Little CAHoot

At Pickle's check up today with the pediatric endocrinologist: At 13 years and 6 months, he is 106 pounds (the 48th percentile for weight) and at 61 inches, he is at the 25th percentile for height.

This is incredible. For the first 11 years of his life, he wasn't even on the growth chart!!!! Height or weight!!!

Last year, he was on the chart on the weight side when he gained a lot of weight over a summer ... but he is doing great now.

The doctor did a "bone age" x-ray to make sure that the CAH isn't causing him to grow too rapidly. With the results of the xray, we should know if he is growing just right for him and the doctor can give me a good guesstimate of his adult height.

Side note: I'm only 5'2, so it is just a matter of time now before I'm scolding him and wagging my finger while looking up!

The Texas Twang

No, it isn't a local Tex-Mex dish or even a dance move. It is the way we speak here.

For those of you who were bored enough to listen to videos I've posted on here where I actually speak, yell or laugh ... you know that I sound like I should be riding a horse and wearing cowboy boots 24/7.

I will proudly admit that I've got a Texan twang.

But, I've met my match. My boy's baseball coach has me beat. The other day at practice he kept calling/yelling at the kid in centerfield. I looked around because I couldn't figure it out. I turn to Army of Dad and we have the following exchange:

AoM: Is he yelling 'Lion' at some kid?
AoD: Huh?
AoM: *again* Is he yelling 'Lion' at some kid?
AoD: What are you talking about?
AoM: Listen.
Coach: Lion!
AoM: See!
AoD: He's saying Lane.
AoM: Are you sure?
AoD: Yes.

Lion = Lane when you have that twang.

No, sing it now to this tune:
Your pronunciation doan mean a thang, if you ain't got that twang!

Do you hear it?

Cup your hand around the back side of your ear. Listen closely? You hear it now, don't you?

It is the sound of suck coming all the way from Seattle. It's how I can tell Rangers baseball has opened.

Now, I still love my Rangers. They can suck and I'll bitch and groan, but I will never abandon them. They have some excitement with Josh Hamilton and of course, Michael Young.

What else could be better that fit men in tight pants? Ok, soccer players wear shorts and often rip off their shirts when they score a goal, but baseball games last for three hours. A soccer game is only 90 minutes.

Opening day good news: Army of Dad and Hot Rod's Twins beat the Angels today (sorry Kelly).

I can't believe it

I don't really have anything to say.

No, really.

Personality Test

This is funny. A friend sent me this personality test and I cracked up at some of the answers. Without giving things away, let me just tell you what it said about me:

I am loyal
I perceive my husband to be aloof
I think my enemies are dirty
I think sex is hot
I think my life is blue

My priorities in life - in this order, according to the test:
pride
career
family
love
money

It also says that Little Bit is my 'twin soul.' Army of Dad is in trouble if that is true.

Go take it and giggle. Some of it is pretty accurate, some not so much.

SPF: Numbers

After a hiatus and lots of harassment, Kristine of Random and Odd finally reincarnated the Stuff Portrait Friday. This week's assignment Numbers. I looked for photos that were already shot (since I forgot - yesterday was my anniversary and all). And, went with some goodies that I haven't posted yet. This one is Hot Rod and his buddies getting ready for the third-grade egg hunt at school two weeks ago. It is all about the numbers here.

And, my ruler marking the snow we had earlier this month. We have NEVER had this much snow. I didn't get a shot of the final count, but it was 6.5 inches.

So, did you play? Let me know and go see who else played at Random and Odd.

The moral of the story is ...

I say it all the time and I've said on the blog many times, but be careful what you do when you're on the clock. You never know who is watching.

On my drive home from taking Little Bit to the dentist (hooray, no cavities), I was going 71 in the fast lane (speed limit was 60) while trying to pass some slowpokes in the right lane. I look up and a big rig is no less than one car length behind me and not slowing down.

I'm still not able to get back over to the right and I'm thinking that these guys are supposed to go slower than the speed limit, too, if I recall correctly.

