Peachy Keen

One for 2009

2009-12-18T21:24:00.002-06:00

My poor little abandoned blog. I feel bad for letting it sit here all by its lonesome, but between school and facebook and everything else. Well, you know.

Miss you little blog.

Lookie

2008-11-13T22:12:00.008-06:00

First look at Brigitte. Um, gorgeous.

Second, check out the Charley Harper collection at Old Navy. We already have a memory game and the kids love to play, but I think mommy would enjoy playing so much more if we had this set.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T12:45:00.002-05:00

Life Sucks

2008-10-19T09:31:00.005-05:00

But not this. I miss this. This was when life was good.

This morning I finally started uploading some pics from Florida to flickr. Yeah, that was back in July. Don't really have the time to be doing it, I should be studying. See, that is how my weekends always go. If I'm not studying I'm thinking I should be. So nothing is really enjoyed.
I'm at the stage right now where I want to quit. This shit is fucking relentless and I need a break. Of course I'm not going to quit. I've already put too much time into it anyway (almost 3 months, though it feels like years.)
My kids are ignored, my house is ignored, my husband is exhausted because he's working nights and taking care of kids during the day. I have breakdowns on a weekly basis now. Yep, fun stuff.
I'm feeling sorry for myself, but it's my own fault. Should of gone to school and had a career before I had kids. But not me, I like the hard way. I'm such a dumb ass.

Homecoming

2008-09-28T12:23:00.004-05:00

My sister and my daughter.
Beautiful girls.
Growing up.

Olivia also let me know yesterday that she will be able to vote in the next presidential election.
Say what?

Collecting

2008-09-22T16:00:00.001-05:00

It's been a week of birthdays...

2008-09-21T09:48:00.004-05:00

Jim kicked it off on Monday

Grandma and Dad took the Saturday spot

And my little Bill has Sunday covered

Happy Birthday! Love you all.

Oh no she didn't

2008-09-17T05:47:00.003-05:00

Me: Ruby, put the cat down! He is sick of you picking him up!

Ruby: You're bossy.

Me: No, I'm your mom.

Ruby: You're bossy a little bit.

Linguistics

2008-09-16T17:43:00.004-05:00

Me: Here are the directions for your happy meal toy.

Ruby: Those aren't the directions, those are the instructions.

Has anything ever made you laugh and cry at the same time?

2008-09-14T17:17:00.001-05:00

What's up

2008-08-24T09:01:00.009-05:00

Things sure have changed around here, it's more of a hectic pace. School has started and it's kicking my ass. Lots of homework and studying and not much time for anything else.
Billy and Olivia started school last week. Olivia is loving high school and I think Billy loves school too, I just don't know if school loves him. I had a super short talk with his teacher in carpool line and she seemed a little exasperated. He had his autism testing done last week and we find out the results on Sept 5th. Something tells me I'm going to have to do battle with the school district. If need be I'll show them the true meaning of "no child left behind".
Our tomato plants have been supplying us with lots of tomatoes that taste the way nature intended. This winter I will have a hard time going back to those hard, white, un-ripe, injected with dye monstrosities that they pass off as tomatoes at the grocery store. I have no idea why I haven't grown my own before now, but I will tell you one thing, I will be doing it every summer from now on. Gardening is in my blood anyhow, my aunt and dad do it, my grandparents did it, my great-grandparents did it and so on and so on. One of my dream lives is to live on a farm (this farm can be no farther than an hour from a Target or an Indian restaurant) and have a garden and do canning and also be an animal rescue where people can bring stray animals. I plan on planting more than just tomatoes next year. I'm thinking some squash and zucchini, and melons would be yummy too. We'll have to see though, the sunny spots in my backyard aren't very big.
Hey, did I tell you I quit smoking? It's been three months. I love it and will never go back.
Wow, I sure have written a lot. (Did you know that a lot is two words? It is. And my 8th grade teacher Mrs. Krna made sure that fact was hammered into our brains. She did a good job because I never write those words without thinking about her.) I was going to post some pictures but since I always do pics I think I'll just leave it with words this time.
Anyway, I need to go study while the house is still quiet this morning.
See ya later blog.

This is the good stuff

2008-08-02T09:02:00.006-05:00

Only two things that money can't buy...
that's true love and homegrown tomatoes.
-Guy Clark

Move over Spiderman

2008-07-22T23:14:00.009-05:00

The Dark Knight series may be taking the title of best super hero movies. Their styles are different, as are their stories. Of course, the new Batman movies are more adult. But more than that, they are dark, more depressing. A perfect match for darker times.
Heath Ledger's performance will blow your mind. Oscar worthy, no doubt. The only problem I can see is that it was a tad long and a lot of info was stuffed into its 3 hour running time. I feel like I missed a few things. But oh well, I look forward to renting the dvd so I can soak in more of the details.

