Check This Out, Baby!

Guess what I found? Going through some old CDs in the basement (You remember CDs right? Those things we all boxed up and stored away somewhere when music went digital?) I found a true gem.

Apparently I made some CD's for my friends on Valentine's Day back in school, Truman State University. Back in the land of Auto Repair Shops and Meth Labs.
Picture it: Kirksville and St. Louis, 2001. For some reason we loosely referred to ourselves as the Ya Ya's... presumably based off the book. (I would say books plural, but after the first one everything sucked, even the movie.) Anyway, I digress....

So! I found this CD entitled: Ya-Ya's: The Truman Years

I'm going to give you a list of what songs were included (links included if possible) and who they were dedicated to. Now, I'm not sure if this made us WAY COOL - or WAY NOT! But it sure is an odd group of music. And while listening to it in the shower today I could remember times spent listening to, singing to, dancing to, each one of these songs, with each one of these people. So, judge us if you will, but personally, I think we rocked! Her goes...

1. Where My Girls At (Shalyn)
2. I Ain't Yo Hoe (Leah)
3. Baby I Got Yo Money (Cayce)
4. It's Gonna Be Me (Leslie)
5. Me So Horny (Lucy)
6. Caress Me Down (Janae)
7. She's A Lady (Hannah)
8. Sweet Caroline (Caroline)
9. Untouchable Face (Caroline)
10. Get Gone (Hannah)
11. Goodbye Earl (Leah)
12. Call Me Darlin (Leslie)
13. Gone Till November (Lucy)
14. Bills Bills Bills (Shalyn)
15. Shoop (Cayce)
16. Fable (Janae)
17. *BONUS SONG* (Ya-Ya's)

Okay - So I hope all of you listed will read this (and listen tot he songs) and get some giggles, smiles, laughs and memories. Deny it if you want - but we all listened to this crap and openly or secretly LOVED IT! You know you did!

Okay - Enjoy.
(no promises on those links... I did what I could with the time I had)

When I Grow Up

Nola: When I grow up I'm gonna be a Musketeer.
Me: Umm, Okay.
Nola: So I have to watch this movie (Barbie and the Three Musketeers) every day until I grow up so I can know how to be a good Musketeer.
Me: Oh... Okay. (She begged and begged to watch this movie... which we do watch at least once a week.)
Nola: Every day. Cause I have to learn it really good. Okay, let's see... Hummmm... (finger tapping on her temple) Check one: You have to be really cool and wear a pretty dress. Check two: You have to know how to to flip and get on a horse with a really good flip. Check three: You have to know how to use a sword, and wear a mask, and get into a tree in a really cool way. Like flip up on a branch, then you're in a tree.
Me: Yep, I think you got it. So every day, huh?
Nola: Every day.

Five minutes later and about 10 minutes into the movie Nola is gone, in the other room playing with her brother, and I'm watching Barbie and the Three Musketeers by myself. I guess her commitment wasn't as serious as she thought. That's cool though, cause I was hoping more for brilliant doctor, famous author or artist, or President. We'll just have to wait and see how this Musketeer thing pans out I guess.




Just wanted to also include a past conversation (because it was HILARIOUS!)
At bedtime Nola and I discuss things like the digestive tract, all the types of sharks we know, the extinction of the dinosaurs, things like that...
The other night, after going though how the big dirt ball (meteor) came from outer space and made all the dinosaurs sick and not want to have anymore babies, she asked me how people got to earth. I told her there were several major theories - which led to a mini-conversation about what a theory is - and one was the theory of evolution. Which I explained to her was a theory that humans came from monkeys. I did a little more explanation than that, but that was the gist. So she thought on that for a second and asked me if she used to be a monkey. I said no, and tried to explain that once you're born as a person, you are always a person, and if you're born a monkey you're always a monkey...
She seemed to get it and said, 'Yeah, monkeys are really really furry...'
'Yes, they are,' I said.
She thought for a moment and then asked, 'So... Did Papa used to be a monkey?'
HA HA! I laughed and explained it again. The best I could do for a three year old was to say that a long time ago a monkey had a baby that looked a little bit like a person. Then that baby grew up and had a baby that looked a little bit more like a person... until one day there were monkeys that looked like people... and the other monkeys stayed monkeys. She was cool with that answer.