So, we're going around the 35 split and I'm taking the split to the left where the two lanes merge down to one and this guy whips (seriously, for a big rig, I didn't know they could whip like that safely) and goes around me to the right - speeding up beyond the 70 mph I'm doing.

So, we merge onto 35 and he gets stuck in the right lane behind another big rig. So, I managed to get around him and decide to write down his truck information. He was not being safe and I'm thinking his employer might want to know this. So, I write down the name of the trucking company and get his VIN from the cab of his Peterbilt as I'm going past him where he got stuck (for all his hurrying; slow and steady for me apparently won that race). Then, I have to get back in the right lane to exit and, damn my luck, I had to get back in front of the jackass.

Swear to God, the butt nugget sped up again to get back on my bumper. So, as I'm exiting, I turn to see if the guy is sleepy, reading a book or just an asshole and he confirmed my initial suspicions of asshole: he flipped me the bird (while my lovely 5-year-old is in the backseat). Fortunately, she was watching The Wiggles and not seeing this.

So, I come up and Google the name of the trucking company and the owner - a sweet old Okie - answered the phone and I told him what happened and gave him the info. He was appreciative and offered for me to stop in and have a cup of coffee if I'm ever up in that part of Oklahoma. He said he knew exactly who it was and that "he will be slowing down" more than he planned to after this.

Don't mess with the bull; you might get the horns. I wonder how many other mini-van driving soccer moms he has done that to who didn't report him.

The moral of this story is: don't act like a jerk when you're on the clock. You never know who is watching you. Plus, when you grew up with a dad who owned a business, it is important to know how employees are representing you.

Still Spicy 10 Years Later

We have had many good laughs at the Tabasco tie the JP was wearing when he wed us WAY back on March 27, 1998. So, I think spicy is a good way to describe us.

If I didn't have a soon-to-be 9-year-old son, I would never believe that it has been 10 years since we married.

Good and bad, we've had our share. I would say more good than bad. Army of Dad may disagree with that statement. I think it keeps getting better all the time. I definitely love him more today than I did the day I met him. It is funny to see us through the years and how we've changed.

Army of Dad -
Because days come and go, but my feelings for you are forever. Of course, I'm Closer to you now than I ever have been.

and, to borrow some lyrics from Kenny Chesney:
No one can make me cry, make me laugh
Make me smile but drive me mad like she does
It's like a curse that is the cure
Better or worse one thing is for sure
It is real love
And I don't know what I'd do If I lost it.

I love you. Dot.com *inside joke*

There is a light that never goes out

To die by your side - the pleasure, the privilege is mine. I love this song.

You know what a shawty is, right?

For all you old white folks out there - a shorty is like a girlfriend (if my urban speak is correct) and in this song, they go even more slang and call her a shawty. :) So, see, that's me, Shawty. I think I've adopted that as my new name. Shawty MILF. What do you think?

More good lyrics:
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack [Ayy]
She hit the flo [She hit the flo]
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low low low low low

I'm making Army of Dad take me dancing Saturday for our anniversary. Of course, I'll do most of the dancing while he stands there with a beer in his hand watching the hotties around me. But, that's ok.

Ride That Thing Like a Rodeo

I love this song. One time while Army of Dad and I were watching SportsCenter when this song was out, goofy old Stuart Scott was doing the baseball highlights and said "I put my bat up on yo pitch" and we about lost it laughing. I still can't hear this song without thinking about that.

Best lyrics in the song:
Slap it, girl, make it jiggle around
Round and round that rump goes
Where it stop, yo, no one knows

Yep, Freak Nasty knows Army of Mom

The Emo Years Begin

This morning, dear husband set up Little Bit on the Xbox arcade games to play for a little while. So, I left her to play in the care of her older brother while running the middle one to school.