One more reason I'm liking Batman more than Spidey....

Need I say More?

Happy Birthday yaya

2008-07-06T16:19:00.005-05:00

I remember feeling unprepared when you were born. I even had an epiphany when you were about 2 weeks old..."it's like babysitting, but the parents are never coming home!" Yeah, that was a little scary. But I think we've got our groove on with this mother-daughter thing, I'd even venture to say it's fun. Hope you feel the same. Love you baby.

Happy 4th

2008-07-04T08:18:00.002-05:00

The design of these propaganda posters is amazing. If you want to see more go here.

The Little Prince

2008-06-29T12:59:00.005-05:00

Did I mention our new baby? He's a little lover.

$3.85 a gallon

2008-06-05T13:52:00.005-05:00

Visuals

2008-06-04T12:56:00.008-05:00

We ate dinner down in the river market last night. Brought the camera.

Hello Four

2008-05-27T10:44:00.003-05:00

Three was fun. I have a feeling four will be even better. I'm already digging the fashion sense, tucked in stripes and all. We are lucky to have you♥♥♥♥

Outside the box

2008-05-25T11:50:00.008-05:00

Surfwise. The next documentary I want to see.

Don't think it is showing anywhere near us for a while though :(
Here's an article if you want to read more.

wtf?

2008-05-12T08:17:00.008-05:00

It's May 12, and the heat is still on (at night), I'm still wearing slippers (to keep my feet warm), and I haven't switched out Winter clothes for Summer clothes yet!
At Olivia's school there is a girl named Whisper, a girl named Secret, a girl named Precious, and two girls named Diamond. Two!
I wonder what their stripper names will be. Ann, Jane and Mary?
Gas- 10 years ago: $1.06
Now: $3.55

**Update** Gas is now $3.65. It took $62 to fill up my tank. Yikes!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T08:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks to my kids for reminding me that dandelions are beautiful...

Rent it NOW

2008-05-05T07:02:00.006-05:00

Atonement- Liked it
No Country for Old Men- Liked it
Juno- Liked it

The King of Kong
A Fistful of Quarters?
LOVED IT!

This documentary has everything. A super villain and his cronies. An underdog that you love to root for. A showdown to see who will hold the top score on Donkey Kong. A glance into a sub-culture that is fun to mock but strangely fascinating. What other movie can you hear someone seriously say...I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be the center of attention. I wanted the glory I wanted the fame. I wanted the pretty girls to come by and say "Hi, I see that you're good at Centipede.
Good stuff, I'm tellin' ya.
And for those of you saying "but I hate video games" (I'm looking at you Cameo), all I can say is that if a documentary is done well it doesn't matter what the subject matter is, the director is going to pull you in.

Can you see Ben Stiller as Billy Mitchell and Will Ferrell as Steve Weibe? Lol!
Rent it, you'll love it.

All RubyAll the Time

2008-04-30T08:43:00.005-05:00

Ready for picture day at pre-school. I bought this dress last year from Kokoleo and the time has finally come for her to wear it. I really think this is the cutest dress EVER! I guess it is Ruby week around here, hope my other kids don't mind. Maybe I'm being a bad mom, but she is the baby.

Who needs Spring...

2008-04-28T08:29:00.003-05:00

When you have little miss sunshine.

Life goes easy on memost of the time

2008-04-20T21:18:00.007-05:00

The kids sleeping in
Cinnamon rolls for breakfast
Nowhere to go
Windows open
Sunshine
Kids playing in the backyard
Changing my blog around
No television
Making banana bread
Afternoon snack of lemon yogurt alfresco
Music playing
Blowing bubbles
20 minute nap
Dinner of veggie burgers, sweet potato fries and corn on the cob
Rock of Love reunion (had to turn on the tv for that!)
Eating banana bread
Winding down

It was a very good day.

I think Zool is behind this

2008-04-18T11:25:00.013-05:00

To quote Dr. Peter Venkman on signs of the apocalypse,
"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!"

Both of these men are just gross to me. I know it's supposed to be uplifting in its message of unity but c'mon, the word unity belongs nowhere near either of these two people. The fact that they would do this commercial together doesn't convince me they are concerned about global warming. It only proves to me that both are the ultimate media whores.

