Graduation

One week from tomorrow, my baby graduates from high school. I still remember her pre-school graduation vividly! For crissake, I still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday!

So on June 1st, I will join thousands of other people @ the arena to hopefully be able to at least hear my daughter's name being called. That is not a misprint. Although hers is the first graduating class from that school, they still have over 500 seniors. Take that and multiply it by at least 4 family members each plus faculty & staff and we are probably looking at about 3000 bodies. Next year it will be worse, Kari has about 700 kids in her graduating class! Oh, joy!

Gigot

Have I mentioned that I LOVE my DVR?

When I was little, I saw a movie called Gigot. I must have been around 6 or so. It was the first movie that ever made me cry. That was early indication that I am a sucker for sappy movies. I haven't seen it in many years but I remember most of it. After searching all over for it and since Blockbuster does not have it, I was about to break down and buy an off market copy from Ebay. I did a quick title search on my DVR and Viola! It is now set to record on May 31st on Fox Movie Channel, which I did not even know we had! That makes me very happy.

Another old movie which I liked as a kid is "The Trouble with Angels", fortunately BB carries that one and I should be receiving it soon. Seems like I am in some sort of Nostalgia funk! I just watched the entire 1st season of Family Affair.

If you have never seen Gigot, I HIGHLY recommended it! Just have a box of Kleenex handy!

What Will I Do....

...for the next 4 months? I HATE Summer TV! All my shows are ending this week and my TV addicted self will not have anything to watch. It is not going to be pretty.

I am really liking the song at the end of last night's show. Keep Breathing. Is it any wonder that I like it? Breathe is my word for this year. So far, I have only forgotten a few times.

T.G.I.F.

A. A . A . D . D .

I just got this in my email and thought I would share. It's a tad long, but so funny (and true).

(Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.)

This is how it manifests: I decided to water my garden.

As I turned on the hose in the driveway, I looked over at my car and decided my car needs washing.

As I started toward the garage, I noticed that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway. I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only 1 check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find a can of coke that I had been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the coke aside so that I don't knock it over. I see that the coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye-- they need to be watered.I set the coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. Then I decide I better put themback on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spilled on the floor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipeup the spill, then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day----the car isn't washed, ----the bills aren't paid,----there is a warm can of coke sitting on the counter,----the flowers don't have enough water, ----there is still only 1 check in my checkbook,----I can't find the remote, ----I can't find my glasses,----and I don't remember what in the world I did with the car keys! Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled, because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.

Don't laugh-- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!! P. S. I just walked outside and SOMEONE LEFT THE WATER RUNNING IN THE DRIVEWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is soooo me, it's not even funny! I will run upstairs to get something, then stand in the middle of my room tryin to figure out what i went up for. Pretty sad.

Screen Shots

I really suck at this screen shot thing. This is the best that I could do, and none of them are very flattering. The 1st one looks like Botox gone bad on me. These are shots from our Price is Right adventure. Remember that at that point we had been awake for about 37 hours and spent the night on the sidewalk.

The last picture is me telling Justin to pick #2 while everyone else said #6. If he would have listened to me, he would have won a "New Car!"

I thought that Danny was the only one who doesn't listen to me!

No Wonder We're FAT!

Danny & I have spent the entire weekend EATING OUT! We have been literally wobbling around all weekend. Yes, we actually only ate one meal each day but they were not tiny meals. We were solo all weekend except for Mother's Day. On Friday, Kat was at prom & Kari was babysitting. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in the whole wide world, Houstons. They never dissapoint. Their filet mignon is fantastic & the loaded baked tater is to die for.

Then on Saturday, the girls were at the beach so Danny dragged me around to Lowes, Home Depot, Costco.... Yuck! Then we ate at Sweet Tomatoes. Yea, I start off ok with a nice salad but then I go and get a bowl of chili and add cheese & sour cream. Then chase it down with a bowl of Potato soup. Fortunately the bowls are tiny.

Mother's Day, we were all together. Yahooo! Plus we added my mom & stepdad to the mix. We headed out to the beach at around 6PM and had dinner at our 2nd favorite place, Carraba's.
EVERYTHING, here is great and I always have a hard time choosing. I had the Sirloin Marsala which was fantastic. Plus 2 glasses of Italian Sangria & dessert!!!
We had a very nice evening and it's always nice to drive around the beach at night.

So is it any wonder that my rear is as big as a house????

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all mommies!

There are times when only a Mother's love

Can understand our tears,

Can soothe our disappoints

And calm all of our fears.

There are times when only a Mother's love

Can share the joy we feel

When something we've dreamed about

Quite suddenly is real.

There are times when only a Mother's faith

Can help us on life's way

And inspire in us the confidence

We need from day to day.

For a Mother's heart and a Mother's faith

And a Mother's steadfast love

Were fashioned by the Angels

And sent from God above.

'All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my mother."

Prom Night

After all the headaches & mishaps, she is finally off at prom. We had hair trouble & traffic getting back home. So she was running late and I only had time for a couple of quick pics, which came out pretty bad. Hopefully they will take lots of pics tonight.

Things have certainly changed alot since my proms. We were way more into our prom. We made plans months in advance. These kids decided what they were oing to do within the last 2 weeks. Plus about 80% of the class is going solo. I would not have been caught dead at prom without a date. They seem to prefer it that way. I do admire their confidence & independence though. I hope they have fun and most of all, stay safe.

I shall now settle in for my sleepless night!

How hard can it be??

