Fun Monday

Fun Monday this week is hosted by Robin over at Pensieve. She let us vote on the topic of the week. And although the one that I voted for did not win ( Favorite childhood book...oh what a post you would have been!) I enjoyed this challenge quite a bit.

Shoes tell a lot about a person and we wanna delve deeply into your soul sole. Photograph your favorite pair--or pairs--of shoes and tell us a little about why they're near and dear to your toes heart (I can't wait to see how Swampy ties this in to Breast Cancer Awareness!). Follow in Jenny's footsteps and make a foot-family portrait...show us your baby bronzed booties...let us see the shoes YOU HAD TO HAVE (but have never worn)...or all those grotesquely dyed-to-match formerly white satin bridemaid's shoes that were worn ONCE...the reinforced steel-toe boots that saved your big toe from being hacked off in that industrial "accident"...or, just take pictures of your nekkid feet--gnarly bunions, twin toes, or perfectly OPI-pedicured tootsies.

So here you go world, here are my feet. Actually, these are Randy's and my feet. His are the slightly hairier ones on the left. Mine are the bigger ones attached to the chubbier calves. This is the view of our feet that I get when we watch television together. Sweet, huh?

I have shared this picture before, but I just had to include it with this post. These are the $50 shoes that I got for my birthday. I know that some of you are like "$50 shoes?? My slippers cost $50." Just know that in my cheap ass life ( I am the cheap ass and this is my life) $50 shoes are a big deal. I love these shoes with all of my heart. They are comfortable and cute. They are also a little girlier and grown up that my usual shoes. That is right guys, I am becoming a woman.

These are my sandals. They are probably the most comfortable shoes in the universe. I do not kid myself that these shoes are cute. I just love them nonetheless. These shoes are also telling me that as soon as I finish this post, I am off to cut my toenails.

These are my favorite casual shoes. These shoes look totally awesome with jeans. Well, to me they do. They are the perfect jeans shoe. I have had them for a couple of years now. If I had to pick a shoe that looks the most like me this would be it...hmmm odd.

These ugly white satin ballet slippers are my wedding shoes. More that anything else, these shoes tell the story of how uncomfortable I felt about the fact that my husband was 7 inches shorter than me when we got married. I couldn't have the slightest height on the shoe, " My God, Mom! Are you crazy!! A regular flat!!! Hell no!! I can't afford to be one millimeter taller than I have to be in this wedding!!! Can't I please go barefooted???" Thank God I got over that. I can now wear shoes that actually have soles. He is still short and I am still tall, I just got over it. (And the snazzy pants in these pictures? My pajamas :)

These are my Mississippi State slippers. Lovely, no? I graduated from Mississippi State in 1999, the same year that I got married. Three years later, on the way to the hospital to have Super Z, Randy gave me these as an early Christmas present ( It was December 20). These shoes have been at the hospital with me when I had both of my babies and they kept my tootsies warm on those long sleepless breastfeeding nights. I think I will keep these forever.

Haiku Friday

Man, I really feel like I am slacking on the real posts this week. But I know that you guys understand, right? I work in the accounting business and that means that the last week of the month (every single month) is a crazy stressed out trip. I promise, next week I will be able to slow down the pace and pay a little more attention to you guys. Maybe I will do a meme that I was tagged for, post about choosing a Religion, and pass on a few awards that I have gotten. How does all of that sound? Great! I will do my best.
So now, on to Haiku Friday. I have to admit that this is my favorite of all the group assignments. I love the haiku. They bring me peace and a harmonic sense of balance. My theme this week is Things that make me happy. (Note the family in haiku 2 is a southern family...mine to be exact, so it is pronounced famly.

The grass underfoot

is full and thick and perfect,

a perfect picnic.

***

Family fills the room

Voices and music echo

all throughout my heart.

***

Do it again, Mom!

Throw me higher and higher!

His smile makes me whole.

***

The conversation,

begins every morning.

The story of us.

***

The funniest joke,

laughing so hard that the tea

comes out of my nose.

***

Tickling baby toes,

hearing musical laughter,

how big can she smile?

***

Tell me your stories,

the cadence flows like water

sands of time fall back.

***

A perfect fall breeze

on a perfect sunny day,

everyone is there.

Thursday 13

13 Annoying Things That My Sweet Husband Does

1. He is a big whiny baby when he is sick. I mean, Princess H has nothing on this man. Each illness is the sickest that he has ever been in his entire life. If he keeps up this pattern he'll be dead by 40.
2. He does not like to go out and eat. He would rather pick something up and bring it back home. To this I say, what is the point?
3. He can't find anything...ever, even if it is RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS NOSE.
4. He is shorter than me, and he puts his cold feet against my legs when we get in bed. Ladies, I know that many of your husbands' complain about this. Please have pity on them.
5. When I get aggravated at him, his solution is to pucker up his lips and blow me a kiss.
6. He gets annoyed when I am blogging ( AKA surfing other people's blogs for too long ) and he huffs and puffs.
7. He does not know how to put wet towels in the dirty clothes hamper.
8. He hangs empty clothes hangers up on the door jamb while he is folding clothes and then leaves them there.
9. When I want to sleep late on the weekends, he says that it is his day off.
10. He talks to our neighbors and I don't. In being friendly, he makes me look decidedly unfriendly. haha, I am really evil, huh?
11. He is the nice parent, so therefore I am the not so nice parent.
12. He does not eat any vegetable other than beans. Sigh, try convincing a four year old to eat broccoli when his Daddy won't.
13. He refuses to admit that I know everything.

What am I going to do with this man?

