the answer yesterday. Wednesday has become the craziest day of the week around here for some reason and I had to make a choice between blogging and getting my challenge words done.
Did anyone notice the absence of number three? ha! I didn't realize it until just now. What was I thinking?
Okay, here we go with the answer...
1. From the weekend birthday shindig. The backdrop for a lot of silly conversations. Happened, but that's not the picture.
2. Labor Day camp. More silly conversation, marshmallow cooking, and general goofiness. Again, happened, but not the picture.
4. A beach fire. It's been a while. But there's nothing like digging a hole in the sand and having a fire on the beach. Yes. And I miss the beach so, so much. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. A lot.
That's it for now.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Obviously a fire, but when and where?

1. From the weekend birthday shindig. The backdrop for a lot of silly conversations.

2. Labor Day camp. More silly conversation, marshmallow cooking, and general goofiness.

4. A beach fire. It's been a while. But there's nothing like digging a hole in the sand and having a fire on the beach.

Which is it?

Behave!

I Love It When a Plan Comes Together...

So, yesterday turned out fantastically!
Of course Dad wasn't surprised. He knows us a little too well. He was, however, surprised by the amount of people who showed up and by the fact that we had a very good friend of ours (who just happens to be a most excellent musician) play for the party (it was also his birthday).
We put 'burma shave' type signs along the lane. They said: Years ago - you had dark hair - now - it's white - and - you're in a rocking chair - happy bday. At first he didn't think it applied to him because his hair was never really dark and it's not really white now, but we thought it was hysterically funny anyway. The "over the hill" theme's really only done for a 40th birthday party in our family, and we tried to stay away from that with a few exceptions.
The food was fantastic. The music, too. The friends, the laughing - we had a blast. We were in bed a lot earlier than expected, and my sister's house was full with about 11 extras crashing. Today was clean up and sleep.
(oh and K2 is at the beach with a friend. She sent me a picture of her bloody foot yesterday - stepped on a barnacle in the water. No stitches, but it's ugly looking. They did go to the hospital. She's her mother's daughter for sure)
And today is really my dad's birthday. So, Happy Birthday, Dad. I love you!
Back to the real world now. Dang it.
Behave!

Planning...

This will explain the why I mentioned in my previous post.
As you read this, we're in the middle of a surprise birthday party for our dad. We've been planning it for months, which is no easy feat when all of us are running around like crazy headless chickens. Mom, obviously, couldn't do a lot of the stuff herself without mega-explanations. Which is why we spent yesterday on super-concentrated party shopping.
I know he's not going to be surprised. For a few reasons. One - it's a milestone birthday. He has to expect something. Heck, my family never passes up a reason for a party. Two - he's overheard stuff and seen stuff, despite attempts to keep him in the dark. Three - one of the guests who couldn't attend sent him a birthday card already. Big tip off, that.
Anyway.
I am spending my day hostessing, cleaning up, and hopefully having a blast.
I will be tired!
Behave!