Our prayers are needed

Please be in prayer for Heather's daughter Emma and their whole family.

I'll whoop their buttocks.

12

What's hilarious about this is that 2/3 of the questions were about physical condition, etc. I didn't do so well on those. But the last few were about how dirty I'd fight and y'all, I'd fight dirty if I had to. And I think that's where most of my points came from.

What about you?

God's Gifts

I have wanted for so long to write about my family's story, from the beginning. Problem is, where exactly is the beginning?

June 11, 19whatever, when I was born?

Maybe the night I met Big Daddy? (It was in a bar!)

Or the day he proposed to me? (In New Mexico)

What about the day we were married? (In a barn)

Oh, maybe the day our first house burned down.

Then there's the day we discovered I was pregnant,

Or the day we learned the pregnancy had ended.

I could talk about our long, on-and-off journey to foster care,

Or the death of our best friend.

I remember the moment I first laid eyes on my Pooh, who was 5 at the time. (I cried)

And oh, so much more about that first weekend when we visited our daughters-to-be in a children's shelter. (Tink was sick.)

Oh, and the day we legally became a family.

I think I will definitely write about all those things - and soon.

But right now, I think I'll tell you about my Pooh (8yo), who is patiently reading a book to Toddler I Babysit.

You know what, Pooh probably didn't have anyone to read books to her when she was a toddler. I don't know where she was at that age, and I can't think about that too much or I'll fall apart. I do know that as soon as Tinkerbell was born, Pooh became a caregiver at not-even-two years old. And those nurturing instincts are still in her.

My Pooh has her baggage from those first 5 years of her life, that's for sure. But she is an incredible young lady who loves people, loves helping, loves her family and loves her God.

And I am eternally grateful for the gift I've been given in her.

sigh

So hey, I'm still around. Just a bit weary. I think I may have hit a wall this afternoon; it was eerie. How do you spell eerie? Spellcheck says I spelled it right, but it looks weird.

Oh, and by "hit a wall," I mean reached the end of my rope. That's two cliches for the price of one, y'all. And does anyone know how to do the accent on the e in cliche?

I know that there are moms all over the dadgum place who work much, much harder than I do, so I feel guilty when I feel tired or overwhelmed.

But I do. Feel tired and overwhelmed.

Today I took Scooter to school, came home and got the other 2 girls (who were with Daddy).
Drove by my parents' house to take them some ribs that BD smoked. (YUM)
Went to get the van checked out by an insurance adjuster.
Took the check to the bank. (YAY)
Made an appointment for tomorrow to get a repair estimate.
Back to get Scooter at school, and then home to meet Toddler That I Babysit. By Noon.
The girls played for about an hour, and then Big Daddy came home for lunch. None of the girls liked what they were given for lunch. (TOUGH LUCK)
Sister of Toddler will be here in about 20 minutes (YAY - seriously YAY), and I'll have them both until about 5:00.
At some point I have to do hair and makeup, because
I have a church board meeting from 6:45 until who knows when, and then home. (BED) (YAY)

I do have downtime while the kids are playing and whatnot, but I'm extraordinarily sensitive to the chaos right now. And my Scooter does not know how to play without making VERY MUCH noise. Neither does Tink, for that matter. And my living room is 17 x 19 and they're both 2 feet from me.

Go figure.

But you know what? I'm thankful that I have all three of my children. I'm thankful that they're healthy. I'm thankful that I am able to be home with them instead of them spending 8+ hours a day with other caretakers.

How's your day going? What's the best thing about your day so far?

Changing Again.

Yep, changed the colors again. Seems digital scrapbook designers want LOTS of money to let you use their papers in a blog design. So I'm trying to find something more reasonable.

I still want to get Photoshop Elements so that I can make a header. Have any of you used the free photo editing called Gimp or something like that? What did you think?

Oh, and also, I'm ranting about Kathy Lee Gifford over at the News and Reviews blog. I changed the name of it since I'll be posting product reviews over there too.

Later.

Like I Know What I'm Doing.

Yeah, so I changed the colors and patterns on my blog all by my little self.

Problem is, I'm never completely satisfied, so it may be a little different every time you visit.

You know what that means, don't you? You've got to come back over and over and over again to check and see what I've changed.

And leave a comment while you're at it.

I may shoot a roofer.

Hey, good morning everyone.

There are roofers all over the top of my house, and I may be cranky. Why, you ask? You know I'll tell ya.

I do not like the supervisor of the roofing people. He's overly friendly and a little creepy. Talks to me about things other than roofing. Obnoxious.

