Monday, June 29, 2009

Jamie Foxx and Neyo said it best

I've been on vacation with the family, so I haven't been available to comment on the most recent events, mostly the death of our pop icon, Michael Jackson. Now I won't go into a long drawn out thing about my feelings on his death, because I'm sure, like me, you've heard ENOUGH about it, but I am deeply saddened by our loss. So I hope that this tribute says a little about where my feelings are.

God Bless his family and may he continue to live within us all.


Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Doctor Office Drama (part 1)

Have you ever had a bad visit to your doctor's office?

A few years ago, I was taking my children and myself to the on-post Family Practice. If you are military, chances are you can relate when I say how terrible it is to have to go to this place. Well first off, the appointment line is horrible. You call, stay on hold for about 45 minutes and when someone finally does answer, they tell you that they don't have any appointments, maybe till next month and almost NEVER with your assigned health care provider. I never knew who our doctor was because I NEVER GOT TO SEE HIM/HER!

The other option was to call back after 1 and maybe there was a cancellation. HA! FAT CHANCE!

The wait time there was horrible. The worse thing for a mother is to have to sit in a waiting room with a 4 year old, a two year old and a baby, JUST WAITING. I use to have to pack lunches and snacks or be prepare eat in the cafeteria every visit. The cafeteria staff knew me by name and always came to help me with my load, by the way.

My final straw with this hospital was when a I was getting Boy 2's (Sir-Talks-A-Lot) 4 year old wellness check up done and the day had already gone far too long. The doctor checked him out and sent us to immunizations for those dreaded 4 year old shots. By this time, it was lunch time (we'd been there since 9) and most of the staff had gone to lunch. The wait was sooooo slow, the kids were irritable because they hadn't hadn't had lunch and well Miss Missy was 2. NUFF SAID! The "NEXT" numbers seemed to move so freakin' slow.

So finally after one heck of a long wait, we were called into the room for shots. The nurse looks at us and say, "Are you getting shots? Because I don't do shots on 4 year olds."

WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T DO SHOTS ON FOUR YEAR OLDS? IS IT NOT YOUR JOB TO GIVE SHOTS? AREN'T YOU THE IMMUNIZATIONS NURSE? WHY DID I JUST SIT HERE IN THIS WAITING ROOM FOR OVER AN HOUR IF YOU DON'T GIVE SHOTS TO 4 YEAR OLD?

She must have saw the look on my face, but she didn't care. She continued with, "You're going to have to make an appointment with his doctor to get the shots done."

"The doctor sent me to immunization," is all I could muster up without yelling, crying or cussing this crazy chick out.

IF YOU CAN'T DEAL WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS, YOU NEED TO FIND A NEW JOB!

"Sorry, you're going to have to get an appointment with your doctor."

My eyeballs must have been FIRE RED as I stormed out of that office and went straight to Tricare to change my doctor. I wanted an off-post doctor and never have to go through the mess I dealt with with the military doctors again!

After signing the papers for a change, I immediately went to patient care and filed a complaint. The rep was shocked with the immunization nurse's "policy", called back down there and demanded I be taken care of ASAP and NOBODY had the right to decide which patients they wouldn't see.

Guess I showed her!

Got the boy's shots done by another nurse and have since been happy with our new OFF-POST physician.

Until Yesterday............

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tell It Like it T-I-Z Tuesday: Spare the Rod....

I'm not much of a Jon & Kate follower. Watched a few shows here and there. More since all this craziness has started.


But they are on front pages of magazines everywhere. You can't miss them and you really can't avoid being taken into their controversy.


Well, on one for mags at the grocery store today, I noticed a headline from about 50ft away that said something long the lines of KATE GETS CAUGHT HITTING HER DAUGHTER on the cover of In Touch.



I'm like SO!



That's that woman's child. We're not in a world where it is illegal to spank your kids butts, are we?


Well apparently we are.


There was a picture of a police officer. WHO HE HECK CALLED THE COPS???


Hollywoodgrind.com wrote this: It seems Kate is one of those moms who thinks she is the queen, and the kids must obey and cater to her, or they pay the price...



I'm one of THOSE moms!



I feel like my kids must obey me or they will pay the price. That's why I'm the parent! I'm put in charge of their young lives to teach them right from wrong and prepare them for the future.


I feel like if I tell my kid to get me a glass of water or Kool Aid, which I do quiet often, then the better darn well do it! Cater to your parents! I remember being called from my room plenty of times and being told to change the channel. My dad was 2 friggin' feet away! And you think I coulda told him no??? That's why we have kids! So that they can grow to take care of us. LOL! As we speak, Sir-Talks-A-Lot and Runnin' Man are doing their chores cleaning the kitchen and I'm sitting..... blogging.


I'm responsible for teaching my kids to be responsible and respectful and the meaning of CONSEQUENCE!


The pictures of Kate shows that she smacked her daughter on her butt or maybe her leg.



AND??



Apparently, she was on the phone and the little girl (don't know which one, too many of those little twerps to keep track of) was blowing a whistle. She asked her to stop and she did it again. That's disobedience! In my house, you are very likely to get a smack on the behind for something like that.


As I have stated before, I strongly believe the children have to understand that there is a consequence for their actions. If they don't then they grow up believing that it is their world and that they can do what they want, the way they want and other people should just deal with it. I find that parents who choose not to spank often, not always, have kids that are disrespectful, arrogant and spoiled. They talk to their parents in ways that I NEVER would have spoken to my own parents. They more often push the boundaries. They are disrespectful to teachers and other adults and feel that no one can say anything to them. These are kids that I don't want to be around.