I get a phone call from big brother (Pickle) on my drive back that went something like this:

Pickle: Mom, did you tell Little Bit that she could play games while you're gone?
AoM: Yes.
Pickle: *deep sigh* Well, I usually get dressed in your room (it's my office/living area where the games are strategically located for better control).
AoM: Yeah, well, go get dressed in the front room.
Pickle: *deep sigh* *click*
AoM: *fuming* *thinking NO he didn't just hang up on me and frantically missing numbers while trying to dial him back only to keep misdialing when the phone rings*
Pickle: Sorry.
AoM: Don't you EVER hang up on me again or that phone is history!
Pickle: It was an accident! *famous last words from this child WHENEVER he has flubbed up royally by making a bad choice*
AoM: Yeah, right, an accident. DO.NOT.LET.IT.HAPPEN.AGAIN.

Yes, the emo years have started. Lucky me.

*according to Wikipedia the emo stereotype "includes being emotional, sensitive, shy, introverted, or angsty." Yeah, that about sums it up. I'm so hosed. He'd have the whole bad hair thing going, too, if I let him. *sigh* Reminds me a bit of my Cure, Morrissey, Smiths phase in college when I wore all black for about a semester. Geesus, we're in trouble.

A Marriage With a Sense of Humor

On Thursday, Army of Dad and I mark 10 years of wedded bliss (mostly). Lately, we haven't gotten gifts for each other as we're trying to pay the bills down and make improvements to home and life. Well, some paychecks (finally) came in and we treated ourselves to buy each other anniversary gifts.

We had this verbal exchange last night in bed:

AoM: So, where did you hide my gift?
AoD: I'm not going to tell you, so you can go snoop.
AoM: Well, I want to make sure I don't stumble across it accidentally.
AoD: I'll just put it at the bottom of the sink under the dishes, that way you'll never find it. *laughing maniacally*

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is how you can tell we've been married for 10 years.

*shaking my head*

I think he's trying to tell me something

Almost 10 years of marriage now (we celebrate our anniversary on the 27th) and I think my husband is sending me a message. It has to do with the couch he inherited when he married me. It has a history with me.

Uzz and I bought it. It was probably our first piece of real furniture that we bought as a married couple. We had it scotchguarded - which was a giant waste of time - as Pickle managed to take a blue Bic pen to the arm of it about a week or two after we got it. We hadn't even made a payment on the damn thing before he ruined it. Not to worry, I just tossed a quilt over that arm. No one ever noticed until they got cold and moved the quilt.

Then, it came with me when I charged out into the cruel world on my own as an in-debt single mom. I made more history on it that doesn't need to be read by my mother-in-law, sister-in-law or ex-husband. Or even Pickle - who ventures over here from time to time, much to my chagrin. (look it up Pickle if you don't know what chagrin means)

But, I digress. The couch. It is pretty nasty. I bought a denim-looking slip cover for it a few years ago and now even the slip cover is nasty and needs to be replaced. There is a permanent divet in one of the arms and I have a few guesses of how it got there. I blame the children. The few times I was using the arm of the chair pale in comparison to the times I have caught children playing Superman and jumping from that vantage point. I suppose three children and almost 14 years of children jumping off the arm of the couch could do that to it ...

Then, my husband sends me the link to Dad Gone Mad's denim couch dilemma. Yeah, he's definitely trying to tell me something.

So sweet, you'll get a cavity

Little kids can be so darn cute that your teeth hurt from the sweetness. Here, the kids in Little Bit's pre-k class are all hopped up on snacks and ready for an Easter egg hunt.

And, Little Bit coming right between her best friend and best friend's beau. They're all too cute for their own good.

Sometimes it snows in Texas

Well, I had to do the obligatory ruler in the snow to demonstrate how much we got. Final viewing was 6.5 inches. Gorrammit, that is a lot. I don't ever remember in my 39 years having that much snow in the Dallas area.

Here is the adorable 9th grader from next door with Little Bit. These two lovely gals built this cute little All American snowman - the biggest snowman Little Bit has ever seen. We usually have pathetic little 12-inchers with the small amount of snow we typically get once a year.

Hot Rod at the height of the giant snowflakes. He just photographs so well.

Damn cute kid.

And, the three - er, four - kids at play here. Yeah, Army of Dad isn't going to miss a chance to play in the snow. You've got to be kidding.

Pickle 'hearts' snow. LOL. Always the artist.

Little Bit displays her weapon of choice.

