Country Wedding

This story is reprinted here with the permission of My Friend and Former Co-Worker, who shared it with me.

Here is the story in her words:

We are in the back yard of my aunt's manufactured home for my cousin's wedding. The maid of honor showed up after the wedding and the best man had on a short set with a pager and a cell phone. I had on a short set and Patrice had on a sun dress.

The archway was between 2 trees and we stood up for the entire ceremony.

The wedding reception was 5 feet away from the archway in front of the shed.

The dj's booth (cd boom box) was on the table next to the wedding cake and liquor.

This girl was the girlfriend of the grooms friend (not invited) and called one of my cousins a b---- while we were all dancing and having a good time. She then bumped into my CRAZY ex-con cousin and called her a b again. My cousin walked away and the girl followed her and called her a b again. My cousin then lost it, and I mean LOST IT. My cousin was going to hit her with a gallon bottle of gin and the other cousins stopped her.

When my cousin finished with this girl, she had pulled her blue pony tail off of her and the kids were playing keep away with it. The police had taken her to jail for assault and battery and disturbing the peace, and she did not have her pretty new blue pony tail to take her mug shot with either.

Y'all, this really happened. I've seen pictures. And when I asked My Friend and Former Co-Worker for clarification, she responded as follows:

That was the 2nd wedding where we were in the street and the preacher was late and the archway was being held up by 2 house plants. We were in the middle of the street for the ceremony and we had hot metal chairs in the dead heat of summer.

You can't make this stuff up.

Perfect

I may have said perfect more than a few times in the preceding post. Please accept my heartfelt apologies if you were in any way offended. I am by no means perfect, and...see, there I go again!

Can we talk?

I haven't posted much of substance in the past few days, because I've sort of had "blogger's block." But it's not that I can't think of anything to blog. It's just that I've been shying away from anything that's not just generic and sunny. Here's why.

In the past several weeks, I've gotten e-mails about my blog, chastising me for, among other things,

~Criticizing my children.
~Playing favorites with my children.
~Criticizing American Idol contestants.
~Having scriptures on my blog but acting "less than Christian."

My disorganized but heartfelt response is this:

My children will never see this blog. Heck, only one and a half of them can read. Even so, I'm not criticizing my children. I'm talking about day-to-day experiences that are sometimes negative. I'm talking about things that affect me in a personal way. Sometimes that might be my children's behavior, good or bad; sometimes it's the jerk at CVS; sometimes it's a wonderful thunderstorm. I started this blog as a way to share my experiences and emotions, whether they be positive or negative.

I am not saying that my kids are rotten, in fact I'll beat anyone who says they're less than perfect. What I am saying is that my kids are not perfect, and they sometimes do things that are less than perfect. More importantly, I'm saying that I'm not perfect, and sometimes I react less than perfectly to their actions or words.

I don't play favorites with my children. I wrote a post a few weeks ago trying to express this, but maybe I did a less than satisfactory job. I am a human being who is not perfect. I love every one of my daughters, and every one of them is priceless to me. I don't find feel further explanation is necessary. What's important is that I, God, my husband and my children understand and believe this.

American Idol? Are you serious? It's something that America has fun talking about. And I'm gonna keep doing it. And I don't think it's unchristian to say that someone stunk it up. I just don't.

I have scriptures on my blog because I am a Christian. A Christian saved by grace who is imperfect. I believe God's word and am not ashamed of it. That is all.

I really do not understand people who feel compelled to criticize total strangers; I just don't get it at all. I also know that I am definitely far from the first that it's happened to. But it still hurt my feelings and made me gun-shy about what I posted. But no more.

My desire when I began writing here was to be able to be as honest as possible with regards to my feelings about my life, my family, my hair, my weight, and whatever affects me on a day-to-day basis. I will continue to do so. I hope you'll stick around.

AI Results Show

Here are some of my random thoughts about last night's results show.

First of all, I pretty much agree with the eliminations. I felt a little sad to see Phil go, because I was warming up to him again. I really liked him in the very beginning, through auditions and Hollywood. And then when it got down to Final Twelve, he sort of lost his appeal for me. But last week and this, I really enjoyed his performances. So while he may deserve to leave, I hate to see him go. Loved his final performance, though. He really did go down "In A Blaze Of Glory." Could I be more corny? Could I use more words to make my point? Probably. Don't push it.

