Opportunity

"We will open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words
on them ourselves.

The book is called Opportunity and
its first chapter is New Year's Day."

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Minnesota Fun

Application for Minnesota Citizenship

Personal Information:

Name: ___________________son

Sex: ___ Ole ___ Lena

Home Address: ________________

Cabin Address: ________________

Religion: _____ Lutheran ______ Catholic

Income: ____We do OK. ____We're Blessed. ____Mind Your Own Hotdish.

Qualifications: (check all that apply)

___ I own a gas powered ice auger.

___ Fargo floods hit a little close to home.

___ I can name a dozen celebrities who've stayed at the Mayo.

___ I can name a dozen celebrities who've stayed at Hazelton.

___ I've been trick or treating in two feet of snow.

___ My grandmother made me eat lutefisk.

___ I liked it!

___ I've been to a block party.

___ My first beer was an Old Milwaukee.

___ My snowmobile has more miles on it than my car.

___ I have a back up set of jumper cables in my trunk.

___ Despite what everyone else says I DON'T HAVE AN ACCENT!
(Yah! For sure, you betcha I don't.)

True/ False:

___ I actually listen to telemarketers.

___ "Have a Nice Day" is an ORDER!

___ TV news anchors are celebrities.

___ Part of my tongue is on a flagpole somewhere.

___ It's not a rubber binder! It's a rubber band.

___ They mistake pop for "soda" or "coke" in most other states.

___ Hot Dish is neither a beautiful woman nor an overheated plate.

Multiple Choice:

It's time to wear a hat when:

A) The temperature is below 10 degrees.

B) Your mother tells you to!

C) The temperature is -10 and the wind chill is in double digits.

Essay Question:

What "UFF-DA" means to me: _____________________.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know you're from Minnesota when...
Your idea of a traffic jam is 10 cars waiting to pass a tractor.

"Vacation" means going to Brainerd for the weekend.

You measure distance in hours.

You know several people who have hit deer more than once.

You often switch from "heat" to "a/c" in the same day.

You use a down comforter in the summer.

Your grandparents drive 65 mph through 13 feet of snow during a blizzard, without flinching.

You see people wearing hunting clothes to social events.

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both doors unlocked.

You think of the major food groups as venison, walleye and Old Milwaukee.

You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.

There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at the grocery store at any given time.

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

You think sexy lingerie is tube socks and flannel p.j.'s.

You know all four seasons; almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction.

It takes you 3 hours to go to the store for one item, even when you're in a rush, because you have to stop to talk to everyone in the store so you appear to be "Minnesota Nice".

You actually understand these jokes...

You Noticed Me! You Really Did!

Oh! I didn't see you there at first. I've been so busy baking Christmas cookies for the last two weeks that I've hardly had time to think about this blog, much less it's readership. So you'll understand my surprise when I checked my stats and discovered a rather large and glorious upswing in my page views. Specifically, it went from "none" to "some".

I've had these odd little blips before and I know it doesn't lead to sustained, long-term readers but I thought I would throw out this offer anyway: If you come back, I can promise you lots of stories about boobs and poop and crazy children antics. And I'm sure my long time readers (Hi Dad!) will vouch for and tell you that I can occasionally be amusing or interesting.

I'm like a car wreck where the cars are driven by clowns. You can't look away and you feel a little bad for laughing but come on, it's clowns in a car wreck! There are giant floppy shoes all over the highway.

Okay, I lied! I'm nothing like a clown car wreck. I'm more like a housewife who's trying to avoid her domestic responsibilities.

Doesn't that sound fun?

Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.

Too Much Info - You Have Been Warned

CHILD WARNING -- Do not proceed if your child can read.

There is just NO TIME for love in the morning! Not to mention... the need for "porno sex" (definition: NO KISSING) due to horrific morning breaths on both parties! UGH!

Sigh... it is sad when sleep takes precedence over sex. But it happens! And as a parent of several children, I am here to warn you that sleep will ALWAYS take precedence over sex to this mommy.

I remember when I first met Hubby a bazillion years ago. We could be spontaneous and carefree and... and... often. It was nice.

I miss those carefree days of getting naked at a moments notice and playing a little grab ass for hours on end. Sleep?! We didn't need no stinkin' sleep.

Okay. Er, well... let's be honest. Perhaps Hubby wasn't up to hours on end, even back in The Day -- but it was more than it is now from BOTH of us.