He can NEVER replace the roll! I know it may be a bit difficult for a man brain. But I have given him step by step instructions several times!

I guess it's a good time to repost this. Although it has been on my fridge for years, he has yet to sign up.

New Evening Classes For Men!
ALL ARE WELCOME.

OPEN TO MEN ONLY

Note: Due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants.Sign up early and get a discount on registration...

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL THE ICE CUBE TRAY

Step by step guide w/slide presentation

TOILET ROLLS, DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?
Roundtable discussion



DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR
Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)



DISHES & SILVERWARE, DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES?
Debate among a panel of experts



LOSS OF VIRILITY
Losing the remote control to your significant other - Help line and support groups



LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS
Starting with looking in the right place instead ofturning the house upside down while screaming - Open forum



DAY TWO


EMPTY MILK CARTONS, DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN?
Group discussion and role play



HEALTH WATCH, BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH
PowerPoint presentation



REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST
Real life testimonial from the one man who did



IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?
Driving simulation



LIVING WITH ADULTS, BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER
Online class and role playing



HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION
Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques



REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE
Bring your calendar or PDA to class



GETTING OVER IT, LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME
Individual counselors available

Wicked Weather

I HATE lightning & thunder! Scares the crap out of me! We desperately needed the rain though. We have been under major water restrictions here. I don't mind the rain. I don't even mind the wind. But thunder & lightning makes me scream. Danny took the picture by the way, I was probably hiding in the closet!

This awful weather with tornado warnings started at about 7:30 PM last night. We had just spent a beautiful day out by the pool. I had just showered and settled myself in to watch the finale of The Amazing Race. At exactly 7:58 PM the satellite goes out and we (I) freaked. Danny had to go look for our hurricane TV that was somewhere in the garage. So we watched the 1st half of the AR on a 5 inch black & white tv. I had been rooting for Danny & Oswald all along so I really didn't care who won (since I didn't like either of them), but I just enjoy this show.

I have become such a TV junkie! Aside from AR, my must see TV shows include Grey's, ER, House, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters and I have really gotten into October Road.

I'm ashamed to admit this, but I als watch The Bachelor. I have yet to see a girl who is not attracted to the bachelor. Huh? I mean, who cries over a guy that they have known for 1 day. And out of 20 some odd women, there is not even one that is not attracted to him? I, personally would not have been attracted to any of the bachelors at first sight. I guess people will do anything for a shot at 15 mins of fame!

What the H-E double L???

We have been on last minute prom shopping duty. Got the dress, can't find the shoes. We were in Nordstrom's today and jumped on the PERFECT shoes! Flipped them over and almost passed out! $425!!!! What on earth are they made of???




While there, I saw a pair of shoes that reminded me of the 80's. Remember the jellies? Available in a rainbow of colors and could be had for about $5 a pair. Made your feet sweat like crazy, but whatever. Seems like they are making a comeback. Well, some creative soul decided to jazz 'em up a bit and sell them to those who have $$$ to burn. Here is the pair that we saw today, wish I would have thought of it first!

We still have not found prom shoes for Kat. Prom is Friday. She may have to go barefoot. Or I can always bedazzle a pair of Target Jelly Shoes!

On Flying...

Since I am now an expert flyer (Ha!), I have decided that I need to fly on a private plane from now on. People annoy me! The babies don't really bother me, because they don't know any better. It's the adults that drive me insane! Here are just 3 examples.

Complaint A: If I take the red eye, I hope to be able to sleep. I don't need to listen to your entire conversation from 10 rows away for the freaking entire flight! Along the same vein, if you want to watch your movie on your laptop, headphones help you hear it without having the volume way up. I know that they probably just want to share the movie with us, but I just want to sleep! My crappy foamy earplugs don't help much.

Complaint B: How many times during the flight can a person open & close the overhead? Oh, and if you have so much crap that it doesn't fit in the bin that corresponds to your seat, check the damn thing! It's so not fair that we have to go in search of a bin to put our one bag because you stuffed all your crap above our seat. It also is not right that you keep coming by and leaning over poor Danny to get stuff out. And when you do drop a bag on his head, at least have the courtesy to apologize! Grrrrrr!

Complaint C: When the crew asks everyone to be seated (for the 10th time) so that we can take off, that means YOU! The only one standing in the middle of the aisle! The one that everyone is staring at!

Looking back on what I just wrote, I realized that I sound like a major pain. I'm not. Really. I guess that I just can't deal with being stuck in a tin can in the first place, so everything is amplified X 1000.
I just need to be rich and pay for my own private plane! With a bed!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE Contests???

Although I never really win anything, I love entering contests. There's always a possiblility. In my case. it's right there along the lines of say, maybe catching a leperchaun or when pigs fly... stuff like that. But this giveaway is just way to good to pass up. Who can resisit an IPod Nano and chocolates on top of that???So head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and read all about it! They're going to have several giveaways, so keep checking back. I also have the icon on my sidebar.

Jet Lagged but Happy!

We're back! Just got off the red eye from LA and there is a reason why they call it the red eye! You should see ours!