And, Hot Rod chills in the snow. Little wonder he was wet every time he came in. This was the day after the snowfall. We seldom have snow last more than a few hours here, so we were all shocked when it stuck and was around the next day, too.

Snowball fight

Last week was such an anomoly for us with 6.5 inches of snow. Of course, this meant a snowball fight of epic proportions. My kids versus the kids next door. As you can tell by the lack of noise from the kids, I'm shooting this from inside my front door. I'm also laughing hysterically at Pickle falling - repeatedly.

My orange belt boy

Ok, so my photography is totally crappy, but it doesn't discount the fact that my eldest is now an adult orange belt in American karate. Woo hoo. It just gets harder from here ... but I think he's up for the challenge.

Ride 'em, Cowgirl

Don't get all excited guys ... this is me riding the buckin' bronc at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth. It is pretty comical, but pretty amusing, too. You have to control the bucking of the horse, so that is sort of amusing, in itself.

Hot Rod decided to take that rope and try to turn it into a lasso. I guess it is safe to say he'll never be in a rodeo. For that, I'm glad. Little Bit was pretty cute, too. Even with her Eddie Van Halen mullet. *sigh*

Dude looks like a lady

One of the best things to come from our Disney World vacation has been Hot Rod's new affinity for Aerosmith. I love it.

On Saturday night, I got to go out to dinner with LabKat and hang out for a bit. While at dinner, we noticed my glass had a chip in it. We couldn't find our waitress, so we told the teenaged host. As we were leaving, he looks at us and says: "Dude, did you find your waitress to tell her about the glass?"

*blinking*

I looked at LabKat once we were outside and said "Did he just call me dude?" Yep, she responds with a smile.

Now, she and I have been mistaken for life partners before, but never for men.

I weep for our future, to quote the snooty maitre'd from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Advice for the young at heart

One of my favorite songs by Tears for Fears is Advice for the Young at Heart. I love these guys. Great lyrics. This song always makes me teary-eyed for some reason.

Love is promise
Love is a souvenir
Once given
Never forgotten, never let it disappear
This could be our last chance
When we gonna make it work ?
Working hour is over
And how it makes me weep
Cos someone sent my soul to sleep
And when I think of you and all the love that's due
I'll make a promise, I'll make a stand
Cos to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise
We've got the whole wide world in our hands
Advice for the young at heart
Soon we will be older
When we gonna make it work ?
Working hour is over
We can do anyhting that we want
Anything that we feel like doing

My anthem

I've always joked that the boys in Queen wrote this song for me. Friday night, I had this exchange with my 5-year-old daughter.

Little Bit: *dancing around naked after her bath* I have a cute little butt!
AoM: yes you do.
Little Bit: You don't, though, cuz your butt is big like this *gesturing to really wide*
AoM: Some people think my butt looks pretty good.
Little Bit: Well, not me. Your butt isn't little and cute like this *turning to show me*

*shaking my head*
At least she's confident, if not tactful.

The dorkiness is rubbing off

My son is behind me with his back to me while playing video games. I turned this on and he heard the first two or three notes and said, "Hey, they're taking the hobbits to Isengard."

*wiping a tear from my eye*

Pounding my head on the wall

This year is sooooo going to suck. Elections and all. As a journalist and general artsy-type person, most of my friends are liberal intellectuals.

*sigh*

Twice in the past two days, I've gotten into political discussions/debates with two of my best friends.

*double sigh*

I believe the one today started when he said that the reason he is having a hard time finding a job is because the government isn't doing more to keep us out of a recession. That was when my head started spinning around and steam began shooting out of my ears.

And, I need to learn to just say. Sorry to hear you think that. Do you like pink carnations or red roses better? Instead, we spent about 75 minutes debating all those topics that Dems/Repubs disagree on.

*sigh*

I should have been writing during that time instead. It definitely would have been more productive. I'd NOT have this headache and I might be farther along in my work. I didn't persuade him to change his mind about anything any more than he persuaded me to chagne my mind.