Scenes from the city

2008-04-16T18:09:00.003-05:00

I miss the city. It's where I grew up. Now that I'm banished to the suburbs I think I romanticize it a bit. It has diversity and color. And Democratic voters! If I think about it a bit I can remember the downside to it (the private school costs come to mind.) Anyway, it will always be my home.

Inspiration E-Zine...

2008-04-01T08:22:00.014-05:00

The lovely and talented Erin from design for mankind just put out her third Inspiration E-Zine. You can go here for the download link.

p.s. included is a pic of my office corner :)

12 years!!!

2008-03-29T20:54:00.011-05:00

Wow, can't believe it! One more year until teenager-dom. So until then, rock on with your 12 year old self!

Nostalgia anyone?

2008-03-22T12:13:00.006-05:00

I remember the one at Ward Parkway mall.

You go girl!

2008-03-05T06:53:00.003-06:00

Lucky

2008-03-02T08:41:00.007-06:00

I had an amazing day at the thrift store last week. Three pieces of Pyrex and all with lids for $5! The sunflower piece I found at an antique mall for the fair price of $8.

Sarah & Jimmy:What a sweet couple!

2008-02-25T10:40:00.007-06:00

Jimmy Kimmel's response to Sarah Silverman's "I'm f**king Matt Damon"...

Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford and Josh Groban(!?!?!) all make cameos.
Hillarious y'all!

Sunshine

2008-02-24T09:19:00.006-06:00

It was good

Here comes the Sun

2008-02-13T08:02:00.004-06:00

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Leaving the skin cracking cold of the midwest for a few days.
See ya!

Color

2008-02-04T08:04:00.002-06:00

To cheer you up

2008-01-25T14:07:00.000-06:00

Billy walked around singing this for months before I knew what it was

Meet our Wii family

2008-01-20T09:03:00.000-06:00

Olivia made these the other night. In the interest of accuracy, Billy advised her to make Jim's "fatter".
Damn, kids are cold.

Per Cameo's request...

2008-01-19T21:07:00.000-06:00

I'm posting something new!
It's a cd cover meme.

1. The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

2. The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

3.The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/

Check out some others over at the cd cover meme flickr group

Here's mine...

Tunnel of Love

2008-01-07T16:38:00.000-06:00

it ought to be easy ought to be simple enough
man meets woman and they fall in love
but the house is haunted and the ride gets rough
and you've got to learn to live with what you can't
rise above if you want to ride on down
down in through this tunnel of love

It's been fun baby. Happy Anniversary.

2OO7 was a good year

2008-01-01T08:04:00.001-06:00

One of the highlights was selling the 7th street house (two weeks before the crash of the sub-prime market) Whew. Now that was a close one.

Another would be Miss Ruby becoming potty trained. No more diapers ever!!!

Big changes to look forward to in 2008...

George Bush's last year as President. He has set the bar so low that anyone who comes in after will be an improvement, except maybe Huckabee. Who, by the way, Limbaugh and Coulter hate (why?!) As the The Rude Pundit puts it ever so succinctly..."One of the best bloodsports in politics occurs when conservatives eat their own. And seeing Coulter and Rush Limbaugh attempt to tear Huckabee into bite-sized morsels is pleasurable in a way not unakin to watching that video of a Komodo dragon swallowing a wild pig. You wanna feel sorry for the wild pig, but you really can't since, chances are, given the opportunity, that hairy fucker'd turn on you and try to gnaw on your balls."

Olivia starting High School.

Billy starting Kindergarten.

Me starting nursing school.

Some resolutions I'm taking on...

Make a quilt.

Quit taking naps. Yes, I love them but they are big time wasters and I need all the time I can get.

Try something new and ignore the fear of failing.

Quit dropping the F-bomb. This one is pretty important if Ruby is going to be accepted into decent society

Just a thought

2007-12-23T13:20:00.000-06:00

Hearing Josh Groban sing makes my ears feel like someone is sticking a sharp object into them.

Out of the mouth of Ruby

2007-12-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

I gave Ruby milk. She took a drink and said "What the fuck is this?" I guess she wanted chocolate milk.

I told her it was time for her to get off the computer, she sighs and says "Jesus Christ."

I was yelling at Olivia (I had a good reason. Really.) Ruby says to me "Mom...calm down."

Later that evening I told Jim that Ruby had been the voice of reason during one of my freak-outs. I asked Ruby, "You don't like it when mommy yells, do you." She says, "No, it gives me a headache."

Retro Ruby

2007-12-17T09:19:00.001-06:00

and yes, she now wears glasses.

