Holiday Celebrating Is Coming to an End

It has been a whirlwind of activities since December 20, and now it is winding down with our last guests leaving for their flight home today. All the scurrying around started on December 2oth when my husband flew "home" for two weeks to be with us during the entire Christmas Break. My parents drove 600 miles and arrived here on December 22nd; they left this morning to start out on their yearly migration South to Florida. My sister and her family flew here on Saturday for a rather abbreviated visit since their original flight was cancelled due to the bad weather in Indiana. During this holiday, we have been to Arlington Cemetery, The National Spy Museum, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the newly refurbished American History Museum. Our legs were pounding the pavement all over Washington, D.C. and it was fun to see all the preparations being made for President-Elect Obama's inauguration. There is much to be done before that momentous day! Some review stands along the parade route have started to take shape, and row after row of bleachers are being set up. So far, no sign of "porta-potties" but I am sure they are on order. The White House looks beautiful with it's Christmas dressings, which I suppose will be replaced soon with the buntings and flags for the welcoming of its new tenant. All in all, our visits with family were good. Our house, that continues to be on the market, also had several visits from interested buyers (much to my surprise!). In less than a week, my husband will be boarding an airplane and heading back to Indiana to get back to work. We all keep hoping that 2009 has good things in store for us--the last two years haven't been all that great, but if our house here in the Washington Metro area sells, things will really be looking up for us!

I Have Room For Obama Family

I kind of feel the Obama's family's anxiety about trying to move to Washington, D.C. before January 20. I know the feeling of trying to speed things up so your kids can start school at a certain time. It only makes sense for the girls to start at their new school on January 5, when all the other students return from their Winter Break. We are trying to do the same thing with our move back to Indiana, so I sort of get what the hubbub is about. It is too bad that the house we are currently living in isn't a little bit closer to Washington, D.C. because the Obamas (at least the girls and their mom) could stay at our house until the White House is cleared out. I checked on MapQuest and our house is approximately 5o miles from Sidwell Friends School in Washington. That means over an hour drive to school from here; however, people make that commute everyday to go to work. My husband did it for over a year. Perhaps the Obama girls could do it for a few weeks in January. I also have a couple of girls here who are close in age to the Obama girls. Wouldn't that be fun? It could be a month-long sleepover--sort of. The area we live in is crawling with security and secret service workers and the like, just because a lot of government employees choose to live here, away from the D.C. craziness. I had considered renting out our extra rooms to people who want to go to the inauguration, but I didn't want to have just anyone staying here. Our house is currently up for sale and my husband has moved to Indiana in order to start his new job, and we have extra room in this big house. I just want to send out this open invitation to President-Elect Obama and Mrs. Obama that if things get desperate, I have room for them just outside of Washington!

19 Years of Marriage Deserves Meat!

I have always had a difficult time figuring out what to give my husband for our anniversary. He never needs anything. He doesn't particularly like clothes; he already has every possible tool (hand and electric) that any one man could possibly want, so I have a hard time finding unique and usable gifts for my dear one. This year (today to be precise) is our 19th wedding anniversary. The past couple of years have been pretty tough on our relationship, and this year, he is 600 miles away, so I feel like I need to give my husband a special gift this year. I thought and thought, and finally it came to me! He loves meat. He gets so excited if I fix a steak for him, so I did some checking to see if Omaha Steaks was one of the stores I could shop through the www.sendearnings.com website. Sure enough, it was, so shopping I did. I chose a nice assortment of steaks and a cheesecake for his gift. While I was there, I also ordered a few things to have on hand for the next week when we have out-of-state visitors here. Right now Omaha Steaks is offering free shipping and it looks like the gift of meat will be here right when my husband arrives back home for the holidays. I don't think I could have found a more perfect gift this year!

Paula Deen Reading Glasses

Last week Paula Deen was a guest on "The Bonnie Hunt Show" and she brought Bonnie a whole bunch of different reading glasses which Bonnie (and Don Lake) wore during the show and they were quite attractive in a retro-Paula Deen-out-there kind of way. Since I have crossed the threshold of forty, my eyes just don't see what they used to see, so I have graduated to wearing reading glasses when I have my contacts in or using my bifocals when I don't. Being the kind of funky gal that I am, I refuse to wear those ugly drugstore reading glasses that cost $22.99. If I have to admit that I need help seeing to read, then I might as well use a pair of glasses that are funky and funny so I can laugh about it, and feel better about my old self. I looked on Paula Deen's website to see if the glasses could be purchased there, and sure enough, she has a few available. I didn't the ones that Bonnie wore that are the shape I need for my face, but here were some pretty cute ones there. All of the frames are studded with Swarovski crystals, and all of them were bewtween $21.00 and $31.oo, so forget those ugly old man reading glasses at Rite-Aid! I'm going to order some from Paula Deen.

The Gift of Food

I don't know about any of you, but I enjoy getting gift baskets and food gifts; that is I would enjoy them if anyone would ever want to send me anything like that. One year my sister sent us Kim & Scott Gourmet Pretzels (which were delicious), and also several years ago she sent us Wolferman's English muffins--something the whole family could use! I loved those gifts! Ever since then, though, we haven't been sent anything like that. This year, I decided to send my siblings and grandmother Wolferman's English muffins. I carefully chose an assortment that I thought each family would enjoy, so I hope they really do! This year, have had a difficult time getting out anywhere to shop, so the internet has really been a godsend! With trying to sell the house, having sick girls every few days, and other things going on around here, there seems to be little time to drive to anyplace that I could shop. I found out that the possiblities for sending gifts using the internet are endless. Even with all the bad stuff that is surrounding us these days, I'm glad I'm living in a time when all I have to do is enter information into this little "box" and ta-da! I've sent a gift! There is nothing like the 21st century!

Looking at Oprah Winfrey's Weight Again?

I thought everyone was over all that. Let's face it, some people are not meant to be skinny rails. The world is made up of all sizes of people, why does it have to be such an issue. Sometimes I hate the way I look and wish I could wear smaller sized clothes, but then again, I know I am who I am. I am healthy and active and I want to be able to walk down the street not worrying about my weight. I am a recovered bulimic and just wish that we could all just be comfortable with who we are and what we look like. It is difficult enough for average people like me to feel good, but Oprah has millions of eyes on her and she feels like she has to explain herself and her weight to everyone again. It must be a terribly uncomfortable spot to be in. We all know that less fat on our bodies is better. We all know that we need to eat a diet that is balanced and nutritious. Oprah has the means to pay for a chef to cook for her and dole out smaller portions. She has the means to hire a personal trainer and to surround herself with all sorts of experts to support her, but even with all that, she has yo-yoed with her weight. If that is true for someone like Oprah, then I don't so bad about myself. Everyone has faults; everyone has burdens to bear, everyone has at least one weakness. I like Oprah and I think she has a true gift of inspiring people, but she needs to be a little less apologetic about her weight. She looks good and seems to be able to do the work she wants to do, so why apologize and explain?

Hydrolize My Eyes

The other day I heard an ad on the radio that was interesting to me because I have those dreaded dark circles under my eyes. I guess I inherited them from my mother who inherited them from her mother, who inherited them from her mother. These awful looking dark circles certainly look like an inherited trait. In all the pictures from my mother's mother's side of the family, dark circles seem to be the norm. I hate them, and the older I get, the worse I think they look. Adding to the age of my skin and probable sun damage is the fact that I have worn contact lenses for twenty-eight years. The wear and tear on the skin around my eyes is quite obvious. So, this ad made my ears perk up, because so far nothing has worked to reduce (even a little) the dark circles. This particular product is called Hydrolize and supposedly can "cure" the dark circle problem. I have tried Hylexin and Nulexin and other creams that contain vitamin K, but I had never heard of Hydrolize before. I decided to do a little searching on the Internet and found a review of the product. The review wasn't all that helpful since it criticized the product for only working on one area of the face. Weird, since I thought that was the whole point of the product. Anyway, it didn't get that great of a review, but not a bad one either. I decided to go to the Hydrolize website to see how much the product would cost. It is expensive. $49.99 for just one tiny little pot of the stuff. If you buy four of those little pots, it was $149.99 plus shipping and handling. While I would love to get even a little bit of lightening of the skin around my eyes, I just cannot afford the high cost of such a cream without any guarantees that it will actually work. I don't have that kind of discretionary money anymore. Too bad, I really need to hydrolize my eyes!