Did y'all see how may times Ruben Studdard pointed his finger during his Public Service Announcement?

I really liked the Ford video. And I usually fast forward through those jokes, but this one really caught my attention.

I totally love Richie Sambora's voice. Totally. Hate the musical wives he's doing right now, but love his voice.

That is all.

American Idol Final Six - Again

Here we go again, ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome Miss Tinkerbell, guest commentator, back by popular demand.

First of all, Jon Bon Jovi is just hot. That's all there is to it. But has he had his eyes done? Just askin'.

Here's Phil! And my first thought is, I do not like it when these guys walk through the audience while singing. I guess it makes me nervous, cause I don't see how they can sing good while they're navigating. But whatever. Cause his Song Is Great! And I've not been a Phil fan the past few weeks, even on Country week when everyone else was lovin' him. But tonight...Yeah, boy.

Tink: Ok...The way he's dancing doesn't look good, but the way he's singing sounds good.

Next up is Jordin. My first impression is that I love her hair! But I think the key is too low for her. Doesn't show the beauty in her voice at all.

Tink: Pretty good. (Thumbs up)

Oh my goodness, her hair does not look so great when the lights come up. EEK!

LaKisha - Has girlfriend lost weight? I think she has, but that doesn't mean she needs to be wearing skin-tight clothes. I'm just sayin'. But look out, KiKi is back! Better than the past few weeks, that's for sure!

Tink: Nothing. I can hear any of the God or Lord - That's what I like. That's why I'm not a fan of it.

Blake - Okay, first of all, my almost-six-year-old needs hormone suppression therapy or something, cause she is just verklempt when this guy comes out. Scary. My next impression is, stop messin' with that jacket. Okay, he stopped.

Wow, he is singing this song great! Very unique, and a wonderful showcase for his voice. You know what, not many people could have pulled this off.

Tink: Was he singing about God?

Chris - He stunk it up in the clip. Good thing he improved in the live performance.

Tink: Not Good.

Melinda - How cute is she!? It's not one of my favorite performances; seems like she's straining a little. But I still love her. No worries here.

Tink: She just said, "Have a nice day" a lot. (shakes finger) Don't like it cause she's putting her back on that man. They don't know each other, and that's like "keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself."

So this is getting serious, isn't it? Best, in my opinion, I can't believe I'm not saying Melinda. But this week, it's either Blake or Phil. Worst, I can't believe I'm saying Jordin. But this week I think it's true.

Who's going home? Goodness gracious, I don't know. I hope it's not Jordin. Maybe Chris, LaKisha?

Grammar Check

"Would you have had to have turned left, or would you have had to have turned right?"

Aren't there too many haves and hads in this sentence? Or am I just delirious?

Discuss.

The line, it has been crossed.

I know that there are many moms out there who take their kids to school in their pajamas. And I have absolutely no negative opinion about that. In fact, I may even admire them a bit. But I, personally, can not do it.

Y'all, I'm a lazy butt. But I just am too afraid to go out of this house less than fully dressed. I always think about what would happen if I had a wreck, and how I'd look standing out in the middle of the street. Or what if the principal asked me to get out of the car for some reason? I mean, he's standing right there directing traffic Every Single Morning! Now, I might not look good, AT ALL, but I am always fully dressed. Until today.

A few months ago, I got all loosey goosey and started doing the school drop-off in my slippers. Not the pick-up, mind you, but the drop-off only. I felt like such a rebel. And then comes today. Dum dum DUM! I wanted to get the girls to school in time for breakfast so I could get back here and start working (which you'll notice I'm not doing yet). So I just got crazy and put on a pair of jeans with my sleeping shirt. That's right, folks. I took the girls to school in a sleeping shirt, blue jeans and slippers. I'm afraid it's a slippery slope and I shudder to think about where this may end up. But dang, I feel daring!

And now, I must get back to typing that lovely statement about the poor guy whose "delicates" got bitten by a Scottish Terrier. And his "urethicum" is still hurting. Sorry if that's too much info, but his pronunciation is cracking me up.