Again with the Winter

2007-12-17T08:22:00.000-06:00

Check it Out

2007-12-15T08:15:00.000-06:00

My new etsy shop. I've started rather small and with just paper products. Come the new year I'll be adding more.

Winter

2007-12-13T14:27:00.000-06:00

Roxy is two...

2007-12-11T13:38:00.000-06:00

and so is my blog!

X-mas Thrift

2007-11-30T08:03:00.001-06:00

Thank"full"ness

2007-11-22T21:22:00.000-06:00

for...
-Turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, bourbon sweet potatoes, pecan pie and cool whip. Omg, so good.
- Not going shopping tomorrow morning. There is nothing that could get me out into that madness.
-A 78 degree Thanksgiving day.
-Playing clubs with my family.
-After dinner coffee with cream.
-To know what it's like to have enough (and more).

Happy Thanksgiving

Vintage BH&G

2007-11-13T07:08:00.000-06:00

I started a new group over at Flickr. Check it out.

dance with me

2007-11-04T22:51:00.000-06:00

Scenes from Halloween

2007-11-01T07:02:00.000-05:00

Ruby's Big Debut

2007-10-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Halloween preschool concert. I love the look she gives the kid next to her at the end. The same kid leans over and kisses her a few minutes later. Of course I wasn't recording at that moment.

Halloween~2007 from mjlaff on Vimeo.

Lookin' like a leaf

2007-10-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

Saw this guy outside today. He was hanging out on a mum, then took flight to hide in the grass among the leaves.

habbidy...habbidy...habbidy

2007-10-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

b-b-b-birth-d-d-d-day t-t-t-to you you you...Cameo!

Hey...guess what!
Our friendship is old enough to go to a bar and order drinks...legally.
(for full story click on picture and scroll down to the Roxy's Mama comment)

Guest Post~the beauty of "FUCK you"

2007-10-19T07:12:00.000-05:00

My Cousin C.J. wrote this. I enjoyed it and I hope you will to.

the beauty of "FUCK you"

last week I was on the bus. slouching like a slob in the very back.
also in the very back, adjacent to me, a man got up and let me know: "you need to sit like a LADY!"
my response was immediate and irritatingly innocent:
"why?"
he mumbled something that i unfortunately didn't make out, and continued up to the middle of the bus to plop his annoyed-ass down.
apparently my unlady-likeness disgusted him so much that he had to move.
tee-hee.
when the bus halted at my stop, i turned to him, looked him in the eye neutrally, and said, "thanks for the tip." and waved to him as i stepped off.
his response was so beautiful it makes me shudder with utter glee:
"FUCK you."
all of the evil that he, as a human being, could possibly contain within himself was released in his "FUCK." the "you" might as well have been muttered by a little lamb.
but the "FUCK."
what an amazing thing to witness. what a gift to receive. i don't hear that often enough.
it's one thing to say it to someone yourself. to feel that release. that empowerment.
but to induce someone ELSE to say it to YOU.
gold-crack-orgasm.
to inspire someone to release all that nastiness, to regurgitate the bile of a week of hard livin', to expunge the toxins that are gnawing on their soul, right there before your very eyes. lucky eyes.
as hank williams should've sang,
"praise... the FUCK you, i saw the light."
i felt like jesus as i stepped off the bus. or, well, maybe max von sydow's character in "the Exorcist."
"THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!".
i suppose that if i did in fact, hear it more often, its power wouldn't resonate so strongly within me.

oh, and now the flipside:

the last time i said, "FUCK you" to someone:
a couple of months ago me and this cute dude i was kinda (sorta) dating were at one of those game places (you know, where parents keep one pocket full of tokens and the other full of ritalin) on the boardwalk in Santa Cruz.
we took a break from that hand-skee-hockey-puck-funnest-game-in-the-world-thing and ordered beers.
the beer clerk guy (who by the way, had a face that would make you want to pour salt on it and poke with a stick) looked my id over for WAY too long. so inappropriate. like he was memorizing where i lived and what-not. i felt myself boiling up. and then he delivered the proverbial straw in the form of a barely-but-still-audible-mumble:

i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g.