A Few Comments on My Heroes

• There is nothing that my kids like more than dressing up. In Super Z's world, dressing up means dressing up as a hero...any hero. He will then run around and yell, " I am Super fill in the blank Hero!!" Because of this, Princess H has decided that she is Super fill in the blank hero every time that she dresses up too. It doesn't matter if she is dressed as a princess or a ladybug. She will yell, " I am Sumina Bug!" In H-ese that means that she is Super Ladybug. The Ladybug costume was her Halloween costume last year. This year we are thinking Super Princess!
• The second Spiderman in the picture with Z is my nephew Tater. Don't you love how they are cradling one anothers' non-boobs? I am sorry, that just cracks me up every time that I look at that picture. In real life Tater looks like this:

Well, no that isn't quite right. He is actually more like this:

• I did not make the costumes in my Wordless Wednesday pics. I am not very crafty. If I tried to make a costume for my kids it would not be pretty. A costume that I would make would be something like a Q-tip, you know, dressed in white clothing with tons of toilet paper wrapped around their head and foot regions. :) Then we would have Sumina Q-tip! AKA - Super Q-Tip!
• The Flash is actually a new costume that we picked up at Party City last weekend. This is going to be Super Z's Halloween costume and his birthday costume. "What?", you say? Well, my son is under the impression that every year his birthday must be the same theme as his Halloween costume and he must attend the party dressed in said costume. Apparently that is a custom among the young Supers. I have no idea where it originated. All that I can tell you is that it first reared its ugly head in our home last year, at his fourth birthday party.
• The Superman costume that Princess H is wearing in the WW pics is the costume from Super Z's last Halloween/birthday.I would like to point out that at 23 months, she is almost the same size that Z was at 4. The girl takes after her Mama (6 ft.) and the boy after his Dad (5'4). Imagine our family pictures in twelve years. We are so freakin cool.
• The pink cape, that Princess H is using to dress up the Superman costume, came from our family trip to Six Flags this Summer. I bought the kiddos capes while we were waiting for Randy and Ty to finish riding roller coasters. It sucks sometimes to be little (or the Mommy watching the littles). You miss out on stuff. But fortunately the Mommy is a sucker for sad faces and is quick to use the credit card on vacation.
  

Wordless Wednesday - Invasion of the Supers...and in case you were wondering, that is Super Ladybug

Part II of the Soulsurvive Interview

So, welcome to part two of my interview from Cat over at Soulsurvive. I have read these questions and she gets a little risque here at the end of the interview. Those of you who are feint of heart may not want to read any further. :) I am just kidding, it isn't all that risque.

11. Is there anything that you've done outrageous while not in your right mind/while intoxicated, etc.?
I am not a big drinker at all these days. I will drink occasionally in social situations.
This has not always been true, however. Sadly, back in those early days I didn't always make the best decisions.
As I look back at the things I have done under the influence, I would have to say that the grand majority or them happened in high school and college, you know, before I was 21. See, this just cements my belief that teenagers are crazy. There are probably several stupid things that I have done, but I don't know about outrageous.
When I was in high school I probably kissed a few too many boys, boys that I wouldn't have otherwise looked at twice.
When I was in college, I had a tendency to talk too much when I was drinking. I think that several people ended up knowing things that I would have rather they never knew.
As far as post legal drunken mistakes, at a friend's wedding about a year after I got married, I ended up flirting a little too much with an ex boyfriend of mine. Randy wasn't there and I got a little carried away by the alcohol, music, and the dim lights. Nothing happened, of course. There was just a little flirting, but I did feel bad about it the next day.

12. What is the best date you have been on?
I can't really say that any one date stands above the rest. Every time that I get to go somewhere alone with my husband it is special. We just don't get to do it all that often. I remember a couple of times when we walked along the river or visited the Indian mounds in our area at night. Those were particularly romantic. I also remember a date to the fair where he spent way too much money trying to win me a prize. there have been countless dinners and movies, and I have enjoyed every one.

13. If you could have a shopping spree at any store, where would it be?
I believe that I will have to say Target. That doesn't sound all that extravagant does it? But I love Target. They have all kinds of great things. They are the best store for random items. Take your pick: towels, books, Cd's, clothes, shoes, toys, candles, bowls, desk organizers, art supplies.

14. When did you realize that your husband was "the one" (you would marry)?
It is funny that you would ask this, Randy and I were just discussing this two nights ago. We are in agreement on when this occurred. We had dated for a few months when we were 15 and we had known each other for most of our lives, at least in passing. But in the years between the ages of 16 and 21 we lived in different worlds. He moved off to Mobile and was the male half of a teenage pregnancy adventure, while I graduated high school and went to college. When he was 21, he moved back to town. I just happened to be in town for Mother's Day and ran into him in Fred's ( for more on this see me 100 things). It was magic. It was instant wow. I am not lying, I was giddy and having hot flashes. There has been nothing like it before or since. He came over that night and hung out. The next day he took me out on a date (actually he took me walking around in the woods on my Papaw's land, but that was my choice). We both knew that day that we would be together forever. It may sound stupid. It sure sounds crazy to me, but that is the truth. We got married 13 months later, exactly one month after I graduated college and moved home to be with him.

15. What about yourself do you wish you could change?
My weight. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I remember. I am currently slowly making my way down to the size of a normal healthy person, but I have a long way to go. It is a daily struggle. I wish that I didn't have that problem. I wish that I was just a good ole size 12 and only had to fret about cellulite on my thighs.

16. Do you (a) know a bit of the Kama Sutra, (b) about 50% of the Kama Sutra, (c) hell, you wrote the book! or (d) what is the Kama Sutra?
Hehe. I would have to say c. I mean, I didn't actually write the Kama Sutra, but I think that most married couples could write their own book.

17. Is there anything you're just really aching to do, try, achieve, etc.?
I would like to learn how to quilt and I would like to be able to spend more time writing.
I wouldn't say that I am aching for those things, but it would be nice.

18. What traits would you say that you inherited from each of your parents?
I am stubborn like both of them.
I would say that I am more like my Dad in that I am not all that quick to anger, but when I do get mad the primary symptom is that I speak in a very high pitched voice. I am also like him in my love of learning and reading. I think that I also have his sense of humor.
I am a lot like my Mom in the way that I worry about things a lot more than I should. I think that my creative streak also comes from her. I recognize a lot of her in myself in the way that I interact with other people. It is hard to put my finger on exactly what it is. I guess the simplest way to explain it is a frankness, a simple honest way of relating to others.