Anyhoo, quick recap. Never say never! We arrived in LA @ 11PM on the 25th. As we are driving to our hotel we see a ton on homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk. We soon realize that they are not homeless, they are just lining up for The Price is Right. We check in to our hotel and I walk over with Danny to settle him in on the sidewalk. All I have to say is that these people are pros. They had tents, sleeping bags, chairs & comforters. We had a picnic blanket. I went back to the room to get some sleep but only for about an 1 1/2 hours. I felt bad for Danny, so I joined him in line. It was FREEZING! The guy next to me (Justin) was totally prepared. He had a bag of tricks loaded with helpful stuff including stuff to keep him warm. I rolled myself like a burrito in my blanket and lay there till 6AM when they started handing out numbers. We had #103 & 104, so 102 people were in line before 11PM. Long story short. We did not get called to come on down but Justin did and that was exciting. It was a VERY long day but it was an absolute BLAST! I am so glad that I was able to see it live before Bob retires. Now I can check that off my life list. Heck, I've been wanting to do this since I was 7!!!

The show airs on May 14th, you might see me or Danny making total jerks of ourselves! The pictures above are not very good, but you get the idea.

We also spent 3 days in San Diego and did all the touristy stuff there (the Zoo, Balboa Park, La Jolla, Coronado Is. Then back to LA, where we went to the Comedy & Magic Club which was really fun and Jay Leno was headlining.

And of course, it wouldn't be a visit to the West Coast if I didn't sneak in at least 2 visits to In-n-Out! Yum!!

We had a really nice time. Froze to death most of the time and by yesterday morning, I was feeling it. Loaded up on Comtrex & Riccolaaaaa! Hope it helps.

Leaving on a jet plane

I woke up this morning with a major case of morning sickness! No, I'm not prego. I just feel like my tummy is all in a knot and I'll barf any minute. Danny attributes it to nerves. I'm not a very good flyer. I have to take an Ativan & a Benadryl so that I can fall asleep. It's a 5 hour flight so for the sake of sanity, I need to be conked out. Remember, I got on my first flight a year and a half ago. I'm still learning. Plus, Danny doesn't like my nails embeded in his arm too much!

We leave at 8PM our time, arrive at 11PM Pacific Time, and Danny gets in line soo after for the "Fabulous 60 Minutes Price is Right!" :)

Pet Peeves

I must have a gazillion pet peeves. People might think that I am easily annoyed but I'm not. Honest. It's just certain things that bug the heck out of me. I found this site and although there are alot of repeats, I found myself saying "yep, I hear ya!".

Although I can probably fill a book with all my peeves I will limit myself for your sake.
Here are 3 of my peeves :

* People who can't wait their turn. Whether in line or in traffic, they try to cut in front of you one way or another. I also hate whe I am standing in line and the person behind me is literally on top of me! I like to step back and step on them on purpose. Ooops, I'm sorry! You shouldn't be on top of me you idiot!

* Store employees who do not acknowledge your presence with a simple hello. Along the same vein, they slam your change on the counter and don't even say Thank You.


* People who do not understand what a STOP sign is, especially a 4 way stop. I hate it when people attach themselves to the bumper of the car in front of them and just swing on through.

That's it for now. What are your pet peeves??

**** Oh my, how can I forget my major peeve. Women who pee all over the toilet seat! Yuck! A little common courtesy for crissake!****

I am such a sap!

Everytime I watch these movies I cry like a huge baby. Funny thing is, I don't know if I cry more during the movies or the commercials.

Today I watched Crossroads. Although I like to think that I am a forgiving person, this is a tough one.

Prom Headache

Kat & I went shopping for prom dresses today. Originally we were going to have a dress made but the seamstress' arthritis is acting up so she is not working. We decided to go see what's out there. We found that there is not much! The store bought dresses aren't very well made plus they are very expensive. On top of all that, since Kat is vertically challenged like me, we would have to pay to get it altered as well. So we came home empty handed and now we are on a mission to find a seamstress that can make her dress in 2 weeks. It doesn't help that we are leaving to California on Wednesday, so we need to get this done by Tuesday.

Now for a quick parenting rant. While we were at lunch, we had to sit through our meal with the kid at the table next to us running around and crawling under tables. At one point he found a piece of bread under another table and ate it. Then he almost tripped the waiter who was holding a tray loaded with food. All the while the parents did nothing totally oblivious to the angry glares from everyone around them. They just sat there perusing the menu. I am a mom, my kids were little once upon a time... they NEVER did anything like that.

I am off to watch the Amazing Race. Still rooting for Danny & Oswald, they crack me up!

I Dream of (being) Jeannie

I have lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks. Doesn't seem like much to me, but everyone says it's the "healthy" way to do it. I want instant gratification! I don't want to wait months & months before I can fit into my clothes. I wish I could twitch my nose or blink my eyes and voila! And while I have that power, I'd blink myself a whole new wardrobe as well!

The withdrawl headaches are gone and I'm not feeling as weak anymore, so that's a good thing. I'm not a good dieter since I'm not a very good eater. I can't for the life of me eat if I am not hungry, so that small meals 6x a day thing is out. I don't eat veggies, so about 90% of the diets are out. I also don't eat eggs or seafood. While I'm at it, I don't like Mexican, Sushi, Indian, Thai or Greek. Actually, I don't like much of anything. I'm basic meat & potatoes kind of gal, with an occasional Italian adventure. And of course, cake!

Anyhoo, there's another contest at 5 Minutes for Mom. They're giving away one of those cool digital frames that I can't afford! Check it out! I LOVE contests!

I'm so cold!

I woke up to 53 dgrees F. I was FREEZING! Just the other day, I was laying out sweating my bum off at about 85F. No wonder Kari is getting sick. Weird weather patterns yet again.