so, me being trans, i couldn't help but feel incredibly insulted by this ignorant slug-face who thought it
appropriate to comment on the fact that my id photo looks like a lady but my name is a guy's because it costs about $500 bucks to change your name in california and i barely have $5 to hand to him because all i want is for him to take my money and pour me a goddamn beer so that i can drink all my poor-struggling sorrow away and have a good time.
"FUCK you."
again. all the evil inside of me came out in the "FUCK."
"you"-little lamb.
but that "FUCK." whoa. it felt great.
of course, no sooner had i begun to storm away with the quasi-boyfriend in tow,
than the million variations on my response began playing in the movieplex of my brain.
the best one:
i go ahead and order the beer.
toss it into his face.
grab his collar and pull him over the counter, eye-to-eye with my snarling face.
"what's so FUCKING interesting now, ASSHOLE?!?!?"
and when i say "FUCKING" a bunch of spit flies onto his face and he grimaces and pisses his pants a little bit.

so anyway.
yeah, i prefer getting someone to tell me, "FUCK you"
than to have to say it to someone else.
(having to actually say it, you get all worked up. can't be good for your heart. especially if you're outta shape like i have been lately.)
but i can't wait until the next time either reappears in my life.
as long as it's good.
gonna be hard to top that FUCKer on the bus.

Thrifty♥

2007-10-12T07:54:00.001-05:00

Grandma wants pictures!

2007-10-12T07:13:00.000-05:00

And what grandma wants, grandma gets...

Handsome, school picture boys

Ballerina girl

Tae Kwon Do boy

Video girl

Computer girl

This past week?

2007-10-06T08:16:00.000-05:00

We did some stuff....

We are officially old folks. Went to see Little River Band on Friday with Chris and Cameo. The fact that we went to see Little River Band doesn't make us old, I would have gone at age 20. It's the fact that we sat down. For the whole concert. Yep. And we liked it that way.

We celebrated Billy's birthday a week late. I don't think it bothered him too much, Power Rangers and Star Wars Legos make all forgiven. Speaking of Star Wars, did you catch the Family Guy Star Wars episode? So good.

I finally took my nurse entrance exam. FINALLY! I officially start nursing school next September. Lots of ducks to get in a row before then and we all know how fast time flies.

And allow me to brag on my 13 year old daughter. She took a Scholastic reading test at school that placed her reading at 12th grade level. Hell to the yeah, that's my girl!

Anyhoodle (that's for you Cameo), that's all I got for the three of you that are still reading my blog, not including the 30+ daily visitors I get from searches for "Robin McGraw plastic surgery". Seriously, look it up. My blog comes up first for those search words. And all because of a little rant I did over a year ago.

Happy Belated Birthday Baby

2007-09-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

Instead of celebrating your birthday on Friday Sept 21st, we were suffering from a stomach virus. First you and then Ruby and then Mom and Dad. (Olivia didn't succumb until Sunday) I'm just glad we got in a couple of fun things before the plague hit us. Wednesday night we had dinner at T-Rex Cafe.

I loved your expression when they brought your sundae and sang Happy Birthday to you.

Since you don't have school on Fridays, I brought cupcakes to your school Thursday afternoon.

Poor baby. You were so not into it...you didn't even touch your cupcake. About 5 minutes later you told me you didn't feel good and that you wanted to go home. I'm so sorry it turned out that way but next weekend we'll make it up to you and you will get your presents and cake and pinata and Mason will spend the night, okay?

Thrifting (and estate sale-ing) has been good

2007-08-29T12:42:00.001-05:00

And cheap too!

$2 ashtray

Vintage Anchor-Hocking apple jars...$1 a piece

$3 Catherine Holm casserole
$2 Catherine Holm bowl
And the ever popular Tupperware cups for .50 cents apiece

Back to Reality

2007-08-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

I'm in a post vacation funk. Hopefully I'll shake it once I get in the groove of the home routine.

Some of the highlights of our trip...

Tim's cooking (of course!)

Billy and Ruby getting mad swim skills. By the end of the trip they both could swim the width of the pool and were even working on diving.

My Dad and Sister spending a night with us and going on a beach trip the next day.

Staying up late and sleeping in.

Watching the 6 hour A&E version of Pride and Prejudice. Jim even watched it with me and liked it! One more reason I love him.

Olivia getting to know her cousins.

Eating Dunkin' Donuts way too many mornings.

Not having many plans, going with the flow and taking it easy. My perfect vacation.

Thanks Mom and Tim for your love and hospitality.
I've uploaded my pictures to Flickr. You can see them here...

lolruby

2007-08-06T06:53:00.001-05:00

Love this!

2007-07-25T08:51:00.001-05:00

Real issues vs hair. Hmmmm?

2007-07-10T08:12:00.001-05:00

happy birthday to my first baby

2007-07-06T07:50:00.000-05:00

Thanks for bringing out the kid in me.
I have so much fun with you.
I love you yaya.

looking forward to this

2007-07-01T17:23:00.001-05:00

2007-06-29T10:27:00.000-05:00

Cameo sent over some of her pics...