19. Do you think there will be a female elected president in your lifetime?
Yes, I believe that it is possible that it will happen next year. If not, it won't be too much longer.

20. If you had the opportunity right this moment to ask God one question, what would it be?
This is a really difficult question. I think that if I could ask God anything, I would ask him to describe Heaven to me.

Spike Dreams

So here is a picture of the sexiest Vampire ever, Spike, or William the Bloody if you prefer. I am posting this 1) because I love him and 2) as a happy for Blue Momma, who provided me with an excellent recipe that I cooked for supper tonight. Happy Spike Dreams, Blue Momma.

Fall Into Reading

Wow, this is exciting. I ran into this over at Chaos Theory and it looked like a great idea. This is the Fall into Reading Challenge:

Establish some goals for books that you want to read and then stick to them. There is also a chance to win a $10 gift certificate from Amazon. How isn't that great?

I have always been a reader, but I have the same problem that all Moms, with children under the age of ten have; I don't have a lot of time. ( And believe me, this recent blog addiction of mine isn't helping out in that area...just ask Randy:) So, I am hoping that this challenge will force me to get a few more books read than I would have otherwise. I am so excited!! I haven't read any of the books on my list ( Well. I have started two of them, but I haven't finished any of them), but they are all things that I have been putting off for a while. Join in if you like! Let me know if you do.

1) The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

2)Outlander - Diana Gabaldon

3) A Feast For Crows - George R.R. Martin ( I have started this one)

4) Real Boys - William Pollack, Ph.D. ( and this one)

5)What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day - Pearl Cleage

6)Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides

Fun Monday

The host this week is Lisa over at The Food Snob.

Challenge:
I want to see your favorite recipe, be it either because your grandmother wrote it, it's the easiest thing you can slap together that everyone likes, it makes you feel healthy, it's cheap, etc. You don't have to make it (although you could if you want) but let us see the index card, cookbook, printed paper from the web, and why it's a favorite in your house. If you have a lot, just pick one, I know I'll have to!

Okay, so there is no visual to go with my recipe. For one thing, I keep this recipe in my head. I know this as well as I know my phone number. There probably is a recipe card, but if so, it lives at my Mom's house. There is one other reason for lack of a visual, I had already cooked by the time I saw this assignment. Next time I make this though, I will be sure to get some pictures and post them.

So my recipe is Chicken and Rice. I love this recipe for many reasons. My Mom ALWAYS made us this when we were sick, I swear to you, it is a healing food. I am not sure how it works, but it does. It is also extremely cheap ( I always make two batches when I host Bunko and I spend less than $10 to feed twelve people!) and easy to make.

I have recently become aware that there are several versions of chicken and Rice out there in the world. I have never tried a version that I didn't like, My version is a soup. It is similar to Chicken and Dumplings,I guess, but with rice instead of dumplings. I know it is going to sound simple and boring, but believe me, you should try it. I haven't come across anyone yet who didn't like it.

Chicken and Rice

1 Whole chicken cut up
1 Cup rice
1 Whole onion
Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken, onion, salt, and pepper in the water over medium heat, creating broth. You can either cut up the onion and leave in in your soup, or boil it whole and remove it before adding your rice. I usually take it out, as I am not a big onion fan. Once the chicken is fully cooked remove it from your broth and set to the side to cool. Add the cup of rice to your simmering broth. After the chicken has cooled enough to handle, de-bone it. Add the chicken back into the broth/rice mixture. Cook until rice is done. We usually eat this with crackers. Happy Monday!

Part I of an Interview From My Friend at Soulsurvive

So, my good friend Cat over at Soulsurvive has sent me an interview. I haven't even read the questions yet. I figured I would go into this blind, like an interview with Barbara Walters. Wow...I am so excited. I am going to break this interview into two parts. Milk it for all the posts that its worth, you know? So, ten questions today and ten tomorrow...or tonight...I don't know yet. Let's get started.

1. Do you ever wish that you could trade places with your husband and be a stay-at-home mom (full time)?
Hmmm. Okay, I have decided to be honest about this, even though it may get me stoned. The answer sadly, is no. I love my babies. I love spending time with them. I just can't imagine doing it full time. That is one reason that I appreciate Randy so much. He is awesome, the job that he is doing is so much harder, so much more life enveloping, than the job that I do. He is awesome. That is why I say that he is a better parent than I am. I like going to work. I like doing something that is only mine. Even if that something is just work.

2. Is there any celebrity, song, show, etc. that you're ashamed to admit that you actually like?
Hmm, let me see. I am sort of ashamed to admit that I like Beauty and the Geek. It is not the most intellectual show ever. I have to admit it though, there is no end to the amusement that I get out of those stupid girls.

3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I have always wanted to be a writer and a teacher. I can remember writing stories as far back as the third grade. I had this great image of me being a very eccentric writer, with a flowing wardrobe and a ton of hippie friends. It didn't quite turn out that way.

4. How old were you when you had your first real kiss?
When I was 14 I started dating Yuck Face. He was a very unattractive boy. I believe that his only redeeming feature was that he wanted to be my boyfriend. I don't remember liking anything about him. But, I DO remember that he was my first REAL kiss. Boyfriends that I actually liked came shortly thereafter. In retrospect he was the worst kisser ever, and I wasn't that great either. I think we tried to eat each others' heads.

5. What is your dream job/career?
To be a writer or an editor. I don't think that I will ever make a living that way, but that would be my dream. I am currently writing poetry again. I love the art of that. I don't however kid myself that I will ever make a red cent doing it. I do it for only for the joy that it brings me.

6. Is there any big regret in life that you have -- something that you would do differently if you could turn back the hands of time?
I wouldn't change anything in my past. I will be honest, I had to think about this for a minute. Believe me there are many things that I wish would have never happened. But the truth of the matter is that each of those things helped to make me the person that I am today. And I wouldn't change anything about that.