Yesterday's news was shocking & terribly sad. I got a headache watching & thinking about the victims & their families. Just as I get headaches & heartaches thinking about our troops on a daily basis. I know this post makes no sense, just my ramblings of disgust.

I also want to link you to Heather. She really needs our prayers right now.
Bloggers are getting together to send Heather and her family some love! Jada and BooMama have organized a day of love for Wednesday, April 18th. Please read BooMama’s post all about the special day.

On a lighter note, Haley is hosting a contest for a Coach bag just for fun. Be sure to check it out and even if you don't want to enter, just say Hi.

Psycho Mommy on Board

One week & 2 days before we leave for California. I always get a bit anxious around this time before a trip. Not only because of the flight but because I am leaving my kids. I can hear my friends now. "Stop fooling yourself, they are not kids. One is an adult. Blah, Blah, Blah" They are my kids, my babies. I still worry and miss them.

Danny & I try to take trips on our own at least once a year. Actually, this only started about 7 years ago or so when the girls were a bit older. Not when they were really young. Except once. We went on a weekend cruise when my oldest was only one and I was pregnant w/ my 2nd. Highly recommended by everyone for "alone time". Actual time away 2 1/2 days. We spent a major part of the cruise talking about the baby to each other & to whoever would listen! People were probably hiding from the psycho parents. It got to the point that my arms literally hurt from not holding her. We were laying out on this beautiful private island, having yummy (virgin) froo froo drinks. This bahamian lady walks by selling some necklaces & stuff and trailing behind her is this tiny baby girl about my daughter's age. If they thought that I was psycho before, they had not seen anything yet. I begged Danny to ask her if I coould hold the baby. I'm actually telling him to give her money to let me hold the baby! I remember that I was practically crying. Psycho I tell ya! He wouldn't do it, but could you imagine!

At this stage, I still miss them when we're apart but I'm not that extreme! The girls actually like when we leave because my mom comes over to stay with them. They prefer her cooking. Only because she actually does cook! So it's a vacation for them too.

Wicked Weather

Holy Cow, it's been a very yucky day. I hear that it has been worse up north. The wind has been insanely strong for this time of year and the rain ... Well, I really can't complain about the rain, because we were in desperate need of som. We are under severe water restrictions here and the rain sure helps alot. These weird weather patterns worry me though. Doesn't look like we're going to have an easy hurricane season.

After 2 weeks without a Diet Coke, I gave in and had one. That's not so bad is it? Weekends & Diets just don't mix. Especially since everyone is my family is a saboteur! I have no will power whatsoever!

Maybe I Should Buy A Bike

Not for exercise. Not for fun. But for transportation. Holy Crap! I am paying between .70 & .80 cents per gallon more than I did less than a month ago! For me, I think that is about $12 more per tank full. When is this madness going to end??? You think I can ride my bike through something like that?????

I need to find a nice bike horn.

Come on Down!!!!

When I was about 7, I started watching The Price Is Right. I would play TPIR games on paper with my cousin. Yeah, we used our imagination back then... imagine that! Anyhoo, the big prizes back then were always fur coats & cars. PETA was probably picketing on a daily basis! The car price always started with a 3 or a 4. I can't even paint my house for that price today!
I used to love this show and I still watch when I get the chance. It's on at 11AM here for crissake! I have always wanted to go see TPIR live. And who knows, maybe I can be one of those that wins a host of fabulous prizes on TPIR! But first I have to "come on down" and not trip and fall on my face!


I just got tickets to a taping while we are in California! Yahoo! or maybe not. From what I hear people are lining up as early as the day before. We arrive at 11PM and the tickets are for the very next day. I booked a room for one night right across the street. So what we are going to do is this. The minute we get to the hotel & check in, I go to sleep and since Danny loves me so much he is going out to make the line. I have never in my entire life slept on a side walk. I have never made a line for concert tickets or X-Boxes, and I know I won't be able to now. so while he does, I will get some shut eye. According to him, he doesn't go on vacation to sleep, so there ya go! Maybe he will win all the fabulous prizes!



The rest of our trip will be spent mainly in San Diego. We have never been there so I hope it is a good choice!

Diets Suck!

I decided to try the Fat Flush Plan, because supposedly a) it works & b) you're supposedly learning to eat differently. Well, I can't do it right. I'm trying but I don't eat eggs, seafood or veggies. I tried to force down eggs and I couldn't do it. I also bought & made a spahetti squash, that's another no go. I also am having a hard time eating all the times that I'm supposed to. I don't really care for food much, just give me cake! Seriously though, I am doing great with my water consumption PLUS I have not had a Diet Coke in 7 days! So for that I am proud of myself! Aside from my Diet Coke withdrawl headache the first 2 days, I feel fine. I haven't had a real "sweets" cravings yet but there is still time, that is my one weakness.

We leave for California in 2 weeks. At that time all bets are off. I do not diet on vacation! So, it seems like I will be doing Phase 1 after vacation too!

In other not very interesting news but outrageous enough for me to mention. We are in the process of finding a company to paint our house. We found this company at the home show which claims their "coating" lasts a lifetime and prevents, mold, mildew, cracks etc. The sales guy was here for a freaking 3 hours!!! First number he gives us is 27K! What the heck?? He then says that we get 25% off from the home show. Yahoo! That brings us down to aboout 20K. When he saw that we weren't biting, in typical "car salesman" style he says "Let me call my manager and see what he says. Comes back with $14,800. No go on that. He finally said rock bottom $12,900. You know, Danny thought really hard about it because it sounds like a good product with a lifetime guarantee (although it's double what it would cost to just paint) plus they have a 1 yr interest free plan. But when Danny asked to let us think about it and go over our finances, the guy says that the price he gives us is only good for today. Oh well buddy, you just wasted 3 hours! He would have saved so much time by giving us a price from the beginning! Plus I hate it when they beat around the bush, just give me the real price from the get go! 27K? how would I tell Kat that she can't go to college because we need to "coat" the house???

