Someday, You'll Understand...

Dear Upset Mom to One Toddler at Brookfield Zoo,

Hey! How are things? Are you enjoying your quiet morning? Did you have fun at the zoo yesterday? Can I please interrupt your day for a minute to pass on some advice and send out a plea?

Guess what? Someday, your sweet 2-year-old boy will turn 11. I know! It’s shocking to think about. No new mom ever really believes that she will be a parent to an older child, but (by the grace of God), it happens.

Someday, your son will be awkward and stumbling; his feet too big for his legs and voice too loud for polite conversation. Someday, you will be forever reminding him to cover his nose with his elbow when he sneezes. Someday, you will have to wrangle him into the bathroom for showers and sniff under his arms to make sure that he DID put on deodorant. Someday, you will spend more time apologizing for his bumbling actions and responses than you currently do. After all, everyone expects a 2 year old boy to be noisy, active and needy; When he grows as tall as you are (overnight, I swear), people suddenly expect him to be polite, coordinated and mature...

Read More...

This is me, asking Fate...

I keep waiting for the change in our income to be reflected in our wallets and bank accounts. Sadly, it's still extremely tight around here, just with a much brighter projected future on the horizon. I know that the bills WILL be paid and soon, but it seems as though we're still taking 2 steps backward with every paycheck from Pat's new job.

Have I mentioned my woes with my refrigerator? It has been temperamental again and I fear that we will need a new one soon. As in, this week, soon. And I began to ponder how long we could survive using a cooler and pantry items, because THAT kind of cash isn't available, nor will it be for quite some time. Fate needs to LET UP on the problems. Just for a few months, please? Just a few months with no appliances fizzling out, cars stalling on roads in the boondocks, kids going to the E.R. or unusual expenses being thrust upon us. Just a FEW MONTHS to let us get the people paid off that we so desperately WANT to pay off, but keep struggling to even chip away at because of these damn unexpected expenses. I KNOW that by next year, if everything goes as planned, we will be out of debt or extremely close to being out of debt. I KNOW that we can do it, if only we can be allowed to put a little aside each paycheck!

Please, Fate; PLEASE. Just a little relief. Just a tiny break in the stupid situations that cost so much money. I know we've got it better than many people do. We've a home, healthy family, and prospects for the future. I know I'm being greedy here. But I still have to put it out there. One can't receive if one doesn't ask, right?

Not Back to School

This is what homeschoolers do when public school starts up again...
They visit the empty zoo and make exhibits at a play table. FOR ALMOST AN HOUR. Their PATIENT mother sits by and marvels that everyone's getting along...

They paint their faces (Like an Apache*, Mom!) and use plastic carrots as weaponry...
They discover that crocs aren't the best for balancing on branches...They construct elaborate forts with sticks and tarps and rocks...

They enjoy a gorgeous day at the zoo without the crowds.

They drive home discussing what they learned about wolf scat** and how long it takes for a chicken to hatch from an egg.

All in all, a great day.


*Why an Apache? Why? I have no idea. Sorry if it's politically incorrect...

** That's 'poop' for the unaware. Just in case..

Sarcasm will get you NOTHING

Yawn... It's 6 am. Moments ago my darling husband stumbled past my desk, arms reaching the ceiling in an enormous yawn (he IS 6'4") and sarcastically stated,

"Aaahhh.... Slept great! TWICE."

Har Har Har.

As if it is MY fault that he put on "A Beautiful Mind" before he passed out, leaving it on to wake me up at 2 am to scenes of Russell Crowe's schizophrenically engineered hallucinations? As if it is MY fault that he is married to a brilliant woman with an overly active imagination who takes that suggestion of hallucinated people and morphs them into psychos who like to walk in circles in your family room?

I'll tell you what really sucks; It really sucks to be scared out of your wits at 2 am by what you are positive is an intruder going through the bag of cat food*. It's even better when you have to rouse the world's deepest sleeper for an EMERGENCY. Ever try to do that? Ever try to wake the dead in a hurry? And do it quietly?

