Evolution of Dance

This cracked me up!

Midnight Madness and Gratitude

Yes, it's 3 am, and I want EVERYONE to know what in the world I'm doing up so late... I just got back from the outlet mall up the street! They opened at 12:01 am on Black Friday, and it was a nut house! Unlike anything I've ever seen. Everyone told me about how Dallas loves her shopping - well OHMYGOSH! Families milling around...at 3 am. Crazy. I thought I was the only nutjob!

And onto the things that I am grateful for (besides easy access to an all-night shopping frenzy):

1. Health insurance: Calvin has picked up a new sport, and it's called chair-diving.

2. Place mats: Mackey, apparently, doesn't love my sweet potatoe casserole (which is killer - he's got 'issues'), and he proceeded to VOMIT the contents of his stomach onto said placemat during Thanksgiving dinner - protecting most of my new table.

3. Jon: He's got grit because before my not-so-mommy-like gag reflex could even kick in, Jon was over there cleaning up what had so uncerimoniously missed the aforementioned placemat.

4. Dickey's BBQ: They did a great job preparing the ham that we ate instead of turkey, thus maintaining my 14 year streak of NEVER having prepared a turkey at Thanksgiving...or ever for that matter.

5. Diet Dr. Pepper: Without which, most of the above wouldn't have been possible or bearable, and it is sooooo much better than Diet Coke.

6. Chiropractors: Without whom, again, none of the above would have been possible this week.

7. School projects: School projects make me happy! I'm not cleaning up the glue, and I probably wouldn't have come up with a papersack vest on my own.

8. Lifetime Fitness: For being open today - my first day back at the gym since the other, not-so-happy Friday - giving me the illusion of health maintenance during a time of "therapeutic" eating.

9. My wonderful children: If it weren't for them, I wouldn't need the chiropractor, the Diet DP, or many of the other things I'm grateful for. Mostly, though, I'm thankful for their wonderfully unique contributions to our family; their humor; their generosity and kindness towards others; and their flexibility in so many things...particularly because mommy said that she would make them pasta for Thanksgiving, forgot, and got away with popcorn as a substitute.

Another Krispy Kreme Post

ReBecca, I think of (blame) you whenever I eat a do(zen)nut(s). More free food tonight. I feel like a junkie; but is it the AMAZING amount of sugar and deep-fried goodness in those tasty morsels or is it the fun of free food? And it's always the same guy: Keith. Yes, the alliteration is lovely. He recognizes me, which I love and hate, and might as well call me "Norm".

Krispy Kreme Komes (K)through, Divalicious, Calvin's New Babysitter

Ok, so I scored another free dozen donuts. 'Nuff said. No, I didn't eat them ALL by myself. But I'm lovin' that I can still score free food! It's so strangely rewarding for me.

So, the whole thing that set the Friday Night Donut Splurge in motion was Lucy's Girl Scout Diva night last week. She had a great time, and I have the gravity-defying pictures to prove it. As some of you may know, Lucy inherited her mother's (ahem) grace, and she's lucky to have survived the night in those heels without a trip to the ER. And, by the way, NO, I didn't just start dressing my daughter like an underage...well, anyway...those outfits were part of the dress up trunk the lady had there. After she changed back into her regular, age-appropriate clothes, she told me that she didn't like being so immodest. Whew! Hold that thought another 8-9 years...Needless to say, after FIVE hours, I needed a little pick-me-up, and who doesn't need donuts? So, I thought if I was going to JUMP OFF THE SOUTH BEACH WAGON, jump big!

Lastly, I was doing some work on the computer yesterday, and I was having a hard time ignoring the din of Calvin's squawk. When I got up to see what was the matter, this is what I found...Calvin's new babysitter.

Life isn't Always Better at the Beach

Ok, not better at the South Beach, that is http://southbeachdiet.com . So, when Jon drags his foot off the wagon a little, I feel the compulsion not to simply "fall off the wagon" but to jump off head first into a sea of Krispy Kremes. And you know what? I hate when companies change the spelling of things - thinking they're clever. Spell one thing different for the sake of visual alliteration. Ok. But butcher two things for the heck of it? UGH. But it's ok, KK, you still have my business.

Confessions

I have a dirty secret...I don't think anyone else I know does this...but I let my kids, ok, just Mackey, dress himself. Unless you've spent time around him, you couldn't possibly get his flair for drama (total Fisher trait, right?). It's just not the battle I'm going down for. And if I weren't such a techno peasant (new phrase totally ripped off from Amy Foulger!), I'd figure out how to scan Mackey's preschool picture. Wouldn't you know - it's the best picture that cute little boy has ever taken - and he's wearing a t-shirt with a tie painted on with his mis-matched camo shorts. When my husband saw the pix, he was mortified. I giggled. I'm reminded of my friend Jenn Mangum's comments one time about a less than perfect school picture a child of hers got back; she said that it captured his essence during that time of his life. So, Jason, since my husband won't get around to helping me on this, would you please walk me through "Scanning: 101"? Or anyone else for that matter?

On a different note, this is what my kids look like when IIIIIIIII dress them...

Ok, I'm in total responsibility avoidance mode...I have a mountain of paperwork to do, and I wrote this random post instead.

Crazy Eyes, Jerry Seinfeld, and Poor Me

These were just funny pictures. When ReBecca came to visit, she brought funny glasses for the kids to sport. They were a huge hit! And as a worthy side note, ReBecca has a GREAT picture of her grandmother wearing them.

