It's a boy thing

We went to Monster Jam tonight. Parts of it were fun. Occasionally I imagine that my minvan has ginormous wheels and I could crush people. It was nice to see someone actually get that frustration out and crush a couple of cars. I'd love to drive a monster truck for a good 15 minutes. I loved to see the little kids haul ass on their minirature dirt bikes. They were really cute.

For the most part it was 100% pure boy stuff. I could have done without the redneck quad racers scrapping in the dirt over a trophy.

I did enjoy seeing my kids in total awe from seeing their toys more than life size. I know in the morning Luke will have a whole new take on his monster trucks. It was his first time at an arena event with a huge crowd. People were clapping and cheering before the trucks came out and he was down with it. He was yelling and clapping and didn't have a clue what was going on. He just knew there was a good time to be had. He had a complete WTF look on his face when the trucks came out. It was priceless. The boy came out in him and he pumped his little fist and said "Yeah!!" Thomas was all cool, kicked back. He had seen it before so he knew what was going on. He did say that Luke was funny. :) After intermission an old school toyota minivan and a knight rider mini van came out. The boys behind me told me that they were transformers and they were going to battle. I think it was the cheesiest thing I've ever seen but the boys were impressed. I think the husband was into it too.

I think next year I'll pass on the Monster Trucks.

The Embers - Carolina Girls (Live)

Carolina Girls..Sweeter than candy..hotter than heat..."Cats" and "Monster Jam" in the same week!!

Stalked by a Cat

On Tuesday Wilma and I saw the musical Cats. It was something I had always wanted to see. I ordered tickets the second they went on sale. We thought that we had seats in section 'R' which would have been great. We ended up having tickets in the orchestra section, in the pit, front freaking row. We were practically on the stage. It was amazing.

Before I get into all of the juicy details I have to start with the beginning of the "date." I call it a date because it was one of the best dates I've ever been on. (My date didn't try to cop a feel and I didn't I wasn't expected to put out!) Just kidding. :) It was surprisingly easy to walk out of my loud messy house with a kiss for each of my boys. Okay, I was practically running out the door! We went to Tripps for dinner. Wilma was very assertive, (I've always liked the aggressive type *wink* *wink*) and she ordered for me. Wilma was ever so chic and ordered a Cosmopolitan while I sipped on sweet tea. She's so Carrie Bradshaw (in the early days, before SJP got old.) We had a cute little waiter that got a big fat tip....looks go far when you're our waiter, plus I think Wilma scared him to death with her aggressive, um I mean assertiveness. :) Wilma got a salad, of course the 98 pounder always eats a piece of lettuce and 1/2 a crouton and she's full..."I'll have a salad and some water please." and a Quesadilla (and I didn't have to spell check that!) I ordered the Chicken Augusta. OMG it was so good. I haven't had mashed potatoes in forever. For dessert we shared a cheesecake.

We got to Memorial Auditorium just early enough to have a little parking drama and ended up with the best spot in the lot. The little old usher that helped us find our seats told us that we were so close that the cats would be spitting on us. He was right. Drip. The roof was leaking. Memorial Auditorium is a beautiful, OLD building. Out of all of the seats in the damn place the leak had to be right over me. Thankfully it didn't last the entire show and the drip was sporadic, but it was there. It would have been so bad if we weren't in the front with Cats staring at us.

When showtime rolled around the lights went out and cat eyes appeared everywhere, including the audience. I think the girl sitting next to Wilma shit her pants; she didn't come back after intermission. They opened with "Jellical Cats." The song ended with a Cat perched 3 feet in front of us. She was sitting there washing her paws, snarling at me. At first I thought it was cool. My attention turned to some of the other Cats and felt someone staring at me. It was that freaking Cat. Sitting there like cats do, staring me down. When I'd look at her she'd snarl at me. To top it all off, whenever the water would drip in me she make some messed up cat face and lick her paw. I wanted to shake a can of coins at her, or get her with the water hose. I usually like Cats but this one got one my nerves. She was a menace. She did this off and on throughout the entire show. I can't really hate because if I were in her place I'd be doing the same thing. :)

There was a tomcat, Rum Tug Tugger. He looks like a cat Wilma would have hooked up with in high school. LOL. He was really funny and super cocky. All of the girl cats loved him. I guess he was the Danny Hickman of cats. He knew he was fine and all of the girl cats wanted him.

There was one cat that had the hots for Wilma. I guess in the Cat world he was a catch. He was really cute, wearing a collar so he wasn't a stray. He came over and teased her, smiling, very flirty. He offered Wilma his paw and when she tried to touch him he hissed, and scratched at her. He scared the piss out of her. She jumped with a little squeak and everyone around us laughed. I thought it was hilarious because Wilma doesn't like attention. If she had realized that all of the attention was on her she would have been mortified. At the end of the show he made amends. He came over and offered his paw, and made nice. Go figure, I get bullied by a bitch cat and Wilma gets love from a sweet house cat.

The show was truly amazing. It was definitely an experience being that close to such a production.

Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats

I think this song will be stuck in my head forever...