Me, poking him incessantly in the ribcage, "Pat. Paaattt!!!"

Pat "...zzzzzarggglesnarfzzzzzzzz...."

Poke, poke, POKE! Anxiously peering into the hallway, after noticing that I can't easily grab my freaking ninja sword**.

"WAKE UP! But shhhhh!!!"

Pat "....zzzzvap?zzzzzhuh?"

Rinse and repeat. AND REPEAT. Until finally,

"WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU WHISPERING? WHAT? HUH? WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S DOWNSTAIRS? WHY ARE YOU HITTING ME? WHY DO I NEED TO BE QUIET?!?"

Good Lord.

This would all have been much more amusing had I not been absolutely shaking with fear.

At this point, I was positive that the psycho was smart enough to hide around the corner of the stair case, just out of sight from the top and there was no way I was going down by myself! So, while I silently jumped from foot to foot, wringing my hands (true story. My hands were actually wrung last night), he slooooooowly slipped on a pair of shorts so as to be decent for the paramedics in case he was murdered.

I shit you not.

After heroically pushing each other in front of ourselves, we crept down the creaky stairs and saw... Nothing. Thankfully, there wasn't an intruder or even a hallucination. Just our aging cats pattering around, rummaging in food bags and knocking glasses over. Once we secured the premises and were trudging back upstairs, Patrick shot me a sleepy dirty look that said "you got me out of bed for THAT?"

I guess he would have preferred that there actually WAS an intruder. I mean, he went to the trouble of putting his pants on for NOTHING!

*yes, this should have been my first clue that it was a CAT and not a HUMAN but it was 2 AM FOLKS.

**Yes. I have a Ninja sword. It's under my dresser by my bed but I couldn't find it because I would have had to move the stuff I put in front of it to stop the kids from playing with it. I didn't want to move the stuff because that would have made too much noise and given the crazy person *** an even greater upper hand. Maybe not the best spot to store it after all? It's ok, though; I grabbed a plastic hanger instead. Just as good, really.


*** the other one. Not myself.

Love you honey!

A Right of Passage

"Ok, guys. I have a really cool surprise for you!"

"What is it?"
"Do we have ice cream for dessert?"
"Are we going on vacation?"
"Did you buy a puppy?"
"Oh! A puppy!?! YAAAAAY!!!!"
"I hope it's not a big puppy!"
"Yaaaaaayyy!!"

Much jumping up and down and clapping of hands ensued.

"No! No, no, no! Guys, it's not a puppy! Or a vacation. Or even ice cream. It's just, well, it's this."

I feebly waved the dvd from Netflix in my hand.

"See? This movie. Heh. Yay...."

Sad faces. Many hanging lower lips at the loss of their mythical puppy. Shoot, not even any ice cream!

"What movie is it?"

"You're going to LOVE it. It's a CLASSIC COMEDY!! It's hilarious!"

Valiant efforts at making my face very reassuring and excited.

" 'Classic' means black and white. It better not be black and white."
"Is it appwopwiate for little kids, too?" (yes, my 4 year old says this. Cracks me up.)

"It's for the whoooole family! Even Daddy!"

"Yaaaaaay!!"

I finally had their enthusiasm again.

We set up the family room floor with blankets and pillows and all cuddled around the television. I popped the dvd in and, what should appear but a black and white introduction with milk men driving 1950's trucks.

Kids faces = NOT amused.

"This is black and white!!!"
"I don't like this!"

Giggling behind my hand, I assured them "You'll like it, I swear! Just wait and see!!"

I continued to giggle through the credits and crack up when the black and white show runs to a stop and a British voice apologizes for the mistake. I burst out laughing.

Kids faces = Confused.

"It's Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail! You guys are going to LOVE THIS!"

My glee was palpable. Theirs was not.