FotoFriday - 9.24.10

I've been working on some photos for an upcoming fair where I might possibly make some money. Sooo, I may be using my blog for some testing questions in the coming weeks.

This week I want to show you some examples of a series I'm working on of silverware. I'm having a hard time deciding on which style I like best. I need to decide which style to have printed up for sale at the fair. Here is a spoon in three styles. Take a look, and if you would be so kind, let me know which one you prefer. (They would obviously be printed without the watermark words on them.)









Thanks for looking.

For Those With Small Ones

For those of you who read this and have little kids, I think you should read THIS POST. Or if you just want to read a blog that deals with kid/mother/parenting/relationship issues...

The blog is Ask Moxie. She's a single parent of two and has really funny humor and I think we'd really get along in real life.... anyway... Make sure, if you take the time to read this post, that you also read the comments. There's almost as much good stuff in those as in the actual post itself. Moxie also has a co-blog with her ex-husband, When the Flames Go Up. Also very interesting to read. I have them both linked in my blog list to the right if you are interested.

Ok - just saying - good blogs, good post, passin it on.

One Small Step...

"Welcome to the 21st century," said Sprint.
"Oh, thanks..." we said.
"Well, you know... Not all the way into the 21st century, but you're closer anyway," laughed Sprint.

Kirk's cell phone was carrying about a one minute charge, on a good day. Mine would last for about a day, with no usage mind you. We don't think we use our phones that much but we somehow managed to go just over our minute limits almost every month. Being a one-income family of four I had paired down our plans to the absolute bare minimum. So much so that we became ineligible for the phone upgrades. We found this out last week when Kirk went to try and upgrade his phone to a working model.

They told him that he would have to pay full price for a phone. Nope. Not gonna do that! So I looked around and found that there was a family plan that gave us more minutes and unlimited mobile usage. And would allow us both to upgrade our sturdy, yet ancient, phones. So off to Best Buy we went in search of new technology.

The plans go two year, we all know this. Do you remember what kind of phone you had two years ago? Did it text? Did it email? It probably took pictures... but did it allow you to post them to your blog or to Facebook? No. It probably did not. Well, we remember what our phones were like... because they were the ones we were still using. I think the sales girl almost laughed at us. I take that back. She did laugh at Kirk. A few times. He's part handsome husband, part monkey, and part caveman. It's true. Technology makes him want to beat his chest and run back into his cave. Especially small technology without buttons. Yes people, we got touch screen phones!

Kirk was not pleased. He chose the most basic of phones on the display table. One with a flip top, real buttons, not fancy, no bells, no whistles. There was one option in this category. He was thrilled! (This was one of the times the girl laughed at him.) But, wouldn't you know it... they were out of that model. So he was forced into the space age and had to choose between several touch screen phones with... get this... a Qwerty keyboard! Actually I chose the phone and made him get the same model, different color, so I could later explain to him how to use it. I chose pink, his is black.

As we walked out of the store, new phones in hand, he muttered under his breath about how much his new phone sucked. How he was never going to be able to figure it out and how his big ole fingers would never be able to work all those tiny little keys... and the screen! What the hell what that all about? He just didn't get it. Poor Kirk. But, after a few hours of training and lots of accidental calls to his family and friends, I think he likes it.

Now don't get too excited... our phones can text and email and surf the web... but we cannot. There's just no logical way I could justify going for a data plan when we are a one-income family of four and I'm home all day. Yes, I would love to be able to sit outside and be online... checking out Facebook, posting on my blog, emailing, paying bills... blah blah blah... texting while I'm driving, sexting at all hours of the day, sending out naked pictures of myself all over the interwebs..... OH! WAIT! Never mind.... I have two kids to raise, and a house that ALWAYS needs cleaning, and meals to plan, shop for and make... I have no time for a smart phone. I'm barely a smart person!

Our time will come. But it has not yet arrived in the world of the smart phone. I feel it is our duty to at least keep up with the times at a bare minimum for the shear sake that our kids will pass us up before we know it. For now... I will just have a cute phone that CAN do lots of things... and I will peek over the shoulders of my more technologically inclined friends.

One small step for our phones, and one giant leap sideways in technology!
GO US!

