Daylight Savings Time IS the devil...

Isn't it time to be done with this evil clock nonsense? The farmers don't need it anymore; they have headlights on the combines.

I don't need it anymore....except in the fall when we go back an hour. I suppose there's only so many times you can do that, though. I'm convinced it adds to my dark-circled eyes.

So here I sit at 10:04 p.m. on a Saturday night bemoaning my next move after I click this computer off. 11:04>

Good night, world.

Today has been a total waste of a day.
Sometimes it's good to have a wasted day, though. I just have to turn my brain off sometimes. Okay, no comments about that last sentence!

Today was an eat-a-whole-bag-of-gummy-bears day while reading a book from the "Bathroom Readers Institute". Hey, it was educational.

I put supper in the crockpot this morning, so nothing to worry about there. Jeff and I are going to the bakery to get a little yummy for my birthday. I don't really want stuff; besides, I just spent some $$ at Coldwater Creek and I can't add to the spending guilt! LOL Jeff picked out a gorgeously cute jacket top for me. He's actually fun to clothes shop with...good eye.

I can't believe I actually did this: I bought a pair of shoes just because they were cute!! I NEVER do this with shoes. But I couldn't pass them up. They're black lace, 2.5" heels, very small, slightly fluffed lace lining the top and a small black bow. I have nick-named them "the shoes of death".

As everyone who knows anything knows: if your shoes don't hurt, they don't look good. I used to wear pumps/heels all the time growing up, but now I mostly wear flats. So, my eyes were saying, "CUTE!", my toes were saying, "OI!", and my brain was saying, "WHAAA...???"

If I die tomorrow, I want to be buried wearing those shoes.

Skinny Tomorrow?

TV offers us some incredible claims. We're just supposed to believe it's true if it's on TV.

Isn't it funny to watch a commercial with some guy in a white coat waxing elequently about medical matters....and then in very tiny print underneath there is a disclaimer??? Turns out this guy isn't really a doctor, after all.

LOL

Try to pick out a diet-pill aid strictly by watching the commercials. WOW, they're ALL the greatest and strongest. Have you seen the tiny print that says, "Weight loss result not typical"?

But today's claim realllly cracked me up.

Today, "Tony" was excitedly telling me about this fantastic diet, how much weight he lost, his before and after picture, blah, blah, blah.

But THEN, the camera zooms in closely to Tony's face. He points his finger at me through the TV screen and he says, "You do not have to be fat for one more day!!"

Yes, Tony, we do have to be fat for one more day. If I take Tony's fat pill today, I will most certainly be fat tomorrow. I know this is absolutely true because otherwise Tony would be a bzillionaire and not a compensated actor.

It Has to be Organic

Taking middle-school fun to another height, Jonathan borrowed "The Dangerous Book for Boys". It's crammed full of important things every boy must know to get along in life successfully. Seriously, who could resist such a book?

All sorts of things are in this mystifying book, whose very title alone draws a young man into it and implores him to greedily read every page of its near-contraband subjects.

Subjects such as:
"The Greatest Paper Airplane in the World"
"Making a Battery"
"Building a Treehouse"
"Making a Bow and Arrow"
"Pocket Light" (we built one; it works!)

The most intriguing subject to catch a boy's eye, though, would be the subject entitled "Secret Inks". Oh, yes, innocent...and a bit... provocative.

*****

I came home from a very short trip to the laundrymat; so short, in fact, that I was gone from home a mere ten minutes.

Walking in the front door, I heard the familiar "DING!" on the microwave. I would have naturally thought that another bag of popcorn was going to its great reward, but what I heard made my mother-radar stand on end.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! It's BOILING! It's BOILING!!"

Horrified at what might be behind such raucous laughter, I ran into the kitchen to see my favorite tea cup in the now steamed-up microwave. Such a pretty teacup, she was. Large-sized, white with pink roses, a pink rim and a lone rose on the inside--this cup has been more than a cup to hold hot liquids. This was a friend. This was a little thing of comfort on a cold day full of my favorite hot teas...peppermint, chamomile, orange spice...I digress.

I'm speaking of my teacup in past tense for a reason.

My tingling spidey-senses led me to ask, "WHAT'S boiling??"

"My pee! My pee is boiling! HAHAHAHAHA"

My cup...my microwave...the smell...everything is swirling...