Spring Break Comes to an End

Although technically it is the girls' Spring Break, reap some benefits as well. I don't have to drag myself out of bed and drive them to school. I get to sleep an extra hour or so and that makes me happy. On the other hand, every thing around here goes back on schedule. I have been slacking on stuff that needs to get done around here and I usually am good about getting it done. Routine can sometimes be good.

It's been a lazy week, but it's time to get back to normal. I layed out by the pool trying to even out my farmers tan that I aquired at the Ellen taping last week. It didn't help much. I guess SPF 30 decided to wor for once. By the way those 2 white hills in the picture are my knees!

What Should We Do???

Well, we have our air fare, hotel, and car rental. I was hoping to be able to go to see "The Price is Right" and a studio taping of "Ellen" but it doesn't look like either one will happen. We don't know what we should do. We will be there for 5 days. On our last trip we did Disney, Santa Monica, Malibu, Rodeo, Hollywood, Queen Mary, WB Tour & Getty Center. Does anyone have any other suggestions on fun things to do & see? We are considering driving to San Diego for a day but we're not sure yet. I don't generally like to spend my vacation time shopping, I do enough of that here.

What's the World Coming to???

I just read this and started thinking of what I was doing in 5th grade. I can guarantee that it never came close to that! I'm not saying that in 5th grade I did not like boys. My mom claims that I came out of the womb liking boys. I never thought that boys had cooties or anything like that. Actually, I was probably already wallpapering my bedroom with Shaun Cassidy posters. But this is outrageous! I cannot even imagine being the parent and being called in for that!

California Here We Come... Again!

We couldn't pass up this deal. Spirit was having another $9 sale plus we had a $40 voucher so in the end we didn't pay a penny plus they issued us a seperate $6 voucher! I don't know how that happened. All I know is that we both are flyin for FREE! I LOVE that word! We are going for 5 days on April 25th. One of our last minute things. Already booked a car just need to find a place to stay. We also want to try to go see The Price Is Right before BB retires and maybe get into a (smaller) taping of Ellen. One of the highlights of our West Coast trips is the availability of In-n-Out burgers! Yum. I am very easy to please. Cheap date, dontch think?

In other news, I finally booked our air for Hawaii in September. We are flying Hawaiian from LA. Was very happy to hear last night that they have the best record of on time & baggage handling.

For a person who did not get on a plane until well into my 30's, (Actually, I first got on a plane for my 39th birthday! ) I have already taken 8 flights since 10/2005 and 2 were on commuter planes! It still takes an Ativan & a Benadryl plus my noise cancelling earphones. But at least I'll see the places that I want to see before I die. I have seen Vegas, The Grand Canyon, Sedona, NYC, Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada, San Fran and spots in between to LA including Yosemite. Hawaii, God willing, in Sept. is on the top of my list, as is Europe. The latter will have to wait though, because I am not quite ready for transatlantic. Hawaii would have been long but we fly to LA for a few days first since I'm such a wimp!

So are any of you wimpy flyers like me? What do you do to relieve the fear & anxiety?

We are home! There is only so much I can take of all four of us in one hotel room with one bathroom! Plus, I have nowhere to kick Danny out to when he starts snoring! I did suggest that the louge chairs out by the pool looked quite comfy, but he did not seem to agree. Needless to say, I am kind of sleep deprived.

We went to the Saturday taping of Ellen's show. We got there around 11 AM and were able to chill in a lounge to about 1PM. At this time, they took us out to where the show would be taped. When I say "out", I mean "OUT". The show is taped outside. We sat there for a good 3 hours. I have a killer "farmer's tan", actually a burn on my right side, since that is where the sun hit me directly for 3 hrs. They were kind enough to give us water bottles, since I'm sure they didn't want a bunch of dead bodies in the audience. Whoever said that women don't sweat, that they perspire, flat out LIED!!! Thank God that I didn't forget my deodorant! The show was fun. There were tons of people. I would venture to guess about 1000 including the stand-by folks. I'm sure that I would enjoy a studio show better. The guests were John Cougar Mellencamp & John Stamos (Uncle Jesse) who is still yummy looking.

We were each given 1 year annual passes. Although I had sworn off theme parks, I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth so we went to the parks. If it were up to me they would have been on Ebay already (they each retail for $180) but Danny is a big kid. He doesn't mind the heat, the lines & the cranky people. So I see us going back several times before they expire. Oh Joy!

We watched the Mardi Gras Parade & caught a ton of beads! We didn't even have to flash anything! That would have been a scary sight though!

I'm happy to be home. I love my bed. Oh, and I hate 4 hour car rides!

*** I forgot to mention that the show airs on Wednesday. She has some really funny clips which almost made me pee my pants! Plus if you see a lady in a green top with white polka dots (looks like a maternity top), that's me!***

Another Contest

Yep, there's another contest over at 5 Minutes for Mom. This time it's for a Dyson Slim. I so would love to win this! Gotta love a good contest.