Later ~

We're back!

We're back! And we had a wonderful time at the mini Marriage Retreat. I've got to get some typing done yet tonight, so I'll just hit some spots here and there, and then elaborate tomorrow.

• Our hotel was in downtown Dallas, and boy is it sketchy down there! There were homeless people all over, and one of the people attending our meetings actual saw a drug deal go down outside the liquor store across the street!
• The hotel was nice, though.
• We met some really great people!!
• We also met some people who seemed more interested in bitching about their lives and/or kids than listening to suggestions of how to improve things (which was why we were there!).
• Two drinks will get you pretty happy when you only drink once every year or two!
• I sure did miss my kids!
• I still miss Bear and Buster, since our vet that we love isn't open on Sundays, which we don't love. Wah.
• I get to sleep in my bed tonight!

More tomorrow!

Friday Update

Since I know everyone is waiting with bated breath to hear about my day, I shall now update you on my progress.

* Did not finish typing. That's right, folks. I did not finish typing the statement about the man whose...uhm...business got bitten by a Scottish Terrier. I kid you not.

* Made vet appointments for the doggies. I am so extremely sad to be boarding my sweet Bear and Buster, but yo...I have a free night in a hotel.

* Took Scooter for her speech eval. Seems she does have problems with enunciation, but it's just because she's a "fast talker," so she will not be needing speech therapy. I felt like I was in a Seinfeld episode.

*Did not go shopping for a new outfit, but I think I mentally came up with a couple of outfits to wear this weekend. Ya think maybe I ought to go see if I can find those clothes and make sure they're actually clean?

*I got all crazy and went to the "hair cut style" as my girls call it. That's right, folks. I threw caution to the wind and had my hair professionally done. I get all loosey goosey and do that about once every year or so. My kids get their hair cut every two months, but me...not so much. My friend (Hi, Karen!) that I babysit for is a hairstylist, so we're trading out babysitting for an awesome new do, highlights, lowlights and all.

*Dinner with friends is still up in the air, due to our husbands' unpredictable work schedules. We may just end up eating pizza or Chicken Express here. But it will still be fun.

Okay, so I'd better go see if I can find some clothes to wear this weekend. Later, y'all.

Checking in...

Good morning, y'all. I'm just writing a quick post in case I don't get back here before the weekend's over.

Big Daddy and I are attending a quickie marriage retreat this weekend, at a hotel in Dallas. This event is organized by Lutheran Social Services, who provide wonderful post-adoption resources, including marriage workshops and retreats. Even though we were not licensed through them, and adopted through another foster/adopt agency, we are eligible for these events, as adoptive parents. What a blessing!

So today I have to:

Finish typing

Make vet appointments for the doggies

Take Scooter for a speech evaluation

Go shopping for a new outfit (yay!)

Color my hair

Go out to dinner with friends (gotta have priorities)

And tomorrow (Big Daddy is doing most of this while I get ready):

Pack a small bag

Take dogs to vet

Take Scooter and Pooh to Grammy and Grandaddy's

Pick up Angel Food boxes

Take Tink to friends' house

Drive to Dallas

Check in at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday

At retreat until noon

Pick up 3 girls

T-ball practice at 3:00

Last night when we got home from T-Ball (we won!), BD and I looked at those three sweaty, gap-tooth, goofy girls, and marveled at how wonderful our life is. It's hard! But it's worth it.

You can't make this crap up

Y'all. This just cracks me up.

Hugh Grant Arrested in Alleged Baked Bean Attack.

American Idol Gives Back (or whatever it's called)

I have just a few comments about tonight's show.

First of all, was Chris wearing a white hoodie with that white suit? I absolutely, positively can not sign off on that. I don't care how hippity hop whatever he is. That's just retarded. And I mean that in the most politically correct and non-bashing way possible.

Next, it was cruel and also mean to leave Jordin hanging like that. I hope they knew ahead of time what was gonna happen, cause otherwise, that crap just sucked.

Loved the Sanjaya smack-downs by the celebrities. A little. Or not at all, since that would be mean of me.

Loved Kelly Clarkson's song, but every time I hear her name, I think of 40-Year-Old Virgin.