"Jellicles do and jellicles can
Jellicles can and jellicles do
Jellicles do and jellicles can
Jellicles can and jellicles do..."

The Next Episode

Well, we didn't make it to the movies yesterday. The boys took a long, well needed nap. I went out for coffee when the husband got home. That was a nice little break.

Today I decided that it's official, Thomas is the brightest child in the world. I knew he was smart, but my boy is a genius. :) Today, on the way home from the allergist he made up a song about how smart I am. "Mommy's smart, Mommy's smart, she's so smart, she's so smart..." to the tune of Dr. Dre's song, "Next Episode." It was hilarious. He and I were dancing our asses off, in the minivan, on the beltline. Luke was knocked out. When we got home he told me I was pretty and kissed me on the cheek.

So today I'm smart and pretty AND I got a kiss from a cute guy. It really doesn't get any better than that. I love being a "Boy Mom."

Luke counted Smarties Candies today (as he was munching on them in the doctor's office.) I'm so proud of him...He counted to 13 and he's 26 months old today!

Cabin Fever

We have got to get out of the house today. Thomas, Luke and I are about to kill each other. I'm afraid the husband will come home to a scene from a horror flick. The boys are going on each other's nerves and in turn, getting on mine. Even the cat looks more pissed off than usual today.

I think we may venture out into the cold and go see Bee Movie. It's playing at the $1.50 theater and the boys have managed to save $2 each.

25 degrees is too cold for North Carolina. We don't like it. The cold temperature may have been a little more tolerable had we gotten the snow that good old Greg promised!

I miss you.

I miss you, your brothers do too even though they don't realize it.

The Magic Box

This little device is my life force...the magic box. Recently our cable went out; taking my TV, phone, and internet. Last week was very interesting. No Noggin', no PCOS Mommies, no eBay, no calling Mom to bitch 3 times a day, and no calls from Wilma to and from work. I had my cell phone but it doesn't get service in my house. I didn't like sitting outside in 33 degree weather to chat. (You know my desperate, crazy ass did sit out there a few times.) Thomas wanted to play his Super Why! game and surf his little 3 year old websites and Luke wanted his Wonder Pets. We made due, and now we appreciate the luxury of the cable modem a little more.

We did get a few channels, including HGTV. I have 6 different decorating plans for each room now. I know all there is to know about rearranging furniture to create a new look for less, thank you Design on a Dime...I've rearranged my living room furniture 3 times in the past week. Every time Thomas wakes up from a nap he says, "Wow Mommy, a new room!"

The husband was off on Sunday so I went to the library to get online and find some books for the boys. When I got online I found that my little online community was falling apart. Apparently some women just can't leave well enough alone. I had some online friends that I've chatted with for years. Some of these women were there when I was trying to get pregnant with Thomas, some there when I lost Luke's twin. All of that has changed, and ugh...I hate change.

I also put the husband to work, fixing out leaky bathroom faucet and toilet. Now the cat's pissed off and biting us because we took away his source of fresh, cold water. ToeBee is a snobby, asshole cat but I love him.

This week I get to work on our taxes. Yippee! Today was loads of fun...calculating receipts while Thomas tells "Are you done yet?!?!" over, and over, and over again.

Picnic at Lake Wheeler

We went to Lake Wheeler today for a picnic. The weather was gorgeous...in the mid 60's. I remember when January was freezing cold and we'd get a foot of snow. Oh Well...I shouldn't have used so much Rave Aerosol hairspray in the 1980's. Lord knows, me and my crew probably contributed more than anyone to the hole in the ozone.

Any way, we had another great family day. The kids loved the playground and were both way too adventurous for the husband's nerves. :) The both went down the big boy slide with no problem. Luke got to see the Geese, which he called Ducks and was amazed. He wanted to touch one but they were bigger than he was, and we decided against it. I've never really met a nice Goose. We walked out on the docks. I held they boys hands so tight, and they wanted to run wild. With the wind and the boats it was pretty rocky. I didn't feel like a rescue swim in the cold water. I've decided rather than sending Thomas to pre-school this summer, we'd put the kids in swimming classes. (Get you bathing suit out Mom!) We had our picnic, then Thomas and I sat in the rocking chairs overlooking the lake while Luke ran around on the deck flapping his little wings and honking like a Goose. Today was a good day.

Tennessee Buckdance

This is Luke in 70 years.

The BeedleBop Buckdance

Ugh. Why?!?! Why?!?! Why?!?! One faithful December day I left my television on Playhouse Disney and my youngest son discovered Dee Dee, Roonie, and Mo. His little size 9's started tapping to the music and soon he was in all out, old school, Southern Buckdance. My son was going crazy, gyrating to the music. You could tell that he was feeling it in the depths of his little 2 year old soul. What you may not know is, I hate the Doodlebops. Now I'm forced to accept them into my home every weekday at 10am. The joy they bring my son is too much for me to take away. Parents, beware. Turn off your televisions. You may be doodlebopped, or as Luke would say Beedlebopped.

You've GOT to click on the video above. It's awesome.