Justin managed a few giggles through the whole introduction credits with the moose and the llamas and the sacking of everybody. Evan and Corinne were scratching their heads but they can't read that fast, so I hadn't expected it. Also, it was kind of hard for them to understand what I was reading aloud because I was laughing and snorting with such gusto.

Sadly, it was all downhill after the credits. Corinne fell asleep halfway through and Justin continued to be confused by their accents and political humor. Also, the fact that I found every little detail freaking HILARIOUS may have put him off a bit.

"Why is that funny, Mommy?"

"Because... gasp... it's a coconut! TIED to a SWALLOW!!! Bwaaahaaaa!!! Get it? The swallow?!? GET IT?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! And, and... they're going to burn her because... gasp... she weighs the same as a DUCK! Bwaaaaahaaaa!!!"

Their faces = Not getting it.

By the time Sir Gallahad was encountering the 150 maidens between the ages of 16 and 19 1/2 (Oh my gosh, I had TOTALLY forgotten about the spanking and oral sex joke. Insert very loud coughing and clapping of hands at that part. Oops! Bad Mommy Moment), we had lost them, though Evan still claims to like the battle scenes which, DUH. What 8 year old boy wouldn't love battle scenes involving flying barnyard animals and black knights without any appendages?

Sigh... So, out of 3 kids, I have 2 who give Monty Python's Holy Grail two thumbs' down and 1 who gives it 1 up, 1 down.

At least I still have the dvd! I can watch it again today, ALLLL by myself if I want!!!

I am much more of a nerd than may have been previously obvious. Between the dance video and my movie tastes, it must be glaringly clear that I was never a cheerleader in high school, eh?

A post with many references to losing menstrual blood and psychotic ramblings due to loss of said menstrual blood. Did I say MENSTRUAL BLOOD, yet?!?

Menfolk may need to avert their eyes...
Heed these words!!


In my state of crimson prison that is womanhood, I was beyond thrilled to lock the bathroom door and all of the crises that lay behind it;

"A shower! Yes! That is what will make me more relaxed and less likely to resemble the child-biting* ogre I've morphed into!"

The pounding water blocked out the cries of the starved and neglected offspring that beat upon the door. With my eyes closed, I could almost envision that I stood inside of a sparkling clean waterfall instead of a dingy beige tub that is badly in need of a scrubbing and new curtain. I began releasing the tension and anger that had built up. Ahhhh...

Moving into reality, I proceeded to do what is necessary in the shower, i.e. shampoo and shave.

Normally, these are my least favorite parts of showering (aside from the drying off and brushing of wet hair and, well, I really don't enjoy showers that much...). What with the rinsing and spitting of bubbles that evade my efforts and wind up in my mouth, and the bending and lathering and nicking of ankles... Nope. Don't like it. Not one bit.

You can imagine my surprised joy at finding myself enjoying the shaving of my legs. In fact, I LOVED it! It felt MARVELOUS!! As though someone were removing 10 layers of unwanted hair and dead skin. Like going to the spa only for FREE. This? Was TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

Beware of things that are too good to be true.

After 5 minutes of shaving the same glorious spot on my leg, it gradually occurred to me that shaving doesn't usually feel good. Shaving is normally a bit like clipping your toenails; it's a neutral zone. Neither good nor bad (minus the bending and lathering bit). An alarm bell began to go off in my parched brain**, causing my hand to slowwwwly halt and question something so wonderful...

Hey!

Know what's really great about August in Illinois? Besides the mind-numbing heat waves and humidity? It's the night life, baby! It brings us suburbanites out like moths to a porchlight; we cannot resist. We pour out into the darkness and build little bonfires and drink Long Island Iced Tea from a bottle and try to grasp every last drop of summer before it's gone.

Know what my family usually forgets to purchase in August?

Bottles of bug spray to replace that which has been depleted.

Know who the last person to get sprayed ALWAYS is, thereby resulting in an empty can fizzing out random spurts?

Me, of course. I mean, what kind of selfish mother would save her own skin before that of her precious children?