Several years and several kids later, things are just a tad different. Let me start by saying while my desire for Hubby has not waned [much - we are being honest, right?!], my energy level sure as hell has. Particularly shall we say in the morning. Let me say it LOUD so there is no mistaking.

I DO NOT LIKE SEX FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! I really don't get it. Yes, I know that most men are, shall we say "at attention" first thing in the morning. But surely, my finger-in-a-light-socket hairstyle and morning breath should fix that little problem.

What's that you say? I should get up and brush my teeth and fix my hair.

"What you say, Willis?!?"

What's the point?

By then I'm up and if I'm up, I need to be getting ready for work or start fixing breakfast, or begin tending to little ones. Mornings at my lovely estate do not lend themselves to quality lovemaking. And while a quickie every now and then is supposedly okay, I'm more about the quality loving.

When I question Hubby's rationale for waking me up at o'dark thirty for a little mattress mambo, I truly believe that somewhere in the depths of his mind, he thinks maybe I'll come around.

To which I say with utter defiance - As if! Not likely!

Try to catch me in the afternoon. Perhaps, catch me just before bed. Hell, wake me up in the middle of the night with a nice round of foreplay. At least then I'll know I can get a few more winks of beauty rest before I have to get up at the ass crack of dawn to face the perils of each day.

So Hubby, my parting words to you are this, tread very lightly when it comes to morning lovin'. The next time I feel that familiar poke and/or the familiar boob grab while slurpin on my neck and the birds are simultaneously chirping -- don't be pissed if all you get in return is loud snoring or more likely, are met with the stinging of a king size pillow smack dab on the side of your cheek.

Don't say I didn't warn you...

If the birds are a chirpin', don't come a slurplin'!!!

Strange, Freaky Phenomenon

Wow... there have been quite a few friends with serious martial problems recently. I swear that divorce (and babies for the newlyweds) have been in the water. SIGH!

It's so devastatingly sad. Each time I hear about the struggles of couples who seem to have it all together and have been together for a while, it breaks my heart and makes me question my own marriage. Will we make it? Do we have the strength, proper communication skills, trust-worthiness or whatever magic ingredient it takes to stick it out? We certainly take each other for granted and bicker quite often -- and that is when we are on speaking terms. I don't know.

Divorce is one of those strange, freaky phenomenons that you think will NEVER EVER happen to you. It's the adult form of naive-ness. Teenagers think nothing bad (at all) will ever happen to them. Adults believe they are Divorce-Proof! Then, one day, BAM! You wake up next to a stranger who is supposed to be your life-long partner...

For our gossip-happy, celebrity-crazed reading pleasure, here is a list of some memorable Celeb Splits from the 2000's.

http://www.totaldivorce.com/blog/2009/12/21/decade-of-divorce/

P.S. Can you believe we are almost into a brand new decade?!?!?!

Borrowed Material

As a parent who has children who refuse to sleep and are just plain ol' awful sleepers, I was thoroughly amused by this Daddy-Blogger's (Dorky Dad: Where testorerone and hope go to die) post about "The Child Wake-Up Theorem".

The Child Wake-Up Theorem

I need to talk about a serious problem that every parent faces. It's a problem that they don't tell you about in parenting books or in seminars or in the media. Nobody talks about it, because they know the moment they say something about it, you'll take a vow of celibacy to avoid having any children -- which, by the way, is the same reason nobody talks about potty training to would-be parents.

I'm talking about the fact that kids never, ever sleep in when you want them to.

This is the Child Wake-Up Theorem: The likelihood that a child sleeps in decreases the more that child's parents want them to sleep in.I had to wake both of my kids up this morning. They slept in because I didn't want them to. The Boy had a bus to catch, which provides me with a nice, stressful deadline, which is just what I need in the morning. (For those of you who do not know, I'm what one would call a "night person." And being a "night person" makes me "grumpy" in the mornings. Ergo, a deadline makes it worse.)

The Sequel was relatively easy to wake up. I just lift him from the bed and he is virtually helpless, especially when I'm an uncomfortable ride because I'm jogging from one room to the next trying to get everything done before I have to go to work.

The Boy is not so easy. When he decides it's time to sleep in, it frequently takes a series of pulleys and a team of big horses to extract him from bed. And you'd better make sure that the straps are on tight, because the skinny little thing will find a way out of them if you don't.