I hope Billy and Ruby inherit this talent

Bringing sexy back

Pass the visine

I really want to rock-n-roll all night and party everyday...I just can't

Call me up sweet baby and bring along some dough and we'll go honky tonkin'...

2007-06-27T16:04:00.000-05:00

First stop, The Peanut.

Jimmy suggests some chicken wings.

David likes the idea

And so does Cameo.

Chris is disgusted.

Don't get between this man and a chicken wing...you might lose a finger.

On to the party van. We made a lot of left turns until we ended up at Mike's.
Cameo, why are you looking so happy?

Jim and Chris letting their freak flags fly!

This is how we roll.

I'm so tired. What time is it?

David knows what time it is. Time to call his buddies because he knew and I quote, "the old folks would be done by midnight". Um, yeah...make that 11:30.

Fla-rah-da

2007-06-23T10:17:00.001-05:00

Shoes

2007-06-19T08:20:00.001-05:00

My Two Dads

2007-06-17T08:58:00.001-05:00

No, I wasn't raised by gay men but it's almost as good. I'm talking about my Dad and step-Dad.
They say divorce is bad and in most cases it probably is. In my case it gave me two Dads instead of one. Twice the fun, twice the advice, twice the teachers, twice the "in trouble" (not good), twice the love.

Thriftin' with a side of garage sale

2007-06-03T12:06:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted any of my thrift finds. Good reason. I've been trying to de-clutter the house and thrifting is not conducive to this. Last week though I couldn't resist a few things...

$3 Korean Hanbok (will fit Ruby in a few years)

Misc.

Pyrex

Extreme Makeover (sitting in front of your computer, bored edition)

2007-06-02T07:35:00.001-05:00

Grab a picture of yourself and head over to the St. Andrews Face Transformer and find out what you would look like as...

a Man
This one is a little scary. It kind of looks like my brother.
And a little like Luke Perry. Must be the forehead.

an Asian

an Afro-Carribean

a baby
Though I like to call this one "What you would look like as a Bratz doll"

a Modigliani
No thanks. The last thing I need is a longer face.

a Mucha

an anime character
My favorite.

And most disturbing...
an ape-woman

Happy Birthday Ruby

2007-05-27T12:34:00.001-05:00

We've got some love and money too..
gonna give them all to you.

**Big shout out to Olivia for putting this together. "They're great with technology" is on my top ten list of the benefits to having kids. Though I promise you Olivia, when I am 80 years old I won't call you to come over and change the channel on the remote that I can't figure out. **fingers crossed**

Summertime....

2007-05-25T07:43:00.001-05:00

and the livin's easy.

It's almost here.

It's a family affair

2007-05-21T07:01:00.000-05:00

It's a picture heavy post, but hey, at least it's not another YouTube video.
We went to a family reunion over Mother's Day weekend. It was fun to see relatives that I don't get to see very often. Also my Mom and Step-Dad came into town and since it had been since February when we had last seen them, that was the highlight of my weekend. It was also good to see my brother. He doesn't live out of town but we get together so infrequently that he might as well. I mean hell, if I was a 25 year old pot smoking, saki drinking, Cody Chestnut listening, pizza delivering, 6th year college student, I wouldn't make hanging out with my old, boring, breeder sister a priority either.
(David, if you read this, I mean that with the utmost respect and envy)

My family...it's so large! In 30 years Christmas and Thanksgiving are gonna be kickin'.

My Spiderman.

My Brother (isn't he cute!) and little Ruby, his biggest fan.

My good-looking Mom and her older brother.

My Sister who wasn't at the picnic. But I wanted to post a picture of her anyway.
Geez, she's a cutie too. But she should be, she's the twin of cutie brother (see above).

Cousins C.J. and Casey.

Miss Olivia looking content.

Olivia again with my cousin Kathy.

Happy Mothers Day

2007-05-13T17:14:00.000-05:00

Dali & Disney

2007-05-10T03:21:00.003-05:00

Dali & Disney

2007-05-10T03:21:00.001-05:00

What's My Daughter Doing?She's Kicking Ass!

2007-04-26T07:01:00.001-05:00

Before I Start...

2007-04-20T07:06:00.000-05:00

let me make this clear: There is no EXCUSE!

That being said, I have a few words about Cho Seung-Hui.