There is no scream like that of a menstruating woman who looks down at her extremely hairless leg to discover dozens of bleeding, oozing mosquito bites. Like I have any spare blood right now?!?This is not sufficient. The lighting is all wrong and I have dried off and I need more sympathy than this photo will induce...26 bites on my right ankle and foot ALONE. I stopped counting about mid-calf and didn't even bother to count my left leg....

You may commence with the tender and uplifting comments....

NOW!





* I haven't actually bitten them. Yet.

**what with the hormone fluctuations and MENSTRUAL BLOOD LOSS.

Gonna go Back In Time...

Another lovely morning where my hormones and mother nature have decided it would be fun to see what would happen if they played jump rope with my fallopian tubes. Being female is SO FREAKING DELICATE! I adore being a girl, don't you?

Rawr. Reposting something funny (it is, damnit) because I am anything BUT amusing today.

Originally posted Tuesday, November 10, 2009

This is not a request for porn. I MEAN IT.

Should I be worried that my 4 year old daughter can tell that I am wearing lipstick, simply from its scent, when I lean over her head from behind to brush her hair?

"Ooh! Mommy! You're wearing lipstick! Can I have some, too?!?"

And then Patrick inquires, with a puzzled look on his face,

"You're wearing lipstick? What's with all the make up lately?"

And by "All the makeup lately" he means that I have washed my face every day and applied a bare minimum to cover any pimples or paleness before the little boy I babysit arrives around 1:30.

Which is more concerning? The amazing make-up sensing abilities of Corinne, or the fact that a little glossy lipstick and blush causes Patrick to be alarmed? I'm sure he was picturing me primping and preening for some random guy (I DO get a lot of UPS deliveries for reviews...) and the words "lipstick" and "showered" *falling in 2 consecutive days caused a few red flags to go up. I should be flattered, right? Because this is how I look on my "made-up days" at home:


I KNOW. The hotness is frying the circuits on MY computer, TOO! Sorry bout that.

Also? When trying to take a picture of yourself? It is advisable that you stop after 1 or 2. Otherwise, THIS is what tends to occur as a result...

What? It's just me? I'm the oooonly one who does this? As if. Come on. FESS UP. Show me your weirdest pics. (But this? This is not a request for nakey nakey shots. Those? Those you can send to my email). ***

*By showered 2 consecutive days, I mean that I managed to wipe the necessary parts of my body with a wet washcloth on one of those days.**

**Don't judge me.

*** please don't send them to my email.

Dance Party 2010

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Yes. We really ARE this cool...

Have I got a deal for you....

Want a vacation for your family? For free?!? Check out my coolest giveaway EVAH!!!

You seriously don't want to miss this one!!

I Need You to Want Me...

I just couldn't take it. All the oohing and aahing and "It was so fun!" My eyes were sparking greener than the skin of a baby tree snake. I clicked and clacked away and bought the early bird ticket for BlogHer 2011.

I called Patrick and confessed to the impulse buy. (All of the money was from Blogging ads and stuff! I swear! It's a self-serving hobby.) His response?

"Cool! We can all go to San Diego! The kids will love it!!!"

My silent response on the phone obviously wasn't making a very large impression because he kept going on and on about how they'd enjoy Sea World and the beach and this little restaurant that existed about 20 years ago when he was stationed there in the Navy. (He's always wanted to go back).

I remained quiet for a moment longer, and then...

"Are you CRAZY?!? I am NOT having the kids around for my 3.5 days of ME TIME!! These are my peeps! I want to meander and mill and drink until the wee hours! I want to have a roommate that doesn't need me to tuck them in at night or find a lost shoe before I head out to a session. I don't want to share!!!"

I think I hurt his feelings a bit but really? I mean, I don't force him to drag the whole family along for his fishing trips to Canada! We'd love to go, and if he invites us, we will; but I am NOT INVITING them!!

Selfish? Me? YES. Yes, I am.

Rawr.