Sweet Sixteen

My oldest "baby" was born sixteen years ago today. The old saying that I used to get so tired of hearing when my girls were all tiny was, "they grow up so quickly!" I would internally roll my eyes every time some well meaning senior citizen would say that to me. Now, I realize that there is some truth to that phrase. It doesn't seem possible that sixteen years have come and gone. My daughter is growing up to be a really neat person. She has a lot going for her. She has a great sense of humor, she is an excellent student, she is very creative and she is a loyal friend. I like the young lady she is becoming and even though it scares me to death to think about her growing up and leaving me, I know that that is exactly where she is headed and exactly the way things should be. Happy Sweet Sixteen!

I'm Thankful for What????

I generally like this time of year. I almost enjoy Thanksgiving more than any other holiday, but this year was different. Last Sunday, we dropped my husband off at the airport so he could fly out to his new job 600 miles away. My job for the next week was supposed to be spent getting our house ready to put up for sale(stop laughing). We delayed putting our house on the market because the home prices are falling so far so fast around here that we weren't sure what to do. My husband was going to call our mortgage company on Monday. Well, he did, and they were pretty much no help. It looks like we may be joining the ranks of those who are said to be "underwater" in their mortgages, even though we put 20% down on our house and have been making the monthly payments in a timely fashion, we have nothing (or less than nothing) to show for it. So, that is how the week started out. The kids only had two days of school last week, so that was something to look forward to, I guess. On Wednesday, I finally went to get an overdue mammogram, and was greeted by two ogres at the front desk who ignored me and allowed me to sit for 30 minutes without even asking for my paperwork. When I finally decided to ask one of the ogres what was going on, she was extremely rude to me, even though she was the one who made the mistake. The next day, of course was Thanksgiving. My husband was spending the long weekend with his side of the family, and they sounded like they were having a pretty good time. The girls and I made the traditional dinner and enjoyed it, but it was still weird. We called my family, but they pretty much blew us off because their party was breaking up when we called and they needed to say their goodbyes. The next thing that happened was that some sort of large dog-like creature (wolf, coyote, etc.) decided to rip its fur out by the roots right in my front yard. That creeped our dog out as well as the girls and I. We cleaned up the fur and tissue and went on about the rest of the day, which turned out to be the pinnacle of the holiday. My youngest daughter had just washed her hair and I was looking at it, and saw a bunch of little white dots in her hair. . . you guessed it! Her head was infested with lice. I spent the rest of the day putting LiceMD and olive oil on our hair and picking out nits, vacuuming the furniture, and putting everything I could in the dryer on high to kill the little buggers (or at least make myself feel better). Then, last night as I was laying peacefully on my newly changed sheets with my damp, olive-scented hair, I hear what sounded like an abnormally huge mouse/rat???? crawling around the other side of my bedroom wall! Oy! Someone must be trying to tell me something. Or maybe my life is just supposed to play out like a Dr. Suess story (lice, mice, etc.) or some sort of modern-day bible-like story of Job. At any rate, I still have much to be thankful for, not the least of which are my children and my husband's new job. We are doing well, have food to eat, clothes to wear and , for now, a roof over our heads. What else could a person ask for?

Bolt, Twilight & Stephen Colbert Reviews

I like to keep things short and sweet. I took my two younger daughters to see the new movie "Bolt" yesterday. My two older daughters went to see "Twilight" since they are "too old" for kids movies, and I tried to stay awake for the Stephen Colbert Christmas Special that premiered on Comedy Central last night. First, the move "Bolt". The way I rate a movie (especially kids movies) is whether or not I fall asleep. As for this charming little movie with the cute dog, I give it a 3 1/2 stars out of 4 because I stayed awake for the whole, predictable thing. The animation fascinated me. The dog, cat and hamster movements were so perfect they almost looked like real animals. I have had all three kinds of animals as pets, and this movie really personifies the animals' characteristics to a T! The humor was great too. As for "Twilight", I personally did not see the movie, but my 15 and 13 year olds gave it 3 out of 4 stars. I have read both the first and second books in the series (Twilight and New Moon) and while the story is interesting, I was not all that into it like so many moms and daughters are. The writing is okay, but the main character, Bella, annoys me and seems to have some mental health issues. If my daughters ever acted like that, I would definitely seek professional help. No girl should ever put that much importance on a boyfriend! Anyway, the girls seemed to think the movie followed the book pretty well and added a few humorous elements that they seemed to enjoy. Finally, the Stephen Colbert thing. I had high hopes for this to really make me laugh. There were some pretty funny things on throughout the show, but nothing that really made me laugh out loud; and nothing that I can really recall this morning that stuck with me, so I would give it 2 1/2 stars out of four. I know People magazine gave it 3 1/2 stars, but what do they know anyway. It was funny, but not that funny. All in all, I would say our movie viewing for this weekend was pretty darn high quality!

Cheer Me Up, Stephen Colbert!

I've been feeling a little stressed out and blue this week. Lots of changes are in store for us starting this weekend and with change comes stress. Tomorrow we meet with our real estate agent to discuss how to market our house in this crappy economy. I know what the reality is, but the thing that is bumming me out so completely is that even if we sell our house here, we will not necessarily have any money to put down on a house back in Indiana. My husband is getting a promotion and makes an excellent wage, but we may not have any money to put down on a house which means that we will probably have to find someplace to rent. Finding a place to rent in the school district we want to be in and with the capacity to house all six of us and our dog seems like an almost impossible task. The other big change is that my husband will start his new job on Monday, which is great, but I will be here (600 miles away) with the girls trying to sell this house. The one thing that I have to look forward to is the Stephen Colbert Christmas Special that will be airing on Comedy Central on Sunday evening. I am looking forward to it. Jon Stewart will be on singing a duet with Mr. Colbert, the two sound pretty good together! I need a little Christmas cheer and this may just be the thing to lift me up. The show premieres on November 23 at 10:00 PM, and the DVD will be available on November 25. Cheer me up, Stephen!

Wheeeee! I Got the Wii Stuff

In my last post I was starting my quest for a Wii Fit and/or Mario Kart game for my girls for Christmas. I was not looking forward to running in and out of stores searching frantically for something that just isn't in stock--anywhere! I decided to take the easy route and get what I wanted from ebay. The thing is that I don't think I really saved too much money, but since I got to the ebay site through my sendearnings.com portal, I will get cash back for my purchase and the shipping was free. In addition, I purchased my games as a bundle, so that was much easier than trying to search around ebay for the two items separately. Yay, me!
Please see my sendearnings.com ad to the right of my posts if you are interested in joining. I got a check for $35.00 a couple of weeks ago from purchases and emails I had read. It is on the up and up, and for me, any little bit of money I can get is a help!

Wii Fit & Mario Kart Quest Begins

There are just about five weeks before Christmas, and once again, I am on quest for something that is going to be almost impossible to find. That's my kids for you! Anyway, my quest for either a Wii Fit and/or the Mario Kart game has begun. I keep looking everywhere I go, just in case there might be one lurking on a dark and dusty shelf somewhere. So far, I have come up empty. This year may be the year that the kids get a picture of the gift we will give them whenever we can get our hands on it. It could be that I will just be in the right place at the right time too; that has been known to happen once in awhile. Anyway, I'm off on my quest in earnest today!

Adele

I purchased the new Adele Adkins album "Adele19" last week and I simply love it! You may be wondering who Adele is. I didn't know who she was until I heard her song, "Chasing Pavements" playing on the radio. I simply had to know who this soulful singer was, so I checked her out, and she is a young gal (20 years old) who was born in North London. She is a jazz/soul singer and songwriter and I can't seem to get enough of her sound. If you have the time and like this style of music, please enjoy this video. We will probably be hearing a lot more from this young singer.

So Ugly Its Cute?

Yesterday, news broke that the country of Peru has offered the Obama girls a special kind of dog from their country; a Peruvian Hairless Dog. They were offered a four month old puppy named Ears. The little fellow is pretty cute, but sort of ugly. I did a search for other pictures of Peruvian Hairless, also known as Peruvian Orchid or, Pero Sin Pelo de Peru. Apparently, the dogs are an ancient breed valued by the Inca. The adult dogs look quite substantial; muscular and perhaps a little regal. They look like they would need sunscreen rubbed on them when they are out in the sun, and if one was living in Washington, D.C., I would bet it would need to wear a coat or sweater during the winter months when it goes outside. Anyway, it was a nice gesture for the people of Peru to offer their unusual dog. Hopefully, if the girls decide not to take them up on the puppy offered, the people of Peru won't be too offended. I am a dog lover, so pretty much any dog is attractive to me, but this fellow is pretty weird looking. Maybe this kind of dog is so ugly, it is cute.*

*This is one of many pictures of a Peruvian Hairless dog, this is NOT the actual dog offered to the Obamas.

So That's Why They Wobble!

Hey, I get one of those carts every time I shop at Target!