Me, myself and I

This is my newest mug shot. I think I need more mascara, but I can't bring myself to do it. Of course, the very self-critical part of me noticed that my lipstick isn't even either. *sigh*

Its just Me, Myself and I. I joined a writers' organization a few months ago and somehow landed on its board of directors. I wasn't fond of my last mug shot - technically nice as it was, I didn't like the way I looked. Hell, I seldom like the way I look. But, this isn't bad. Just weird to see myself without my glasses.

Back in my day

I can remember the first time I wore eye shadow and doing it with that light blue color like the blonde here. This brings back memories of going to the community pool when I was a kid and listening to the radio over the loud speaker. This, or Paul Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, among many others. Man, I really am old.

My newest obsession

Instead of Mocha Java Chillers , Sonic should name these things Better Than Sex. I'm sure it would be hard for marketing to make it G-rated, but damn. These things are good. And, they're much cheaper than Starbucks. *Lord, forgive me for saying it*

Poor Catholic Men Everywhere

I seems such a shame that Steak and BJ Day has to occur on a Friday during Lent. No steak for Army of Dad this year.

However, we could fulfill the other part of the obligation, I suppose.

Happy Steak and BJ Day. If you're not familiar with the holiday, it was created for men just like Valentine's Day was created for us. :)

Miranda

We clearly have either a developer or a city hall employee who is a sci fi dork like me. On my way to pick up Little Bit from a friend's house in a fairly new housing development, I turned on one street named Miranda and then around the corner on to another street called Serenity. I kept thinking I ought to drive around and see if there is a Firefly street nearby. But, gorrammit, I didn't have time. No worries, its still shiny.

Big brother

Any other gmail user out there find it disturbing how gmail knows what I'm doing on my computer?

I just wrote that post about surviving something apocolyptic, etc. and then went to check my gmail and up pops an ad for dressing deer. Swear to God. That sort of creeps me out. I know it is some computer spider or whatever the hell term it is, but to me, it is scary.

Easter Egg Mania

Later, I will post some sort of image -whether still or video - of the egg mania of the third-graders at my son's school. Me and about a half-dozen moms hid hundreds of eggs. Ok, hid may be an exaggeration. We tossed hundreds of eggs onto the school playground. We spent about 30 minutes tucking them in nooks and crannies.

In about 10 minutes, the eggs were gone. *shaking my head*

Funny thing is the conversation I had with an older lady who volunteers at the school. She lived in Mexico as a young girl and we talked about how children today have no concept of needing something. Our school is considered one of the socio-economically disadvantaged schools in the district, too. Yet, here are our children with all this excess. No comprehension of going hungry or going without. Even in my lifetime of 39 years, I can remember bare pantries and counting my pennies. I've been told sad tales of my mom and dad's upbringing, too. We are not that far removed from days of The Depression. I often wonder how today's children could survive if something apocolyptic happened to our country. Some massive disaster or terrorist attack. I'm not sure I have the skills to make it and I know children of today most certainly aren't taught those sorts of things - short of some of the boy scouts and military.

Sorry, got off on a bit of a tangent there. But, it was something to see.

Who's yo daddy?

My husband instructed me to blog last night. I did and the computer ate it. *sigh* He said "A blogger as prolific as you and all you've turned out in the past week is one or two small posts and some other stuff. Blog, woman."

*shrug*

Haven't had much to say lately. But, reading the birth announcements in the local paper made me wonder why no one gives their children normal names any more like Little Bit and Hot Rod. I mean, really? Everyone has to be different.