Now, I'm not a perfect mom, but my kids are VERY OFTEN complimented on their behavior. They are good kids. This is partly due to the fact that they know that if they aren't, there may be consequences for their actions, period.


Yeah, I do the whole "time out" thing, the taking things away, I make the boys do push ups or stand with their arms out. These are punishments that they know that they can face in my house and all seem to work somewhat. When those fail, it comes back to the old fashion whoopin'! And even if I don't have to use this method often, the simple fact that my little ones know that this is a possibility is enough.

Again, I know that there is a thin line between spanking and abuse. I know that people tend to think that spanking is the same as hitting. I know that everybody has their opinion based on their own upbringing. But my belief is SPARE THE ROD, SPOILE THE CHILD. Isn't that in the Bible?

I think that if this is the first time in all these year of being followed by cameras that Kate Gosselin has popped one of those 8 kids then, DANG IT, she's a SUPERMOM with nerves of steal! Because I could never imagine having 6 terrible 2's at the same time!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Crying over spilled... Kool-Aid

Ever get really emotional for no real reason?

I don't know what it is. Part of it is because Hubs has been on night shift. 6pm to 7am. He's been sleeping most of the day, wakes up only to eat and get ready for another night

So it's just me and the kids.

I'm so bored and alone it's pathetic. I'm not one for talking on the phone. Besides, during the times that I'm home alone, people are getting off working and doing the "family time" thing. I know I usually am.

This is kinda good because it gives me a glimpse of what I'm about to go through once he's gone to Iraq. The last time he left for Korea, I cried for about a week. I didn't tell ANYONE, I don't think, so don't you guys go blabbing it. I'm not one for emotion and usually don't like to let people know what I'm feeling. I want people to see the strong part of me and not that week, vulerable side. So, in site or earshot of others, I smiled. I was fine. At night, I cried. AND CRIED.

With me spending so much time to myself, I have a lot of time to think about things and I think that those thoughts are what is making me emotional. (That, and the fact that I'm days away from Aunt Flow rearing her ugly head!)

Not to mention it's been one of those days when things just happen.

One of the boys wasted his entire bowl of Ramen Noodles on the floor today, now being the wonderful mom that I am, I let the dog clean it up.

The girl wasted her milk which she and the dog cleaned up.

I wasted the drippings from my steaks in the stove and one the floor, which the dog cleaned up.... not the stove part, of course.

Did I mention I don't have a MOP?? Nope, my clorox Ready Mop broke about 2 weeks ago. You can only imagine what my kitchen floor feels like!

What have I done the last week?
I've blogged,
read blogs,
facebooked,
did a search for a lens for my camera,
watched High School Musical 1 & 2 back to back with the kids,
took the dog for a walk,
accomplished 2 miles RUNNING on the treadmill,
pulled weeds in the front yard,
took the kids to an outdoor movie(where I'm so sure I lost my iPod, another reason to be emotional),
took the kids swimming,
and I think that might be it. It's certainly not that I haven't had anything to do, it's just that my routine is all screwed up and it's got my emotions out of whack.

I'm not one for sitting and watching chick flicks, but being at home alone has a way of bringing out the worse in a girl, so while we are having a free HBO weekend, I watched PS, I Love You. WHY did I do that? Stupid movie about a dead husband. What was I thinking?

After which, I went into the kitchen to get myself a drink, opened up the fridge only to find that Kool-Aid had been knocked over in the fridge.

I started feeling the tears wail up in my eyes...........

It's just one of those days.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

My Brother the Scholar

My brother and dad

I'm proud of my little brother. He is back in school. Studying accounting, hoping to also obtain a Degree in Business Management.



He's making straight A's, of couse, as he always did in high school.



He use to make me sick coming home all eager to show Mama his report card filled with A's, meanwhile I was hiding mine in my locker and claiming I forgot it or couldn't find it in a desperate attempt to prolong my 6 week punishment sentence for another day.



He's always been the book smart one. My parents great hope. The one that was suppose to go to college and become something. A doctor or a basketball player. That's what he use to say he wanted to be.



Let's just say, thank goodness he was smart.



The boy had the potential to do anything he wanted to do. He went to college. He dropped out.



The herb kills your brain cells, ya know.



But, now after all these years, he is back at it. Trying to achieve something. Getting good grades. Flying through the classes. He has goals. He has dreams. Not to be a basketball player. Not to be a doctor.



TO BE A RAPPER.



Seriously?



A producer/rapper?



The boy's brain cells are just shot! Either that or his dreads are too tight.........











but if he so happens to make it, I'mma be the main one saying, That's my BROTHER! I KNEW he counld do it! LOL!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Headline: Hungry Mother Leaves Son in Walmart Parking Lot

Okay, so that wasn't a real headline, but it did really happened. And when my cousin told me her story, I couldn't help but LMAO!

Okay, so you all remember when Oprah was giving away free chicken, right? You remember! The free KFC grilled chicken dinners.

(I'm paraphrasing here, but this is how our conversation went)

Cuz: Girl, me and T (about 14) were in WallyWorld and I was so hungry. My stomach was growling and all I was thinking about was my free chicken.

Me: Free what?

Cuz: You remember when Oprah was givin' away free chicken?

Me: When was Oprah giving away free tickets in ATL?

Cuz: CHICKEN!! You know the Grilled Chicken??

Me: OOOOHHHHH! You know I'm hard of hearing.