Chock Full Of Shopping Carts @ Yahoo! Video

Google Adsense

I find the whole Google Adsense program intriguing. I have been using Google Adsense for about a year now, and am amazed to see that I am actually earning a little bit of money on a consistent basis. My blog is nothing but the ramblings of my sometimes addled brain, and yet people read it and find some Google ad on the page that they are interested in, and ta-da, they click on it, and I get some money. I am not so much interested in earning tons of money (although if that happened, I wouldn't complain), rather I am just intrigued by the fact that people actually read blogs, and one can actually earn money by just entering posts on their blogs. It really does work, even for me!

Time for a Little Fun

I know this is a little bit late, but just for "shiggles" I was trying out the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator, and it was pretty funny. I kind of like my new name, Clip Dragon Palin! If you want to see what your name would be if you were born into the Palin family, you can go to http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html My husband and kids' names are hilarious. Taupe Armegeddon Palin, Puck Mule Palin, Spackle Camshaft Palin, Pistol Tanker Palin, and Froth Moonshine Palin. Enjoy!

Today Is The Day! Get Out & Vote!

Already voted this morning. In our tiny town, the polling places are very busy. Hope they are where you are too! Today is the day that we should all cherish. We are free to choose, so go do it! Vote today. Make your voice heard! God bless America!

Back to "Real" Time

Today is the first day of what my daughter refers to as "real time," that is we go back to Standard Time after observing Daylight Saving Time. Of course I'm from the old hold-out state of Indiana, where they only started observing Daylight Savings Time two years ago. Now, only Hawaii and Arizona don't observe it. I liked it when Indiana didn't switch times. It really doesn't make that big of a difference--even for businesses. It actually makes more sense for Indiana to go on Central Time, but who am I anyway? It doens't matter now either since we are no longer living in Indiana. So today, people will be all messed up when it comes to church services, and it will be pitch black when my older kids get home from school, from now until about March. I don't know about how much DST really benefits us. It just seems like a lot of messing around to me. Does anyone really know what time it is?

Lucky Me!

I like it when I find clothes that I really like. I don't have a model's body, and neither do my daughters, so clothes shopping can sometimes be quite traumatic. The other day, I noticed that the local outlet shopping center opened a Lucky Jeans store. I have seen Lucky brand items in Macy's, and other higher end stores, but the prices were beyond what I could feel comfortable paying. When the outlet store opened, I thought I would take a peek at what they had to offer. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The store that opened is actually an outlet and the jeans and shirts offered there are the same items available online, so the stuff in the store is not past season--another nice surprise. My daughter and I decided to try on some of the jeans in the store just to find out how they fit. We were both pleased with the fit, andimpressed by the wide assortment of lengths and sizes. Not everyone is a size 0, and lately I have had a hard time convincing my daughter of that fact whenever we have gone shopping. Although I told my daughter we were just going to try on, not buy, we both fell in love with the comfort and style of the jeans. To be sure, the prices at the outlet were not cheap by any means, however, everything was at least 40% less than in a department store. The other thing that makes me feel better about spending a little more money than normal is that the Lucky Brand clothes are made in the United States. The quality of the Lucky Brand clothing is outstanding, and there is also a little fortune tucked in the pocket of each pair of jeans. Everything about the clothes is fun and colorful and they made me and my daughter feel like we looked good; not to mention the fact that every time we unzip our pants, we are reminded of how lucky we are. The fly of all the jeans has a tag sewn in that serves as a reminder: "Lucky You."

Now It's Broken

Something happened the other evening that has broken my heart: my oldest daughter called me a racist. I was totally taken by surprise by that and asked her if she truly meant it. When I asked her, she remained silent. In my mind that is a "yes." I was so heartbroken that I didn't know what to do. The incident that occurred that prompted her calling me the "r" word took place in the parking lot of a restaurant where we had just eaten. We were all loading into our car (which takes awhile since there are six of us) and as usual, someone had chosen to try to turn into the parking space next to our car. The driver of the car was bearing down on my daughter who was trying to get into her seat and quickly close the door so "Mr. Impatient" could squeeze into the spot next to us. Never mind that there were about a thousand other empty spaces for him to choose from, he had to have the one next to us. In addition to practically hitting my daughter while she got into the car, this fellow opened his car door so that it was a millimeter from my closed door and just sat there with it open while we were waiting there ready to pull out. To me, that is just inconsiderate, rude and basically stupid, so I said, "Well, no wonder he did that, he is from the Middle East!" Sure, what I said was not very nice, but I was not very happy with him and I said it--it was judgemental, and a generalization about a certain group of people, but a racist I am not. My daughter, in all her 15 year old wisdom, said, "You're such a racist!" I said that that wasn't being a racist, and she continued to say that I was judgemental and mean. I do not think I am racist. I do not believe one race of people is better than another. I do believe that people from different countries who come here to visit and to live are not always aware of the customs we are used to; common courtesies I was taught as a child. This not to say that all people from the Middle East are rude and have no right to be here, that all Asian people are terrible drivers. It just means that I have noticed that sometimes people who come here do not follow the same rules of courtesy and politeness that I was taught was the rule, and I find it annoying and tedious. I told my daughter that by calling me a racist, she was putting me in the same category as people in the Ku Klux Klan, Skinheads, and the Nazis. She still said nothing. So now I'm broken. This daughter who has been so close to me, so fun to be around, who once wrote a paper about how I was a renaissance woman, whom I thought respected me, apparently does not. I am broken now. I am no longer someone she looks up to--only someone whom she has judged to be something awful and wrong and intolerant. It hurts, but from now on, I will be more aware of my careless use of judgement of rude people in parking lots because she is listening and judging me.

13

Today my second daughter turns thirteen. I am now officially the mother of two teenagers. I'm not sure how I feel about that. So far, the teen years that we have already lived through with our oldest daughter have been only a little bit tedious. Sure, there have been many emotional outbursts, but at least they are not constant, and my oldest daughter has a great sense of humor. My "new" teenager might be a little different. She does not have good control of her emotions and the most common emotion she has been displaying (for the last 2 or 3 years!) has been anger. She is mad at the world and everyone living in it. On the other hand, she is a good kid when it counts, and is a superior student, so it makes it difficult to temper my interaction with her. She is great at pushing my buttons, and creating an environment that confirms (in her mind anyway) why she has a right to be mad at everyone and everything. The next few years should be quite interesting. I still have two other preteens, and have menopause lurking around the corner for me. Anyway, we will joyfully celebrate this birthday and just go with the flow with everything else that comes our way.

How Bad Is It For You?

Just wondering how all this crappy financial news every stinkin' day has been affecting you. I get so tired of hearing it because there really isn't anything I can do about it. Actually, we have been blessed to be doing not too bad right now. Perfect timing has never been our forte, unfortunately. It seems that we are always out of step with everyone around us. A couple of weeks ago, we got some really great news about my husband's job. Under any other circumstances, this sort of news would make people go out and celebrate, but, like I said, our timing is never right. My husband's brother-in-law just lost his job. Our retired parents' nest eggs shrank down to almost nothing in the last few weeks, and the housing market is still messed up. So what happens with us? We get the news that my husband will get a promotion and be transferred back to Fort Wayne--right where we want to be! This was very unexpected, but still great news. It seems selfish of us, though, to talk too much about it when so many loved ones lives are in such turmoil right now. We will have to sell this house so that we can buy a house in Fort Wayne, but still, it doesn't sour the good news for us. I believe that everything will get better for all of us . . .eventually. Heck, I'm still happy that at last George W. Bush will be out of the White House. He will leave a terrible mess that we will all have a part in cleaning up, and his "legacy" is in the toilet, but at least we will get a much needed change in personnel, and that is not so bad when you think about it.

Ready for the End (of the Election)

I don't know about any of you, but I am ready to get this election over! I am tired of the political ads, the pundits, the rumors, the comedy skits, the debates--all of it. I'm tired. I want it to be over. November 5 will be a great day, I think, uh I hope. There are so many scary things going on right now with the economy, job losses, climate change--ugh! I'm sick of it all. I have decided (I think) who I will be voting for and I'm ready to go. I think the ads should just stop and there should be "radio silence" on all that has to do with the nonsense of this election so that people can do their own research and truthseeking without all the mess of the media. People should quietly go about finding out what they need to know to make up their minds and then. . . just get out and vote for goodness sake. Let's put this election to bed!

Campbell's Soup Commercial is Disgusting

Okay, I've just seen it one too many times. You know the one. The totally stupid and disgusting Campbell's Soup commercial (there are a series of these stupid things) where this gigantic man is sucking on a microwaveable container of soup making sucking, disgusting, baby noises. The latest one is where his is sucking his soup down and someone comes by to get his name for a name plate for his cubicle. The guy is so into sucking on his soup container and making those awful noises that he doesn't really answer. The next day he comes to work and his name plate says "Num Yummy" and Mr. Stupid Soup-Sucker asks "who's Num Yummy?" I'm sorry, but the Campbell's Soup company needs to fire their ad firm. These commercials are so off-putting that I won't buy the soup anymore; I didn't buy much anyway, but I'm less inclined to do so now that those commercials have grossed me out. Get those things off the air! They are disgusting! This commercial is so bad that I can't even find the video on YouTube so you can decide for yourself.