Our Anniversary

Yesterday was our 7 year anniversary. I forgot about it until I was writing the check for Thomas' tuition. I called the husband and he just started laughing. I forget it every year. This past year our marriage was really put to the test. Money and children can really take a toll on a relationship. I finally realized that my life shouldn't center around my children. It does for the most part, but I lost a bit of ME since having kids. I love my babies more than anything, but when I take time for myself I'm a better mother to them, and that includes taking time for my marriage.

The husband and I have decided to take a cruise this year, just the 2 of us, no kids, pagers, bail bonds, or faulty generators or tent heaters. I look forward to relaxing in the middle of the ocean for a good few days. Archie's looking forward to the blackjack table. We plan on having Mom stay with the kids while we're gone. She's in love with them and they with her, so they'll all be fine. Probably better than fine because they'll have a break from us and have some serious Granny time. Thomas will be in WooHoo up to his ears, and I'm sure that Luke will be dancing on the table top!

Our 10 year anniversary is coming up. I think we'll go as a family to Disneyworld. The kids will be at the perfect age to enjoy it and I've been dying to go back. I think I'm more excited than anyone. :)

Handy Manny and the Mama Dinosaur

Thomas never ceases to amaze me. Today while Luke was napping Thomas decided to help me make my bed. We threw the pillows on the floor and his eyes lit up. "Ohhhhhh Mommmmmmmy, a nest."

Then he plops his little behind on my pile of pillows. I laid on the bed and we had a little conversation.

"Awww, are you a Mommy bird?"
"No Mommy, I'm a Dinosaur waiting for my babies to catch."
"Oh, are you catching eggs?"
"Nooooo Mommy, I'm sitting on the eggs so they will catch."
"Okay, let me know when your done so I can make my bed."


A few minutes go by as he's waiting for his eggs to hatch (or catch.) He decides to plunder under my bed and found all kinds of goodies. He totally lost interest in his babies, or so I thought. I decided to get my pillows off of the floor and finish making my bed. Thomas walks back into my room and says..."Mommy, my nest, oh no!" For about 20 seconds he was seriously pissed because I ruined his nest. Then he hears "Let's get going and fix it right, Twist and turn, make it tight... " and runs to the living room. Handy Manny saved my ass from a pissed off Mama Dinosaur.


I make my bed and go get on the computer. For some reason Thomas is jazzed over Manny, he hasn't watched him in months. He dug to the bottom of his toy box and found his tools, and stuck a wrench and hammer in his underwear.

You have to love the 3 year old mind.

Terror of the South

This afternoon we went to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. The boys had a lot of fun. We normally go with Wilma and Hans, today we went with Daddy. Thomas was happy to be with daddy, but was definitely missing his buddy. We started out in the Living Conservatory. They had butterflies, hummingbirds, spiders, snakes, and a sloth. Luke loved the butterflies, and was yelling "Morpho! Morpho!" He's such a smart cookie. Thomas was freaked out because they were flying too low.

They have lots of small critters throughout the museum; Hissing Cockroaches, Horseshoe Crabs, Millipedes, Snakes, Hercules Beetles, Fish, Turtles, Frogs, and some whales that washed ashore on a NC beach years ago.

There were all kinds of fossils and dinosaurs. My favorite is the Acrocanthosaurus (the Arco,) also called the "Terror of the South." I love that. Who ever thought of that hasn't met my boys! The Arco was really cool and the boys were definitely impressed. I think that's Thomas' favorite exhibit. There were some other cool dinos; a T-Rex head, Willow, the dinosaur with a fossilized heart, and a giant beaver looking creature that was found near Wilmington, NC.

We all had a good time despite the freezing cold air and wind. We had a few flurries today, I wish we'd have a good snow.

Simple

sim·ple
Pronunciation:
\ˈsim-pəl\
Function:
adjective
Inflected Form(s):
sim·pler \-p(ə-)lər\; sim·plest \-p(ə-)ləst\
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin simplus, alteration of Latin simplic-, simplex single, having one ingredient, plain, from sem-, sim- one + -plic-, -plex -fold — more at same, -fold
Date:
13th century
1: free from guile : innocent2 a: free from vanity : modest b: free from ostentation or display 3: of humble origin or modest position 4 a: lacking in knowledge or expertise b (1): stupid (2): mentally retarded c: not socially or culturally sophisticated : naive; also : credulous

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When I think of the word simple I think of 1 person in particular. Miss A. She is an older lady from the south, very funny and set in her ways. My husband and I were visiting her, having a conversation. She referred to someone as a "simple bitch." We both thought it was hilarious beacuse the person she was talking about was quite simple and was pretty bitchy most of the time. Next, I think about my need to simplify when I became pregnant with my first child. I got rid of so much clutter in my home and my life. I let go of toxic friends and family members. I needed simplicity.

I think there is a point where simple is okay, and a point where some one's simplicity makes them ugly. Unfortunately there isn't a clear line between the two. If there was, maybe people could see the error of their ways and make the world a nicer place. What has happened to simple conversation; one without a covert meaning? Have all of the simple people taken it away?