Cuz: So we get to the car, and put the bags in the trunk. I hop in the driver's seat and I hear T open and close his door. He always sits in the back seat because he wants to lay down sometimes.

So anyway, I'd heard his door open and close and I went ahead and backed out. I was so hungry and all I kept thinking about was getting to KFC. So I'm just drivin' and talkin' to T and wondering why he so quiet. I figured he was just laying down because he was tired. Anyway, I pull up into KFC and the drive thru line is real long. Everybody was trying to get their chicken. I was like "T, maybe you should go in and get in line and I'll just park instead of going to the drivethru. ................. T? T?" Girl, he wasn't even in there!

Okay, so by this time I'm trippin' cause I seriously can't believe that she didn't have her son in the car with her.

Me: Did you call his cell phone?

No! It was in the car. He had put his stuff in the car and then went to take the basket back. Girl, I hurried up and got up outta there and went back to Walmart.

I guess she figured she'd better trace her steps, like when you lose your keys or you wallet.

Cuz: I pulled back up to Walmart and T was standing out in front of the store..... MAD!

Now, I'm just cracking up because I could just imagine this 14 year old kid standing in the middle of the parking lot with his hands up in the air yelling MAMA as she sped off and kept going.

Cuz: And girl, every since then he won't get out the car when we go somewhere. He wait in the car until I come back.

The girl done traumatized the poor boy!



Dear Oprah,

Apparently giving away free chicken causes mothers to lose their minds. Please reframe from these sort of gifts, though they are quiet gracious and I really appreciate you coming off of some of those BIG dollars to buy EVERYBODY dinner. That was pretty cool. Maybe next time you should put a disclaimer in it. Something along the lines of
MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE YOUR CHILDREN!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Somebody Prayed

"I got the results to my MRI yesterday."

Every time I hear these words I stop breathing. Every since my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer, I can't help but be afraid... of what the future holds.

Every time he gets his results, he calls me with those words.

He pauses. That pause always calls for more concern. It's not really a long pause, but to me, the time it takes him to speak again seems like forever.

"It's clear. It's allllll goooooood."

I smile, because I know that it could be worse. I know that it SHOULD be worse based on what the doctors have said, based on the tons of information I went through on the Internet. It should be worse.

But God Is Good!

"The doctors are amazed. They can't believe that the test keep coming back clean."

"Somebody has been praying for you."

We both start singing, "Somebody prayed for me. They me on their mind. Took the time to praaay for me! I so glad they prayed! I'm so glad they prayed! I'm so glad they praaaayed for me!"

I want to cry every time I get these results because I know how blessed we are. It's been about a year and a half since I got the news. Stage 4 Brain Cancer and my dad is doing just fine.

I know that it is God's work because there simply is no other explanation.

I prayed so hard that he would be okay. And God does answer prayers. I know that now.

When everyone kept saying that he would be okay, I had so many doubts. I didn't want to hear it. What did they know. I'd read the research. I'd seen the look of doom in the doctor's eyes. I'd heard the diagnosis of a grim future. I didn't believe, or at least couldn't see where they could possibly know how that was true.

I stopped listening to them. I stopped listening to the doctors and the studies and the research, and right now, I'm listening God. And He is doing his THANG!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Tell It Like It T-I-Z Tuesday: So our First Lady is a Gorilla, huh?

I use Facebook.

You use Facebook.

It seems all the world is starting to use Facebook.

So why is it that GOP activist Rusty Depass thought that saying something degrading about the First Lady on FACEBOOK was a good idea?


In Columbia, South Carolina last week, a gorilla escaped from the Riverbanks Zoo.

REALLY???

A Gorilla?

This is the type of stuff that only happens in the movies!

This Gorilla, Mike is his name, apparently thought it would be cool to use a thin piece of baboo to climb out of the exhibit. When he got out, he apparently thought it would be cool to chase down one of the resturaunt workers and punch the daylights out of him. Maybe that worker smelled like burgers or something, I don't know. When he realized what he had done, and saw all the people screaming and running for safety, I guess he got nervous and went back home, not eating Mr. Resturaunt worker after all.

I've been to this zoo, saw these gorillas and when I saw them, they appeared to be sedated. Sat around staring at each other, never moving out of their spot. We watched the for at least 15 minutes and I swear they NEVER MOVED! Guess the patrons that day got a little more excitement than we did!


So anywho, apparently ol' Rusty DePass heard this story too. ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE, for all the world to see, he wrote, "I'm sure it's one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless." (info obtained from Helen Kennedy of the Daily News)

WTH???

Oh that was BRAVE! You mean, not only do you have the BALLS to insult THE First Lady of the US, but you also have the balls to throw out what to MANY people sounded much like a RACIAL remark?

You know, black people are sensitive to things like this. We have been called everything under the sun for many years and GORILLA is one of those things you just don't wanna call us!

He tried to cover it up by saying that these were Michelle's own words and that she had referenced us to descending from gorillas somewhere, some time in space. Well, a search of the Internet could find any results to prove this claim so not only is DePass making such racist comments, but he is also a liar. Imagine that! A lying politician!

So when this, pardon my French, ASSHOLE, decided that he would not only allow this to leave his mouth, but to also have the gall to POST it on the Internet, I'm like what kind of folks do we have in office?

Okay, I've been raised in the south, and I know that this is the root of racism and the heart of slavery. Still, I like to believe that we as a nation have overcome, or at least are in the process of overcoming such nonsense. We, as a nation, have just elected our first Black President. We, as a nations, are working to give everyone equal rights and build a better tomorrow where ALL of our children will feel like this is a country that they can love, be proud of, feel safe and have equality.