Low Down, Dirty, No-Good. . .

There are not really any words that are sufficient in describing what I think about AIG and what they did with $440,000 (that's almost half a million folks!)of our $85 billion given to them to bail them out of the crap hole they had dug, but I will give you a list of some words that might come close: disgusting, appalling, arrogant, selfish, stupid, ridiculous, criminal, disrespectful, irresponsible, unacceptable, sh*tty, shameful, unforgivable, disgraceful, insolent, contemptible, dishonorable, disheartening, offensive, felonious, malicious, wicked, malevolent, sinful, repulsive, outrageous, sickening. I am sure there are many other words that could be used to describe this criminal behavior by AIG. We should all be enraged by this and call for heads of the people involved with this. If any of the rest of us everyday, hardworking people did such a thing, we would be sitting in jail. What AIG did is the same thing as stealing, and there should be consequences for their stupidity. That's just my opinion!

Real Estate Not So Bad in D.C. Area

I read today that even though the housing market is pretty stinky nationwide, there are a few places throughout the country where it is easier to sell a house. That is good news for me. One of the easier places to sell a house is in the Washington, D.C. area, which is where we are currently living. We just got word today, that my husband will be transferred from here, back to Indiana. It took us six months to sell our house back in Indiana last year. I am hoping that the powers-that-be will be looking down on us in the next several months while we try to sell our house here, in the greater D. C. area. We are currently living in one of the most affluent and fastest growing areas in Virginia, so hopefully that will be in our favor. With all the bad news spewing out of every news outlet, it is about time people hear news that has even a tiny grain of hope in it. Northern Virginia has jobs and houses that are selling and that is a good thing. Also working in our favor is the fact that the schools here are quite good. The high school in the community where we live is ranked 159th in the nation, so that's not too shabby either. At any rate, I have hope that our home will be one that gets sold quickly at a reasonable price. That's all we can hope for and really all that we need.

Join the Army. . .T. Boone Pickens Army

Have you seen the television ads featuring T. Boone Pickens? He is the man of our times. I have been following his blog and listening to everything he has been saying about getting our country off foreign oil, and becoming fuel independent. What Mr. Pickens has to say really makes sense. I have joined his "army" and urge you to do the same. It seems like such a small thing, but if each one of us does a little something, together we become a great "army" to better our country. Mr. Pickens has met with Senators Obama and McCain, Governor Palin, and is trying to get a meeting scheduled with Senator Biden. He is trying to get them to understand his plan and to realize that everyday citizens want something to be done and that his plan can and should be implemented. The time is now. Mr. Pickens has a reasonable plan. Won't you please join the army? I know this video is long--about 10 minutes, but this is so important that it is worth every second. Please watch and join!

Ball State Ranked 25--Go Cardinals!

Yay! My alma mater is now ranked number 25 in the AP college football poll for this week. I am so happy for them. What an emotional season it has been. After the terrible injury of Dante Love during the game with Indiana University, it could have been easy to just give up, but not this year; not this team. Way to go Cardinals!!!! Ball State football has not had this good of a record (9-0) since 1965. Go Ball State!

Bonnie Hunt Withdrawal

In addition to having my usual schedule mixed up this week, I have missed every day of the "Bonnie Hunt Show." I started going through Bonnie withdrawal on Tuesday. Before this week, I had watched all of her shows. She has only been on air for a month, but I am hooked on the show. I feel like I miss seeing a really good friend. Anyway, I will get my Bonnie fix today since I will be recuperating from our house guests and doing laundry. Can't wait to see you, Bon!

Recovering From Company

My parents were here this week; just left for home this morning. I was both sad and happy to see them go. Don't get me wrong; I like having company--for the most part anyway, but it is exhausting! With just our usual schedule, we seem to be running around like crazy people. Add just too senior citizens into the mix, and things seem to run amok. It felt like we were always taking the kids somewhere, waiting for someone to come home, going to grocery store, or doing dishes. Meal planning and preparations are such a bear when my parents are here. They are both diabetic, so I don't like to have them stray too far off their usual routine. Their eating schedule rarely fit into our running around kind of lifestyle. We also didn't want them to feel like they were just sitting around, so we took them to Washington, D.C. one day, and to a museum another day. We went to an arts and crafts festival, and also squeezed in a couple of shopping trips. I am exhausted! Now I have to laundry and the other household things that I let go so I could entertain my guests. We will be having more company in addition to my parents returning to spend Christmas here. I hope I will be fully rested up by then!

Being Seven

My "baby" turned seven yesterday. I barely remember her being a baby, and now she is a tall, skinny first grade student who can read and write. Who has an imagination, a sense of humor, curiosity and a zest for life. That's not to say she doesn't just about drive me crazy with all the weird, kid stuff she does. She is notorious for taking television remote controls apart, using way too much toilet paper, changing her clothes too many times, and generally being a mess-maker. Being seven seems to be the ideal kid age. You are still young enough to be carefree. You don't get much homework from school, you still like to play with toys, and can dance and run and be silly without feeling self-conscious. Being seven is great. The television news doesn't make you worry, and having a quarter in your pocket makes you feel like you are rich. Seven! What a great age. I think we are going to enjoy this year of my "baby's" life!

Ball State Football Player NFL Dream Dashed

Football is a tough game. No doubt it is more dangerous than spectators realize. There was bad news coming from my alma mater, Ball State University, after this weekend's matchup between Indiana University and Ball State at Indiana. Not long into the second quarter, receiver Dante Love, got the ball and turned to run down the field. He was met with a head to head collision with the IU cornerback. Love collapsed near the Hoosier sideline and never got up. He was rushed to the hospital and then transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. The news was difficult. Dante Love was the number one receiver in the nation on Saturday before the game. He had hopes of playing professionally; that dream will not be realized. It was not meant for Dante Love to achieve that goal, but thankfully, he is expected to recover from the spinal cord injury and is able to move his extremities. Perhaps there is something better that this young fellow is meant to do; something bigger and more important that being a football player. Mr. Love is well respected and loved by his teammates and family. There are good things to come for him, but it will not be on the football field.

Dancing With the Stars--Again

Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Dancing With the Stars, but it seems like the show has more than one "season." I am looking forward to it, I guess, but at the same time, I'm a little tired of it. It seems like there are two seasons, and maybe that is the problem. I also am a big fan of the series, Lost, but it seems that it has the opposite problem from Dancing With the Stars--less than one season. Not all that long ago, there was the Fall lineup of shows and the season would run from the end of September to sometime in May. Now there isn't any predictablilty. Two seasons of DWTS and a season of Lost that starts in Decemeber or January and only runs until May. Then, of course, there are the shows like The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Pushing Daisies that seem to just fade away without any warning, or the shows that are moved around to so many different days that the viewer can't ever find it. Television viewing just isn't what it used to be. So, I will catch as much of the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars as I can tonight (kid has a softball game ) and just try to figure out the other shows as they start up again. Such worries I have!

Bush Rushes in to "Save" Economy

Make no mistake about it, I am not a fan of President Bush. I never have been. I recall the day he took the oath of office. I had a bad feeling about him and just felt like our country was in for an interesting ride, to say the least. All the bad feelings I have had for President Bush have pretty much been proven. He is not a good leader. He is not all that bright. He was in the job for the wrong reasons. We should never have trusted our country to this man. The state the country is in right now, at this very moment, makes me sick, and while all of it cannot be blamed on one man, I attribute most of it to him and his cohorts. The emergency measures the government has had to take today should never have had to happen. Lazy leadership, and greed are to blame and who better to blame that the man at the top. Maybe it is his last hurrah--to rush in and save the day so that he can go out of office feeling like he has not been the cause or the catalyst for much of the troubles we are facing now. He messed up, plan and simple. He is leaving a terrible mess for the next group of leaders to deal with. I don't like it and it never should have happened. I can't wait for President Bush to leave; go away, never to be heard from again. God help the next President! It is going to be a huge undertaking to even take baby steps toward mending all that Mr. Bush has torn apart.