The common variables among school shooters? Teasing, bullying and getting picked on.
Schools have zero-tolerance for any mention of violence. Little Johnny forgets that he left his pocket knife in his pocket from last night's boy scout meeting? Suspend his ass! No questions asked. No gray area.
But has anyone ever considered the violence to the spirit that bullying does? Bullying should have zero tolerance. We need to teach our kids to be strong people not weak followers. To stand up for others getting picked on. We need to teach them that self worth doesn't rely on the belittlement of another human being.

I was watching a national news program about the shootings when a correspondent said, referring to Cho Seung-Hui, "This kid was a nobody." Um...no he wasn't. No one is a "nobody". I can't help but look at his picture and imagine the little boy that he was. The one who was tormented and made to feel ashamed of himself, the one that was made to feel like he was a "nobody".
I'm always for the underdog. Unfortunately, the minute he decided to pick up the gun and start killing people, he switched from being an underdog to being the bully.

I hate bullies.

"Play it fucking loud"

2007-04-15T15:15:00.001-05:00

The folk fans feel betrayed because he has traded his acoustic guitar for electric. They shout out "Judas". Dylan doesn't give a fuck. He won't be anyone's leader. He's not a spokesperson for a generation.
The definition of cool.

The Omen

2007-04-15T08:39:00.000-05:00

I was opening a can last night when I happened to glance down at the expiration date. Best by Oct 13, 2010? That's the day I turn 40!

3 1/2 years left until it all starts going down hill.

Imus isn’t the real bad guy

2007-04-12T11:48:00.000-05:00

Imus isn’t the real bad guy
Instead of wasting time on irrelevant shock jock, black leaders need to be fighting a growing gangster culture.
By JASON WHITLOCK - Columnist

Thank you, Don Imus. You’ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.

You’ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.

You’ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

The bigots win again.

While we’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos.

I ain’t saying Jesse, Al and Vivian are gold-diggas, but they don’t have the heart to mount a legitimate campaign against the real black-folk killas.

It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.

Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.

It’s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud.

I’m no Don Imus apologist. He and his tiny companion Mike Lupica blasted me after I fell out with ESPN. Imus is a hack.

But, in my view, he didn’t do anything outside the norm for shock jocks and comedians. He also offered an apology. That should’ve been the end of this whole affair. Instead, it’s only the beginning. It’s an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda$.

I watched the Rutgers news conference and was ashamed.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for eight minutes in 1963 at the March on Washington. At the time, black people could be lynched and denied fundamental rights with little thought. With the comments of a talk-show host most of her players had never heard of before last week serving as her excuse, Vivian Stringer rambled on for 30 minutes about the amazing season her team had.

Somehow, we’re supposed to believe that the comments of a man with virtually no connection to the sports world ruined Rutgers’ wonderful season. Had a broadcaster with credibility and a platform in the sports world uttered the words Imus did, I could understand a level of outrage.

But an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction.

In the grand scheme, Don Imus is no threat to us in general and no threat to black women in particular. If his words are so powerful and so destructive and must be rebuked so forcefully, then what should we do about the idiot rappers on BET, MTV and every black-owned radio station in the country who use words much more powerful and much more destructive?

I don’t listen or watch Imus’ show regularly. Has he at any point glorified selling crack cocaine to black women? Has he celebrated black men shooting each other randomly? Has he suggested in any way that it’s cool to be a baby-daddy rather than a husband and a parent? Does he tell his listeners that they’re suckers for pursuing education and that they’re selling out their race if they do?

When Imus does any of that, call me and I’ll get upset. Until then, he is what he is — a washed-up shock jock who is very easy to ignore when you’re not looking to be made a victim.

No. We all know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old white man with a bad radio show. There’s no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out.

A Brilliant Mind

2007-04-12T08:03:00.000-05:00

Vonnegut once said that of all the ways to die, he'd prefer to go out in an airplane crash on the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. He often joked about the difficulties of old age.

"When Hemingway killed himself he put a period at the end of his life; old age is more like a semicolon," Vonnegut told The Associated Press in 2005.

"My father, like Hemingway, was a gun nut and was very unhappy late in life. But he was proud of not committing suicide. And I'll do the same, so as not to set a bad example for my children."

___

Associated Press writers Michael Warren, Hillel Italie and Chelsea Carter

*My Favorite: Breakfast of Champions*

I Think I'm In Trouble

2007-04-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

She thinks I'm so uncool. (true)
She thinks I have no idea what I'm talking about. (partially true)
I can't pick clothes for her anymore. Wahhhhhh!!!
If I hear one more AFI song I think I'm going to scream.
Oh, and the power struggles over the car stereo. Lordy.
The phone never seems to ring for me anymore. "Is Olivia there?"
She has a Myspace. nuff said.