I don't know how Scooter(5) and Toddler That I Babysit will take a nap with all the banging going on. No naps = grumpy.

I'm anxious about the color of the roofing material. We had it narrowed down to three choices, and then Big Daddy called the roofers and told them SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. When I tried to do damage control, it was too late to order my choice, so they improvised. I don't like the way it looks in my driveway; hopefully it will look different on the roof.

I suspect that it will look just like all the other houses on the street, and that I'm stressing for no reason.

I've been known to do that.

American Idol - The End

Yeah, so I ended up watching the American Idol Finale Results Extravaganza tonight, even though I don't give a dang who won. Man, I didn't even watch the performances last night, cause did I mention that I stopped caring?

But please go on over to the Entertainment Blog and check out my random and at times disturbing thoughts. And be sure to tell me what you thought about tonight's show. Or whatever.

Thanks.

Dancing With The Stars - FINALE!

I'm so sad that after tonight I won't get to see my new pretend boyfriend, Cristian de la Fuente. Wah.

I don't even know what he does in real life. Do you?

Anyway.

My thoughts on tonight's Finale are over at the Entertainment Blog. What did you think about tonight's show?

Dream Interpretation, Anyone?

Y'all would not believe the dream I had last night. I don't even believe it myself.

Here are a couple of highlights:

We're in an abandoned spa/restaurant/whatever the heck.

Who's WE? I don't know. There were several people with me, but the only one I'm certain of is me.

So this spa/restaurant/whatever was open for business yesterday, but today it's deserted. So WE decide to go forward with business as usual, as best WE can.

This snooty guy is asking for certain vintages of wine, and since I only drink Boone's Farm, Jack Daniels and frozen girly drinks, he's oh, so out of luck. I'm trying to write down what he says, but he's very pretentious and says it too fast for me to catch.

Then WE can't find the diners, but maybe they're dining in the wine cellar, which is where? I don't know.

The next thing that happens is this big, honkin' body builder guy comes in like he's been there a hundred times, so I try to act like I know what I'm doing. He goes down a hallway, which I realize is the tanning section.

I can handle this.

I find the controls to the tanning junk, match the number on his door to the controls, and turn it on. Then his door swings open, and I see his big ol' body builder booty. Unclothed. But I close my eyes very quickly.

I promise.

I realize that the booth he's in is the spray-on tanner, and hope it's working properly. I go back to the front desk.

The guy comes out into the hall, griping about something, covered in some kind of green goop, and I wonder if this is how the spray-on stuff works but since he's wiping it off, I suspect it's not.

OOPS.

P.S. Y'all, he is TOTALLY nekkid.

And here's the best part.

There's a big blurred circle covering his business. I promise.

IN MY DREAM I censored the nekkidness.

Aren't you proud of me? I'm very proud of me. Aren't you?

Free is My Favorite Price!

I'm a cheapskate, y'all. Most of the time, anyway. And it seems like everything costs money these days, More and More Money.

Big Daddy and I both upgraded our cell phones recently, and I hunted like crazy for the best deals on the phones we wanted. He got a Sony Ericsson 580i and I got a Blackberry Curve. We love 'em.

Except. I can't stand that it costs 2.49 to download a ring tone from AT&T. Can't stand it. So I spent some down time the other day looking for a frugal alternative, and BOY did I find it!

Enter Phonezoo.com. Y'all, this site is great. You upload any piece of music (or other audio media) that you own, and VERY easily create your very own ring tone. And don't worry about it being difficult, because if I can do it, it's not rocket science.

So yeah, you do have to own the music, but most of the ring tones I've made so far have come from CDs that I've owned for years. I'm nostalgic like that.

But. Big Daddy wanted a more current ring tone, so we downloaded the MP3 from Amazon.comfor 99 cents, made a free ring tone from it, and we now own the MP3 free and clear to do with as we wish - MP3 player, rip a CD, etc.

In the interest of disclosure, I want to be sure and let you know that I'm not getting any compensation for mentioning either of the sites here. However, I will get a teensy commission if you buy anything from Amazon by clicking on one of my links here. Maybe even enough to download another MP3 for Big Daddy!

It's been quite awhile since I've participated in Works for Me Wednesday, so I'm glad that this week I have a fun tip to share. Enjoy!

Dancing With The Stars - May 12

Yeah, I'm rambling on about Dancing With The Stars again. Check it out at the Entertainment Blog. And don't forget to come back tonight for my cynical comments on American Idol.

Love y'all.

Randomness, anyone?

Hey, y'all. How's your Monday going? Mine started crappy but is presently very lovely.