Teenage Driver Danger

My oldest daughter is currently learning how to drive. She was very excited about getting that learner's permit and hitting the road; that was three months ago. Yesterday, she told me that she doesn't want to drive; that yesterday was the last day she was going to do it--it's too scarey and you have to pay attention to yourself along with everyone and everything around you! Part of me wanted to say, "great!" but I know that driving is something that she is going to have to learn. Teenage drivers scare me to death. My nephew, who is fifteen months older than my daughter, got his license this summer. I worry about him. There are so many distractions and dangers that I can hardly bear the thought of my nephews and nieces and my own children driving. In one instant, a wrong, inexperienced teen aged decision could end their lives. I just have such a fear of that; it almost makes me sick. My daughter told me that she tries to remember the stories she has heard about kids getting killed because of mistakes so that she doesn't make them. My nephew told me that his friend text messages friends while he is driving and steers with his knees; and he thought it was funny. Those kinds of things scare the living sh*t out of me. It hadn't dawned on me, until now, what a big deal having a kid operating a two thousand pound hunk of metal is--extremely dangerous and foolhardy--really. But, it is also a necessary evil. There is no way around it. The way communities are set up, there really aren't many places one can walk or bike to. Public transportation is only in larger cities--no such thing exists in the suburbs or out in the middle of nowhere where we are living now. I have a little time to steel myself for the day when my daughter will actually be able to drive alone. When that day comes, I am sure I will be praying a whole lot more than I do now!

Vesicouretral Reflux Fixed Using Deflux Procedure

I know the title sounds boring, but I am telling you, if you have a child who has vesicouretral reflux, you would do well to read this blog. Two of my four daughters were born with the condition that is simply put; one, or both ureters (the tube running from the kidney to the bladder) comes into the bladder wall at the wrong angle allowing urine to flow backward to the kidney when voiding. This can cause serious kidney damage if the child does not get treatment and/or does not grow out of it. My youngest daughter grew out of her reflux, but my next oldest one, who is nine, did not. In the past, the only thing to do was to re-insert the ureter at a proper angle. This required cutting into the abdomen and spending three days in the hospital. Now, thanks to researchers and doctors, there is a procedure that can be done that does not require an incision. The procedure is called Deflux. It is a polysaccharide gel that is injected on either side of the ureter where it enters into the bladder wall. The gel makes a bulge that can then serve to pinch off the ureter when the child is urinating. Eventually, the gel is replaced by the body's own tissue.
Today was the day we finally solved the reflux problem for my daughter. The procedure does require general anesthesia, but only takes about ten minutes. My daughter had the procedure done at 10:00 this morning, and is now up and playing a little Guitar Hero. She will be able to go back to school tomorrow. She will have to take her usual antibiotic for one more month, and then, she will be finished for good. It is amazing that within the time that she was diagnosed with this problem to the present, a non-surgical, well tolerated, outpatient cure has been devised. I know it seems like a minor thing, but modern medicine is alive and solving lots of little health problems that people have. It is a good and marvelous thing! For more information about the Deflux procedure, you can go to www.deflux.com

Road Names

In an effort to be a little less negative about this podunk town I live in , I have been trying to find at least one positive thing to say about it every few months or so. Something I have observed is that the street and road names around here are really cool. Where we came from, it's Oak this, or Oak that. Not here. There are really great names here. Here is a sample from the list of great street names I have been compiling (in no particular order):
Frogtown Road
Whiskey Hill
Turkey Roost
Pot House Road
Cattail Run
Snake Hill
Foggy Bottom
Chain Bridge Road
Gallows Road
Sam Fred Road
Tranquility Lane
Piggott Bottom Road
Yellow Schoolhouse Road
Shoemaker School Road
Elizabeth's Field
Pennycress
Polecat Road
Fox Run
Do you see what I mean? These are great. The old boring tree named streets have gotta go!

What Did I Get Myself Into?

Tomorrow looms in front of me. I did something that I'm not sure I should have. I signed my fifteen year old daughter and I up for a kickboxing class. Yes, you read that correctly; kickboxing! We have been unsuccessful in getting my daughter involved in any extra-curricular activities in this podunk town, so I took it upon myself to find something we presumably both could do. Now I'm not so confident about what I have done. I don't even know what kickboxing really is. The class description only said that it is a "great workout" and that it was for ages 12 and up. I'll bet I am the only forty-something person in the class. I really do need to start doing more physical activities---more than just running up and down stairs doing laundry and occasionally using the AbLounger! My daughter has been talking to a girl in one of her classes at school who said that she has taken the class, and takes it whenever it is offered, and that it is mostly "ladies" who are in the class. I checked online to see how many people had signed up for the class, and there are seven people! I won't be able to get lost in the crowd in this one, that's for sure! Kickboxing! Good grief, I don't even know what I'm supposed to wear!

That Day

September 11 will never be the same again. At least not for Americans. It was such a dark day in our history, and one that no matter where you live in the country, that day will never be the same.
I was nine months pregnant with my fourth child. Sitting in my home far away from the ghastly things that were happening in New York and Washington, D.C. and the field in Pennsylvania. My children were young; my oldest was eight, but she still remembers that day. The others were too young, but they somehow know now that this is a day that is important; a day that is unlike any other. I remember thinking that perhaps this was not a good time to be having a baby; but there was no way to undo what had been done; what was going to happen. It seems like everything from that day on has been slightly different. A tiny bit of happiness, a tiny bit of freedom, a tiny bit of self-confidence in our united country was taken away that day.
I love the name--Patriot Day--it gives the day certain solemnity and strength. That day will never be the same. So much has happened since then. So much that is not good, so much that has hurt our country. Let's hope that in the coming days when our country works toward choosing a new President, we will choose wisely so that we don't have to worry so much that there is an enemy on every corner, in every airplane, in every place we go. Let's hope that we have learned well from that day. That we can observe Patriot Day--"that day" without fear of it happening again.

First Bonnie Hunt Show: Pretty Good

I didn't get to do any blogging done yesterday since is was "one of those" days. One unplanned thing after another happened, but I did get to watch most of Bonnie Hunt's new talk show. It was pretty good, and was kind of similar to the fictional talk show she "hosted" on her short-lived sitcom a few years ago. I am looking forward to watching the show regularly, and I hope that in time she will be able to get some really interesting and fun guests on her show. Not that Robin Williams isn't fun--he was a lot to watch--but I wanted more. Anyway, the show was pretty good and I will certainly be a regular viewer. One question though: what in the world is she drinking out of that huge dog bowl sized mug on her desk? The vessel is lovely with the flowers and things, but good grief, the thing is huge!

Sarah Palin Speech

Here's the thing; I am neither Republican nor Democrat, and proudly so. I have been watching some of the speeches that have been televised from both the Democrat and Republican party conventions. Sarah Palin's speech last night was of particular interest to me for several reasons. First, I knew very little about her; really only that she is young ( I'm glad they think 44 is young!). Second, because she is almost exactly the same age as I am. I think she is about a week older than I am, and she has children who are similar in age to my four children. Third, I wanted to see how she delivered her speech: hateful, mocking, full of substance, moving, genuine, etc. Anyway, she seems to be an interesting character in this election. The problem with both of the candidates that we have to choose from, for me anyway, is that neither of them is saying exactly what I want to hear. I want a leader who is genuinely concerned with the citizens of the United States of America. I want a leader who wants to end the war in Iraq--the sooner the better! I want a leader who will act quickly to make alternative fuels a reality in our country. I want a leader who will not tax the life out of every family and every business here. I want a leader who speaks the truth; who isn't concerned about his or her own popularity. I want a leader who is positive and above all the current stupidity of the politics in this country. I want the President to be someone to lead us back to the safety, security, prosperity and ingenuity we had before we became dependent on foreign countries for energy, cheap work forces and shoddy products. I want my children to grow up in a country that is strong and independent; that is safe and offers everything they could ever want or need. So far, while I have been impressed by the speeches that have been delivered, but I am not convinced that either candidate or their running mates are exactly what I am looking for. This is an important election. Some would argue that it is the most important election to happen in decades. I liked Sarah Palin's speech. I don't agree with her on everything. I liked Michelle Obama's speech, Joe Biden's speech, and Barack Obama's speech, yet I cannot bring myself to throw my support behind either candidate. So, what is a person like me to do? Watch and wait. Pray and study each candidate, I guess; and then hope for the best.