But when someone in higher power, someone that we are suppose to be able to look to to protect us and insure that ALL people really are created equal, someone who obviously has some "hidden issues" can say such racial remarks OUT IN THE OPEN about the First Lady of the United States, it makes me wonder what he thinks about little ol' me.

What does he say about those like me behind close doors?

What kind of position does he really stand for if he thinks of us as GORILLAS?

Republican activist Rusty DePass has left a bad taste in my mouth and has given a bad name to South Carolina in my book, and all the formal apologizing in the world cannot lift the pain of those words from my heart.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Bathe or be bathed!

I'd bet plenty of parents have gone through this, but did you handle it the same way?

Bath time seems to be the most unhappy time around here for the boys.

Every night, I tell one of them to take a bath and I immediately hear AWWWWWWW!

What's wrong with getting clean?

I hear, "But I took a bath first LAST night!"

Does it really matter who goes first??? I bet if I made it a rule that everyone uses the same bath water I won't have to hear that anymore. They'd be fighting to get in first!

So, this particular night, it was Runnin' Man's turn to go first. I went into my bathroom to give Miss Missy her bath and Runnin' Man went to the other bathroom and turned on the shower.

By the time I'd finished with Miss Missy, Runnin' Man was already dressed and in my room watching TV.

Wow, I thought. This wasn't like him, he is usually the one that has to be told to get out the shower before he runs all the hot water out. He stands in the shower in HOT water, steaming up the bathroom for EVER!

Well, finally he was starting to realize that water AIN'T free and Mom likes to take hot showers too. Or maybe it was because he wanted to watch the NBA finals with his dad, but whatever.

Whatever the case, he was out and it was Sir-Talks-A-Lot's turn to get in. 2 minutes after going into the bathroom, Sir Talks-A-Lot comes back out of the bathroom with his towel wrapped around his waste.

"Mama, Runnin' Man (he doesn't really call him that) didn't wash up because his towel is DRY!"

All eyes turned to Runnin' Man and his eyes turned to the floor.


BUSTED!!!

Me: Did you wash up, Runnin' Man?

Runnin' Man: no

After my long drawn out scolding of I CAN'T BELIEVE and YOU'RE SO NASTY, I decided that the best way to punish the boy for this to ensure that he wouldn't try to put one over on his parents again was to take drastic action.

Me: Get back in the shower and I'M gonna was you up!

Runnin' Man: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

You see, my 9 year old son is very modest and at that age where he doesn't want anyone to see what he has. So I know that the best punishment was embarrassment! This punishment wouldn't have phased Sir Talks-A-Lot because, well, he's kinda a purve and would probably get a kick out of it. Think I breast fed the boy too long! LOL!

So back to the punishment. BWUUUAHAHAHAH! Evil, I know.

Well when his brother finished his shower, I ordered Runnin' Man back into the shower. A few minutes later, I walked into the bathroom and there came the waterworks.

Runnin' Man: NOOOOOOOOOO!

Me: Yeeeeeeeeeesssss! Maybe next time you'll learn to do it yourself and your mommy wont have to wash you up anymore.

Sir Talks-A-Lot was crackin' up from their room!

Runnin' Man: NOOOOOOOOOOO!

I grabbed the soap and towel and went to work, angry and laughing all at the same time as my truly embarrassed son cried his eyes out.

I can assure you that he'll never try that one on me again!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

**4 stitches**

**** If you have a weak stomach and don't like the site of body injuries, you might wanna steer clear of the pictures below. Not too back, but ya never know****


You know, I'm beginning to wonder if Sir Talks-A-Lot is jinxed or something.

Yesterday we went to the park again. I took the boys' friends this time because they stay at home while their mom is at work and I figured they would like to have something to do. I know. I'm just thoughtful like that. (the oldest one is old enough to be home alone, by the way.)

The boys played in the water and sprinklers and started playing a game of hide and seek. Of course, the fun didn't last long as I started hearing MAMA being called and looked up to see 3 boys looking panicked and one out of eye view.

As most people know, I'm not one of those panicky moms and when one of my boys comes to me crying, my first words are, "Are you bleeding or dying?"

Well I trotted (yeah, kinda like a horse) over to where they were and saw Sir Talks-A-Lot coming up the stairs with a stream of blood coming from his know.

No need to ask that question.

Still, I never panic, and since he is really not screaming, I take a quick glance and tell him to come and sit down where I was sitting.

Well, it was HOT and I had been sitting in the shade and there was NO way I was gonna break a sweat trying to examine a cut knee. Get your butt over here out of the sun.

Okay, I had to ask WHY were the boys running on these brick steps anyway? They were suppose to be on the playground where there is mulch for them to fall on and get splinters, not on the brick stairs of the Amphetheatre, but hey, that's what boys do.

So I take a look at the gash in the boy's knee and it is pretty obvious that we were gonna be on our way to the emergency room. The gash was open.... meaty..... bloody.

Completely EEEEEWWWWWW!

The very word stitches brought on the the waterworks. You see, until this point, he wasn't really crying. I think it was having his friends around, concerned, but telling him to take it like a man that kept him from all out bawlin' on the steps. Either that, or it really didn't hurt as bad as it looked like it should have, but my 7 year old was strong! He held back his tears and "took it like a man", until that is, I mentioned those stitches.

Okay, please don't take this as me trying to insult anyone at all, but here's the rest of the story.