Read on for the names of children born in the suburbs of Dallas:
Ace Henderson - swear to God, they want him to be a rock star or star athlete
Wyatt Thomas
Micah Braden
Lauren Elizabeth - normal, woo hoo, she'll be the only one with this name in her school class
Sarah Beth - another normal, hooray
Kaylee Michelle
Ariana Giselle
Isaac John - probably one of the few Jewish kids in our community
Elisabeth Grace - sort of normal except for the misspelled name
Dane Paul
Jacob Christopher - give it up for another normal name
Esteffanie Lynn
Holly Renae
Joshua Adam
Julian Sven
Pruett Azariah Garretson and Piper Aria Carmicheal - twins *shaking my head* hope their family names
Madden Rene
Evangeline Faith
Rhone Wilson
Abigail Claire - very cute and traditional
Bret Ryan - sounds masculine to me
Jackson Quinn
Charlie Micheal - future Texas legislator
Reese Camden - ok, trendy, but I love it
Eleanora Devlin
Audryna Leeonette

Ok, I have one child with a trendy name and two very traditional names, although Little Bit has two middle names. But, I have a story for mine. I named her after a combined patron saint and to honor two wonderful females. One was a woman who died of cancer and was a dear friend of my brothers. She, God love her, I'm going to cry while posting this, was dying of cancer when I learned about Pickle having CAH and she called me to comfort me. Swear to God. She called me to ask what she could do to help and offer advice - she had two children - and she prayed for me. She.prayed.for.me. God knows that it is probably one reason Pickle is doing so well. I have her on my case intervening with God. The other namesake for Little Bit was a 10-year-old girl who was murdered by a neighbor. I became good friends with her mother and we've stayed in touch all these years later. I promised her if I ever had a daughter, I'd give her that name. So, I did. She has a lot to live up to.

Pickle was named for a poet and a singer and after his father. Hot Rod was named after his grandfather, my surrograte grandfather, my late uncle and Army of Dad's best friend and he also has AoD's name, too.

So, see ... we have reasons for naming our children what we did ... I'm wondering how much of a story you can tell about Audryna Leeonette or Ace.

I dare you not to laugh

I don't get to watch much Family Guy because we don't want the children to see/hear the foul (but hilarious) things that come out of that show. Tonight, Peter Griffin took his family camping and this song was one he sang to the family while strumming the guitar. I almost spit out my Diet Coke all over the monitor when he got to the chorus.

DON'T WATCH AROUND CHILDREN.

For your listening pleasure

I'm working my fanny off to at least be close to my deadlines since I'm missing most of them when Little Bit walks in.

Little Bit: Here you go mom. Some music to help you relax. *then she runs off and leaves the music here*

*instrumental of Itsy Bitsy Spider playing on the Blue's Clues mini jukebox*

Pretty sweet, if not very effective.

Wake up call

I'm still burning the candle at both ends, but I think God gave me a wake-up call tonight.

I fell asleep at the wheel driving Hot Rod to soccer this afternoon. I woke up feeling the wheel move and caught it just in time to correct. I was driving head-on into a pick up truck!!!!

I'm so tired. I'm still behind on my stories, but deadlines be damned. I can't keep on doing this.

My guardian angel worked overtime tonight. I hope she gets to take a little rest. She deserves it.

Snow day!

Little Bit couldn't resist getting out in the snow as soon as possible. So, I bundled her up and she promptly said "I can't put my arms down!" Then, she giggled fiercely. :) The boys got out of school early and what normally takes me about 20 minutes to do took at least an hour. In about the span of a mile, I saw five cars spun off the road. I was going about 25 and people were zooming past me. Oddly enough, they spun out. Get a grip people. The kids are now out having a snowball fight. They're going to be wet and cold when they come in. So, I better start a fire and get the hot chocolate going.

Shopping with a pre-schooler

I have found a few great ways to occupy the pre-kindergartener while grocery shopping and the best thing is that I can teach her something, too. I thought I'd pass it along in case other harried moms haven't learned this trick. Of course, it took me three kids to get to this point, but hey, I got it eventually.

I always make a shopping list and Little Bit loves to cross off the items as we find them. We have graduated to her finding the word on the list. For instance, we find the milk and then she has to find the word on the list. So, she has to sound out the first letter and determine that it is M and then we try to sound out the rest of the word for her to figure out which word on the list is milk. Some things are harder than others, but she typically figures it out pretty quickly.

I learned a tip from Army of Dad to keep the kids from asking for sweets and junk that isn't on the list. When he would take them shopping when they were little, if they asked for something like Oreos or whatever, he would look at the list and say "Nope, not on here, so we can't get it. " It actually worked, too. Impressive.