Waiting and Waiting

Have you ever had this happen to you? Have you ever made arrangements for some sort of repairman or workman of some sort to come and do their thing, but they don't show up right when they say they will? That is happening to me, right this very minute. I made arrangements for this guy to come and re-grade and gravel my driveway. Originally, he was going to come on Saturday at 8:00am. I moved my car out of the way, and was ready for the work to be done. Eight o'clock comes and goes, and no one shows up. Finally at around 9:00, the guy calls and says that he forgot that it was a holiday weekend and the gravel pit was closed. Could he come on Wednesday morning to do the work? Okay, fine. I, of course, have nothing but time to sit around and wait. So, here I sit. It is now 9:00, and no driveway-man is anywhere to be found. I need to take a shower and get dressed and get on with my day. My car is sitting out on the grass, out of the way, waiting to get rolling, but alas, I am stuck. I know that if I decide to go ahead and get my shower, the minute my naked body gets into the shower, that guy will show up. It never fails. Do I assume he is not coming? Do I try to call him? Where the heck did I put his business card anyway? Do I risk the shower? Do I skip the shower and just do the yardwork that needs to be done? I don't need to take a shower before I do that kind of work. Well, with my indecision comes a blogging opportunity, but I just hate waiting and waiting and waiting. . .

School Starts Today!

Well, today is the first day of the begining of a new "era" for me. For the past fifteen years I have been a stay-at-home mom. This year is (finally) is the first year in eleven years that I will be at home, during the day, all by myself. That's right, my youngest daughter started first grade today and will be gone from 7:00am to 3:00pm. I don't know what to do first! Do I take a shower and go out shopping? Do I fire up the new Wii and practice all the games that my kids and husband keep beating me at? Do I mow the lawn? Do housework? Get my hair done? Run errands? There are so many possiblities. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my kids, and a part of me feels a little sad that my "baby" will be away from me all day long, but this is such a liberating feeling. I wonder how long it will last? Will I get bored? Afterall, you can only do so much house and yardwork! Well, I guess time will tell! Today, I will just enjoy my freedom and watch the clock until 3:00 rolls around.

Palin Baby Mama Drama

And so it begins. All the mudslinging and rumor mongering you can stomach. Now that all the rumors about Sarah Palin being her youngest child's grandmother instead of his mother. All the rumors about a faked pregnancy, has now forced her and her family to come out and say that her oldest daughter, Bristol is currently pregnant. I guess there is no privacy once you step into the political spotlight. It really isn't any of our business, but I am sure there will be more to come. Let's hope the Palin family has the strength to get through it.

NBC Afraid of Commercial?

I received an email today from T. Boone Pickens that contained an ad he wanted NBC to run. NBC declined the 15 second spot. I think for a mere 15 seconds, the ad says a lot and could inspire our country to do more to become less dependent on foreign oil. This is the ad. See how it feels to you.

Michelle Obama; I Think I Like Her

I generally only watch a little bit of the Presidential Conventions. I find them a bit boring, but last night I tuned in in time to see Michelle Obama's speech. I thought the speech was very supportive of her family, her country, and her political party and her husband--of course it would be. What was most attractive to me about her, is that although I am not a lawyer or anything of such importance (just a stay at home mom of four girls--right now) she seemed like someone who is very much like me; someone who could have been my friend in high school, or in a mother's group, or at church or something. I liked the speech. I liked that when her daughters came out on stage, they were very much like my nine and six year old girls. It was good. It felt comforting to finally, after eight years of all these nonsense we have been enduring, to have someone normal, someone like me, say something that I could listen to and start dreaming of something different; something positive. Michelle Obama; I like her.

Back To The Same Old. . .

The Olympics are over, so now the world seems a little less exciting. My girls will go back to school next week, and we will most likely fall back into the some old school year routine. The new season of television shows will be starting, and so it goes. Life will be back to the same old hum-drum. Oh, wait a minute! I forgot that this is a presidential election year. Now we can look forward to neverending political ads that don't give you any information, and tons of telephone calls during the dinner hour from various polls wanting to know how I am going to vote. I think I will prefer the same old, same old.

Funny Bonnie

As a little follow-up for Bonnie Hunt fans, I thought you might enjoy these clips. Also, if you don't know who Bonnie is, these are just a small sampling of Bonnie's genius.

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Thank you Eric from M80 Warner Bros. for contacting me.

Women's Beach Volleyball The Best!

Last night was one of the most satisfying nights of Olympics activities. After watching the scoring troubles in the women's gymnastics and the showboating in the men's track and field events, it was refreshing to (once again) see Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh walk out onto the rain drenched sand and play another exciting, entertaining and dignified game in this Olympiad. They make a great team and just work like a machine. Their attitude is that they are out there to win, but win graciously. They show so much poise and grace and sportsmanship that we Americans should be proud that they were representing our country. I have been a little disappointed in the men's beach volleyball team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dahlhausser because they just don't show enthusiasm and love of the game like May-Treanor and Walsh. The great thing about beach volleyball is that it is quick, keeps you interested and has plenty of excitement. I am so proud of the women's team. Their goal was to win a gold medal again; it was clear from the beginning that they were determined to reach that goal. What a great example of goal-setting, hard work, and sportsmanship. It was so great to see them congratulate their Chinese opponents and then just let loose with the giddy thrill of their accomplishment. That is what the Olympic games is all about! The picture says it all.

Big Foot Discovery a Hoax

We kinda knew this would be the verdict: the Bigfoot discovered in Georgia is a hoax. My question about it is this: why didn't the guys who bought this thing take a good look at it before claiming it was the real deal. Afterall, it was a frozen rubber gorilla suit! Good grief! I bet those guys who paid money for it are feeling pretty foolish right about now. I'm sort of glad it was a hoax; I still like a good urban legend story. Now about that chupacabra. . .

Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder?

I have been seeing a lot of ads for the movie "Tropic Thunder" lately. I have also been reading about how it is offending a couple of groups of people, i.e. mentally handicapped people because they use the word "retard" a lot, and black people because Robert Downey Jr. wears dark make-up to play a black man. Now I am reading that Tom Cruise has a cameo in it that is starting a comeback for him. This movie seems to be running the gamut. I was wondering if anyone has seen it (other than critics) and what their opinion is of the movie. Just wondering. If you have an opinion, please leave a comment.

Very Strange Chevy Traverse Commercial

Okay, so you know I have been watching the Olympics since August 8th, and over the course of the last ten days or so, there have been many, many commercials shown. There are some that are clever and funny, some that are irritating, some that are stupid, and some, well you just have to scratch your head and say, "What in the world were they thinking?" One such commercial is the one for the new Chevrolet Traverse. It looks to me like it is a crossover vehicle that is being touted as "best in class" for fuel effieciency and passenger room. The commercial just has me befuddled because it shows this good looking guy ironing while he is talking on the telephone. You can hear him say "six months," still with that rather queer smile/smirk on his face. Then he tosses up the item he has been ironing and it looks like a little girl's dress. If that isn't weird enough, after all the blah, blah blah about this Traverse vehicle, the last shot is of this guy on his hands and knees scrubbing out a black toilet in what looks like a public restroom. I just don't get it. I have seen the darn thing countless times and have tried to study it to figure out what the ad is all about, but it just doesn't make any sense. My twelve year old might have been onto something when she said that maybe the guy was supposed to be the car, I don't know it just seems like the ad team that came up with this one was really struggling to get an idea and just went with this stupid thing. For me, it certainly does not make me want to even investigate the car. The commercial is just that creepy and weird. Sorry, Chevy, you really blundered on this one, and to top it all off, I think the car is kind of, well ugly, clunky looking and boring. Just take a look at it for yourself--PU!

Bonnie Hunt Show is Coming September 8th!

I have a lot to look forward to after the Olympics are over. The first thing is that the girls will be going back to school in a couple of weeks and this is the first year I will have the whole school day to myself since my youngest will be in school all day. The second thing I have to look forward to is the premeire of "The Bonnie Hunt Show" on NBC daytime. I have loved Bonnie since the first time I saw her. You might recognize her from the "Beethoven" movies, "The Green Mile", or from her short lived sitcom, "Life With Bonnie." I think she is the funniest, most sincere television personalities out there. She is perhaps even funnier than Ellen DeGeneres. I think the show will be a hoot. She is just a naturally funny person and I love to watch her in action. The show is on NBC and the website is http://www.thebonniehuntshow.com/ if you want to see some funny clips or get tickets to her show. I can't wait for September 8th!

Newest Addition: Nintendo Wii

Isn't it strange how sometimes when you go shopping you end up buying something you had no intention to buy? That happened yesterday. My husband and I decided, after playing with my nephew's Wii this summer, that a Wii would be something our family would get a lot of use out of. We told the girls that this year for Christmas, if we could get our hands on one, the big Christmas gift for all of us would be a Nintendo Wii game system. Great! I just sort of casually look for things just to determine how difficult it will be to get that item when we want it. Yesterday, on our trek to Target to get school supplies and medicine, I decided to check in the electronics area to see if they might have a Wii. Sure enough, there were two systems behind that locked cabinet. I put a call into my husband to see if he wanted me to get it since the opportunity was there. As luck would have it, he had a 10% off coupon that we frequently get from Target, so he met us at the store and the rest, as they say, is history. Of course the thing wasn't going to sit in our closet, unopened, for the next four months, so we set it up and we told the girls that it was an early Christmas gift. Hopefully, when December rolls around, they won't forget that they have already gotten the bulk of their gifts. Now, for years to come, we will have Christmas and birthday gift ideas since the accessories and games appear to be endless. Wii wants to play!