In other news, I will be out of town till Monday. We're heading out to Orlando in about 1/2 hour to go see Ellen!!! I'm so looking foward to it, but what I am not looking foward to is the 4 hour car ride! Anyhoo, I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Fair Again!

My girls are probably reading my blog and probably felt sorry for their old mom. Either that or they were just in the mood for junk food. We went back to the fair last night. This time the girls came with us. Actually, we went because my brother & nephew were going. My nephhew likes for us to go when he goes.

We caught the sealion show that we missed the night before. So cute. We even dished out $10 for a crappy polaroid with the sealions. Too funny, when you get up close to them, they either plop their head on your head or shoulder and pose. Kari's hair smelled like fish afterward.

We all look jaundiced. I hate polaroids. Actually, I hate taking pictures period. That is why I am usually behind the camera. I don't know why I keep wearing these empire tops that make me look oh so pregnant! The double chin does not help either!

Wiki meme

I got this one from Melissa

Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday month and day only.

• October 12

List 3 events that occurred that day

• 1492 - Christopher Columbus's expedition makes landfall in the Caribbean, specifically in The Bahamas. The explorer believes he has reached East Asia

• 1681 - A London woman is publicly flogged for the crime of "involving herself in politics".

• 1773 - America's first insane asylum opens for 'Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds' in Virginia
So there you have it!

List 2 important birth days.

• 1904 - Ding Ling, Chinese writer (d. 1986)

• 1968 - Hugh Jackman, Australian actor and singer

List 1 death.

•1870 - Robert E. Lee, American Confederate general (b. 1807)

Holiday or Observance. (if any):

•Columbus Day (traditionally) - United States.

I don’t share my birthday with anybody that I actually know about. So I chose 1 that I do and one because the name cracked me up! So, on my birth date they opened an insane asylum (how appropriate) and Ding (a) Ling was born!!

County Fair Full Circle

Many years ago, when I was a tot I would go to the County Fair with my parents and/or grandparents. Back then it was focused more on livestock & less on rides. As I grew older, around my teen years, I would still go with a parental unit but would add friends to the mix. Then came the dates to the fair. By now the focus had shifted from livestock to rides. Danny & I got married, then started taking our kids. We spent many years contained to the kiddie area. As our girls got older, we started taking their friends with us as well. Today, Danny & I went to the fair by ourselves. On a date somewhat. The girls now go with their friends. Not with us. It's the circle of life and it was expected. We just have to go with the flow. Like I say to all my friends who still have little ones, enjoy them while you can. Time goes by way to fast. I found myself wanting to stand next to the merry go round waving at my girls as they rode by.

Danny & I go to the fair to eat, watch shows, eat, see the exhibits, eat then eat some more. Yes, we're fatties. But the fair only comes around once a year. I even tried fried oreos. Geez, they fry anything now a days!

By the way, I want an alpaca!

Men

Someone emailed this to me today and I thought I would share on here.



1. Men are like . .. Laxatives ... They irritate the crap out of you.
2. Men are like .... Bananas ... The older they get, the less firm they are.
3. Men are like .... Weather ... Nothing can be done to change them.
4. Men are like ... Blenders .... You need One, but you're not quite sure why.
5. Men are like .... Chocolate Bars .... Sweet, smooth, & they usually head right for your hips.
6. Men are like ... Commercials ... You can't believe a word they say.
7. Men are like .... Department Stores .... Their clothes are always 1/2 off.
8. Men are like ... Government Bonds .... They take soooooooo long to mature.
9. Men are like ... Mascara ... They usually run at the first sign of emotion.
10. Men are like .. Popcorn ... They satisfy you, but only for a little while.
11. Men are like ... Snowstorms .... You never know when they're coming, how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.
12. Men are like .. Lava Lamps .... Fun to look at, but not very bright.
13. Men are like Parking Spots .... All the good ones are taken, the rest are handicapped.

Drooling @ the Home Show

Danny & I went to the Miami Beach Home Show at the convention center yesterday. Traffic was insane. All the lots were full with folks waiting for a car to come out in order to be let in. I told cheap Danny just to valet, at least just ask how much they are charging. Heck, parking at the municipal lots is $10 and you wave to walk about 2 blocks plus it was raining. So after he drives around for about 1/2 hour in inch crawling traffic (at almost $3 per gallon of gas) he decides to take my advice. Finally! He won't admit that I was right though. Valet Parking= $15 plus no walking, plus no driving around in circles, plus stayed dry!!! Will he ever learn?

The show was ok. Got a few ideas, set up a few appointments but didn't actually buy anything yet. We've learned from past experience that there is no such thing as "Show Price". I did spin a wheel at one booth and got to do that money grabber machine thing. Danny didn't take a picture but it was hilarious! Free money is free money no matter how much it is. I stuck my arms in the slots and the machine starts blowing crumpled $1 bills around for 20 seconds. I managed to grab $16. It's harder than you think. I wish I had a picture!

After the show we went to eat at The Knife. This is a carnivores dream. But you also must go with a good appetite. For me, it's a waste. I had a salad, a small filet mignon & fries and I was stuffed. They also have a bunch of weird stuff that I was afraid to try. Dinner comes with dessert, so I had to have that as well. Plus a bottle of wine. Supposedly a bottle of red wine for each. I mixed my wine with sprite (my sangria version) and after 3 tiny glasses, my ears were getting hot! I can no longer hold my liquor! One glass & I'm done! I can't even have more than one yummy froo froo frozen drink. I'm such a wimp!

Just one thing...