This never fails. When I need them to wake up, they sleep in. When I want them to sleep in, which is on most weekends, they insist on getting up as early as humanly possible, assuming they went to bed in the first place, so they can get their full day's worth of shouting and jumping and laughing and crying and leaping upon Dad's sensitive body parts.

I should be used to this by now, for I've had offspring for five years. But my body still expects to sleep in on weekends and on holidays and I feel cheated when I don't get to.

(By the way, I also feel cheated when I have to wear nice clothes to work on Friday, when we normally get to wear jeans; maybe I could just change whenever my dressy-uppy meeting is over ...)

So when The Boy or The Sequel wakes me up early on a weekend, he reduces me to a whimpering mass of humanity, a sad spectacle for anybody who holds fathers in high regard. I do what comes naturally -- I whine, I cover my head with the pillow, and I dive underneath the covers, all the while begging the kids to please, please, for the love of all that's right in the word go ... back ... to ... sleep.

But it never happens, and I'm afraid it never will. It's our curse, as parents, to this fate.

So maybe I should get to bed.

Brethren in the Trillions

I don't like snow. That is to say, I don't like large amounts of snow. It's the inches and inches and inches and feet of the stuff that we get here in Minnesota that I'm not so crazy about.

On an individual basis snowflakes are ok by me.

It's much easier to appreciate them when they each look like a unique, individual piece of art than it is when they (and 140 trillion of their brethren) are blocking coating your sidewalk.

P.S. This is a photo from last winter because I have been too lazy to suit up and take pictures yet. plus with Christmas, my excuse is life was just too busy. Now I need to find a different excuse...

Not For Kids

In an effort to offend as many people as possible, my sweet baby sister has taught my nine-year old daughter the words to the oldie, but goodie holiday song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer". Now I walk around stores or other public places with a sweet nine-year old singing a hideous song. Go me!

It is my mother's birthday today.

She is the bestest person in the entire world.

I adore that woman more than is humanly possible. Seriously! She is my biggest fan and my biggest supporter. She would give her right arm for her children and I cannot express how much I appreciate her. So, instead of tripping over myself in an awful attempt to pay tribute to my fabulous, stunning, phenomenal, grand, fantastic, marvelous, first-rate, stupendous, glorious, awe-inspiring, and miraculous mother, I will just leave it at -- SHE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fever!

I am in love with all things babies. I am definitely a baby person. I think some parents are baby-people, or toddler-people, or teen-people.

Me?

I am totally a baby person.

My sweet friend from elementary school, and his gorgeous wife, just had their first child this week. They were blessed with a handsome little boy named Max. I can't wait to meet Little Max.

Then... my husband's co-worker just had a gorgeous little baby girl, Morgan, at only 31 weeks! Precious Morgan was only 3 lbs some ounces and 17 inches long, but that little peanut is a fighter! She didn't even need assistance breathing!

And my fantastic co-worker is also 36 (I think) weeks pregnant and so she will also be having her baby soon... YAHOO!!! I need my baby fix from other sources since I can't have any more babies on my own.

Aren't they so precious?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Traditions

I got this fun Christmas meme from a fellow blogger and thought it was fun to share these things with friends, family, bloggers alike.

1. Best childhood gift from Santa: Santa pretty much brought the same things every year: socks, oranges, apples, candy canes, and some other trinkets.

2. Best childhood memories: Standing on the front porch of my childhood home when I was perhaps in first grade and being absolutely positive that Santa Claus had just stomped on top of my roof while dropping off presents for me. It was so very exciting!

3. Favorite Christmas cookies: Tough one! My mom made tons of different kinds of cookies when I was growing up. As a child, I think my favorite was always Peanut Blossoms with the Hersey Kiss on top. As an adult, I think my very favorite are Melting Moments. They rock!!!

4. Icky Christmas memory: The year I found out that Santa Claus wasn't quite what I expected. We'll leave it at that. VERY DISAPPOINTING!

5. It’s not Christmas without: Jesus. He’s the reason for the season, after all!

6. Our Church Service: Since we only get H on Christmas Eve and hubby is excessively un-religious, we don't usually attend a Christmas Service -- much to my dismay.

7. Christmas Pet Peeve: Feeling stressed when it’s supposed to be a time of tidings of comfort and joy. I’ve been better with my expectations this year and made specific plans to NOT stress out but sometimes I forget and begin to digress into Stressed Holiday Mode…

8. Favorite Christmas CD: The only Christmas CD I own is Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas", so I guess I have to say that is my favorite.