Feeling Better

Well - It's been almost four days, almost an entire box of Alkaseltzer Cold Plus Tablets, several rolls of toilet paper (for Kleenex), and a #2 with no onions and a Coke from Mickey D's and things are finally looking up around here.

I'm not sure if it was the full meal or the cold, fountain soda or the coincidental timing, but after that meal (so thoughtfully brought over by Grandma Lisa) I have been feeling better. After dinner was delivered and my mom left I had this sudden burst of energy. Not only was I sitting up on the couch, as opposed to lying on it for days, but I actually got up and toured the chaos of my house. Holy Crap. A few days of being sick and the house is a disaster. So while I was 'feeling it' I went around with a trash bag in hand and picked up all the trash. Now... why doesn't anyone else around here use the trash can? Or put dishes in the sink? I'm not asking for the trash to be taken out or the dished done, just pick your crap up off the floor! So after a sweep was done of the house I insisted the kids start picking up their toys, also all over the house. By this time a cold sweat had broken out all over my body and I was getting a little tingly.

We quickly got ready for bed, early because we were all worn out from sickness and no naps, and I tried to somewhat straighten up the kids' room. Then Nola says to me, "Well, at least it doesn't look like a disaster in here anymore..." Geeez, they really do listen to everything that comes out of my mouth. Lame!

By the time they were asleep I was done for. I plopped back on the couch and spent the next several hours watching a movie and some mindless TV. Over night the thunder rolled and I was up with Nola. I was drenched in sweat. Literally. Shirt, hair, pillow, sheets - all wet. Yuk! But I was actually feeling better. I guess I sweated it out. And this morning I feel even better still. I finally showered, and I'm like a whole new person. I stripped all our beds and have hot washes going as I type. I opened up all the windows to air out the germs and turned on the fans. Next I will give the kids daytime baths and hopefully get outside a little today. I fear taking Nola out when she's even slightly sick due to the fact that she's prone to the Pneumonia. But so far her breathing has sounded fine.

Overall, I think we're on the mend. Here are a few things I've learned from this sickness:
1. Nola will tell me when Logan has pooped his diaper. (because I can't smell a thing)
2. Kirk does not clean up spills from the floor. (I found many sticky spots while picking up)
3. The kids are getting better at playing together. (at least when they don't have a choice)
4. Coke may actually kill germs! (I will now add fountain soda to my remedy list)
5. Watching cartoons for three days straight is bad for your sanity. (especially when you have to watch the same episodes of Blue's Clues and Bob the Builder over and over and over again)

I hope you are all germ free. I'm going to get back to washing the sheets... and covers... and pillows... and blankets... and toys... and then the dishes... and then the floors... maybe I should just go lay down! **Cough*Cough*Sniff*Sniff**

FotoFriday - 9.10.10

I'm hella sick - no photos today. Sorry. Maybe next week...

Lame!

Me: Nola, do you want a cereal bar with your breakfast?
Nola: Lame...
Me: What? I asked you if you wanted a cereal bar with your breakfast... What did you say?
Nola: Lame.
Me: LAME? Did you say lame?
Nola: Lame.
Me: Do you even know what that means? (giggles)
Nola: Lame means, No.
Me: Okay... so no cereal bar then?
Nola: I SAID LAME!

Wow. I can only wait with anticipation for the wonderful things that will come out of her mouth when she's four....

Question for The Masses

And by The Masses, I mean you three or four people who read this...

If you were to buy photography as art for your home, office, a gift... any reason really, what types of things would persuade you to spend your hard earned money?

I'm thinking of trying to sell some prints of my photography. And in looking through my work I see mostly personal subject matter that I'm not sure The Masses - that's you and all your friends - would necessarily want hanging on their walls. So I think I need to branch out a little and I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks.

FotoFriday - 9.03.10

Lacecap Hydrangeas. Beautiful flowers from a far as well as close up.





Here is the same photo in black and white. I was just going to post this one, but I really liked the muted greens of the color version as well. Which one is your favorite?

Beany & Buster

I've been working my butt off trying to finish this photo book for the kids by tonight. It's now 2am and it's DONE! Uploaded, put together and ordered! And FREE! Woo Hoo! The name of the book is:

Beany & Buster
The Adventure of the Magic Wand

Here is the link to the book on Shutterfly:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2ActHLFm3asmVL


Enjoy!
I'm going to bed...