I wish LaKisha would smile every now and then. Cause she's gonna be going home soon if she can't connect with the audience.

Tink and Pooh both watched the show with us tonight, and Tink kept calling Blake "my boy I like." She also made sure that Pooh knew Phil was bald "like Daddy" under that cap. For the record, Big Daddy's head is not slick. It's stubble.

I realize that I may have rambled some here. I totally meant to do that.

WFMW - Kitchen helper

Cutting straight to the chase today, and telling you that what Works For Me almost every day is my Pampered Chef Crinkle Cutter! Here are a few of the things I've used it for in the past month:

Omelettes - We make one huge cheese omelette for the girls and then cut it in three parts with this baby.

PB & sometimes J - I make PB sandwiches almost every day, and Scooter loves hers in triangles. This guy does it without tearing the bread.

Personal size pizzas - this baby is actually easier for me to use than a pizza cutter on small ones.

Tortilla rolls - Take a flour tortilla, spread it with Onion & Chive cream cheese. Lay some shaved ham on it, and roll it up. Pop it in the fridge until it's set, and then cut into half-inch slices. People eat them as quick as I can cut them!

So. Pampered Chef Crinkle Cutter. Works for Me.

And what also Works for Me is my cute new header! Thanks again, Revka!

Be sure to check out all the other great tips at Shannon's!

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with Pampered Chef. This is an unpaid review. However, I am an Amazon Affiliate, which is why one of my links leads to Amazon, in case you want to buy one of these little beauties. My affiliation with Amazon in no way influenced this post. I really do use this bad boy every day.

American Idol Final Six

All right. Let’s get going, y’all. I had such a long and eventful week that I don’t even remember last week’s show, so I’m looking forward to tonight. And Tink took a nap so she could stay up and watch, so we have a special guest commenter tonight.


Chris
Starts out weak. Seems to me that he always sounds like whoever originally recorded the song. Sometimes I think my ears hear different than others, or maybe I just don’t like his style of singing. Cause the judges and Big Daddy all thought he was good.

Tink: Stuck her face in the pillow.


Melinda
Get a load of that necklace! And p.s., she sounds great, as usual.

Tink: If Momma thinks it’s good, then I’ll think it’s good. When she said “The Lord”, I liked it more.


Blake
I think Blake's pretty hot, except when he makes his mouth into a little “o” – you know what I mean? And he’s working this song so far, even though I’ve never really liked it, At All.

Tink: This guy is better than the other twos.


LaKisha
Is this key too low? Girlfriend is rocking the strapless dress and awesome earrings. Oh, and the song’s coming together, too. Her phrasing is weird, though, “re (inhale) alized.” I have to disagree with the judges here, because I certainly think that KiKi did this song justice. Simon’s right; they’re just comparing her to Fantasia, since it’s a Fantasia song.

Big Daddy: That started out rough, but it got good.

Tink: Well, I didn’t think it’s good. I’ll say it’s nasty. I like it when I hear Lord parts, like the one before.


Phil
Eh. I’d like to see some 5:00 shadow on that head. Song is just a’ight.

Tink: Not good. No ma’am. At least I don’t think it’s good, because it said, “It won’t change me,” and that’s just thinking about ourselves.

BD: I thought it was pretty good.


Jordin
She looks beautiful tonight! I think this is a hard song, but so far she’s tearing it up (that’s good here in the south). Was it really, as Randy said, “the best vocal in six seasons?” Probably not, but it was pretty great.

Tink: Momma, I love this girl! And her lips are sparkly.


I'm not thrilled to death by anyone. Best tonight? For me, it was Melinda. Worst? Sorry, Chris.

Tink: I hope the winner will be the guy (Blake). He’s pretty.

Spiffy, huh?

So...what do y'all think?

I was one of 25 lucky ducks who were chosen to receive a free header from Revka at RS Designs. We found just the cutest little photo, and I couldn't be happier with the results.

Thanks, Revka, and good luck with the Grand Opening!

This and that

Overheard this morning on the way to church:

Scoot: Pooh, don't put yours face in my face!!

Tink: Yeah, that's one of the Ten Commandments.

Pooh: Huh?