Also noteworthy - my most recent reason for having to scoot out of a restaurant in a hurry? No, not because Calvin was crying, but because he was doing a GREAT Jerry Seinfeld impression from the belly that says "heeeeellllloooooooooooo" episode aka The Voice Episode http://www.tv.com/seinfeld/the-voice/episode/2398/summary.html?tag=ep_list;title;157. Loud but good. He does it whenever he is feeling ignored or wants a laugh. He's a total character. Calvin, not Jerry. Although, he's funny, too. Jerry, not Calvin. Has anyone seen the Bee Movie?

Yeah, so I'm writing in the middle of the day because I'm all laid up in bed. Trying to do Day 1 of the South Beach diet to boot. Yes, I would like some cheese with my whine. I hurt my back on Friday, and I'm not healing like some mythical mommy creature. Huge slant on mythical creatures lately thanks to a book called The Lightening Theif http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lightning_Thief. Fun way to introduce Greek/Roman mythology to kids, but beware if "idiot", "stupid", and "dumb" are no-nos in your reading. I digress...but I can right? CUZ I'VE GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO! I'M STUCK IN BED!

Thank GOODNESS my husband has been around this weekend and is taking great care of me and the family. He is SOOO THAT guy. Which is funny, because we're both youngest kids in our families. (You KNOW how I love birth order studies...http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1672715,00.html). I'm the stereotype, and my husband is uber-responsible and considerate. Hmm...happy sigh. Oh. Oh, yeah...violin in background...poor me.

MMMMMMMMMMM...Donuts

(Think Homer Simpson...donuts...) A quick shout out to Krispy Kreme...for giving me a free dozen donuts. I think that people can smell the glucose on my skin or sense how excited I get about food. Seriously? I have not met ANYONE who gets as excited (singing, dancing, giddy) about food as I do. Ok, possibly Dawn and ReBecca, my fellow foodies. But I've never seen one of them dance in their seats... I love to be fed. Either way, I scored a free dozen donuts! I haven't done that since BYU!!! Wahoo!!!!

Big Diva, Lemonade, and a One-Eighty

As I prepare for a Girl Scout Diva Night tonight, I'm reminded that I have been an absolute diva myself...and not in the best way http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diva. So, if I use my blog to vent my frustrations (which will usually be about public education - anyone who has known me for any length of time knows this is always a hot point for me), I will use my blog to admit when I am wrong or particularly, if my frustrations are ill-placed.

**Sigh**

My child was not "left behind" as previously referenced in another post because of a particular class. I think I was just grumpy. Very grumpy. I will never love how public education has difficulty addressing multiple skill levels in one classroom. But that's not TX; that's the US. Anyway, suffice it say, we are making lemonade out of lemons, and it tastes great. Begrudgingly I will admit that more than academics can be taught at school, and public education doesn't have to break a child's individuality (not always, at least). What?! It's my inner hippie!

Lucy's teacher really adores her, gives her lattitude to spread her wings, and provides her opportunities to develop goodness and character. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, (ok, who am I kidding? I don't think I have any 'gentlmen' readers! Wait, Jason, do you still check in?) this would be a 180 degree turn about.

Never in a Million Years

I never thought that I would be singing the accolades of any French politico. Ever. Meet Nicolas Sarkozy. My friend Jessica told me about the Laura Ingraham show http://lauraingraham.com/ (yipee! Another talk radio show to stalk since I don't have Chris Corr http://www.wmal.com/sectional.asp?ID=18474 anymore!) and she played soundbytes from yesterday's visit from French President Sarkozy. I found bits and pieces of his speech, none of which do the full speech justice, but it was moving. Thought I'd share: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071107/ts_afp/usfrancepolitics_071107192856. What I found particularly stirring was the reference to American veterans who died liberating France. Especially as we are at war...so I thought that I'd pass this along, too. My very good friend, Valerie, is married to a WWII vet; so she has particular insight as to how we can be kind to our troops. Here's an attachment of what she recently sent me:
A Great Idea!!!
When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, Please include the following:

A Recovering American soldier
C/O Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

I'm THAT Mom

So, I stink at cameras. This was made ABUNDANTLY clear to me over the past week (imagine the cartoon harps playing to signify 'the flashback' sequence)...

Imagine, if you will, that your friend has flown to see you, Halloween's coming, there's a lot going on, etc. One of those things would be Mackey's Halloween parade at his rockin' preschool. So, he's all dressed up, I take pix before we leave AND video! We get to school, they parade, and cameras are flashing like paparazzi around...well...a certain indiscreet starlet. The class goes back to the classroom to pose for a class picture. More parental paparazzi. And then, Mackey looks at me and asks, rather loudly (of course): "Hey, mom, where's your camera? Why didn't you bring your camera?" Um, yeah, no Mother of the Year Awards here. My response? "Um, heh, um, uh, I took all your pictures before we got here! With video!" I felt terrible - what a witch, right? - poor middle kid! I should have thrown Jon under the bus (since he was there, too) and said, "Ugh! That was dad's job!"

Further evidence of my general suckiness with a camera? Said friend to visit? Wanna see the ONLY picture I got to document her visit? Yeah, that's ReBecca BEHIND the skivvies-only candy-sorter, Mackey.

Bad picture-taking aside, Halloween was fine. Lucy was a witch, in spite of my near begging her to be Princess Leah. Calvin was Yoda because we can still boss him around. And with his litle wobble-walk, he was perfect. He was the perfect candy con, too. When he finally figured what was going on, he'd mosey up to the door and stand there with his hand out. People would give him candy, and since 'thank you' is one of his words, they'd just keep giving him more and more.

It was funny, though; we wound up walking quite far away to trick or treat because we only have one neighbor on our street!