When we were finally called back, we were put into a room with another patient. He was also getting stitches. They were just finishing up. He was a very friendly man, with a beautiful African accent. Or at least it was beautiful at first. By the time they came back with this man's discharge papers I just about knew his life history. From how he fell, to where he was born, to he job as a vet and why i should use the post veterinary service, to the death of his mother-in-law, her age and why she always lied about what year she was born in. By the time that guy left I didn't wanna her that accent anymore!

So the medics that had sewn him up came over to have a look at the boy's gash and said that the doctor was gonna come in and have a look at it and they'd get him stitched up.

There was that word again and Sir-Talks-A-Lot was scared all over again.

After a short wait, the doctor walks in. And here's where I hope I don't offend anybody. But the first thing I noticed was the the doctor was really short. probably about 4ft tall. Then I couldn't help but notice that he was, well, deformed. I mean, his arms were long and he looked a little strange. He reached to shake my hand and, well, he didn't have any thumbs.

Okay, I'm not one to make anyone feel uncomfortable, so I kept my smile and my charm and kept rolling, but I could NOT help but think I KNOW THIS GUY IS NOT GONNA PUT IN MY SON'S STITCHES! HOW!!!

Stupid, I know, but the mind thinks what it wants to.

So when the medic walked in, I was sure that the doc was just to coach him through the stitches.

Nope! Doc put his gloves on his 4 fingers, tucked in the thumb of the glove in and went to work.

While he worked. I never woulda known that there was anything missing because he worked smoothly and confidently just how any doctor should. And I have to say, he was one of the best doctor's I have seen in all my years of going on post. He made Sir Talk-A-Lot calm and comfortable and took away all the fears he had going in.




When he finished up and left the room, Sir-Talks-A-Lot turned and looked at me and said, "Mama? The doctor didn't have any thumbs."

I was very gracious that he waited until after the procedure to talk about out because many children would have blurted something crazy out right upon seeing it. And who knows WHAT would have come out!

Anywho, today he's outside playing, runnin' around like nothing ever happened.

Kids sure do bounce back.

Everyone who called and checked on him all said the same thing.


IT'S ALWAYS HIM.


He's my ER magnet. The one who always gets hurt, the one I am always nursing. The one who is SURE to put his mom in the loony bin!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Let's talk Food

Food was on my mind when I woke up. I'd programmed my TV to turn to Cook Yourself Thin at 8 this morning. I swear that show always has me saying, I can make that! And it makes me wanna cook healthier for my family with things they might actually eat.

Ahh, maybe I'll start tomorrow.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Last night I made spaghetti for dinner. It's always a hit with the kids. This time I decided to try it with the turkey again. I made it with turkey once, right after I'd discovered that good things do come from turkey meat, and it didn't go over to well with the husband.


We had just had turkey tacos for the first time and he LOVED them, without knowing it was turkey. When I told him that my masterpiece meal didn't come from a cow, he vowed that we'd only have turkey tacos from that point on.

Well, a few days later I tried the turkey out on my spaghetti and he said that he liked the turkey with the tacos, but no so much with the spaghetti. My mistake was that I told him first.

So it was back to the beef.

Well, this time I snuck in the turkey again.

Hubs didn't have much to say while eating. He's never been a big spaghetti eater, not like me who LOVES spaghetti, pasta and Italian foods more than I love sleeping! At the end of his second plate, he said, "This is the best spaghetti you've ever made, I think. What did you do different?"

"Nothing," I lied. He is more into the turkey thing now than he was when we first started, but I didn't want him to know my secret just yet. After all, after finding out it was turkey the last time, he criticized and said it wasn't good!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

This morning, after a REAL workout and not a half-a$$ed one, I had a burst of energy. I made the kids pancakes and made like a TON of them to freeze. I NEVER waste my money on frozen pancakes. Waffles, yeah, cause I don't own a waffle iron, but not pancakes. I ka Butt Load of them and freeze them, that way they can pop them in the microwave and I don't have to listen to the whole I DON'T WANT CEREAL crap while I'm busy trying to blog clean.



::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Today, I'm actually gonna make that chocolate cake I've been wanting to make. I've had Duncan Hines sitting on my counter taunting me for days telling me how much he LOVES me and how much he I WANT him and how GOOD he's gonna be for me. I've resisted. Well, kinda. The other day I broke, but when I opened the fridge there were only two eggs. The box said 3. I reluctantly decided to wait.

So today, I might not be "cooking myself thin", but I'm gonna make up for it with a salad for dinner, SO THERE!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Can anyone explain to me the concept of buying Eggland's Best eggs over the store brand?

I'm having trouble figuring that out. They don't taste different. Were they layed by a more elite chicken? Maybe one that was raised on Evian and cavier? Are these chicken getting a daily massage? Are they from a royal bloodline?

Eggs are eggs are eggs! I don't understand the concept of buying the more expensive brand expecting them to be a different egg. Same goes for milk. What's the difference between Walmart milk and saaaay Colbert? All cows are milked in the same way, right? Shouldn't all milk taste the same?

Just wondering. I'm all for saving money, so I go store brand in things that I can't tell the difference. Eggs are eggs, People!

Monday, June 8, 2009

I'll just keep my Vicky Secret's a secret from my boys!

Why did I think that forcing my boys to go underwear shopping with me was a good idea?

So we're in the mall. Just me and the kids because Hubs had pulled an all-nighter at work the night before and I wanted leave him at home with some peace and quiet, you know cause I'm thoughtful like that.

I'd gotten up and taken the kids to the FOX kids fair that they were having. Free rides = Free fun. But it wasn't as exciting as I thought, although these pics of Runnin' Man falling off the mechanical bull were a little humorous.