Tink: Yeah, don't put your face in someone's face, and don't yell at someone. It's one of the Ten Commandments.

Pooh and Tink played in a T-ball tournament yesterday and now Scooter and I are SO very sunburned. I am a horrible mother. It's the old cliche, you don't think about it when it's cloudy. Pooh and Tink didn't get much sun, because they were wearing their hats or in the dugout most of the time.

The girls played three games and lost all three. That's a far cry from last season when their teams came in 2nd and 3rd place. Oh well, they don't really know the difference, except that Tink is not happy with the fact that her friend's trophy is bigger than hers.

My in-laws returned to San Diego yesterday, and although we miss them terribly - sincerely - it was very nice to come home last night and do absolutely nothing. We did the same thing after church this morning.

I'll post a recap of their visit in the next few days. We had a great time!

A Very Delicate Subject

Favoritism. It's a dirty word of parenting. I think it could be one of the biggest fears of parenting, one of our big taboos. I was was pondering it this morning, and am just sort of thinking online here for a bit.

First, let me say that in my case, at least, I sincerely love all my children the same. I would imagine that the majority of us do.

But...and here's the thing that I think many parents are afraid to admit, and maybe even feel unnecessarily ashamed of. I connect with my children in varying degrees, and on many different levels. Sometimes I feel a kinship that may be stronger with one or another of them. I may not be clarifying this well, but I will try.

Let's be hypothetical. Say Jane Doe has three sons, John, Jim and Jack.

John is a loner. He's very intelligent and helpful, but also very willful and stubborn at times. Jane loves him with all her heart, but much of her time is spent trying to connect with him, or molding and correcting his willful attitudes. Their connection may be strained at times, but the love and protection is always there.

Jim is a people person. He loves to interact with others, but can be selfish at times. He tries to stay "within the lines," because he has realized that will make his path smoother. Jane does not love Jim more, but may be able to enjoy their time together more, because it is spent interacting in a positive rather than a negative way.

Let's say Jack is the baby. He's 2, and more high maintenance, simply because of his age. He is a happy toddler, and into everything. Jane loves Jack in that way that a mother loves her youngest, but neither more nor less than either of her other two boys. She may need a break from him at times, because keeping up with him can be exhausting.

My mother-in-law was talking to me yesterday about the fact that she feels a stronger bond with one of my daughters than the others. I was marveling this morning that it didn't offend me or set off any alarms when she shared this with me. I do not doubt that she loves all three fiercely, but I understand her connection with one over the others.

That's what prompted this post. I think there are many parents, especially mothers, out there who may feel a stronger bond with one child, and feel tremendously guilty about it. In my case, the stronger bond isn't even always with the same child. But because I care too much about what other people think, I sometimes wonder if people think I play favorites. Except I don't so much see it as playing favorites, as just the natural ebb and flow of parenting.

What do you think? I know that this may be a little rambling, but hopefully you will get the gist of what I'm saying. I'd love to have a discussion about this in my comments if you'd like to weigh in.

Talk amongst yourselves.

WFMW - Nap Routine

Naps are a tricky undertaking in our house, and there are many factors that must be considered in the scheduling thereof.

Scooter still needs a nap every day, or she gets difficult and cranky in the evenings. However, if she naps too late in the day, it negatively affects her bedtime. Therefore, Scooter's optimal nap time is late morning. Okay, this is a no-brainer and not really the WFMW.

Here's the magic. Scooter loves Caillou. You know Caillou? He's cute and all, but I think he's a whiner and the adults in his life give in to his fits. But I digress.

Caillou comes on at 10:00 here at our little casa. We schedule nap time right after Caillou, and BINGO! Scooter knows that every day after Caillou, it's time for nap. Every day. Rain or shine. Any time we have deviated from this routine, nap time has been difficult. Adherence to the routine = magic!

Here's the proof. Today, New Baby's Mom brought NB over at about 10:15, and NBM and I sat in the living room and talked until she left at around 10:40. After she left, I walked down the hall calling, "Scooter, it's nap time!"

And where do you think she was? In. Her. Bed. Already. When Caillou ended, she went and got in her bed, without me telling her to. And that Works for Me!