Chupacabra and Big Foot! Whoa!

Strange happenings are afoot these days. Video footage of what could be the legendary chupacabra creature has been making the rounds on the internet, and now this morning, I saw news that the creature known as Big Foot may have been found in Georgia! There is a picture of the dead creature that looks like it has been thawed out after having been kept in some kind of freezer. Supposedly, there is going to be a news conference this Friday discussing the find. DNA tests are also being performed. As far as the Chupacabra thing--it's a little creepy/scarey-looking. It looks like it could really chomp down on its prey, but then again, a coyote could do the same. I'm not sure what I think about these creatures who are thought to be urban legends being found. There is something about it that just feels like a let-down; like there is no more mystery in the world. At any rate, there will probably be more news to come.

Olympics Worth Staying Up For

My eyes are a little puffy, with dark circles more noticeable this morning because I stayed up to watch the Olympics last night. After hearing the reports of the French men's swimming team talking trash about "smashing" the Americans, there was no way I was going to miss the relay race! The race was nothing short of spectacular and definitely worth staying up past midnight for. And, the other cool thing about the race is the show of great sportsmanship by Jason Lezak, who anchored the American team. It is his extra effort that is going to help his teammate, Michael Phelps move on toward his gold medal goal. It just makes the spectacle of the competitions that much more intriguing and makes me even more proud to be an American. Go U.S.A.!

Opening Ceremony Tonight on NBC! Go USA!

Tonight is the night we have been waiting for for the last four years! The opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China begins at 7:30 tonight. At our house, this is a big occasion and I have planned our dinner (pizza) around the event. Everything we are having is food we can eat while watching television. Normally, in our family, the rule is that we sit at the kitchen table with the tv off, and eat dinner together. For the next two weeks, that rule will be a little more relaxed so that we can see all the sporting events. Pretty weird, I know, but I just love the Olympics and want my children to have good memories of them just like I have. Go team USA!

AdSense Drought

Wow, I've hit a drought with regard to my Adsense earnings. I had been going along at a nice little clip, earning a little money each month. It all adds up, you know. Now, it seems I've got nothing. Things are really slow. I guess the rotten economy has had an effect on even my little old ads. Bummer. I guess I will have to try write less about my boring life and more about stuff that is going to generate income. Too bad, I rather like just writing whatever I feel like :-( Back to checking Google Trends.

8-8-08 Lucky Olympics? Let's Hope So!

The Olympic games always seems to bring out a certain excitement in me. When I was a little girl, my family watched the Olympics and talked about them and just all around enjoyed the every four year event. This year is no different for me, only this time, I am a little worried. China has always seemed a rather mysterious and exotic place to me, and I have to shamefully admit that I know very little about China and the Chinese culture. I was reading a little article about how the Chinese believe that the start date for the Olympics: eight minutes after the eighth hour of the eighth day of the eighth month, is lucky--except of course if you were born under the astrological sign of the Rat, in which case, astrologists suggest that you wear a pendant of an Ox to ward off clashes with those who were born under the sign of the Horse. These sorts of ideas serve to make China seem more unusual and strange to me. At any rate, I am looking forward to the couple of weeks of sporting competition. Regardless of what year it is and how lucky the Chinese seem to think it is, I sure hope their claims of safety and security for the athletes and observers are true and that these 29th Olympic Games are remembered only for the records that were set, and the great competitions that took place instead of one of political disaster and mayhem.

Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed Are Great Parents!

I have never been a big fan of the band KISS, but lately, I have been addicted to the cable show, Gene Simmons: Family Jewels. Gene Simmons and his partner of 25 years, Shannon Tweed are just good parents. Their teenage kids seem so grounded for having a shock rocker for a dad, and a Playboy Playmate for a mother. They seem to love their parents and respect them. Sure, there is a smattering of bad language from the son, Nick, but the dynamics of the family is a great example of how communicating openly and using humor instead of anger can make a family strong. The show is full of funny stuff--all four family members have a sense of humor, and poor Gene is always embarrassing his wife and kids. The family works and it is great to see, especially these days when "celebrities" are saturating the cable channels with all their drama and antics about their lives. The all seem so unstable and self-centered, wanting to shove their very young children into the spotlight. At least the Simmons/Tweed family is more focused on making sure the kids are safe and happy and they seem more "normal" than most of the other celebrity parents out there. Gene Simmons: Family Jewels airs on the A&E channel on Sunday nights at 9:30, it is an entertaining show and I have learned a few things about parenting from it, believe it or not!

Traveling Is Over

After a month of visiting and traveling, we are finally "home" in Virginia. We were gone so long, I forgot which cupboards my pots and pans and utensils are in! Even though we don't feel like this is home, it feels good to be back with all my things and to see my little dog again!

Update on the New Dodge Journey

Well, the Journey did a fine job getting me and my girls to Indiana. It only took us 11 hours! Anyway, for those of you who might be curious about how the "let's refuel america" deal that Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep has been offering works, I will tell you. Simply put, it has worked just fine for me. I was only one of two people from the dealership I'm leasing from to take the offer, and so far it has been great. The literature they give you when you sign up for it says that it takes 4-6 weeks for you to get your activiated $2.99 per gallon of gasoline card, but for me, it took about a week. I used the card for the first time when we were taking off on our eleven hour roadtrip. The card couldn't be easier to use. I just swipe the card, type in my PIN number and then off I go--Fill 'er up! We get charged only $2.99 per gallon (up to 600 gallons per year) no matter what the price is at the pump. Even if we happen to get rid of the car before the three year deal is up, we keep the card and use it. It is quite simple and will probably be a savings of at least $1200 when it is all said and done, and that means that foregoing the $1000 rebate gives us a bigger savings. If you would like to learn more about the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge "let's refuel America" campaign, you can go to www.letsrefuelamerica.com Oh, and in case you are wondering, the Journey got an average of 20.8 mpg on our trip, and that was with a rooftop cargo carrier on top, so it did quite a bit better on gas than my old Chevy Suburban would have done.

Charm City Cakes Question

Sometimes I watch the cable show "Ace of Cakes." It is sort of a time filler show for me, but it is usually interesting and will hold my attention for a half hour or so. The other evening, I was watching the show and all of a sudden I got sort of grossed out because one of the cake artists there was working on a fondant decoration and she shoved the headband she was wearing back up on her head, and then went right back to working, with her bare hands I might add, with the fondant---that people might eat! The more I watched the show, the more grossed out I became. None of the workers uses any kind of sanitary measures when they are working on the cakes. They work on the cakes with their bare hands, and none wears a hair net or is ever shown washing their hands. I think the cakes are beautiful, and interesting and fun, but I just don't think I could ever bring myself to eat one, and not because of the elaborate decorations and shapes. I would be afraid I would be munching on some stray piece of hair, or eating something that an unsanitary hand has touched. Yuck! I wonder if Charm City Cakes ever gets visits from the Baltimore Health Department? If not, maybe they should!

Impact2818 Camp

Three of the girls are at camp this week. We have travelled nearly 600 miles to get them there. Last year was the first year they went to camp. It is the same camp I went to when I was a child. When we lived in Fort Wayne, the camps were relatively close--less than an hour to get there. This year is a totally different story, but making the extra effort to send the girls back to the camp they loved was really important. The memories of the camp experience will probably stick with them their whole lives. The camps happen to be United Methodist camps, so they also have a religious element to them, which is a bonus in my book. My girls need all the God they can get! The camps are run with precision and the directors and counselors have every element down to a science, so I am confident that the girls are safe and having a good, yet supervised, time. Sending your kid away by themselves for a week seems like a difficult thing, but this particular camp makes that week away seem easy. If you would like to learn more about the impact2818 camps, you can visit them at www.impact2818.com.

Road Trip!

Tomorrow is the big day! All four girls and I are taking a road trip back home to Indiana. It seems strange, but I am more excited about going there than I was about going to Disney World last week. It has been almost a year since we moved and I am still very homesick, as are all the rest of my family. I think only the dog is happy here, and really, she is just happy anywhere we are. There are only 397 days left until we can make a clean break from here, and I just can't wait. My husband said something the other night as we were getting ready for bed. It was sort of funny, but sad at the same time, and I was feeling the same way. He said, "You know how when you are on a vacation, and you are getting toward the end of it and you are sort of looking forward to getting back home? Well, I was thinking that, and then I remembered what home we were going back to, and I wasn't so ready to go back." When we were boarding the airplane heading from Orlando to Dulles, I had forgotten that we weren't going home, home, we were going to the Virginia home, and I too, was feeling a little let down. I think this summer and the next school year will go fast as they all seem to do, and in no time, we will be looking toward finding a new home, back home and that will be one of the happiest days in my life!