Anywho, after taking them for a day of enjoyment I figured I could sneak in some enjoyment for me.

Hubs had bought me a gift card to Victoria Secret for Mother's Day after hearing me talk about how I haven't bought matching bra and undies in way too long and I'm down to wearing either black or red every day. (go, Hubs for listening!)

So, we get to the front of Victoria Secret and both boys stop in their tracks.


Sir Talks-A-Lot: N'uh uh, Ma. I'm not going in there! No way!

Runnin' Man agrees.

Me: Come on here, ya'll! Ain't nothing wrong with going in here. Now bring your butts on!

They start to grumble and groan as I pave the way into the store filled with undergarments and nighties.

Runnin' Man grabs my arm and closes his eyes, like I'm his seeing eye dog.

Runnin's Man: I don't want to see all this.

I can't do anything but laugh.

Me: One day you'll change your mind.

Runnin' Man: Why would I EVER want to look at ladies' underwear!?!

I'm cracking up to myself by this time. Thanking GOD that they are really still to young to enjoy looking at Ladies' Underwear!

I continue walking through the store trying to find something on sale, then something on sale that is CUTE and then something on sale in a D cup. It was pretty limited.

Runnin' Man: Ew, Sir Talks-A-Lot! Why are you looking at that lady?

He was referring to a dummy (dummy statue, not a real dummy lady, of course).

Sir Talks-A-Lot is my more, let's say, curious child. He the one that I am SURE will have a girlfriend first, the one that will peak when I am changing my clothes.

Sir Talks-A-Lot giggles: Ewww, Miss Missy! Why are you picking up that big bra?!! Mom can't fit that!

I'm pretty sure it was a D.

It went on like that for a while as they giggled and complained. Sir Talks-A-Lot trying to see what the women were doing in the dressing room, Runnin' Man groaning get him out of here, and Miss Missy just trying to find mommy a bra.

Miss Missy: Mommy is this your size? Mommy is this your size?

It was a job just to concentrate on underwear when there were so many complaints coming at me from left and right.

Runnin' Man: Awww Man! I wish I could just stab my eyes out!

Me: Okay! Let's GO!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Randomness and a Must-See picture of Miss Missy



I have a secret addiction to Zingers. I say that I'm buying them for the kids, but they are more for my own personal indulgence. It's the one thing in the house that I wish they WOULD eat up!

We have been really slow this summer about the summer reading program, which I believe is a step up from last year when we didn't get involved at all.

I cooked a fabulous dinner tonight of Broiled Chicken, White Rice, and a fabulous vegetable mix of zucchini, yellow squash, portebello mushrooms and Vidalia onion. The nutrition aspect went out the window with the tons of butter it sat in. I find that omions give me gas. Actually the older I get it seems more things I eat tend to have that effect. TMI, right?

I find that the Sirius satellite radio in my new car is really cool. Found some funny comedy channels I woulda never known about. Would I pay for it after my 6 free months is up? Probably not.

Is my mother just trying to pay me back for never answering my phone? She hasn't answered my calls or texts in two days.

What is so hard about young girls understanding that birth control is a MUST? Why is it that there comes a time in so many teenage girls lives that they think that they want a baby at suck a young age? And it seems that once they get that in their heads, they are destine for doom.

Should I be nervous to find out that the young boy that lives next door to me joined the Bloods. Younger suburban kid wanna be wouldn't have a chance in the real gang world. His mother sent him away for a few months to try to get him out of it. Says he doesn't affiliate with it anymore now that he's back. But I still don't want him right next to me and my very influential boys.

I am highly anticipating the new season of Army Wives! I mean like really really REALLY can't wait to see it. I'm cutting my visit to The Ville (where most of my family lives) short, just so that I can be back in time to catch it, or at least the 12am rerun!



Okay, I really had a hard time stopping my laughter as I took this picture. As you can see, she is really mad because I made her stay put while I laughed uncontrolably scambling for my camera. She hadn't worn this bathing suit in a year and when she popped out of her room with a big smile on her face looking like this, "I'm READY!", I couldn't hold it in. She wasn't too happy that I was laughing at her. Boy is she gonna hate me when she grows up and looks back on these posts or finds this picture circulating the internet many years from now!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Where did imagination go?


Summer has kicked in and already I can see how the kids' brains have turned to MUSH. Not just my kids, but kids in general.

I can remember when summer kicked in and I just couldn't wait to get my butt outside and play, all day, every day! We played from the time our mom would let us out the door until the STREET LIGHTS came on. And I don't really remember coming in the house unless it was raining. You know why? You remember how Mama was! IF YOU BRING YOUR BUTT BACK IN THIS HOUSE ONE MORE TIME YOU'RE GONNA STAY IN!

And we didn't want to stay in! Okay, granted, I do live in the south now, and not in the north like when I was a child, and the sweltering heat may very well give the kiddos a heat stroke if they tried to stay out there as long as we did, but THERE IS A WATER HOSE OUT THERE! Do like we did. Everybody go to one person's house and take a swig from the hose and keep it movin'!

Kids nowadays WANT to be in the house! Sir Talks-A-Lot will go outside and comeback in the house in about 30minutes complaining of nothing to do.

Where has imagination gone? Where has Hide and Go Seek, Mother May I and Red Rover gone? We didn't need Rip Sticks and basketball goals to keep us occupied. We had this strange contraption called, get this..... IMAGINATION.

Remember that?