I stayed up way too late last night watching the Survivor Finale on DVR, so it was a VERY sleepy Mommy who took Scooter to school this morning. By the time I got back home I felt like crap, so I crawled right back into bed for a couple of hours.

The next time I woke up I felt much better, and went to get Scooter from school. We ran some errands, and while we were gone Big Daddy put my new sheets and quilt on the bed.

Big Daddy Rocks.

So do my new Lilly Pulitzer sheets that I got at Marshall's for $35.

So yeah, doesn't take much to thrill me - new sheets and a new quilt on a perfectly made bed.

Life's Good.

Regularly Scheduled Boredom

Okay, so my header is back.

Thank goodness.

And while it's lovely, I'm sort of ready for a change. A very cheap change.

I sure wish my income tax money would come. Then I'd buy a copy of Photoshop Elements and learn how to make my own header.

I can do this, right?

Please Excuse My Mess!

Y'all, someone has gone and stolen my header! I mean, I needed a new one, but DANG! Give a girl a break!

I guess we know what I'll be doing tonight!

It just doesn't get more boring than this.

Hey. I'm sick.

Again.

The doc says allergies, sinus infection, probably asthma and possibly COPD. That ain't good.

And here're all the medications I'm taking right now, in order of importance:

Crohn's RX
Anxiety RX
Other Crohn's RX
Antibiotic RX
Steroid RX
Inhaler RX
Nose Spray RX
Generic Acetaminophen
Cough Drops

I'm a mess, y'all. I tinkle a little (or more) when I cough. The folks at the StayFree Company really love me right now for contributing to their bottom line.

My ribs hurt and I swear my lungs are sore from coughing. Is that possible?

But I feel 10 times better than I did yesterday, and I actually slept through the night last night!

So what's up with you?

Dancing With The Stars and American Idol

My scintillating thoughts on tonight's episodes of American Idol and Dancing With The Stars are up on the Entertainment Blog. I'd love to hear what you think, too!

Dancing With The Stars and Leg Toots

Hey, y'all. My comments on DWTS are up on the Entertainment Blog.

And my Big Daddy and Tinkerbell are making toot noises with various body parts.

I think he's trying to make sure no one ever wants to date our girls. And that's all right by me.

The Blessings of Home

Y'all, it's almost 11:00 at night, and my two big girls (8 and almost 7) are standing in front of my armoire mirror, cleaning out their noses with Q-Tips and grossing each other out with their boogers.

Tink: A girl gots to be a girl.

Pooh: You can't look at their beauty. You gotta look on the inside.

Tink: Don't toot on me any more.

Pooh: Hey, I only tooted on you once, and you tooted on me twice.

Tink: Well, that's how I roll on my birthday week.

Brings a tear to my eye.

Not Crazy Today.

Hey, I'm still alive.

And I haven't run screamin' down the street or anything.

You know what? I think it's hilarious when people say skreet instead of street and skrimp instead of shrimp. Cracks me up every time.

Anyway.

Here's what's great today.

Big Daddy realizes I'm having a rough week, and he's been oh, so helpful and sympathetic.

Things are busy but smooth - you know what I mean?

I'm sitting here watching these girls (my 3 plus 2 extras) playing dress-up - they're sharing and caring and all that wonderful crap. "Cinderella" was dying and she hit her head on a boot; everyone laughed their butts off. The big girls are helping the baby put on pretty dresses and crowns and they're having such a great time.

Well, Scooter's in Time Out cause she won't stop taking things away from others. But still.

Not-so-great stuff:

I've got to find a roofer and finalize our insurance claim from when 800 tons of hail fell on my house.

Oh, and also get an estimate on my car which was next to the house when said hail fell.

It's time to get new cell phones, but I can't decide which ones to get. And Big Daddy gets a discount through his employer but it's harder'n heck to figure it out.

Yeah, I want a PDA phone with a full keyboard so I can text (yay, me, for catching up with the times!) and keep my calendar on the phone instead of carrying this big old honkin' DayRunner deal in my purse. Except I can't figure out which one to get.

Oh, and I have the sinus/allergy/whatever attack from hell. That's right, hell. Not heck but hell. Because what is occurring in my head is most certainly straight from Lucifer's Resort Hotel and Casino.

So, to recap.

Great:
skreet/skrimp
Kids
Big Daddy
Cinderella whacking her head on a boot.

Not-so-Great:
Hail Damage
Phone Decisions
Attack on my nasal/sinus business

That's not a bad split, huh? You could really help me out if you recommended a phone to me, preferably with a QWERTY keyboard.

Now.