I was out running errands today and my car decided that it wanted to go to Target. Before I realized it, I was in the parking lot. I just ran in to grab one thing. I didn't grab a cart because I am strong enough to carry my little bottle of eye make up remover. The Glade plug ins are on sale so I grab 3 of those. Certain photo albums are 75% off, so I grab one. Then I walk by shoes and saw a cute pair of sandals, why not? To make my story short, by the time I made it to the register my arms were marked & red! Should have gotten a cart!

I was telling the girl at the register that I wanted my kid to get a job there at Target so that I could enjoy her discount. She asks "How old is your kid?" I tell her that one is 16 & one is 18. Her: "No Way! How old are you??" I tell her and she says that I don't look 40. I almost hugged her!! Especially since I have been having some "I feel totally yuck" days.

Warning: Major Ranting Below

Last May, a woman was speeding and driving erratically when she lost control of her car, which jumped onto the sidewalk and slammed into an 8 year old child killing him instantly. He was on the sidewalk. I remember this like it was yesterday. I was angry. As I always am when I hear stories like this or when I'm driving in a school zone and people haul ass past me. I was even angrier when they released the 911 tape of the driver's call. She sounded very matter of fact and expressed no emotion. Even when she told the operator that the child had been decapitated. I almost vomited. Actually, I think I did.

Today the driver was sentenced. She pled "No Contest". Charged with vehicular homicide. She will serve 364 days in jail but only on the weekends -- Friday night through Sunday night.
Her driver's license has been suspended for 10 years and she will be on probation for 10 years.
She also has to serve 1,000 hours of community service and must go to traffic school.

Huh???? I know it was not intentional. But I believe that it could have been prevented if only she had obeyed the law, in this case, the speed limit.

The boy's father stated in court, and I quote, "Every time this came on the docket, I've been here." "This woman just sits there stone-cold-faced as if she is the victim. She is not the victim. He is the victim."

Just like she sounded the day of the accident. No sign of remorse.

I pray for this boy's family. I cannot even imagine...

Ha!

You paid attention during 86% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

Lucky for me, I have always been a good "test taker". I scored high on the SAT & got a 97% on my Real Estate License exam. BUT in high school, I was a B/C kid! Mainly the C's were in science & math. Really, how much of the math that you were required to learn in school do you actually use now??? I can add, subtract, divide & mutliply. That is all I need in my life. I can figure out percentages for sales & commissions, so I am set! I can guarantee that the 3 questions that I missed were either math or science questions unless I messed up on my age & gender! Although I don't remember what pi is or what purpose it serves, I do remember that it is infinite and has something to do with 3.14, that's it! I wonder how I would do on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?"

Happy 18th Birthday Kat!

My baby girl is 18! OMG! Seems like only yesterday...

I feel sooooo old!

What's in your bag?

Fortunately, I decided to do this today & not 5 days ago when I changed purses. My other bag was loaded with crumpled up receipts that I just throw in my bag. There was only one in this bag, so my picture does no look like a total garbage bin. So this is all the junk that I have in my purse right now. Luckily this is one of my smaller bags so the junk is at a minimum!

**********************************

• Pen
• Gum
• Keys
• Phone
• Wallet
• Camera
• IPod Nano
• Sungalsses
• Hand Cream
• Mineral Veil
• Hand Sanitizer
• Orchid Spray
• Advil & Tylenol
• Linens & Things Receipt
• My Nitro (Just in case)
• Lip gloss & balm
• Mints (handful takn from restaurant)

So, What's in YOUR Bag?????

Fondue!

YUMMY!!!

Danny & I went to the Melting Pot last night. We went for dinner but quite frankly, I can skip everyting between the cheese & the chocolate! Milk chocolate with a shot of amaretto and sprinkled with candied hazelnuts. YUM!

Is it any wonder that I don't lose the weight???? My will power sucks!

Saturday Photo Hunt~ Architecture

Villa Vizcaya

Villa Vizcaya was the summer home of James Deering from 1916-25. Now it is open as a museum here in Miami. Located directly on Biscayne Bay. This is a nice place to visit. After touring the house, you can tour the gardens and just sit back & enjoy the views.

Last Dance

When Donna Summer's "Last Dance" was played, we all knew that the party was over. So lets dance the last dance because my blog party has come to an end. I hate to rush ya'll out but, I'm dead tired. Been partying for almost a week you know. Come back and visit again soon, because according to my husband, my life's a party!

To make up for my ranting post below, here is a video post that makes me laug no matter how many times I see it!

How Men Screw Up Romance!

Q: Ever wonder why the IRS calls it Form 1040?

A: For every $50 you make, you get to keep $10 & the Govt takes $40!


Kat lives with us. We feed her. We pay all her expenses. We insure her. We take care of her, we don't depend on the government to do so. Yet we can't get a tax credit for her this year because she is 17 . Plus our measley credit for Kari was reduced for this final year. We paid a gazillion in taxes. I just wish we could choose what our taxes go to.

I am so tired of going the grocery store & the person ahead of me in line is paying in food stamps that she pulled out from her Louis Vuitton purse. She is also usually dripping in jewelry & driving a Mercedes. She shops at the neighborhood grocery store which is in a slightly upper middle class neighborhood, so more than likely she lives in the immediate vicinity. While I'm on this rant, the stats for the area schools show that about 80% of the kids receive free or reduced lunch. Yet when my poor grandfather was alive he only received about $50 a month to survive on. We don't take care of our elderly yet let the cheats get away with highway robbery that we end up paying for! GEEZ!