I guess that now that kids have Wii and Playstations, DS's and Xbox's, the imagination is gone. These games do the thinking for them.

I can't stand hearing how bored my kids are, even in the house because it tells me that they are not thinking.

But outside? There's a HUGE world of nothing but adventure when you walk out the front door. A plethora of opportunities to create whole new worlds of adventure. (can you tell I played by myself a lot?)

Would you believe they had no idea how to play RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT last summer?

I'm surely not gonna let them sit up and rot their brains,watching TV and playing video games all summer. They are going to have to learn to be creative and think of ways to entertain themselves like we did.

So Red Light Green Light is lame, you say? Well let's play FOLD THE STACK OF LAUNDRY, DUST THE TABLES, or CLEAN THE BASEBOARDS instead. How about that? We can make a day out of it, how about that? No one will be board anymore!

I'm hoping to bring back imagination this summer. Hoping the neighborhood kids will join in. Because my carpets can't take the constant in and out and my ears can't take one more whinin' I'M BORED!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Beyonce' woke me up at 5:30!

I am up WAY too early today and believe me, I am none too happy about it.

Somewhere in the midst of my dreams I hear, "Hey Kay, did you take those underwear back to the store yesterday?"

"No." I did manage to groan that out as I open my eyes to a blurry husband standing somewhere between the light coming from the kitchen and my place of what use to to SLEEP.

So I go to close my eyes and the radio pops on!

He'd gone into the bathroom, closed the door and turned the radio on. THE RADIO! So here I am AWAKE now because of a question about some underwear when there is a drawer FULL of them, listening to Beyonce' Uh oh Uh oh Uh oh herself away. And any other time I would got up and been doing it with her but now I'm stewing in frustration because I'm sleepy and can't get my mind back to sleep, wondering why the heck was that question so important at 5:30 in the morning when, again, there is a drawers FULL of underwear in the dresser!

The TV was already left on from the night before and now the radio was pretty much drowning that out with the bathroom door closed.

Well, since I obviously was not getting any sleep anyway, I got up and came into the computer room.

So when he gets out of the shower, of course he comes to look for me and when he finds me in here staring at the screen load he asked, "Too loud?"

Now I am up at 5:30am in sitting in front of computer. I have no job, it's summer vacation and no reason to not be counting sheep right now, WHY ELSE WOULD I BE UP???

I must have given him THE LOOK, because to me that was a crazy question.

But you know what? Instead of a simple apology, it becomes MY FAULT! MY FAULT???

"See, that goes back to communication. Why didn't you just say something? I asked you last time if it was too loud and I didn't know it was loud if I'm in the shower and the TV is already on. You shoulda just said something."

I'm thinking, what do you mean, last time? Last time you had the radio on in the shower with the music blaring it was 8:30 in the morning, not 5:30 and I told you that it was loud but that it was okay because I needed to be getting up anyway!

At that time, I imagined myself walking into the bathroom, snatching the alarm clock radio out of the wall socket, and throwing it into the shower. HOW'S THAT FOR COMMUNICATION????

(okay, at least I was going to unplug it first! Didn't contemplate killing anyone.)

So, here's your communication, you know the silent unspoken, kind. Don't be surprised when that radio becomes MISSING!

A simple I'm sorry, my bad would have been the right thing to do.




He's gone now and I'm gonna TRY to go back to sleep!

Last One Off To Pre-K

As I sit here and listen to Miss Missy chatter on and on behind me about something I have no idea what she is talking about, I can't help but to be thankful that she is starting Pre-K next school year.

Most people think that because she is my last and because I'm a stay at home mom and won't have anymore kids at home that I'm, for some strange reason, gonna be sad when she goes off to all-day-big-girl school.


UHHHHH.......... NO!

She is finally gonna have someone else to talk to other than me! Someone else will be able to listen to her stories about iCarly and what happened to Drake and Josh. She'll be able to show and tell her teacher all about the dream she had about the cat who ate our dog, Ginger, and why the mermaid swam in our bathtub.

Miss Missy has a very creative mind, much like her mom. She plays for hours in her room by herself, talking to her dolls. I was like that too. Many times I made my little brother play with me, many times she has Sir Talks-A-Lot play with her willingly, but the whole imagination thing was all the same.

Okay, so maybe I'm not all that thrilled that my little Miss is growing up so quickly BUT you better believe that I'm gonna enjoy my free time while I got it! The kids have summer vacation and mom looks forward to school!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Deployment Approaching

It's all starting to seem real now.



When Chris first told me that he was going to Iraq, I just took a deep breath, said okay, and told myself that that time was a world away and that I'll deal with it when the time comes. That was probably back in February or something.



Now, August is approaching quickly and it's become more real to me.



It's June.


He won't be here much longer.

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



This summer we have tons of plans, so it seems. I have my family reunion coming up in July and I have to get into some kinda shape because, as many of you know, family are your worst critics when is comes to weight gain. I can just hear my Grandma, now.



Ooh, Kay, you done gone and put on a few more pounds since the last time I saw you, ain't you? You ain't pregnant again, are you?



Okay, so you can't cuss out your grandmother without severe reprocussions, now can you? And, I'm not gonna even talk about the things that go through my head, but dare not to come out of my mouth when those old folks do what they do best, which is SPEAK THEIR MINDS.



I understand that the older you get the less you bite your tongue, but why does it seem that they just let things fly out their mouth without thinking that it might be hurtful or embarassing? Old people just don't care!



So anywho, my main reason for wanting to lose weight this month is not to be healthier and feel better, but so that I don't have to hear how chunky I'm getting from my "peeps".