I found that letting her hold the list and scratch off the items also frees my hands and keeps her occupied. I'm so going to miss that little bugger in the fall when she's in school all day. *sigh*

Under Pressure

I have a giant story due on Thursday, two due on Friday, five due on Monday and one due on the 12th. The one due on the 10th and the one due on the 12th haven't been started beyond some basic research. So, I'm up with a giant cup of coffee ... working and writing. I can identify with this song.

I'm officially old

First, I bought broccoli on purpose and put in my potato/ham casserole tonight. Secondly, while I was cleaning up the kitchen, Pickle was watching TV and listening to Daft Punk and all I could think was "TURN THAT NOISE DOWN!!"

Then, I was trying to read a label on something and I had to take my glasses off so I can read it up close.

*sigh*

And, I'm not even 40.

Meet the newest member of the family

Say hello to my new baby: the HP OfficeJet 5610.

My T45 has had a full life: nine years of printing soccer schedules, story notes and holiday newsletters, among many other things. It lived well and has endured much abuse.

T45 has been adorned with a smushed penny (you know the souvenir ones from attractions) of a cute little penguin with Penguin Island along the top and Fort Worth Zoo on the bottom. It has also sported my motivational magazine clipping, too. It will move over to the hard drive or somewhere else where I can see it. It reads:
You deserve a little lift!
You will find your strength within you; in places deep inside that you have not yet dared to visit - Ruth Fishel
We all have moments when we think, I can't do this. But you can! You have a well of patience (ha, this magazine person doesn't know me) and courage that's always there for you to tap. Believe in yourself; you're greater than any challenge you face.

So, sweet little T45, a fond farewell to you this evening. May your next home treat you much kinder than this one ever did. I hope your foster family at Goodwill takes good care of you until some cheapskate takes you home and loves you, hopefully better than I did!

Texas weather

Yep, it was in the 70s on Sunday when Hot Rod was playing soccer. Tonight? Yeah, well, the snow is falling pretty heavily and the kids are hoping to build snowmen and skip school in the morning. The peach tree in the center of my front yard (that little one right there) was budding earlier today.

Fauxbama

SNL has this right on target. Man, the media is all up on B.O.'s dick. Apparently, people are in a snit over SNL having a white guy play Obama. Give me a break people. It is a parody. I can't get the video to upload, but if you go to the Washington Post link, you can see it.

More SNL links to their version of the Democratic Debates and Democratic Debates on SNL, part 2. I'm sorry. It is funny even if you like these folks, too.

Kicking ass, taking names

Hot Rod's soccer team played its second outdoor game this season. Today, they played one man short the entire game. That is rough on kids, but these guys stepped up to the challenge.
They didn't back off at all.

Then, there was Hot Rod getting the worst of it here. He came in a bit late and went down for it.

He wound in goal for the last quarter or so of the game and he did a great job. Of course, the wind was in our favor in the second half.

This was a remarkable save for an 8-year-old. If I caught it correctly, and I'm sure Army of Dad will set me straight if I missed it, but he knocked a high ball away and then caught the rebound. If you look closely, you can see the edge of the ball at the top of the picture.

And, he's fearless. As a mom, it totally freaks me out. But, he is good at it.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Pickle

Look at that smile! Pickle took second place in his kata competition today at the local karate tournament. Ok, so there were only two of them competing in his belt grade/age division, but he only lost 29.7 to 29.4. Damn. That was close. He turned the wrong direction on one move. He sold it to me, though, because I didn't know it. He just kept on going. However, the judges knew it and that was all it took for the other kid to win. No matter. He did well and brought home this giant trophy. Not that I'm a proud momma or anything.

This is my house!

Hot Rod defends his goal like a dog guarding the perimeter of a yard. Back off dude. This is MY house!

Tiny Dancer Strikes a Pose

Hooray! I finally got my Kodak EasyShare software back on the computer, so I can start sharing pictures again. First off, I have my Tiny Dancer. How cute is Miss Prissy? Even with her mullet haircut, she's pretty damn cute, if I may say so.

I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.