7. If money, etc. weren't an issue, how many kids would you like to have (total)?
I believe that I would have four kids total. I love big families. I love giant holiday gatherings. I love the noise of my children. That seems like a good number without being too much to handle.

8. What is something that you did for someone you loved (or thought you loved) that you wish you had not done?
I guess, if I could wish something along these lines different, I would wish that I had never become the peacemaker in my family. Being the peacemaker can be a tiring soul wrenching lot in life. But then again, I said I wouldn't change anything, right?

9. If you wanted everyone to be able to describe you using just one word, what would that one word be?
I hope that that word would be REAL.

10. What, about yourself [as an individual], are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my intelligence and education. There, now you have it, I am a vain beast. I like being able to solve problems in life. I like being able to think about the issues that surround me. I like having the ability to read and understand almost any book. Think of the people out there in the world who can't do that! Think of the people who can't read at all. It must be so awful to be limited in the information that you can have access to. I can't even imagine.

Those That I Love

My theme this week is People I Love.
These haiku are about various folks, some obvious, some maybe not so much.

My hand on her foot,
her head lying on my chest,
she is my treasure.

**
His laugh is so loud
Others stop to look at this
boy who fills my heart.

**
Sunlight filters through
leaves dancing in the soft breeze.
Children run and play.

**

His hand on my face,
silence covers our whole world.
There is no one else.
**

When I talk to her,
I can be all of myself.
She is my best friend.

**
When they are first born
Your heart grows, just like the Grinch.
They make me better.

**

Her voice is music.

I could listen forever.

Tell me your stories.

**

There are many days

when she is the only one,

make me laugh sea cow.

**

He used to seem tall

standing in the door laughing,

Setting my standard.

**

With the slightest look

she can bring the walls crashing

And the tears fall down.

**

Her hands are like mine,

Only much older and stained

by the sands of time.

**

Her hands are like mine,

Only much smoother and bright

The future is hers.

**

When he sings I melt

The history of my life

Runs into my shoes.

Thursday 13 In A Non Connected Clueless Kind of Way

Don't worry guys, next week I am going to ask Mr. Linky for help (Thanks for the offer!) and read Nesting Mama's instructions. And then finally I will be all linked up and cool. I will be an official participant, a real MEMBER of the community. But for now, I am too tired to try something new, too run down to exert effort, too ready for 5:30 tomorrow evening to think. So here regardless, is my very first Thursday 13.

13 Things that Princess H Can Say

1. Sumina Man! ( This is Super Man, Spider Man, Batman, The Flash, Power Rangers, Wonder Woman, Captain Kirk, and so forth and so on)
2. Get me out
3. Gimmee a bite!
4. I need a cup.
5. Where is Zane? ( The poor baby is always looking for that boy.)
6. I want Dee Dee. ( Her Uncle and her favorite person in the world.)
7. I love loooo.
8. Stop Henna! ( Hehe. She tells herself to stop.)
9. No way! Oh man! ( These two pretty much always come together.)
10. I need a bath. ( She needs a bath 24/7)
11. What is this? ( This is almost constant too.)
12. I want to go! ( This is usually yelled as someone else is walking out the door.)
13. Ohhhhh pretty. ( If she sees girl clothes, no matter how hideous they may be, this is her response. She may not be a fashionista, but she is definitely going to be a shopper.)

A Report From Mrs. Lee

After Randy picked Super Z up at school today, he called me with bad news. For what I think is the forth time in as many weeks, Super Z was on yellow. On yellow, for those of you not in the know, means that he was in trouble. In the green is good. In the yellow means that he was bad. In the red means that we have to trade him in, as he is nothing but trouble. We are really dreading the day that he gets on red, I mean can you imagine telling a child that you have loved and nurtured for almost five years that it is time to pack up and move on? No? Well, I don't imagine it would be easy.
So, after hearing this, I decided to give Mrs. Lee a call, to get the proverbial scoop, to find out what is pushing my child out of green and into the yellow. It is hard to explain to him how to stay in the green ( and remain a part of this family) if I don't know what he is doing. So I made the call.
I have to tell you that I was surprised at how it made me feel. How every bad thing that he does crushed me as it came out of her mouth. I mean, it isn't that I was surprised. I know Z is a handful. I know he is loud. I know everything about him from the freckle on his booty to the way he laughs especially loud if he is trying to entertain someone else. It was not shock. It was just ...painful? Is painful the word? I want Z to do well. I want Mrs. Lee to tell me that he is smart ( and she did) and sweet ( and she did that too.) I don't want to hear that he is hitting the girls and spitting in people's faces ( Yes, sadly she said that too.) It isn't easy to know that your child is misbehaving. It isn't easy to not take is as a failure on your part. I mean, how did I not teach him that it is not okay to collapse on the ground and pretend that he has been shot as the line is walking to the playground? What was I thinking?
Sadly, hearing these things is something that I have to do. I have to listen and take it all in. I have to tell the teacher that I will do everything in my power to explain to Super Z what he is doing wrong. I am on her team. I want her to succeed with him. I want him to learn and grow with her.
I talked to Super Z about all of this for a good hour tonight. I think he understands. I am hoping that the green will become his new home. The prairie where he roams free of yellow and despair.
Mrs. Lee and I are determined to stay in contact so that we can work out any issues that he is having. I think that a good parent/teacher relationship is important. After all, I am the Mom. It is up to me to push him and support him. It ultimately falls to me to teach him how to be a good man and to help him learn to use that incredible imagination. As long as she keeps me informed about what is going on with him ( no matter how hard it is to hear...spitting in people's faces?!?) we can work through the issues.
And let's face it. We have to work out the issues ( the stomping on the little girls' feet, the not paying attention, the talking during circle time, the yanking of toys, the roughhousing in the classroom ), or yellow will eventually lead to red. And I really like Super Z. I mean he is SO cool. I don't want to trade him in, I really don't.