No, I have not gone off the deep end. We just did our taxes yesterday and I am still steaming!!

I'll post something to make ya'll laugh soon. Laughter is the best medicine ya know!

Celebrity Look Alikes

I did this again because they deleted my other one. Can you imagine if they did a body recogntion instead of a face recognition????

Don't Forget the party is still going on at 5 minutes for Mom

Clarification

I just wanted to clarify that I did NOT design this template. This was done by Zoot Design wich is listed in the credits below. I just added my stuff to it. I do want to learn how to do my own, but for now this will do. Heck, everything that I've added to it has been trial & error. Don't ask me to go back and do it again, because it will take me hours. AGAIN! :)

Anyhoo, I just noticed that my Hawaii countdown is at under 200 days! Yay! We're just that much closer! I started my countdown at 300 days, so it's a big deal for me.

I better get my rear in gear and vacuum up a bit & fold laundry. I HATE folding laundry. I hate vacuuming too. Heck, I hate housework, period! But I hate a messy house so it's a no win situation.

Child of the 70's

If YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 70'S...

~You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it.

~You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels.

~You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (Actually my 1st TV crush was Speed Racer)

~You owned a "Slip-n-Slide",on which you injured yourself on a sprinkler head more than once. ?

~You owned "Klick-Klacks" and smacked yourself in the face more than once.

~You watched the Sonny & Cher religiously

~You remember having to get off the couch to change the TV channel with a knob.

~You ever had a Dorothy Hamill haircut or used Short and Sassy shampoo.

~You spent hours in your backyard on your metal swing set with the trapeze. The swing set tipped over at least once.

~You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole with the bump & the buckle).

~You wanted your first kiss to be at a roller rink.!

~Your hairstyle was described as having "wings" or "feathers" and you kept it "pretty" with the comb you kept in your back pocket. ~ When you walked, the "wings" flapped up and down, looked like you were gonna "take off"

~You carried a lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic. With the thermos inside!

~Schoolhouse Rock played a HUGE part in how you learned things like grammar, math and history. (A big hint here is if the only way you can recite the Preamble to the Constitution is by singing it.)

~You actually believed that Mikey, the kid on the Life cereal commercials, died after eating Pop Rocks and drinking a Coke.

~It was a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz" would come on TV. Your mom would break out the Jiffy Pop popcorn & let you stay up late !

~You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: "Who will I marry. Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or David Cassidy..?"

~You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your portable tape player up to the speaker.

~You danced the "Bump" & "The Bus Stop" to the beat of:

"To rock the boat, don't rock the boat baby

Rock the boat, don't tip the boat over

Rock the boat, don't rock the boat baby

Rock the booooooaaaat"

~You collected Wacky Packages trading cards.

~You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat. ?

~You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.

~You drowned yourself in Love's Baby Soft - which was the first "real" perfume you ever owned . . .

~ you glopped your lips in Strawberry Roll-on lip gloss till it almost dripped off.

~ Your family owned a rotary phone.

~ Your kitchen had avocado green or sunflower yellow appliances.

All Colorful & Prettified!

Since I am suffering from a mild case of blog envy, I decided to change my design. Not only to make it pretty, but also more colorful to lift my spirits. I want 2 side bars but I haven't figured that out yet either. This will have to do for now. I am determined to learn how to do this blog design thing eventually. Don't forget that the party is still going on at 5 Minutes For Mom. My party post is a few posts below this one.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Nineteen Years & Counting. Here we are in all our 1980's glory!

Still Partying in my Jammies

I am determined to visit all the blogs on the Ultimate Blog Party list @ 5 Minutes For Mom. The more I visit, the longer the list gets, so I may not be successful. It seems never ending. If you are here for the party, you will need to scroll down one day. Since I am somewhat blog illiterate, I do not know how to post a sticky. Aside from that, after visiting so many awesomely designed blogs, I realized how little I know about this blog design thing. My blog is so PLAIN! I need to start working on making it all prettified!

I got this "Stress Test" by Email and I thought that I would share it with you.

Take this Stress Test!
Im not sure exactly how this works, but it is amazingly accurate. Read the full description before looking at the picture.The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary's Hospital. Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water.

The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical, a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins.

The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing. Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may want to take a vacation.


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You can tell me your results but I may not respond right away because I'll be on Vacation!

Never take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Party Time!!!!!!!!

It's finally time for the party that we've all been waiting for over at 5 Minutes For Mom. You can bloghop and meet tons of new people and maybe win a prize! If you haven't already signed up, I think you still can. So head on over there and have some fun! My blender is at the ready and I will be mixing up some daiquiris and setting out some munchies. My music is pumping so let's get this party started!

Oh, and if you are visiting me for the first time, don't be shy. Step up and say Hello! I love to meet new friends!

I type off the top of my head. So you are likely to come upon tons of typos, run on sentences, bad grammar etc. On top of that my laptop tends to skip some letters sometimes so you will be guessing at what I meant to say, unless I catch it which I usually don't because I rarel proof read :) So how's that for run on????

So here's a little about me although it is all probably on this blog.

I am a mom to 2 teen girls & have been married to my DH for 19 years( on Monday). My girls & my DH are my life. I live in Miami (born & raised) and am a SAHM. My passion is traveling with our next major trip in Septemeber to the wonderful state of Hawaii! I can't think of anything else so for now I'll let you go back to your regularly scheduled partying!

Please sign in below so I can visit you if I haven't already done so!

Nice to Meet You!