Now, I know that the key is routine, rather than Caillou himself. It just so happens that that little brat's show coincides with our nap schedule. Routine is key, yo.

Don't forget to check out the other tips and ideas at Shannon's!

American Idol Recap

I watched tonight's show with my in-laws, who are here from San Diego. Yay, Nana and Grandpa! They thought I was weird for taking notes, since I didn't watch in my bedroom while sitting at my computer, like I usually do.

Here we go...

Phil - You know what, his head distracts me. My Big Daddy has a shaved head, but it's stubble. I just don't like looking at a guy with a slick noggin. Ick. And I don't know why, but I really didn't get into this performance as much as the judges and some other commenters did. Oh, well...

Jordin - I love Jordin, but what was up with the Loretta Lynn hairdo? Other than that, she was magnificent, as usual. Her voice is beautiful, her Cleopatra dress was gorgeous, and I love how much taller she is than Ryan Seacrest. Love. It.

Sanjaya - First thing I thought of when I saw him tonight was Eddie Murphy doing Buckwheat on Saturday Night Live. "Wookin' Pa Nub." Was his hair actually teased and ratted to stand up in the back? P.S. The song sucked. P.P.S. Why was Ryan taking up for him? Shut it, Ryan.

LaKisha - I loved her fingernails. Is anyone noticing that I paid more attention to appearances than performances tonight? Humm. LaKisha has always been in my top three, but tonight I sort of agreed with the judges. I just didn't feel it. Plus, I would love if she stopped wearing boots with her dresses. Just a personal preference.

Chris - His voice seemed well-suited to a Rascal Flatts song, but I just wasn't feeling it. He sounded off to me.

Melinda - Love her hair like this!! (Again with the appearances.) Ho Ly Crap. I am telling y'all, this may have been my favorite performance of the season. Nana and Grandpa kept shooting me looks, because I could not even be quiet during the performance. I Loved It.

Blake - Sorry, but I'm still stunned from Melinda...did he just spin around? Just a'ight for me, dog.

Who should go home? Well, if there if justice in the totally money-motivated and Godless world of entertainment, then you-know-who should go. But anything can happen. Tune in tomorrow...

Hold me!

Y'all, my in-laws are flying in tomorrow afternoon, and I am Frea King Out ! I love them, but I just feel such pressure to have everything perfect. And perfect, I Am Not. (Do you love my capitalization for emphasis? Just trying it on for size.)

So. This is Big Daddy's Dad and Step-Mom that we're talking about. Although she's been his only Mom for pretty much our entire marriage. There's a biological mom and step-dad too, but ick. The less we see them, the better.

BD's stepMom (Nana) and Dad (Grandpa) live in San Diego, and his Dad has never met our girls. For those of you who are just joining our broadcast, let me recap. We adopted our daughters in 2005, when they were 2, 4 and 5. Nana spent Easter week with us that year, and the girls have never forgotten her. Phone calls and letters and photos have kept us close, but it's not as easy for them to connect to Grandpa, when they've never seen him in person.

So this is big. Tink has spent the last week making up games to play with Grandpa, and coaching Scooter on what she should and should not attempt to do with Grandpa. "Scooter, his knees might not like getting down on the ground." "Scooter, I don't know if he will be able to run like that." For the record, Grandpa is in his late 50's. Not exactly ready for a walker there.

Have you noticed that I'm rambling? That's what Frea King Out does to me. So, on to the purpose for our post.

I am not a great housekeeper. I mean, I keep things relatively clean, but there is quite a bit of clutter in our home. Might have something to do with us having two large adults, three active children and two jacked up dogs in a 1400 square foot house. Oh, and the fact that I'm a pack rat. There is that.

Nana, on the other hand, keeps her house perfect. At least as far as I've seen. And she is always offering to clean things for me, which makes me feel inadequate and judged. But you know what, this time I'm thinking of just giving her a list and letting her go at it. What do you think?

Here's what I think, and what I have been telling myself for days. There are people in this world who don't have food, or have brain tumors, or need a new kidney. So who gives a crap if Nana thinks my bathroom is less than pristine. It probably is. But she still loves me and I still love her, and they're our family. And that is all that matters.