I haven't been to a reunion in about 6 years and everytime I go I have to PRETEND I remember folks when I really have no idea who they are. Understand, I didn't grow up around my family. My dad was in the military and we were only in Michigan on short visits. The only people that I really was close to were my aunts, uncles and cousins. Immediate family, really. So all those distant people are a black to me.



So, it's hilarious to me when My great-aunt's second cousin's youngest daughter comes up to me and say, HEY GIRL! I use to change your pampers! Do you remember me?





UHHHH........ NO!



I'm looking forward to the reunion. This will be the first one that I take Hubs to. He was in Korea the last time I went. His family doesn't do reunions because for the most part they all live in the same area and see each other all the time.



It's in ATLANTA this year, we're hosting. It's gonna be a HOT one!



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



Hubs called me a few days ago and asked me if I wanted to take a trip for a Marriage retreat to North Carolina. He didn't even get it out good and I was like YEAH!



Last year, we went on one of these retreats with the kids to Myrtle Beach. It was wonderful. The kids had a ball. We had a ball!



Okay, so it did make it all the more better that the military actually foot the bill for EVERYTHING.

The room.

The food.

The childcare during the morning classes.

Ahh, the life!



And they are gonna do it again. This time we are headed to N.C. to Great Wolf Lodge. From what I can tell, this play is gonna be even better than the Myrtle Beach trip. It's an indoor water park and the rooms are cool-like suites.

Okay, I'm excited. Can't wait to take a trillion pics.



The bittersweet part of it is that these are gonna be some of out last times that we spend together as a family for a year.

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

Okay, so the kids know that dad is leaving soon. Runnin' Man, being the oldest, understands more so than the other two, I think.

SirTalks-A-Lot is my sensative child. I know that he is going to take it the hardest. When Hubs went to Korea about 3 years or so ago, he was the one that I had to console every night. He was the one that cried for his daddy to come home, he was the one who had an emotional break down at school when he knew I had to take his daddy back to the airport that afternoon.

I'm not sure that I'm ready for this again. I know that Runnin' Man is going to try to be as strong as any 9 year old can be. And I know that Miss Missy probably won't understand just how long a year is until daddy is gone for a few weeks. But Sir Talk-A-Lot, being the emotional one is going to be the one who makes me cry. I consider myself pretty strong, but this isn't going to be easy.

The deployments are really one of the hardest parts about being a military spouse. Becoming a single mom for a year makes us stronger, but still doesn't get easier with each deployment. This will be his first time going to "war", as he has been away for a year tour to Korea a few times. This is going to be the hardest.

But I know that he depends on me to be strong. And I will. You see, I am blessed to have a strong support system. I have my parents. I have my friends. And am blessed to have such wonderful neighbors who, during his last 1 year tour, looked out for me and took very good care of me while he was gone. I am blessed to know that I am not alone. Having a great support system hopefully with ease the pain of separation.

Having resilient, well-rounded children will hopefully make the single mom period a little less stressful!

Monday, June 1, 2009

Finding Free Fun is always Good!

If you know me, then you know, I'm thrifty, frugal, or just plain cheap.

So one of my biggest concerns about summer vacation coming up so fast was that I hadn't planned anything for the kids to really do throughout the summer, during those days when there just aren't any big plans going on. I mean, yeah, I'm a stay at home mom. And I know that my joy is suppose to be spending time with my kids. Yada, yada, yada! Truthfully, if I could get rid of 'em for a few weeks, I wouldn't hesitate, wouldn't bat an eye and probably wouldn't miss them... well maybe a little... at first..

I mean, I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't love the crying, the whining, the tattling, the I'M BORED HE HIT ME SHE TOOK MY TOY I'M HUNGRY CAN I HAVE A SNACK IT'S COLD HE WON'T STOP COPYING ME SHE WON'T GET OUT MY ROOM HE PUT HIS FEET ON ME HE FARTED IN MY FACE IT'S HOT I DIDN'T KNOW I DIDN'T DO IT IT WAS HIS FAULT IT WAS HER FAULT!

I think I can get over it pretty fast!

I'm not one for spending money, because, well there just isn't a whole lot of extra dollars falling off the ever green trees this year.

I looked into the Y for summer swimming. When broken down to all that can be done with the membership, it sounds really good. Swimming whenever you want, working out whenever you want, childcare while you work out. Sounds like a good deal for $55/month. But lets not forget that $100 joiner's fee THAT I DON'T HAVE! and didn't I just buy a new car and obtain a $600 car payment???

Well, that deal just wasn't sweet enough for me.


Well, on Friday, I decided that I was gonna take the kids to the library. They've started the summer reading program and the kids needed to pick up their reading packets. First, I wanted to take them to the playground that they have behind the library for a picnic. Well we get to the park and there's a surprise waiting for us. Some extremely smart people added a water feature to the playground!

The kids were ecstatic! Now how could I tell them that they had to sit back and watch the other kids get wet on this hot day because we had NO idea this was here and didn't have a change of clothes???

I couldn't!

So even though I had JUST bought my car a few days earlier and knew that Hubs would have a FIT had he known, I let then get soaked, all the while wondering how those kids were gonna get home!

They had a ball, and for a mom like me, that's all that matters. They dried in the sun just enough that I decided not to make them walk the 15miles to our house, but we never made it to the library.

So here's the deal.

FREE water play! A very cheap day out (just the price of a picnic lunch). And at the end of it all, I get to hear, "This is the most awesome day ever!"