Now I just need airline tickets, hotel accommodations and spending cash by next August. This is going to take some serious schmoozing for a sponsor or two...

Soooo... Anyone interested? Anyone? Bueller?

Blech

Oh holy, holy, holy crap. 2 1/2 weeks till school, people. 19 DAYS. NINETEEN DAYS to prepare mind-tingling educational stuff with which to make their minds expand.

It's gonna take a lot more coffee and wine to make this happen...

Slurp, slurp. Speaking of coffee, I am indulging myself in a big mug of luke warm joe as I write. Nothing quite as mediocre as coffee that doesn't burn my tongue.

Heh. Know what I just did? I poured my coffee into a pot and cooked it on the stove. That? Is desperation.

Needless to say, I am searching for a new microwave because this situation will not be healthy for any of my children. Mama needs her caffeine!

My goal today is to stay away from my shiny computer box and get several more weeks of school lessons written out and planned so that we can start the year off with half the stress. One can hope, right?

Providence?

As you may have noticed, I enjoy doing review posts for CSNstores.com. They always seem to contact me with an opportunity to shop their stores right around the time that I am in need of a replacement item for my home. Whether it be for new lights or electrical appliances, CSNstores.com definitely has it all. I've bought a mattress, griddle, and a science kit so far. I'll give you one guess which item died just as I was opening the email from CSN...

Hint: My coffee is brewed but persistently cold. This WILL be remedied, and SOON!

First Cleveland Giveaway!

Part 1 of some great giveaways I'm offering from my Cleveland experiences... Check it out!!

Stay tuned for more cool stuff, really, really soon!

Pfffttttt.....

My coffee pot is out to get me.

First attempt yielded hot water. After putting the grounds INTO the filter, it then sat there for 15 minutes, not brewing.

After pouring the boiling-hot water BACK into the spot where it has to bubble up and over (or something), it still sat there; not brewing.

It was then that I recalled every i.t. guy's words of wisdom and turned the damn thing off and on.

I now possess the most sought-after cup of coffee I've ever brewed.

Ahhhh.....

..........

Moments ago, Evan ran into the office and smacked me.

"WTF?!?"

Laughing maniacally, he dashed out screaming that I have the Cheese Touch.

It's looking to be a rip-roaring Monday!

Consider Cleveland...part 3

Just catching up on my Cleveland adventures? Read Part 1 and Part 2 ....


After spending a bit of time and money in A Christmas Story museum and gift shop (my kids loved their Little Orphan Annie Decoder rings!), the air was heating up and we were beginning to wilt. We enjoyed a light lunch at Grumpy's Cafe, and then headed to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Rain Forest. I was prepared for an ordinary zoo. I was surprised to find myself, well, Surprised!

Though we didn't get to check out the entire zoo, we did get to WALK through the new elephant habitat that is still under construction. (how cool is that? I was IN an exhibit. And I wasn't the main attraction or anything!) Once finished, the African Elephant Crossing will cover 5 acres of wooded land, hills to strengthen leg muscles, indoor/outdoor bed options, and an education center. Expected to be open around May of 2011, it is an exhibit that will be well worth the wait!

Another unique feature of the Metroparks Zoo was their giraffe exhibit and feeding experience. For $2 a person, you can feed the giraffes by hand! As you can see below, I had a moderately good time doing just that...

Ok, ok. It ROCKED. It was so incredibly cool to have these enormous and gentle creatures seeking me out and searching for food! And it was EXTREMELY difficult to resist the urge to pet their heads!
Sigh... Such a cool activity. Definitely worth the cost.