All this makes me want to run to the arms of little Ruby, who loves my taste in music and still thinks I'm the greatest...but wait, can I find some positives? Sure I can.

We share inside jokes and have the same sense of humor.
She still likes it when I chase her down and tickle her.
We both like Johnny Depp. God, who doesn't. No seriously, WHO DOESN'T???
She likes to watch John Hughes movies with me.
She lets me kiss her before she walks out the door for school.

12 going on thirTEEN!
OMG. It is here.

This Morning

2007-04-08T15:50:00.000-05:00

Sporting Peep jewelry and eating chocolate

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T10:48:00.000-05:00

Spring BreakPt. 2

2007-04-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

We saw two movies...

One was ab-fab, you know with all the shirtless men and whatnot

The other was a favorite book from childhood that they thankfully did not massacre

Of course we went thrifting

We ate at the most marvelous middle eastern buffet (on a tip from Chi)
I usually turn my nose up at buffets but this one renewed my faith in the words "All You Can Eat"

Caution: Food Porn Ahead

Attention buffet owner- Don't let the smile fool you...he will eat his money's worth

So even though our spring break didn't include jello shots and dancing naked in the streets of Cancun, it was enjoyable nonetheless.

To my favorite 11 year old in the whole wide world

2007-03-29T06:45:00.000-05:00

Your boyness perplexes me
Your kindness amazes me
Your energy dizzies me
Your sense of humor makes me smile

Don't ever change
Stay just the way you are

Happy Birthday-I love you

Spring BreakPt. 1

2007-03-26T15:09:00.000-05:00

Spring sprung

Ruby got a haircut

Watched a lot of Ultraman

Kirk wiped out on his skateboard

I dyed my hair a hideous burnt orange color and then back again to a basic, boring, beautiful shade of brown

Made more cupcakes
This time with teal frosting

Joined the YMCA...
Gotta get rid of these cupcake thighs before Summer

4th Anniversary...

2007-03-19T19:15:00.000-05:00

of the occupation of Iraq.

Image copyright- Austin Cline

Schoolyard Ditty

2007-03-15T21:21:00.001-05:00

They learn young.

Putting the "Salvation" back in Salvation Army

2007-03-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

I did a big thrift store outing on Tuesday. Jim was off work and I was able to go ALL BY MYSELF! I hit all my area stores and found nothing and more of nothing. It was so depressing. All the time in the world, money in my pocket and no kids.
My very last stop and I was beginning to think I was going home empty handed for the day. I was getting ready to walk out the door when I saw this vision in blue vinyl...

I paid my ten dollars and went home a very happy woman.

um...

2007-02-28T07:10:00.000-06:00

Two bumper stickers seen on the same car-

Relax, God's In Control

This Vehicle Protected
By Smith And Wesson

I watched the movie Gandhi a few days ago. 25 years after the fact. But better late than never.
Don't know why it took me so long but I'm glad I finally did.
I think we missed the second coming of Christ. We missed it because he was in the form of a little, brown-skinned, Hindu man wearing a loincloth instead of a suit and expensive watch wearing white man.
Maybe every thousand years a person comes along that transcends human limits and tries to teach us the way of peace and love.
Of course we never get it.

"Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood." -Albert Einstein

If you have never seen this movie do yourself a favor.

Valentine's Day 2007

2007-02-13T10:13:00.001-06:00

*My babies

*My new iPod (thanks honey!) and it's nifty skin

*Dolls named Roxy and Nina
(Ruby's idea)
wearing do-rags(my idea)

*Cupcakes

*FireKing mugs

*Good looking men holding babies

*My dog

*This song and the boy singing it

*E-Cards from Hipster Cards

***Have a
sweet day***

My Opinion(for what it's worth)(which isn't much)

2007-02-07T07:54:00.000-06:00

The Oscars are at the end of this month and as usual I have not seen most of the nominated movies. (since they haven't come out for rental yet.)
At the top of my list to see is The Queen, The Departed and The King of Scotland.

The only Oscar nominated film I have seen is Pans Labyrinth.
The Critics have said...
"Amazing" "Spectacular" "Transcendent work of art".
Yep, it's all those things. Go see it.

Which brings me to a movie that Jim and I saw last year. It wasn't nominated for any Oscars but really should of been. The Proposition. It's a dark, gritty, anti-hero movie set in the "wild west" days of Australia. Guy Pierce and Emily Watson star in it and Nick Cave wrote it and did the soundtrack. Yes, that Nick Cave.
I would definitely recommend it.