Wordless Wednesday - Why yes, this is yogurt in my hair

(psst.. I need someone to teach me how to do that Mr Linky thing)

Interview With A Stay at Home Dad

Welcome to another interview hosted by Laughter, Love, and Madness. Today we will be talking to Randy. Randy, who is mostly known as Daddy around these parts, is a 5'4", dark haired, green eyed male who happens to be married to a 6' tall bossy woman, whom he refers to as Sweety. We cornered Randy in the bedroom as he was just settling down to play a video game on his new computer. He did not seem overly eager to be interviewed, but those of us here at Laughter, Love, and Madness do not know how to take no for an answer. It could actually be our slogan, " Hell no, we won't take no for an answer!"

Interviewer: So Randy, what is the best part about being a stay at home Dad?
Randy: I can play with the kids whenever I want to.

Interviewer: What would you say is the most challenging aspect of it?
Randy: The most challenging..trying to get two children under the age of five to hear the words coming out of my mouth. Also, equally distributing my attention between them. If one is getting attention, the other acts as if they have been neglected for years. It is very dramatic.

Interviewer: If you could go back in time, to the day that you first suggested to your wife that you could stay home with the kids, would you change anything?
Randy: No..no.

Interviewer: Why?
Randy: I've experienced a lot of stuff that I wouldn't trade for anything. Princess H has never had to stay with a babysitter. All of her memories are of me. And I got to spend a lot of time with Super Z before he started school. I wouldn't trade that.

Interviewer: How do you think being a stay at home Dad has affected your marriage?
Randy: At some times it was stressful. But if you look at the big picture, we have a lot more time together this way. We are also able to plan more activities. We only have to work around one schedule.

Interviewer: Do you feel like your wife appreciates what you do?
Randy: Of course I do.

Interviewer: In what way does she show you her appreciation?
Randy: She keeps coming home everyday. haha..hmmm, she makes a point to compliment the little things that I do around the house. She notices everything.

Interviewer: Does she ever give you a hard time about the things that you don't do?
Randy: Yes, she does.

Interviewer: How does that make you feel?
Randy: Haha. Fifth Amendment.

Interviewer: So I see that you are a lot shorter than your wife. How has that been for you guys?
Randy: What? What are you talking about? It is pretty ordinary. People notice it a lot. But other than that it isn't a big deal. It feels normal to me.

Interviewer: So tell me, what is your favorite thing about your wife?
Randy: There are too many to list.

Interviewer: Come on, give us something...
Randy: Hmm...my favorite thing about my wife...uh....there are many....Ok. She never gives me hell about my picky food habits.

Interviewer: Wow. You are a romantic.
Randy: THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN DELETED FOR PERSONAL REASONS

Interviewer: I am not printing that, sir. (Blushes) So, uh, Randy, in closing sum up your views on life at your house.
Randy: We are an odd happy bunch. What exactly do you want me to say?

Interviewer: What are we all about as a family?
Randy: Define all about.

Interviewer: Hisss.....
Randy: What do you mean? We are us.

Fun Monday

SayreSmiles is hosting Fun Monday this week. She had a great topic.

Brush off your interview skills. Talk to everyone who lives in your house. I want to know what their, and your, favorite piece of art is in your home. Photographs do not count. If there was a fire in your home, everyone would grab photographs, but what is the non-photographic piece of art you would grab on your way out - and why? (Edit: These don't have to be paintings - these can be wall hangings, statues, lumps of clay by your child, anything that is artistic expression of some kind EXCEPT photographs.)

Super Z:

So after much ( and I mean MUCH ) deliberation Super Z decided that his favorite work of art is the skateboard that he painted at Harry the Potter. I have to agree with him that it is a wonderful piece. What makes it even better is the fact that he and I had a lovely time that day and seeing his skateboard always reminds me of that. We keep it in a sacred spot on our bookshelf. After more deliberation, Super Z decided that he likes his skateboard because,

" My brother Tyler rides a skateboard so fast. And he can do tricks. And when I get bigger I can too." I think that is an excellent reason.

Princess H:

Princess H isn't much of a talker. Well I mean she talks a lot, but she is not into answering questions. So I am answering in her stead. I believe that H's favorite work of art would be a wall hanging that her Mimi ( my Mama) did for her before she was born. Her whole room is decorated around this painting. I imagine that like me, Princess H thinks of her Mimi when she looks at it.

Randy:

Randy was almost stumped by this question. He was confused as to why I would ask him something like this. He was tired and befuddled and yet he came up with a pretty good answer. His favorite work of art that we have is a pencil drawing that my Mama did of a photograph that was taken of he and I right after we got engaged. He thinks that she did a wonderful job. When he looks at the drawing, he says that it takes him right back to that time in our life. I have to say that I agree. I mean although it is a pencil drawing, I can almost see the happiness in our eyes. The early happiness. That light kind of happiness that is full of possibilities.

Me:

My favorite work of art is also a drawing by my Mother. It is one that I asked her to draw for me. There is a picture of my Mom and Dad that was taken of them when my Mama was pregnant with me. The only copy of this picture is an eight by ten in my Mom's album. I have never seen another copy anywhere. I have loved that picture since I was very small. After my parents divorced it became even more important to me. It reminds me that their love existed and is the reason for my existence. However fleeting it may have been, it mattered. It was real. When I was 25 my Mama did a drawing of that picture for me. It is one of my most prized possessions.

Granny in the Fishbowl

Hey guys,
Please check out Life in the Fish Bowl today. Blue Momma's Granny is in the hospital and she is looking for folks who are willing to send Granny a get well card to help cheer her up. You know you want to participate. Granny is 90 years old. Imagine how excited she would be to get letters from all over the world! As you all know, I am a huge fan of Grandmas, so this is right up my alley. I hope you all want to do this. Have a great day. I will be doing Fun Monday tonight, so see ya soon!