Sadly, we got rained out of the concert in the park so we raced ourselves into the Botanical Gardens for a dinner inside. I am SO glad it rained because I might have missed this stop on the tour had the concert continued...BEAUTIFUL. The Cleveland Botanical Garden is just lovely! I wish I had more pictures but my batteries weren't cooperating at this point. You'll just have to take my word for it that the layout and exhibits are really well done. This is a relaxing way to spend a few hours, checking out the butterflies and hiding behind the flora and fauna.
Anyone growing up in Chicago has been to the Art Institute of Chicago. It's beautiful, without a doubt. But I must confess that I had never been to an art museum in a different city! Ever. For someone who loves art, that strikes me as odd. Thankfully, I no longer fit into that because the tour included a choice of any of the beautiful museums in Cleveland's University Circle.

We chose the Cleveland Museum of Art, and I was blown away by the quality of the museum.
My boys would love to check out their Medieval section. Devoted to armory, weaponry, tapestry and all other types of craftsmanship from the Middle Ages; it was stunning!

(Admission to the museum's permanent collection is always free!)

It had been a long day... We headed back to our gorgeous rooms at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre. Since our group was getting along so well, we decided to head out and walk to the local night life at the East Fourth Street Entertainment District. It was literally 3 blocks from the hotel! The cobbled street and criss-crossed lights lent an automatic party atmosphere. I was ready to kick back and have a blast.

And we DID! We hit a few of the smaller bars and tried some fancy drinks but myself and 2 others ended up at the perfect fit for us: Flannery's. Big but cozy and great service with drinks I can pronounce adds up to a happy Tracey...

Thursday morning had us boarding our bus to return to Chicago. One final stop found us being QUITE surprised by the gourmet meal provided...

Above you see Ja'Vonne of the Traveling Eye, Howard of VideoTwist Productions, Me!, Barb aka Weaselmama, journalists Chasse and Dominic enjoying the most delicious gourmet meal I've eaten in QUITE a long time at The Toledo Zoo. We stopped there on our way home and I must say that it was much bigger and more beautiful than I'd have imagined! Their children's zoo was a lovely addition and I adore the way that you can get twisted around in the pathways between old exhibits and new. Thank you for your hospitality, Toledo Zoo!


Stephanie and Jennifer of Second City Soiree, and Bonnie from the Traveling Eye
(I had to edit out our other travelers because of a minor that was traveling with her journalist father. Hello back there Jodi!)

To sum it up, Cleveland really surprised me. I am so excited to know that there is a "new" and fun travel destination so close to home. The people from Positively Cleveland who were our tour guides and all of those who worked together so that we could experience the best of the city and its surrounding area did a fabulous job! Thank you again, and I can't wait to go back!!


If you liked any of the activities that we did on our trip, then stay tuned for an exciting giveaway that I am putting together.... I can't divulge any details just yet, but it's gonna be a good one!

Midwest Love

I am a child of the Midwest.

Nothing is more peaceful than the great columns of corn
rising above the black, black earth.
My headlights catch the iridescent orbs of the nightly Illinois predators;
Raccoons and coyote, opossum and fox.

Is there any silence noisier than that of Illinois farmland on a chilly August night?

Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti....
Reee-reeee-reeee....
Click-click-click-click-click....

Cicadas and crickets compete for attention and as my van speeds homeward
their song flows like jazz,
no beginning or end
only the middle
repeating, repeating.

The aromas on my midnight drive carried me to tears...
the memories...
Oh, the memories!
My entire life has been surrounded by these smells.
Every August for 34 years has been filled with the wood smoke
from last ditch efforts to capture as much of the summer as possible.

Without a doubt, the cool air of the evenings is a slap in the face
after the oppressive heat and humidity of noontime.

They are children of the Midwest.
Every August for eleven
eight
four
years
they fall asleep to the songs of the soy and cornfields.
Every August they sit beside the last-ditch summer bonfires
the lovely smoke flavoring their hair
trying to grasp the remnants of summer
the bits of childhood
before autumn has its chance....

Tutus are slimming...

Not At BlogHer.

Not flying to New York City.

Not keeping track of Marinka.

No fabulous updates of parties and inspirational speeches and long-time internet friends reunited over a candlelit table.