9. Real or Fake: Definitely FAKE. Unfortunately, I am allergic to real pine trees (as well as Oak and Birch trees), so I just can't handle having one in the middle of my living room for an entire month. Also, as much as I am not a friend to the environment, I truly can't stomach the thought of cutting down a tree that takes a bazillion years to grow just so I can have it in my home for a month. It seems so irresponsible to me...

10. I spend Christmas Eve: always with my mom, sisters, husband, and children. We only get H on Christmas Eve, so it's very important to me, and all extended family, to cram as many celebrations into Christmas Eve as possible. We always do our major celebrations on Eve.

If you play along, leave a link in the comments section—I’d love to read!

STRANGE!

I just read a great little book titled "The Divorce Party" by Laura Dave. It's fiction, of course, since I am no longer a fan of non-fiction. The way I figure it, I have very little time to read and even less time to myself, so when I do get a chance to do either, I want to be able to relax and escape into someone elses life or imagination and non-fiction, just plain ol', doesn't allow me to do that.


So this fiction book titled "The Divorce Party" was a wonderfully light and interesting read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to you, but that's not the reason I am blogging today.

Evidently, Divorce Parties are a REAL thing that some folks have to celebrate their newly found independence or possibly their united history. It's a really strange and foreign concept to me.

No offense -- but WHO in the halibut throws a Divorce Party?

I guess, as a child of divorced parents, it's an odd concept to me to celebrate the deterioration and break down of such a sacred union. However, it's a real concept and here to stay. Research it on your own... Google it. It's STRANGE!

Check out the following psychotic sites:

Wedding Ring Coffin: http://www.weddingringcoffin.com/Divorce-Party-FAQ/
Revenge Lady.com: http://www.revengelady.com/divorceparty.html
Divorce Party Planner: http://www.divorcepartyplanner.com/
Divorce Info: http://www.divorceinfo.com/divorceparty.htm

All Together Now... AWWWWW!

My neighbors just got a new German Sheppard puppy. Her name is Sadie and she is the most adorable, fluffy, sweet-puppy-smelling dog I have ever met -- and this is coming from a definite Cat-Person.

I've never owned a dog and to be completely honest, I am not entirely sure I would willingly purchase one. without a LOT of arm twisting and children whining. Sure, sure. I know dogs are supposed to be cute and smart and loyal and all that great junk, but... me? I will stick with my arrogant, stubborn, and might I add, very naughty cat, aka Fur Ball.

I digress. Look how absolutely irresistible this puppy is! She's only nine weeks old and I am already smitten!!!

Repeat but Possibly Improved

Since I have dedicated December lyrics to Christmas music, this week I choose Mariah Carey's version of "O Holy Night". I realize that I already posted the lyrics to O Holy Night, but this is truly one of my favorite versions. Enjoy!

Love & Joy

My precious daughter wrote a note to Santa.

According to this letter to Santa, she doesn't want any gifts on Christmas Day. She would only like "love and joy". Seriously!?!?! Doesn't that just melt all of your adult bitterness away and make you feel all warm and fuzzy happy? That is soooooooo sweet.

Maybe I am not the worst mother on the face of the planet afterall...

Slave of Unforeseeable

"Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth or easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy, but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events."

~ Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Truer words have rarely been spoken. I wonder why no one clued in our former President that he was "no longer the master of policy" (I don't know that he ever was!)...

Not Oprah's List

There are some things that can ruin a day. My children arguing constantly, family guilt trips, and plucking hairs out of my chin! Just to name a few...

And there are also some things make me smile. With the holidays approaching, I thought I would share some of my favorite things. It's kind of like what Oprah does each year -- only I'm white and poor. Male readers: Be forewarned either stop here or continue reading for gift ideas, but don't say I didn't warn you.

1. Burt's Beeswax Lip Balm. I positively love the peppermint-y feeling of Burt's lip balm gliding over my lips. It moisturizes and doesn't taste icky.

2. Aveda Hand Relief. My skin is always dry and hyper sensitive to everything, so I am happy to report, Aveda Hand Relief is fabulous! I recommend putting on before you go to bed and by morning your hands will be baby-butt soft!