Notes on the Scandal

Well, I am finally home. The weekend wasn't all bad. For the most part I was unaffected by the drama. Of course, I hate to see my Mom sad, but she seemed okay considering. She hasn't actually moved out yet. She is taking her time and packing her stuff. For the most part, her husband's tactic ( at least when he was around the rest of us) seemed to be to act like nothing is going on. He came to my nephew's birthday party and acted like usual. I would almost be tempted to say that he was on his best behavior, but he fell asleep at the party, which seems kind of wacky to me.
I think that he wants to just ignore the problem. I know that she wants him to want her to stay. I had to hold her down and torture her (not really) into promising me that she wouldn't just slip into denial mode. If he wants her to stay (IF, we don't KNOW) he has to at least tell her that and tell her that he is sorry for the ugly things that he said to her. I know that is what she wants to happen. I just don't know if it will. I just don't know.
Talk about stress. I hate having to worry about my parents. I really do.
I wanted to thank all of you for your words of support. It is nice to be part of such a great community.
On a lighter note, Super Z has become such an expert on wiping butts ( for his input on this please see his interview from last week ) that he has begun to wipe other people's butts. Yes, you heard me right. This weekend my nephew, Tater Tot ( who turned 3 today!), INSISTED THAT Z BE THE ONE TO WIPE HIS BUTT. Oh yes, fun. My sister, who heard this demand, ran straight for the bathroom. She got there just in time to see Tater Tot bent over holding onto his ankles and Super Z carefully wiping his butt. I am sure they will love this story in about 8 years.

Haiku Friday 2

I am going home.
My Mom is going through hell.
I will try to help.

Rain on my window
Bringing everything down
Streaming like her tears.

I am feeling down.
I don't mean to be a drag.
Keep her in your prayers.

There you go. The most depressing haiku Friday ever. My Mom's husband has told her that he wants her to move out. I don't know how this will all come out in the wash, but I think she is better off alone than in a miserable relationship. She is very sad and the weekend is sure to be fraught with drama (not the good kind). So you guys keep her in your thoughts and prayers, okay? It is her birthday weekend too, so I am going to do my best to give her at least a few happy moments. More on marriage and jerks as soon as I have time.

Phone call With Mom

I am trying to decide what to get my Mama for her birthday, so I call her up and this is the result...no lie.

Mom: Hello?
Me: What do you need?
Mom: Makeup.
Me: groan...What do you love?
Mom: What do you mean what do I love?
Me: What do you love?
Mom: That is a dumb question..what do I want?
Me: No, what do you love.
Mom: There are no things that I love. What are you talking about?
Me: So you love nothing.
Mom: I want makeup.
Me: What size do you wear?
Mom: Make up does not come in sizes.
Me: What size do you wear?
Mom: I don't want clothes. I don't need clothes. I don't want that at all.
Me: Why can't you just answer a question?
Mom: Did you get me clothes?
Me: What kind of makeup do you need?
Mom: It's Lancome, and you wouldn't know what I was talking about. Besides, it is expensive and you can't afford it.

This is but one iota of the conversation folks. Just a little taste of the challenge that is my Mom.

Unofficial Wordless Wednesday Part Two Because I am Tired But Not So Tired That I Don't Feel Like I Should Post One of H Looking Stoned Too

Unofficial Nonlinky Version of Wordless Wednesday Because It Is Too Late For Anything Else

Baby Wants

I tried for three years before I got pregnant with Super Z. I would cry every single time a pregnancy test came back negative. I would panic inside every time that I heard someone else had gotten pregnant. I remember thinking that it would never happen for me. I was doomed to live my life without the one thing that I wanted most. I would lie in bed at night and cry about this. It was the most depressing time of my life. Finding out that I was pregnant with Super Z was the greatest moment ever. It was Mother's Day and I was elated.
After Z, I wanted to have more children in the vague kind of way that I want to save for retirement. I knew I wanted to do it, I just didn't want to take the time to work out the logistics of it and it certainly wasn't anything that I NEEDED TO DO RIGHT THAT SECOND. It was really more of an idea than a want. To be honest, I never put much thought into it. I just knew that two would be a lot more expensive than one. I figured that one day I would decide that it was time and that would be that.
Fortunately, I never had to get around to making up my mind. I never even had to decide to want a second child. I just woke up one morning and knew that she was on her way. One of the most shameful moments of my life was the hour after the pregnancy tests verified the impeding arrival of Princess H. I cried and cussed like a sailor. I just knew that we would never be able to make it work. I wondered how this unwanted child would fare in a world with her much longed for older brother.
Like I said, I am very ashamed of that hour. I am glad to tell you that Princess H was welcomed with just as much love and excitement as Super Z was. She is a blessing in every way. Sure, things got a little tighter when she came. Adjustments had to be made. But that glowing little person makes every struggle worth while.
So now I find myself in a new and uncharted territory. I have two children and one step son. I have years of birthdays and holidays and college tuition payments to go. Some days it is a struggle to keep it all afloat. I understand that we have enough. Our family has reached maximum capacity, heck even our car has reached maximum capacity.
My head knows all of these things...but some rogue part of me that has nothing to do with my logical head has decided that it wants another baby. I know! What the crap!? I didn't even WANT a second baby...but now I WANT a third? Don't get me wrong, I am not planning to have another baby at all. It is just that I am yearning for one again. It is not quite the yearning that I experienced in the pre Z days, but it is yearning nonetheless. I have pretty much decided that I have lost my mind. Maybe it is just the idea that I will never have another baby that makes me yearn for it? Who knows? All I know is that it is crazy.
And here is the crazier part. When I really think about it I know that if money weren't an issue, I'd be trying right now. If I could afford a bigger car, more diapers, and the like there would be no hesitation at all. It is frustrating to me the extent to which money controls our lives. Money makes the decisions and lays down the rules. It is almost fruitless to try to over rule money. I hate money.
So there you go, I am crazy and poor. I am ruled by money. I am confused by my own wants. I am Serina.

An Interview with Super Z

Interviewer: What is that thing that you made out of the blocks?