Mystic Dunes Resort--Beware!!!

We decided to use our Mystic Dunes Resort visit this summer. We had paid $1350.00 for the use of a two bedroom condo at the resort in Kissimmee, Florida. Each time my husband called to make the arrangements and check on our reservations, he asked if we would have to attend any kind of presentation or anything that had to do with the sales of their condominiums. Each time he was told "no, you have already done that, this is just your chance to see the facility again, and buy if you want." We foolishly believed them, but you should not, if you are planning to do anything like this, please be aware that they will do anything and say anything to steal your time, wear you down, and try to wrangle a sale from you. When we got down there and tried to check in, they told us that we would have to take a "survey." I thought my husband's head was going to pop off! He was so angry and told them that he wanted to talk to a manager, but the guy they got to talk to us didn't say anything different. I calmed my husband down, and convinced him to just say we'll do whatever and then we would figure it out later. They assigned us a guide to "help us plan our activities"--hell we were there for one reason and one reason only--Disney World. We weren't interested in dinners at their club house, their market days, their karaoke nights or any other the other activities they touted. We did use the pool one day, but that was all we were interested in that had anything to do with the resort. We ended up scheduling a "meeting" with our guide on our last day there so that we would not have to give up any Disney time. My husband was seething, and told them that they were liars and that he was very disappointed in our stay. The great time we had on our vacation had nothing to do with the Mystic Dunes Resort--it had everything to do with seeing my sister and her family and our family having fun together. It didn't matter where we slept, really. The resort stay was just to fulfill the obligation we had imposed on ourselves two years ago. So, as it turned out, we spent 90 minutes with our guide, then they sent another guy over to offer us a condo for $198.oo a month, and we could have the title to the land that day. We declined the offer, asked that our credit card number (which they demanded of us when we got there, in case we rented bikes or ordered drinks at the pool or something--we didn't of course)be removed from their records. Finally, they sent over a vulture of a woman, who was quite rude to us, who told us we might have met our obligation, but we had to turn in this green paper when we checked out. At the check-out desk we were told we didn't have any charges on our credit card (no kidding!) and we were free.
I have to say that we learned our lesson and will never do that again. If we go back to Disney, we will definitely stay in one of the resorts on the park grounds where there is ample transportation, food and no smarmy sales people drooling over the prospect of getting you to spend your money on their "product." If you get any calls or mailings (e-mail or otherwise) that have the name Mystic Dunes or Tempus Resort on it, my advice is to delete it, don't answer the call, or throw it away. A few free Disney tickets aren't worth the pressure they put you under.

The Timeshare Trap

A few years ago I received a telephone call from a telemarketer who said that I could get four free tickets to Disney World in Orlando, Florida and a week's stay at a five-star resort for only $250.00. I was skeptical, but still interested. We had wanted to go to Disney, and our daughters were getting old enough to handle a trip like that. I told the person to call back after I had discussed the idea with my husband. We checked out the company and looked at what they had offered. It all seemed okay except that we have six in our family, not four, but we thought we could still afford it since the price was so low, we could buy two other tickets for Disney World at the regular price. We waited for the call back from the company, and sure enough, they called. We said we were interested; they said all we would have to do is go to a "presentation" about their resort. Both our parents had done the free trip from a timeshare when we were kids, and they didn't seem harmed by it, so we thought: "How bad can it be?" We took the trip 2 1/2 years ago at Christmas time. We had a nice condo that had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a family room and a small kitchen. It was as nice as those things tend to be. We went to Disney a few times, and then we went to the dreaded "presentation" It consisted of separating us from our three youngest children, and having us sit through a high pressure sales pitch about how we need to take more vacations, and how we "deserve" to take trips, and "don't you love your family enough to take them to new places?" It was awful! The thing lasted six (yes six!) hours. We were so exhausted and upset that we finally agreed to plan another trip to be taken at a later date to "try the product" again. They promised us that we would not have to go through the "presentation" again, and if we changed our minds, we could purchase a condo at the prices we were quoted on that day. Okay. . . Fast-forward to this year. . . please see next post for the conclusion.

Back From Disney; On To Indiana

We had a great week in Orlando where we spent four days hopping around the Disney parks and one evening we went to the Medieval Times dinner show. There were storms on three of the days, but the rain didn't seem to matter much. The girls and my husband and I did just about everything there is to do at Disney. We all got a little (too much maybe) sun and had lots of laughs and thrills thanks to the genius of the FastPass at the Disney rides. Now it is down time for two days and then the girls and I leave for Indiana where we will be spending the better part of July visiting family and friends. The girls have only been out of school for a week and a half and already the summer feels like it is nearly over. When we get back from our visits it will be August and only a few weeks until the new school year starts. My how time flies when you are having fun!

Off We Go!

Flying to Disney today with four kids in tow. Dog is in the kennel; hope she behaves. Kids are packed and jazzed; hope they behave. I'm ready to go; hope I can keep my cool.

Disney, Here We Come!

We are getting all packed up for our trip to Disney World later this week. It takes several days to get all six of us ready to go. We went to Disney World a couple of years ago during the Christmas holiday. We had fun even though it was crowded. This time everyone is a little older, and taller, and the prospect of being "big enough" is really charging up my two youngest daughters. My youngest one will still be too little to ride some of the rides, but hopefully she won't have to be stuck riding only the spinning teacups (I refuse to do that one!) and the Dumbo ride and all the other similar ones that just go around in a large circle. The other thing that is different about this trip is that we are flying. The thought of herding four children into a plane for a two hour flight was much more attractive to me than packing us all into the car and driving for thirteen hours. Since our oldest is fifteen, this would have been almost as bad as being held hostage for thirteen hours. Only our oldest daughter has flown, so the flying thing is super exciting to the girls. The other thing, and best part about the trip is that we will be meeting up with my sister and her family while we are there. They are flying down from Indiana and we are flying from Virginia. I have not seen my sister in almost a year! It has been a very long and lonely year for me so this will be the cherry on the top of this vacation. My girls miss their cousin so much that my youngest daughter said she is "just gonna tackle him" when she sees him. He's sixteen years old, I'm sure he'll enjoy that! The girls really love their aunt, uncle and cousin that much! Even though this kind of vacation holds no rest and relaxation for me, I think it will rejuvenate me enough to get through one more year of being away from my family. Onward to Disney!

We're Taking the 'Journey'

Okay, so I have been whining and complaining and worrying about the high cost of fuel for our Chevy Suburban. I have been worrying that the eight year old, 150,000+ car might not last until we can "afford" a new more fuel efficient car. Well, yesterday, we decided to bite the bullet and go ahead and trade in our old faithful Suburban named Silvi (why, I don't know--one of the girls started calling it that), and are leasing the new 2009 Dodge Journey for three years. Our thinking is simple: we will lease this more fuel efficient crossover that we can squeeze all six of us in for three years, then hopefully at the end of the lease, some car company will have figured out a vehicle that runs on hydrogen, or corn oil, or used baby diapers, or something, and we can trade our outdated Journey in for something that is the wave of the future. I'm feeling pretty good about our decision. I think in the long run, we will save money. We decided to go all out, and opted for the $2.99 gasoline price guarantee (www.letsrefuelamerica.com) instead of the meager $1000.00 rebate, since we are expecting the gas pricing to continue rising from now until who knows when. I think we will save more than $1000 using that option. The dealership told us that we were only one of two customers so far who have chosen the gas option because a large portion of their products have huge refunds--but not the Journey--so I'm satisfied with our decision. At any rate, I am sure I will be blogging about the car in the future, so just stay tuned!

Squish the Rocks and Get the Oil!

This "oil crisis" is really bugging me, but like some other folks that have been blogging about it lately, I'm beginning to think this problem might be just a tiny bit good. For too long we have been coast on foreign oil, going along our merry way, but now with prices climbing and the future looking gloomier, we Americans need to put on our thinking caps and the old castoff coats of ingenuity that have been hanging on rusty nails for decades now, get busy, and find a way to use our own natural resources. We need to push ourselves away from the Middle Eastern oil banquet table, and start taking care of our own needs. There is some hope that a few people have found in the sandstone in Utah and some other western states. There are some ideas flowing about how to squish the oil out or heat it up underground and extract the oil. Hey, I think this is great, but let's get going on it--the sooner the better! I predict that in the next year or eighteen months lots of new ideas for oil, alternative fuels, and innovative cars will be popping up all over. I love American will power and ingenuity! Let's Go!