3. Givenchy Amarige Fragrance. As I mentioned before, I am poor. Quite unfortunately and permanently destitute. With 4 children under the age of 10, I don't imagine that will remedy itself anytime soon. However, if you can afford decent perfume, you need to try Amarige. I adore it!!! I haven't owned any in a few years, but I may just splurge this holiday season. I'm worth it... right?

4. OPI Nail Polish. I rarely have the time or money for manicures or pedicures, but when I do, I always go for OPI nail polish. It's my favorite! I am always amused by the polish color names. Some of my favorites include: "I'm Not Really A Waitress", "Vodka & Caviar", "Nice Color, eh?", and "20 Candles on my Cake".

5. Benihana's Japanese Dinnerhouse. From their website: "At the heart of the Benihana experience is the teppanyaki table, around which guests gather and enjoy a meal expertly prepared and cooked to perfection on a steel grill, right before their eyes. The meal begins with a delicate Japanese onion soup, followed by a salad with ginger dressing. The chef will prepare your chicken, beef or seafood, along with vegetables, hibachi-style on the sizzling grill surface. Your entrée will be served with homemade dipping sauces and Benihana's mouthwatering Hibachi chicken rice." One word sums it all up -- DELISH!!!

6. Jonny Lang. I am smitten for anything having to do with Jonny Lang! I don't make it to many concerts, but I would positively go bonkers if I was able to attend a Jonny Lang concert. He is coming to Minnesota in March and tickets just went on sale. However, with tickets at $75 a pop -- NOT including the $15-20 in fees, taxes, etc... A gal can dream.

7. Bissinger's Peanut Butter Truffles. Sigh! These yummy treats just melt in your mouth and slowly coat your tongue with their peanut buttery goodness. Double sigh!

8. Netbook. Although my techno-genius husband who works in IT does not think Netbooks are "worth it", I disagree. I don't need the most powerful laptop in the world, nor do I always need a huge display/screen or the most fantastic graphics. I prefer something that is light, small, and extremely portable. Generally I don't want to sacrifice speed, but since I don't do crazy awesome stuff on the computer, I still think my hubby should get me a netbook...

9. Victoria's Secret Pajamas. I love their pajamas. Mind you, it's not that I can pull off any of the awesome, little sexy numbers, but I can manage this... I think.

Questions

This blog... where is my blog going? Where am I going with this ranting and raving? Does it have a purpose? Is it part of a "calling"? Truly, what is up with all of the questions and pressure, people?

I am an almost-middle-aged (only 32 -- that's still young, right?!), slightly overweight, mostly-happily-married, part-time government employee residing in a cube farm, part-time stay-at-home mother of four children. In my lifetime, I am probably NOT going to discover the cure for any disease, write a bestseller, earn (or even win) a bazillion dollars, or save the rain forest. All is not lost, however .... as long as there is peanut butter in one hand, and a Diet Pepsi (preferably with rum) in the other hand, then all is well in my world.

This blog started as my virtual therapy during my struggles with raising four, very young children -- the three youngest were born within just over two years. Then the blog kind of morphed into a site about my occasional political rantings, as well as my children, our life, and my hatred of all things ketchup. Now I guess I just babble about whatever comes to mind, or whatever my family is currently doing.

Most likely no one cares besides me or my dad, but if you're here, then you are welcome to follow along and laugh at our inevitable mishaps.

And that is as close as I am going to come to answering all of those in-depth, overly thoughtful questions. But thank you for asking.

O Holy Night

Love the song "O Holy Night" in all of its various forms. Although this version with Nat King Cole isn't my very favoritest, it's definitely worthy of your moment of attention.

O Holy Night Lyrics
The words and lyrics of the old carol 'O Holy Night' were written by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure in 1847. Cappeau was a wine seller by trade but was asked by the parish priest to write a poem for Christmas. He obliged and wrote the beautiful words of the hymn. He then realised that it should have music to accompany the words and he approached his friend Adolphe Charles Adams(1803-1856). He agreed and the music for the poem was therefore composed by Adolphe Charles Adams. Adolphe had attended the Paris conservatoire and forged a brilliant career as a composer. It was translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight (1812-1893).



O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Spirit

It doesn't feel like Christmas in my home until we decorate the Christmas tree. I LOVE decorating the tree.