Super Z: It is a transformer that can fly. It's name is Conversation, and guess what he can do? He takes his hands out and transforms into an engine tanker.

Interviewer: Like a Fire engine?

Super Z: Yeah, and he is good he doesn't hurt anybody. But he is so mad that you took a picture of him.

Interviewer: Why is he mad about that?

Super Z: He is not mad about that no more. When we were in the living room he was, but we are not in the living room no more.

Interviewer: So tell me, how are you liking school?

Super Z: I could take Conversation to school to show my teacher how he can fly and the fire comes out. And he turns into a spaceship when he is not a fire tanker anymore.

Interviewer: But how do you like school?

Super Z: It is good. Do you want to see me take his arm off?

Interviewer: What is your favorite thing about your sister?

Super Z: When she is mad and she pinches me and that makes me mad. It is very mean and she doesn't give me sugars and kisses. And she doesn't give me hugs. Even when I don't kick her.

Interviewer: But what do you like about your sister?

Super Z: I like her being nice and I like her not being mean.

Interviewer: What is your favorite thing to do?

Super Z: To do with my transformer?

Interviewer: No just to do.

Super Z: My favorite thing is karate. And what else?

Interviewer: What else?

Super Z: My favorite thing is to go to karate school. You know why?

Interviewer: Why?

Super Z: It is funny and you know what?

Interviewer: What?

Super Z: When I go to the bathroom I can wipe my butt good. I am learning how to wipe my butt all by myself. Are you proud of me, Mom?

Interviewer: Yes. I am very proud of you. What is your favorite color?

Super Z: That is enough questions, Mom. Dad, can we watch Transformers?

Haiku Friday

A bath with bubbles
So, how wet can one floor get?
We always find out.

My husband's new toy
Is a computer like mine
Ignore cuts both ways.

When the clock strikes nine
Children finally will sleep
Peace throughout the house.

I worked until six.
Who stays late on a Friday?
Serina the dumb.

That time of the month,
I am constantly hungry,
How much can I eat?

The house that I rent
has carpet in the bathroom.
How dumb can you get?

I so love Fridays.
No work till Monday. Hurray!
Lazy is my goal.

So there you go, guys. My very first Haiku Friday. I feel so proud. Feel free to join the fun.

All of the Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren With Mamaw at her Party

Of course, this isn't all of us. There were four cousins and four of their children missing. A good looking bunch though, huh? Princess H and I are the only two girls on the back (tall) row. We are cool like that.

Strange Friendships

One of the strangest things about my life is that I seem to have a propensity for strange friendships. I mean, don't get me wrong, I have awesome friendships too. I have friends that are fun to hang out with, friends that know the inner workings of my heart, and friends that make me laugh no matter what is going on.
But I also have friends that confuse the hell out of me. Fortunately I only get these about once every five years or so. They start out like normal friendships. There is fun, laughter, and bonding. They don't feel any different at first. And then one day the friend freaks out. The friend loses their freaking mind.
In the fifth grade it was Brandy Dewitt. Before Christmas break she gave me a blue jean notebook with my name on it. I spent the night at her house. It was lovely and then WHAM! we came back from Christmas break and she would no longer speak to me. I never figured it out.
In latter years the wacky friendships became easier to understand. When in the tenth grade, one of my best friends stopped talking to me, I knew that it was because she was depressed. She needed more than high school friendships to make her feel better.
And I guess that there has been the crux of all of my strange friendships, they all seem to need more than I have to give. I have often been ( and even now am) tempted to blame myself for this. There must be something wrong with me that I can't be the kind of friend that these people need. There must be something that I am missing. I am at a loss really. Because it isn't like these friends drift away. They suddenly and violently break away. They let me know in no uncertain terms that I am not giving them what they need.
The worst part of this, is that I have nothing else to give them, there is nothing else that I can do. I like these people. I consider them my friends. I treat them the same as I treat my other friends. ( And in my defense I have many great friends that I have kept forever and ever). I laugh with them. I talk with them. I do nice things for them. It just never feels like enough.
These friendships are even harder now that I am an adult. So many other things drain my emotional reserves. The kids are the center of my life. Randy and the family are my reasons for existence. Work saps me dry every single week. It is a struggle to even carve out a moment to breathe alone, but my true friends seem to understand this. They seem to know that every bit of my time that I give them means something. It means I love you. That time is time taken away from the other things that keep me awake until one o'clock every morning worrying. That time is a piece of me, a piece that I give because I want to. Because sharing that time with that person makes me happy. Because it fills me up on the days when I am nothing but a strung out grouchy mess of a Mom.
What am I doing wrong here? I don't know. But these strange friendships kill me.. they absolutely suck me dry and break my heart.

Bed Time at the Love Shack

Princess H, in her outfit of choice and her brother's shoes hanging out on the couch with her favorite (stripped of course) baby.

And my much more modest child, Super Z showing off his new haircut.

I know too many pictures lately. But I don't know how people stop themselves from posting pics all the time. Randy has learned that when I sweetly ask ( yell at the top of my lungs), " Get the CAMERA!" That I mean RIGHT now. There is something going on that I must share with the world. If I miss that moment, that instant that I yearn to capture I may never get over it. Meaning I may gripe about it for almost an hour after he is ready to go to sleep...No, I wouldn't really do that. Well, not intentionally anyway.

What Little Boys/Girls are Made of

Pictures really can tell you a lot, but not necessarily the whole story. Both of these pictures were taken at Mamaw's party this weekend. Probably within seconds of each other. What you see in the first picture is that bad bad boy, toughness personified, Super Z. You can see the mischief in his eyes. You can see that he thinks he is every bit as tough as his 13 year old brother. What you see in the second picture is my pretty little girl (along with my pretty neice). You see the pretty white dress withthe red hearts that she insisted on wearing, crying out, "oh! Pretty!" as soon as she spotted it. You see the cute pigtails and that chubby baby girl arm.