BUT. I got to put on a tutu at a bar last night which then led to me propositioning a bunch of frat boys who thought the women at the front table were absolute loonies (but hot loonies! Ooooohhh So HOT!) to donate! It'll make you a better person! You can wear the tutu, too! (strangely, they didn't make much eye contact after that...)

So, it's all even in the end.
Be a doll and check out Tutus for Tanner. If you can, help them raise the funds to allow this very sweet, very sick boy be able to spend the rest of his life at home instead of a hospital.

Hope everyone in NY for BlogHer is having a GREAT time without me. No! Really. I mean it. I hope the humidity isn't too crushing or oppressive. I hope that the traffic isn't too aggravating and that nobody gets sick from all of the free martinis that I won't be drinking.

What are YOU proud of?

I was recently asked to submit a post that I was proud of.

"Proud of?" I bit my lip and held my breath.

Am I proud of anything in particular? If I had to choose one post that represents me, which would it be?

Good Lord! I've been writing here for over 4 years! How can I pick one post out of the 1097 that I've written? Some are horrendous. Some are sappy. Many are posted without much editing, thrown into the swirl of words that is the internet. Several are written at 2 am in the throes of an attack of insomnia. Picture posts, kiddy posts, whining-about-money-posts.

How do you define yourself in just one post?!?

I finally selected one that I am proud of. After submission, I realized that it would most definitely be thrilling to be chosen to read it, but not being selected won't negate my pride. And it led me to wondering...

What one post are you proudest of? What post defines who you are?

Would you care to share it? I'd love to read it. I'd love to share it, too.

So, here's the deal. Send me a link with the title of the post and name of your blog, and I'll make a list that I'll post on my site. Whatever strikes your fancy, whatever you want; just a post that may have gotten lost in your archives and deserves another chance in the spotlight. There's no ending date to the list; I'll update it as long as I receive your links.

I'll start with the post that I sent in for submission...

Immortality on the Internet by Tracey of Just Another Mommy Blog
Trauma by Deb of Not Inadequate
Toss that Stain Stick by Michelle of Honest and Truly
Tempting the Universe by Leslie of Raven's Rook
God Bless Us Every One by She's Just Another Manic Mommy
Breadcrumbs from the Incredible Weirdness of Being...
Reality by Issa from Issa's Crazy World
Uncle Marky also by Issa from Issa's Crazy World (because she just can't pick one and I've hugged her so it's ok...)
The Gerbil Chronicles by Sue from Our Little Corner
Five for Ten:Happiness by Stacia from Fluffy Bunnies
Gettysburg Family Jumps the Shark by Sue from Gettysburg Family
A Closed Hand is a Fist by Mike from Teacher Food

You're next!

You say hello. I say goodbye...

Once again, I'm reminded of just how fleeting each stage in our lives are. Try though I might to not let myself get "comfortable" with what is my present, it happens. It happens and happens and each break from every normal is just as painful as the former...

Ebb and flow, in and out.

I had someone tell me recently that they liked my whole "hippie attitude." I smiled and said "Peace and love, go with the flow, live each moment to it's fullest, man." Inside, I wondered if he knew what a facade it really is.

I TRY.

I climb on every roller coaster and pretend to fly. I raise my arms and stretch my legs, letting the absolute joy overtake me. But it's quite the task to be present and conscious and in the moment every blessed day. Ironically enough, living life with joyful abandon requires some serious planning and collaboration. And writing from the heart while breaking up sibling fist fights just doesn't feel all too genuine...

Today I say goodbye.

Today I let another stage end for me and a dear friend as she excitedly begins a new stage in her life. Only fresh beginnings for her. No more dark reminders of the battle fought to achieve the happiness she now treasures. Only honesty and authenticity.

The absolute pride and wistful hope I feel for her is just that: Absolute. But the loss in my own life will be great. The thrill of locating her and renewing our bond just last summer, after a decade apart, makes her upcoming move across the country all the more poignant.


I'll miss you, Annie. Don't let any of your new opportunities pass you by.