Each year, I make the children (and an unwilling husband who thankfully humors me) gather around the living room with ALL of the boxes of Christmas stuff and I happily reign as Queen -- Queen of All Things Christmas Ornamental. I challenge anyone in the family who dares to cast a crabby glance. I willfully inflict my "Christmas spirit" upon them. Sometimes that "spirit" is lovingly referred to as Sybil by my adoring peasants [er, rather family], but whatever... We play Christmas carols cheerily in the background. I bark (politely) orders about whether to hang an ornament higher or lower, a bit more to the left or the right. I insist that there IS more room on the tree when I hear complaints about there being no room. I escalate my Christmas joyfulness and festive intensity when I hear whining that someone is exhausted by the Ornament Marathon.

It's AWESOME!

Sounds enjoyable, right? Right? RIGHT?!?!

Erosion

I've been hearing a lot about the erosion of family in this country lately and how it's due to all the "changes" our nation has gone through in the last few decades. When this subject of erosion arises it is typically followed with the reasons being gay marriage, pro-choice or women working more.

I'm sorry but I fail to see how two men or women getting married, and possibly starting a family, could ever be deemed an erosion of any sort. If anything, the erosion is that we simply lack the selfless behavior and feelings of charity and goodwill towards other human beings who think differently than we do. I think, perhaps, we used to have more feelings of charity and goodwill towards other human beings. Our culture has gone so far to the "cult of individualism" that we can't see past our own nose on our faces. We are so busy filling our homes with items, that we want other people to see us having, that we have become too preoccupied with our own self. We fail to see or converse with the people who share space with us -- our families, friends, neighbors. We get wrapped up in petty fights and families break apart and siblings no longer talk. Years go by and that link is lost. More people are affected than just the two arguing but they don't see it.

Let me ask you this -- Raise your hand if you know and have befriended your neighbor. Have you been in their house? Do you even know their names? In many cities, we no longer even know our neighbors FIRST NAMES. We wouldn't know if our neighbor went missing because we don't pay enough attention to others around us. We are too busy with our own lives. Much too busy. Yet, I ask you -- are we truly THAT busy? I propose that it's really just about the distractions we allow to dominate our lives.

In other more cheesy words, "We've lost that loving feeling."

Last November, we vowed to ban together. Remember when we celebrated the awesomeness of our country electing our first African American president? Then things (economy, unemployment, housing market tanked...) got ever harder and things didn't magically (poof!) change overnight, like we are accustomed to. We all asked, why can't the changes needed to fix our nation be as fast as my food, mobile phone, internet?! Dang it! But I want them fixed now! MEH! As Americans we love to say things like, "Assimilate already. We are a melting pot!" or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" or "These colors don't run!" or apple pie is American.
Well, I hate apple pie. Does that make me un-American? Does it make me un-American to support choice? That I have gay friends and family members who I support and love?


To me you become un-American when you start setting up dividing lines and spouting crap about what makes someone American or not. I know as a country we are all about choice and freedom of one's opinion but intolerance isn't freedom of one's opinion. It's simply hatred and fear in disguise.

Here's the thing, no matter what side we are on -- this country is broken. B-R-O-K-E-N. Broken.

We all need to stand up and admit it and admit to being part of the problem. We Americans love to talk. Look at all our pundits. Pundits don't solve problems, neither does arguing with those who already side with your own point of view. I want to scream, "It's not about you! It's about the greater good!" I know I'm an idealist, it's sweet isn't it?

We are only at the tipsiest tip of the start of this change but here we are. We as Americans must realize it will be a long, arduous battle and we can’t just give it lip service either. Our country is a work in progress that won't be fixed perfectly the first time around. It is one that doesn't get solved by simply arguing, but by opening our ears, minds and hearts to ALL people around us.

Reaching out, fostering relationships, coming together and working for change is American. Hating those who think differently, refusing to work and listen to the other side of the aisle and even calling them traitors to their country…?

Well, that sounds like the work of a terrorist if you ask me. Divide and conquer.

Poor People Fun

This is a perfect example of why parents should NOT spend their good, hard-earned money on toys for their children.
If you're children are anything like mine, they prefer stacking cans of vegetables and fruits into towers as tall as they are. Then to make things interesting, those intelligent wee ones begin to use the Tower O' Veggies as a "tee" and whack a wiffle ball across the kitchen with their elbows.

Gotta love their creativity but it really makes you think twice before you dole out $45 on that hottest, gotta have toy of Christmas 2009.

Seriously, people! I am not forking out $17.99-$28.99 for a pair of Elmo Tickle Hands when this kid adores $0.78 cans of carrots for his homemade Tower O' Veggies!!!