What you don't see is Z hugging Mamaw and telling her Happy Birthday three different times and H running around in mud puddles getting her white dress filthy and soaking wet. You also don't see Zane posing in front of the mirror modeling his new shirt for 5 minutes that morning or me wrestling H to the ground like a wild hog in order create the lovely pigtails. Another thing you don't see is Super Z singing his sister to sleep on the way back home and Princess H naked and playing cars on her Mimi's floor 3 hours later.

When you dig beneath the surface it turns out that boys and girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice and snips and snails and puppy dog tails. The pictures really don't tell you much about what you are getting when you take on these two.

The Things That Make Me Feel Good

So, last week I spit venom and bile all over the place with my ten things that irritate me post. Even if you couldn't feel the bile, believe me it was there. I was in a hideous mood. Shortly after I posted that I had said that I was going to do another post this week on the things that I love. At that point I forgot all about it, in grand Serina style. And then yesterday I happened across Bilbo's 10 Things That Irritate Him List and he mentioned the redeeming good list and I was re-inspired. So here, today, as I sit with Hazelnut coffee and new shoes, I am in a much better place than I was last week. I am now ready to give you the things that make me happy, in no particular order:

1. A brand new book. There is nothing like cracking open a book for the first time...magical.
2. The noise of my whole family filling up a room or even a whole building.
3. Giving presents to other people. I love it when they love it. It is a circle of love.
4. Watching a great movie for a second or third time with someone who has never seen it.
5. Watching my kids play together.
6. Sitting on a quiet beach and looking out over the water.
7. Swimming in a cool quiet lake.
8. Learning how to do something new.
9. Sitting on the front porch on a cool evening.
10. The feel of the skin on Randy's collar bone.
11. Knowing that there are people in the world who love me unconditionally.
12. Laughing so hard that I can't make a sound.
13. Holding my Mamaw's hand.
14. Hearing the kids scream "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" when I walk in the door at the end of the day.
15. Having my Mama take care of me when I am sick.
16. Listening to my Daddy tell a story.
17. Listening to my family sing and play music.
18. Talking talking talking with my best friends.
19. The taste of a soft creamy perfect dessert.
20. The way Randy looks at me.

My Long Weekend

I am feeling a little more rested than I did last night. I had a crazy busy long weekend. Don't worry, I will tell you all about it.

After work on Friday we drove down to my home town, good ole Natchez, Mississippi. The drive was pretty uneventful, but alas the kiddos did not sleep, so no rest for the weary. We sang Itsy Bitsy Spider and Old MacDonald for two hours. Yes, I am a singer extraordinaire. The kids refuse to let Randy sing at all. No one but I will do for them, they have exquisite taste. I do not know if I am bragging or whining about this...tough call.

Once we were in Natchez, Randy and I left the kids with Mom and ventured out to the Supa Wal-Mart. There isn't a freakshow in the world that can compare to the Super Wal-Mart in Natchez, MS on a Friday night. We waited in line for an HOUR and saw two girls almost get in a fight. No lie. It was awesome... We spent the family fortune buying birthday presents for three people who dared to share my birthday weekend.

Saturday was my Mamaw's party. It was a rousing success. She had a great time. I did too. I got to visit with several of my cousins. I personally don't think it could have gone better.Well, except for the fact that three of My Mamaw's kids suck ( my Dad included ) and weren't there. There were various excuses for all...but I deem them all suck excuses. Your Mama only turns 85 once. You not there = You suck.

Saturday evening my Mama had a dinner party for my Step-Dad and I. He is blessed enough to share my actual birthday. There were steaks, laughter, and Vodka cranberry drinks in great supply. To top all of that off there was a blizzard cake from Dairy Queen. Oh yes, you heard me! A FREAKING BLIZZARD CAKE! I was in heaven. (Yes I cheated, no I felt no guilt whatsoever, I was overwhelmed by pleasure.)

Sunday morning was the third party of the weekend. My cousin's daughter turned 2. The kids had a terrific time and I got to visit with even more cousins, while nursing a slight hangover. At this party I got to see my other grandparents, who were oblivious to the hangover.

After that I went shopping! I bought $50 shoes. It was divine. I have never spent that much on shoes, but baby were they worth it. I love them with the passion of a thousand fires. The shoe guy actually asked me if I always got that excited when I bought shoes...uh yeah, when they cost $50 and it is my birthday. I am sad to tell you that I am so cheap that I have never spent that much on shoes before... I know pathetic. I also bought an outfit with birthday money from my Mama. It was all fun.

Sunday evening my Mama watched all of the babies and Randy and I went out to dinner with my sister and her husband. We had a great meal and grown up conversation. It was a great birthday.

Whew. Monday I went to Supa Wal-Mart again. this time with my lovely sister. There were no fights. But she bought me make-up for my birthday. Again I am almost ashamed to tell you that I have not worn make-up in a year...at all. She was an angel though and hooked her sister up. So today I wore make-up to work ( and my outfit and my shoes!!!). People were fainting in the aisles. It was cool. After the Wal-Mart trip we put our booties back in the car and drove the two hours home (with song of course.)

And that my friends, was my long weekend.
And these..are my shoes :)

My Birthday!

So yesterday was my birthday. I am now 31. For some reason thirty one seemed like a much bigger deal to me than 30. It has something to do with being closer to forty than 20 I think. I mean, it seems like just a few minutes ago that I was twenty. Just hanging out and getting drunk all the time with no responsibilities at all ( well, except for grades...). And if twenty was just a few minutes ago, does that mean that I am going to blink a little too long one of these days and WHAM!! I'm 40? That is a bit scary to me.
I asked my Mamaw at her 85th birthday party Saturday if time flew by for her like that. I hate to break it to you guys, but the answer was yes. My Mamaw apparently blinked one too many times and now she is 85.
Oh well, I guess that is life. The older you get the faster it goes. I was a little frightened to hear that that doesn't get any better as the years go by. But, at the same time I guess it is better to have the years go by quickly than to not have the years at all.
So happy birthday to me and many more. Even 40, 50, and 85...