"WHY? WHY would you PEE in my CUP?" I implored, desperate for a sensible answer.

"I'm making Secret Ink, and I need something carbon-based and organic!"
As in, "Duh, mom, like I would just pee in your favorite cup for no good reason."

I pointed out the lemon juice, milk, and egg in the refrigerator. Didn't matter at all. Oh, no, we should use urine. And we should boil it.

I'm mean; I made him dump the steaming pee into the toilet. Jeff told me I could soak my cup in bleach and then wash it through the dishwasher.

I could never do that, not after that event. That cup could be boiled in bleach for a year, and I would never use it. It has since gone to its great reward.

There are a few morals to this story.

The most obvious moral would be:
1) Don't buy a book that starts with the word 'Dangerous' for a middle-school boy.
Following closely behind that would be:
2)Keep more popcorn in the cupboard
3)Take him to the laundrymat with me
...and last, but most importantly:
4)Have a back-up teacup

***

Prayer Request

Jenna's bedtime prayer tonight:

"Jesus, please bless us all with a big bag of Cheetos"

It's Been a Year?

Hmmm...wow, where do I catch up?

New job (almost a year--very impressive, indeed --the year part, not the job)
Surgery (I'm fine now; you don't want to know)
Survived a few near-death asthma attack experiences
2 departed society finches (very sad finding)
2 new Lady Gouldian finches--one male, one female (very colorful; just sharing a cage)
Read a couple of books (got to get better at that)
Got into the Funkey's phase (we have them all except Glub!)
Moved my bedroom into the former family room (painted Benjamin Moore's Stratford Blue)
Building a wall for the new bedroom (in the drywall phase)
Gained weight (stupid steroids!)
Singing a lot
Playing keys

Have a newly-appointed favorite movie: "Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium"
New Favorite Quote: "Life is an occassion; rise to it." (from the above)
New "Need": a large, silver moon mirror. Completely rounded circle mirror with part of it filled in with a brushed silver in a crescent shaped moon. Never seen one, but it sounds nice.

I suppose there's much more, but maybe there isn't.

The world may never know.

In light of the previous post ("...Why Not be a Parakeet?") I'm enjoying this song:
"The Littlest Birds Sing the Prettiest Songs"

I've got no idea who the Be Good Tanya's are, so I just take this song on it's own merit. Hope you enjoy it.

Hmmm.....Why Not be a Parakeet?

We've been having fun as a family with our new birds. David has been pouring over his parakeet "owner's manual" and we've learned some interesting things about these very common, inexpensive birds.

Along with what we've read, I've had some interesting thoughts myself. Well, they were interesting enough to me.

Yeah, so there's some beautiful and exotic birds out there. The high-pricey kinds with high maintenance attached to them. I can appreciate their beauty, but I don't really want to get all wrapped up in that type of bird.

A little like people, isn't it?

Parakeets come in some beautiful colors, and they're friendly birds. They actually LIKE people and enjoy being hand tamed. They appreciate treats, enjoy their baths and sing along with music that we play. Basically, they are what they are and enjoy their life to its full capacity.

Hmmmm....a little bit like people, isn't it?

Puts a little bit of glamour back in my parakeet life.

I'll take that just fine.

Parakeet World

David saved up his birthday money and was anxious to buy himself a lizard. He's been wanting an iguana for about a year. I haven't been wanting an iguana for about a year.

After spending some time in the pet store (where Jenna was literally begging for a RAT-eww!), I commented to David, "Boy, those lizards don't really do a whole lot, do they?" Jeff just looked at me and smiled; he knew the point I was trying to make. Hahahaha

That comment made a lot of sense to David as he studied them for awhile trying to make up his mind.

I've been wanting a couple of finches for awhile, so I suggested David and Jonathan pool their money and each get a parakeet--you know, they hop around, fly around, chirp and sing. A whole lot more action than a lizard--and not so much smell. Ick.

So far, they've been fun to have. I've got 4 finches (2 society, 2 spice) that chirp and sing pretty little ditties. Jenna's parakeet (Koochie) is friendly, as well as David's bird (Blueberry). I have named Jonathan's bird "Devil Bird" because he's a little grumpy and bites hard! I wouldn't mind stuffing the little devil back into the Petsmart box and exchanging him for, I don't know, a less EVIL one?