Amok

I don't know if you know this about me but I'm sort of attached to my phone. I pretty much always have it within arms reach. Even though most of the time no one is trying to get in touch with me it's exciting to know that at any moment someone could.

So you can imagine my distress when I woke up the other day to find that the phone that had been functioning perfectly when I went to bed was now ... not.

If my phone rang, I could answer it but not hear anything. The person calling could hear me; however, I didn't know that at first and that may have led to me swearing at my innocent mother as I tried to answer her call.

I took my phone in to the T-mobile store and I had to wait a good half hour just for my turn to seen. My three-year old son and four-year old daughter were running amok all over the store -- pulling all available phones off the display shelves, hitting up the other rowdy child in the store for some of his M&Ms, and terrorizing anyone who was within hearing range by arguing about who could sing their ABC's louder.

When it was my turn, the salesperson punched some stuff into his handy-dandy computer to bring up my account info. He told me that I was almost over on my minutes and had an overdue balance on my account and would I like to purchase a plan with more minutes or upgrade my services? I asked him if any of that was the cause of my phone not working. When he said it wasn't the cause of my issues, I politely asked him if we could please focus on the issue at hand then.

I was promptly given a nasty glare by the young man behind the counter that told me in no uncertain terms with his one piercing look that I was being rude. BUT COME ON!!! Was that really the best time to try and up-sell me a different plan?! What's that you say? I should get even more minutes that I won't be able to use on my broken phone? Sign me up!

Kids still running amok...

In conclusion, my phone is broken beyond repair and now I need to purchase ANOTHER new phone. UGH!!!

If you try to call me in the next week or so (THANKS T-MOBILE!), don't be offended if I pick up the phone and swear at you or hang up on you. It's not me. It's this stupid phone that I paid way too much for foolishly thinking that it would not break for no reason at all after only six months.

Messes with Their Head

I am still stuck on the idea that church can be funny or that church-goers have a sense of humor. But here are a few examples...

Countless Blessings

I am so very thankful for a million and one things, but since I don't have time to list ALL of those items -- let's settle on a list of 101 things that I am thankful for (in NO particular order).

1. my children
2. my husband
3. my mom
4. my dad
5. my sisters
6. my in-laws
7. greatest neighbor ever, Carol
8. loyal friends
9. air conditioning
10. apple scented candles
11. bubble baths
12. Jeremiah 29: 11
13. healthy children
14. freedom of religion
15. sleep
16. alarm clocks
17. bonfires
18. smell of crisp autumn air
19. To Kill A Mocking Bird - Harper Lee
20. mittens
21. sound of purring cat
22. three meals a day
23. Girl Scouts
24. freedom of speech
25. Amarige perfume
26. antibiotics
27. volunteering
28. white daisies
29. air travel
30. paychecks
31. Christmas lights
32. onion rings
33. life's hard lessons
34. poem "Phenomenal Woman"
35. vaccines
36. gainful employment
37. electricity
38. sunshine
39. God's grace
40. peanut butter
41. scrapbooking
42. indoor plumbing
43. right to vote
44. photography
45. books
46. President Obama
47. birth control
48. my OLD HOME
49. make-up
50. forgiveness
51. music
52. Malibu Rum
53. Internet
54. Bible
55. public libraries
56. caffeine
57. washing machines
58. educators
59. babies laughing
60. smell of cinnamon
61. character building life lessons
62. refrigerators
63. pearls
64. wisdom
65. stain glass windows
66. love
67. green grass
68. criticism
69. three year old kisses
70. Chemo Angels
71. red tulips
72. loyal friends
73. HGtv!
74. cats
75. Lucky Charms cereal
76. life
77. smiles
78. laughter
79. Jonny Lang music
80. automobiles
81. intelligent children
82. Lincoln Logs
83. grocery stores
84. family that never gives up on me
85. anti-depressants
86. Phoenix Process Consultants
87. connections between people
88. hot chocolate
89. volleyball
90. vacation
91. ears to hear with
92. North Shore, MN
93. front porches
94. snow angels
95. snow blowers
96. public schools
97. passion
98. jacuzzi tubs
99. Diet Pepsi
100. deep breathing
101. EVERY DAY!

Dogs Go To Heaven?

Who said that "Church People" don't have a sense of humor?

According to an email I received these two churches face each other across a busy street and engaged in a war of words through their announcement boards.