When I decide to do something, I sure don't do it half-heartedly. We've gone from 0 to 7 birds in one Sunday afternoon.

In the Mind of a 10 year old.....

David asked how old our house was. I couldn't recall exactly without getting up and looking, so I just said, "Oh, about 30 years old or so."

"Wow! You're older than our house!"
"Like 6 YEARS older!"
incredulous stare
"So the people who built this house are probably DEAD!"

He may not live to see his 11th birthday.

And the Insane Mother-of-the-Year Award Goes To.....

.....Bonnie Forester

Jenna had her 3rd birthday on Dec. 22nd. Way too close to Christmas to invite friends for a party. Then there's New Year. Then there's everybody getting back to school. Then there's mom who just keeps putting it off because her little girl doesn't know she's getting scammed....

But David's birthday is Feb. 18. He's 10. He's too old to get scammed. He's old enough to keep counting down the days. Jenna's a pretty smart little cookie who keeps catching onto the words "birthday party" which David keeps throwing around the house a few times each day.

"Mommy, is it almost MY birthday?"

"Yep, pretty soon. It's coming pretty soon."

There was no getting out of a birthday party for David, and I was still feeling guilty about Jenna. So I had both parties ON THE SAME DAY. I figured we would just trash the house ONCE instead of twice.

It turned out pretty well, all being said. We just kept rotating party groups through some games. A few moms stayed, so the adult company was nice too!

One little girl won an AirHead candy for winning pin-the-tail on the donkey. She said, "Is this all I get?" HAHAHAHAHAHA I laughed so hard. Isn't it great when it's somebody else's kid that says that for once?? (Aren't you secretly happy when some OTHER toddler cries in the store?? See, I'M a GOOD parent! LOL)

Jenna had a princess theme for her party. The boys who came were the brave knights!

Her Sleeping Beauty costume is a little big, so the front really sags down. We thought it was funny she needed to wear her shirt underneath it due to the "plunging neckline" on a 3 year old.

David couldn't decide on a theme, so he just stuck with "birthday party". He got a new game for his DS, and basketball pants from mom and dad.

So.........it's the day after the parties. The house is still trashed.

Oh, well.

The kids are happy, and mommy wants a HOT bubble bath.

Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out

Every moment is a teaching moment when you're a parent, right??

Sunday was David's 10th birthday! He said he had the greatest party EVER! One friend brought him a spy set which included--among other CIA-type devices--was a marker with invisible ink. The only way a person can read what was "secretly" written is with a special light. Pretty cool.

He had some fun writing secret messages and then turning off all the lights and reading them in the dark with his special light.

Which brings me to.....

Our children's ministry's bowling party on Monday morning!

We never go bowling except for a special event, so we pretty much stink at bowling. We do have a lot of fun laughing, though!

Things were going along quite well for the first half of the bowling party.

Then, they turned out the lights and turned on the black lights for Cosmic Bowling! All the kids were laughing at each other's clothes glowing in the dark.

Then David turned around to talk to us.

Remember that "invisible" marker that only shows up under the special lighting? The bowling alley has this "special" lighting, too! Who knew??

After bed time, David wasn't done using his marker. Hey, if you're outta paper, you've always got your face! Shoot, who's gonna know you went crazy markering yourself? It's INVISIBLE!!

What in the World??

Okay, I don't know what has happened with this new blogger move. What I DO know is it is a little screwy.

Thanks for your patience!

Jesus and Jenna

Jenna has been on a big "Jesus" kick lately.
Not that I'm complaining...

She really wanted hot dogs for breakfast the other day. I told her no, I had already made scrambled eggs. She wasn't happy about that.

"Jesus said I get hot dogs!"

Try not laughing right out loud hearing that out of the blue.

It wasn't any better at Wal-Mart. She LOVES Baby Alive. But, for goodness sake, Baby Alive is $40.00. (How about Baby Get-a-Job??)

She pulled it down (thing weighs as much as she does!) and tried to get it in the cart.

"We can't get that today, baby. Let's just look at it. Did you press her bracelet?"

So she pressed the bracelet, and Baby Alive says, "I love you, mommy."

Jenna's little heart melts into an even bigger puddle.

"She LOVES me. I'm hers mom."

....brief pause....

"God said I need her and it's okay"

(No, I didn't buy Baby Alive!)